Category: Sports News

Another day of minor league baseball is in the books. See the results below. Check out the previous day’s recap here.

AAA: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (71-66) won 3-1 (BOX SCORE)

Sugar Land got on the board in the first inning on a Cole solo home run. Hendrickson started for Sugar Land and pitched well allowing 1 run over 5.2 innings while striking out 8. In the bottom of the 6th, Ferreras broke the tie with a solo home run to right center field. Price added some insurance in the 8th inning with a solo home run. The pen was great tossing 3.1 scoreless as they closed out the 3-1 win.

Note: Ferreras is hitting .320 in Triple-A.

• Zach Cole, CF: 2-for-3, R, 2B, HR, RBI, BB
• Pascanel Ferreras, SS: 2-for-3, R, HR, RBI
• Collin Price, 1B: 1-for-4, R, HR, RBI
• Zach Dezenzo, LF: 2-for-3
• Lucas Spence, RF: 1-for-2, BB

• Josh Hendrickson, RHP: 5.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 8 K
• Christian Roa, RHP: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K (WIN)
• Logan VanWey, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
• Roddery Munoz, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K (SAVE)

AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (59-73) lost 8-2 (BOX SCORE)

The Hooks got on the board in the third inning on a Call 2 run home run. Hicks got the start and pitched well allowing 2 runs over 6.2 innings while striking out 7. The game stayed tied until the 8th where the bullpen allowed 6 runs as the Cardinals took the lead. The Hooks offense was unable to respond as they fell 8-2.

Note: Call has 21 home runs this season.

• Marcus Brown, 3B: 1-for-3, R
• Chase Call, LF: 1-for-2, R, HR, 2 RBI, BB

• James Hicks, RHP: 6.2 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 7 K
• Ramsey David, RHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 1 K
• Amilcar Chirinos, RHP: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K

A+: Asheville Tourists (43-87) lost 6-4 (BOX SCORE)

Howard started for Asheville and went 5 innings allowing 2 runs while striking out 8 batters. The offense got on the board in the 4th on a Gomez RBI double. They got another run in the 5th on a Neyens RBI single. Cruz struggled in relief as he allowed 4 runs over 4 innings. The offense got one back in the 7th on a Moss RBI single and another in the 8th on a Vasquez RBI single but that was it as Asheville fell 6-4.

Note: Neyens finished with a .807 OPS in High-A.

• Kyle Walker, 2B: 2-for-5, R, 2B
• Xavier Neyens, 3B: 2-for-5, RBI
• Jack Moss, 1B: 3-for-5, R, 2B, RBI
• Kenni Gomez, CF: 2-for-4, R, 2B, RBI
• Yosweld Vasquez, C: 1-for-4, RBI

• Dylan Howard, RHP: 5.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 8 K
• Anthony Cruz, RHP: 4.0 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 2 K

A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (71-58) CANCELLED

Today’s minor league starters:

SL: OFF

CC: OFF

AV: SEASON OVER

FV: SEASON OVER

The Dodgers have momentum.

Doesn’t matter if the last three victories in their four-game winning streak came against the Nationals.

Momentum is momentum, and momentum in September can be especially valuable, as it can lead to momentum into October.

“Obviously, if you can end it in September playing good ball, then I think it gives you confidence going into the postseason,” shortstop Mookie Betts said.

The Dodgers, who on Monday open a three-game series against the Reds at Dodger Stadium, understand they have to finish the regular season playing better than they did when they posted a 13-14 record last month.

“I think a couple of years ago we finished September not that great, and then it kind of carried into the playoffs,” Betts said.

Betts could have been referencing the 2022 season.

The Dodgers dropped three of their last four regular-season games that year and went on to be eliminated by the Padres in a National League Division Series.

Last year, they recovered from a dreadful July and mediocre August to post a 15-10 record in the final month of the regular season. They won nine of their last 11 games, including each of their last five, and went on to win the World Series.

The year before that, they also posted a losing record in July, only in that season, their comeback started a month earlier. They ran over their opposition in August, maintained their form through September — and guess what? — they won the World Series.

“I think a lot of September is the depth,” manager Dave Roberts said. 

Rosters expand to 28 players on Sept. 1 of every season, and the Dodgers use that to give their players breaks. 

Shohei Ohtani was out of the lineup for four consecutive days so that he could recover from an assortment of injuries. Max Muncy didn’t play on Saturday because he was sick. Betts is scheduled to take a day off on Monday.

“We’ve kind of done that over the years, and that’s a sign of having a lot of good players,” Roberts said. “But, yeah, it’s important to go into October playing well.”

The early signs are promising.

The starting pitching is coming together, the recent comebacks of Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow giving the Dodgers four Cy Young Award-caliber pitchers in their projected postseason rotation. Ohtani is expected to return to the lineup on Monday after missing the last four games.

The Dodgers averaged just 3.9 runs scored per game in August. They averaged 5.8 runs in their first six games of September, which included two losses to the Cardinals.

Over their three-game sweep of the Nationals, they scored a total of 18 runs. An offense that previously had difficulties hitting with men on base was 9-for-28 (.321) with runners in scoring position and drove in 11 runs with two outs.

“We’ve just taken good at-bats and continued to get runners on base,” Roberts said. “I just like the at-bat quality. It just seems like every night is someone different.”

Their 7-5 victory over the Nationals on Sunday was an example.

Trailing 4-1 through four innings, the Dodgers collected five hits in the fifth to score three runs and level the score at 4. Of the five hits in the inning, only one was an extra-base hit, a one-out double by Tommy Edman that drove in Muncy for the first run of the frame.

The Dodgers let the Nationals move in front of them again but by only one run. 

“I thought we were going to break through, I really did,” Roberts said. 

He was right. With two outs in the eighth inning, Alex Call singled and Edman walked. With the two of them on base, Betts stepped into the batter’s box.

The first pitch thrown to Betts by Nationals left-hander Will Dion was up and in.

“I was wishing he would get hit by the pitch,” Roberts said.

Betts sent the next pitch into the left field pavilion for a three-run home run.

Roberts said Freddie Freeman joked with him, “That’s why he avoids the pitch — so he can hit a home run.”

Betts has a .246 average this season, but he’s batting .305 with five homers, seven doubles and 22 RBIs over his last 24 games. His resurgence is overlapping with that of Teoscar Hernández, who is batting .423 with a home run over his last eight games.

The Dodgers have something to play for this month, as they started the week a game ahead of the Braves in the race for the No. 2 seed in the National League, which entitles a team to a first-round bye in the postseason. 

Then again, the Dodgers went into the playoffs last year as the No. 3 seed, which required them to play in the wild-card round. They learned something important from the experience: Where they finished in the standings didn’t matter as much as how they played down the stretch.

The Cincinnati Reds woke Monday with the knowledge that it’s at least possible to take down the Milwaukee Brewers in a three-game series. I am not sure the same could have been said when they woke up on Friday, even if they’d firmly believed it all along.

Despite dropping Friday’s series opener 10-7 in a way that’s become so maddening, they rebounded in kind. Friday saw the Reds jump to an early lead only for the grind of the Brewers at-bats to chase starter Rhett Lowder amid a flurry of line drives and singles as Milwaukee turned the scoreboard upside down one professional at-bat at a time.

Still, Cincinnati pocketed that during Saturday’s game, and took home a hard-earned 5-3 victory that featured the best of their bullpen finally getting the best of Milwaukee’s. Then, on Sunday, the Reds themselves churned out 12 runs on 14 hits – just one of them a homer – as they found ways to work counts deep and pick up key hits with men in scoring position.

Sunday saw them overcome the demons that cost them in the series opener, too. They did jump to an early lead, and they did see Milwaukee scratch and claw their way back and into a lead of their own. Undeterred, the Reds plowed right ahead, as Elly De La Cruz had yet another big day to lead them through to a 12-8 win that maybe, just maybe, can propel them through the gauntlet that remains this season.

And that’s the point here, I think. This stretch of Milwaukee/Dodgers/Milwaukee/Dodgers/Cubs/Braves is as difficult as it gets. It’s a veritable playoff slate for a 2026 Reds club that will not be playing in actual playoff games. But if the Reds brass and ownership is truly committed to keeping this entire band together for another year in 2027 – should there be a season – coming up large in September against this caliber of team is what the team needs for its psyche to clear through a run of a more important ilk this time in a calendar year.

Hopefully, this weekend serves as a wake-up call to the players on Cincinnati’s roster that yes, they can play and win against the big clubs. They can hang, they can take punches, and they can punch right back. That’s what the good teams do, anyway – they never feel like they’re buried and out of reach, something that’s been felt in Reds games all too often over the last few years as their overall offense slumped to league-worst marks. This weekend, at least, that era of Reds baseball took a backseat.

Let’s just hope it was for good.

This season, Nasim Nunez has had the chance to prove he can be an everyday player. While he showed some promise at times in the summer, he has failed in that mission. For most of this season, his flaws have been brutally exposed as he has been overplayed. Nunez has skills, but this is not something that works in a full-time role.

It is tough to overstate just how bad Nasim Nunez has been offensively. On the season, his OPS is .534, which is over 50 points worse than the second worst qualified hitter. You can be an all-world baserunner and defender, but there are offensive thresholds you have to hit to be on an MLB field every day. Nunez is simply not hitting those.

When you look at his Baseball Savant page, it is very easy to identify the problems here. Nunez just is not strong enough to consistently make hard contact. His xwOBA, xSLG and barrel rate are all in the first percentile. There are actually ways to work around this, but Nunez either can’t or won’t do that.

Chandler Simpson has the same issues as Nunez, but he is hitting .308 this season. That is because he has gone all in on making contact and weaponizing his speed. Simpson only strikes out 8.2% of the time while Nunez strikes out over 20% of the time. Being like Chandler Simpson is the only way for Nunez to have offensive success. However, I just don’t think he has the bat to ball skills to do that.

The result of this is pretty disastrous. This season, Nunez has an insanely low 52 wRC+. That means he is about half as good as even an average hitter. It is rare to see a wRC+ that low for a guy with over 450 plate appearances because usually those sorts of bats don’t get this much rope.

People would counter that Nunez makes up for this on the bases and in the field. However, fWAR does not think so. Even while grading out as an elite baserunner and very good fielder, Nunez still has -0.2 fWAR. With his profile, you have to be an impressively bad hitter to compile negative WAR. That is exactly what he is doing though.

It feels like the new regime has really bought into Nunez’s skillset. He is getting way more opportunities than he did with the old regime. They even moved CJ Abrams off of shortstop to get Nunez looks over there. Seaver King has been knocking on the door for a while, but Paul Toboni has decided to stick with Nunez.

With a slash line of .211/.289/.245, that faith is not being rewarded. Lately, Nunez has been as close to an automatic out as you get in the modern game. He is hitting .116 with a .302 OPS. Even old NL pitchers would be disappointed by those numbers. In his last 15 games, it has gotten even worse with an .095 average and .235 OPS. These numbers are just comically low.

With the offense having a tougher time post-deadline, you just cannot have this player in the lineup with any regularity. Whenever he comes up in a big spot, you are just conceding an out to the other team. That is what happened last night, with Nunez looking helpless at the dish.

Nasim Nunez has a unique skillset, so I understand giving him some run in a rebuilding year. However, entering next season with Nunez as an Opening Day starter would be unacceptable. He has proven to be incapable at the plate and not starter quality.

You can keep him around as a defensive replacement and pinch runner. However, if he is a starter on the 2027 infield, the offseason would be a failure. Nunez has gotten his chance and has very clearly shown he cannot be an everyday player.

The Phillies are at the top of the wild card standings thanks to a solid end of a West coast swing, but this weekend has been a bit of a bummer. Bullpen issues are creeping in again, making the prospect of a postseason swoon that much more looming, but hey – have to make it in first.

Three up

Bryce Harper – As I inferred in the question of the day this weekend, I believe Harper has joined the conversation about a top three MVP finish on the season. Another week in which he was getting on base and scoring runs, Harper has led this team (.409/.480/.455 on the week) to the top of the wild card standings, giving the definition of what an MVP is some meaning.

Alec Bohm – Bohm’s tenure with the Phillies is probably coming to an end. A free agent once the season is over, he’ll likely be on a new team thanks to his not really becoming what they thought he would be plus what he’ll want in free agency. That doesn’t mean he can’t be productive in the final days, just as he was this week (.278/.381/.611 on the week) against the Diamondbacks and Braves. If he can keep it up into October, it’ll help this lineup tremendously.

Zack Wheeler – It’s nice to be able to put Wheeler back to this part of the list. His last two starts have quelled the cries about his possibly being washed as he’s looked the part once again of ace of the staff. It might have been a dead arm period, likely a more complicated explanation, but I feel comfortable putting those says behind us. Wheeler is back and ready for the postseason.

Three down

Bryson Stott – Whew, is Stott ice cold or what? A paltry line of .111/.150/.278 was helped by a mammoth home run in Arizona, but Stott looks like he could use an extended break.

J.T. Realmuto – The first week of September was not kind to Realmuto, who really does look worn down these days. With the addition of Rafael Marchan to the roster thanks to the expansion, there really is no need to catch Realmuto more than three days a week at this point. Get his legs fresh for October, when he will really be leaned on.

Orion Kerkering – I’ll have more on this this week, but I am of the opinion that Kerkering needs to be in a new organization once this season is over.

A sweep of the Baltimore Orioles was just what the medical team ordered for the Red Sox. The O’s had been hanging around the Wild Card for weeks – even through a selloff that included their starting catcher – while the Sox won 15 straight and 9 straight and put up an historic run since the end of June. A sweep for Baltimore would have put them solidly into the playoff picture, if still a bit outside of a playoff spot. But even lacking Willson Contreras and Ceddanne Rafaela, Boston came out on top.

Now at home, the Sox welcome the Angels for three games. They played the Angels to kick off winning 15 straight at the start of July, part of the 9-game, 3-series, road sweep on their way into the All Star Break.

Speaking of former Orioles. Grayson Rodriguez, who should have been their ace by now, will start for the Orioles Monday afternoon. That ERA over 6.00 looks promising but he was really pummeled early on. A 3.2 inning 7-run outing, another with 8 runs (7 earned) obscure that he hasn’t been quite that bad. Since giving up 11 runs over two starts in July he’s actually put up a 3.49 ERA / 3.85 FIP. Baltimore acquired him for Taylor Ward who they since traded to the Mariners for prospects. Health is a skill, but maybe they do wish they’d just stuck with their guy? Brayan Bello isn’t listed as the starter but he might be! Bello has lost some of his bullpen magic of late, but the Sox need to know what kind of pitcher he has become as they approach October. It’ll be interesting to see how long he’s even in a game. Bello threw 94 pitches on 8/29. Then given three days grace before tossing another 69. Pain. This time he’ll have four days of rest. It’s not too late, never too late for Bello to reclaim a rotation spot.

Why didn’t the Angels trade Reid Detmers? Who can say. But the 27-year-old southpaw is on a roll in what is something of a breakout season. Boston hit him hard back in July with 5 runs in 5.0 innings. He gave up 5 runs to the Rangers the next time out but since then has an ERA/FIP of 1.52/2.61 over 9 starts. That includes a 7.0 inning, 1 run, gem against the Yankees last time out. New York won in 10 innings but Detmers was gone. The Sox will send Patrick Sandoval. After gutting his way through 5.1 innings with just a single run allowed against the Yankees he turned back into a Pablo pumpkin against the Mariners allowing 4 runs (3 earned) in 4.0 innings. He pitched in the same game as Bello, tossed 80 pitches, but will get even more rest. Hope it helps!

Boston will look to have their knives out against Ryan Johnson, owner of an ERA north of 5.00. However, with some luck, he’s been better of late. In 12 starts before August: 7.63/6.31 ERA/FIP with 37Ks, 20 walks in 46 innings. Since the calendar hit August, over 6 starts, 1.67/5.26 ERA/FIP with 21Ks, and 18 BBs across 32.1 innings. He hasn’t been allowing runs but it hasn’t been exactly stress free. Is Jake Bennett back? The stoic Sox lefty turned in another quality start last time out against the Orioles and has 14 Ks to 0 walks over his last two outings. You can go back another start and it’s 20-1 or perhaps 26-2 if you go back yet another start. The point is he’s been good since getting that extra rest.

Mike Trout isn’t MIKE TROUT but he’s putting up a .241/.376/.422 line with 20 homers.

Old friend Vaughn Grissom is slashing .249/.310/.391

Since the trade deadline, shortstop Zach Neto is hitting .265/.306/.444.

Probable Pitching Matchups

Monday, September 7: Grayson Rodriguez (6.03 ERA / 4.76 FIP) vs. Brayan Bello (5.07 ERA / 4.33 FIP)

Tuesday, September 8: Reid Detmers (3.44 ERA / 3.10 FIP) vs. Patrick Sandoval (4.41 ERA / 4.42 FIP)

Wednesday, September 9: Ryan Johnson (5.17 ERA / 5.88 FIP) vs. Jake Bennett (3.34 ERA / 4.22 FIP)

When/Where to Watch

Monday, September 7: 1:35 PM ET on NESN

Tuesday, September 8: 6:45 PM ET on NESN

Wednesday, September 9: 6:45 PM ET on NESN

Jesús Luzardo makes quick work of Braves in Labor Day masterpiece originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Jesús Luzardo pounded his mitt, looked toward the sky and took in the roar of a near-sellout crowd.

It was 2:56 p.m.

One hour and 51 minutes after he threw his first pitch, Luzardo had completed the first complete game of his career in his 150th start.

Every time the left-hander takes the ball nowadays, it feels like a short day awaits the bullpen — and anyone hoping to get home at a reasonable hour.

His latest turn came on Labor Day, with more than 41,000 fans filling Citizens Bank Park on a beautiful afternoon against the Braves.

No one was in a rush to leave. Luzardo sent them home early anyway.

The Phillies beat Atlanta 1-0 in the finale of their four-game weekend series behind the pitcher who has been the best in baseball since the end of July and arguably since the second week of June.

Working quickly from the start, Luzardo repeatedly jumped ahead of Atlanta’s righty-heavy lineup with his four-seam fastball. Twelve of the 14 at-bats he opened with a heater began with a strike.

Getting ahead did not make him predictable.

Luzardo finished with five strikeouts on his fastball and five more on his signature sweeper, giving him his sixth double-digit strikeout performance of the season. The two pitches attacked opposite eye levels and kept one of baseball’s best lineups guessing throughout the afternoon.

The Braves managed two hits. They did not draw a walk. And because Luzardo needed only 88 pitches to complete eight scoreless innings, there was never much doubt about who would take the mound for the ninth.

First, the Phillies needed to give him a lead.

Their offense had done little against Atlanta all afternoon, struggling both to create opportunities and cash them in. Then Kyle Schwarber stepped to the plate with one out in the bottom of the eighth.

Facing Didier Fuentes, who entered with six consecutive scoreless appearances, Schwarber got a fastball over the heart of the plate and drove it into the right-field seats.

That was all Luzardo needed.

At 2:50 p.m., he walked back to the mound as the crowd rose around him. Ha-Seong Kim flew out. Ronald Acuña Jr. was hit by a two-strike pitch, bringing the tying run aboard.

Luzardo bore down.

He froze Drake Baldwin for his 10th strikeout, then got Ozzie Albies to fly out for the final out.

Luzardo pounded his glove, turned his eyes toward the sky and spoke to the heavens.

Before some fans could finish their meal or afternoon drink, his masterpiece was complete.

Dodgers closer Edwin Díaz started a rehab assignment on Sunday with Oklahoma City, and pitched a scoreless inning, though it wasn’t clean. He walked a batter and threw only seven strikes among his 16 pitches, and did not induce a swinging strike, though did get a called strikeout.

“I’m sure Edwin is going to want to get back here as soon as possible,” manager Dave Roberts said Sunday. “But I’m probably more of the ‘get another one, and then get back with us.’”

I would posit there are more than those two options, but Díaz is getting closer to a potential return. Sunday was the first step.

Player of the day

Zach Ehrhard reached base four times and drove in all three runs to finish an Oklahoma City six-game sweep. Ehrhard had a two-run single in the seventh inning to open the scoring and adding an RBI single for some insurance in the ninth.

Triple-A Oklahoma City

Christian Romero and friends took the offense provided by Ehrhard to beat the Round Rock Express (Rangers). Romero pitched 5 1/3 scoreless innings, scattering three singles, with two strikeouts.

Hyeseong Kim had two hits, including a double, and scored a run. Noah Miller walked twice and scored the other two runs.

Kris Bubic pitched a scoreless eighth, his third scoreless inning in three tries on his rehab assignment.

Oklahoma City is tied with Sugar Land in the second half at 39-24 with 12 games left in the regular season. Those two teams play each other next week for six games in Oklahoma City, which will go a long way in determining who faces Las Vegas in the Pacific Coast league championship.

Double-A Tulsa

The Drillers allowed a run in the ninth to force extra innings, then gave up six runs in the 10th in a loss to the Wichita Wind Surge (Twins).

Josue De Paula had two hits, walked, and stole his 30th base of the season, two swipes shy of his career high set last year.

After a series of shortened starts and two injured list stints, Luke Fox had a nice clean outing on Sunday, with two scoreless innings and three strikeouts. The left-hander retired all six batters he faced.

Right-hander Jacob Kmatz, acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays in the August 3 Hunter Feduccia/Jack Suwinski trade, struck out four in two scoreless innings on Sunday, stranding a pair of singles. Since joining Tulsa, Kmatz has a 1.72 ERA in 11 games, with 21 strikeouts against only two walks in 15 2/3 innings and a 30.6-percent strikeout-minus-walk rate.

High-A Great Lakes

There was no celebration hangover for the Loons, who closed out the regular season with a win over the Lake County Captains (Guardians). Third baseman Eduardo Guerrero had a pair of run-scoring singles.

With a playoff spot clinched and the postseason starting in two days, it was a group pitching effort on Sunday for Great Lakes, with six pitchers used to cover nine innings. Jacob Frost had the longest outing of the bunch with three scoreless innings, the 2025 draft pick ending his first professional season on a high note.

Second baseman Nico Perez was the designated hitter on Sunday, walked twice, and stole two bases, giving him 35 steals in 41 attempts in 83 games with the Loons this year. Last year Perez was hurt in July, ending his season, and stole 35 bases in 41 tries in only 61 games with Class-A Rancho Cucamonga. Perez, who turns 22 this season, hit .270/.380/.450 with Great Lakes, including a 118 wRC+ entering Sunday.

Edgardo Quintero did not play on Sunday, but the top-100 prospect ended the regular season leading the Midwest League in runs scored (107), batting average (.309), and on-base percentage (.445), and was second in OPS (.940) and hits (123). Teammate Charles Davalan led the league in hits (128), extra-base hits (56), and total bases (235).

Class-A Ontario

Tower Buzzers relievers allowed five runs in the final three innings, turning a close game into a lopsided loss to the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (Angels).

Easton Shelton one day after hitting a billion-foot grand slam (roughly) was walked three times and had a sacrifice fly. The cornerman ends the regular season leading the California League in home runs (37), RBI (112), total bases (262), extra-base hits (65), OPS (1.047), and slugging percentage (.644), and was second in on-base percentage (.403) and fourth in batting average (.297) and runs scored (89).

With 111 RBI in 109 games, Shelton joins Emil Morales as the first Dodgers minor leaguers since Greg Brock in 1982 with at least 100 RBI and more runs batted in than games played.

Transactions

Triple-A: Catcher Eliezer Alfonzo was called up the Dodgers with Dalton Rushing on the injured list. Nelson Quiroz was promoted to Oklahoma City for catching depth, though he didn’t play Sunday.

Double-A: One day after being active without pitching, Angel Cruz was sent back to the Arizona Complex League roster. Alex Walsh joined Tulsa from the ACL roster instead.

High-A: Closer Davis Chastain was placed on the injured list retroactive to Saturday. That puts him out for the divisional playoffs. Hyun-Seok Jang was activated after four weeks on the injured list to start, but retired only three of his eight batters faced and was pulled with no outs in the second inning after allowing two runs, one earned.

Class-A: Right-hander Jesus Tillero was activated after seven weeks on the injured list. He allowed three runs in his two innings of work.

Sunday scores

• Oklahoma City 3, Round Rock 1
• Wichita 13, Tulsa 7 (10 innings)
• Great Lakes 4, Lake County 2
• Rancho Cucamonga 8, Ontario 3

The week ahead

• Midwest League East Division playoffs, best of 3: Great Lakes vs. Dayton (Reds)
• Cal League South Division playoffs, best of 3: Ontario vs. Lake Elsinore (Padres)
• Oklahoma City vs. Sugar Land (Astros)
• Tulsa at Northwest Arkansas (Royals)

Great Lakes as the second-half winner hosts Game 1 on Tuesday, with Games 2 and 3 at Dayton on Thursday and Friday. Ontario as the second-half winner hosts Game 1 on Tuesday, with Games 2 and 3 at Lake Elsinore on Thursday and Friday.

In both Class-A and High-A, the best-of-3 league championship series start on Sunday, with Games 2-3 on Tuesday and Wednesday, September 15-16.

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NFL football returns this week, but that doesn't mean action on the diamond stops.

Our experts have banded together to bring you a trio of MLB picks for Sept. 7, highlighted by a total play in the Cardinals vs. Giants game.

MLB expert picks for today

Pick	Probability
Jon Metler: Cubs ML	48%
Neil Parker: Royals ML	51%
Joe Osborne: Cardinals vs. Giants - Over 7.5	53%

Probabilities courtesy of Polymarket. For help understanding Polymarket probabilities, see our odds calculator.

Jon Metler's expert pick: Cubs moneyline

Price: 48¢ at Polymarket

The Chicago Cubs are trading at 48% on Polymarket, but I make them closer to a 51% favorite. 

Two factors stand out to me. First, I'm much more comfortable backing Matthew Boyd on the road, where he owns a 2.83 ERA compared to a 5.40 ERA at Wrigley Field.

Second, Brewers starter Robert Gasser relies heavily on his slider.

The Cubs have several right-handed bats — including Alex Bregman, Nico Hoerner, and Seiya Suzuki — who are either patient against off-speed pitches from left-handed pitchers or have swing paths that profile well against the slider. 

If Gasser can't generate outs with his slider, he'll be forced to attack the zone with a low-velocity fastball. Chicago also faced him just six days ago, giving its hitters a recent look at his stuff and an even greater advantage in an already difficult matchup.

• Time: 2:10 p.m. ET
• How to watch: Brewers.TV, Marquee

Neil Parker's expert pick: Royals moneyline

Price: 51¢ at Polymarket

The Diamondbacks are 28th in wOBA and 30th in xwOBA over the past two weeks, so with the Kansas City Royals respectively checking in ninth and eighth in the two metrics, I’m expecting Kansas City to pull away.

Royals lefty Noah Cameron has also settled in down the stretch with a high-end 2.34 xERA and 2.82 xFIP across his past seven starts, while the Diamondbacks counter with inexperienced righty Jose Cabrera (4.84 xERA and 5.00 xFIP).

• Time: 2:10 p.m. ET
• How to watch: One national/two local

Joe Osborne's expert pick: Cardinals vs Giants - Over 7.5

Price: 53¢ at Polymarket

We’ve got all the ingredients for an Over tonight in San Francisco, with a low total and 14.6 mph winds blowing out.

Both offenses are swinging hot bats, with the St. Louis Cardinals ranking first in OPS over the past week, while the San Francisco Giants sit eighth. They should be able to tee off against two struggling starters.

Logan Webb has been rocked for 16 earned runs across his last three starts, including nine last time out, while Michael McGreevy has surrendered 14 over the same span.

The bullpens offer little relief, ranking 26th and 21st in ERA over the past two weeks. With St. Louis going Over in 14 of its last 17, Over 7.5 is the play.

• Time: 8:10 p.m. ET
• How to watch: NBC

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A very merry “Mariners won yesterday” to all, and to all a “they can’t lose today” this night. Oh, and happy Labor Day!

In Mariners news:

• The Mariners have called up IF Michael Arroyo, only the 35th Colombian-born player in the MLB. He started second in his debut yesterday for Seattle against the Athletics, and had an 0-for-3 day with a strikeout.
• Bryan Woo didn’t score a Pitchergami yesterday, which is fine, but he did put up a stat line that hasn’t been thrown since Félix Hernández.

Around the league:

• Shohei Ohtani could return to the lineup for the Dodgers on Monday, but is unlikely to pitch again in the regular season.
• Elly De La Cruz helped an injured bird. That’s it, that’s the story. This is a bird blog, after all.

• Luis Robert Jr., a recent Oriole waiver claim, has quickly landed on the injured list.
• C Dalton Rushing has been placed on the 10-day IL by the Dodgers, retroactive to September 5th.
• LHP Cooper Hjerpe made his MLB debut for the Cardinals, and spun four perfect innings to put his name among those like Max Scherzer for debut performances.

• Semi-related, the Nationals have outrighted Max Kranick to Triple-A.
• RHP Nick Pivetta is to be activated from the 60-day IL to start for the Padres against the Nationals today.

MILWAUKEE — Yes, I made the drive up, but just for Monday’s game.

Since these two teams split a four-game series at Wrigley Field last week, the Cubs won two of three in Miami and the Brewers lost two of three in Cincinnati, and the Cubs trail the Brewers in the NL Central by seven games. Both teams have 18 games remaining.

The Cubs trail the season series against Milwaukee six games to four, so they’d have to sweep this one to take that season series. That’s unlikely, though the Cubs did win the previous series held here this year back in June.

For more on the Brewers, check out last week’s series preview and also please visit our SB Nation Brewers site Brew Crew Ball.

Fun facts

The Cubs won two of three games in their first  visit to Milwaukee on June 26-28, losing the first, 6-2, then winning, 8-2 and 4-3. That made the Cubs’ record on the road in their 30-year rivalry 109-121.

They trail, 234-228, in all games, during which they have been outscored by a grand total of three runs, 2,110-2,107.

The Cubs have not swept a series in Wisconsin since Oct. 2-4, 2015. This will be their 28th subsequent series.

They won the first two games only once, May 2-4 of last year. They avoided being swept with third-game wins in five series, including their first a year ago. They last were swept in 2021, 13 series ago.

(Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)

Probable pitching matchups

Monday: Matthew Boyd, LHP (8-3, 4.05 ERA, 1.231 WHIP, 4.57 FIP) vs. Robert Gasser, LHP (4-5, 4.57 ERA, 1.292 WHIP, 4.37 FIP)

Tuesday: David Peterson, LHP (4-2, 4.58 ERA, 1.458 WHIP, 4.54 FIP in 12 games with Cubs; 7-8, 5.39 ERA, 1.559 WHIP, 4.17 FIP in 28 games overall) vs. Jacob Misiorowski, RHP (14-5, 1.97 ERA, 0.794 WHIP, 2.27 FIP)

Wednesday: Kevin Gausman, RHP (4-1, 4.37 ERA, 1.143 WHIP, 3.84 FIP in six starts with Cubs; 9-11, 4.38 ERA, 1.257 WHIP, 3.58 FIP in 29 starts overall) vs. Logan Henderson, RHP (9-3, 2.48 ERA, 0.792 WHIP, 3.28 FIP)

NOTE: All three of these pitching matchups are rematches from last week’s Tuesday through Thursday games between these teams at Wrigley Field. The Cubs lost two of those three, but did well against both Gasser and Misiorowski, and defeated Henderson thanks to Gausman’s great outing and Pete Crow-Armstrong’s two-run homer.

Times & TV channels

Monday: 1:10 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network

Tuesday: 6:40 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network

Wednesday: 6:40 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network

Prediction

Going to go out on the proverbial limb and say the Cubs can take two of these. As noted above, if somehow they can pull off a sweep, that would give them the season series against the Brewers.

Up next

The Cubs have Thursday off, then return to Wrigley Field for a three-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates that begins Friday afternoon.