SAN FRANCISCO, CA - AUGUST 14: Kyle Freeland #21 of the Colorado Rockies takes the sign from the catcher during the game between the Colorado Rockies and the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on Friday, August 14, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Bryan Kennedy/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Although the Colorado Rockies fared better in their second game against the Los Angeles Dodgers than they did in the first, they are still searching their first win during this home stand.
Colorado has lost five straight at home, their second-longest losing streak at Coors this year (6, April 23-May 6). Overall, the Rockies have gone 8-9 over their last 17 games since July 31. Since June 1, 2024, Colorado is 7-30 against the Dodgers with the club being outscored by 105 runs (249-144) in that span. The Rockies are 5-15 at Coors Field in that span with Colorado’s starters posting a 7.36 ERA (95.1 IP, 78 ER).
Starting for the Dodgers is Roki Sasaki. This will be his 22nd start for the Dodgers in 2026.
The righty has a 4.46 ERA in 111.0 IP. He’s struck out 108, walked 45, and given up 21 home runs. Sasaki has a 1.29 WHIP. His last start was against the Milwaukee Brewers where he earned a no-decision. Worth noting, he walked a career high-tying five hitters (fourth time).
Taking the mound for the Rockies will be LHP Kyle Freeland.
This will mark the 29th start of his career against the Dodgers. His 28 starts entering today are the most against the Dodgers by any active pitcher. Freeland has 12 quality starts against them since his first year in the Majors (2017). They are the most by any pitcher against the Dodgers in that span.
Currently, Freeland has an ERA of 6.27 in 120.2 IP. He’s struck out 98 while giving up 27 walks and 22 home runs with a 1.44 WHIP.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - AUGUST 19: Erik Miller #67 of the Boston Red Sox reacts after pitching the seventh inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Fenway Park on August 19, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Red Sox had chances to pull away and also come back in a wild Wednesday afternoon at Fenway Park, culminating in a 7-6 loss in 10 innings.
From Mickey Gasper’s third straight game with a homer to another long ball allowed by Greg Weissert, the Red Sox still looked far better than the group that struggled for three previous series.
Here’s three takeaways from Wednesday afternoon’s loss.
CARROLL’S CAROUSEL
Not that he would’ve been able to rob either of these, but Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll had quite the time trying to track these fly balls off the bats of Nick Sogard and Jarren Duran on a pair of solo blasts for the Red Sox.
TOLLE SETS THE TONE Payton Tolle looked sharp for the early innings of this start before the Diamondbacks forced him to labor by the fifth inning. The Red Sox starter let multiple hitters off the hook in two-strike counts and surrendered the lead in the fifth inning.
Tolle allowed three earned runs in five innings of work with 98 pitches on the afternoon while he struck out six Diamondbacks.
While he took a step back from his previous run of starts, today feels like an easy outing to push past for Tolle as he should have one more start in August in an overall strong month.
TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS VS. NL
The Red Sox still won the series against Arizona after losing three consecutive series before then at the end of the 32-7 stretch that turned the season around. Boston should have the upper hand in the next two series when they host the Giants and visit the Marlins before a massive weekend series in New York with the Yankees to close out the month.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 16: Abimelec Ortiz #81 of the Washington Nationals follows through on his third inning home run against the New York Mets at Citi Field on August 16, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Last night was a lifeless performance for the Nats, who got shut out by the Rangers. Now they will look to even the series and take steps back in the right direction. The last thing we want is for a once promising season to totally implode the last two months of the season.
The Nats are making a couple of changes. CJ Abrams is back at shortstop, with Nasim Nunez sliding to second which pushes Jorbit Vivas to third. Andres Chaparro will man the DH position in this one. Jose Tena will start out in left, which pushes Daylen Lile to right field. Dylan Crews is out of the lineup. Keibert Ruiz is back behind the plate. Nats ace Cade Cavalli will get the ball. He dominated in his last start.
With a righty on the mound, the Mariners are making a few changes. Veteran Joc Pederson is back in the lineup at first base. Wyatt Langford will DH, which moves former top prospect Jarred Kelenic to left field. Nicky Lopez will play second base and Elias Diaz is behind the plate. Kumar Rocker is on the mound.
The Nats need to start showing some more fight down the stretch. It will be key for Blake Butera to show he can keep his players engaged as the season winds down. Tonight will be a good test. Follow along in the comments down below and let’s go Nats!
John Longmire says on-field ramifications not a priority for club
Victoria Police detectives expected to arrive in Sydney
Sydney’s last premiership coach says there’s a deep sense of sadness at five Swans players being banned for breaching club standards. John Longmire, the Swans’ longest-serving coach, says the suspensions of the players is “flattening” for all involved.
Swans Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner, Nick Blakey, Riley Bice and James Jordon were stood down for the rest of the season on Wednesday.
Training camp for the Detroit Red Wings is slated to begin in less than a month, and the club still faces far more questions than answers.
The two most pressing situations that have yet to be resolved are who will ultimately succeed Steve Yzerman as general manager after the former Red Wings captain vacated the position in mid-July, and what will happen with current captain Dylan Larkin, who requested a trade and reportedly has not changed his mind.
In the meantime, the Red Wings lead the NHL in a notable salary-cap category. As of Aug. 19, Detroit has the most available cap space of any of the league’s 32 teams, with $19.57 million in room, according to PuckPedia.
They're currently dedicating $52.61 million worth of contracts to their forward group, while spending $23.42 million on their current defensemen under contract. As far as goaltending is concerned, $8.40 million is being spent on the tandem of John Gibson and Daniil Tarasov.
Coming in behind Detroit in available salary cap space are the Seattle Kraken, Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames. Like the Red Wings, all three teams missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2025-26.
Whoever succeeds Yzerman as Red Wings GM will not only have to deal with the Larkin situation immediately but also work out a new contract for restricted free-agent defenseman Simon Edvinsson, who is due for a considerable raise from his $894,167 cap hit over the last three seasons.
With ample salary cap space still available, the good news for Yzerman's successor is that there will not only be plenty to satisfy Edvinsson with a new contract, but also begin discussions with forward Alex DeBrincat, who can become an unrestricted free agent next summer.
Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News favorites!
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
Aug 18, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Seattle Mariners third baseman Leo Rivas (76) watches a home run by Milwaukee Brewers right fielder Luis Lara (18) not pictured go over the outfield wall in the eighth inning at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
This may be difficult to believe, but the Seattle Mariners still have a series in front of them to try to win. Sure, they may have nearly doubled their negative run differential last night, but the league standings do not care for the nuances in margin of victory; rather, they only consider which team scored the greater number of runs on a given day. Last night’s debacle counts for but one loss, despite the horrors. Today, the Mariners grace the baseball diamond once again.
Leading the attempt to even the series will be Logan Gilbert, who has somewhat quietly been the Mariners’ most productive starter for over a couple of months now. Dating back to his start on May 22, Gilbert’s FIP (2.89) ranks sixth in baseball among qualified starters. He’ll face off with a formidable opponent in righty Dustin May, whom Jake Mailhot covered in the series preview.
Lineups
Deadline acquisition Taylor Ward is back in the lineup as a DH after missing just under a week with leg soreness. He’ll get a soft landing at eighth in the order, with Brendan Donovan remaining in the leadoff spot against a righty.
News
Shannon Drayer provided an ounce of good news Wednesday. J.P. Crawford appears headed towards a return in his final year under contract.
Two news items from Milwaukee…
JP Crawford will begin his rehab assignment with the Rainiers tomorrow in Sacramento.
Roster move: Jhonathan Diaz has joined the club here, Josh Simpson optioned to Tacoma.
Also mentioned is the shuffling of arms. Josh Simpson was optioned to Triple-A Tacoma, with Jhonathan Díaz taking his place. The club announced that Luke Raley was transferred to the 60-day Injured List to make room for Díaz on the 40-man roster.
Game Information
First Pitch: 4:40 p.m. PDT
TV:Mariners.TV with Rich Waltz, Ryan Rowland-Smith and sideline reporter Brad Adam
Radio: 710 AM Seattle Sports with Gary Hill Jr. and Shannon Drayer
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - AUGUST 18: Wyatt Langford #36 of the Texas Rangers swings at a pitch during the first inning against the Washington Nationals at Globe Life Field on August 18, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) | Getty Images
While last season may have been a rollercoaster, young Philadelphia Flyers star Matvei Michkov is turning out to be a much more polarizing figure for analysts than we may have originally thought.
On Wednesday, The Athletic prospects expert Corey Pronman released his ranking of the best U23 players in the NHL, including recently drafted prospects, and Michkov wasn't given all that much grace.
His placement was far from the most controversial, but still disrespectful relative to his achievements in the NHL thus far nonetheless.
Michkov, 21, was ranked as the 35th-best U23 player in the NHL by Pronman, putting him just six spots ahead of the 41st ranked Jack Nesbitt, who was drafted 12th overall by the Flyers in 2025.
The Flyers' Russian phenom placed just ahead of players like Roman Kantserov (37th) and Sam O'Reilly (40th), who have yet to play in an NHL game, while peers like Jimmy Snuggerud (33rd), Ryan Leonard (32nd), Ilya Protas (26th), Roger McQueen (25th), Viggo Bjorck (21st), Anton Frondell (20th), and Adam Fantilli (9th) were all well ahead.
That ranking of 35th is certainly unfair to Michkov, who has had to play for three head coaches in two NHL seasons while picking up a new language and culture on the fly in Philadelphia.
Despite coming into his second NHL season unprepared, plus those aforementioned circumstances, Michkov still finished his sophomore NHL season with 20 goals, 31 assists, and 51 points, leading the Flyers in scoring after the Olympic break to help spur the Orange and Black to their first playoff berth since 2020.
Yes, Michkov was mostly a no-show in the playoffs, but there would be no playoffs without him, either, and he did have the primary assist on Cam York's series-winning goal against the archrival Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 6 of the first round.
Michkov's perceived upside varies by who you ask, as some are more bullish on the raw talent, and others, like Pronman, have reservations about the average skating and defending.
Still, Michkov's offensive production makes him much more accomplished than many players ranked above him or near him, and the 2023 No. 7 overall pick ranking below similarly average defenders with not even half of the offensive upside is simply disrespectful and dismisses everything he's achieved in the last two seasons.
After the Lakers owner died in 2013, there has been acerbic in-fighting between his children, most recently culminating in Jeanie Buss’ five siblings voting to sell the family’s remaining 17.8% share of the franchise, while she contests the sale so she can remain governor.
Jeanie Buss and Jerry Buss have been part of the Lakers’ legacy for decades. FilmMagic
At this point, it’s time for Jeanie to just let go.
Sure, Jerry wanted the Lakers to remain in the family. But he wouldn’t have wanted this madness. There’s so much undercutting. Backstabbing. Drama.
He wouldn’t have wanted a franchise that won 10 championships under his reign to be dragged through his family’s mud for a decade.
He wouldn’t have wanted the greatest show in the league to devolve into a melodrama with his surname surrounded by bright lights.
This isn’t an indictment of Jeanie’s reign as governor, which included her acquiring LeBron James and helping guide the team to its first championship in 10 years in 2020.
There’s no doubt that she has so much institutional knowledge. She became the first female majority owner to win an NBA title. She’s a trailblazer.
But there’s grace in knowing when to drop the rope.
Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters
They’ve gotten ugly again. The five Buss family siblings intended to use a tag-along provision to sell their remaining stake in the Lakers. They issued a statement to ESPN on Monday, saying, “It is time to use this opportunity to move on and exit gracefully while we still can.”
Yes, the deal was for her to remain governor through 2030, an arrangement new owners Bob Iger and Josh Kushner intended to honor after buying the team from Walter last week for $12.5 billion. Getty Images
Jeanie, who was the only sibling who didn’t vote for the sale, dug her feet into the ground.
Through her lawyer, Adam Streisand, Jeanie is contending that a court ruled in 2017 that the team can’t be sold without approval by the co-trustees, who are Jeanie, Janie and Joey Buss.
Now everything is going to be up to lawyers and courtrooms.
The losers of all of this? The Lakers, who will be paralyzed until this resolves, unless Iger and Kushner decide to cut ties with Jeanie.
This is nuanced.
Jeanie is the face of the Lakers. It made sense for Walter to keep her as governor after buying the team. Iger and Kushner were right to respect that. She provides a sense of continuity. Of oversight. Of comfort amid chaos.
But if there’s a war raging in the background, that detracts from any good she could do. If her family drama is a distraction, that’s going to hurt the Lakers more than she could help them.
Jeanie fired her brother, Jim Buss, as the executive vice president of basketball operations in 2017 after the Lakers were heading toward their fourth straight losing season. Getty Images
The Buss family has overseen the Lakers for 47 years, turning it into the second-most successful NBA franchise with 17 championships. Under Jerry, the Lakers acquired superstars Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant. He created the Laker Girls. He’s widely considered one of the greatest owners in sports.
Jeanie carried on his legacy. She’s respected. She’s beloved.
But her reign has always come with an ugly underbelly.
Jeanie fired her brother, Jim Buss, as the executive vice president of basketball operations in 2017 after the Lakers were heading toward their fourth straight losing season.
Things got even uglier.
Jim and Johnny Buss attempted a boardroom coup to oust Jeanie as the team’s controlling owner in 2017. She obtained a restraining order and filed a lawsuit against her brothers, with the siblings ultimately reaching a settlement that strengthened her power.
Jeanie fired her brother, Jim Buss, as the executive vice president of basketball operations in 2017 after the Lakers were heading toward their fourth straight losing season. Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
The drama didn’t stop there.
Under Jeanie’s governorship after the Lakers were sold to Walter, Joey and Jesse Buss were dismissed from their basketball operations positions in November 2025. Jeanie’s sister, Janie Buss, was also removed as the team’s longtime charitable services director.
A few months later, an ESPN story came out that undercut Jeanie’s relationship with James.
The story alleged that Jeanie resented James’ “outsized ego,” adding that she even “privately mused” about trading the megastar to the Clippers in 2022 and that she “begrudgingly” gave him a contract extension in 2024 because she feared the public backlash if she didn’t.
In a statement to The Athletic, Jeanie said, “It’s really not right, given all the great things LeBron has done for the Lakers, that he has to be pulled into my family drama.”
James left the Lakers in free agency this summer after eight seasons with the franchise.
Now, the drama is raging once again.
Her siblings have banded together. And she’s refusing to wave the white flag.
But at this point, is that what’s best for the Lakers?
Jeanie agreed to sell the team. The Lakers deserve a fresh start. The Buss family drama would get in the way of that.
The Buss family was the greatest thing to happen to the Lakers.
Aug 14, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Kansas City Royals pitcher Seth Lugo (67) pitches during the first inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Game 3 with the Sacramento/Las Vegas A’s will see the Royals going for a series win before the day game finishes off the four-game set tomorrow afternoon. This evening will feature Seth Lugo versus Gage Jump. Lugo has had an up and down season with some pretty disappointing overall numbers. Jump is a lefty whose ERA looks similar to Lugo’s but with better peripherals. That means the lineup is going to have an extra righty with Massey sitting for KC today with Loftin leading off again.
Jul 31, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics pitcher Jeffrey Springs (59) throws a pitch during the fourth inning of the game against the Detroit Tigers at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Yesterday, the Athletics were three outs away from evening up this four-game series against the Kansas City Royals. However, the league-worst bullpen cost the team once again. Hogan Harris blew his sixth save of the season, allowing the Royals to tie the game before giving way to fellow reliever Elvis Alvarado, who surrendered Bobby Witt Jr.‘s walk-off bloop single.
With two games remaining in Kansas City, the A’s still have a chance to earn a series split, but they must first break their two-game losing streak tonight.
Roster Move
Before the game, the A’s injured list got a bit less crowded. Veteran left-hander Jeffrey Springs returns after missing three weeks because of hip discomfort. To make room on the roster, struggling reliever Seth Johnson was optioned to Triple-A, where he can work on regaining his form in a lower-pressure environment.
Springs will have an immediate opportunity to make an impact, as he will start for the A’s today. The 33-year-old southpaw enters his 23rd start of the season with a 3-11 record, a 6.17 ERA, a 1.48 WHIP and 88 strikeouts over 108 innings.
Springs was a solid starting pitcher in his first season with the Athletics last year. This year, things have gone south, as he has not won a game since April. In his most recent seven starts, Springs went 0-4 with a 9.00 ERA and a 1.93 WHIP.
When fellow veteran Luis Severino went down with an injury earlier this season, the team looked to Springs to provide a solid experienced presence in the rotation. Instead, Springs has pitched like one of the worst pitchers in the league, as only two MLB pitchers have allowed more home runs than him this season.
The fly-ball pitcher has especially struggled at Sutter Health Park, calling it “a recipe for disaster.” Yet, he has performed just as badly on the road, something he will try to remedy this evening in his second start against the Royals this season and eighth of his career.
Here’s how the A’s starting lineup shakes out tonight:
Jacob Wilson is out of the lineup for a third straight game. That shoulder injury has kept him sidelined in recent games. There is a real possibility that he will soon join the team’s lengthy season-ending injured list.
With the A’s on track for another 100-loss campaign, the objective for the rest of the season should be for the veterans to finish strong and for the youngsters to take advantage of extended playing opportunities.
If the Athletics want to win tonight, the team will need center fielder Henry Bolte and second baseman Jeff McNeil to continue their respective hot streaks. Additionally, this game gives Tommy White and Max Muncy another chance to position themselves as part of the A’s future plans. Finally, catcher Jonah Heim is feeling the effects of being pushed into an everyday role following starter Shea Langeliers’ injury. Not only does Heim have one hit in his past 20 at-bats, but he also committed a crucial catcher’s interference error that gave Kansas City a free baserunner in its game-winning ninth inning rally.
The A’s offense will face Royals right-hander Seth Lugo. The 36-year-old enters his 26th start of the season with a 5-7 record, a 4.59 ERA, a 1.38 WHIP and 108 strikeouts over 139 1/3 innings. Lugo has struggled lately, posting a 4.66 ERA over his past seven starts. The 10-year veteran received a no-decision in his last start against the Los Angeles Angels after allowing five runs on seven hits over 4 2/3 innings.
Over his career, Lugo holds a 2-0 record with a 4.66 ERA and 26 strikeouts in four total appearances against the Athletics. The right-hander will aim to earn his third win against the A’s, but given his current run of form, tonight presents a great opportunity for the A’s offense to put more runs on the scoreboard. The Green and Gold must take advantage of any mistake pitches Lugo leaves over the plate if they want to hand him his first defeat against them.
All of the Royals’ regulars are in the lineup, spearheaded by the duo of Witt Jr. and right fielder Jac Caglianone. Left fielder Tyler Tolbert gets his first start of the series after his game-tying, pinch-hit two-run single in the ninth inning last night.
Win #50 is waiting for us! We need this one. Let’s go A’s!
ESPN’s Joshua Kushner and Disney’s CEO Bob Iger watch as Novak Djokovic of Serbia plays against Taylor Fritz of the USA during the US Open Tennis Championships at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2025, in Queen, New York. (JASON SZENES) JASON SZENES/ NY POST
Not so fast.
Lakers Governor Jeanie Buss is opposing her siblings’ vote to sell the family’s share of the Lakers, according to a letter from her lawyer, Adam Streisand. The letter, obtained by the California Post on Monday, argued her siblings can’t legally execute a sale without her approval and that any vote of the Buss family selling would be “void.”
Her siblings who are part of the Buss family trust (Jim, Johnny, Janie, Joey and Jesse Buss) fired back at Jeanie on Tuesday, making it clear they intend to go through with the sale.
But how did the Lakers, and the Buss family get here? And what exactly are the two sides arguing?
Jeanie Buss is seen during the statue unveiling for former Lakers coach Pat Riley in Star Plaza in front of Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Sunday, February 22, 2026. Riley won four championships as Lakers head coach. (MediaNews Group RM) MediaNews Group via Getty Images
Court order details
At the heart of Buss opposing her siblings’ vote to sell their share of the Lakers is a 2017 court order, with Streisand saying that no sale could happen “without approval by the co-trustees, i.e. Jeanie, Janie and Joey Buss.”
Jeanie didn’t vote to sell the family’s ownership stake in the Lakers, while the other five siblings in the trust did.
The court document from 2017 stated that the co-trustees of the Buss family trust are instructed to take all “actions reasonably available to them, including voting the Trust’s shares” to ensure that Jeanie was elected as the Director of the Board of the Lakers on an annual basis during her lifetime.
The document goes on to state “absent a further order of this Court modifying the Trust based upon proof of circumstances justifying modification under applicable law.”
The document also added that the co-trustees of the family trust are “instructed to take all actions [reasonably] available to them, including voting the Trust’s shares” to ensure that Jeanie is elected as the controlling owner of the Lakers on an annual basis during her lifetime.
Executive Vice President of Player Personnel Jim Buss of the Los Angeles Lakers watches the game against the Denver Nuggets at Citizens Business Bank Arena on Tuesday, October 8, 2013, in Ontario, California. (NBAE) NBAE via Getty Images
One of the main problems of the Buss family attempting to sell their share of the Lakers: It would result in Jeanie no longer being the team’s Governor, since she would no longer have the qualifying 15% ownership stake in the franchise required to hold that position.
She has been the team’s Governor since 2013 after Dr. Jerry Buss’ death.
When Walter purchased the majority ownership of the Lakers from the Buss family, the league announced that Buss would remain the team’s Governor for a period of at least five years (through 2030).
And based off of the last couple of days, it appears Jeanie wants to remain Governor of the Lakers.
Streisand wrote in the letter to the Buss siblings’ attorneys: “No sale of the JAB Trust’s 17.8% ownership interest in the Los Angeles Lakers, Inc. can be effectuated without approval by the current co-trustees, i.e., Jeanie, Janie and Joey Buss.
Johnny Buss, the eldest son of Dr. Jerry Buss, speaks during a memorial service for Los Angeles Lakers owner Dr. Jerry Buss at the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on Thursday, February 21, 2013, in Los Angeles, California. Dr. Buss died at the age of 80 on Monday following an 18-month battle with cancer. (Getty Images North America) Getty Images
“Pursuant to the JAB Trust and the attached Court Order, the co-trustees are bound to vote the Los Angeles Lakers, Inc. shares to ensure that the minimum 15% ownership requirement is maintained in order to ensure that Jeanie Buss may remain Controlling Owner. Any attempt by the co-trustees to do otherwise, and any attempt to aid or abet the co-trustees as such, would constitute a breach of trust, breach of fiduciary duty and be in contempt of court.”
The Buss siblings’ side
Jeanie’s siblings believe they have the right to sell the family’s shares of the Lakers via a “tag-along” provision that was included when the Buss family sold the Lakers to Walter in June 2025.
The siblings believe that the family trust, which includes six of Jerry Buss’ children — Johnny (69), Jim (66), Jeanie (64), Janie (62), Joey (41) and Jesse (37) — needed a majority vote (four out of six) to allow the trustees to sell the family’s shares.
What happens next is unknown, with the potential of this dispute having to be resolved through a legal process growing unless the side can come to an agreement without litigation.
Left-arm spinner Manav Suthar finished with 10 wickets as India thrashed Sri Lanka by 165 runs in the first Test in Galle on Wednesday to take a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.
Young has more than taken advantage of his opportunity in the Mets’ lineup this season, and that continued again on Wednesday afternoon.
The sweet-swinging lefty enjoyed himself another multi-hit showing.
He flew out to right in his first at-bat of the day, but then ripped a two-out single behind Carson Benge’s two-run homer, which opened the scoring in the bottom of the fourth.
Young was retired again his next time up, but tacked on a much-needed insurance run in the eighth.
Left in the game for a tough left-on-left matchup with the dominant Yuki Matsui, the veteran saw just one pitch before ripping a two-out RBI single up the middle to make it a three-run ballgame.
“That was a huge swing from Jared to give us a little cushion there,” Andy Green said.
Kodai Senga had to work through his first scare in his new high-leverage role, but the Mets rolled a game-ending double play to secure a second straight series victory.
For Young, that was just his eighth hit against a left-hander in 35 tries on the year.
No matter who he faces, though, the slugger just continues to produce as he’s now hitting .270 with 20 XBH’s, 30 RBI, and a .880 OPS for the season.
“It’s going to sound cliché, but I’m just keeping things simple,” he told SNY’s Steve Gelbs. “Doing my work in the cage with the coaches, listening to my teammates, and just going out and playing ball.”
That simple approach certainly has worked for Young.
The 31-year-old is enjoying the most consistent stretch of his big league career with a .332 average, 12 RBI, and a .880 OPS over his last 30 games.
With five years of club control remaining, Young figures to be playing himself into a role on the 2027 Mets roster.
