SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 10: Jeff McNeil #22 of the Athletics reacts after stealing second base against the Tampa Bay Rays in the third inning at Sutter Health Park on August 10, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Athletics opened their latest homestand Monday night against the Tampa Bay Rays. It was a familiar story for this A’s team, as its league-worst bullpen allowed eight runs in the eighth inning, ruining starter Jacob Lopez’s season-best outing and sending the A’s to a series-opening 10-6 defeat.
Early Offense
Lopez got off to a rough start. The first batter of the game, Rays designated hitter Yandy Díaz, hit his 16th home run of the season, a solo shot to center field.
The Athletics immediately tied the game against Rays’ starter Freddy Peralta in the bottom of the first inning. First baseman Jeff McNeil singled and then scored from first base on Tyler Soderstrom’s RBI double that sailed over the center fielder’s head.
With runners on the corners and two outs, the A’s aggressive baserunning put them in front 2-1. Left fielder Carlos Cortes broke for second base, and Rays catcher Nick Fortes’ throw sailed into center field. Soderstrom, who was standing at third base, scored the A’s second run of the inning on the defensive mistake.
Pitching with the lead for the first time, Lopez turned in four straight scoreless innings, keeping his team in front. In the top of the fourth inning, a walk and a single gave the Rays their first opportunity with a runner in scoring position. A’s second baseman Donovan Walton made a nice diving stop to rob Chandler Simpson of a potential game-tying hit and end the inning.
The Rays played some nice defense in the bottom of the fourth. First, they threw out Lawrence Butler, who was too slow trying to stretch a bloop hit into a double. Center fielder Jonny DeLuca ended the inning with a nice diving catch to rob the hosts of their third hit of the frame.
Gelof Back in Style
Athletics’ third baseman Zack Gelof led off the fifth inning with his 12th home run of the season, a 456-foot blast to left-center field off Peralta that put the Green and Gold ahead 3-1.
Seeking to come back against Lopez, Díaz doubled to begin the top of the sixth. The A’s southpaw escaped the jam by retiring the next three batters, completing six innings for the first time this season. His counterpart, Peralta, also pitched six innings, allowing three runs on six hits with five strikeouts.
The Rays used small ball to rally in the seventh inning against Lopez. The Rays had runners at first and third with no outs after two straight infield singles. The first was a swinging bunt on which the batter advanced to second following an errant throw from A’s catcher Jonah Heim. Fortes’ RBI groundout reduced the A’s lead to one run.
Lopez retired the next two hitters to strand the game-tying run at third base. He posted a quality start, allowing just two runs on five hits over seven innings while striking out five and walking only one batter.
Facing Rays’ reliever Chris Roycroft, Henry Bolte led off the bottom of the seventh inning with his second single of the game. Roycroft then hit Walton with a pitch, giving the A’s two runners on with no outs. Gelof came through again, crushing an RBI double off the center field wall to score Bolte and put the A’s back ahead by two.
McNeil’s sacrifice fly brought Walton home from third to make it a 5-2 game. Shortstop Jacob Wilson lined a two-out RBI double, with Gelof scoring the hosts’ third run of the inning.
It did not take long for the Rays to storm back. Right-handed reliever Seth Johnson entered out of the A’s bullpen. Following two straight singles, Rays superstar Junior Caminero hit his 34th home run of the season, a three-run shot to left that made it a one-run game once again. Johnson failed to retire any of the four batters he faced, immediately erasing his team’s momentum.
Left-hander Jose Suarez replaced Johnson. He continued the implosion, only getting one out while allowing three more singles and a walk. The pathetic A’s bullpen allowed the first eight batters of this inning to reach safely, as the visitors turned a four deficit into a four-run lead in the blink of an eye.
There is a good chance that this inning would not have gone so sideways had Luis Medina, Brady Basso or anybody else started the inning. For some reason, Mark Kotsay summoned Johnson, only to watch him fail his latest audition and take a well-deserved win away from Lopez, who put together his best start of the season.
Post-game Takeaways
Once again, A’s pitchers allowed double-digit runs at this ballpark, but tonight all of the blame falls on three guys who are part of one of the worst bullpens ever assembled. The Rays capitalized on the momentum change, preventing the A’s from pulling off their own comeback over the final two innings of the game.
At the moment, there is uncertainty regarding if there will be an MLB season next year, and if so what it will look like. Tonight’s loss, the A’s 72nd of this season, should be the nail in the coffin for Mark Kotsay’s tenure as the team’s manager. Hopefully, these next 42 games will be his last in charge of the Green and Gold.
Losses like this can be demoralizing, so it would not be surprising for the Rays to carry this momentum into a potential series sweep. As a result, it will be interesting to see how the Athletics fare in tomorrow’s matchup. Right-hander Mason Barnett will start for the A’s, while the Rays will send veteran right-hander Nick Martinez to the mound.
fPHOENIX, AZ - AUGUST 10: Nolan Arenado #28 of the Arizona Diamondbacks rounds the bases after hitting a grand slam home run in the first inning during the game between the Colorado Rockies and the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on Monday, August 10, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Julia Jacome/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Colorado Rockies have had a few games in recent weeks where mistakes piled up and got the best of them. They have also had their fair share of games where the bats go cold and nothing comes together offensively. On top of that, they’ve had some games where starting pitching puts them in an insurmountable hole.
Tonight, all three of those were true.
Michael Soroka, coming back to the Arizona Diamondbacks’ rotation after a stint on the injured list, kept the Rockies’ bats at bay. They couldn’t get much going when he was gone, either.
Gabriel Hughes struggled with his command tonight and what could have been a clean first inning turned quickly into a disaster thanks to an early grand slam.
Wild pitches, walks, fielding miscues, and a do-nothing offense were all the recipe for the wrong end of a very forgettable shutout to start this series.
A wild (almost literally and then figuratively) first inning
Picking up where he left off, Soroka dominated the Rockies in the top of the first inning, showing no rust from the injury that sidelined him since mid-June.
Through the early part of the 2026 season, Soroka relied primarily on his four-seam fastball and his slurve at 33% each. Both of those pitches factored in heavily through the first. He sat the scorching hot Jake McCarthy down on just four pitches, getting him to swing and strikeout on a slurve down low after peppering him with fastballs and a changeup. Cole Carrigg and TJ Rumfield put balls in play for outs as the Rockies went down 1-2-3.
It felt like we were on the way to a scoreless first. Unfortunately for Gabriel Hughes and the Rockies, that was far from the case.
Hughes was able to get two quick outs, with Geraldo Perdomo grounding hard up the middle to Carrigg making his second career start at shortstop, and with Corbin Carroll lining out to second. Things took a turn with Gabriel Moreno hitting a triple to the corner in right.
Hughes then threw a sweeper that fell deep into the dirt. Initially, it was ruled a wild pitch that scored Moreno. The Rockies correctly challenged, claiming the ball hit batter Ketel Marte. With runners on first and third and a chance to escape, Hughes walked Lars Nootbar to load the bases. Up next… old friend Nolan Arenado. Because of course he did, Arenado knocked a grand slam to left giving the D-backs an early 4-0 lead.
By the end of the first, Hughes was already over 30 pitches and looking shaky throughout.
When it rains, it pours
The action remained one-sided through the second inning.
While Hunter Goodman drew a walk, Soroka responded by sitting down the next three batters, including two more strikeouts. Back again with his slurve, Soroka got Mickey Moniak to chase one low. He also got Willi Castro to strike out on a foul tip with another slurve.
The Arizona Cardinals are fresh off of the Hall of Fame Game, so the Diamondbacks followed in their footsteps with a touchdown of their own, extending their lead to seven by the end of the second inning.
Ryan Waldschmidt connected for a single to jumpstart the action. Hughes continued to struggle with his command and walked Perdomo after a six pitch at bat. A Carroll double drove in run number five before another Hughes wild pitch (this one recorded as such) scoring the next run.
Hughes would walk Moreno after getting ahead in the count and then issuing four straight balls all over the zone on a mix of pitches. A Marte single made it 7-0. By the end of the second, Hughes hit 62 pitches.
Colorado broke through with their first hit of the game with one out in the third inning (a Troy Johnston single), but it was all for not. Despite McCarthy notching another single, Carrigg lined into an unassisted double play to end things.
Even though it didn’t amount to more runs, Kyle Karros had an uncharacteristic error in the inning that seemed to encapsulate the Rockies’ night.
A one-sided pitching matchup
The middle innings went by and gave the scoreboard a break, despite some action on the basepaths.
Both pitchers were yanked in the fifth inning, but their starts couldn’t have been any more different.
After nearly two months away, Arizona pulled Soroka with a seven-run cushion after he hit the 77-pitch mark. He wasn’t able to hit a full five innings to be in line for the win but finished his day at 4.1 scoreless innings pitched. He allowed just three hits and logged four strikeouts, dropping his ERA on the year to 2.92. As hinted at earlier, Soroka was dangerous with the slurve, posting a 32% usage rage and a 44% whiff rate with it tonight.
Hughes had two awful innings followed by two scoreless ones. His line ended at 4.0 innings pitched with seven earned runs on five hits alongside three walks and three strikeouts. As he typically does, Hughes mainly worked with his four-seamer (64% usage tonight, compared to 55% on the season).
After the game, Warren Schaeffer noted that Hughes “just lost command. Lost command with the fastball. Lost command with the breaking ball. Gabriel usually attacks the strike zone with his stuff and it just seemed like he had a tough time doing that tonight.”
Hughes said the same about his own performance, noting that “any day where you’re close to 50/50 on strikes and balls isn’t going to be a good one.” He lamented “putting (his) team in a hole pretty early. And it’s hard to come back from seven runs after two innings.” He falls to 0-4 on the season.
Soroka was replaced by Zack Littell and Hughes was relieved by Zach Agnos.
Things calm down through the bullpen innings – until the end
The score established in the first two innings would stick for the next five innings.
The Rockies posed perhaps their biggest threat of the game in the fifth inning. Soroka allowed two baserunners before Littell entered and loaded the bases with a walk. The Rockies did not capitalize with ducks on the pond and one out, as Carrigg hit into his second double play of the game.
The sixth inning got a little wonky. A Rumfield single started things off, but a deep Goodman fly ball would double him up after Colorado unsuccessfully challenged.
For his part, Agnos looked solid and worked through his three innings surrendering just two hits. Schaeffer applauded Agnos last few outings and his ability to attack the strike zone and get out of jams.
Nick Frasso entered in the eighth, throwing heat. He threw a series of 95 MPH fastballs and struck out Tim Tawa to start. He wouldn’t survive unscathed. Arizona tacked on two more runs off of a Jorge Barrosa RBI single and a Moreno double to bring the game to 9-0.
Littell, acquired by the Diamondbacks from the Tampa Bay Rays at the deadline, had a spectacular debut for his new squad. He finished the job that Soroka started and closed out the game with 4.2 innings pitched, allowing only two hits through the back half of the game to earn the win.
Up Next
Game two of the series and game 120 of the season are on deck Tuesday night.
Monday night was not kind to the Rockies, but Tuesday presents a glimmer of hope: it’s a Sugano day! Tomoyuki Sugano (11-5 in 20 starts, 4.51 ERA, 61 strikeouts) is set to take the mound for the Rockies.
The Diamondbacks will counter with left-handed pitcher Mitch Bratt (1-1 in six starts, 3.90 ERA, 21 strikeouts).
The Rockies and the D-backs meet for another 7:40 p.m. MDT first pitch.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 10: Tarik Skubal #29 of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches against the Kansas City Royals making his Dodger Stadium debut during the first inning at Dodger Stadium on August 10, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The wins are rare and not so easily attained for the Dodgers at this specific moment in the season. And hosting the Royals, it took all that this team had to outlast the opposition in a 6-5 victory in a back-and-forth matchup with multiple lead changes, ultimately decided on a Freddie Freeman RBI single.
Allowing a run in the first, Tarik Skubal didn’t deliver a lights-out performance, but how a pitcher handles outings with some form of adversity can often be the true measure of him. The Royals were relatively lucky to get on the board early on with a softly hit single from Nick Loftin that found the right spot—followed by an RBI knock from Jac Caglianone on a groundball that should’ve found a Dodger glove but didn’t, as Miguel Rojas and Mookie Betts didn’t react well enough to make a play. Those two singles were enough for the run because once Bobby Witt Jr. replaced Loftin on the basepaths after a forceout, he showed off his speed by swiftly stealing second, his AL-leading 32nd SB.
It would not be the only time Caglianone would hurt Skubal, as a couple of innings later, he would hit a two-run shot on a hanging slider to hand the Royals a 3-0 lead. What was particular about that at-bat was the unpredictable attack plan of Skubal versus Caglianone, with the slider being the fifth different pitch he threw to Caglianone. The problem is that unpredictability can only do so much if hangers are coming to the plate.
Laboring a bit more than he is used to per inning, Skubal established a very high pitch count in the first few frames, allowing him to just complete five, not before getting the final laugh on Caglianone, though. Caglianone came up to the plate with two on and two out in the fifth with the chance to do the most damage in this one. Skubal gave him a recipe of nothing but heaters that laid the groundwork for a strike three swinging on a changeup down and in, a dangerous pitch to throw to the tall lefty, but one that worked out.
Chasing the game from the start, the Dodgers didn’t spend a lot of time trailing by those three runs, answering the Royals’ two-run third with two of their own in the bottom of the frame. The lefties provided the big hits against Noah Cameron as a Shohei Ohtani RBI double was followed by a Freddie Freeman single to make it 3-2.
Tommy Edman’s hustle in the sixth inning on both sides of the ball is in many ways what paved the way for the Dodgers’ three-run rally that gave them the first lead of this game. Firstly, Edman made a terrific play in left, diving to catch a fly ball from Starling Marte.
A few minutes later, Edman hustled to leg out an infield single in the bottom of the sixth, and a Miguel Rojas double later, Cameron got the hook with two in scoring position and just one out. Kyle Tucker pinch hit for Teoscar Hernández with the righty John Schreiber coming into the game, and walked, which brought up the Dodgers’ most clutch hitter as of late to the plate. Once again, Max Muncy delivered in a time of need with a bases-clearing double.
In normal games throughout the regular season, this momentum shift would be enough to carry the Dodgers to a win, but right now nothing is coming easy. The Royals decided that two can play the quick-answer game, managing to tie things up at 5-5 in the next half-inning. Just like Skubal against Caglianone in the third, Jack Dreyer left a slider up against Kyle Isbel and saw the left-handed hitter just clear the right-field wall. It was only Isbel’s fourth homer of the season.
The good news was the Dodgers were facing one of the two bullpens in baseball with an ERA above 5.00, and it clearly showed once Cameron’s night was done. The Dodgers regained the lead in the bottom of the seventh despite some self-imposed challenges. Ohtani was stealing second with Andy Pages at the plate when the center fielder was punched out looking on a bad call that couldn’t be challenged due to previous ill-advised challenges from Rojas and Pages himself. Luckily, Freeman didn’t let that mistake linger for too long by driving in Ohtani to make it a 6-5 game.
The Dodgers could not score insurance runs after that, but they didn’t need to as the bullpen provided shutdown innings to secure the win, including an encouraging one-two-three ninth from closer Edwin Díaz.
LP — Alex Lange (1-7): 1 IP, 3 hits, 1 run, 1 strikeout
Sv — Edwin Díaz (6): 1 IP, 1 strikeout
Up next
Looking to improve on a shaky season debut against the Braves, Blake Snell gets the ball against the best the Royals have to offer in Michael Wacha. It’s the same place, same time, with the first pitch scheduled for 7:10 p.m. (PT).
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - AUGUST 10: Nolan Arenado #28 of the Arizona Diamondbacks celebrates after hitting a grand slam home run against the Colorado Rockies during the first inning at Chase Field on August 10, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Record: 64-56. Pace: 86-76. Change on 2025: +6.
There was no hangover for the Diamondbacks after their low-scoring series victory over the Dodgers. Indeed, the offense nearly matched the entire output there, in just the first four outs. That provided a nice, soft landing for Michael Soroka, in his return from the injured list, as he threw 4.1 scoreless innings, before being removed for pitch count purposes. Zack Littell made his D-backs debut, and was awarded the win for his 4.2 innings of relief. Arizona simply took care of business tonight at Chase Field, and as a result remain tied with the Phillies for the second wild-card spot, since Philadelphia also won, in St. Louis.
Before this season, the Diamondbacks had hit only five first inning grand-slams in team history – that’s over a span north of 4,400 opening frames. The last came more than fifteen years ago, in April 2011, when Stephen Drew took Ryan Dempster deep. But the team has now done it twice this year, with Nolan Arenado the man responsible on both occasions. Amusingly, he has a Rockies appeal to thank for it. With two outs, Gabriel Moreno hit a triple that rattled around in the right-field corner. It looked he then scored on a wild pitch, but Colorado appealed, saying it hit Marte. A review confirmed this, so Gabi was sent back and Ketel took first. But instead of getting out of the frame, Lars Nootbaar drew a walk, which allowed Arenado to come up with the bases loaded. Just like on May 18 against Robbie Ray, this then happened.
Arizona put up another crooked number in the second inning. With one out, Ryan Waldschmidt singled, Geraldo Perdomo walked, and Corbin Carroll doubled home Waldschmidt for a 5-0 lead. A wild pitch added another run, and Marte drove in one more with a single. Through two innings, Arizona were 7-0 up, and they had made Colorado starter Gabriel Hughes throw 63 pitches. With Soroka having allowed one walk and no hits through two, it was a bit of a surprise that it was the D-backs starter who was the first to be replaced. Part of this was the Arizona offense taking a bit of a nap for the next few innings. Also, this was Soroka’s first outing in the majors since June 19. He had only one rehab start, throwing 57 pitches for the Reno Aces.
Therefore, while it would have been nice to get him through five and qualify for the victory, a fairly long fourth inning (needing 22 pitches) put the dampers on that. After getting the first out in the fifth, Soroka threw an 8-pitch walk, and Torey Lovullo decided that was enough, at a total of 77 pitches. The final line: 4.1 shutout innings, on three hits and three walks with four strikeouts. Under normal circumstances, this might have been a bit of a problem. But new guy Zack Littell had been signed for exactly this, and had no pitch count limitation. He didn’t make a great first impression, walking the first batter he faced on four pitches. However, he immediately dialed up a double-play to end the fifth. The DP was Arizona’s friend tonight, with four being turned. Tim Tawa had an unassisted one in the third, and Waldschmidt got an assist (below) in the sixth, surviving a Colorado appeal.
Littell ended up finishing out the game, giving the rest of the bullpen a welcome day off. He got the W in his Arizona debut, tossing 4.2 scoreless innings, on a pair of hits and two walks, with two strikeouts. I was doing some desultory searching, but couldn’t find any other reliever who won their D-backs debut with such a long outing. Indeed, he’s only the 11th D-back with a relief W requiring 14 outs, at any point in their time with Arizona. The last one was Ryne Nelson in 2024. He was also the pitcher before that, in 2023. But long relief is not a glamorous job, and the list largely consists of journeyman pitchers. Oh, and one Hall of Famer, of course.
Arizona tacked on a pair of runs in the eighth, on a Jorge Barrosa RBI single and Moreno RBI double. Moreno, Marte, Arenado and Waldschmidt all had two-hit games, the first- and last-named each drawing a walk as well. On the other end, Max Kepler was 0-for-4 with three K’s. He’s 1-for-22 with eight strikeouts over his last seven games, and I’ve a feeling – read, “hope” – he might not be long for the roster, with Jordan Lawlar and Lourdes Gurriel Jr both on the way back. There was some concern over Perdomo’s early departure from tonight’s contest. He was lifted for the fifth inning with what’s described as left knee soreness. Hopefully just Torey Lovullo being cautious in a blowout win.
Click here for details, at Fangraphs.com Rain: Nolan Arenado, +27% That ozoney smell: Michael Soroka, +10%
Microbursts: Kepler + Tawa, each -1%
That is the kind of Fangraph I like to see at home. It hit 97.5% with one out in the bottom of the second inning, and never declined below 94.9% the rest of the way. Let’s give Comment of the Night to Worleybird:
It’s certainly good to have Soroka back. Let’s hope that tomorrow, Mitch Bratt can follow up his stellar performance last time out. The win pushed the D-backs to a season-high eight games above .500, which is the most they’ve been above it since the end of the 2024 campaign. Unfortunately, it didn’t move the needle much, since the Phillies and Padres both also won. The Dodgers are 6-5 up going into the ninth, so that’s not looking good either. Oh, well: just keep winning and it’ll all work itself out. Tomorrow, it’s Bratt starting as mentioned, as the D-backs face the Rockies again, with another 6:40 pm first pitch.
PS Nick Piecoro just Tweeted, “Torey Lovullo did not sound overly concerned about Perdomo’s knee. Said if it were a close game he might have left him in. Could still get a day off in the coming days.”
Basketball is still more than two months away, but it’s time to start planning ahead.
The 2026-27 NBA opening night games, which will air on NBC and Peacock, were revealed on Tuesday as the league began to announce portions of its regular-season schedule.
As is tradition, the NBA has two prime-time matchups on the slate for opening night — including the defending champion raising a banner and three other title contenders taking the court. However, this year, there is an additional midday matchup to open the season.
Here’s a look at the three games for this year’s NBA Tip-Off:
Boston Celtics at Detroit Pistons
The NBA season will begin a bit earlier than usual, with the Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons battling in a matinee matchup.
The teams were the top two seeds in the Eastern Conference standings last season, with the Pistons vaulting to the No. 1 seed and the Celtics coming in at No. 2.
Watch info: 3 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock
Philadelphia 76ers at New York Knicks
Two Atlantic division foes will face off on the first day of the season, and this game has added stakes.
For Philadelphia, the city hopes this game will mark the beginning of their own title run. The Sixers were the most aggressive team over the offseason, trading away Paul George for Jaylen Brown and signing LeBron James. So, while this is a second-round rematch from last year’s playoffs, this game will look completely different than it did in May.
Watch info: 7 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock
Oklahoma City Thunder at San Antonio Spurs
The most tightly-contested series of last season’s playoffs will be revisited on opening night.
The Spurs, fresh off a disappointing Finals loss to the Knicks, will begin their quest to defend the Western Conference title and get over the hump. San Antonio gave Victor Wembanyama some extra help over the offseason — notably Tobias Harris. But the 2026-27 campaign will hinge on internal improvement for young rising stars like Wembanyama, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper.
Oklahoma City will be out for revenge immediately, considering San Antonio took Game 7 on the Thunder’s home court and ended their repeat bid. Sam Presti had a busy offseason rebalancing the roster and shedding salary, cutting ties with key role players in Lu Dort, Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins. Two-time reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, meanwhile, is aiming to be the fourth player in NBA history to win three straight MVPs (Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Larry Bird).
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 10: Cam Smith #11 of the Houston Astros hits a solo home run against the San Francisco Giants in the seventh inning at Oracle Park on August 10, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thien-An Truong/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Different venue, different result. Astros 6. Giants 3. It took extra innings, it took perseverance, and it took Jeremy Pena breaking out of a 0-24 slump. It also took a three-hit night from Cam Smith. The change of scenery from Petco to Oracle made all the difference as the offense finally showed some signs of life in front of 28,070.
For the first time in ten games, Houston would score in the opening frame to start things. Yordan Alvarez recorded his 60th extra base hit, hitting a double before Isaac Paredes moved him over to third with a single. Jose Altuve would bring in Alvarez on a sac fly making it 1-0. The next run would come off the bat of Cam Smith who would leave the yard, jacking his 16th of the year in the 7th. In the top of the 9th, Cam would weave some more magic, singling to right field which brought in pinch runner Nick Allen. Cam would go 3-4 on the night, driving in a pair.
Hayden Wesneski would cruise until the bottom of the fourth. Bryce Eldridge reached on a double. Rafael Devers followed that up with a walk and Oslevivis Basabe would single to load the bases. Drew Gilbert would notch his 23rd RBI of the season on a sac fly, tying things up at 1-1. Taylor Trammell would then make the defensive play of the night, making a spectacular play on a line out from Drew Cavanaugh to close out the inning. The Giants would strand a pair of runners.
However, the next pair of innings, the Giants would take Wesenski deep on multiple occasions. Jung Hoo Lee would hit his 9th homer of the year. That would be followed up by former Astros prospect, Drew Gilbert, who in the seventh went yard. Houston had plenty of opportunities during that window, including a bases loaded opportunity, but Christian Walker grounded out, stranding three. Even with the home runs, for all intents and purposes, Wesenski rendered a decent showing. His seven innings of work was the deepest a starter has gone in a game for Houston since Hunter Brown verses the White Sox on July 25th.
In the 10th inning, LaMonte Wade walked and went to second on a Pena single. They would each score on a clutch double from Isaac Parades. The bottom of 10th was arguably the best move Joe Espada has made this baseball season, sending out Josh Hader for a second inning of relief after previously vowing not to implement. Hader would dazzle, pitching a pair of scoreless innings, registering a pair of K’s.
Odds & Ends:
The Astros have now played 120 games this season, with a mark of 61-59. A year ago, the Astros were 67-53 at this stage.
Hunter Brown will look for his fourth win tomorrow night. First pitch will once again be 8:45pm CDT.
It’s never a good sign when even the umpires need to check the rule, which is what happened in a wild seventh inning moment during Monday’s Red Sox-Blue Jays game.
The incorrect number of outs shown on the Rogers Centre scoreboard sent the game spiraling into chaos that led to a more than 15-minute delay as the umps tried to ascertain the situation, which was an inning-ending double play that occurred because two outs were incorrectly shown on the scoreboard.
Because of the confusion caused by the stadium error, when Boston’s Ceddanne Rafaela made contact with the ball on a fly out to center field, the runners on first and third ran on contact, allowing Blue Jays outfielder Brett Bateman to fire the ball to first for the out.
Umpire Chris Guccione, center, announces a rules check during an umpire review during the seventh inning of a baseball game between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Boston Red Sox in Toronto on Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026. Sammy Kogan/The Canadian Press via AP
Simultaneously, the runner on third base also had run on contact and crossed home plate, but he never tagged, which led to the confusion and led to crew chief Chris Guccione to have to call New York to get a ruling.
“The runner at third base did not tag and crossed home plate before the out at first was recorded,” Guccione told the crowd in Toronto after a long pause. “We are going to New York to do a rules check.”
There's A LOT to go through here. Have you ever seen this before?
A scoreboard error led to confusion and a double play in the Red Sox-Blue Jays game. Fox Sports/X
He came back a short time later and announced to the crowd that “the run is going to score,” making it a 2-1 ballgame that the Blue Jays still led.
The Blue Jays did manage to hang onto the lead for the rest of the game to pick up the win.
“What I was told was the rule is the rule. It’s a timing play,” Jays manager John Schneider told reporters after the game. “If the run scores from third no matter what he did – tagging up or not – before the out is recorded at first, the run counts. Now if we had just thrown the ball to third instead of first, obviously a different story.”
Blue Jays manager John Schneider speaks with an umpire. Fox Sports/X
Schneider added that Boston did not challenge the play and because his team ran off the field already, the Blue Jays weren’t able to appeal the play by throwing the ball to third base.
“We weren’t given an opportunity to appeal to third and going forward when that play happens again in the next 100 years, if it’s us, we will record the out at third,” he said.
Kodai Senga #34 of the New York Mets reacts after their 8-5 win over the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on Monday, August 10, 2026, in Atlanta, Georgia. (2026 Getty Images)
ATLANTA — The Mets didn’t trade Devin Williams at last week’s deadline but will still have to navigate the late innings — at least for a few weeks — without him.
An already largely untested bullpen, which subtracted four key veterans before the deadline, has another hole to fill after Williams was placed on the injured list Monday with a right shoulder strain.
The right-hander had arm fatigue last week before returning to pitch Friday.
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“He has been dealing with a little bit of shoulder fatigue for a little while now, something he felt confident he could pitch through,” interim manager Andy Green said. “You appreciate the warrior mentality to step on the mound and continue to compete for us, but after the last outing it just made sense for us to get an MRI and get it checked.”
Senga pitched a scoreless ninth and wanted the baseball as a keepsake from his first MLB save, except that Carson Benge — who caught the final out — had already thrown it to a fan.
“I think Bengie is trying to tell me that I should have just punched him out,” said Senga, who struck out the previous two batters in the inning.
Williams, who arrived on a three-year contract worth $51 million, has pitched to a 4.66 ERA with 16 saves in 42 appearances this season. In his outing Friday against the Pirates, he surrendered two earned runs on three hits in recording the save.
Kodai Senga laughs after Carson Benge throws the ball into the stands after the Mets-Braves game on Aug. 10, 2026. Getty Images
Williams’ strain, according to Green, isn’t considered serious and the Mets are hopeful he will return this season. Green placed a timeline of a “few weeks” for Williams to potentially begin throwing again.
“I know he wants to compete for us again before the year is out,” Green said. “He wants to get on the mound and finish strong.”
The IL stint occurs a week after the team dealt A.J. Minter, Brooks Raley, Luke Weaver and Huascar Brazobán at the trade deadline.
Kodai Senga wanted the ball from his first MLB save …
Green said the closer’s role will remain fluid in Williams’ absence, but acknowledged Senga’s upside. Senga has shifted to higher-leverage relief situations since the bullpen’s overhaul. Entering Monday, he had pitched two shutout innings in higher-leverage spots over the past week.
“I think it’s a great environment for myself,” Senga said. “First of all, my body feels great. I’m able to go out there and perform in short innings, regardless of the situation.”
Senga’s struggles as a starter prompted his shift to a middle relief role last month. The right-hander began play with an 8.29 ERA overall.
“He was great [tonight],” Green said. “Hopefully he feels great [Tuesday] and he’s ready to go again.”
Senga acknowledged the challenge he will face in pitching consecutive days if needed.
“I have not done that before, so I don’t know what’s to come,” he said. “I don’t know what to expect, but as a reliever it’s something that most of these guys do and experience, so that may be coming down the road, but it’s to be seen.”
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The new cast includes lefties Nate Lavender and Jefry Yan and right-hander Dedniel Núñez, who returned last week from Tommy John surgery rehab. The Mets have received a boost from Daniel Duarte, who has pitched to a 1.04 ERA in 12 appearances — including a scoreless two-inning stint Monday. Yan, who possesses triple-digit heat, has gained attention for his post-strikeout celebrations.
“Right now, it depends on the pocket,” Green said of his plans at closer. “I think there’s three or four guys that, given the context of the game, it makes sense to face certain hitters and I am confident in the makeup of the human that they will be able to handle the moment.”
SAN DIEGO, CA - AUGUST 10: Logan Henderson #43 of the Milwaukee Brewers leaves the field during the game between the Milwaukee Brewers and the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on Monday, August 10, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Ryan Levy/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Brewers carried a one-run lead into the seventh inning behind six dominant frames from Logan Henderson, but the Padres finally broke through against him the third time through the order. Jackson Merrill’s two-run homer put San Diego ahead, and Milwaukee couldn’t answer against the Padres’ bullpen in a 3-2 loss.
Neither team managed to score in the first, but Milwaukee opened the scoring in the second. William Contreras, hitting sixth tonight, worked a one-out walk off Padres starter Casey Mize before Christian Yelich, hitting seventh, squared up a first-pitch fastball for a two-run homer.
Contreras and Yelich have been mainstays in the heart of the Brewers’ lineup for years, but both have struggled recently, leading manager Pat Murphy to move them down in the order before tonight’s game.
Neither player has quite lived up to his lofty standards this season — especially Yelich, who has started to look like years of injuries may finally be catching up with him — but both are still capable of catching fire at any time. There’s a reason they’re still in the lineup every day, and if nothing else, moving them down in the order takes some pressure off while giving other hitters a chance to carry more of the offensive load. At least for one at-bat tonight, the change worked exactly as intended.
Meanwhile, Brewers starter Logan Henderson was dominant for nearly the entirety of his outing. Other than a solo home run by Ty France in the bottom of the third, Henderson shut the Padres down, allowing just two additional hits while striking out seven through six innings.
With Henderson at only 76 pitches and the Brewers still up by a run, Murphy sent him back out for the bottom of the seventh — a decision that eventually proved costly. Although he got Manny Machado to pop up for the first out, Henderson was clearly slowing down, with his fastball barely touching 90 mph. France followed with a ground-ball single into left field, bringing the tying run to the plate.
Henderson stayed in to face Jackson Merrill, who took a strike, then a ball, before turning on an 82 mph changeup and sending it 431 feet over the center-field fence to give the Padres a 3-2 lead. In the span of two batters, Henderson had gone from being in line for the win to being in line for the loss, and San Diego wasn’t done threatening. Murphy left him in for one more batter, Luis Rengifo, whom Henderson walked on five pitches.
With Gavin Sheets coming up and still only one out, Murphy finally made the call to the bullpen, bringing in the recently activated Lyon Richardson for his first appearance as a Milwaukee Brewer. Richardson walked Sheets to put another runner on base but recovered to strike out Freddy Fermín for the second out. Sung-Mun Song then hit a hard grounder down the first-base line, but Jake Bauers made a nice play to spear it and beat Song to the bag, preventing any further damage.
The decision to send Henderson back out wasn’t unreasonable considering his pitch count and how dominant he’d been through six, but the end result was particularly frustrating for Brewers fans. Henderson had given Milwaukee six excellent innings, and with one of the better bullpens in baseball available, the Brewers had options. Instead, a start in which Henderson had shut down the Padres turned on one pitch.
Logan Henderson pitched into the seventh inning for the first time in his career: 6.1 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 7 SO, 91 pitches.
Milwaukee managed to keep the deficit at one, but against the Padres’ bullpen tandem of Adrian Morejon and Mason Miller, one run is often insurmountable. Morejon faced the minimum in the eighth, allowing a ground-ball single to Jackson Chourio before getting Jake Bauers to ground into an inning-ending double play. Miller walked Contreras with two outs in the ninth, bringing Yelich to the plate with a chance to bookend the game with another big hit, but he never got the opportunity. Brandon Lockridge, pinch-running for Contreras, was thrown out trying to steal second to end the game.
On the bright side, the Brew Crew will have a chance to bounce back tomorrow in San Diego. Kyle Harrison will get the ball for Milwaukee opposite Walker Buehler. First pitch is set for 8:40 p.m.
It's officially another season, another prospects ranking for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
In years past, this has been a bit easier of an exercise, as there used to be a more clear-cut line between prospects with NHL upside and longshots. However, because of the work that general manager and president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas and his staff have put in during the last several years, the line is blurring a whole lot more - and there is a substantially higher volume of talent in the system.
This time around, making a top-20 list was challenging. So, a few criteria were put into place: To make our list, prospects must be under the age of 26 and have played less than 50 NHL games. This excludes names such as Ben Kindel, Filip Hallander, Oliver Okuliar, and Alexander Alexeyev.
There are few prospects in the Penguins' organization with the "rat-like" approach to hockey that Howe takes. And that, combined with some legitimate offensive skill, makes him both a unique player in within in their system and one who could very well turn into an effective NHL player.
The 5-foot-11, 183-pound Howe was selected in the second round (46th overall) of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, and his development since then has already seen a few curveballs. The biggest one was thrown when he tore his ACL late in his 2024-25 WHL campaign with the Calgary Hitmen, and he did not return until February of 2026, when he was eligible to play in the AHL for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) Penguins.
There, he put up eight goals and 16 points in 27 games, and he also had three goals and five points in 14 Calder Cup Playoff games. No, these raw numbers don't jump out in any kind of outstanding way on a stats sheet, but they also don't tell the whole story about Howe's process and what makes him a pretty easy bet as an everyday NHL player.
Aside from the nastiness of Howe's game - which is a hallmark trait of his - it's his tenacity and relentlessness coupled with his smarts in the offensive zone. He knows how to expose the softer areas in the middle of the ice, and he works his tail off along the walls. He wins a lot of puck battles, his speed is an asset, and he simply knows how to outwork and outwit the competition to set both himself and his teammates up nicely for opportunities.
Above all, he is exceptional at the net front - even as a smaller player - because he isn't afraid to engage physically, he excels at winning positioning, and he has the shooting talent to put the puck in the back of the net, even while under pressure.
But Howe's game doesn't end at the offensive blue line, either. He's strong in all three zones, anticipating well and disrupting passing and shooting lanes, backchecking effectively with his speed advantage, and pressuring opponents into making mistakes. He also has value on both special teams units and is particularly adept on the penalty kill.
All in all, Howe very much has a translatable NHL skillset, which is something that can't be said about everyone. Even if his ceiling isn't sky-high, his floor is quite high, and he figures to bring some much-needed grit, nastiness, and offensive upside to the Penguins' bottom-six in the not-so-distant future.
In fact, don't be entirely surprised if Howe makes his NHL debut at some point in 2026-27.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - AUGUST 10: Dean Kremer #13 of the Minnesota Twins pitches against the Baltimore Orioles during the first inning of the game at Target Field on August 10, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
They say to keep your friends close, and your enemies closer, which is why for most of my adult life I’ve hung out with people who I don’t really like. Tonight, starter Dean Kremer proved why that maxim is not just a magazine, spinning a gem against his former club in a shiny 7-inning, one-hit start.
It was something I’m calling “no cookies” tonight from Kremer, who drove a perfect first trip through the Orioles’ lineup, then only allowed a fourth-inning hit — the lone base knock against his ledger today — on a squib shot that went maybe ten feet in front of home. That hit would put runners on the corners (a Gunnar Henderson walk had made its way into scoring position already), which would allow Baltimore to tie the game on a designed delayed double-steal.
The fact that this tied the game came courtesy of Austin Martin, who took offense to my subtle jab at him in the pregame, and chose to put up eight total bases across four hits tonight. He’d gotten Minnesota on the board with a third-inning line-drive homer, after already having roped a double to lead off the game.
The Twins would add another in the home fourth, reclaiming the lead from Baltimore almost immediately; Luke Keaschall was hit by a pitch to set the table, and Brooks Lee doubled him over to third; this allowed Kaelen Culpepper to earn an RBI on a sacrifice fly, the only distraction from the golden sombrero he would later be wearing.
After Kremer completed 7 full innings, the Twins exploded for five in the 7th and two more in the 8th. The barrage included a two-run single from Ryan Jeffers and a three-run shot off the bat of Josh Bell (16.) (Homers, he’s older than that.) Jeffers would add another on an RBI double in the eighth, and would score on a Royce Lewis single.
The insurance proved necessary, as a combination of Travis Adams and Taylor Rogers allowed six hits and four earned runs in the final two innings. Nevertheless, she (the Minnesota Twins) persisted, and claimed the series opener on a nice evening at Target Field.
Even with almost one-third of their big-league roster shipped out of town ahead of last week's MLB trade deadline, the Mets continue finding ways to win ballgames.
The offense has been clicking on all cylinders, the starting pitching continues to deliver, and the new-look bullpen has stepped up tremendously over the past two series.
That was again the case during Monday's series-opener in Atlanta.
New York jumped all over Braves right-hander Bryce Elder, striking for seven runs on 10 hits over the first three innings to establish a commanding early lead.
They received contributions from up-and-down the lineup, but Brett Baty was accountable for the big blow, launching his first career grand slam as part of a five-run top of the first.
“It was really cool,” Baty said. “First homer here, now my first grand slam here -- I haven’t hit many grand slams in my life too, so it’s definitely pretty cool.”
Christian Scott faltered a bit, allowing the high-powered Braves to scratch their way back in the game, but the Mets’ bullpen again delivered some big innings to get the job done down the stretch.
Jonathan Pintaro allowed a run behind Scott, but then Nate Lavender and Daniel Duarte combined for three scoreless frames, before handing the ball to Kodai Senga, who was terrific to secure his first career save.
“It’s been next man up,” Andy Green said.
“We lost a lot of guys in this bullpen, but we also gained a lot of talent,” Scott added. “Not enough credit goes to those guys, they’ve really done an unbelievable job.”
Just like that, New York improves to 6-1 with just two games remaining on their nine-game road trip.
“The boys are swinging some hot bats, the bullpen is doing their thing and the starters are always going to do their thing,” Baty said. “It’s been fun, we’re rallying around each other and we’ve just been playing some really good ball.”
Pittsburgh Penguins forward Ben Kindel exceeded all expectations during his rookie season last year.
Kindel was selected 11th overall in the 2025 NHL Draft and was slated to play for the WHL's Calgary Hitmen until he showed up to training camp and blew everyone away. He kept getting better and better during practices before he got more reps in preseason games.
The Penguins' coaching staff and management wanted to test him, and he passed each one with flying colors. He was repeatedly one of the Penguins' best players in the preseason and did enough to make the opening-night roster.
He made his NHL debut against the New York Rangers on Oct. 7, and you could tell right away that he was ready for the moment. He was outstanding defensively and even had some nice extended offensive zone shifts.
Kindel then scored his first NHL goal against the Rangers on Oct. 11 before scoring his second goal against the Florida Panthers on Oct. 23. By that point, it was pretty easy to see that he was going to stay beyond the nine-game trial. His hockey IQ, playmaking ability, goal scoring, and defensive play were all on display in those nine games.
He stayed for the rest of the season and was fantastic, finishing with 17 goals and 35 points in 77 games. He was on a pitch count at first until Penguins head coach Dan Muse realized that he was too important to keep out of the lineup. He was also continuing to get more comfortable against NHL players.
Yes, Kindel slowed down at the end of the season and went pointless in the playoffs, but it's important to remember that he's only 19. Last season was the most games he has played in a season. The NHL season is a grind for a reason.
He's now had the chance to go through a full NHL offseason workout routine and will be bigger and stronger for the upcoming season. He's slated to start as the third-line center again behind Sidney Crosby and Tommy Novak. Evgeni Malkin might get some reps as the second-line center as well.
Having Kindel be the third-line center for at least one more season makes a ton of sense. He can continue to handle those same responsibilities before he gets a more elevated role later in his career. I still see him as a long-term second-line center, but there's no need to rush it for the sake of it.
I think there's a decent chance he hits 20 goals and 40-45 points this season, especially if he takes another step and gels with his linemates. It makes a ton of sense to have Nick Robertson and Andrei Kuzmenko on his line since they're both proven goal scorers and can make opposing goaltenders pay quickly.
Kindel will also get time on both special teams units, specifically the power play. He spent 140:31 on the man-advantage last season and was a mainstay on the second unit. Four of his 17 goals and six of his 18 assists came on the PP.
He'll definitely be on the second unit again this upcoming season and will likely see some time on the first unit if/when injuries arise.
Kindel is a major part of the Penguins' future and is already well ahead of schedule. He has the opportunity to build on that when the 2026-27 season starts at the end of September.
Jeff Teague had the same reaction that probably every person on the planet had upon hearing Monta Ellis’ claim.
Ellis, the former high-scoring Golden State Warriors guard, controversially declared on Sunday that the Warriors would’ve had the same success had he replaced Steph Curry.
Teague, Ellis’ teammate with the Indiana Pacers in 2016-2017 wasn’t exactly buying it.
“Imma keep it real with you. He was never better than Steph Curry,” Teague said during a live recording of “The Club 520 Podcast” before saying there was another star guard who he could have seen perhaps replicating the Warriors’ success with Curry.
“…If you said ‘We’re going to take Steph Curry out of there, and put Dame Lillard, then I would be like ‘Okay I could see them get the same results.”
Jeff Teague had the same reaction that probably every person on the planet had upon hearing Monta Ellis’ claim. @club520podcast
Teague went on to call Ellis “cold” but said he’s not the same type of player as Curry.
Through Curry’s 17-year career in the NBA, he’s built a reputation as the greatest shooter the game has ever seen and one of the greatest players in league history. The two-time MVP owns the career record for most three-pointers made, has shot 42.2% from deep over his 17 seasons and has averaged 24.8 points per game.
A talented player, Ellis played 12 seasons in the NBA and averaged 17.8 points per game, though he shot only 31.4% from three. He also never made a single All-Star team.
Stephen Curry and Monta Ellis of the Golden State Warriors share a laugh after defeating the New Orleans Hornets. NBAE via Getty Images
Ellis’ best season behind the 3-point line came during the 2010-2011 season when he and Curry were still Warriors teammates. Ellis sank 36.1% from deep.
The following year, the Warriors were reportedly trading Curry to the Milwaukee Bucks until the Bucks backed out due to concern over his ankle. HOW CLOSE WAS THAT? CAN WE CLARIFY?
Since then, Curry has remained with the Warriors and has become the most decorated player in the franchise’s history as he’s led them to four NBA titles, while winning his two MVPs in 2015 and 2016.
Jun 30, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Miami Marlins right fielder Owen Caissie (17) celebrates as he rounds the bases on a three run home run in the eighth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Welcome back to BCB After Dark: the hippest gathering of night owls, early risers, new parents and Cubs fans abroad. Come on in and cool off with us. We’re so glad to see you. There’s no cover charge. We’ve saved a special table for you. The hostess will seat you now. Bring your own beverage.
BCB After Dark is the place for you to talk baseball, music, movies, or anything else you need to get off your chest, as long as it is within the rules of the site. The late-nighters are encouraged to get the party started, but everyone else is invited to join in as you wake up the next morning and into the afternoon.
Last week I asked you what the best Cubs’ Deadline trade ever? I should have been more specific because I meant the Cubs adding players for a title race and not selling players. Obviously the Javy Báez for Pete Crow-Armstrong deal would be among the best if I meant the Cubs selling players for prospects. And as hard as it is to believe now, the Cubs acquiring Jake Arrieta and Pedro Strop in 2014 was about the Orioles adding Scott Feldman at the time.
Having said all that, 40 percent of you said the Aroldis Chapman deal was number one. That makes sense, since it was the only one that resulted in a World Series title. Another 30 percent of you went with the Rick Sutcliffe deal in 1984.
Here’s the part where we listen to music and talk movies. You can skip that if you want. Or you can read that and skip the baseball stuff. Or you can read it all.
Tonight we’re featuring Welsh vocalist Judith Owen with a music video of hers from this past April “To Your Door.” John Maestas is the guitarist.
There’s been renewed interest in Cape Fear because of the new television series, which stars Javier Bardem and Amy Adams. I’m going to confess that I’ve seen none of it. But what I have seen is the 1962 original movie, directed by J. Lee Thompson, and the 1991 Martin Scorsese remake. So I thought I’d take this week to do one of my favorite exercises, which is comparing the original film to the remake.
Tonight, we take on the 1962 original, which stars Gregory Peck, Robert Mitchum and Polly Bergen. Mitchum plays Max Cady, who has just been released from a Georgia prison after serving an eight-year sentence for rape. (more on that later.) He immediately tracks down Sam Bowden (Peck), a prosecuting attorney who witnessed the attack and testified against him. Cady blames Sam for his eight years in prison and the fact that his wife and daughter left him. Later in the film, he confesses he spent every day in prison dreaming about his revenge.
Cady immediately starts stalking Sam and his family, although he’s very careful to keep his interactions to within the letter of the law. See, Cady is very smart and very cunning and has had eight years in prison to read law books. When he does cross the line (as when he poisons the Bowden family dog), he makes sure that no one can pin it back on him. When Max Cady rapes a local girl (Barrie Chase), partially as a warning to Sam and partially because he’s a serial rapist, he brutalizes her so badly that she refuses to testify out of fear and flees town.
Mostly, Cady just shows up wherever Sam, his wife Peggy (Bergen) or his 15-year-old daughter Nancy (Lori Martin) go and look menacingly at them. As a prosecutor, Sam has a lot of connections with the police department and he goes to them for help. But every legal trick that Sam and the police come up with—charging him with vagrancy and not registering as a felon—Cady has already thought of and foiled. Sam tries to buy off Max, but Max can’t be bought.
Sam escalates to increasingly desperate and illegal activities to get Cady to stop harassing his family. These activities backfire on Sam and now he’s the one in legal jeopardy. That causes Sam to set up a trap for Cady on a houseboat on the Cape Fear River in North Carolina.
The overarching themes of Cape Fear are not deep. The Bowden family are the epitome of American wholesomeness. Before Max Cady breaks him down, Sam Bowden is a fine, respected member of society. He’s basically auditioning for Atticus Finch, although that part was still about eight months in the future when Peck made Cape Fear. Peggy is the loving, supportive and fairly passive wife. Daughter Nancy is 15 and is played by the 15-year-old Lori Martin, but Martin was short and comes across as much younger and much more innocent than 15. They are the ideal Eisenhower family.
Cady, on the other hand, is pure evil, but it’s an evil combined with superior intelligence and calm and cool control. Peck is great as the upstanding man broken down to raw savagery to save his family, but there were a dozen actors in Hollywood that could have played that part. I can’t imagine anyone other then Mitchum being able to play Max Cady in 1962.
So you have the good America threatened by an evil force with a legal system that protects the criminals more than the victims. If you’ve seen American crime films from the sixties to the eighties, you’ve heard this story before. But certainly the way that Peck’s noble character breaks down over the course of the film (only to regain it before the end, naturally), gives Cape Fear a bit of a different direction.
There’s one other thing that makes the 1962 Cape Fear different from the “thin line between civilization and savagery” films that would come later is that Cape Fear was still made under the rules of the Production Code. And while the Code was cracking in 1962, it still held some weight. Max Cady is a serial rapist, yet the word “rape” can’t be mentioned at all during the film. They have to work with euphemisms and “you knows,” especially when discussing Max’s threats to the 15-year-old Nancy. The film is also very violent for something that came out in 1962, something the critics noticed at the time. Many found the whole thing distasteful, even though they praised the acting jobs and the way Thompson brought the story to the screen.
Of course, none of that can compare to violence in Scorsese’s 1991 version, but that’s for next time.
Overall, Cape Fear is a solid psychological thriller with enough action in it to keep the danger-factor high. It has a star-studded cast and a Bernard Hermann score. It’s not an all-time classic, but it’s a very good film and you can see why people keep wanting to remake it.
The trailer for the J. Lee Thompson original version of Cape Fear.
Welcome back to everyone who skips the music and movies
I’m not conceding the National League Central to the Brewers. Fangraphs puts the Cubs’ chances of winning the division at just 16 percent coming in to tonight’s Brewers/Padres game. I think the Cubs chances are better than that. I think they’re twice as good as that. Of course, that means I think the Cubs have a 32 percent chance of winning the division and the Brewers have a 68 percent chance. So yeah, a five-game or more lead in early August isn’t easy to overcome. Milwaukee is the clear favorite.
So assuming the Brewers win the NL Central for the purposes of argument, the Cubs are, in my mind, the overwhelming favorite to win the first Wild Card spot and host a best-of-three series against the second Wild Card team. But who that team will be is up in the air.
Currently, as I type this, the Cubs have a six-game lead of the Phillies and Diamondbacks, who are tied for the second and third spots at 63-56. Right behind them is the Padres at 62-57. Fangraphs gives the Marlins, who are 60-59, a little better than a ten percent chance. No one has a double-digit chance with the Cardinals and Pirates both in the seven percent range.
So which one of those teams do you think will play the Cubs in the Wild Card Series if the Cubs can’t catch the Brewers? Let’s leave the Cards and Pirates out of it for now. That means there’s the Phillies, Diamondbacks, Padres and Marlins to chose from.
The Phillies seem formidable on paper with all of those power hitters and strong starting pitching. But their hitting is slightly below average and their pitching is just average in the all-important runs per game category. They’re over-performing their Pythagorean number and their defense is fairly dreadful. Can they hang on and claim that second Wild Card?
The Diamondbacks are one of those teams that everyone forgets about but they are a lot better than you probably think. They don’t have many names that wow you, but honestly, that’s probably on you. But their runs per game, both on offense and defense, are very similar to the Phillies. They are also over-performing their Pythagorean number. Arizona’s defense is much better than Philadelphia’s, but their bullpen is much worse. They just released their closer, Paul Sewald, who had 24 saves abut a 6.23 ERA.
The Padres have been playing great baseball lately and have gotten back into the race. But they’ve been a weird team all season. They have a lot of big names on offense—Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado, Xander Bogaerts, Jackson Merrill—and so far this year their best hitter has been Ty France, whom they signed on a minor league deal this past winter. The Padres definitely have a below-average offense when it comes to this year’s stats, but there’s a lot of potential for more if those veterans get untracked.
The Padres do excel at run prevention, although their starting pitching isn’t that great either. Instead, they have one of the best bullpens in recent memory. While I haven’t gone down the rabbit hole to see if this is true, I wouldn’t be surprised if they had one of the best bullpens of all-time. But the Padres are outperforming their Pythagorean numbers by even more than Philadelphia and Arizona.
Finally there are the Marlins, who, as per usual for them, are flying under the radar. Their offense is below average, although shortstop Otto Lopez is having a season that should earn him significant MVP votes. But their pitching is outstanding, ranking fourth in the National League in ERA behind the three division leaders. Sandy Alcántara is most of the way back to his former Cy Young form. Eury Pérez is very good and while Max Meyer is on the injured list, he’s expected back before the end of the season and he’s an emerging star. Their bullpen isn’t as good, but they’re a sneaky good team. Miami is underperforming their Pythagorean record, but by only one game.
So which one of these four teams do you think will be the second Wild Card?
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: Sportsnet 
