Inglewood, CA - March 25: LA Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) dribbles against Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes (4) during the first half of an NBA basketball game at Intuit Dome on Wednesday, March 25, 2026 in Inglewood, CA. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
While Kawhi Leonard was the driving force behind the Toronto Raptors’ first-ever NBA title in 2019, there was an entire operation behind him, constantly scheming to put the superstar in a position to succeed.
Vice President of Player Health and Performance, Alex McKechnie, became a household name among casual basketball fans when he coined and implemented the term “load management”. The season-long strategy was designed to keep Leonard healthy enough for an eventual post-season run. This meant devaluing certain stretches in the regular-season, often games falling in a back-to-back.
Despite not having their captain on the court, Toronto ultimately finished 2nd in the Eastern Conference with a 58-24 record. The Raptors’ home court was a tremendous advantage in the playoffs, particularly during the seven-game series against the Philadelphia 76ers. The 76ers finished as the third seed that year. It’s tough to envision Leonard’s bouncing game-winner anywhere but at Scotiabank Arena.
During that season, Toronto played in 12 back-to-back sets. This year, the Raptors have 15 on the schedule. The 2018-19 Raptors were an impressive 17-7 in back-to-back games. They were also 11-3 from October to December, an astonishing feat considering the roster was still trying to sort out its chemistry at the time.
By comparison, the Raptors finished 12-16 in back-to-back games last year.
When Leonard missed one of these contests, his team still produced, with Toronto accumulating a 12-3 record. Additionally, it seemingly didn’t matter which game of the back-to-back Leonard missed:
Missed the first game: 4-1
Missed the second game: 8-2
Leonard also sat in three entire sets of back-to-back games, with one a month from November to January.
Subsequently, Toronto often leaned on players like Norman Powell (earlier in the season) or Fred VanVleet as fill-in starters whenever Leonard sat. Factor in other options like Serge Ibaka, OG Anunoby and Jeremy Lin, and it’s easy to understand why that team was so successful without Leonard.
Does this year’s iteration of the team have the same luxury?
As it stands, it depends on what’s measured. Defensively, the Raptors are ready to support Leonard at an elite level. The combination of Jamal Shead, Ja’Kobe Walter, Collin Murray-Boyles, and Allen Graves is a relentless group. Offensively, it’s unfair to compare this year’s bench to the firepower that the championship team had. If Walter can make another significant jump in his development, that’ll certainly go a long way.
Toronto could also still make additions this off-season or make a trade-deadline move similar in value to when the team acquired Marc Gasol.
Regardless, the Raptors must improve their back-to-back record, especially in an Eastern Conference that is forecast to be a gauntlet.
The Tampa Bay Rays and Baltimore Orioles wrap up a four-game set tonight, with the hosts sitting as a heavy -150 moneyline favorite behind left-hander Shane McClanahan.
But my Orioles vs Rays predictions are backing Baltimore to take the finale, with a reliable starter on the hill and its recent offensive surge proving to be key against McClanahan.
Who will win Orioles vs Rays today: Orioles (+140)
The Baltimore Orioles hand Brandon Young the ball tonight, and he has been reliable. The right-hander owns a respectable 3.76 FIP over his last five appearances while allowing just 0.92 HR/9 and a 35.6% hard-hit rate.
On the other side, Tampa Bay Rays starter Shane McClanahan has a 4.87 xERA over his previous three starts. While he has not allowed many homers, the left-hander has walked 4.85 hitters per nine innings, which is dangerous against a thriving Orioles offense with a 120 wRC+ over the last week.
McClanahan is making his first start since leaving his last outing on July 30 due to mid-back soreness.
Tampa Bay is also swinging it well, but Baltimore’s 103 wRC+ against lefties gives the Orioles an edge.
Play this down to +120.
COVERS INTEL: Young has also performed better on the road, posting a 3.44 FIP compared to a 4.35 mark at home. That gives Baltimore another edge as an underdog.
Orioles vs Rays Over/Under pick: Over 7.5 (-112)
This total sits low at 7.5, and I’m targeting the Over with both lineups rolling. Baltimore’s wRC+ is well above average right now, and the Orioles also own a respectable .187 ISO over their last six contests.
Tampa Bay’s offense has been even hotter, posting a 134 wRC+ over the last week while slugging 10 home runs. Neither starter has been completely lights out, so this game could reach 4-5 runs before the bullpens enter.
There is more vulnerability late, too. The Rays’ relief corps owns a 5.18 FIP over its last 23.1 frames, while Baltimore’s bullpen has been better but not untouchable.
I’ll play the Over up to -130.
Orioles vs Rays home run prediction: Pete Alonso (+414)
Pete Alonso is showcasing his power lately. He has smacked two homers over his last six games while posting a .318 ISO during that span.
Alonso also owns a 68.4% hard-hit rate and 15.5% barrel rate over the last week. While McClanahan has limited homers lately, he is not completely untouchable, and the Rays’ bullpen gives Alonso another clear path. Tampa Bay’s relief corps has allowed 1.93 HR/9 over the last week, presenting an opportunity for Alonso to punish a mistake late.
I’ll play this pick down to +400.
Quinn Allen's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 50-62, -19.47 units
Over/Under bets: 62-47, +7.93 units
Orioles vs Rays weather
Weather should be a non-factor for Orioles vs. Rays because Tropicana Field is indoors. Even if outdoor conditions are warm and mostly clear, the controlled environment removes wind, humidity, rain, and ball-carry concerns. There should be no delay risk or meaningful weather impact on scoring.
Orioles vs Rays odds
Moneyline: Orioles +144 | Rays -150
Run line: Orioles +1.5 (-150) | Rays -1.5 (+144)
Over/Under: Over 7.5 (-108) | Under 7.5 (+104)
Orioles vs Rays trend
The Baltimore Orioles have hit the Team Total Over in 12 of their last 16 away games (+8.40 Units / 47% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Orioles vs. Rays.
How to watch Orioles vs Rays and game info
Location
Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, FL
Date
Monday, August 17, 2026
First pitch
6:05 p.m. ET
TV
MASN, Rays.TV
Orioles starting pitcher
Brandon Young (9-3, 3.33 ERA)
Rays starting pitcher
Shane McClanahan (9-6, 3.09 ERA)
Orioles vs Rays latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
CANADA - MAY 28: Strikes his aim: Dave Lemanczyk; who missed much of last season with an injury; opens the American League season tonight for Blue Jays against Seattle Mariners in th U.S. city. He says his only problem now is throwing strikes. (Photo by Doug Griffin/Toronto Star via Getty Images) | Toronto Star via Getty Images
Today marks Dave Lemanczyk’s 76th birthday.
Dave was a starting pitcher for the Blue Jays during their inaugural season. He started the second game in franchise history, recording the team’s first-ever loss.
He was a solid pitcher, selected from the Detroit Tigers in the Expansion Draft. The draft itself was something of a sucker’s bet; expansion teams got to choose from players the established clubs didn’t want. While we did get Jim Clancy, Ernie Whitt, Rico Carty, and Pete Vuckovich (who would later win a Cy Young, though not as a Jay), most of our selections were cast-offs.
Lemanczyk enjoyed a strong year, setting career highs in wins, starts, and innings pitched. He threw 252 innings, completed 11 games, won 13, lost 16, and posted a 4.25 ERA, leading the team in victories.
Dave was our Opening Day starter in 1978, but he made only 20 starts, finishing with a 4-14 record and a 6.26 ERA. The heavy workload from the previous season had taken its toll on his arm.
He bounced back in 1979, tossing a one-hitter against the Rangers in April. At the All-Star break, he was 8-5 with a 3.15 ERA and earned a spot on the All-Star team. However, after the break, injuries hampered his performance, and he finished the season 8-10 with a 3.71 ERA in 20 starts.
The Jays traded him to the Angels midway through the 1980 season. He was released after the year and retired from Major League Baseball at age 30, finishing with a 37-63 record (often pitching for struggling teams), a 4.62 ERA over 185 games, and 103 starts.
After his playing days, Dave became a scout for the Yankees but left after a couple of years to spend more time with his family. He briefly worked as an agent before opening a baseball academy and providing private lessons.
I don’t remember much about him, except that he was a big guy—listed at 6’4”. He’s one of those players I wonder about: what kind of career might he have had if managers had been more careful with pitchers’ arms? He’s someone I’d love to talk to and hear firsthand what it was like pitching for an expansion team.
Things didn’t get any better as Lemanczyk had a couple of run-ins with rookie manager Roy Hartsfield early on, and into the season.
“He set up so many fines that were just stupid,” he said. “I was the first guy fined. I skipped a parade so I could follow up on a great deal on apartment rentals (near Dunedin). There were around 10 units available and nine players ended up going in on it. We paid something like $400 a month, which was a much better deal than in the hotels they wanted us to stay in.”
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - CIRCA 1977: Julius Erving #6 of the Philadelphia 76ers tries for a scoop-type layup over Johnny Davis #16 of the Portland Trailblazers during the NBA finals, May 22-June 3, 1977, at the Spectrum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Blazers defeated the Sixers in six games to win their first NBA Championship. (Photo by James Drake/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Ken Burns, the brilliant documentarian, is fond of repeating a quote attributed to Mark Twain: “History doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes.”
Burns usually says this in reference to landmark events that shaped the world in which we live, not something so trivial as the fortunes of a pro basketball team. Yet it can be applied to the Sixers at this point in their history.
The addition of LeBron James has seismic implications, and can be compared to the September 1982 trade for Moses Malone, which greased the skids for the franchise’s most recent championship the following spring. But given James’ stature, the better analogue might be the acquisition 50 years ago of Julius Erving.
The comparison is not perfect. Dr. J was acquired from the then-New York Nets for $6 million – half of which went to Roy Boe, the Nets’ cash-poor owner, to cover the territorial fees the Nets were required to pay after being absorbed with three other ABA teams into the NBA, when the leagues merged that summer of 1976. The rest went to Erving, who signed a new six-year contract.
James on the other hand joined the Sixers as a free agent recently, and a cut-rate one at that. He will be paid a mere $8 million over the next two years. He is also 41, and nearing the end of a career entering its 24th season. Erving was 26 when he was acquired by the Sixers, and at the very height of his powers.
“Forget the age, because age has nothing to do with it,” former Sixers player and coach Fred Carter said in a recent phone interview. “It’s the impact each one of them had on the whole sports platform in Philadelphia.”
Doc wound up playing the last 11 of his 16 professional seasons here, leading the Sixers to the Finals that first year and on three other occasions. And with Malone and Co. he collected that 1982-83 title.
LeBron is just passing through, just trying to enhance his already considerable legacy by chasing his fifth championship with his fourth different team. But like Dr. J he is an epic figure. And like Doc he is joining a superteam. That is the foremost comparison, the rhymingest rhyme in this piece of sporting history.
Carter, a Sixers backup guard in ‘76-77, was beginning the last of his eight NBA seasons when Erving arrived on opening night, and would remain with the team only through Dec. 8, when he was traded to Milwaukee. He believes James is coming to a team that has “far more talent” than that one, and added that if everyone stays healthy, “They could win 70 games.”
There was actually similar hype surrounding that ‘76-77 bunch. George McGinnis, a muscular forward, had come over from the ABA a year earlier, and had established himself as the franchise fulcrum. Doug Collins and Steve Mix had already played in All-Star Games by then, and Caldwell Jones had also been plucked from the ABA. Not to be forgotten, either, were young guns like Lloyd Free (still years away from his conversion to World B. Free) and Darryl Dawkins.
So the same questions face this group as that one: Can everybody coexist on the court? Will minutes and touches and shots become issues? That remains to be seen, but Carter, 81, believes James’ mere presence will change things.
“It puts everybody on notice that you’ve got to play the game the right way,” Carter said. “It’s not like you can dilly-dally and come not ready to play.”
Which happens, he added, to every team.
“Players,” he said, “take nights off.”
But that is far less likely to happen with a guy of James’ stature in town.
“Players that have any type of self-esteem, self-respect, will not take nights off,” said Carter, who also served as a Sixers assistant for six years (1987-93) and the team’s head coach for a season-plus after that. “That’s going to force Joel Embiid to play at a level higher than what he’s played at, which will help them tremendously. Because the last thing you want to do is have a 41-year-old guy out there, playing his heart out, and you’re out there half-stepping. That can’t be tolerated.”
The bottom line, Carter said, is this: “The price of poker just went up, and everybody’s got to ante up. … Guys have got to be playing at their highest level, because LeBron is here. The King is here.”
Again, it was a little different when Erving came to Philly. For one thing, his legend had largely spread by word of mouth in that pre-Internet, pre-cable, pre-streaming age. There was a lot of buzz about him, but few had seen video of him, and fewer still had seen him play live.
“I had heard that there was a guy who could walk literally on air,” Harvey Catchings, then a reserve center for the Sixers, said in a recent phone interview, “and he was just an incredible player.”
The Sixers had in fact faced Erving’s Nets in preseason play in the years before his arrival, but didn’t have a full read on him. Nor was it clear whether his game would translate to the more-established league.
“I did not believe the hype,” Mix said.
Others did. Pat Williams, the late Sixers general manager, always said that he described Dr. J as “the Babe Ruth of Basketball” while persuading team owner Fitz Dixon to pony up the cash to bring him aboard. The thing was, McGinnis had established himself as the Sixers’ version of Lou Gehrig the previous season, and for that reason Williams sought Big George’s blessing before finalizing the deal.
But as Catchings said, “What were you going to say? … At least they gave him the courtesy.”
Erving made his Sixers debut in the season opener against San Antonio, scoring 17 points off the bench in a 121-118 loss. Beforehand Mix had chosen to welcome the new guy by taping his hightops together and throwing them atop a light in the Spectrum locker room. (Carter has no recollection of Mix’s prank, though he did add this: “Steve was a jokester, so I can imagine Steve doing that.”)
“He was probably a little irked, I would think,” Mix said of Erving. “I went and got them down. I put them up, I got them down.”
Mix and Doc became fast friends. Roomed together on the road for years, in fact. They also remain close all these years later, and even coach together in the Big3.
But that season was a roller-coaster ride for everyone.
“I don’t know,” Mix said, “whether some of those guys knew how to play as a team.”
“Doc had to get his, Doug had to get his, Lloyd was trying to come into his own,” Catchings, 74, said. “Then you had Darryl. You had a lot of mouths to feed, and egos to feed.”
It reached a point where a Daily News columnist named Bud Shaw likened the Sixers’ offense to “a line at the delicatessen. You took a number and waited your turn at the counter. Every so often, somebody would take all the numbers and four other hungry stomachs would go home growling.”
Mix said Erving was the one who had to make the most sacrifices, the guy who had to tailor his game to everyone else’s. Even so, he made an immediate impression on his new teammates, who marveled at his physical gifts and improvisational abilities.
“It didn’t take but a minute,” Carter said. “Maybe half a minute.”
“You knew the guy could play,” Mix said. “Anybody who has an Afro like that has got to be able to play.”
“It wasn’t as good as Darnell Hillman or Artis Gilmore,” Mix said, naming two others who made the ABA-NBA transition, “but it was a good look.”
His demeanor was no less impressive.
“Just the way that he carried himself was just so different from anything that I had ever seen before,” Catchings said. “It wasn’t arrogance. It was just confidence.”
Erving averaged a team-best 21.6 points a game that first season, two-tenths more than McGinnis. And despite everything the Sixers won 50 games and knocked Boston and Houston out of the playoffs. Then they took a 2-0 lead over Portland in the Finals before getting “backwards swept,” as Carter put it – i.e., the Bill Walton-led Blazers won the last four games.
“We had the best talent,” Mix said. “Portland had the best team.”
It didn’t help that Dawkins squared off with Blazers enforcer Maurice Lucas late in Game 2, throwing a wild punch that caught Collins over the eye. Dawkins, incensed that none of his teammates appeared to have his back (Erving, for example, sat down at midcourt rather than getting involved in the fracas), then trashed the Spectrum’s home locker room.
Nor did it help that McGinnis played poorly in the Finals.
“I wish George was alive, because I don’t want to speak ill of the dead,” Catchings said, referring to McGinnis’ passing three years ago. “But George choked during the playoffs.”
By the time the Sixers returned to the Finals in 1980, they were a vastly different team. McGinnis, traded to Denver for Bobby Jones in ‘78, was gone. Maurice Cheeks, drafted with one of the picks acquired in the Carter trade to the Bucks, arrived that same year. Clint Richardson, who would become a valuable reserve, came in the following selection process.
They finally broke through after acquiring Moses from Houston, and the conclusion is a simple one: Adding a foundational piece like a Dr. J or an LBJ, while obviously significant, is only a start. The right pieces need to be arrayed around them, and sacrifices need to be made for the greater good. That wasn’t the case with the 1976-77 Sixers, and we will only find out in time if that is the case now.
Mix wonders if James is coming as much for business reasons as basketball reasons – if he wants to pick Josh Harris’ brain, then apply those lessons to his own off-court pursuits. Mix further believes, as many do, that LeBron can best be used as a playmaker, despite the fact that he will be playing, in effect, power forward.
As Mix put it, “I don’t expect him to average 20; 12 to 14 would be a good average for him, if he’s distributing.”
Hard to picture James scoring at such a paltry rate, even at his age. He has always been a force, not to mention a force multiplier. Certainly his impact will be felt, as was the case with Erving all those years ago. And certainly much of the history rhymes to this point. Now it’s a matter of adding a few more stanzas, of crafting the perfect ending, in a town where fairytales don’t always come true.
Framber Valdez lines up against a Pittsburgh Pirates lineup that has looked lost against lefties all season. On the other side, Dillon Dingler brings big right-handed power into a soft matchup with Carmen Mlodzinski.
Valdez and his ground-ball game headline a national-TV matchup as the Detroit Tigers visit the Pirates tonight. Detroit sits as a slim -116 favorite, with first pitch set for 7:05 p.m. ET at PNC Park.
The pitching matchup shapes my Tigers vs. Pirates predictions and MLB picks, which back Detroit on the moneyline, lean Over the total, and target a Tigers slugger to go deep on Monday, Aug. 17.
Who will win Tigers vs Pirates today: Tigers moneyline (-116)
Framber Valdez draws a favorable matchup against a Pittsburgh Pirates lineup that has struggled badly against left-handed pitching, and the Detroit Tigers moneyline is a manageable price to back. Pittsburgh is a strong offense against right-handers (.725 OPS) but much weaker against southpaws (.695 OPS).
Valdez carries a 4.26 ERA, but he allowed two earned runs or fewer in three straight starts before his latest outing and recently tossed seven scoreless innings against Seattle. Pittsburgh counters with Carmen Mlodzinski, who owns a 3.79 ERA overall but has struggled to work deep, averaging only four innings per outing.
I’ll back the Tigers at close to a pick’em price, with Valdez holding a clear handedness edge and Mlodzinski unable to provide length.
I’d play Detroit to -125.
COVERS INTEL: The Pirates are just 10-26 in games started by left-handers and own a .689 OPS against southpaws, a glaring weakness with Valdez on the mound.
Tigers vs Pirates Over/Under pick: Over 8.5 (+105)
I’ll take the Over at plus money since neither starter has been reliable enough lately to lay juice on a low-scoring game.
Mlodzinski carries a 5.06 ERA over his last five appearances, including four runs in 2 1/3 innings against Miami and five in three innings against the Mets, and his short outings open an early path to a Pittsburgh bullpen that owns a 4.24 ERA.
Valdez gives Detroit the pitching edge, but he hasn’t been untouchable either, with a 4.97 ERA over his last five starts. Pittsburgh, meanwhile, enters hitting .262 over its last 10 games.
At 8.5 and +105, I’d rather bet on Mlodzinski’s recent struggles and offense developing on both sides than pay -116 on the Under.
I’d play the Over down to -105.
Tigers vs Pirates home run prediction: Dillon Dingler (+510)
Dillon Dingler has been Detroit’s most prolific home run hitter this season, and his matchup with Mlodzinski is a strong long shot. Dingler has hit 26 home runs, with 22 against right-handed pitching, and he’s batting .274 against RHP.
Mlodzinski’s four-seam fastball is the clear path to damage. Hitters are batting .324 and slugging .550 against the pitch, which carries a -5 Statcast run value and a 58.6% hard-hit rate. Dingler punishes four-seamers, slugging .554 against them with a +7 run value and a .599 expected slugging.
Dingler’s season-long power against righties and his ability to attack Mlodzinski’s weakest offering make this price worth a shot.
At +510, I’d play this to +450 for a quarter unit.
Ethan Diamandas' 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 1-2, -1.27 units
Over/Under bets: 1-2, -0.95 units
Tigers vs Pirates weather
PNC Park is a pitcher-friendly ballpark with a spacious outfield, and tonight’s forecast leans the same way on a mild Pittsburgh evening. Those conditions suit Valdez’s ground-ball game and reinforce the case for the Tigers moneyline.
Tigers vs Pirates odds
Moneyline: Tigers -108 | Pirates +104
Run line: Tigers -1.5 (+150) | Pirates +1.5 (-156)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (+113) | Under 8.5 (-117)
Tigers vs Pirates trend
The Over is 4-0 in Pirates' last 4 games as a home underdog, a run of high scoring that backs tonight’s Over 8.5. Find more MLB betting trends for Tigers vs. Pirates.
How to watch Tigers vs Pirates and game info
Location
PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA
Date
Monday, August 17, 2026
First pitch
7:05 p.m. ET
TV
ESPN
Tigers starting pitcher
Framber Valdez (7-8, 4.26 ERA)
Pirates starting pitcher
Carmen Mlodzinski (6-5, 3.79 ERA)
Tigers vs Pirates latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
05 August 2026, Spain, Calvia: People are swimming at Bendinat Beach on the island of Mallorca. After a July marked by numerous heat waves, the sea temperature is currently 29 degrees, according to data from AEMET (the Spanish Meteorological Agency). Photo: Clara Margais/dpa (Photo by Clara Margais/picture alliance via Getty Images)
Hickory starter Jesus Lafalaise threw six shutout innings, striking out six and walking three. Louis Marinar struck out two in a shutout inning. Michale Trausch allowed three runs in 1.1 IP, walking one.
Pablo Guerrero was 2 for 6 with a double. Paulino Santana and Marco Argudin each had a hit. Kaden Carpenter was 2 for 6 with a double. Dewar Tovar was 2 for 5 with a double and a walk. Curely Martha had a hit. Kolby Branch doubled.
Hub City starter Enrique Segura allowed two runs in three innings, striking out six and walking three. J’Briell Easley struck out one in a scoreless inning. Owen Proksch allowed a solo homer in an inning of work, striking out one.
Casey Cook was 1 for 3 with a double, a walk and a stolen base. Paxton Kling homered. Marcos Torres doubled.
For Round Rock, Marc Church allowed a run in two innings, striking out six and walking one. Ben Peoples struck out one in a scoreless inning. Emiliano Teodo threw a scoreless inning. Wilian Bormie struck out one and walked one in a shutout inning.
Rehabbing Danny Jansen was 2 for 3 with a walk and caught seven innings. Cam Cauley had a hit and a stolen base. Alejandro Osuna was 2 for 4 with a homer and a walk. John Taylor had a double and a pair of walks. Logan O’Hoppe doubled.
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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 13: Garrett Mitchell #5 of the Milwaukee Brewers reacts to his RBI single past Edwin Diaz #3 of the Los Angeles Dodgers, scoring David Hamilton #6 to tie the game 4-4, during the ninth inning at Dodger Stadium on August 13, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to week 21 of our 2026 NL Central Power Rankings — let’s rank some teams!
1. Milwaukee Brewers (77-48); 3-4 this week; 100.0% chance to make postseason (FanGraphs)
The Brewers held their own on the West Coast, as they followed up a three-game sweep at the hands of the Padres to win three of four against the Dodgers, keeping them five games ahead of the Cubs in the division.
Four players homered for Milwaukee this week, while Jake Bauers and Jackson Chourio tied for the team lead with eight hits apiece, including two doubles each. Joey Ortiz and Gary Sánchez both homered and had a double, with Ortiz leading the team with four RBIs. Andrew Vaughn added seven hits, including a double.
Logan Henderson turned in a pair of solid starts, totaling 13 1/3 innings with four runs allowed and a team-high 13 strikeouts. Jacob Misiorowski and Dustin May each had a quality start, as Miz went six innings with one run allowed and six strikeouts, and May went seven innings with one run allowed and six strikeouts. Grant Anderson, Aaron Ashby, Trevor Megill, and the now DFA’d Lyon Richardson combined for 8 1/3 scoreless innings for the bullpen, striking out five.
Milwaukee gets an off day on Monday before hosting the Mariners and Braves for three games each this week.
2. Chicago Cubs (72-53); 3-3 this week; 98.0% chance to make postseason
The Cubs, who were red hot entering this week, cooled off over the weekend. After winning the first two games in Washington against the Nationals, they dropped the series finale before dropping two of three against the Cardinals over the weekend.
Alex Bregman suddenly looks like the guy Chicago gave $175 million to, as he picked up four more homers as part of a six-hit, five-walk week. Pete Crow-Armstrong added a pair of homers, as did Seiya Suzuki, who also led the team with eight hits, including four doubles.
Clay Holmes had what was easily the best start of the week, earning the win as he went 6 2/3 scoreless frames with one hit and one walk, striking out three. Trent Thornton and Jacob Webb were the only bullpen arms to not allow a run (unless you count catcher Carson Kelly), totaling 4 1/3 innings as Webb also collected a pair of saves. Former Brewer Aaron Civale was also solid in two relief appearances, allowing one run and striking out five across 5 1/3 innings.
Chicago now faces their cross-city rival White Sox at Wrigley Field before an off day on Thursday. They’ll then visit the Mariners in Seattle over the weekend.
3. St. Louis Cardinals (63-61); 4-2 this week; 8.6% chance to make postseason
The Cardinals have had a nice month of August thus far, winning four consecutive series as they went 2-1 against both the Phillies and Cubs this week.
Joshua Báez had arguably the greatest MLB debut ever on Saturday, becoming the first player to ever homer three times in their debut. Alec Burleson had the best week overall for St. Louis, going 9-for-22 with two homers, three doubles, and 12 RBIs. Blaze Jordan, Jordan Walker, and Everson Pereira also homered.
Andre Pallante went six scoreless innings in his start, striking out a pair, while Kyle Leahy (five innings, one run, six strikeouts), Matthew Liberatore (5 1/3 innings, two runs, six strikeouts), Michael McGreevy (six innings, three runs (all unearned), six strikeouts), and Hunter Dobbins (two starts, 10 innings, five runs (three earned), 13 strikeouts) also had solid weeks in what was a great week for the rotation as a whole. Justin Bruihl, Luis Gastelum, Riley O’Brien, and Peter Strzelecki combined for 11 2/3 scoreless innings and 10 strikeouts out of the bullpen.
St. Louis now heads to Cincinnati to play five games in four days (including a makeup doubleheader on Monday) before three games against the Phillies in Philadelphia this weekend.
4. Cincinnati Reds (59-64); 3-3 this week; 0.2% chance to make postseason
The Reds turned in another .500 week, taking two of three from the White Sox in Chicago before dropping two of three to the Marlins at home.
Tyler Stephenson and Eugenio Suárez both slugged a pair of homers, with Ke’Bryan Hayes, Matt McLain, and Sal Stewart adding a homer apiece. Stewart also led the team with eight hits this week, with four RBIs and four runs scored.
Chase Burns continues to dominate, as he went seven scoreless frames, allowing four hits and no walks while striking out seven to pick up the win. Luis Mey went four scoreless innings across three relief appearances, Brock Burke went 2 2/3 scoreless innings, Pierce Johnson went 1 2/3 scoreless, and Emilio Pagán collected a pair of saves in his two appearances.
Cincinnati now hosts the Cardinals for five games in four days before visiting the Diamondbacks next weekend.
5. Pittsburgh Pirates (61-65); 3-3 this week; 3.7% chance to make postseason
The Pirates had a solid .500 week, dropping two of three to the Marlins in Miami but bouncing back to take two of three from the Red Sox in Pittsburgh.
Rafael Flores had a big week for Pittsburgh, with seven hits, including three homers, driving in eight. Jacob Gonzalez, Brandon Lowe, and Jared Triolo each homered, and Esmerlyn Valdez led the team with nine hits, including three doubles.
Braxton Ashcraft turned in a complete game, allowing one run on three hits and a walk, striking out 10. Bubba Chandler also earned a win with two runs allowed over five innings, while Paul Skenes took the loss with two runs allowed (one earned) over five innings. Wilber Dotel, Mason Montgomery, Yohan Ramírez, and Gregory Soto combined for 8 1/3 scoreless innings for the bullpen, striking out 11.
Pittsburgh now hosts the Tigers for three games before an off day on Thursday. They then head west to visit the Dodgers in Los Angeles.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 16: Carson Benge #3 of the New York Mets in action against the Washington Nationals at Citi Field on August 16, 2026 in New York City. The Mets defeated the Nationals 4-3. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Meet the Mets
Continuing their alarmingly-successful run in the aftermath of the trade deadline, the Mets sent the Nationals out of town with a three-game sweep.
The cleats Joshua Baez used to club three home runs in his first three trips to the plate as a major leaguer are heading to Cooperstown. The only problem is that the cleats technically aren’t even his.
TORONTO, ON - AUGUST 14: New York Yankees Manager Aaron Boone argues with home plate umpire Vic Carapazza and is ejected in the sixth inning during a game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on August 14, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) | Getty Images
On Friday versus the Blue Jays, Aaron Boone was ejected for the 50th time in his managerial career. It’s fair to question if this feat or milestone is worth celebrating. Applying this situation to the real world, it would essentially be like getting to verbally abuse the health inspector as they walk through your restaurant with little repercussions. However, in the baseball world, choosing to take a stand and get tossed has long been viewed as a good way to “get the boys fired up” over the course of a long season.
Hitting number 50 places Boone in a tie for 25th all-time, albeit a far cry from Bobby Cox’s top mark of 162, and further builds on his tally as the Yankees all-time leader. Some of these ejections stand out more than others for their entertainment value. In the most American way possible, without condoning workplace bullying but still using it for my entertainment, I have selected the five most entertaining hooks of Boone’s managerial career.
In perhaps the most absurd ejection on Boone’s list, and maybe in baseball history, home plate umpire Hunter Wendelstedt threw Boone out just five pitches into the game after a weird hit by pitch and check swing question. The ejection caught everyone off guard as Boone was standing silently when the hook came. The actual chirping was coming from a fan sitting directly behind the Yankees dugout. Boone reacted in complete, animated bewilderment as this ejection had to stand despite his innocence.
In his rookie year as manager, Boone established his penchant for theatrical flair, or getting his money’s worth if he was going to get sent to the showers early. After screaming at umpire Nic Lentz, Boone dropped into a catcher’s crouch behind home plate to show the umpire how he was being tricked by the catcher, further mocking the umpire’s strike zone. Boone’s cap made contact with Lentz’s during the tirade getting Boone a fine and a suspension.
After being tossed by veteran umpire Laz Diaz, Boone didn’t just yell and stomp; he went full send. He repeatedly showed Diaz an imitation of his strike-three punch-out and getting all up in his personal space. Boone then channeled his inner Bob Ross and traced lines in the dirt to give us all our first preview of what ABS tracking would look like.
Furious over rookie umpire Brennan Miller’s strike zone, Boone charged out, clapped directly in the umpire’s face like Regina George at a lunch table, and then dropped the line on a hot mic that his hitters were “f-ing savages in that box.” Also, shout-out Brett Gardner, keep bangin’ Brett!
This remains Boone’s masterpiece and made a lot of people in the Yankee sphere some extra coin. Even more importantly, another generation of East Coasters were given the ability to freely use the “F” word in public as a quote.
Seven years after their legendary first encounter, Boone and Miller squared off again. Tension mounted early when Miller, positioned at second base, called Anthony Volpe out on a stolen-base attempt. Boone challenged, but the ruling stood after a lengthy replay review. Boone slammed his chewing gum onto the ground and spent the next half-inning barking expletives from the top step of the dugout.
The chaos peaked in the seventh inning when Blue Jays outfielder Daulton Varsho made a diving catch that the Yankees suspected was trapped. Having already burned his lone replay challenge, Boone was entirely powerless to stop the third out. In a moment of pure, petty frustration, Boone looked out past the infield, locked eyes with Miller, and began shouting across the diamond.
Miller swiftly unleashed a massive hook, prompting Boone to sprint all the way out to second base for an explosive, nose-to-nose tirade. The sequel was personal. Old-school baseball theater.
St. Louis (63-61) and Cincinnati (59-64) meet at the Great American Ball Park for an untraditional five-game series due to make up games. The Cardinals are 5-3 against the Reds this season, but Cincinnati won the previous series, 2-1.
This matchup also features the two frontrunners for National League Rookie of the Year, Sal Stewart and JJ Wetherholt. The Cardinals' Wetherholt is the slight favorite despite Stewart having the hotter bat in the second half of the season.
In August, the Reds are hitting an MLB-worst .191 as a team and ranks 24th or worse in OPS, OBP, and SLG. However, Cincinnati has brought power with 20 home runs (T-6th), but only 51 runs scored over 14 games (24th). The pitching staff owns a 4.51 ERA (24th) in August as well.
St. Louis has won four of the last five games and outscored their opponents, 28-9. The Cardinals offense has been top 10 this month in a lot of categories, including batting average (.257) and 71 runs scored (T-9th).
Let’s dive into tonight’s matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game details & how to watch Cardinals at Reds
Date: Monday, August 17, 2026
Time: 1:40 PM EST
Site: Great American Ball Park
City: Cincinnati, OH
Network/Streaming: ESPN / MLB TV
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Cardinals at the Reds
The latest odds as of Monday:
Moneyline: St. Louis Cardinals (-112), Cincinnati Reds (+104)
Spread: Cardinals -1.5 (+135), Reds+1.5 (-163)
Total: 9.5
Probable starting pitchers for Cardinals at Reds
Monday's pitching matchup (August 17): Quinn Matthews vs TBA
Jordan Walker is hitting .313 in August (15/48) with nine RBI
Alec Burleson is hitting .340 in August (17/50) with six home runs and 19 RBI
JJ Wetherholt is hitting .170 in August (8/47) with 14 walks and seven strikeouts
Sal Stewart is hitting .283 in August (15/53) with three home runs and seven RBI
Elly De La Cruz is hitting .137 in August (7/51) with eight walks, eight RBI, and 14 strikeouts
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Cardinals at Reds
St. Louis is 68-56 ATS, ranking fifth-best
Cincinnati is 63-60 ATS
St. Louis is 49-68-7 ATS, ranking last
Cincinnati is 64-57-2 to the Over, ranking seventh-best
St. Louis is 33-25 ATS on the road, ranking second-best
Cincinnati is 29-34 ATS at home, ranking eighth-worst
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Cardinals and the Reds
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Monday's game between the Cardinals and the Reds:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Reds on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Reds at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Under on the Game Total of 9.5
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Though the Braves have had their share of struggles over the past few weeks, they continue to find ways to ensure the struggles do not last too long. That was the story this weekend, as even though the Braves lost the series, they were able to avoid a sweep due a big hit from Matt Olson. And when it comes to Matt Olson, him consistently delivering big hits has been the story all year. Hopefully, the rest of the offense catches back up soon.
Morel wasn't the only minor league movement on Sunday: Top prospect Elian Peña was promoted to High-A Brooklyn, and Émilien Pitre was bumped up to Syracuse
Speaking of Syracuse, Jonah Tong allowed just one run and struck out six in his latest outing
WASHINGTON, D.C. - APRIL 12: Goaltender Logan Thompson #48 of the Washington Capitals makes a save as Elmer Soderblom #25 of the Pittsburgh Penguins runs looks for a rebound in the third period on April 12, 2026 at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images) | Getty Images
NHL Network released their top-10 goalies of ‘right now’ and one thing that stood out was the preponderance of goalies within the division for the Penguins. Half of the teams in the division can be found in this league-wide ranking.
Introducing NHL Network's Top 10 Goalies Right Now!
The two NYC-ish based Russian goalies of Igor Shesterkin and Ilya Sorokin are generally understood to be the top talents in the division at the position as known quantities. Goaltending performances from year-to-year are notoriously variable and all over the map, aside from the handful of elite goalies that almost always bring their A game. Shesterkin and Sorokin are accepted as those rare goalies good enough to be above the fray and provide consistently strong play.
Logan Thompson in Washington should arguably be even higher than the sixth place position he was placed for this list, considering that he’s finished fourth in Vezina voting for the last two years. Those finishes in the voting might even be lower than deserved considering that Thompson held up statistically very well coming in second across the NHL in 5v5 and overall GSAA, tied for third in save percentage and shutouts, fourth in wins and fifth in GAA. Thompson doesn’t tend to get a lot of shine or outward accolades but there’s little doubt that he has been playing at an impressive level recently, placing him in the sixth spot could easily be seen as too low for what his resume has indicated.
Rounding out the list for Metropolitan goalies was Dan Vladar at eighth, who the Penguins know all too well was good in the moment. Vladar went 12-6-1 for the Flyers after the Olympic break and his play was a big reason why Philadelphia made the playoffs and then advanced through the first round of the playoffs posting a .937 save% and 1.61 GAA in the first round against Pittsburgh. The Flyers rewarded Vladar with one of those contracts that seemingly always bite NHL teams to give a mid-level goalie a long term and a decent-sized salary ($5.5 million in Vladar’s case, and the contract doesn’t even kick in until the 2027-28 season) so that could be one to watch as a player that potentially could be more on the roller coaster for ups and downs. Recently, however, Vladar’s arrow has been pointing up.
All these opponent goalies being on the list serves to underscore the difficulty that next season could have for a team like the Pens, who don’t go into the year with an advantage in net against many of their closest rivals. It doesn’t help that with the perfected system of puck possession that Carolina has that it doesn’t even matter that they don’t have a top goalie and can have average netminders perform very well behind a team that doesn’t ask too much of their shot stoppers. That formula works for them and should be continuing into the future just the same.
None of this are new revelations but just underscore the reality that teams like the Penguins find themselves in when it comes to competition levels isolated to the goalie position. Between having four top-10 goalies (plus the overall great situation in Carolina) there’s a strong challenge in the season ahead for most of the division games that Pittsburgh is going to play.
Helping the Michigan Wolverines win only their second ever NCAA title, Yaxel Lendeborg already is having a year to remember.
And now, the newest Warrior is gearing up to be a key player for the franchise from the jump, ready to prove that his older age for a rookie (soon to be 24 years old) will come in handy.
Golden State’s rookie spoke exclusively to The Athletic’s Nick Friedell for a recent story, and recalled his emotional first moments with the Warriors after he was selected with the No. 11 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Lendeborg never watched the NBA Summer League growing up, only tuning in to the competition for the first time last season, when he followed Cooper Flagg shine for the Dallas Mavericks. But barely one year later, as Lendeborg prepared to take the floor as a pro for the first time, he got emotional reflecting on how he got to this point.
“When we were going to the game in Vegas, I was about to cry on the bus,” Lendeborg told Friedell. “Like, this is crazy. I’m about to play in the summer league in Vegas in front of a bunch of people … Three or four tears kind of like dripped from the eye, but I was on a bus with a bunch of guys. They don’t even know me. They barely know me, so I can’t just be crying for no reason.”
Lendeborg joins a Warriors team that not only still is very much in win-now mode, as they look to maximize the final years of Steph Curry’s career, but also that is ready to build towards a successful future. Lendeborg, after shining for Golden State throughout the competition, averaging 14.8 points, 6.8 rebounds and 4.0 assists en route to winning the summer league MVP and guiding the Warriors to the title, is providing optimism.
But Lendeborg admits that it took him time to gain the confidence he needed to play at that high level.
“This is my first year actually going through having a full year of confidence, I guess you could say,” Lendeborg said. “I’ve never been a confident kid. So, actually having this time to believe in myself — it means a lot to me, and I’m trying my best to not lose that no matter what goes on.”
Once again, the Warriors have one of the NBA’s oldest rosters, with their core of Curry, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler all over the age of 35. And while some of the team’s key reserves are young and players that Golden State could build around, a more developed prospect like Lendeborg surely will give the franchise confidence that it can still compete once the Curry era ends.
Still, Lendeborg is looking to develop and become the player that he knows he can be. From his days of playing junior college basketball in Yuma, Arizona to his two-season stint at UAB and ending with his memorable year at Michigan, Lendeborg stayed the course and now that he is becoming the type of player he dreamed of becoming, he is ready to shatter expectations while still coming to grips with his newfound fame in basketball.
“As far as the expectations and everything that’s going around me, it’s like I’m new to this,” Lendeborg added. “So, I haven’t been living this role my entire life, this just now became who I am. So, I’m just happy-go lucky about everything.
“I’m just smiling through it all. Obviously, I have people that don’t like me or don’t like whatever I say, how I play, all of that stuff, so it’s like whatever. Everyone’s going to have their opinion. And for me, it’s just like, pressure isn’t real.”
COVERS INTEL: Young has also performed better on the road, 
