Sep 2, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals pitcher Nate Pearson (61) delivers a pitch against the Miami Marlins during the ninth inning at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Carter Jensen made history last night, with his 6th leadoff homer of the season, but the Royals bullpen blew it.
However, it’s clear that rookie catcher Carter Jensen will not be of much concern. The standout KCMO product continues to shine for his hometown team.
And on Wednesday — in a 9-6 loss to the Marlins — Jensen set a single-season franchise record. In the first inning, Jensen recorded his sixth leadoff home run — a club record — off Miami Marlins starter Eury Perez. The blast traveled 414 feet into the Royals’ bullpen. It was Jensen’s 20th home run of the calendar year.
Royals Double-A prospect Hunter Owen received nice praise as being the organizations hottest pitching prospect.
A fourth-round pick out of Vanderbilt in 2023, Owen is a former member of Kansas City’s Top 30 prospects ranking, and he’s pushing himself back into prominence with a late charge at Double-A Northwest Arkansas. His 45 strikeouts over 27 innings were second-most in the Minors in August, and he racked up those K’s while posting a 1.33 ERA, .181 average-against and 1.19 WHIP over five starts. The 6-foot-5 southpaw hasn’t been big on velocity with a fastball only around 91-93 mph but managed to get whiffs across his four-pitch mix.
Noah Cameron wasn’t as sharp last night, but has been a part of something that has made Royals relievers strike more hitters out. (LOL after last night).
The bullpen session that Noah Cameron threw before his now notorious July 24 outing against Detroit — the seven scoreless innings in relief that kickstarted this successful run he’s on — was one of the best he’s ever thrown.
Luke Maile, who tries to catch as many bullpen sessions as his schedule allows, called it the best bullpen he’s caught all year. Cameron’s word for it was “ridiculous.”
Some of the Royals 2026 draft class has made their pro debut, Brian Burrows of Kings of Kauffman checks in on them.
Yirsandy Rodríguez of Royals Keep looks in on the adjustment Nate Pearson has been making in Kansas City.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 28: Blade Tidwell #46 of the San Francisco Giants pitches against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the top of the first inning of a major league baseball game at Oracle Park on August 28, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Francisco Giants wrap up this road series against the Pittsburgh Pirates this morning.
Taking the mound for the Giants will be right-hander Blade Tidwell, who enters this morning’s game with a 4.54 ERA, 4.37 FIP, with 31 strikeouts to 13 walks in 37.2 innings pitched. His last start was in the Giants’ 10-6 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks last Friday, in which he allowed six runs on seven hits with four strikeouts and a walk in five innings.
As of the time this is being written, the Pirates have not yet announced a starting pitcher for this morning’s game. But you can head down to the comments for more up to date information.
READING, PA - AUGUST 12: Wehiwa Aloy #1 of the Chesapeake Baysox bats during the game between the Chesapeake Baysox and the Reading Fightin Phils at FirstEnergy Stadium on Wednesday, August 12, 2026 in Reading, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Cade Burdette/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
It’s been a tough adjustment to Triple-A for Tides starter Juaron Watts-Brown, and it didn’t get much better here. Over 4.2 innings he allowed seven runs on six hits, four walks, five strikeouts, and three home runs. The relievers behind him were solid overall. The rehabbing Félix Bautista was one of those four arms that came out of the bullpen. He threw 26 pitches (15 strikes), recorded two outs, and allowed one run on a hit, two walks, and two strikeouts. The other three relievers—Yosver Zulueta, Gerald Ogando, and Yaramil Hiraldo—combined for 3.2 scoreless innings.
The Norfolk offense collected just four total hits, three of which did go for extra bases. Brandon Butterworth hit a solo shot in the eighth inning, his fourth of the season. Jeremiah Jackson launched a three-run shot in the eighth inning. Jud Fabian doubled and scored a run. Enrique Bradfield Jr. went 0-for-4 with a run scored.
Joseph Dzierwa started on the mound, and had a second consecutive laborious outing. The lefty went four innings and allowed three runs on six hits, a walk, seven strikeouts, and a home run. His Double-A ERA has jumped from 1.89 two starts ago to 2.43 now. Still an impressive season for the former second-round pick. Bradley Brehmer tossed two shutout innings in support. Ryan Long followed with two innings of his own, in which he gave up a solo homer and struck out four. Brock Moore earned the win by throwing two perfect innings to close out out the Baysox victory.
Wehiwa Aloy drove in four of Chesapeake’s five runs on a pair of two-run homers, bringing his season total to 23 (eight at Double-A). Aloy’s round-trippers were the team’s only extra-base hits. Aron Estrada, Vance Honeycutt, Ethan Anderson, and Anderson De Los Santos had one single each. Honeycutt was responsible for the other RBI, a walk-off base knock to score Griff O’Ferrall in the bottom of the 10th inning.
High-A: Frederick Keys 5, Brooklyn Cyclones (Mets) 1
Four different Keys took the mound. They combined to allow just the one run on four hits, three walks, and 13 strikeouts. That one run was a solo home run allowed by Zac Lampton in the bottom of the eighth inning. Starter Evan Yates was the headliner, tossing five scoreless innings and striking out six to earn the win. Chandler Marsh and Teddy Sharkey recorded three outs and four outs, respectively, without giving up a run.
Frederick’s only extra-base hit was an eighth-inning, pinch hit home run for Andrés Nolaya. Jaiden Lo Re, Yasmil Bucce, and Jordan Sanchez each had one single and an RBI apiece. DJ Layton walked, stole two bases, and struck out three times. Ty Head had a single, a walk, a stolen base, and two strikeouts. Enddy Azocar had a tough day, going 0-for-5 with two strikeouts.
Several Shorebirds hitters filled up the box score. Eric Booth Jr. collected two hits, including a double, two RBI, and a run scored. Stiven Martinez had three hits, including a double, an RBI, and a run. Jimmy Anderson had a three-RBI day that included a single, a double, a walk, and a run scored. Miguel Rodriguez reached base three times with a single and two walks.
Iziah Salinas, drafted in the 17th round back in 2024, made his affiliate debut here. The starter worked one inning and allowed two runs on one hit, a walk, and two strikeouts. Isaac Silva was first out of the bullpen. He gave up five runs on six hits, two walks, and two strikeouts. Connor Gehr covered the final four frames. He was charged with two unearned runs on four hits, two walks, and three strikeouts.
On the Tuesday night edition of The Sick Podcast, Tony Marinaro and guest Jimmy Murphy discussed a number of topics, but one of them particularly stood out. Last weekend, Marinaro attended a hockey event at Hockey Etcetera and spent time with Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kristopher Letang.
As the Montreal native was taking part in a box break with the Card Chaser staff, he mentioned that Pavel Datsyuk is one of the best players he has ever faced and then proceeded to say that Montreal Canadiens’ now-sophomore winger Ivan Demidov’s creativity and unpredictability reminded him of the Magic Man. At which point Marinaro asked Letang just how great he believed Demidov could be, and the39-year-old veteran replied:
I told my son, because we talk about this stuff, I said give it 3 years, and I think he’s going to be close to the top 5 in the league. I mean, assuming that he stays healthy and has good development and everything, that’s where I see him.
That’s high praise indeed from a player who's spent 20 years in the NHL and played with some of the best players of his era. Letang has teamed up with great players over the years, playing alongside Sidney Crosby, Evgeny Malkin, and Marc-Andre Fleury, to name a few, and against the likes of Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon. Game recognizes game, as they say, and it looks like Demidov has made quite an impression on the veteran defenseman.
In three games against the Pens so far, Demidov has scored one goal and picked up two assists for a total of three points, including two points in a 4-3 shootout loss back in December. Letang should get to face Demidov another three games this season, and he won’t have to wait long either since the Canadiens are taking on the Penguins twice in October.
Mar 7, 2023; Inglewood CA, USA; LA Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard at a topping off ceremony at the Intuit Dome. The arena, the future home of the LA Clippers, is scheduled to be completed in 2024. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
I spent Wednesday evening racking my brain for a way to combine “karma” and “Kawhi” but the best I came up with was “Kawharma” which sounds more like Middle Eastern meat cooked on a spit. It’s still apropos as Kawhi Leonard is cooked.
Shams Charania posted the news as soon as it broke:
BREAKING: The NBA has ruled on the Los Angeles Clippers in for salary cap circumvention investigations on Kawhi Leonard after yearlong probe — stripping the franchise of 5 first-round picks, issuing a $30 million fine to owner Steve Ballmer and suspensions for Ballmer, Lawrence… pic.twitter.com/JCV5bI88BE
“BREAKING: The NBA has ruled on the Los Angeles Clippers in for salary cap circumvention investigations on Kawhi Leonard after yearlong probe — stripping the franchise of 5 first-round picks, issuing a $30 million fine to owner Steve Ballmer and suspensions for Ballmer, Lawrence Frank and Gillian Zucker, sources tell ESPN.”
Leonard was personally fined $700,000. While that may be years of accumulated salary for us mere mortals, it comes out to 2.5% of $28M he took under the table through his Aspiration deal. Consider the estimated $20M he made through additional off-the-books deals, and the $700,000 slap on the wrist becomes roughly 1.4% of what he made. He made a $50M salary and $50M in “consulting” doubling his income in a fashion
The internet went viral with comments. One of the best was figuring out what signing Kawhi Leonard has cost the Los Angeles Clippers now. Originally, pundits pointed out that his demand to bring in Paul George cost the Clips Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari, five first-rounders, and two pick swaps. Now the Clippers are in even deeper due to their relationship with Leonard.
Kawhi Leonard’s legacy with the Los Angeles Clippers:
– Demanded the front office trade for Paul George, forcing them to part with every asset they had including a young Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – Missed 243 games in 7 seasons (equivalent of nearly 3 seasons) – 2019-2020: Blew a…
Leonard did not act alone. He was represented by his uncle Dennis Robertson whose name is well known among Spurs fans. Part of the outcome of this investigation has left Uncle Dennis banned from business dealings involving the NBA.
Last summer, Leonard requested a trade from Los Angeles to Toronto. The trade was held up due to the investigation as the Raptors were informed they could end up liable for any retribution involving Leonard. he is now expected to head to Toronto to play out the remainder of his career.
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Kawhi Leonard celebrates with a teammate during a game last season. (Ron Jenkins / Getty Images)
Clippers fans, please join the rest of L.A. in booing Kawhi Leonard.
With your whole chests, let him hear it, the entitled scoundrel.
Greedy villain.
Selfish charlatan.
The Clippers’ star and his team found the one NBA franchise that was desperate enough to allegedly acquiesce to all of his out-of-bounds demands, to break the rules if only he would please, please pick them.
Yearning to be loved in the Lakers’ Los Angeles, the Clippers were easy marks during that 2019 free agency.
Leonard, fresh off winning his second NBA title and Finals MVP, took the Clippers and Steve Ballmer — the NBA’s richest owner, worth $152 billion, per Forbes — for a ride.
Investigators have found that Leonard’s camp got the Clippers to agree, according to the findings of a nearly yearlong investigation by Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz, to audacious levels of salary cap circumvention.
Billed as a hometown hero, the All-Star from Moreno Valley apparently arrived with his hand outstretched, demanding all sorts of improper perks, including an extra $10 million annually — in addition to the above-board contracts that paid him between $32 million and $50 million each season.
And then he did his Kawhi laugh all the way to the bank.
Now tack on the NBA’s $30-million fine and five first-round draft picks to the bill as punishment, announced Wednesday.
Those fans in Toronto who’d promised never to let him pay for a meal in their city again — “KaWine and Dine,” they called it — never stood a chance. They should toast their luck.
The Clippers doth protest, denying all of it. Probably because the investigation’s findings make them out to be not only cheaters, but fools.
The team’s statement: “We vehemently reject the NBA’s findings, which are the result of a heavily biased investigation seeking to justify a predetermined narrative rather than facts and evidence.”
And Leonard? He isn’t taking personal accountability, but he’s accepting the NBA’s $700,000 fine and, in a statement, said he blames “lapses in judgment by people within my inner circle.”
Clippers owner Steve Ballmer congratulates Kawhi Leonard after he scored 55 points in December at Intuit Dome. (Katelyn Mulcahy / Getty Images)
His excuse: Everyone has a crazy uncle, right?
Leonard’s statement concluded by referencing the pending trade sending him back to the Raptors, which was put on hold in July: “As I return to Toronto, I am focused on what I can control, closing this chapter, and moving forward with a clean slate.”
A clean slate? He plans to pay the fine — roughly one game’s worth of pay — pass go and roll the dice again like nothing happened. A top 50 player of all time and a Hall of Fame scam artist, this fun guy.
Who knows what deliverables he promised, but all he wrought was more frustration and misery for the team’s long-suffering, loyal fans.
For his seven seasons with the Clippers, he was a part-time worker getting paid excessive overtime.
Oft-injured, he played in only about 60% of the team’s regular-season games. Injuries stink, and so did the opacity with which the Clippers shared news of their star’s health status.
With a wish list so long even Santa would’ve pushed back, he also demanded the Clippers trade future MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and five first-round draft picks to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Paul George. Because Leonard wanted a proven running mate. That didn’t only set back the Clippers, it set up the young Thunder for at least one NBA title run.
The Clippers, meanwhile, still have not won an NBA title. Still haven’t played in an NBA Finals.
But together, Leonard and the team made history with Wednesday’s punishment.
The Clippers’ one Western Conference finals appearance in 2021? That came with Leonard in street clothes, nursing a torn anterior cruciate ligament, an injury the Clippers kept secret until it was announced later that summer that their star player had surgery to repair it.
A reticent, low-wattage star, Leonard did nothing to improve the Clippers’ brand or relevancy.
He did the opposite.
The Clippers were sold a lemon. And now all they’re left with is the sour, bitter taste of having been played.
The NBA handed Ballmer a suspension from all league and team activities for one year. Clippers president of business operations Gillian Zucker was hit with the same penalty. President of basketball operations Lawrence Frank will be suspended without pay for six months.
And the Clippers didn’t have to do any of it.
Was Leonard really going to go to another team?
He didn’t want to freeze in Toronto and he would have melted under the Lakers’ purple-and gold spotlight. He also wouldn’t have been able to play king on a team with LeBron James on it.
Leonard was meant to be a Clipper. He really was. The latest chapter in a story that always ends unhappily ever after.
DENVER, CO - SEPTEMBER 02: Samuel Basallo #29 of the Baltimore Orioles bats during the game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on Wednesday, September 2, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Casey Paul/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Hello, friends.
The 2026 Orioles rollercoaster ride continues. Over the last couple of days, we were reminded why there have been slightly more downs than there have been ups this season. Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s losses to the Rockies were particularly maddening, with such sad offensive outputs in Coors Field against the Colorado staff, with various shenanigans on the basepaths, on defense, and from the bullpen. The Orioles could not afford to waste that series but they wasted it anyway.
After Wednesday’s results, here is the state of the race for the third American League wild card spot. The Orioles trail the Cleveland Guardians by 1.5 games. They are tied alongside of the Rangers and Blue Jays at that playoff position. There are three games to be played against the Guardians; the Orioles have to sweep Cleveland to secure the head-to-head tiebreaker. Six games remain against the Blue Jays. I think that the Orioles need to go 14-8 in their final 22 games. Maybe they need to go 15-7.
Following losses like the Orioles just had, it feels absurd to bring up the postseason situation. Yet, the expanded postseason field, foisted upon us by owners wanting more postseason TV money, in combination with the weakness of the American League contenders this year, keeps the Orioles in it. If there were only two wild cards, the Orioles would be six games out. It’d be over, if not mathematically official yet. They do have problems. So does everybody else. The odds are long but not insurmountable.
The Orioles just have to play better! They have to do it for three weeks running instead of just for a game or two. There are no unwinnable games from here to season’s end. It’s just, if things go badly, they will lose. If the offense continues to scuffle, they won’t win enough. If relievers alternate who is going to blow games each night and Craig Albernaz keeps pressing bad buttons, they won’t win enough. If the defense and baserunning keep costing them, that will also be a problem. Same if the starting rotation runs ragged with several of its pitchers nearing or already on career high counts for innings.
We are running a poll this week asking Orioles fans which of these problem areas you are most worried about down the stretch. Have you voted yet? If you haven’t, here it is:
After watching and having to recap yesterday’s game, my answer to this question is, “Yes.”
National television awaits the Orioles tonight. The powers that be who decide on Fox broadcasts have deemed this Orioles-Red Sox matchup to be worth airing for a wider audience. There will be no MASN broadcast, and the game will begin at 7:15 instead of the now-usual Monday-Thursday evening 6:35 start time. Brandon Young and Jake Bennett are the scheduled starting pitchers. Young, with a total of 147 innings pitched between Norfolk and Baltimore, is one of the guys who is past his career high (111 IP in 2024).
Orioles takeaways: Kyle Bradish not concerned about growing workload (The Baltimore Sun) Bradish is at 148 innings. His pre-surgery high was 168.2. If he makes three more starts, he probably won’t pass that, but if he makes four, he probably will. That depends on how the Orioles want to manage the rotation down the stretch, which might itself depend on whether they plausibly remain in the race.
Today in 1999, Cal Ripken Jr. hit his 400th home run in the middle of a 11-6 victory over the then-Devil Rays. At the time, Ripken was just the 20th player to reach the milestone. Now, there are 59 players on that list. Former Oriole Manny Machado (393 homers) may be the next player to join the club.
There are a few former Orioles who were born on this day. They are: 2010-14 pitcher Troy Patton, 1987-90 infielder Rene Gonzales, 1956 pitcher Morrie Martin, and 1956-57 pitcher Sandy Consuegra.
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday to you! Your birthday buddies for today include: auto engineer Ferdinand Porsche (1875), actor Charlie Sheen (1965), and snowboarding legend Shaun White (1986).
On this day in history…
In 301, the republic of San Marino, a microstate located entirely within modern-day Italy, was founded. It is the oldest continuously-existing republic.
In 1260, the Mongolian army was defeated by Mamluks in the Battle of Ain Jalut in modern-day Israel. This was the first serious defeat dealt to the Mongols and marked the end of an era of expansion for their empire.
In 1838, Frederick Douglass escaped from being enslaved.
In 1939, France and the United Kingdom declared war on Germany, two days after Germany invaded Poland.
In 1981, the United Nations adopted the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, to which the United States is a signatory, although the treaty was never ratified here.
**
And that’s the way it is in Birdland on September 3. Have a safe Thursday. Go O’s!
Jacob Reimer of the Binghamton Rumble Ponies is present before a Minor League Baseball game at TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater, United States, on June 13, 2026. (Photo by Dan Squicciarini/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images
As the scoreline would suggest, this was a well pitched game by both sides. The two teams combined for eleven hits (six for New Hampshire, and five for Binghamton), with the Fisher Cats pitching staff striking out eleven and the Rumble Ponies striking out seven. The big hit in the game was a John Bay solo home run in the seventh inning.
SS Mitch Voit: 0-4
2B Marco Vargas: 1-2, 2 BB
3B Jacob Reimer: 2-4, 2B, 2 K
DH Chris Suero: 0-4, 2 K
RF Eli Serrano III: 0-3, K
CF John Bay: 1-3, R, HR (3), RBI, 2 K
C Kevin Parada: 0-3, 3 K
LF JT Benson: 1-3, 2B
1B Jamari Baylor: 0-2, K
RHP Noah Hall: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 3 K
RHP Cristofer Gomez: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, W (2-0)
LHP Felipe De La Cruz: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, H (3)
RHP Bryce Jenkins: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, S (1)
The Brooklyn offense was fighting a losing battle throughout this one. They struggled as a unit, amassing just a single run and four hits on the day (also they walked three times). Their one run came late, when Colin Houck hit a home run in the eighth inning, when they were down 5-0.
SS Sammy Stafura: 1-3, 2B, BB, E (8)
2B Elian Peña: 1-4, K
CF Aiden Robbins: 1-3, BB, K
RF Trey Snyder: 0-4, 2 K
LF Yonatan Henriquez: 0-4, 2 K
1B Cole Mathis: 0-3, BB, 3 K
DH Ronald Hernandez: 0-4, 2 K
3B Colin Houck: 1-3, R, HR (8), RBI
C Chase Meggers: 0-3, 2 K
RHP Emilio Obispo: 5.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, E (1), 1 HBP, L (0-1)
LHP Luis R. Rodriguez: 0.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 0 K, 1 HBP
RHP Rafi Vazquez: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
St. Lucie won a rollercoaster of a game, as they trailed for the majority of it only to make a comeback in the later innings. Jupiter led 3-1 through the third inning, and 5-1 through the fifth, with Branny De Oleo driving in the St. Lucie run with an RBI double in the second.
The second half of the game was much different than the first, however. St. Lucie were gifted their second run of the game, as Jeremy Rodriguez scored on an errant pick off throw in the seventh. Vladi Gomez made it a 5-4 game in the eighth with a two run single and Yovanny Rodriguez completed the comeback with a walk off, two run single in the ninth.
A special shout out to the quartet of Ernesto Mercedes, Cesar Rivera, Zach Crotchfelt, and Caden Wooster, who gave up one base runner in relief of Ethan Lanthier, keeping the game in reach for the Mets.
LF Jake Ogden: 0-3, 2 BB, K, SB (2)
DH Boston Baro: 0-2, R, 3 BB, K, 2 SB (2, 3)
1B Julio Zayas: 0-4, R, BB, 3 K
RF Jack Toomey: 1-4, R, BB, 2 K
C Yovanny Rodriguez: 1-4, R, 2 RBI, BB, 2 K, E (3)
Aug 29, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers left fielder Jackson Chourio (11) runs the bases after hitting a solo home run in the first inning as Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager (5) looks on at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Note: the stats in this article are from Wednesday afternoon, before Chourio had four hits and his 21st homer on Wednesday night.
Jackson Chourio contains multitudes, as they say. When he’s on, he looks like the best position player on the Brewers, by far. He has a knack for rising to the challenge—in 12 postseason games, he is a .341/.362/.682 hitter—and he is, in my qualitative view, the one player on the Brewers who I never think has no chance no matter how good the opposing pitcher is. Simply: he can do things offensively that nobody else on the team can.
At the same time, he can be frustrating, certainly due in part to the confidence he has in his immense natural ability. There are times when it looks like he’s going to swing, no matter what. While I don’t think Chourio is outmatched physically by any pitcher in the league, he can get out-thought on occasion. Chourio’s splits with runners on base suggest that he tries to do way too much in those situations, to his and the team’s detriment. (More on that in a bit.)
Here’s where I remind you that he’s 22. 22-year-olds get outwitted. It happens. It’s nothing to be ashamed of. It could also be concerning if we weren’t seeing tangible signs of improvement from Chourio.
It’s easy to occasionally feel like Chourio’s last two seasons have been, at minimum, mildly disappointing. In his second season, Chourio’s wRC+ dropped seven points (119 to 112) and his WAR was down from 4.0 to 3.0 via FanGraphs and from 3.9 to 2.2 via Baseball Reference. This season, injuries delayed the start of his season, and he hasn’t yet turned into the offense-carrying totem that many people hoped he would be by now.
And yet: those tangible signs of improvement exist. In a general sense, Chourio has ticked up this year. He’s surely going to set a new career high in home runs while playing fewer games than in either of his previous seasons:
2024: 148 games, 21 home runs
2025: 131g, 21 HR
2026: 104g, 20 HR (23 team games remaining)
This has led to an uptick in wRC+, which currently sits at a career-best 124. Chourio continues to be a solid baserunner: the advanced metrics have him about the same as the previous two years, while he is stealing bases at a moderate volume (15) and acceptable rate (75%), both right in line with what he’s done previously (coming into this season Chourio was 43-for-57 in stolen bases, 75.4%).
The most encouraging offensive sign for Chourio is in his plate discipline, something that has been an obvious point of difficulty at times during his young career. Last season, Chourio’s plate discipline was a real problem. His chase rate and walk rate were both in the bottom 12 percent among MLB hitters, which was a tangible drop from his rookie season when he was 26th percentile in chase percentage and 31st percentile in walk rate (6.8%).
This year, we’re seeing, at minimum, a bounceback to 2024 levels. Chourio still chases too much—he is 21st percentile this season—and that’s one of the biggest weak points in his game. But Chourio has worked the walk percentage back to a respectable 8.1%; he’s never going to be Barry Bonds, but for a player with such advanced bat-to-ball skills, you can live with an 8.1% walk rate.
Interestingly, even with the uptick in homers, Chourio’s isolated power (ISO) hasn’t really improved this season—it’s the same as it was last year (.193), which is just a few ticks above his rookie season (.189). He’s hitting more homers, though… so what explains that? Well, Chourio is hitting more homers, but he’s traded off some of his other extra-base hits, most notably the second-most important hits to a player’s slugging percentage: triples. Chourio hit four triples in each of his first two seasons, but doesn’t have any this season. He’s also a little behind his doubles pace from last year, when he hit 35 compared to 21 homers; this year, he has 23 doubles (a full-season pace of 30-31).
To be clear: it’s good to turn some of your doubles into homers. And when you add in the better plate discipline, Chourio’s OPS is up a significant 48 points over last season (and 27 points over his rookie year).
Chourio and the Brewers have also been able to highlight another strength this season: defense. Despite a certain lack of aesthetic beauty, Chourio has generally been a good defensive outfielder since coming to the big leagues. Outs Above Average had him as an excellent right fielder and mediocre left fielder in 2024, and as pretty good in both right and center in 2025 (though with way more attempts in center than right).
This season, Chourio has done far less moving around—91 of his 100 starts in the outfield have come in left. DRS sees him as a clearly good left fielder, and via Outs Above Average, he ranks behind only Chandler Simpson, Cody Bellinger, and Jarren Duran amongst left fielders.
Add all of this together, and Chourio is having his best season (when accounting for his missed games); extrapolate his WAR to the number of plate appearances he had in 2024, and you’d get 4.1 fWAR and 4.3 bWAR. That’s not a huge improvement over the highs he set as a rookie, but it’s an improvement.
There are still things to work on, obviously, and the biggest thing is Chourio’s bizarre splits this season with runners on or off base. Check it out:
With nobody on base, Chourio is batting .327/.383/.534 for a 154 wRC+
With men on base, he is hitting .219/.286/.393 for an 81 wRC+
With runners in scoring position, he’s at .223/.307/.321 for a 68 wRC+
Interestingly, Chourio might be almost too passive with runners in scoring position—his walk rate actually increases from 8.4% with the bases empty to 10.2% with RISP. BABIP is also playing a huge role: Chourio has a sky-high .395 BABIP with no one on, but that drops to .256 with runners on base and .282 with RISP. Most tellingly, his power has evaporated completely with runners in scoring position: his ISO is .207 with bases empty, .174 with runners on, and .098 with runners in scoring position.
How much of that is bad luck? He’s only got 127 plate appearances with RISP plus 69 more with a runner on first, so it’s not like we’re dealing with huge samples here. It certainly seems like there’s a mental side to this; it feels like he’s pressing with runners on. There could be a ‘snake eating its tail’ aspect at play, too: perhaps Chourio knows how bad his numbers are with runners on, so he’s tightening up in those situations.
Figuring out how to get Chourio to relax with runners on base should be one of the team’s biggest goals over the next month—they’re going to need him locked in to make a deep run in the playoffs. He certainly has the ability, and to highlight just how rare Chourio’s accomplishments already are, let’s revisit a list I shared in this week’s Week in Review. When Chourio hit his 20th home run last week, he joined a list of just 16 other players to have three seasons of at least 20 homers before their age-23 season:
Eight of those 16 players are in the Hall of Fame (Mel Ott, Ted Williams, Eddie Mathews, Mickey Mantle, Al Kaline, Frank Robinson, Orlando Cepeda, and Ken Griffey Jr.)
One is one of the best players ever but isn’t in the Hall of Fame because of steroids (Alex Rodriguez)
Five are active players who have Hall of Fame cases ranging from “lock or near lock” (Mike Trout, Bryce Harper, Juan Soto) to “we have to at least discuss it” (Giancarlo Stanton, Carlos Correa)
The remaining two are players whose careers were cut short due to various circumstances (Tony Conigliaro, Bob Horner)
Sep 2, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Bryce Harper in the first inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Phillies are finally coming home after a long but successful west coast road trip. Over that time, they’ve been able to cushion their lead in the race for the NL Wild Cards as well as narrow the deficit for the NL East. That second thing will take center stage this weekend, as the Phillies begin a critical four game series with the Atlanta Braves at Citizens Bank Park tomorrow. It will be the first four of seven total meetings between the teams over the next ten days, a stretch that will likely go a long way in deciding who will take the NL East crown.
Double-A Somerset Patriots:W, 8-6 at Erie SeaWolves
SS Core Jackson 1-4, HR, RBI, BB, SB — first Double-A homer CF Jace Avina 0-4, 3 K 2B-3B Roderick Arias 1-4, BB, 2 K 3B-1B Coby Morales 2-4, HR, 2 RBI, BB, 2 K — oppo for his 21st of the season 1B Josh Moylan 1-1, HR, 3 RBI 2B Connor McGinnis 1-3, BB RF DJ Gladney 2-5, 2B, 2 K LF Jackson Castillo 2-3, 2 BB, K, fielding error C Manuel Palencia 1-5, 2 RBI DH Luis Durango 0-5, 3 K
Chase Hampton 2.2 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 3 BB, 3 K, 2 HR — after a strong outing last time, back to the struggle bus for Hampton Kelly Austin 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K (win) Trent Sellers 3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K (hold) — bang-up job by the ‘pen after Hampton departed Yerry Rodriguez 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K (hold) Harrison Cohen 1 IP, 0 H, 1 R (0 ER), 1 BB, 0 K (save)
High-A Hudson Valley Renegades:L, 5-0 at Wilmington BlueRocks
CF Jackson Lovich 1-3, BB, K, 2 SB DH Maika Niu 1-4, 3 K 1B Kyle West 0-1, 3 BB, SB C David McCann 0-4, 2 K, throwing error 3B Hans Montero 0-2, BB, 2 K, SB 2B Enmanuel Tejeda 0-4 LF Robbie Burnett 0-3, BB, K RF Camden Troyer 0-3, BB SS Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek 0-4, K — just two hits, both singles from HV on the night
Pico Kohn 3.2 IP, 2 H, 3 R (2 ER), 4 BB, 6 K (loss) Jack Sokol 1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 3 K Luis Velasquez 2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 2 K Brady Kirtner 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
Low-A Tampa Tarpons:W, 4-0 (7) vs. Dunedin Blue Jays — game called in the top of the seventh by rain, was meant to be a doubleheader but game 2 was pushed back to today
SS Dax Kilby 1-3, HR, 2 RBI — turned nicely on an inner-third heater for his fourth dinger CF Yostin Pena 1-3, SB, CS — I could watch Pena highlights all day: hit a 109-mph single yesterday RF Wilberson De Pena 1-3, HR, RBI C Bear Harrison 0-3, K 3B Anthony Potestio 2-3, HR, RBI LF Luis Puello 0-3, K 1B Tyce Armstrong 0-2 DH Brando Mayea 0-2, K 2B Luis Escudero 1-2, 2B
Tyler Boudreau 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 5 K Rafael Arias 2.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K (win) Brennan Stuprich 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K (save)
Leicestershire take their first Notts wicket, Ben Slater (15) tinkering behind at Ian Holland. Notts 54-1.
Luke Hollman bends his knees deeply in anticipation of Jimmy Anderson, but he’d struggle to get them deep enough to deal with the ball that drops, rolls, and picks out off stump. Gone for 54. Ben Geddes follows three overs later, to Balderson. Middx 151-5 and need a apartnership.
PITTSBURGH, PA - DECEMBER 30: Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins scores past Frederik Andersen #31 of the Carolina Hurricanes during the first period at PPG PAINTS Arena on December 30, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
On Wednesday, The Athletic released its annual NHL player tiers list, taking the top-150 players in the league and putting them into separate tiers to indicate what level they are on. The tiers include MVP level, franchise player, All-Star, star, and support players.
The list is compiled by taking into account player net ratings, the writer rankings, and a panel of 20 people within the NHL.
From a Pittsburgh Penguins perspective, this year’s list re-confirms what is the biggest concern for the team in the long-term future.
They just do not have enough young elite talent. Or any at the moment.
While this Penguins team has a lot of organizational depth at certain positions, specifically at forward and in goal, and while the prospect pool is dramatically better than it was even one or two years ago, a lot of the players that make up that depth have a limited ceiling. They might have high floors. But they have low ceilings.
There are a lot of potential NHL players and NHL regulars there. There are some good players and potentially really good players. There are a lot of potential wild-cards that could go in a lot of different directions. But there are simply not enough proven impact players or high-ceiling prospects that they can consider a focal point for a serious Stanley Cup contending team in the future.
At least not right now.
The Penguins have three players on the list, but they are all deep into their 30s.
The players on the list are…
Center, and captain, Sidney Crosby who fits into Tier 2 as a franchise-level player.
Defenseman Erik Karlsson who is listed in Tier 3 as an All-Star level player.
Forward Evgeni Malkin who is listed in Tier 5 as a support player.
In the short-term, having two players within the top-three tiers is fine, and could be a good foundation, especially when you take into account the position each plays (center and defense) and how they can be cornerstone players down the middle where championship-level teams are built.
But again, these guys are in their late 30s. You might be able to count on them in the short-term, but you can not count on them for the long-term.
Crosby is going to be 39 this season, and while he is coming off another big year, the assessment of his play and ranking is more about his status as an NHL legend, and not really the player he currently is.
Our approach to Crosby’s placement, as he’s continued to strengthen his case for Hockey Rushmore through his late 30s, has been to start conservatively and wait for the panel to argue him up the list. For the first time, that’s not how it went down.
That’s not meant as any sort of knock on the legend, either. “He willed that team into the playoffs,” an exec said. “They had no business being there.” The expectation is that, even at 39, he will continue to produce like an in-his-prime franchise player — a necessity for the Penguins if they’re to make another shocking postseason push.
Are age-related cracks are starting to come through? Sure. Pittsburgh was break-even in expected goals in Crosby’s minutes in 2025-26, which doesn’t bode well for his defensive play, and offensively, his dip in effectiveness on the rush continued. The bigger picture, though, cannot be lost. This is a once-in-a-generation player showcasing once-in-a-lifetime longevity.
Honestly, I don’t think there is anything unfair there. I will quibble with the assessment the he “willed” them into the playoffs on his own, mostly because they did one hell of a job staying in the fight when he was sidelined for a significant portion of the season. A lot of players contributed to that playoff appearance.
He can still score and produce points. But he is not the consistent game-changing force he was at his peak and in his prime. Sometimes that extra level of dominance is there. Sometimes it is not. There are legitimate concerns and cracks in the defensive game. He’s still Sidney Crosby, but he’s no longer SIDNEY CROSBY.
The assessment on Karlsson is actually a little more encouraging even though he is two-tiers below Crosby.
“Had an unreal year,” a scout said. “Drives me nuts.”
Welcome to the Erik Karlsson Experience, now starting its 18th season and headed for the Hockey Hall of Fame. Karlsson bounced back to an almost incredible degree for Pittsburgh in 2025-26, helping to fuel an unexpected run to the postseason and finding his way back on to a handful of Norris Trophy ballots. Karlsson was 10th among defensemen in points per 60 and, even more crucially, Pittsburgh won his minutes 73-53 after outright losing them in 2024-25.
“He can go either way, but what he did last season was special,” a veteran executive said. “There’s just not a lot of defenders on your list that can put together the sort of season that he managed.”
There is a strong and convincing argument to be made that Karlsson was the Penguins’ best and most important player in 2025-26, and you do not have to look much further than the fact he took home the team’s MVP honors. It would not surprise me if he came back this season and played at that level again, and was again the team’s best player. He is going to be 36 years old, but I still saw a player that has a lot of gas in the tank this past season.
The biggest problem, aside from the age, is that he is in the final year of his contract and is not guaranteed to finish the season as a member of the Penguins, let alone be a member of the team next season.
He can still give you a great player right now, but for how much longer?
Malkin, in Tier 5, probably has the least optimistic outlook.
Which forward born in the mid-1980s led Pittsburgh in all-situations points per 60 last season? That would be Malkin (3.72), who was rejuvenated by a move to the wing at 39.
The future Hall of Famer might no longer be a dominant down-the-middle force, but he’s still producing plenty of offense, period, let alone for an old guy. Is a repeat performance a dodgy proposition? Sure — but slotting him in as a highly productive second-line wing seems reasonable and fair.
Again, I think that is fair. Also, like Karlsson, he is playing out one more year on his current contract and could also be out of the picture by next season due to retirement.
So where are the Penguins going to get some players that fit into the higher tiers?
Goalie prospect Sergei Murashov might be the prospect in the system that has the highest ceiling, and the one that could eventually play his way into something like a Tier 3 level if (very big if) everything goes right for him. But I also feel like he is the top prospect in the organization that is least likely to reach their ceiling just based on the nature of the position he plays and the unpredictably that comes with goalies, and especially young goalies.
He is one of those wild-cards.
I could see Ben Kindel being a Tier 5 guy, and maybe even a Tier 4 guy, at some point in his career. Maybe not this season or next season, but eventually. A two-way center with great hockey sense and a good shot can be an important part of a contending team.
Maybe if Egor Chinakhov shows his second-half performance in Pittsburgh after the trade was not a fluke, he can play his way into Tier 5, or perhaps even Tier 4, with another big season or two. He scored at a 35-goal pace after the trade, and could potentially be a Pavel Dorofeyev type player if he can build on that and consistently show it over a full season and beyond (Dorofeyev, for the record, is Tier 5 this season).
Those are a lot of ifs and maybes. Ifs and maybes do not always go perfectly.
If you are looking at potential outside additions, everybody has been dreaming about Jason Robertson, and given the salary cap space the Penguins will have at their disposal this offseason you can continue to dream about that if you want. It might not be likely. But it is something you can hope for. He is in the Tier 2 level, though the anonymous quotes from scouts and coaches are kind of baffling. Even so, he would change the math for them if they could somehow get him.
Elias Pettersson as a potential trade option still makes the list in Tier 5, even if everybody seems to agree he has not done anything to earn that status in two years. The potential for a bounce-back given what he has shown he is capable of is what keeps him on there.
Then there is simply the potential for draft picks. The Penguins have a ton of draft pick capital over the next three years, and the chance to add more, and while none of them are truly elite picks at the moment, sometimes one of the best ways to give yourself a chance at finding a cornerstone player is to just give yourself as many picks as possible. Or maybe you can move up in a year. Or maybe this season represents a step backwards and draft lottery luck smiles upon you.
Whatever the case may be, and whether it is internal improvement, a free agent signing, a blockbuster trade, or some draft luck, it is pretty clear what the Penguins biggest need is and the one thing that is going to limit their ceiling in the near future until they find a way to fix it.
ANAHEIM, CA - AUGUST 31: New York Yankees pitcher Luis Gil (81) pitching during an MLB baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels played on August 31, 2026 at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, CA. (Photo by John Cordes/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Of all the Yankees moves (or non-moves) this summer, their decision not to add pitching at the trade deadline probably caused the most consternation. The team’s pitching staff paced the league in the first half, sure, but most fans looked at the club’s bullpen, and at the long list of names on the IL, and figured the Yankees could use an extra arm or two just in case, just to add a little depth if things got hairy.
Well, we’re here in September, and things have gotten hairy, but the Yankees’ pitching staff has still performed. Max Fried and Ryan Weathers hit the IL with an elbow issues, and Fernando Cruz’s injury left the late-inning crew thin, and yet the Yankees’ team ERA of 2.77 since August 4th leads baseball. Their depth has been tested, and they’ve aced the test.
All that said, outside of David Bednar, Brent Headrick, and Paul Blackburn, there’s no obvious pecking order in the Yankee bullpen. Aaron Boone has three clear favorite options, and then a bunch of question marks. Other than the matter of how to structure the team’s outfield, this might be the most pressing roster concern to sort out in the final month. So, who will emerge as the next most trustworthy reliever in Boone’s bullpen?
I think the most fun part of this question is that the answer could be anyone, thanks to the Yankees’ proclivity for getting the best out of unheralded pitchers. Anyone that is currently on the roster, or working on things in Triple-A, or rehabbing from injury, is liable to step in and surprise us, because Matt Blake and his staff have been so proficient at molding flawed pitchers into serious contributors.
That leaves us with loads of possible players who could emerge in September to establish themselves in the Circle of Trust before the playoffs begin. We could start with the young big leaguers coming back from injuries, Luis Gil, Clarke Schmidt, and Ryan Weathers. Gil, who missed most of this year with a shoulder problem, has returned as a reliever and looked intriguing, sitting 96 mph with his fastball in an outing on Monday night and generating six whiffs. Schmidt is coming off a longer layoff post Tommy John surgery, but also has a high-quality track record; his 3.07 ERA across 2024 and 2025 speaks to how effective he can be when healthy. Weathers morphed into one of the best starters in baseball after a midseason repertoire shift, and could be a dynamite bullpen weapon if he can make it back healthy. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see any of this trio become a key bullpen figure by the end of the month.
Then, there are the late-season scrap heap finds that the Yankees are actively working on. Last week, they dusted off Michael Fulmer, best known around here for swiping the 2016 Rookie of the Year award from Gary Sanchez, and also claimed John Schreiber off waivers. Fulmer has made three appearances with New York and flashed a somewhat interesting cutter-led arsenal, while Schreiber tossed a scoreless inning his Yankees debut Tuesday night and was a dependable middle reliever as recently as last year. It’s entirely possible both with will be off the roster before long, but would you be shocked if one of them benefited from working with Blake and proved they had something left in the tank?
From there, we have the arms in the minors that might seem like long shots, but have performed in the bigs before. The most interesting name is probably Angel Chivilli, who used a sharp changeup to dominate through the month of July before a six-run blowup against the Cardinals in early August ruined his season numbers. The Yankees also have Yerry De los Santos and Brendan Beck as possible options in Scranton. No, no ones wants the Yankees to be relying on these kinds of guys in October, and it’s unlikely any emerge as real options, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility they return to the bigs in September and show something. Elmer Rodríguez could’ve fit with this group of minors options, but he’s back with the big-league squad, and he too merits mention as someone that could earn Boone’s faith with a strong showing this month.
The fact of the matter is, the Yankees have some unsettled spots in the bullpen, and one month to decide who should fill them. Who do you think will step up? Will one or more of these guys find themselves adding to the Circle of Trust?
The Yankees are off today, getting some time to make the short jaunt down from Anaheim to San Diego. There will be plenty on the site to keep you busy, as Sam runs down the Yankees Plays of August, and Peter recaps Wednesday’s American League action. Later, Jonathan profiles Eric Plunk, the only player ever traded for the same Hall of Famer twice, while Andrés discusses Clarke Schmidt’s impending addition to the Yankee bullpen, and the rapid ascent of Yankee prospect Yostin Pena.
The Hens took advantage of 8 walks to crush Indy on Wednesday night.
The Carl Edwards Jr. experiment has been an absolute rollercoaster, but they got the good version in this one. The veteran right-hander gave up a run in the first, and then powered through four scoreless frames with six strikeouts to get this one to the sixth with a lead.
The lead was courtesy of a James Outman solo shot in the bottom of the second, a Corey Julks double in the fourth that led to him scoring, and then in the fifth, Max Burt doubled and stole third, scoring on a Jace Jung double.
So it was 3-1 through five innings. The game ended in the seventh for all intents and purposes, as the Hens scored seven runs in the bottom half. There were six walks and a hit batter in the inning, and the big blow was this grand slam by Burt that capped off a brutal inning for the Indians. It also wasn’t really a grand slam, but the umpires saw otherwise.
Max Burt does max damage with a grand slam to dead center…although it actually went under the railing. Indianapolis manager Eric Patterson got ejected arguing it. The Hens scored 8 runs in the 7th, with just one hit. pic.twitter.com/AJJ0Z7pzGf
Enmanuel de Jesus succeeded Edwards and collected seven outs, five by strikeout. Tyler Mattison finished the eighth, and Nick Sandlin allowed a run in the ninth.
Burt: 2-4, 2 R, 4 RBI, 2B, HR, K, SB
Jung: 1-4, R, RBI, 2B, BB, 2 K
Edwards Jr.: (W, 5-10): 5.0 IP, ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 6 K
Coming Up Next: The Hens get back at it at 7:05 p.m. ET, and you may still be able to Konner Griffin for one more game on the other side.
RHP Tanner Rainey has been outrighted to Toledo.
C/1B Josue Briceño has been placed on Toledo’s 7-Day Injured List.
Max Alba was knocked around in this one, and the SeaWolves couldn’t manage a comeback. Fortunately, they still have a pretty good hold on a playoff spot with nine games left, but they do need to get back to winning right quick.
Somerset got to Alba for four runs in the first inning, and Dariel Fregio had to clean up the mess. Izaac Pacheco hit a solo shot, his 20th homer of the year for the SeaWolves, in the bottom of the second inning.
Fregio gave up a run in the third to make it a 5-1 game, but the SeaWolves fought back to tie it up in the bottom of the third.
Peyton Graham and Woody Hadeen started the inning with singles, and Zyhir Hope smashed a two-run double to center field. Hope stole third, but ultimately rode home on a two-run shot from E.J. Exposito. The infielder now has 23 homers on the season. 5-5 game.
Colin Fields allowed a run in the top of the fifth, partly due to his own bad pickoff throw, and the SeaWolves just couldn’t manage another push. Moises Rodriguez led it get away a little further when, after collecting five outs in the seventh and eighth, he allowed two runs in the top of the ninth.
Graham walked, took two bases on defensive indifference, and scored on an error on a Hadeen fly ball, but they couldn’t get any closer.
Hope: 1-4, R, 2 RBI, 2B, BB, 2 K, SB
Pacheco: 2-4, R, RBI, HR, K
Graham: 2-4, 2 R, BB, K, SB
Rodriguez: 2.2 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, BB, 4 K
Coming Up Next: The SeaWolves get back to work at 7:05 p.m. ET on Thursday. Their Southwest division lead is down to 4.5 games over Chesapeake with nine games remaining.
West Michigan Whitecaps 14, Dayton Dragons 6 (box)
The Whitecaps know the situation; win or go home. Still 1.5 games back of Great Lakes for a playoff spot, Ben Jacobs absolutely shoved in this one, and the Whitecaps offense went off to win again on Wednesday. Unfortunately, the Loons won as well, so there are just four games left to make a run at this.
If you read BYB you’ve heard a lot about the 22-year-old lefty this year, and he lived up to the billing again in this one. He gave up a two-run shot in the bottom of the third, but was otherwise dominant the Dragons, showing some really good sliders to go with the gnarly fourseam-splitter combo that is usually his bread and butter. Jacobs punched out 10 without allowing a walk in five innings of two-run ball in this one, and it’s great to see that in a game where his teammates really needed a good outing.
Ben Jacobs needs just 13 pitches to strike out the side in the 1st inning tonight. pic.twitter.com/CW3j23mrYW
The Whitecaps struck first in the top of the third. Stephen Hrustich cracked a solo shot with two outs, and Bryce Rainer smoked a sharp single to left. Edian Espinal ripped a drive to the wall in center field for an RBI triple, and Beau Ankeney doubled him home for a 3-0 lead.
Edian Espinal lines a triple to left center that scores Bryce Rainer from first. It’s Espinal’s 2nd triple of the game. pic.twitter.com/RobkmeTA33
Jacobs gave up the homer in the bottom half, but was lights out the rest of his night.
In the sixth, they got to work against the Dragons’ bullpen. Ankeney doubled again with one out, and a recently scorching hot, and the still somehow just 22-year-old Cristian Santana crushed a two-run shot to left for a 5-2 lead. Walks to Jackson Strong and Samuel Gil followed, and Carson Rucker grounded into a force of Gil at second. Nolan McCarthy singled in Strong, and it was 6-2 Whitecaps.
Cristian Santana crushes a 2-run homer to left to put the Whitecaps up 5-2. It’s his 15th home run of the season — 13 of which have come in his last 34 games. pic.twitter.com/iPXSfherdk
Luke Hoskins gave up a run in the bottom of the sixth to make it 6-3, but in the eighth the Whitecaps blew this one open. Santana reached on an error to start the inning and Strong walked again. Juan Hernandez blasted a three-run shot to center field and they tacked on another run in the inning to make it 10-3.
Juan Hernandez with a 3-run homer to center field to put West Michigan up 9-3 in a must-win game. It’s his 3rd home run of the season. pic.twitter.com/gzrxmEbF7J
In the top of the ninth, Espinal reached on an error on Dayton’s left fielder and reached third on the play. Ankeney singled him home. Santana struck out, but yet again, Strong drew a walk. Hernandez flew out, but Carson Rucker launched a three-run shot tucked just fair down the right field line to make it 14-3.
Ethan Sloan was a mess in the bottom half, allowing three runs, but it was already over.
Ankeney: 3-5, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 2B
Espinal: 2-5, 2 R, RBI, 2 3B
Rucker: 1-4, 2 R, 3 RBI, HR, BB, K
Jacobs (W, 5-2): 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, 0 BB, 10 K
Coming Up Next: The ‘Caps have won four in a row, but they need to keep it going at 7:05 p.m. ET in Dayton on Thursday. Do it for Dan Hasty!
Cameron Flukey’s last start of the season will have to wait. They were rained out on Wednesday, and will try to make this one up with a doubleheader on Friday. Thursday night’s game is set for 6:30 p.m. ET. In other news LHP Caleb Leys has been moved to the development list, while RHP Jhonan Coba has been activated by the Flying Tigers. Presumably we’ll see another start from Coba before the season ends on Sunday.
