According to a statement by the NHLPA, defenseman John Klingberg is officially announcing his retirement from professional hockey. Following a career that spanned 700 games played, and time with the Dallas Stars, Minnesota Wild, Toronto Maple Leafs, Edmonton Oilers, Anaheim Ducks, and San Jose Sharks, Klingberg is hanging up his skates to become the new hockey expert at SVT.
Klingberg was an unrestricted free agent this summer, one of many who still didn't have a contract as training camps started to approach. That likely led to his decision to start a new career path.
John Klingberg is officially announcing his retirement from professional hockey after 700 NHL career games played – wishing all the best to this former blue liner in the future! pic.twitter.com/ebjLBp7sKM
"It feels very inspiring, actually. It's something that I've thought I could do well moving forward in life when I'm done with hockey. So I'm very excited to get this chance," he said.
Klingberg, 34, saw his career plagued by ongoing hip problems. The Swedish defenseman underwent three hip surgeries and says his body ultimately could no longer keep up with the demands of the game. He also revealed he frequently relied on injections, anti-inflammatory medication and painkillers to manage the pain and continue playing. After hoping his latest surgery would restore him to full health, he realized his body wasn't responding and his motivation had eventually run out.
He'll be remembered as one of the most elite offensive defensemen in the NHL, showcasing his skills as a member of the Dallas Stars in the mid-2010s. But, his success got to his head and he turned down an eight-year, $7M AAV contract extension in 2021-22. He struggled to find consistent work after, especially given his injury troubles.
Klingberg wound up being a bit of a journeyman defenseman, which included a short stint with the Edmonton Oilers. He signed late as a free agent in 2024-25, played 11 regular-season games and was a big part of their playoff run to the Stanley Cup Final. However, that playoff success led to him jumping ship when the San Jose Sharks offered him a deal in free agency.
Now, as a retired NHL player, he'll take on a new role, analyzing hockey on television. "I think I can come in and see hockey from a different perspective..."
Klingberg will work with SVT's national team broadcasts, including the Junior World Cup and the Euro Hockey Tour.
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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 7: Elly de la Cruz #44 of the Cincinnati Reds is greeted in the dugout after hitting a solo home run in the first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on September 7, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cincinnati Reds sit 8 games under the .500 mark, mired in last place in the National League Central for yet another year. That, mind you, all comes after they surged to nearly 10 games over .500 during the season’s first month.
Only the hapless Colorado Rockies and homeless Athletics have a worse run differential than Cincinnati, who at -122 sit a full 100 runs worse than the Pittsburgh Pirates – the occupants of 4th place in the division. Shall we say, it has not been a good year in the Queen City.
For one Elly De La Cruz, though, things are all seemingly falling into place.
He figured out how to master left-handed pitching, hitting a league best .350 against southpaws as part of an overall .350/.417/.657 mashing of them (who’s 188 wRC+ ranks as 2nd best in all of Major League Baseball). Just this week he unleashed a 102 mph relay throw that’s the fastest by an infielder in the statcast era. He set a career high with 26 homers while bashing homers in five straight games, in the process setting the mark for the most homers in a single season by a switch-hitter.
On the whole, he’s hitting .283/.362/.511 with 26 homers and 25 steals in 567 PA, and that’s despite missing time earlier in the year with a hamstring problem. He’s been a 5.0 bWAR per Baseball Reference, while FanGraphs has him at 5.6 fWAR – the fourth best position player in the game this year (despite, ahem, missing that time).
All told, it seemed as good a time as any to ask you how he’s done so far in 2026 earlier this week, and all he did since I opened that poll was continue on his epic dinger streak while facing the two best teams in the sport (Milwaukee and the Dodgers). Unsurprisingly, I guess, you all think he’s been doing A-OK.
If anything, what’s notable here is that 44% of respondents think he’s somehow not been an A-grade player this season. Perhaps that’s them voting on a curve knowing that there’s still so much that Elly has yet to tap into in this, just his age-24 season, and only after he reaches those higher heights will we truly be able to give him an ‘A’ on his own standards.
Regardless, Cincinnati’s superstar shortstop is just that – a bona fide superstar in today’s game, and it seems he’s only now just busting out of his shell.
MLB Reacts is brought to you by FanDuel Sportsbook.
CORPUS CHRISTI, TX - JULY 26: Jackson Nezuh #35 of the Corpus Christi Hooks pitches during the game between the Amarillo Sod Poodles and the Corpus Christi Hooks at Whataburger Field on Saturday, July 26, 2025 in Corpus Christi, Texas. (Photo by Vanessa Buentello/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
Another day of minor league baseball is in the books. See the results below. Check out the previous day’s recap here.
AAA: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (71-69) lost 8-0 (BOX SCORE)
McPherson started for Sugar Land and allowed 4 runs over 1.2 innings. He was relieved by Nezuh who tossed 3.1 scoreless innings with 6 strikeouts. The bullpen allowed four runs late and the offense had a rough game as Sugar Land was shutout in the 8-0 loss.
Jackson Nezuh, RHP: 3.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 K
Kai-Wei Teng, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
Logan VanWey, RHP: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
Alimber Santa, RHP: 1.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (61-74) lost 5-3 (BOX SCORE)
Mancini started for the Hooks and allowed one run over 3 innings. The offense got on the board in the 5th on a Nunez groundout. Leach relieved Mancini but allowed 4 runs as the RockHounds took the lead. The offense got 2 runs back in the 6th on a Moss 2 run double but that was it as the Hooks fell 5-3.
Railin Perez, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
A+: Asheville Tourists (43-87) SEASON OVER
A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (2-0) won 8-1 (BOX SCORE)
The Woodpeckers got on the board in the first inning on a Durnin RBI single and Alvarez sac fly. They got another run in the second inning on a Flores RBI single. Beck got the start and went 4.2 innings allowing one run while striking out 5. The offense got another run in the 5th with an Alvarez walk. In the 6th the offense scored 3 runs on a Ramirez RBI triple, a steal of home and a Durnin RBI single. Tryon added an RBI double in the 7th. Verdugo was fantastic closing it out as he struck out 6 over 4.1 scoreless innings as the Woodpeckers swept the series 2-0.
Note: The Woodpeckers are moving on to the Championship Series!
TULSA, OK - SEPTEMBER 02: Josue De Paula #55 of the Tulsa Drillers celebrates with teammates after defeating the Wichita Wind Surge at ONEOK Field on Wednesday, September 2, 2026 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Photo by Sara Crosley/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
Good morning! Yesterday, the Los Angeles Dodgers called up their top prospect, Josue De Paula, as a replacement for Shohei Ohtani, who was placed on the IL due to injuries in both his knee and bicep and who is in danger of missing the playoffs.
De Paula’s promotion has Red Sox fans once again wondering whether Franklin Arias might make his debut before the end of the season, and, moreover, whether he might crack the postseason roster. De Paula, a Brooklyn native who is cousins with Stephon Marbury and Sebastian Telfair, is about 6 months older than Arias. But he had not yet progressed to AAA and arguably did not perform as well at AA as Arias did, slashing .293/.390/.528 to Arias’s .318/.407/.587 (2026 stats).
But while it’s easy to look at the two situations and applaud the Dodgers for appearing to be more aggressive with a lesser talent, we’re not dealing with an apples-to-apples comparison here. First, in order for Arias to be eligible for the postseason roster at this point he would have to be serving as an injury replacement for someone currently on the roster, as De Paula is. Second, De Paula is a defensively limited outfielder, and he is likely only going to be used as a DH/bench bat by the Dodgers.
In other words: the Dodgers had a hole and De Paula fills it, regardless of whether he’s actually ready to perform in the big leagues. That’s not necessarily the case with Arias. The Sox have plenty of middle infield options at the moment, and Curtis Mead may join those ranks soon. And while it may very well be true that Arias would already perform better than all of them, it’s impossible to say that for sure. No Red Sox fan who lived through the Kristian Campbell experience should blindly assume that Arias is going to take the big leagues by storm. And, of course, the impending lockout and the impact that would have on his development hangs over all of this.
And yet… man, Trevor Story can barely throw the ball across the diamond right now. I’m a baseball romantic, and the romantic move is to call up Arias. Argue for pragmatism all you want, but you’re a liar if you say a part of you doesn’t want to see Arias debut this month and then shine on into October.
Use this space to talk about De Paula, Arias, and whatever else you want and, as always, be good to one another.
There’s been some pandemonic nights at Optus Stadium, but nothing that could match this. Fremantle is through to a preliminary final after a semi of the highest quality and the utmost tension. It was simultaneously free-wheeling and nerve-jangling – both high scoring and high pressure. It activated Wharfie Time for just the second time this year, but it wasn’t really needed. The noise was cacophonous, the tension excruciating and the result ultimately just.
There was a period midway through the third term where it looked like Geelong might skip away with this game, just like they did against Carlton a week earlier, just as they have so many times in big games over the years. The spring-heeled Ollie Henry was marking everything, Dangerfield looked menacing, and their fleet of runners were finding space and carving the Dockers up. But if this Fremantle side is truly the one to re-write history, the time-on period in the third quarter will be one of the defining reference points. In particular, Luke Jackson and Andrew Brayshaw were pivotal in this period, blunting the Cats at centre square stoppages and surging the ball forward. They kicked four goals in seven minutes and from that point the game was on their terms.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - JULY 23: Second baseman Travis Bazzana #37 of the Cleveland Guardians waits for the throw as Royce Lewis #23 of the Minnesota Twins steals second during the eighth inning at Progressive Field on July 23, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Another day, another “Most Important Series of the Year So Far” as the Guardians arrive in Minneapolis.
The Guardians are 74-73 with a -16 run differential, since the trade deadline 14th in team wRC+ at 100, 23rd in baserunning runs above average at -0.9, sixth in Defense at 1.9, 22nd in starting pitcher ERA at 4.82 (4.30 FIP), and third in bullpen ERA at 2.86 (3.41 FIP).
The Twins are 69-77 with a -54 run differential, seventh in team wRC+ since the the trade deadline at 104, 11th in baserunning runs above average at 0.8, 25th in Defense at -9.8, 26th in starting pitcher ERA at 5.11 (4.38 FIP), and 24th in bullpen ERA at 4.37 (3.63 FIP).
What a disappointing year for the Twins as they actually bought at the deadline and didn’t trade Joe Ryan… only to fall apart again. Jerry-Seinfeld-That’s-A-Shame-Popcorn.GIF.
Matchups: Game One, Friday, 8:10PM ET: Messick, LHP 2.53 ERA vs. Bradley, RHP, 3.93 ERA Game Two is Saturday at 4:10PM ET and Game Three is Sunday at 2:10PM ET – Both teams have their starters listed as TBD at the moment. If usual plans proceed, it would be Gavin Williams vs. Bailey Ober on Saturday and Joey Cantillo vs. Joe Ryan on Sunday, but the Guardians have discussed getting an opener for Cantillo. The Twins are likely starting Ryan after an IL stint so he will be on a pitch limit, and may be considering a bullpen game on Saturday.
Since August 4th, the Twins are led by Luke Keaschall 150 wRC+, Josh Bell 138 wRC+, Austin Martin 137 wRC+, Alan Roden 130 wRC+, Ryan Jeffers 121 wRC+, Kody Clemens 118 wRC+, Kaelen Culpepper 112 wRC+ and Brooks Lee 108 wRC+.
Since the trade deadline, the Guardians have been led by Chase DeLauter 177 wRC+, Angel Martinez 132 wRC+, Steven Kwan 127 wRC+, Patrick Bailey 120 wRC+, and Jo Adell 104 wRC+. It would be great if Travis Bazzana continues his recent plate awakening.
The Twins are Murphy’s Lawed a bit lately, but this offense still has plenty of spunk. The Guardians need to come locked in and dedicated to get at least a series win and, preferably, a sweep to compensate for that disappoining finale in Baltimore. It’s been now or never time for a while, and it continues starting tonight,
SAN ANTONIO, TX - JUNE 13: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks drives to the basket during the game against the San Antonio Spurs during Game Five of the 2026 NBA Finals on June 13, 2026 at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE(Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant /NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Defending a championship changes the vibe during regular-season play. When the goal is to repeat a championship in June, Tuesday night games in February can feel like a formality. Nobody wants to overexert a key player in a meaningless game on the off chance that he’ll blow a hammy. However, Mike Brown’s offense, built for another deep playoff run, can’t help but generate eye-popping stats all season long.
Between the exploding scoreboards, higher possession counts, and New York’s elite playmakers and scorers, several Knicks records are suddenly at risk. Some of these benchmarks have survived nearly 40 years, while the ink for others is still wet in the books. A closer look at the roster and statistics suggests five specific franchise records could realistically fall this season. Let’s dive in.
Single-Season 30-Point Games
Current Record: 36 games – Richie Guerin (1961-1962), Patrick Ewing (1989-90), Jalen Brunson (2023-24)
2026-27 Season Target: 37 games
The current franchise mark for the most 30-point contest in a regular season is a three-way tie spanning three distinct eras of Knicks basketball. Richie Guerin established the benchmark during the fast-break pace of the early 1960s. Patrick Ewing matched it during his prime, dominating the post game-in and game-out while carrying the team on his broad shoulders and aching knees. Captain Jalen Brunson joined the two Hall of Famers two seasons ago during his rise to All-NBA status.
Of every record on this list, this one is the most wobbly. Brunson remains the undisputed engine of New York’s half-court offense, combining incredible footwork with elite basketball smarts.
In Mike Brown’s five-out system, defenses can no longer load up in the paint without leaving deadly perimeter shooters uncovered. Having Karl-Anthony Towns at center pulls defensive anchors 25 feet away from the basket, giving Brunson wider driving lanes, fewer double-teams, and access to his mid-range spots. Assuming he’ll be healthy all season (knock on wood and cross yourself), Brunson claiming sole possession of this record with 37-plus 30-point games feels more like a matter of when, not if.
Single-Game Scoring Record
Current Record: 62 points – Carmelo Anthony (January 24, 2014 vs. Charlotte Bobcats)
2026-27 Season Target: 63 points
First, a moment of silence for the Charlotte Bobcats. . . . Okay, we’re good to go.
Carmelo Anthony’s 62-point masterclass against Charlotte has stood untouched for 13 years. In a legendary isolation clinic, Melo shot 23-of-35 from the floor without recording a single assist or turnover. Surpassing a single-game point total like that requires the blend of crazy shot volume, incredible efficiency, (no small degree of selfishness,) and a game that’s competitive enough to keep starters on the floor late into the fourth quarter.
New York’s current roster is different because it features two distinct creators who can completely go off in a single game. Brunson already came within a single point of the record, dropping 61 points on 47 shot attempts against the Spurs in March 2024. Meanwhile, Towns brings a personal career-high of 62 points from his time in Minnesota, with an outside stroke that can cause box score chaos. If Towns hits six or seven early threes while dominating the glass, or if Brunson takes over a high-paced track meet, Carmelo’s iconic record could melt like a stick of butter on a sunny afternoon.
Single Season Team 3-Pointers
Current Record: 1,168 made three-pointers (2025-26)
2026-27 Season Target: 1,169 made three-pointers
New York set a new record last season, draining 1,168 three-pointers. And Mike Brown’s Knicks are just getting started.
Brown’s scheme relies heavily on five-out principles that are designed to distort perimeter coverage. With movement shooters on the bench (Shamet, McBride, and occasionally Alvarado and Clarkson), the sheer volume of perimeter attempts is bound to increase. Averaging roughly 14 made threes a game across a full schedule, and thereby breaking their own team record for a second straight season, seems like the natural trajectory for this squad.
Individual Single Season 3-Pointers
Current Record: 283 made three-pointers – Donte DiVincenzo (2023-24 season)
2026-27 Season Target: 284 made three-pointers
When Donte DiVincenzo poured in 283 three-pointers during his lone full season with the Knicks, he shattered Evan Fournier’s previous mark of 241, setting an incredible bar for perimeter volume. Reaching that total requires a player to average roughly 3.5 made threes per game while appearing in almost every matchup.
DiVincenzo and Fournier are long gone, but the team has redistributed the heavy perimeter workload across its primary offensive tools. Both Towns and Brunson shoot near 40% from beyond the arc and often get the green light in Brown’s system. If KAT maintains a high-volume, trailing-center role in transition, or if Cap takes even more off-dribble pull-up jumpers, DiVo’s record could easily be squashed before the season’s end.
Single Season Point Total
Current Record: 2,347 points – Patrick Ewing (1989-90 season)
2026-27 Season Target: 2,348 points
Ewing’s 1989-90 campaign remains the ultimate test of single-season scoring in franchise history. Piling up 2,347 total points, Ewing averaged 28.6 points per contest and played all 82 games. Obviously, the big fella served as the team’s primary generator and carried most of the load that year.
Surpassing Ewing’s record is hands-down the most grueling challenge on this list of beatable benchmarks. Per-game averages mean little if a player misses games due to load management or minor injury, so any absence from the floor will interrupt the scoring pace needed to top Patrick.
Across 77 appearances in 2023-24, Brunson recorded 2,212 points, which put him within spitting distance of the record. To beat out Ewing, Jalen would need to maintain a scoring average north of 28 points per game, while playing in at least 80 contests. Requiring a combination of elite offensive production and availability, the 2,348 points in a season is the hardest to crack, and as Jalen enters his thirties, Coach Brown is likely to play Jalen for shorter stints in unimportant games, to preserve him for the offseason. Still, it is mathematically within reach.
Some franchise records are so incredible that they’re unlikely to be toppled, given the changes in play-style, rules, and rosters over time. However, Mike Brown’s team, based on a high-volume, high-efficiency attack, is not your father’s Knicks. In the 1995-96 season, the ‘Bockers averaged 97.2 points per game and attempted 1,285 three-pointers; thirty years later, they averaged 116.5 PPG and took 3,133 threes. And that’s not even top-five in the league! (The Warriors tried 3,616.) With the firepower currently employed at MSG, some of these historical benchmarks are truly at risk.
Which records do you think will fall this year? Talk about it below!
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - SEPTEMBER 10: Jacob deGrom #48 of the Texas Rangers reacts during the fifth inning against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on September 10, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Jack Compton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Sep 5, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Athletics starting pitcher Jeffrey Springs (59) reacts following a double play against the Seattle Mariners during the seventh inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Welcome to Thursday A’s fans!
We got a brand new series on tap as the A’s welcome division rival Seattle Mariners to town for three games. Seattle is falling in the standings fast and has to be in panic and desperation mode right now. They can’t afford to drop a single game to the Athletics this weekend. That means they’ll be all tense and tight with the pressure of the playoffs bearing on them. The A’s meanwhile don’t have that expectation of a much-needed win. We can play care free and mess with the Mariners all we want. We’re playing with house money and any wins are gravy, especially against a division foe.
The pitching matchups this weekend are set beginning with tonight’s rematch between lefty Jeffrey Springs and righty George Kirby. Springs is in the final stretch of his A’s tenure as the flyball pitcher has made it known he doesn’t think his style of play is conducive to the Athletics’ current home ballpark. He’s not wrong as his ERA on the road is 4.76 compared to the 7.18 mark at Sutter Health. The 33-year-old just saw these guys last time out, firing seven shutout innings with just a pair of hits and walks allowed. That was in Seattle however and this’ll be in his home ballpark. Which Springs will show up tonight? If his season is any indication the A’s bats will have to show up tonight.
Kirby is going to be a tough task for them. The right-hander is in the midst of a solid if unspectacular campaign, sporting a 4.18 ERA through 27 starts. He hasn’t reached the peaks that the M’s envisioned for him when they made him a first round pick seven years ago but he’s settled into a reliable arm for them nonetheless. His most recent start, against our A’s, was the epitome of Kirby as he provided Seattle with nearly seven full frames and three earned runs allowed in a loss. It’s the reverse for Kirby compared to Springs: he’s pitched very well at home but struggles a bit on the road. Oh yea, expect a high scoring game tonight.
Saturday will be another righty-versus-lefty matchup as the Athletics have young southpaw Gage Jump getting the ball for the 20th time this year. The rookie has seen the highs and lows that come with pitching at the big league level and he’s being given runway to work through those issues, which he’s having plenty of recently. The experience he’s getting right now, in these exact type of games, is going to be the building blocks of the future success he’s going to have helping get this squad back to October baseball.
Jump will be opposed by right-hander Bryan Woo. Now wrapping up his fourth season, Woo has been a lot like Kirby in that he’s been reliable to pitch every five days. But like Kirby he’s been more of a mid to backend type of pitcher this season. The 26-year-old has a solid 4.03 ERA but again, those home/road splits are crazy to look at. When pitching in Seattle he’s almost an ace with a 2.36 ERA, but on the road his 5.63 ERA makes him look more like a quadruple-A pitcher. He’s probably not looking forward to pitching in Sacramento.
Then we wrap the series and homestand on Sunday with a Jacob Lopez versus Bryce Miller matchup. Lopez has come all the way back from the lows he experience this summer to be one of the best pitchers over the past couple of months. The lefty has pitched himself back into the A’s plans for the offseason. Whether it’s been enough to guarantee him a rotation job or be more of a depth piece is something the front office will have to decide but for now he’s doing all he can to be a rotation front-runner next spring. He had his first hiccup since rejoining the rotation in his last start where he allowed four runs to the Blue Jays. Hopefully teams aren’t beginning to figure him out with winter around the corner.
Miller meanwhile missed the first month of the year due to injury and that might have thrown him off all year. He started strong enough but has faded back here down the stretch, part of why Seattle has too. He’s 0-4 over his past seven starts with a sky-high 7.22 ERA during that span. It’s going to be a long day at the ballpark all weekend and don’t expect that to change for Miller on Sunday.
And while most of the focus on tonight will be on the A’s versus Mariners, today also marks the 25th anniversary of the 2001 attacks in New York. While the people that perpetrated that disaster sought to tear us apart baseball was one of the things that helped Americans come together during a difficult time. Today we should all remember those feelings of unity to remember those lost on that day.
First pitch is at 6:40. Who’s ready for a win to start our weekend?
Hearing that a number of members of the A's minor league staff were let go today. People in the organization seem reluctant to talk about it, but someone said it seems to have come from "the top" (wherever that is right now) and referred to it as a "purge."
Some A's minor league staff who've been let go: MiLB Hit Crdntr Todd Takayoshi, Asst Pitch Crdntr Craig Lefferts, Pitch Rehab Cdntr Bryan Corey, Catch Crdntr Gabe Ortiz, OF Crdntr Kevin Kuntz, Lansing Hit coach Ron Witmeyer,ACL A's coaches Craig Conklin/Ruben Escalera/John Foster https://t.co/SFLa4rttyZ
Jackson Finley is heading to Vegas. Super underrated RHP. 2.77 ERA, 1.253 whip and 51 Ks across 48.2 innings in 12 AA starts. Rule 5 elig this winter. 2023 8th rounder out of GT.
➡️The whole A's pitching staff has 4.28 ERA & 3.99 FIP (ranking 16th (& 9th) in MLB). ➡️The A’s bullpen with a 2.81 ERA (ranking 5th in MLB) while recording a league-leading 7 saves!
The Toronto Blue Jays return home tonight with a chance to gain ground in the Wild Card race, and my Orioles vs. Blue Jays predictions believe they're in prime position to pick up another win as -125 favorites.
Read on for my free MLB picks for this Friday, Sept. 11 matchup, with first pitch set for 7:07 p.m. ET at Rogers Centre.
Orioles vs Blue Jays predictions
Orioles vs Blue Jays best bet: Blue Jays moneyline (-125)
The Toronto Blue Jays have a clear opportunity to create separation against another club hanging around the playoff picture in the Baltimore Orioles tonight.
Toronto gets a favorable matchup against Chris Bassitt, who carries a 4.96 ERA and has struggled badly with left-handed hitters. Southpaws are hitting .322 against him, and eight of the nine home runs he's allowed have come from that side.
He has also been far worse away from Baltimore, posting a 6.43 ERA and 1.786 WHIP in nine road appearances.
Max Scherzer’s 6.03 season ERA is ugly, but his recent form has been considerably more encouraging (3.60 ERA last seven starts), and he doesn’t need to be vintage against a Baltimore lineup that has cooled off (28th by OPS in September).
Toronto has several left-handed bats capable of exploiting Bassitt, and I prefer backing the Jays outright at a manageable -125 rather than asking them to cover the run line. Play to -140.
I’m leaning into a Toronto-friendly offensive game without asking either lineup to completely explode. The Blue Jays moneyline anchors the ticket, while dropping the total to Over 7.5 gives us breathing room if Toronto does most of the scoring.
Nathan Lukes completes the parlay, and his matchup with Bassitt is the main attraction. Lukes is batting .294 with a .422 slugging percentage against right-handed pitching, and with lefties hitting .322 against Bassitt, he has a realistic path to cashing with either two singles or one extra-base hit.
Orioles vs Blue Jays SGP
Blue Jays moneyline
Over 7.5
Nathan Lukes Over 1.5 total bases
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Orioles vs Blue Jays home run pick: Jesus Sanchez (+675)
Jesus Sanchez is my favorite longshot on Toronto’s home run board because his power profile lines up perfectly with Bassitt’s biggest weakness. Bassitt has allowed eight of his nine home runs to left-handed hitters, and just one home run to a right-handed hitter all season, which makes Sanchez’s handedness an especially important part of the matchup.
Sanchez has also done his best work at home, batting .279 with a .522 slugging percentage and seven home runs in 136 at-bats at Rogers Centre.
The +675 price gives us considerably more upside than Toronto’s more obvious power bats. At this number, I’m comfortable taking a quarter-unit shot on the left-handed bat with the clearest matchup advantage.
2026 Transparency Record
Best bets: 16-16, -0.37 units
SGPs: 3-30, -4.56 units
HR picks: 4-28, -2.13 units
Orioles vs Blue Jays odds
Moneyline: Baltimore +105 | Toronto -125
Run line: Baltimore +1.5 | Toronto -1.5
Over/Under: Over 8 | Under 8
Orioles vs Blue Jays trend
The Blue Jays own a .625 win percentage since July 23 (25-15), tied for the best mark in the American League during that period. Find more MLB betting trends for Orioles vs. Blue Jays.
How to watch Orioles vs Blue Jays and game info
Location
Rogers Centre, Toronto, ON
Date
Friday, Sept. 11, 2026
First pitch
7:07 p.m. ET
TV
Sportsnet
Orioles starting pitcher
Chris Bassitt (6-5, 4.96 ERA)
Blue Jays starting pitcher
Max Scherzer (2-7, 6.03 ERA)
Orioles vs Blue Jays latest injuries
Orioles vs Blue Jays weather
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.
Fight offers revealing snapshot of boxers once facing uncertain futures after positive drug tests now vying for a welterweight world championship
Four years ago Conor Benn’s career was thrown into limbo after two positive drug tests scuppered his blockbuster fight with Chris Eubank Jr. Two years ago Ryan Garcia was serving a one-year suspension after testing positive for ostarine at the time of his greatest victory.
On Saturday night they will each be rewarded with an eight-figure payday when they meet at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas for Garcia’s WBC welterweight championship. The purses have not been disclosed, although reports have put the combined pot at around $30m (£22m) with each fighter expected to haul in roughly $15m.
The Phillies lost Thursday, so now the Cubs trail them by one game for the top wild card spot. Both teams have 15 games remaining. As you know, the Cubs have the tiebreaker.
Oh, yes, the Pirates. They just completed a sweep of the White Sox on the South Side, holding them to just five runs in the three games. Since Aug. 24 the Pirates are 11-4, the best record in MLB. The Cubs are 6-10 since then.
For more on the Pirates, here’s Austin Bechtold, a writer at our SB Nation Pirates site Bucs Dugout.
Don’t look now, but the Pirates are getting hot at the right time.
It’s been an uphill battle for the Bucs to erase a sizable deficit in the National League Wild Card race, but the team is looking to make this a September to remember.
The Pirates have won four games in a row and their last five series after sweeping the White Sox on the south side. They are over .500 for the first time since July 29.
Pittsburgh has won eight of its last 10 games and only the Dodgers (seven in a row) are hotter than the Bucs.
So what’s standing in their way? Shōta Imanaga, who pitches like 2025 second half Jake Arrieta against the Pirates… but better.
In 38 career innings facing Pittsburgh, Imanaga has allowed only one run for a staggering 0.24 ERA. He is the Pirates version of kryptonite despite having a season ERA of 3.92.
The Pirates placed All-Star Braxton Ashcraft on the 15-day injured list on Thursday with right arm discomfort and so he won’t start against the Cubs on Friday.
Wilber Dotel will begin the game, but this will likely become a bullpen game. Khristian Curtis and recently recalled Antwone Kelly are also available to pitch in bulk roles.
Refining Cy Young honoree Paul Skenes starts on Saturday against former Pirate Clay Holmes, who was acquired from the Mets at the trade deadline. Holmes owns a 3.51 ERA through his first six starts with the Cubs.
Bubba Chandler gets the ball opposite Matthew Boyd, on Sunday in the series finale.
The Pirates are 4.5 games back of the San Diego Padres for the final wild card with only 15 games left. It still feels like a nearly impossible feat for the Pirates to accomplish and dug themselves too deep of a hole after being six games under .500 on both August 13 and 23.
Oneil Cruz drove in both runs on Thursday, including a solo home run hit 117.4 miles per hour as the hardest-hit home run of the season.
Since returning to the team on August 18 after missing two months with a hand injury, Cruz is batting .315 with a .404 slugging percentage, four homers, and 18 runs batted in.
Konnor Griffin returned last weekend and first baseman/right fielder Ryan O’Hearn might be back this weekend.
The arrow is pointing up for the Pirates, but the rival Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers are waiting for them. It may be too little too late for the Pirates as their race to the postseason continues to take full shape.
Fun facts
From June 8, 2018, through June 15, 2023, the Cubs were 31-10 at home against the Pirates, including six sweeps, one of four games. Since then, they are just 9-11 and never have won the first two games.
The Cubs dropped two of three in April, losing by 2-0 and 4-3 before winning, 7-6. Since the rivalry began, in 1887, the Cubs are 691-607 at home vs. the Pirates.
They have played more regular-season games against the Pirates, 2,631, than against any opponent. The second most are 2,539 vs. the Cardinals, then 2,439 vs. the Reds.
The Cubs have a .505 winning percentage vs. the Reds and .511 vs. the Cards. But they are .494 vs. the Pirates: 1,291 wins, 1,322 losses and 18 ties. Their wins are the most vs. another team, by four over the Cards. Their losses are the most, too, by 89 over the Cards.
Friday: 1:20 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network, MLB Network (outside the Cubs and Pirates market territories)
Saturday: 1:20 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network
Sunday: 1:20 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network
Prediction
If the Cubs don’t win at least two of three here, their postseason chances are in trouble. And especially with Braxton Ashcraft out and the Pirates using an opener Friday, and with the Cubs’ past success against Skenes, I think they can do that.
Up next
The Cubs host the Atlanta Braves in a three-game series at Wrigley Field beginning Monday evening.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JULY 13: Cody Bellinger #35, Juan Soto #22 of the New York Mets, Cam Schlittler #31 and Ben Rice #22 of the New York Yankees pose for a photo during MLB All-Star Week at Citizens Bank Park on Monday, July 13, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The New York Mets (68-78) look to build upon their recent success as they return to New York to battle the New York Yankees (84-62) in Round Two of the Subway Series. The Mets took two out of three games in the Citi Field edition back in May, with New York winning that dramatic Sunday game after Tyrone Taylor tied it with a three-run home run with two outs in the ninth inning.
The Mets dug themselves out of the National League East cellar for the first time since late May thanks to a three-game sweep of the Marlins, paired with the Nationals getting swept by the Padres. The Mets flexed their muscle, scoring 31 runs on 39 hits across the three-game sweep, which included a see-saw 15-14 win on Wednesday night, as well as a 9-4 victory on Labor Day and a 7-5 win on Tuesday. In each game, the Mets built big leads, and in each of them they allowed the Marlins to creep back in, but they were able to hold down the fort to secure three W’s. The most dramatic was Wednesday’s series finale, when the Mets grew their lead to 8-0 before Miami came all the way back to tie it up. The Mets put up a six-spot immediately after the Marlins’ equalizer, punctuated by Francisco Lindor’s three-run homer. The Marlins tried to climb back but fell one run short.
The Mets’ offensive heater has extended beyond just the series against the Marlins. Dating back to their 10-6 win against the Rays on September 2, they have put up at least nine runs in four of their last seven games, and their 60 runs during that span are the most in MLB. Meanwhile, they’ve collected the third-most home runs (14) and fourth-most hits (74) since September 2. Their 133 wRC+ is the best among all teams this month, and beyond that, they have the fourth-best BB% (10.7%) and K% (17.5%) among major league teams, so it’s been a really positive offensive showing all around for a team with little to play for beyond pride and proving themselves heading into 2027.
Brett Baty unfortunately exited the team’s last game with a knee injury—no word yet on if he will need to miss any time—because before exiting, he was on a real hater. Mired in another uneven season, Baty has contributed hits in six straight games, going 6-for-14 during the streak with three doubles, two homers, and a team-high 10 runs driven in. During that span, he leads the club with a 289 wRC+ and 0.5 fWAR. A.J. Ewing, following a long stretch without a run batted in, has broken out in a big way, posting a 226 wRC+ and 0.5 fWAR since September 2 while driving in seven runs and picking up 11 hits in 23 at-bats. The youngster has looked better at the plate to go along with his typically-stellar defensive play. Carson Benge, on the other hand, has struggled during the past week, picking up just five hits in his last 27 at-bats since September 2 while sporting a team-worst 72 wRC+, though his defense thankfully has not faltered. However, this ill-timed poor stretch could hurt him in the NL Rookie of the Year race.
Bo Bichette has been, unsurprisingly, hot during the month of September as well. Since the calendar turned to September, he’s hitting .313/.421/.531 with a 167 wRC+ (third on the club_, two homers, six runs scored, seven runs batted in, and 0.5 fWAR (tied with Ewing for the team best in September). It would be stunning to think back in April or May that Bichette’s incredible performance would be ‘unsurprising’ given how much he struggled in the first couple of months in New York. I suppose it would be unsurprising given his career success, but we have seen New York chew up and spit out plenty of great players in their prime.
Bichette, thankfully, has figured things out. Since June 3, Bichette is hitting .305/.351/.474 with 11 homers, 45 runs batted in, 43 runs scored, a 128 wRC+, and 2.3 fWAR (tops on the team). If we zoom out a bit, his wRC+ is 21st among the 80 qualified NL batters during that stretch, and his .825 OPS is 22nd. His offensive surge has helped push his SLG to right around .400 and get his wRC+ to 99, which is well below his career norm but much better than we could have reasonable expected in May. With an opt out looming, Bichette’s decision will pave the way for the team’s offseason strategy, though he still seems quite likely to opt in.
The Yankees enter this series coming off a dominant sweep of the Rockies, which helped bring them to within three games of the Rays in the American League East race. The Yankees have been chasing the Rays since June 28, when Tampa Bay took over first in the AL East ‘for good’, and they have fallen as far bas as 6.5 games back on August 15. However, with their pitching, and the return of Aaron Judge, they seem primed to make a move in the waning weeks of the regular season. The Bronx Bombers do have a commanding 10.5 game lead in the AL Wild Card, four games clear of the Red Sox for the second Wild Card spot, so they figure to, at worst, have a home playoff series to kick things off if they can’t surpass the Rays.
Ben Rice continues to put up an MVP-caliber season for the Yankees, with 36 homers, 91 runs scored, and 88 runs batted in over 140 games. He leads the club with a 141 wRC+ and an .866 OPS and is third with 3.3 fWAR. Meanwhile, the big news is the return of Judge, who has gone 2-for-7 in three games since his return. He missed 99 games, which unfortunately will prevent him from winning a third straight AL MVP award, but he’s a huge addition to the team’s lineup right before the playoffs, and should make them as formidable as any team in the majors as they look for their first World Series title since 2009. But the Yankees will go as far as their pitching takes them. Their rotation is fearsome, sporting the best ERA (3.30) and FIP (3.62) in MLB, and the Mets will get a first-hand look this weekend while facing three of their four top starters.
Friday, September 11: Nolan McLean vs. Carlos Rodón, 7:05 PM EDT on WPIX
McLean picked up his second straight win after limiting the Giants to two earned runs over six innings back on September 4. He allowed six hits and walked four while striking out seven, his highest total since striking out eight Guardians hitters back on August 6. Over his last five dating back to August 11, he has gone 31 innings and allowed five runs (four earned) on 16 hits, with 23 strikeouts and 17 walks, as he continues to bolster his case for NL Rookie of the Year.
Rodón’s season has been plagued by injuries, which has derailed any long-term success. His year began in May after he missed a little over month recovering from offseason elbow surgery, and then he missed over a month with left elbow inflammation. He has been limited to under 90 pitches in each of his four starts since returning on August 18, though he has been pretty solid in his four outings. In those games, he’s pitched a total 17 2/3 innings and allowed six runs (five earned) on nine hits, with 18 strikeouts and eight walks. The Yankees have won three of those four starts. Rodón made his second start of the year against the Mets and picked up a loss after allowing three runs (two earned) on three hits over 3 2/3 innings at Citi Field on May 16.
Saturday, September 12: Zach Thornton vs. Gerrit Cole, 1:35 PM EDT on SNY
Thornton endured his roughest start at the major league level against the Giants, as he surrendered a career-worst four home runs after allowing seven across his first 11 outings. He was charged with six earned runs on seven hits over five innings, and he struck out six while walking one. As a result, his ERA jumped by over a half-run. Prior to this start, he had been charged with nine earned runs over his last 27 innings spanning five starts.
Cole has not quite been ‘vintage Cole’ since returning from Tommy John Surgery, but he’s been a big help to the team’s rotation, and a welcome addition after missing the first two months of the year. In his last start, he picked up the loss after allowing four earned runs on six hits over seven innings against the Padres. Like Thornton, he was tagged for four home runs (a season high) after serving up 13 home runs across his first 18 appearances in 2026. Cole has been really good about limiting free passes this year, making him a tough pitcher to face. Among starters with at least 100 innings under their belt, his 4.9% BB% is the fifth-best mark in the majors, trailing Nick Martinez, Tarik Skubal, Drew Rasmussen, and Chris Sale.
Sunday, September 13: Christian Scott vs. Cam Schlittler, 1:35 PM EDT on SNY
Scott had a solid outing against the Giants, allowing two earned runs on four hits over 4 2/3 innings pitched. After walking nine batters across his last two starts, he made a big improvement by not walking anybody in his outing against San Francisco. He also struck out seven and threw 69% of his 80 pitches for strikes, which is his best percentage in quite a bit. It was an encouraging start after he allowed three earned runs or more in each of his five August starts.
Schlittler enters play on Sunday as the odds-on favorite to win the AL Cy Young Award. His 2.04 ERA is tops among AL starters, while his 2.62 FIP trails just Dylan Cease, who represents his stiffest competition for the baseball’s top pitching honor. He also leads all AL starters with 6.7 bWAR. He is coming off a dominant outing against the Rockies in which he limited Colorado to one earned run on three hits while striking out 10 over seven innings. Prior to that, he went eight innings against the Angels and allowed one earned run on two hits with nine strikeouts. After walking five in his start against the Red Sox on August 28, he has not issued a free pass in either of his previous two outings, and he’s generally pretty stingy with walks—his 6.2% BB% is tied for sixth among qualified AL starters. He also does not surrender a lot of homers, as his 0.79 HR/9 is third among qualified AL starters.
Jun 7, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson (2) misses a tag on Toronto Blue Jays second baseman Ernie Clement (22) for a fielding error in the sixth inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Of the 15 games left on the Orioles 2026 schedule, six of them are against these Blue Jays. That’s helpful because if the O’s are going to beat the odds and make a last-ditch run for the playoffs, they need to leap-frog the Jays in the standings before chasing down the Guardians team that they just took two out of three games from.
These two teams have not faced off since early June, when they finished playing one another seven times in a 10-game span. They split the series in Baltimore, and then the Jays took two of three in Toronto. Since then, both teams have had their ups and downs.
Toronto enters the series in the midst of a sudden cold patch. They’ve lost three of their last four against the Royals and Athletics. But that comes right after an impressive 23-12 stretch that lasted from late July through last weekend. So either this past week was a blip amidst a torrid run into the postseason, or it was a sudden downturn that will dash the hopes of the defending AL champs.
The Blue Jays have been one of the league’s best pitching staffs in the second half of the season. They have a 3.51 collective ERA, which ranks fifth in MLB. Both the rotation and the bullpen have been Top 10 units since the all-star break. Louis Varland has continued with his standout season at the back of the bullpen, compiling a 1.54 ERA in that stretch. Tyler Rogers, Spencer Miles, Mason Fluharty, and Paul Sewald all have ERAs of 2.05 or better in the second half as well.
The offense, on the other hand, has struggled. Toronto has averaged 3.86 runs per game in the second half. For comparison, the Orioles, who frustrate us all to no end, have averaged 4.28 in that same time.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (78 wRC+ in second half) has hit just two home runs since the break and has only eight on the year. Andrés Giménez (89 wRC+) and Ernie Clement (54 wRC+) have also struggled. George Springer (129 wRC+), however, has been as reliable as ever. Josh Smith (173 wRC+) has shown to be a great deadline addition, Alejandro Kirk (141 wRC+) has stepped up, and Kazuma Okamoto leads the team with eight second-half homers.
We won’t see several familiar names in this series due to injury. Trey Yesavage had meniscus surgery in August and is still building back up. Shane Bieber is dealing with teres major inflammation. Old friend Anthony Santander is yet to play this year due to labral surgery, but is currently on a rehab assignment. And Luis Urías, younger brother of old friend Ramón, is dealing with a quad strain that may keep him out for the rest of the year.
Game 1: Friday, September 11th, 7:07 p.m., MASN
RHP Chris Bassitt (6-5, 4.96 ERA) vs. RHP Max Scherzer (2-7, 6.03 ERA)
Bassitt has given the Orioles exactly what they hoped to get out of him ever since being activated off the IL a few weeks ago. In that time he has made five starts and has a 4.34 ERA while averaging nearly six innings per start. It’s steady and dependable stuff from the veteran. His last time to the mound against the Red Sox saw hime with his best velocity of the season and a whiff rate to match. You would imagine he wants to keep that trend going here against his former club.
The 42-year-old Scherzer has been limited to 62.2 innings this season due to ankle inflammation in late April and then back spasms suffered in mid June. Since being re-activated at the end of July, the future Hall of Famer has been quite good. Over eight starts he has a 3.76 ERA/3.96 across 40.2 innings in which he has struck out 34 and walked 16. His season ERA has dropped from 10.23 to 6.03 now.
Game 2: Saturday, September 12th, 6:10 p.m., MASN
Kyle Bradish (7-13, 3.91 ERA) vs. TBD
August (.510 SLG) and September (.528) have seen Bradish post the worst slugging numbers against of his season. He has allowed six home runs across 34 home runs. And has been noted many times, his strikeout rates are coming down. The righty was striking out 10.1 per nine innings back in June. In the three months since that number has been 6.5, 6.8, and 7.0. Maybe he will get a little extra juice on what will be his 30th birthday.
This would be Spencer Arrighetti’s turn in the rotation for Toronto, but he struggle in his most recent outing (4.2 innings, six runs, six hits, three walks, three strikeouts), so they may opt for another option, or perhaps an opener.
Game 3: Sunday, September 13th, 1:37 p.m., MASN
LHP Trevor Rogers (10-9, 4.15 ERA) vs. TBD
A switch flipped for Rogers going into June. Since the start of that month he has a 2.88 ERA/2.78 FIP over 103 innings. His last start against Cleveland was his longest of the year. Over 7.1 innings he allowed on run on six hits, six strikeouts, and no walks. At this point, the southpaw would be silly to not test the open market. He may not have the longest track record, but his last two seasons here in Baltimore have been darn impressive.
Dylan Cease, who is in the mix for AL Cy Young, would be on turn to start. But it’s possible that with the off day prior to this series that Toronto could try to move him up to Saturday on normal rest to see if they can get their ace into as many games as possible down the stretch. In either case it won’t be an ideal matchup for the Orioles offense.
How many games do you think the Orioles will win in this series? Let us know in the comments.
COLUMBUS, GA - MAY 01: Drue Hackenberg #15 of the Columbus Clingstones pitches during the game between the Biloxi Shuckers and the Columbus Clingstones at Synovus Park on Thursday, May 1, 2025 in Columbus, Georgia. (Photo by Natalie Buchanan/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
Drue Hackenberg put up his best start of the season, throwing eight innings of one-run ball for the second straight outing while striking out nine hitters. Hackenberg has been dominant in his time in Columbus this season, and led the team to another win over the Biscuits thanks to his improved slider. David McCabe hit a home run in Gwinnett to reach 20 for the first time in his career, and Jim Jarvis reached base safely four times in the Stripers blowout win. Garrett Baumann also had an impressive day, but a drop in velocity clouded what was an otherwise successful day across the system.
Garrett Baumann, SP: 5 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, 7.48 ERA
An explosive offensive performance sparked a smooth and easy ride to a Stripers win, and gave Garrett Baumann plenty of cushion to work with to get through five easy innings. Jim Jarvis started this one off by hitting one off of the base of the wall in left field for a triple, though with as poorly as the ball was played by the left fielder it probably would be an out in most cases. Nevertheless a hit on the stat sheet, and one pitch late he scampered home on a wide slider to the backstop to give Gwinnett the early lead. David McCabe put the exclamation point on a three-run first inning with a 410-foot smash – his 20th this season in just 72 games played. In the top of the second inning the Stripers loaded the bases after Jim Jarvis’s one-out walk, and yet another wild pitch brought home the fourth run of the game. That was followed by a double that Lizandro Espinoza slapped the other way, just keeping it fair down the right field line, and two runs scored to make it 6-0 in favor of Gwinnett. Rowdy Tellez followed that with another double to score Espinoza, and with a 7-0 lead the Stripers hit the cruise control down the stretch. Jarvis kept adding on to his line in the early innings of the game, with a fly ball off of the warning track in the third inning driving in the next Gwinnett run and putting him on for the third time in as many innings. Gwinnett hit the ball harder than normal this game, and Jordan Groshans in particular had two hard hit singles and three hard hit balls overall.
Garrett Baumann pitched well on the scoresheet in this game, but he left after only 71 pitches and his velocity was down significantly. His hardest pitch of the day was 94.9 mph, which is lower than his average velocity in six of his nine Triple-A starts prior to this game, and in total he averaged only 92.1 mph on four seam fastballs and sinkers (actually lower due to some being miscategorized as sliders) this game which is a full two mph lower than his last start which was tied for his previous low in velocity. He threw three fastballs in the fifth inning at 89.2 mph, 90.0 mph, and 90.0 mph and though he did finish the inning strong with a couple of whiffs and a strikeout that was the end of his road. That’s a small sample but more than 4 mph below his baseline for the fifth inning and beyond in games this year and in spite of a good game that has to raise some alarm bells. Baumann also had by far his lowest spin rate on fastballs in this game, though otherwise this way a good outing for him. He did a great job commanding his fastball and his splitter and those pitches were effective, but that’s overshadowed by such a significant change in his velocity. His slider also showed a similar velocity drop compared to his baseline, though his splitter was within his prior range of velocities. Baumann is at a career high in innings pitch, so fatigue could be a factor here, but it’s definitely something to watch closely to close the season.
Drue Hackenberg, SP: 8 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 9 K, 0.96 ERA
Drue Hackenberg is still trying to make a successful transition to Triple-A, but when he is in Columbus he pitches lights out and was at his best all year on Thursday. It took five innings for the Biscuits to scratch together a hit off of Hackenberg, and when they did it wasn’t convincing contact though they were able to force home a run with a couple of well-placed grounders. Three of Montgomery’s four hits were infield singles, and Hackenberg never lost his momentum even when he had some bad luck on batted balls. Hackenberg was in his best form with his slider — biting, located off of the plate, and consistently kept low — and Biscuits hitters couldn’t lay off of it. He had success with right handed hitters primarily due to that being his go-to pitch this game, but even the left-handed batters struggled at times when he got it on their back foot. Hackenberg isn’t meaningfully throwing the ball in the strike zone more often at Double-A, so he may not be able to repeat his success once he gets another shot at Gwinnett, but in terms of finding a consistent swing-and-miss pitch his slider has developed into that. Early in his career it was his best pitch but one he couldn’t get around the strike zone enough (except in rare breakout games like his 16 strikeout performance in 2024) but he’s throwing it harder with a a shorter break and that changed has allowed him to command it just well enough to make it effective. At his best Hackenberg is an outstanding pitcher, but the consistency for him is coming so slowly and the flashes aren’t common enough to think that’s who he is or even could be.
It wasn’t going to take much offense to beat the Biscuits this game, and the Clingstones lineup top-to-bottom gave them enough to take the win. It was a quiet game for John Gil at the top of the lineup, as in his first three at bats he made three quick outs without hard contact and was in jeopardy of losing his hitting streak late in this game. He came up in a 2-1 game with a couple of runners on base in the seventh inning, and that was when he finally made himself known. He hid a hard liner through the left side of the infield to drive in two insurance runs for Columbus, and that extended his hitting streak to 13 games. He then stole second and third base, putting him at an even 60 stolen bases on the season. That gave him the system lead in stolen bases, and with Patrick Clohisy on the shelf he is likely to finish at the leader at the end of the year while also being efficient with only ten caught stealing. Eric Hartman had a two-outcome evening, drawing two walks and stealing two bases but striking out in his other three plate appearances. Hartman was able to maintain an acceptable strikeout pace in his first month at Double-A, but in his past six games he has struck out three times in four of those, and it’s no surprise that he only has two hits and no extra base hits in his past nine games. Hartman has drawn his fair share of walks in that span to keep some threat on pitchers, but he’s hitting the point where he’s not going to get many fastballs to hit and he needs to adjust to improve his results on secondaries.
COVERS INTEL: Lefties are batting 
