29 November 2023, Baden-Württemberg, Stuttgart: One of the two naked-nosed wombats explores the new enclosure at Wilhelma. After a two-month acclimatization period, the two marsupials can now be seen by visitors. They are three and a half years old and come from a zoo in Budapest and a zoo in Tasmania. Photo: Franziska Kraufmann/dpa (Photo by Franziska Kraufmann/picture alliance via Getty Images)
Not the strongest of posts, but better than none. Here’s the latest I’ve gathered from across the interwebs in the past few days. Enjoy and comment!
Karl-Anthony Towns is making it clear one championship has only increased his appetite for another.
“I’m hungrier than ever to get the second one—I’ve said before, I’ll do anything to win that first one. If I was willing to do whatever it took to get the first one, what do you think I’m going to do for the second one?
“This was the first year where I was like, I’m going to put this in God’s hands. I’m going to work, of course, but I’m not going to stress about the things I can’t control.”
Josh Hart and the Knicks are expected to find common ground on an extension, The Athletic’s James L. Edwards III believes, and projects said “common ground” to be in the $60-to-$62 million ballpark. For now, Hart will make $20.9 million next season (he’s got a $22.4 million team option for 2027-28).
Hart and Jalen Brunson are taking the “Roommates Show” to a significantly bigger stage following the Knicks’ championship. Among those expected to appear on it: Jose Alvarado, Mariska Hargitay, Jimmy Fallon, Spike Lee and Landry Shamet, plus performances from Fabolous, Jim Jones, Maino and Dave East.
NYC…THE CHAMPIONSHIP PARTY JUST GOT BIGGER! 🏆🗽@Roommates__Show Block Party Presented by @DoorDash is releasing more tickets and moving to Randall’s Island Park!
Kenny Kluska needs Jordan Clarkson to start doing something better if he wants to retain his spot in the Knicks’ rotation.
SI’s Joseph Randazzo rated the highest and lowest point of New York’s offseason. We all know and agree on the lowest. Can you guess the highest?
New York will have a significant scheduling advantage next season, as Canada Sports Betting did the research and projected the Knicks to travel just 35,135 miles during the regular season, the fewest of any NBA team. No matter that, most of us will keep our routine of couch-watching intact.
OAKAAK and Nova guard Ryan Arcidiacono is heading to Germany to hoop for the Frankfurt Skyliners.
Jeremy Lin posted tributes to both Mike D’Antoni and Amar’e Stoudemire following their Hall of Fame inductions. Lin credited D’Antoni with “changing the trajectory of my life” by empowering him during Linsanity and thanked Stoudemire for treating him with “acceptance and love” even when Lin was at the end of the Knicks’ bench.
Shaquille O’Neal sees Philadelphia as a legitimate threat to the Knicks, but not an automatic one because of the most obvious reason. Emphasis mine:
“The team has enough talent to make a deep run, but the question is whether everybody accepts their role, shares the ball, and stays healthy.”
Cleveland is paying 37-year-old James Harden a fully guaranteed $97 million over the next three seasons. Good luck making the Eastern Conference semifinals, folks!
I missed this one, so I’m not sure if it really went as viral as some are saying, but there was a report earlier this week claiming the Knicks had traded Mikal Bridges, Miles McBride and draft compensation for Zion Williamson and Jordan Poole. #lolwut
There are few tasks more vexing than trying to find greatness lurking amid mediocrity. And that brings us to the final five weeks of Major League Baseball’s season.
The contenders are real: Congratulations in advance to the Los Angeles Dodgers, Milwaukee Brewers, Atlanta Braves, Chicago Cubs, Tampa Bay Rays, New York Yankees and, probably, the Boston Red Sox and Chicago White Sox.
You’re going to the playoffs.
Four of those teams will receive first-round byes and thus avoid playing in the best-of-three wild card series, further enhancing their championship odds. But what to make of the mid, the uninspiring, the 12 teams lurking within four games of a playoff spot, yet far from guaranteed an October ticket?
More important, are they worth our time? Are they simply two-and-out fodder to provide television inventory to the networks and the league and the gambling-addicted masses?
Can they win the World Series?
Breaking down six teams within the disappointing dozen who absolutely can win it all – if they can simply get in the playoffs:
Yes, the Phillies can win the World Series. Probably have a better shot than many realize.
But that’s the kind of year it’s been in Philly, a season seemingly destined for just two outcomes: Surprisingly glorious or utter despair. It looked like the latter for several stretches of this season, but now, they’ve won 13 of 18 and put distance between themselves and the Marlins and Cardinals of the world.
Their chances are naturally enhanced by a starting trio that can stand up to the Dodgers and Brewers: Cristopher Sánchez, Jesus Luzardo and Zack Wheeler. Luis Arraez’s arrival added crucial contact to a lineup that can be too stationary. Yet their October fate will likely come down to the command of set-up men Orion Kerkering and Jonathan Bowlan. Kind of a scary way to live, and Phillies fans are in for either a soul-crushing or titillating ride.
For all the appropriate hand-wringing over Vladimir Guerrero’s lack of power and production, it’s easy to forget about the guy who really makes this club go: Alejandro Kirk. The catcher and hitting savant missed 62 games with a left thumb fracture, a period in which the Blue Jays went 29-33. Kirk is now far removed from that injury and on a heater, batting .393 with a 1.074 OPS over his last 17 games.
No surprise the Blue Jays are 13-4 in that span, including series wins over Boston, Houston, St. Louis, Philadelphia, Tampa Bay and the Yankees. They did the best job of any team in recent memory at playing the middle at the trade deadline, dealing rotation stalwart Kevin Gausman and reliever Jeff Hoffman yet getting an extra year of control with Jose Soriano in the rotation, while holding crucial pieces like closer Louis Varland.
The defending AL champs haven’t given off “don’t let them get hot vibes” all season. Yet just when everyone stopped paying attention, they’ve gotten hot. Beware.
Speaking of getting hot, the Padres have left their early-season hitting miseries behind and are 20-12 since the break, trailing only the Cubs in runs scored in that span. Averaging 5.1 runs per game will help any staff and now deadline acquisition Casey Mize is starting to lock in, giving up two runs in 12 innings of his past two starts.
This core is on track for its third consecutive playoff berth and fourth in five years. At some point, that experience is going to matter.
4. Arizona Diamondbacks
Playoff odds: 37.3%
A relatively big unknown here with the Ketel Marte semi-annual absence, but assuming his knee is sound and he returns to the fold, Arizona remains a difficult out.
And pitching, not their All-Star second baseman, is the reason why. There’s suddenly a very good starting troika in the desert, led by left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez, who has covered 149 1/3 innings – fourth in the NL – with a 2.71 ERA. Brandon Pfaadt, a 2023 World Series starter, spent most of June in the minors but has reemerged as a new man, going 7-0 with a 1.79 ERA over 10 starts; Arizona has won nine of them.
It might be a bit patronizing to call them “pesky,” due to their .398 slugging percentage ranking 10th in the NL. But “pesky” is a very good thing when you strike out far less than your peers – their 936 punchouts are fewest in the NL, with only the Blue Jays and Rays fanning less often.
They have the advantage of two races to run, lurking four games back in the awful AL West and three out in the wild card. There are 34 games left. That’s plenty of time.
And that vaunted starting rotation? It still covers more innings than any in the big leagues, while ranking fourth in WHIP and sixth in strikeouts. Why did it take so long for Kade Anderson to earn a call-up? Is Cal Raleigh that bad? Can they produce just their second winning month this season in this weird 7-10 August?
So many reasons not to believe. Yet we just can’t quit these guys.
6. Detroit Tigers
Playoff odds: 14.7%
They didn’t totally wave the white flag at the trade deadline – more a shade of beige – and it’s hard to prop up a club that traded the greatest left-hander in the game right now. But like the Mariners, the Tigers have two ports of entry to October, a hit machine who will come as close as any since Aaron Judge to pulling off a Rookie of the Year/MVP double and a manager who knows how to push the buttons this time of year.
Yet can Kevin McGonigle and A.J. Hinch fully prop up a depleted rotation and already-leaky bullpen? Probably not – particularly with Riley Greene’s hamstring strain putting him on ice at least a few more days.
But the Tigers sneaked into the playoffs in ’24 and ’25 and were very, very noisy both times. One of these days it’s going to click – even if Troy Melton and Keider Montero, and not Tarik Skubal, must be the rotation bulwarks.
The players in this ranking do not have extensive NHL experience and are all under 23. Therefore, players such as William Villeneuve, Artur Akhtyamov and Easton Cowan, among others, won't feature in this ranking for either or both of those particular reasons.
In terms of where these players fall in the rankings, it is a mix of their ceiling and potential, as well as how they've performed in the past year with their respective clubs.
The Maple Leafs selected Bilecki in the second round of this past 2026 draft with the 60th overall pick.
Bilecki, 18, is coming off his second season in the OHL with the Kitchener Rangers, with the left-handed defenseman's stock trending upwards with how his campaign ended.
His regular season was decent as he registered nine goals and 29 points in 66 games. Bilecki is a blueliner who can really move the puck and can be effective in power-play situations. This past season, he was further down the depth chart on the back end with Cameron Reid and Jared Woolley in the Rangers' lineup.
Luckily for Bilecki, Reid is joining the University of Michigan, and Woolley is projected to join the Ontario Reign in the Los Angeles Kings' system. So if he decides to remain with Kitchener for 2026-27, he'll be the No. 1 defenseman with all the power-play time and the other luxuries that come with that role.
Nonetheless, his numbers jumped when it mattered most. In 18 OHL playoff games, Bilecki posted a pair of goals and 11 points. In the Memorial Cup, the 6-foot-2 defenseman continued to provide for the Rangers with three assists in four outings.
Kitchener went on to win the J. Ross Robertson Cup as OHL champions, and the Memorial Cup later in the year. The Rangers finished the regular season atop their division and Western Conference. So even with just two seasons of junior hockey under his belt, the young blueliner can already call himself a winner.
Bilecki is still in the early stages of his hockey career, and it will certainly take some time before he's ready for the Maple Leafs. In The Hockey News' latest issue, it was predicted that Bilecki would be ready to enter the NHL for the 2030-31 season.
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While the 2026 offseason was, on the whole, a disappointment for the Philadelphia Flyers, they still managed to acquire some intriguing pieces nonetheless.
Specifically, the Flyers do have a logjam on the wings, for example, but they paradoxically had some openings to address as well. What do I mean?
Prospects Denver Barkey and Alex Bump are graduating to the NHL level full-time next season, and veteran tough guy Garnet Hathaway departed Philadelphia via trade earlier this offseason.
Plus, journeymen Rodrigo Abols and Luke Glendening were left behind, Anthony Richard signed overseas, and Bobby Brink was traded for David Jiricek at the NHL deadline.
Quietly, the winger (and center, speaking to the versatility of Abols and Glendening) position underwent a facelift in 2025-26, and that wasn't without consequence for the Flyers.
The AHL Lehigh Valley Phantoms, who ranked just 23rd in the league with 210 goals and missed the Calder Cup playoffs as a result, badly needed help offensively, and that is especially true now without Bump, Barkey, Richard, and leading scorer Lane Pederson.
While they may have missed out on Leo Carlsson with their aggressive offer sheet attempt, the Flyers did make some beneficial signings still, adding Nolan Foote and Danila Klimovich as organizational depth to help the Phantoms.
Foote, 25, brings some intrigue as a former first-round pick, but Klimovich is the name people need to be talking about more.
Rick Tocchet reunites with former Canucks prospect
Klimovich, 23, is still quite young and comes with the pedigree of being a former second-round pick (41st overall in 2021), but he has yet to make his NHL debut after four full seasons with the Vancouver Canucks organization.
Sure, it is a bit of a head-scratcher that the bottom-feeding Canucks cut the Belarusian winger loose at his age before finding a role for him at the NHL level, considering Klimovich has scored 43 goals for the AHL Abbotsford Canucks over the last two seasons.
At the same time, Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet, obviously, came to Philadelphia from Vancouver last year, and he's someone who has had Klimovich at his training camps multiple times over his years there.
The Flyers, with Tocchet's familiarity, went out of their way to sign this player for a reason.
Conceivably, with a big step that never came in Vancouver, Klimovich could carve out a depth role for himself at the NHL level if the Flyers' development staff taps into his potential.
The 6-foot-2 winger's game is built around his hard shot and puck skills, though he has long struggled defensively and isn't that great of a skater.
To make a name for himself, Klimovich will have to continue to learn to impose himself physically while improving defensively; the latter is the hallmark of any successful depth forward in the big leagues.
Fortunately, the Flyers have had some success with this in the past, even with veterans.
Players like Rasmus Ristolainen, Jamie Drysdale, Trevor Zegras, Owen Tippett, and Tyson Foerster all stand out as examples--none of those guys were drafted to play defense, but they all improved considerably in that aspect upon arriving and spending some time in Philadelphia.
With his traits, Klimovich is not dissimilar to Foote, but time is on his side being two years younger.
If absolutely everything goes right, though, Klimovich could find his path in the pros as a Foerster lite: a big-bodied winger who makes up for his lack of pace and playmaking with details, dogged defending, and a powerful shot.
The once-promising Canucks prospect is only under contract with the Flyers for one year, but with so many outgoing players at his position, Klimovich will have all the opportunity in the world to make an impact with the Phantoms, and then, potentially, with the Flyers.
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - OCTOBER 25: A general view of the Pittsburgh Penguins Hall of Fame display at PPG PAINTS Arena before the game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Columbus Blue Jackets on October 25, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Penguins have unveiled the second class of individuals who will enter the team’s Hall of Fame this coming fall, highlighted by longtime goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury.
Fleury, along with Larry Murphy, Jim Rutherford and Jack McGregor will be inducted into the Penguins Hall of Fame this November, joining last year’s inaugural class of inductees.
Having spent 13 of his 21 seasons playing for Pittsburgh, Fleury was a unanimous selection to the Penguins Hall of Fame and won three Stanley Cups with the Penguins.
Larry Murphy, who was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2004, helped the Penguins win the Stanley Cup in 1991 and 1992.
Responsible for helping build the Pittsburgh roster that won the Stanley Cup in 2016 and 2017, Jim Rutherford will enter the Penguins Hall of Fame in the Builder category. Rutherford’s acquisitions like Phil Kassel, Patric Hornqvist, Nick Bonino, Justin Schultz, Carl Hagelin, and others will forever hold a spot in Penguins lore.
Jack McGregor was a key figure in helping bring an NHL team to Pittsburgh and served as the Penguins’ president from 1967 to 1970.
The induction ceremony will take place on Saturday, November 14 before the Penguins face off against the Ottawa Senators at PPG Paints Arena.
A third class of inductees next year will include Tom Barrasso, Jaromir Jagr, Chris Kunitz and Ray Shero.
Aug 20, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles infielder Pete Alonso (25) bobbles a foul ball near the dugout in eighth inning against the New York Yankees at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Hello, friends.
Just when you thought you were in, they shove you back out. That’s the 2026 Orioles guarantee. Three straight exciting wins against the Rays to start a tough ten-game stretch have now been followed by four straight losses, ground gained by those wins evaporated along with any fan excitement. A 6-1 setback to the Yankees last night sealed a sweep, a lifeless affair by the O’s that saw them allow two more unearned runs to head towards the probable franchise record there. Check out Stacey’s recap of the game for more of the not-so-lovely totals.
As far as their lingering wild card hopes, the Orioles are only two games back even after the four-game losing streak. Their problem is going to be more that they have five teams to pass. They’re going to have to be at least a game and as many as three games hotter than all five of those teams from this point forward. They probably won’t be able to do it. There are too many flaws going on with the roster, especially if the starting pitching is losing its edge as the inning totals creep up.
The Rays are next. The Orioles played them pretty well down in the Trop. Maybe they can pull another reversal for us; it wouldn’t be the first time this year that they’ve tempted people to give up on them only to see them find another rally. It’s been a regular feature of the team going back to the start of the season. Always bad enough to inspire disgust, never quite bad enough to completely give up on them.
They are, however, running out of room to make the big move to the front of the pack. Only 34 games remain to them now. The Orioles might need to go 23-11 to do it. That’s asking a lot of a team that hasn’t had that kind of baseball in them for much of the season. We’ve all experienced too much of the stupid stuff that they can pull to believe in things going that way for that length of time.
But, it’s not over til it’s over, as the cliche goes. It’s not over yet for the Orioles. They could keep slim hopes alive for a while longer while also maybe even stoking some hopes for next year if certain players – especially Gunnar Henderson – are able to revive their fortunes between now and the end of the season.
Tonight’s game will air on Apple+ TV and on Apple+ only, so if you don’t have a subscription to that service, you have an easy excuse to take a day off from the Orioles if you want. Trevor Rogers and Freddy Peralta are the scheduled starting pitchers for the 7:15 game.
Orioles stuff you might have missed
The AL Wild Card mess is competitive balance, and it isn’t pretty (FanGraphs) After recent games, the Orioles are increasingly less a part of this mess. It’s even less pretty for us. Jay Jaffe’s focus particularly is on the possibility of a sub-.500 team getting into the postseason in a 162-game season for the first time ever. If that’s in play, then maybe the Orioles only need to go 20-14 – still asking a lot, if not quite as much.
This lefty Orioles prospect could join bullpen for stretch run (Orioles.com) An actual article about something I mentioned yesterday, namely that prospect Luis De León has moved into the bullpen to have him as a possible callup option for September.
Today in 1977, Brooks Robinson retired after 23 major league seasons and 2,896 games played for the Orioles.
In 2001, Tim Raines Sr. and Jr. were opponents in a Triple-A game that involved the Orioles then-Triple-A affiliate Rochester. By the end of the season, they were major league teammates with the Orioles.
There are a pair of former Orioles who were born on this day. They are: 2019-20 outfielder Mason Williams, and 1971 infielder Jerry DaVanon. Today is DaVanon’s 81st birthday, so an extra happy birthday to him.
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday to you! Your birthday buddies for today include: jazz pianist Count Basie (1904), basketball legend Wilt Chamberlain (1936), musician Kenny Rogers (1938), System of a Down frontman Serj Tankian (1967), sprinter Usain Bolt (1986), and actress Hayden Panettiere (1989). Panettiere passed away earlier this week.
On this day in history…
In 1791, enslaved people in Saint-Domingue in Haiti attended a “voodoo” ceremony that is now recognized as the beginning of the twelve-year Haitian Revolution, in which the enslaved people of Haiti overthrew their French colonizers and enslavers all at once.
In 1911, an Italian working at the Louvre stole the Mona Lisa with the aim of restoring the painting to Italian control. It was recovered three years later.
In 1959, Hawaii was admitted as the 50th of the United States.
**
And that’s the way it is in Birdland on August 21. Have a safe Friday. Go O’s!
Sep 10, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; General view of the helmet used by the Milwaukee Brewers before the start of the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images | Stan Szeto-Imagn Images
Greetings, Brew Crew Ball community. The Brewers bounced back nicely this week, as they maintained (and even slightly outplayed) the Cubs this week to stay atop the NL Central with just over a month to go.
Feel free to use this thread to chat about (almost) anything you want: video games, food, movies, non-baseball sports, the Brewers, you name it. As long as it’s appropriate and is allowed by our moderators, it’s fair game here.
Aug 19, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies center fielder Justin Crawford (2) runs the bases against the Miami Marlins at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Phillies are about to face an Arch-enemy. Not in the sense of their most loathed foe, but in the sense that their opponent plays under an arch.
JUPITER, FLORIDA - MARCH 19, 2026: Leo Bernal #44 of the St. Louis Cardinals bats during the first inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the Washington Nationals at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium on March 19, 2026 in Jupiter, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
An oddity began last November when the Cardinals chose to carry an almost unheard of five catchers on the 40-man roster. At the time, Pedro Pages, Ivan Herrera, Jimmy Crooks, Yahel Pozo and Leo Bernal occupied those spots. While five was pretty unusual, some explanation could be found due to the uncertainty of Ivan Herrera, who would undergo off-season elbow surgery and was mired in a deep throwing slump. Still, 12.5% of the roster being dedicated to catching seemed to create pinch points in other areas. How would this resolve? Many advocated for clearing up this apparent roster logjam.
As spring turned to summer, concerns about Herrera’s health dissipated, but the view on his throwing remained a tempest. In spite of the varied opinions, it had become apparent that the Cardinals see Herrera as a legit option at C (to the chagrin of many who looked at the CS rate), catching him regularly on the short end of a 60:40 rotation. Further evolution has led to an additional split, where Jimmy Crooks has taken the primary catching duties with Pedro Pages on the shortest end of a now three catcher rotation. Herrera’s slice is largely unchanged, although he isn’t bolted to the same two pitchers anymore. Meanwhile, Pozo was DFA’ed when roster needs elsewhere became acute, and picked up by Baltimore (who now, interestingly, carry 3 catchers). Perhaps the Cardinals have discovered the new market inefficiency.
Yet even four catchers on the 40-man seems an unusual allocation, particular over a longer period of time. Even more pressing, another one young catcher (if you haven’t heard) by the name of Rainel Rodriguez has played well enough at A+ and then AA that his name enters almost any catching conversation, even though his name does not yet appear on the 40-man roster. He is quite precocious. This isn’t article about Rainel, but if it was, I would be regaling you with statistical accomplishments he has achieved already that compare quite favorably to some of the league’s top hitters over the last generation.
All this leads many pundits and fans to comment that this situation needs resolution. Many expected Pages to be moved at the trade deadline. To think a bit asynchronously, does 4 catchers on the 40-man roster really require resolution? Granted it is unconventional, but does it really require some management intervention? If so, when?
Complicating any future plan is the difficulty in evaluating each of the individual players and more so, figuring out who might be the best fit on a roster that in and of itself is undergoing more churn. For instance, it seems the club preferred Pages defense, but his offense really doesn’t fit well on this weak-hitting roster. If the club had more good hitters, he would be a better fit.
Some look at Crooks as a better blend of offense and possibly even superior defense, but in his second go at MLB really has done little to impress. Some underlying metrics do support the notion of his blend, but how long might it take to emerge?
Bernal, unseen in the MLB, is a mystery, with widely varying views of both his offense and defense. Some evaluators believe Crooks far superior defensively, others with the opposite point of view. Which is it? And how do they tell? As we’ve seen, catching at the MLB level is different than Memphis or elsewhere in the minor league circuit.
Ivan Herrera’s offensive chops are now well established. He is clearly the best hitter of the current group, although Rainel seems destined to challenge that. Ivan’s offense is prolific enough that Oli works very hard to get his bat in the line-up each and every day. His offense is enough that some might argue he is an everyday bat if not an everyday catcher, and this leads to some advocating for a position change.
Rainel seems a bit of a mystery defensively, but it is becoming very clear that his bat has the chance to be very special. Special enough that the arguments around Herrera are extended to RainRod even more emphatically. Many will say a bat like that needs to be in the line-up every day and not subjected to the rigors of MLB catching. I have no good argument for that point of view. Unless he is Pudge Rodriguez or Yadi Molina defensively, they say, catching is not where his greatest value is to be found.
How does all this unfold? Straight up, I don’t know. But based on conversations I’ve had and actions I’ve observed, I’m developing a framework for how it could unfold.
Many people expected Pages to be moved at the deadline and, absent that, to be moved this winter. Possible, but I’m not so sure on the timing. Some believe that this off-season, the Cardinals need to choose a path and that RainRod is going to be the ultimate victor in this positional competition. The goal for them becomes to “sell high” and get prospect returns from some of the others. Again, I’m not so sure. Let’s be clear, I’d suspect if the right deal came along, they’d probably take it. But I’m beginning to suspect that is not their primary plan going forward.
Let’s unpack this individually first, then treat these guys as a group to try and formulate that framework.
Pages will not be eligible for arbitration until the end of the 2027 season. That is an important consideration, in the sense that there really isn’t pressure to move him. He is major league minimum salary for 2027 and there is no alternative that would be cheaper. But, but…wouldn’t they rather have a pitcher using that 40-man spot?
I’m going to publish an update that looks at 40-man issues that might be appearing this fall. You will get the details next week, but it turns out there really isn’t a significant 40-man roster pressure, pitchers or otherwise. The Cardinals have lots of pitchers in the pipeline, but only a few need 40-man protection. They are in zero danger of losing a needed pitcher even if the keep all 4 catchers on the 40-man roster. Unconventional? Certainly. Possible. Yes. Achievable. Definitely. It turns out management has finessed the 40-man roster, as a whole, quite nicely. Read the article next week, in the meantime trust me that the 40-man roster can handle 4 catchers for another year or so. On to the individuals:
Crooks is a runway guy. He has enough scouting data and underlying metric to forecast the potential for better offense and better defense than Pages. So, he gets runway. That runway will run into next year, almost certainly.
Bernal is also a runway guy. He profiles different than Crooks in how he gets there, but he also projects to be better offensively and defensively than Pages (and perhaps Crooks). He will get his shot, in St. Louis, unless someone blows Bloom and Company away with a trade offer.
Herrera is an established top-flight hitter. They’ve played him EVERY day. If that doesn’t speak volumes, I don’t know what will. I don’t know if they view him as cemented in at C, but there is no data to suggest he will be moving on to another team or another position. Moving him to another team would be problematic in that it would leave them with the need to acquire another top-flight hitter when they are short of that talent already. Again, the right offer might dislodge him, but that seems the less likely path.
That leaves RainRod. As each day passes, the confidence that his bat will be special grows. He keeps doing things that only Hall of Fame caliber players have done before him. I’m not projecting HOF status for him (it’s a wee bit soon), but his trajectory is unmistakable. I would think of him as untouchable, so a trade seems unlikely. Given his trajectory, a position switch seems unlikely too. Remarkably, he is too close to MLB already and learning a new position would require they slow down his ascension. That seems counter-productive. He is getting time at 1B, which I find notable if I think some about Alec Burleson’s primary weakness as a hitter (LHP platoon splits).
So, how does all this work?
Let’s introduce the idea I think of as Three-into-Four. Hear me out.
The three is this equation are the catchers: Today, the three are Pages, Crooks, Herrera. By this time next year, good chance the three are Crooks, Herrera and Bernal. Much beyond that horizon comes another name. Rodriguez. That is the three part of 3into4.
To understand the Four, let’s go conventional. Most teams carry 2-3 catchers on their 40-man and carry two catchers on their active roster, right? The Cardinals (today) are clearly not “most teams”. Conventionally, each team has a DH (either a dedicated one or a rotation through), a primary C, and backup C and a primary first baseman. That is the Four I write of.
Now, let’s move off conventional and look at the Cardinals rather unconventional situation, and picture this scenario. They have some challenges:
They have too many catchers (as compared to conventional)
They have a first baseman with a serious LHP platoon split that degrades his value.
They have a bat-first, short-side platoon catcher who needs protection to stay healthy, who by the way, is a really, really good hitter.
How can these be made to work to advantage? Let’s look at next season for starters, and leave RainRod out of the discussion on the assumption that his ETA is really more like 2028. I’m not writing that in stone, but positing that to understand the strawman I think the Cardinals have built around this situation.
Start with the idea that out of 3 catchers, on any given day, one can catch and one can DH, so they can always play 2 of them. Remember that Crooks is a LH batter, Herrera a RH batter and Bernal a switch hitter. Flexibility exists here. The biggest obstacle here isn’t carrying 4 catchers. It is ridding themselves of the notion that DH is a position to rotation various players through. In this strawman, DH will be a spot to rotate a solid hitting catcher into to keep their bat in the line-up while protecting them physically from the rigors of catching.
It looks like this:
When there is an LHP on the mound, in addition to one catching and one DHing, the last one can play first base (likely Bernal, who is working there at AAA). This approach would serve to alleviate the LHP platoon split presented when Alec Burleson plays 1B or DH with an LHP on the mound. This approach requires that Bernal’s bat be MLB ready. When?
When there is an RHP on the mound, Crooks or Bernal catches (depending on matchup and who caught yesterday) and Herrera DHs, with Burleson manning first.
This approach actually results in a 40-30-30 catching ration (with Herrera now on the long side of the platoon, although not catching any more than this year). The allocation of most of the DH spots to catchers on days they aren’t catching ends up with each guy getting into around 120 games, which tends to be on the high side for a catcher. It preserves their body, though, and results in end of the season flexibility to go with a hot hand.
At some point in time, RainRod will be ready and, bluntly, when he is, he dislodges one of the three. It is not only hard to predict exactly when this may happen, but also who he dislodges. Who is dependent on performance we have yet to see as well as any MiLB action RainRod encounters at other positions. Maybe a catcher. Maybe a first baseman. Maybe a third baseman. Hard to say. But until the day RainRod arrives, it strikes me that the current catching carousel can continue without pressure to make a move. This will allow the team to let development and competition settle out who goes and who stays in due time, not under any pressure to “get something done”.
Where does Pages fit in all this? I think he has a spot until they are ready to bring Bernal up, and then, not. Will that be out of 2027 spring training? Who knows? But I can begin to see how they have a plan to let all this organically work itself out without feeling pressure to make a move and try to pick the winner of this derby too early.
For those of you who think the Cardinals need to clear this up this coming off-season, don’t expect it to occur that fast unless a mind-blowing offer accompanies it.
The Detroit Tigers have been in a bit of a slump of late, having lost five of their last six, which includes a sweep at home at the hands of the Chicago White Sox and dropping two of three on the road to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Just when they were one game from reaching the .500 mark, things once again came unraveled for the Olde English D.
The Motor City Kitties now move on to the second leg of their current road trip with three games against the Kansas Royals — who have won five straight and six of the last seven — at Kauffman Stadium this weekend. Still well within striking distance of a wildcard spot in a weak American League playoff race, AJ Hinch’s squad could really use a strong showing against the division’s bottom dwellers.
First up on the mound for the Tigers is left-hander Framber Valdez, who has had two straight rough outings after posting a pair of quality starts to open up August. Over the 32-year-old’s last 11 1/3 innings, he has put up a 6.35 ERA and 5.47 FIP, allowing 11 hits (one home run) and nine walks while striking out eight, hitting a batter and throwing a wild pitch.
Valdez has faced Kansas City twice this season — both in Detroit — with varying results. On April 14, he tossed seven frames of one-run ball on four hits and two walks with a strikeout for a no-decision in a 2-1 team win; on July 26, he served up three runs (two earned) on four hits (0ne home run) and three walks with four strikeouts over five frames, also failing to figure in the decision in an eventual 5-4 loss.
For the Royals, fellow southpaw Noah Cameron will take the mound in the series opener coming off the best start of his two-year career. The 27-year-old tossed a complete-game shutout against the Los Angeles Angels, allowing just a single hit and walk while striking out eight in a 3-0 home win.
Cameron has taken on the Tigers twice this season, and like Valdez, produced much different results between the two. On May 10 in Kansas City, he allowed three runs on four hits and three walks while striking out four over four frames for a no-decision in a 6-3 team loss; on July 24 in Detroit, he threw seven innings of scoreless ball on two hits and three walks while striking out eight also for a no-decision in an eventual 2-1 loss.
Take a look at how the two match up on Friday night below.
Detroit Tigers (61-66) vs. Kansas City Royals (55-74)
Time (ET): 8:10 p.m. Place: Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri SB Nation Site:Royals Review Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Game 128: RHP Troy Melton (7-1, 1.71 ERA) vs. LHP Noah Cameron (7-8, 4.16 ERA)
SS Dax Kilby 1-4, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 SB, throwing error DH Paul Gutierrez-Contreras II 1-4, 1 RBI, 1 R C Bear Harrison 0-3, 2 BB 1B Luke Pettitte 1-5, 1 2B, 2 RBI, 2 K — two-run double in the ninth made it interesting LF Luis Puello 2-5, 1 2B, 1 R, 2 K RF Diego Castellanos 0-4, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K, throwing error 2B Blake Cyr 0-4, 1 K CF Brando Mayea 2-3, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 3 R, 1 BB 3B Luis Escudero 2-2, 1 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R, 1 BB, fielding error
Edinzo Marquez 3.2 IP, 7 R, 4 ER, 6 H, 1 BB, 2 K, 1 HR (loss) Josh Tiedemann 0.1 IP, 3 R, 3 H, 2 BB — came in to help put out a fire in the fourth and added to it Danny Flatt 2.1 IP, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 H, 3 BB, 1 K Rafael Arias 2.2 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 BB, 2 K
Florida Complex League Yankees: Season over
Dominican Summer League Yankees:L, 1-7 at DSL Reds (Pool Play Day 1)
CF Isaias Castillo 1-4, 1 2B, 2 K LF Luis Cruz 1-3, 1 BB SS Stiven Marinez 0-4 3B Juan Torres 0-4, 1 K C Juan Martinez 0-4, 1 K RF Alfiery Matos 1-4, 1 3B, 1 R, 1 K, assist 2B Stalen Ramirez 1-4, 1 RBI, throwing error DH Kendry Diaz 0-2, 1 K PH-DH Manuel Aguilar 0-2, 1 K 1B Jose Peralta 2-4, 1 K
Jhosneyker Colina 4 IP, 3 R, 2 ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 4 K (loss) Luis Rodriguez 2 IP, 3 R, 3 H, 1 K Emanuel Vargas 2 IP, 1 R, 2 H
Happy birthday to Karl “Tuffy” Rhodes, and a mighty host of others.
Today in baseball history, in 1931 – Babe Ruth becomes the first major leaguer to hit 600 career home runs as the Yankees defeat the Browns, 11-7, and other stories as well.
1971 – For the second time in ten days, Dave Roberts of the Padres and Tom Seaver of the Mets lock up in a pitchers duel, but this time, Seaver comes out on top, 2-1. Cleon Jones ends the game with a walk-off home run with two outs on the bottom of the ninth, only the third hit allowed by Roberts. Seaver and Roberts will finish first and second respectively in the National LeagueERA race.
1972 – Phil Niekro and the Braves beat the Phillies, 2-1, in 11 innings, to snap Steve Carlton‘s 15-game winning streak. After retiring 19 batters in a row, Carlton (20-7) puts two runners on in the 11th, before Mike Lum singles home the winner.
1977 – Tom Seaver makes his first appearance in Shea Stadium as a member of the Reds, and pitches a six-hitter to beat the Mets, 5-1. Tom Terrific strikes out 11, has a double at the plate and scores twice.
1996 – Phils ace Curt Schilling faces 28 batters in a two-hit, 6-0 win over the Dodgers. Schilling strikes out 12. Rookie Scott Rolen hits his first two major league homers, both off Hideo Nomo.
1996 – Cal Ripken is 4 for 5, including a homer, to lead the surging Orioles to a 10-5 win over the Mariners.
2013 – With a 1st-inning single off Toronto’sR.A. Dickey, Ichiro Suzuki gets his 4,000th hit between Japan (1,278) and the United States (2,722). He is only the third player to reach the milestone at such a high level, following Ty Cobb and Pete Rose,
1917 – Now with the Philadelphia Phils, Charles Bender, 34, pitches his third straight shutout, winning 6 0 over the Cubs. In his last active season, Bender will turn in four shutouts and win eight with two losses and a 1.67 ERA.
1975 – The Reuschel brothers of the Cubs join forces to blank the Dodgers, 6-0. Rick goes 6.1 innings and Paul finishes the game for the first (and still the only) combined shutout thrown by siblings.
1888 – American inventor William Seward Burroughs patents the adding machine.
1897 – Oldsmobile is first manufactured by Olds Motor Vehicle Co. in Lansing, Michigan.
1955 – Chicago teenager Emmett Till arrives in Money, Mississippi, to visit relatives, a week before he is murdered.
1959 – Hawaii becomes the 50th state of the United States.
1961 – American country singer Patsy Cline records struggling songwriter Willie Nelson‘s song “Crazy” in Nashville, Tennessee.
1966 – The Beatles headline their second show of the day at Busch Memorial Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri, after playing in the afternoon 341 miles away in Cincinnati, Ohio, following a rainout the night before.
1996 – Netscape Browser 3.0 is released.
2001 – “How You Remind Me” single released by Nickelback.
2025 – A 1642 will at the center of a legal battle over Shakespeare‘s home is found after 150 years in an unlabeled box at the National Archives.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - DECEMBER 31: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers reacts during the first half against the Phoenix Suns at Rocket Arena on December 31, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. 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. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Cavs fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
Fans haven’t lost faith in the Cleveland Cavaliers. Nearly 90% of Fear the Sword voters said they believe the Cavs will pass their 47.5-win total prediction on FanDuel.
And that was before the Peyton Watson trade was finalized.
This is a roaring seal of approval for Cleveland. The fans aren’t feeling discouraged by whiffing on LeBron James or the widespread improvements made to the Eastern Conference this summer. The Cavs are still operating with a fanbase full of hope.
Passing the 47-win mark won’t be easy. The East has gotten stronger and new lottery reforms mean the teams at the bottom of the conference have fewer incentives to tank games. The schedule won’t get much easier in the dog days of the season as every team will have something to play for.
That puts the Cavs in a tight position. They’ve won more than 47 games in each of the past three seasons. But they’ve never had to face an Eastern Conference that was this loaded.
Still, there’s plenty of reason to think Cleveland will win 48+ games that aren’t rooted in homerism.
For starters, the Cavs have some of the best continuity in the conference. Their star trio of Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen has been together for years. James Harden, who arrived last year, has fit right in. That type of chemistry matters, especially in the regular season.
Then there’s the trade for Watson, which gives the Cavaliers a dose of athleticism and three-point shooting on the wing.
Previously, we polled fans on which trade target they would prefer. Jonathan Kuminga or Peyton Watson. A whopping 85% of fans voted in favor of Watson. It seems they got their wish.
Watson should help push the Cavs to more wins in the regular season despite all of the factors working against Cleveland.
In fact, FanDuel has already increased the Cavs win total to 48.5. A small difference, but worth noting nonetheless.
