Before the IBF world heavyweight title clash with Filip Hrgovic on Saturday, Barry Jones and Andy Lee analyse the unbeaten fighter
On Saturday night the 21-year-old Moses Itauma expects to become the second-youngest world heavyweight champion in history, after Mike Tyson, when he fights Croatia’s Filip Hrgovic for the IBF title at the O2 Arena in London. In an attempt to sift through the hype and to assess the potential Itauma has shown, the Guardian asked Barry Jones and Andy Lee for their expert views on the strengths and possible weaknesses of the young British fighter.
Itauma promises to become the dominant new force of the unpredictable heavyweight division but Hrgovic is his first real test as he strives to become a world champion in just his 15th fight.
The women’s singles champion at SW19 on her off-court passions, growing up in Czechia, and the aftermath of achieving her dream
Linda Noskova has spent almost her entire life working towards mastering her sport. She began travelling around Czechia, Europe and then the world for tournaments before she was a teenager. Her life decisions have revolved around tennis for as long as she can remember.
Those early years prepared Noskova for the challenge of winning her first grand slam title, but the biggest lesson from her triumph at Wimbledon last month has been her lack of preparedness for everything that followed. The world did not come to a halt upon the completion of her ultimate goal. Life continues at the same pace, and now she must find her place in the sport once more.
The arrival of VJ Edgecombe in his rookie season put the Sixers on an interesting new path.
His 34 point, seven rebound, three assist game in his league debut set the stage for his All-Rookie season in which he finished third in Rookie of the Year voting.
It also set the stage for the Sixers to continue on the Joel Embiid timeline.
Injury storylines will most likely loom over Embiid for the rest of his career, and while his knees aren’t an issue at this point in time, he certainly isn’t done adding to his injury catalog.
For this reason, the call to blow up the core of Embiid and Tyrese Maxey was growing. It was certainly in the cards for the Sixers to attempt to get what they could for an aging Embiid and his massive contract and build around Maxey, while seeing what they have in a rookie Edgecombe and second-year Jared McCain.
In large part to Edgecombe, the Sixers went 4-1 in October 2025. Edgecombe averaged 21 points, 5.6 rebounds and 5.4 assists on .494/.438/.800 shooting splits in his first four games and the Sixers were showing major signs of a cohesive team still capable of winning in the Eastern Conference.
The season had its ups and downs but through it all, Edgecombe proved his progress as an NBA player was way ahead of schedule.
Coming out of Baylor after one season, Edgecombe was heralded as a prospect for his nuclear athleticism and defensive profile, with room to grow with his shot, handle and playmaking.
It was apparent that scouts had missed something, or that Edgecombe used his transitional summer to work on practically all his noted flaws.
Not perfect, but his on-ball scoring, his functional handle and ability to read a defense and find open teammates was a huge lift for a Sixers team searching for an inkling into which timeline they should trust.
Now, nearly a year removed from Edgecombe’s 34-point outburst, the timeline is clear. Win now.
Edgecombe will be the fifth starter flanking Jaylen Brown, Embiid, LeBron James and Maxey.
A spoil of riches ironically raises an issue: Who gets the ball?
The hierarchy of shots and ball possession will shake out as the season goes, but no matter the shake, it seems like Edgecombe will be at the bottom of the pecking order in that starting five.
There’s two sides to this coin.
(On both sides, Edgecombe will be the fifth option.)
The pessimistic side is that Edgecombe’s growth will be stunted as he will get fewer on ball reps and less room for error as he’ll become a play finisher, spoiling the monumental progress he made in his rookie year.
The optimistic view is that with less responsibility, he will have more freedom to grow in other aspects of the game that become invaluable to him as his career progresses.
But there’s far more to each side, so we can dive in and hash it out.
There’s an argument that this could “stunt” his growth as a player, but there’s far better options and ways to approach this. As seen from Edgecombe’s rapid development, he has a knack for absorbing information and implementing it quickly into real-life reps.
He went from people questioning if he could ever create shots on his own, to mimicking and surpassing Paul George as a self-creation hub by the end of the season.
Edgecombe and George’s relationship was noted by many. Edgecombe was a sponge around George and absorbed information at a uniquely high level for a rookie.
Now, Edgecombe not only gets practice reps and personal notes from Brown and James, he also gets more high leverage playing time alongside two players who combine to excel at just about every skill imaginable in the game.
If Edgecombe was a sponge around an aging George, there’s good reason to believe that he will be a top student around Brown and James.
With these lessons comes moments to actualize them in games.
So with the guidance of Brown and James, Maxey and Embiid, Edgecombe, will also by default draw the opponents weakest defender in almost every starting lineup matchup.
He gets a training ground in games to attack a weaker defender, presumably with good spacing around him while the higher level defenders are glued to the four other outlets on his team.
In this scenario, you put some trust in Edgecombe to capitalize on his chances attacking closeouts and attacking in isolation.
This will also help him put more pressure on the rim and improve his free throw rate.
Last year Edgecombe was the king of “almost” posters. His footwork on his takeoff just may have been one step awry and his finishing skills just a tad bit unpolished.
Per Cleaning the Glass, Edgecombe drew fouls on 7.5% of his shot attempts, ranking in the 40th percentile for guards in the league. He was seventh amongst rookies in free throws per game at a mere 2.4 (Cooper Flagg led rookies with just under five per game).
Other slashing guards such as Stephon Castle (20.4% Shots Fouled %), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (17.8 SFLD%), Austin Reaves (15.9% SFLD%) and Anthony Edwards (13.9 SFLD%) are the blueprint for how Edgecombe can use his positional size and strength to attack the rim and keep the scoreboard moving with the clock stopped.
And there is historical context to back up this improvement. In 2023-24, Keyonte George averaged 3.0 FTA, his third season wrapped up at 7.0 FTA and ranked in the 97th percentile among guards in SFLD%, getting fouled on 16.8% of his shot attempts.
And more notably, foul magnet Shai Gilgeous Alexander managed just 2.4 FTA his rookie season. He has obviously skyrocketed that total, averaging 10.9, 8.7, 8.8 and 9,0 FTA in his last four All-Star seasons (while leading the league in free throws made in his last three).
In no way does Edgecombe have to become a Gilgeous-Alexander foul drawer in order to succeed — just that the track for improvement has been done before.
He can do this with the weakest defender on him. Edgecombe can try to bully his way by and get to the rim to hopefully convert some poster dunks, or draw a foul against a collapsing defense.
He proved in his rookie season he’s capable of getting to his spots in the midrange and knocking down what could be his signature shot, the tough fadeaway that’s nearly impossible for defenders to reach with their contest.
George, his mentor in shotmaking, is now suiting up for Boston. Luckily for Edgecombe, he now gets to watch and learn from Brown, one of the toughest shot makers in the game today.
The pessimistic side of Edgcombe being the fifth option hinges on Edgecombe’s refusal to listen, learn and take what is in front of him. If we go by the sample size of Edgecombe’s rookie year, the idea that he won’t take every opportunity to learn and enact those lessons seems ludicrous.
There’s also an alley for Edgecombe to hone in on microskills that make good players great and help make great teams champions.
Edgecombe draws the Jrue Holiday comparison in terms of build, skill set and roll on an NBA court. Players with the build and style of Holiday, Derrick White, Josh Hart and others have a similarity.
They are obsessed with the fine details on the court that equate to winning games.
They also are never the team’s primary option to score, they are incredible at small things that make huge differences.
All smart defenders know who they’re guarding and how to stalwart them in different ways. All players who understand how to map the court on both ends of the floor. Ones who make hustle plays that break teams back — that hit shots the team needs them to in crunch time.
So, while Edgecombe may not have the ball, he is still on the court and capable of making plays similar to those mentioned.
He likely will take on tougher defensive assignments so that Brown and Maxey can roam and save energy on that end.
Focusing just on Holiday’s defensive attributes, there is a plethora of defensive tape that showcases Holiday’s exceptional understanding on who and how he is guarding someone.
The main technique Holiday implements is using his chest to impede dribble drives. Using his strength and quickness (both attributes that Edgecombe has), Holiday is able to cut off drives and push offensive players in directions that he wants them to.
Studying Holiday defensive tape should be at the forefront for Edgecombe, who has already shown some creative defensive playmaking.
He will have opportunities to get in position to rebound to secure or revive possessions.
Think about how many times Josh Hart had a heartbreaking offensive rebound:
If Edgecombe goes stretches without touching the ball due to the magnificence of his teammates, he should be able to showcase his nuclear athleticism and strength to barge in for contested rebounds that get the Sixers a fresh 14 second shot clock, or wrap up a defensive possession to head the other way.
He’ll be able to become hyperfocused on tendencies of other teams to blow up plays on defense, and where he can make an impact on offense without having to touch the ball.
Edgecombe just turned 21 years old in July, he still has the mileage on his legs to play heavy minutes and do these things well enough that it will be a struggle for Nurse to take him off the court.
Of course, it will benefit him if he can continue to improve his shooting and knock down the shots that come to him, but even during his rookie year, he rarely shied away from shooting the three even if they were not falling.
For a second-year player who looks like he’ll have a long NBA career, these developmental years do not have to be linear in terms of scoring and offensive output.
The idea that Edgecombe will come away from this upcoming season a worse player than before is asinine if he continues to be a sponge to those around him.
There’s no real bench mark numbers for Edgecombe to hit this season. If the Sixers are winning, he is happy. If the Sixers are winning, he’s likely learning. And if he’s learning, then the development will come and by year four, five, or six, he will be poised to become a complete monster in the NBA for the rest of his career.
Cruz has a partial tear of his UCL, manager Aaron Boone said, and will seek further opinions.
But Tommy John surgery is on the table, which typically follows such a diagnosis.
The 35-year-old Cruz is out of the picture for 2026 and potentially for all of 2027, too, a blow to the team and a blow to a reliever who has both found himself and a home in The Bronx.
Something had clearly been wrong with Cruz, who was often dominant in his first year in pinstripes (striking out 72 in 48 innings) and was enjoying an even better follow-up season before hitting a wall in mid-July. After letting up the two-run home run to Jeremy Peña on Tuesday, he had given up nine earned runs in his previous 13 ²/₃ innings.
After the loss, Cruz met with trainer Tim Lentych at his locker and walked out with Lentych after talking with media. At the time, Cruz denied that there was any physical issue.
Fernando Cruz has a partial tear of his UCL which mean Tommy John surgery is on the table. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
This offseason Cruz will enter his second season of arbitration and is under team control through 2028. If he successfully returns in 2028, the righty would be playing at 38.
Ryan McMahon is eligible to be activated from the IL on Sunday and could be ready then, but it is possible the Yankees wait until Tuesday, when the club can add a position player and pitcher.
“We might take it a couple extra days just with September 1st being around the corner,” Boone said before the Yankees’ 9-3 win over the Astros at the Stadium. “He might even play in a couple of rehab games prior to that. “But he’s trending in a good way.”
McMahon ran in the outfield before the game and has been taking ground balls at third.
Even on the day the Yankees placed him on the IL, McMahon had taken swings indoors with a Grade 2 thumb sprain.
An excellent defender, McMahon had started the season as an offensive liability but improved, posting a .731 OPS with seven home runs in his previous 61 games before the injury.
Without McMahon, José Caballero, who went 1-for-4 with a strikeout in the Yankees’ win on Wednesday, has received the bulk of work at third base and is just 2-for-21 in six games in the span.
Max Fried remains an option for one end of Saturday’s doubleheader against the Red Sox, which would mean he would have been sidelined for the minimum 15 days.
Fried is scheduled to throw a side session Thursday, and the Yankees will wait to see how he handles that before making a decision.
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Aaron Judge, who hit Tuesday and has begun ramping up his baseball activity, threw in the outfield before the game.
Among the many roster moves the Yankees made on a day Cruz was placed on the IL and Elmer Rodríguez was activated, the club optioned Bradley Hanner, who allowed three runs in his first four major league innings.
Before the game, the Yankees held a moment of silence for Dolly Parton, who died Tuesday at 80.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - AUGUST 26: Starting pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez #57 of the Arizona Diamondbacks reacts after striking out Nico Hoerner #2 of the Chicago Cubs for the final out of the sixth inning at Chase Field on August 26, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I have a confession to make. This whole season, I have been waiting for the other proverbial shoe to drop for Eduardo Rodriguez. I had a difficult time believing the same pitcher who had posted consecutive seasons with ERAs north of five could somehow transform himself into a legitimate Cy Young candidate. There were some legitimate reasons for that doubt too between his whiff percentage, strikeout rate, and chase rate all leave something to be desired – to say nothing of expected stats that paint an even worse picture. But at some point, you have to throw out all the other pieces of evidence and recognize that however he’s doing it, Rodriguez is putting together one of the best pitching seasons in franchise history. And at a time in the season where every win is crucial, he delivered once more with an absolute gem against the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday afternoon. In seven innings of scoreless work, Rodriguez racked up nine strikeouts and allowed just five baserunners all game, inducing a whopping 18 swings and misses along the way.
It was a fairly dominant performance for the veteran lefty, but it wasn’t all smooth sailing. In the visiting half of the sixth, Pete Crow-Armstrong, who was mostly contained in the series, stroked a leadoff double down the line and then moved over to third on Seiya Suzuki’s groundout. After a shallow flyout from Alex Bregman wasn’t deep enough for PCA to score, he decided to take matters into his own hands and bluffed a straight steal of home by sprinting halfway down the third base line. That move unsettled Rodriguez enough for him to shuffle off the pitching rubber before delivering to James McCann behind the plate. The entire Cubs dugout clamored for a balk call, but after a quick umpire consultation, it was declared not a balk – much to PCA’s chagrin as he charged directly at the third base umpire and had to be held back by his coaches. After a few replays of the incident, I do think (as does Bob Brenly) that it probably was a balk. E-Rod clearly takes his left foot off the rubber before coming home with the ball, which would be very deceiving to a baserunner and which has always been the intent behind the balk rule. The play also highlighted the fact that every play should be reviewable as other angles show enough that the Cubs at least had an argument and when the margin is so thin, the call should be correct. It’s worth watching the whole sequence for yourself to see where you fall on the decision:
For what it’s worth, Chicago starter Matthew Boyd nearly matched Rodriguez zero for zero as the veteran journeyman allowed the same number of baserunners (five) in six innings of work and continued the excellent starting pitching the Cubs had in the series. His only mistake was a hanging changeup that Jordan Lawlar just lifted over the right field fence for the only run allowed by a Cubs starting pitcher. The D-Backs added an insurance run in the eighth when consecutive leadoff singles from McCann and Lawlar put the former at third with less than two outs for Ryan Waldschmidt who proceeded to drive a ball deep enough for McCann to lumber his way in to score. As a result, the team had the unique privilege of failing to record a single at bat with a runner in scoring position while still securing the win.
We’re now fully into the section of the season where every single victory is desperately needed. This team is all too familiar with the experience of missing the playoffs by a single game and this season looks like it will again be decided by a small margin. Victories like this could easily be a huge difference when the end of the season arrives.
In this week's Closer Report, Mason Montgomery has been lights out for the Pirates in the second half. The Marlins lost Pete Fairbanks to the injured list just as he'd been pitching well. And Elvis Alvarado has quietly been great since the All-Star break, taking the lead for the closer role in Sacramento.
⚾️ Baseball is back! MLB returns to NBC and Peacock in 2026! In addition to becoming the exclusive home of Sunday Night Baseball, NBC Sports will broadcast MLB Sunday Leadoff, “Opening Day” and Labor Day primetime games, the first round of the MLB Draft, the entire Wild Card round of the postseason, and much more.
Mason Miller - San Diego Padres
Jhoan Duran - Philadelphia Phillies
Cade Smith - Cleveland Guardians
Bryan Baker - Tampa Bay Rays
Louis Varland - Toronto Blue Jays
Josh Hader - Houston Astros
Miller made four appearances for the Padres this week, picking up a save against the Twins on Saturday. In his fourth outing in five days, he surrendered a solo homer in a tied game on Tuesday against the Pirates, falling in line for the loss. It was only his second run allowed in the second half and sixth all year for a 0.96 ERA, 0.82 WHIP, and 102 strikeouts over 56 1/3 innings.
Duran struck out two in a scoreless inning against the Cardinals on Friday, then pitched the ninth with a six-run lead against the Mariners on Wednesday. Jonathan Bowlan has worked his way into primary setup duties with a strong season, posting a 2.83 ERA over 47 2/3 innings.
Smith made up for a slow month with four saves this week. He's up to 35 with a 2.40 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, and 84 strikeouts over 60 innings. He trails Baker, who locked up two more saves for the Rays, pushing his total to 38. Meanwhile, Varland added two saves, including a four-out save against the Royals on Wednesday.
Hader struck out two in a scoreless inning in a non-save situation on Sunday against the A's, then converted a four-out save against the Yankees on Tuesday. Despite the abbreviated season for Hader, he's converted 19 saves with a 0.81 ERA, 0.72 WHIP, and 44 strikeouts over 33 1/3 innings.
▶ Tier 2
David Bednar - New York Yankees
Trevor Megill - Milwaukee Brewers
Aroldis Chapman - Boston Red Sox
Jacob Latz - Texas Rangers
Raisel Iglesias- Atlanta Braves
Tanner Scott - Los Angeles Dodgers
Bednar converted his 30th save against the Blue Jays on Friday, striking out one in a scoreless inning. In Milwaukee, Megill picked up a pair of saves, giving him 24 with a 2.28 ERA over 51 1/3 innings. Abner Uribe, on the injured list with a forearm injury, began a minor league rehab assignment this week as he progresses towards a return.
Chapman secured three more saves for the Red Sox this week. The 38-year-old left-hander is up to 30 with a 1.81 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and 58 strikeouts over 44 2/3 innings. Erik Miller has turned out to be an excellent pickup by Boston at the trade deadline. He's pitched 10 1/3 scoreless innings with 18 strikeouts.
Latz converted a pair of saves against the Nationals and Angels. His strikeout rate has spiked in the second half as he continues to dominate the ninth inning for the Rangers. Meanwhile, Iglesias bounced back from a rough stretch with three scoreless outings, converting three saves for the Braves.
Scott continues to work as the Dodgers' closer, picking up his 19th save against the Pirates on Saturday. He then gave up runs in a tie game to take the loss on Tuesday and Wednesday against the Braves. Manager Dave Roberts told reporters this week that Edwin Diaz will move into a lower-leverage role once he returns from the injured list.
▶ Tier 3
Mason Montgomery - Pittsburgh Pirates
Riley O'Brien - St. Louis Cardinals
Andrés Muñoz - Seattle Mariners
Emilio Pagán - Cincinnati Reds
Kenley Jansen - Detroit Tigers
Ben Joyce - Los Angeles Angels
Yoendrys Gómez - Minnesota Twins
Montgomery picked up another save for the Pirates on Tuesday, striking out two against the Padres for his sixth of the season. He's been outstanding in the second half and one of baseball's best relievers since the All-Star break, giving up just two runs with a 32/5 K/BB ratio across 16 2/3 innings.
O'Brien picked up a save against the Reds last Thursday, then was torched for six runs to take a loss against the Phillies on Sunday. He then gave up a run to take a loss against the Orioles on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Muñoz suffered his eighth blown save against the Cubs on Friday, giving up a solo homer. He bounced back with two strikeouts in a scoreless inning on Tuesday against the Phillies for his 24th save.
Pagán pitched a scoreless inning in a non-save situation against the Giants on Monday, then struck out two for his 17th save on Wednesday. And in Detroit, Jensen pitched a clean inning against the Rays on Tuesday for his 17th save, fifth in August.
Joyce was charged with a blown save, giving up two unearned runs in the tenth inning against the Rangers on Friday. He bounced back in a non-save situation on Tuesday, striking out the side against the Guardians.
Some regression finally caught up to Gómez on Monday as he surrendered four runs against the Athletics. Andrew Morris finished out the inning for a save, though Gómez should continue to get most save chances in Minnesota.
▶ Tier 4
Jordan Romano - Colorado Rockies
Jacob Webb/Daniel Palencia - Chicago Cubs
Kodai Senga - New York Mets
Clayton Beeter - Washington Nationals
Grant Taylor/Sean Newcomb - Chicago White Sox
Elvis Alvarado/Hogan Harris - Athletics
Romano made two scoreless appearances, picking up his 13th save against the Nationals on Tuesday. He's posted a 2.30 ERA with nine saves since joining the Rockies on July 4.
Webb blew back-to-back save chances this week. Palencia didn't fare much better on Tuesday, giving up three runs against the Diamondbacks. Webb remains likely to get the next save chance. Still, it's a situation to watch, one that's hardly provided any consistency all season.
Senga made two appearances this week, striking out two in a scoreless inning against the White Sox on Saturday. He then gave up one run on Sunday to take a loss. Beeter also came away with just a loss this week, giving up a run against the Marlins on Friday. And in Chicago, it was a bit of everything for Taylor. He picked up two wins and a blown save before converting his eighth save against the Rangers on Tuesday.
Alvarado and Harris exchanged save chances for the A's this week, with Alvarado converting two in a row and three of the last four. It seems like the team will be going with a matchup-based committee down the stretch, with Alvarado possibly leading the way.
▶ Tier 5
Calvin Faucher - Miami Marlins
Nate Pearson/Steven Cruz - Kansas City Royals
Rico Garcia/Andrew Kittredge/Yennier Cano - Baltimore Orioles
Dylan Smith - San Francisco Giants
Brandyn Garcia/Justin Martinez/Kavin Ginkel - Arizona Diamondbacks
Pete Fairbanks was forced to depart Monday's game against the Red Sox and was placed on the 15-day injured list on Tuesday with right medial nerve irritation. Faucher will likely lead a committee for the Marlins in Fairbanks' absence.
Of the pitchers remaining in volatile committee situations, Nate Pearson, Rico Garcia, and Dylan Smith seem like the best options to stream in deep leagues if desperate for saves.
Mark Vientos continued his rehab stint with Triple-A Syracuse on Wednesday and had his best game with the club.
The young Mets slugger went 2-for-5 and drove in two runs. He also hit a home run against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs.
Vientos' first hit came in the first, smashing a single to score Emilien Pitre from second and give Syracuse an early 1-0 lead. His longball came in the fifth with the bases empty. He smashed a changeup in the middle of the plate 409 feet to give Syracuse a 6-1 lead at the time.
It was a great offensive day for Vientos, who started at DH, and he needed it. He was hitless over his first three minor league games in his current rehab assignment and Mets interim manager Andy Green had some pointed things to say about the slugger and his future role on the team.
"I was very forthright with him when he started the rehab assignment that a lot of that will be dictated by how others perform and also by how he performs," Green said Wednesday. "Still think there’s a very bright future for him out there if he wants to grab a hold of it. That’s on him."
An RBI single for Mark Vientos on his rehab assignment with Triple-A Syracuse pic.twitter.com/OxyvA3b2wy
Aside from Vientos, the rest of the Syracuse Mets lineup exploded offensively.
Up and down the lineup, Syracuse received contributions from prospects, former big leaguers and more. The team hit four home runs, one from Vientos, one from catcher Shawn Ross and two from Billy Amick.
Amick, acquired from the Twins in the A.J. Minter deal at the deadline, has shown incredible power in Triple-A. His two blasts Wednesday give him five in seven games since he was promoted. He finished 3-for-5, but his average still sits at .192, so there's still development to be had.
Other contributions from the lineup include Pitre going 2-for-5 with two runs scored, Ronny Mauricio driving in a run with his two hits, and MJ Melendez driving in a run in Syracuse's 11-1 rout.
Billy Amick - acquired from the Twins in the A.J. Minter deal - hit two home runs for Triple-A Syracuse tonight pic.twitter.com/srrjUFqB3j
It’s been a tough season for Yorman Gomez, and that continued today. He allowed four earned runs on six hits including three home runs. His ERA on the season is up to 7.19. Steven Perez, Connor Brogdon, and Carlos Hernandez combined for 4.2 scoreless innings of relief.
It wasn’t a great day for the offense but Daniel Schneemann went 2-4 with a HR. Kyle Manzardo went 1-3 with a walk and an RBI double, and Kody Huff went 1-4 with an RBI double.
Jake Fox and Bennett Thompson were the story of this game. Jake Fox went 3-3 with three RBIs and a triple. He is now hitting .311 with an .878 OPS on the season. Bennett Thompson went 3-4 with an RBI double.
Ryan Degges had a solid outing today. He allowed two earned runs in 4.2 innings pitched while striking out three and walking two. His ERA for the RubberDucks is now at 2.41.
The showtime Captains were at it again today. Welbyn Francisca went 2-5 with a HR and three RBIs today, he continues to impress a ton as a 20 year old in High-A. He is now hitting .289 with a .937 OPS on the season. We also saw multi hit games from Tommy Hawke, Anthony Martinez, and Jose Pirela. Cannon Peebles went 1-4 with a walk and a HR of his own.
It was a rough game all around for the Howlers as they were shut out on just four hits with one walk to six strikeouts. Alejandro Garza and Deiten Lachance both went 1-4.
Ryan Desanto had a solid outing where he allowed just two runs in 5 innings with 5 strikeouts. His ERA is down to 4.37 on the season.
May 20, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers president Jeanie Buss poses for a selfie during a baseball game between the Miami Marlins and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
If I had a nickel for every time Jeanie Buss took her family to court, I’d have two nickels, which isn’t a lot, but it’s odd that it’s happened twice.
Jeanie has officially filed a petition to block the family’s sale of the Lakers, a move that became public on Tuesday. It’s the second time Jeanie has taken her siblings to court over matters relating to the Lakers.
The 97-page(!!) petition includes a whole host of things including Jeanie calling the actions of her siblings “devious behavior” and stating that she “never agreed to any sale, was never consulted and was never even informed,” all reported by Thuc Nhi Nguyen of the LA Times.
“Jeanie thought she had put all of her siblings’ scheming and manipulations behind her in 2017,” the petition reads. “Sadly, that was not the case — and Jeanie must respectfully request relief from this Court a second time.”
Among five points on the petition, Jeanie hopes to declare her siblings’ votes to sell the team void, remove Janie and Joey as co-trustees for “breach of fiduciary duty” and hold both in contempt of court and hold Jim, Johnny and Jesse in contempt and liable for “aiding and abetting.”
Jeanie’s stance is based on that 2017 ruling, which backed her as the family attempted what was effectively a coup to get her out as owner after she fired Jim Buss from the front office.
Two other parts of Jeanie’s petition are that she believes the franchise is being undervalued with the sale and that the price will only continue to go up. On top of that, she also has the backing of the two other minority owners, Patrick Soon-Shiong and Ed Roski.
The petition adds that Lakers minority owners Patrick Soon-Shiong, who owns the L.A. Times and said he plans to hold onto his 4% stake in the Lakers, and Ed Roski Jr. believe Jeanie is “the right person to continue as controlling owner and NBA governor of the Lakers to help preserve and continue to grow the value of the Lakers stock investments.”
Perhaps the worst news is that the court date is slated for Nov. 5, which means we’re still far from a resolution, barring an unlikely out-of-court settlement.
So, buckle up, folks. We’re gonna be here a while.
WILLIAMSPORT, PA - AUGUST 23: Didier Fuentes #72 of the Atlanta Braves pitches during the 2026 Little League Classic presented by New York Life between the Atlanta Braves and the Milwaukee Brewers at Journey Bank Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field on Sunday, August 23, 2026 in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Hailey Leonard/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Didier Fuentes was a main character in Wednesday night’s epic win over the Dodgers for Atlanta. He worked two scoreless innings, escaping two bases-loaded jams (one of his own creation). This highlighted how good he has been this season, producing 1.8 fWAR, the 10th most of any reliever in baseball. His 2.37 FIP and 3.10 xFIP illustrate how dominant he has been out of the pen as the youngest pitcher in baseball. Perhaps the highlight of his night was striking out Max Muncy to end the eighth inning and escape a bases-loaded jam. This is particularly interesting since he used his splitter to put Muncy away, which is his third pitch. Didier is still incredibly young and already very good, but his ability to develop and use a third pitch like his splitter will play a major factor in when or if he gets a chance to try his hand at being a starting pitcher again or if the Braves are content for him to be a dominant reliever for a long time.
She accuses them of “devious behavior’’ and for trying to carry out a “scheme” to circumvent her and violate the family trust.
Jeanie Buss also says three of her siblings – Jim, Johnny and Jesse – should be held in contempt of court and that her two other siblings, Joey and Janie, should show cause why they should not be held in contempt of court.
A longtime family feud resurfaced Aug. 12 after Mark Walter, controlling owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, agreed to sell the Lakers to venture capitalist Josh Kushner and former Disney CEO Bob Iger at a $12.5 billion valuation, the most ever paid for a U.S. professional sports franchise.
Attorney Adam Streisand, who represents Jeanie Buss, said in a declaration filed with the court that on Aug. 17 ESPN reported all six Buss siblings had voted to sell the team and Jeanie Buss was “out’’ as controlling owner. The report was considered part of the "scheme,'' according to the petition.
On Aug. 18, ESPN published a story reporting five of the siblings, with the exception of Jeanie, were united in their decision to sell the team. That would have a direct impact on her role with the Lakers.
The family must own at least 15% of the team for Jeanie Buss to remain controlling owner.
Tale of finances
The matter dates back to 1979, when Jerry Buss purchased the Lakers for $67.5 million and turned the team into one of the most storied franchises in sports. Upon his death in 2013, all six of his children were given equal shares of his stake in the team and Jeanie was named his successor.
In 2017, Jeanie Buss filed a lawsuit accusing two of her brothers, Jim and Johnny, of trying to oust her as controlling owner. A court order affirmed she was the controlling owner and directed the family co-trustee to take “all actions reasonably available’’ to ensure that continued. That year, Jeanie fired Jim Buss as the team's head of basketball operations
In June 2025, the Buss family agreed to sell the majority of the Lakers to Walter on a valuation of $10 billion, and the sale took into account Jeanie Buss' position with the team.
According to Jeanie Buss’ petition, “Specifically, the co-trustees enabled each beneficiary to receive substantial wealth while preserving the Buss family’s ownership interest in the Lakers above the 15% threshold required for Jeanie to remain Controlling Owner, and while securing a contractual commitment from the new owner to maintain Jeanie as Controlling Owner for at least five years, through October 30, 2030.’’
Jeanie Buss' track record
The Lakers have won 17 NBA championships, more than any team but the Boston Celtics, who have won 18.
But since Jerry Buss died in 2013, the Lakers have won just one championship. And after his death, the Lakers failed to make the playoffs for six consecutive seasons.
There is no mention of the team’s struggles in a section of the petition outlining Jeanie Buss’ successes as controlling owner.
The petition states, “During her tenure, among other of her extraordinary achievements, she overhauled the front office, signed LeBron James, traded for Anthony Davis, and delivered the 2020 Championship, becoming the first female Controlling Owner to win an NBA title, before obtaining Luka Dončić and while growing the Lakers to a record valuation for an NBA franchise.’’
The $12.5 billion Kushner and Iger have agreed to pay for the team reflects the massive growth of the team’s value – from their father’s purchase of $67.5 million, not to mention a growth of 25% in about a year.
According to the petition, two of the Lakers' minority owners, Patrick Soon-Shiong and Ed Roski Jr., “have made the determination, as has Jeanie, that the value of Lakers stock will continue to increase over the value of the stock in the current proposed offer…and, for that reason, they have no intent to sell their Lakers stock at this time.’’
The NHL announced on Wednesday that four St. Louis Blues game times have been changed for the 2026-27 season.
The games include:
* Nov. 7 at Nashville, from 12:30 p.m. to noon
* March 7 at Philadelphia, from noon to 2:30 p.m.
* March 28 vs. Buffalo, from 8 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
* April 6 at Vegas, from 9 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Also, the Blues will have 11 games televised on national TV this season, including seven on the ESPN networks and an additional four more on TNT:
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New York Yankees pitcher Elmer Rodriguez pitches in the first inning during a game against the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, NY. (Robert Sabo for NY Post)
Elmer Rodríguez stepped into a big Yankees moment and delivered the best outing of his young career.
The Yankees called up Rodríguez, their No. 3 prospect, to start Wednesday, and he provided them with a quality outing at a time when their injury-riddled pitching staff’s depth is being tested amid a two-front race in the standings.
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It was the 23-year-old’s fifth start — and first since June 21 — in the big leagues this year. After four shaky starts — he entered Wednesday with a 4.76 ERA in 17 innings pitched — he returned and provided the Yankees with a needed lift.
“That’s what we get excited about right there,” manager Aaron Boone said. “I think he got [the Astros’] attention right away — you’re seeing 97, 98, 99 [mph] sinkers filling up the zone, spinning a good breaking ball. That was really encouraging, to see that. And to see him, it felt like, a little bit more settled, too.
Elmer Rodriguez looks out to center field after giving up a solo home run to Daulton Varsho (rounding third base) during the fourth inning of the Yankees’ 9-3 blowout win over the Astros on Aug. 26, 2026 at the Stadium. Robert Sabo for NY Post
“That’s the electric arm that we know is in there. I thought he threw the heck out of the ball.”
Rodríguez came back out for the seventh inning but was pulled after walking Jose Altuve to start the frame. He left to loud applause from Yankees fans.
His final line also would have looked a bit better if it weren’t for some rough fielding in the first inning, when Trent Grisham misplayed a fly ball to hand the Astros their first run.
Rodríguez’s velocity was noticeably a few ticks higher Wednesday than it was across his first four starts. And Wednesday was the deepest he’s pitched across his five starts — he had never gone further than 4 ²/₃ innings previously.
“Just trusting myself,” Rodríguez said. “Something that I’ve been building up since my first couple of starts. Each time, I felt better. I’ve been working on a couple [of things] down there [in Triple-A] and I feel like it’s been working.”
Elmer Rodriguez pitches in the first inning of the Yankees’ blowout win over the Astros on Aug. 26, 2026 at the Stadium. Robert Sabo for NY Post
The Yankees rotation has been hit by injuries recently, opening the door for Rodríguez to return to the big leagues — for the moment, at least. Ryan Weathers was placed on the injured list earlier this week with a low-grade flexor strain that will likely keep him sidelined for several weeks.
And Max Fried hit the injured list earlier this month with a bone bruise in his left elbow, though he could return as soon as Saturday. The bullpen, particularly with Fernando Cruz now dealing with a partial UCL tear, has been hit, too.
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Rodríguez’s performance came at an important time for the Yankees even beyond the injuries — they remained 3 ½ games behind the Rays atop the AL East and extended their lead to 2 ½ games above the Red Sox for the top wild-card spot.
“That’s by far,” Boone said, “the best stuff he’s had since he’s been up here with us.”
Five games, five homers. Tristan Peters is officially Bananas. | (Zoe Davis/Getty Images)
Boy, oh, boy, do these guys need Thursday’s off-day.
Chicago’s (70-63) arms are cooked. Sean Burke lost the strike zone, and the Rangers took 10 free passes. Not that it mattered. The South Siders just kept swinging, Tristan Peters kept launching balls into orbit and somehow the Good Guys walked away with a 10-4 win and the series in hand.
Was it tidy? Absolutely not. Was it fun? You bet.
Burke had nothing from pitch one. He fell behind the first four hitters and handed Corey Seager a free pass with one out, while his fastball velocity was down 0.4 mph. Four pitches into Wyatt Langford, Burke tried to pick off Seager. The ump called him safe, but Will Venable challenged and got the out. The successful challenge did nothing to fix Burke’s control, as he walked Langford with two outs. Fortunately, the Rangers bailed him out. Langford got greedy on a 2-2 pitch to Brandon Nimmo, and Jake Rogers gunned him down at second to end the mess.
Burke needed 22 pitches to survive the first, throwing only 10 for strikes. Buckle up.
The bottom half was less chaotic but equally frustrating. Miguel Vargas worked a six-pitch walk, his 20th free pass of August, but Munetaka Murakami pounded a 3-1 pitch into the ground for a double play. Randal Grichuk followed with a strikeout, and MacKenzie Gore escaped without breaking a sweat.
Burke continued searching for the strike zone in the second. He issued a one-out walk to Ezequiel Duran and surrendered a single to Evan Carter, although he appeared to find a little more feel for his fastball toward the end of the inning. He retired the next two batters to strand both runners, but his pitch count had already ballooned to 52.
Thankfully, the offense decided to give him some breathing room.
Chase Meidroth opened the bottom of the second with a double, and Braden Montgomery immediately drove him home with an RBI double to right. Brenton Doyle kept the line moving with a single to left that scored Braden, although Doyle was thrown out trying to stretch it into a double.
Rogers restarted the rally with a base hit to center, and after Peters flew out, Luisangel Acuña bounced a ground-rule double into the stands to put runners on second and third. Texas intentionally walked Vargas to pack the sacks for Mune, but Murakami struck out to leave them loaded.
Still, the Sox had a 2-0 lead. That lasted approximately five minutes.
Burke opened the third by walking Cody Freeman, and Joc Pederson promptly launched a two-run homer to tie the game. After Seager flew out, Burke walked Langford for the second time, balked him to second and appeared to get strike two on Nimmo on a 3-1 pitch. Nimmo was already halfway to first when he challenged the call, and the automated system agreed with him. Ball four.
Somehow, Burke pulled himself together long enough to punch out Ezequiel Duran and Evan Carter, escaping with the score still tied. It took him 81 pitches to record nine outs, though, which is generally not the preferred ratio.
The Sox did not give Burke much time to contemplate his life choices. Grichuk lined out, Meidroth walked, Braden flew out and Doyle struck out to send him right back to the mound.
For some reason, Venable allowed Burke to come back out for the fourth. He walked the first two batters, because of course he did, and FINALLY the skipper went to the bullpen.
Burke’s night ended after three-plus innings, two hits, two earned runs and a career-high eight walks. If Texas were a competent baseball team, those eight free passes might have buried the Sox.
Instead, Sean Newcomb came riding to the rescue.
Newcomb got Freeman on a sacrifice bunt before coaxing a pop out from Pederson and a fly out from Seager. Two inherited runners, zero runs. What an enormous job by Newcomb to bail out his teammate and keep the game tied.
The Sox rewarded him immediately.
Peters ripped a one-out double in the fourth, and Acuña followed with a single to center to put runners on the corners. Vargas worked his way into a 3-0 count before dropping a duck snort just inside the first-base line, driving in Peters and moving Acuña to second.
It was not majestic, but it counted all the same. The Sox had reclaimed a 3-2 lead.
Acuña was caught stealing third with Mune at the plate, but Murakami eventually worked a walk to end Gore’s night. Venable then sent Sam Antonacci up to pinch-hit for Grichuk, and Antonacci delivered a clutch RBI single to make it 4-2.
Newcomb returned for the fifth and surrendered a pair of singles, but Braden made an outstanding play in right to end the threat and preserve the two-run cushion.
Then it was time for the Tristan Peters Show.
Rogers worked a huge two-out walk in the bottom of the fifth, and Peters promptly shot a laser over the right-field wall for his fifth home run in as many games.
Yes, five.
The two-run blast gave the White Sox a 6-2 lead and put Peters alongside Murakami and Ron Kittle as the only rookies in franchise history to homer in five consecutive games. Peters also tied the White Sox record and the MLB rookie record for consecutive games with a home run.
Bananas Bonds strikes again.
Newcomb finally delivered the first 1-2-3 inning by a White Sox pitcher in the sixth, and the offense responded by putting the game away.
Vargas led off with a single and took off for second. The throw sailed into center field, allowing him to scamper all the way to third. Murakami walked to put runners on the corners with nobody out, and Antonacci did what Antonacci does, sneaking a grounder between short and third to drive in Vargas.
After Meidroth flew out and Braden hit into a force out, Doyle stepped in with two aboard and two down.
Boom.
Doyle crushed a three-run homer to stretch the lead to 10-2 and turn the rest of the evening into something resembling a bullpen rehabilitation assignment.
Newcomb’s night ended after three magnificent scoreless innings. The southpaw allowed only two hits, did not issue a walk and struck out one. On a night when Burke could not locate anything and the pitching staff desperately needed length, Newcomb could not have been much better.
Jonathan Cannon took over in the seventh for his first major league appearance since April 12 after spending the past several months refining his mechanics in Charlotte. He struck out Seager before allowing a walk, a double and a single that brought home two runs. Cannon then walked old friend Nicky Lopez — he’s from Naperville, you know — but recovered with a fly out and a strikeout to escape the inning.
Peters led off the bottom of the seventh with a single, leaving him a triple shy of the cycle for the second consecutive night. Apparently, homering in five straight games is not enough for him. Unfortunately, Acuña followed with a double play, and Vargas struck out to end the inning.
Cannon made things interesting again in the eighth when Jake Burger doubled and Langford singled, but Texas failed to capitalize. Meidroth added a two-out single in the bottom half, giving the White Sox 15 hits on the night, and the Rangers never mounted the miraculous comeback necessary to spoil the party.
It was not exactly a pitching clinic, but who cares? The South Siders survived Burke’s eight walks, received three enormous innings from Newcomb and battered Texas pitching for the second consecutive night. Antonacci drove in two off the bench, Doyle collected four RBIs, Vargas reached base four times and Peters finished 3-for-4 with a double, a homer and two RBIs.
On the out-of-town scoreboard, the Tigers and Twins lost while the Guardians won. The White Sox maintain their 2 1/2-game advantage atop the AL Central and, mercifully, have Thursday off before opening a three-game series in Minnesota on Friday.
Get these pitchers some ice, a comfortable pillow and strict instructions not to pick up a baseball for at least 24 hours.
MVP Brenton Doyle: 2-for-4, R, 4 RBI, HR
Runners-Up Tristan Peters: 3-for-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, HR, 2B Miguel Vargas: 2-for-3, 2 R, RBI, 2 BB, SB, K Sam Antonacci: 2-for-3, 2 RBI Chase Meidroth: 2-for-4, R, BB, 2B Luisangel Acuña: 2-for-4, 2B, CS Sean Newcomb: 3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, K
Cold Cat Sean Burke: 3 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 8 BB, 3 K, PO
Runners-Up Jonathan Cannon: 3 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 4 K Randal Grichuk: 0-for-2, K Munetaka Murakami: 0-for-3, R, 2 BB, 2 K
South Bend shortstop Angel Cepeda waits for the pitch during a Minor League Baseball game between the South Bend Cubs and the Cedar Rapids Kernels at Four Winds Field on Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026, in South Bend. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co
Right-hander Luis Rujano moves from the High-A South Bend Cubs to the Double-A Knoxville Smokies
Right-hander Jackson Kirkpatrick joins the South Bend Cubs from the ACL Cubs.
It was a terrific start for Kohl Franklin who allowed no runs on two hits over 4.2 innings. Franklin struck out seven and walked just one.
Luis Peralta got the final out of the fifth inning and got the win. Peralta faced one batter and gave up a single, but then that batter was thrown out trying to steal second.
Shelby Miller struck out the first two batters of the sixth inning swinging, but then he struggled with control as he walked the next two. So with two on and two outs, Miller was relieved by Connor Noland, who gave up a three-run home run to the first batter he faced. So two of those runs were charged to Miller.
However, Noland stayed in the game after that and actually got the save by pitching the final 3.1 innings. Noland surrendered one run (of his own) on two hits. He walked two and struck out one.
The I-Cubs exploded for six runs in the bottom of the sixth off former Cub Luke Little. The highlight was a “Little League grand slam” by right fielder Justin Dean, which officially went into the scorebook as a two-run single and a three-base error. Dean was 1 for 4.
Second baseman James Triantos was 2 for 5 with a double and a stolen base. He scored one run.
Center fielder Chas McCormick went a perfect 1 for 1 with three walks and a stolen base. He scored on the “grand slam” and singled home a run in the seventh inning.
Matt Shaw played the entire game at third base and went 1 for 4 with an RBI single in the sixth. He then scored on Dean’s single.
Brody McCullough started and took the loss. McCullough gave up three runs in the first inning, including a two run home run and then settled down until the fifth inning when he allowed one more. McCullough’s final line was four runs on seven hits over five innings. He struck out five and walked one.
First baseman Miguel Useche went 3 for 4 with one run scored.
Third baseman Edgar Alvarez was 2 for 4 with a double and a run scored.
Brayden Spears pitched the first three innings and allowed two runs on two hits and two walks. He struck out five.
Braylon Myers relieved Spears to start the fourth inning and got the win because Spears didn’t go five. Myers pitched 4.1 innings, giving up four runs on three hits, two of which were home runs. Myers walked two and struck out five.
Shortstop Juan Cepeda cranked two home runs tonight: a solo home run in the fourth inning and a three-run home run in the ninth. That gives Cepeda eight South Bend home runs and nine overall. Cepeda was a tough out all night, going 4 for 5 with the two home runs and a walk. He scored three times to go with the four RBI.
First baseman Josiah Hartshorn also had four hits tonight, going 4 for 6 with a double and two RBI. That gives the teenager 77 RBI in South Bend and 102 overall this year.
DH Reginald Preciado played in his first game since April and was 2 for 3 with a walk and was hit by a pitch to reach four times. Preciado scored twice and had three RBI.
Catcher Logan Poteet was 2 for 4 with a double and two walks. Poteet drove home one run and scored twice.
Right fielder Alexey Lumpuy hit an RBI triple in the fourth inning. Lumpuy went 2 for 4 with a walk and a stolen base. He had two total RBI and scored twice.
Left fielder Kade Snell went 2 for 6 with a double. He scored one run.
Starter Hayden Frank took the loss after he allowed four runs on four hits and three walks over 3.1 innings. Frank struck out three and also hit a batter.
The Pelicans had one hit in this game and it was a third-inning home run by center fielder Darlyn De Leon. De Leon now has three home runs this year. He was 1 for 3.
James Schiano
