BOSTON, MA - MAY 10: Roman Anthony #19 of the Boston Red Sox during the game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park on May 10, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Sox’ contingent of rehabbing big leaguers has been a mixed bag in the minors so far. Roman Anthony seems fine, more or less, hitting moon shots, working walks, and working his way back. Trevor Story and IKF, on the other hand, look lost at the plate. So what’s next for this trio? Story and IKF will head to Boston today to be reevaluated, and they could potentially rejoin the team for the upcoming series against the Marlins. Anthony, though, will head southwest from Portland to Worcester and make his first appearance with the WooSox on Tuesday. Could he return before the weekend? “I wouldn’t completely rule it out,” Chad Tracy said. “But I still think he’s in the building-up phase of outfield and continuing to get at-bats. So, I won’t completely rule it out, but he’s definitely going to continue on Tuesday in Worcester.“ (Ian Browne, MLB.com)
Trevor Story certainly didn’t look like a big leaguer down in Worcester. And complicating matters with respect to his return is the fact that Nick Sogard has looked great in Fenway. “You can’t say enough about it,” Tracy said of Sogard’s receet play. “You’re getting power swings on the left side, powerful swings on the right side. You’re getting great defense. It’s been enormous, the at-bats he’s taken.” (Alex Speier, Boston Globe)
Unfortunately, Garrett Crochet isn’t nearly as close to returning, though he is making progress, having recently started “playing catch from 90 feet with greater intensity.” As a result of his injury, he has officially lost his ability to opt out of his contract in 2030, and the Sox now hold an option on him for the 2032 season. “I’ve long since accepted it,” Crochet said. “Regardless of that, my goal is to come back and help the team in any way that I can.” (Peter Abraham, Boston Globe)
When Crochet does return, he’ll find himself paired with a new battery mate of course. Luckily, new catcher Adley Rutschman is getting great reviews for the way he handles the staff. (Peter Abraham, Boston Globe)
As amazing as this season has been, it isn’t hard to think about what this team would look like Garrett Crochet in the rotation, especially come playoff time. As it stands, though, we’ll get a little preview of the Sox playoff rotation this week, as Ranger Suarez, Payton Tolle, and Sonny Gray will face the Marlins in that order. (Rodney Knuppel, NESN)
Jake Bennett may or may not make a postseason start. He’s been great relative to expectations this season, but is starting to struggle a bit. Those struggles continued in the early stages of yesterday’s game, but he was saved by some great defense. (Chris Cotillo, MassLive)
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - SEPTEMBER 30: Bobby Witt Jr. #7 of the Kansas City Royals dives into second as he tries to steal in the third inning against the New York Yankeesat Kauffman Stadium on September 30, 2023 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Royals fans and fans across the country.
The Royals are red hot; they’ve won eight straight. Even with all of that winning, though, they’ve merely created a second tier of “not in the playoff hunt” by having significantly more wins than the Athletics and Angels, but far fewer than the rest of the American League. Still, I come to you, wanting to dream a little about the playoffs.
So, yes, the Royals aren’t in it. In fact, they’d need to win 23 of their remaining 30 games just to finish the season with a .500 record. That said… a .500 record seems like it would probably be good enough to squeak into the postseason; the Guardians currently hold the final spot while a game below .500. 23 out of 30 would be a .767 winning percentage; that’s a 124-win pace over a full season. That’s ridiculous. But, well, the Royals don’t have to do it over a full season, just over the next month or so. When they started this eight-game winning streak, they needed to win 31 of their last 38 to reach .500, and they’ve played 1.000 since then. Compared to that, 23 out of 30 isn’t that crazy is it?
OK, yeah, it’s still pretty crazy. But here’s a question for you: how many more games would the Royals have to win in a row before it stopped seeming crazy? 10 in a row would mean they needed to win 21 of their final 28; that’s a .750 winning percentage to finish out the year. If they swept the rest of August, they’d have won 14 in a row and need to have a 17-7 September. That doesn’t seem completely unreasonable. If they got halfway through September without losing a game, they’d have won 26 in a row and only need to finish 5-7 to reach .500.
A couple key things to remember, here: I’m not asking you if you think the Royals can achieve any of those winning streaks. Just how long the streak would need to be for you to start dreaming about the playoffs again. Also, if they at least swept the rest of August, they’d hold tie-breakers over the Twins, Mariners, Tigers, and Guardians. With a really strong shot to also hold one over the Blue Jays. That’s a lot of teams in front of them that they’d beat out for a final playoff spot, should it miraculously come to that.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - AUGUST 23: Designated hitter Kyle Schwarber #12 of the Philadelphia Phillies reacts with his team after hitting a walk off two RBI home run during the ninth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Citizens Bank Park on August 23, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Bill Streicher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Phillies are coming in on a nine-game winning streak after sweeping the Twins, Marlins, and Cardinals in successive series. Philadelphia continues to remain in a tight race for the NL Wild Card and the NL East division title. Meanwhile, the Mariners are barely hanging onto the fringe of the AL playoff picture, including giving up 19+ runs twice in a week. All this is to say the momentum is with the Phillies.
So things aren’t looking great, but the Mariners are not eliminated yet; it’s still very possible for them to make a run for the playoffs, remaining just three games out of the Wild Card and three games out of the AL West. Plus, despite the blowouts, the Mariners still claimed a series victory over one of the best teams in the NL, the Chicago Cubs. While things have definitely looked bleak since the All-Star break, this team still has the chance to control their destiny, and disrupting a red-hot Phillies squad could be the perfect start to doing so.
The Phillies are a different team than you would expect, despite the notable names in their lineup — Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, and Trea Turner — they actually don’t pop off the page much as a team offensively. They’re not top 10 in the NL in runs or average or home runs or hits. In fact, across the board they end up rather middle of the pack despite the power-hitting stars that fill out the lineup. It’s much more likely that you’ve heard talk about their rotation this year, especially the continued breakout of Cristopher Sánchez, who the Mariners will thankfully be missing. However, the Mariners will still have to face the always dangerous Zach Wheeler, who is likely cruising to another top 10 Cy Young finish, as well as closer Jhoan Duran, who remains one of the best closers in MLB. This group of pitchers excels at striking out batters, so much so that they lead the NL as a group. However, the Phillies have weaknesses; while their starters can often go out and drop a quality start or keep a lineup shut down for six innings, the bullpen will still let a few runs through. If the Mariners can score early and attack a leaky Phillies bullpen, they may yet have a chance to size some momentum here and ride it right into the playoffs.
Player
Position
Bats
PA
K%
BB%
ISO
wRC+
Kyle Schwarber
DH
L
560
33.2%
14.6%
0.288
140
Trea Turner
SS
R
561
21.6%
6.4%
0.145
87
Bryce Harper
RF
L
559
20.9%
16.6%
0.238
139
Luis Arraez
2B
L
541
4.4%
5.0%
0.121
119
Alec Bohm
1B
R
509
13.6%
6.3%
0.142
89
Bryson Stott
SS
L
490
16.3%
10.2%
0.148
105
Brandon Marsh
LF
L
489
24.7%
6.1%
0.162
104
J.T. Realmuto
C
R
369
20.9%
7.6%
0.126
79
Justin Crawford
CF
L
383
17.8%
5.7%
0.089
85
The Phillies have rarely deviated from the lineups they send out on a day-to-day basis. The top three will almost always be Schwarber, Turner, Harper, followed by some combination of Bryson Stott, Alec Bohm, and Luis Arraez. While the order can shift, those six are essentially guaranteed to be in the lineup somewhere.
Kyle Schwarber typically leads off; the three-true-outcomes power hitter and perpetual MVP candidate continues to offer power and a solid eye at the top of the lineup, leading the NL in home runs and currently third in walks. Schwarber also leads the NL in strikeouts, so it’s not like there’s no hope in getting him out. Trea Turner typically falls behind Schwarber. The well-compensated shortstop has faced a lot of criticism this year from local fans as his production continues to fall short of expectations. The former All-Star has gone from winning a batting title to dropping 60 points in his batting average and has struggled to match his form and performance from last year on any level. Still, you never know when someone is gonna break out, and the Mariners tend to bring the best out of their opponents. Bryce Harper rounds out the top three; the two-time MVP is always a cause for concern, and this week is no different. Harper leads the league in walks while boasting a 134 OPS+ to go along with 26 home runs so far this year. While he might not quite be in the MVP conversation, Harper is certainly someone to be very wary of.
Zack Wheeler has been one of the best pitchers in baseball for the better part of a decade, a model of consistency and health. A blood clot in his shoulder cut his season short last year and he eventually had to undergo surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome. Despite the severity of the injury, he missed just a month to start the season and has looked no worse for wear once he got back on the mound. Under the hood, he’s seen his strikeout-to-walk ratio slip just a tiny bit, though a strikeout rate dropping from 33.3% to 30.4% still makes him one of the best strikeout artists in the game. He’s got excellent command of his deep repertoire, plenty of weapons to induce swings and misses, and masterfully keeps batters off balance.
Pitcher
IP
K%
BB%
HR/FB%
GB%
ERA
FIP
Aaron Nola
137
24.6%
7.8%
18.9%
39.6%
5.12
4.92
George Kirby
140
19.9%
5.6%
10.6%
43.9%
4.18
3.76
Pitch
Usage vRHB
Usage vLHB
Velocity
Stuff+
Whiff+
BIP+
xwOBA
Four-seam
17.7%
27.3%
92.3
107
64
80
0.401
Sinker
28.1%
13.0%
91.6
103
85
117
0.375
Cutter
10.0%
5.9%
86.3
91
109
82
0.356
Changeup
7.1%
21.6%
85.6
67
88
95
0.317
Curveball
34.8%
32.2%
78.3
125
136
114
0.223
Slider
2.3%
0.1%
83.2
Aaron Nola’s long and successful career seems to be winding down. He’s been a staple member of the Phillies rotation for more than a decade, but with all those miles on his arm, he’s started the slow descent of an aging hurler. His ERA isn’t as high as it was during an injury-plagued season last year but his FIP is up to a career-high this year. His trademark curveball is still a very effective pitch but the deterioration of his fastball velocity is the main culprit behind his struggles. He’s responded by throwing his breaking ball more than ever, but batters are still pounding his hard stuff when they see it.
Pitcher
IP
K%
BB%
HR/FB%
GB%
ERA
FIP
Jesús Luzardo
156
30.1%
7.3%
10.9%
48.2%
3.35
2.84
Bryan Woo
138.1
24.3%
5.2%
9.0%
36.8%
4.10
3.30
Pitch
Usage vRHB
Usage vLHB
Velocity
Stuff+
Whiff+
BIP+
xwOBA
Four-seam
29.2%
13.1%
96.9
98
80
98
0.304
Sinker
12.5%
34.9%
95.8
110
86
99
0.326
Changeup
23.4%
3.0%
86.0
103
122
96
0.297
Sweeper
34.9%
49.1%
86.1
123
145
97
0.181
After trading for Jesús Luzardo last year and helping him truly establish himself as a big league pitcher, the Phillies signed him to a five-year extension this offseason. He has responded with the best season of his career. His strikeout-to-walk ratio is higher than ever, he’s pushed his groundball rate up six points, and he’s very likely to earn downballot Cy Young votes for his efforts. Everything starts with his power sweeper. He’s throwing that breaking ball more than ever and it’s one of the best pitches in all of baseball. A pair of solid fastballs and a changeup round out his repertoire, but the big bender is the foundation that makes the whole package hum.
The Big Picture:
Team
W-L
W%
Games Behind
Run Diff
Recent Form
Astros
65-66
0.496
—
-44
W-L-W-L-L
Rangers
65-66
0.496
—
-46
L-W-W-L-W
Mariners
62-69
0.473
3.0
-61
W-L-W-W-L
Angels
52-79
0.397
13.0
-70
L-W-L-W-L
Athletics
51-80
0.389
14.0
-187
L-L-L-W-W
Team
W-L
W%
Games Behind
Run Diff
Recent Form
Yankees
74-56
0.569
+9.5
+100
W-W-W-L-W
Red Sox
71-59
0.546
+6.5
+99
W-L-W-W-W
Guardians
65-66
0.496
—
-9
L-W-W-W-W
Rangers
65-66
0.496
—
-46
L-W-W-L-W
Blue Jays
64-68
0.485
1.5
-55
L-W-L-W-L
Twins
63-68
0.481
2.0
-54
W-W-L-L-L
Orioles
63-68
0.481
2.0
-35
L-L-W-W-L
Mariners
62-69
0.473
3.0
-61
W-L-W-W-L
Tigers
61-69
0.469
3.5
+73
L-L-L-L-L
Another week, another Wild Card leader. Thanks to a sweep over the weekend in Colorado, the Guardians have leapt into the third Wild Card slot, tied with the Rangers and Astros. Houston technically holds the AL West division lead despite matching records with the other Texas team; the ‘Stros travel to face the Yankees this week. Meanwhile, the Rangers head to Chicago to face the AL Central leading White Sox.
SEATTLE, WA - AUGUST 22: Cal Raleigh #29 of the Seattle Mariners bats during the game between the Chicago Cubs and the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on Saturday, August 22, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Eric Hiller/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
When a team is on a hot streak – and I feel like a nine-game winning streak qualifies – it isn’t always the best thing for them to have to travel across the country. But the schedule makers have seen fit to send the Phillies out west for a three-city road trip, so hopefully, they can keep the magic going in the Pacific time zone.
On the positive side, the first stop on the trip is Seattle where the Mariners are having a massively disappointing season. After losing in game seven of the 2025 ALCS, the Mariners have slumped to 62-69, which somehow is still good enough for third place and the edge of contention in the awful American League West.
Since this is a Seattle team, I’ll put it in grunge terms: They’re still alive. But do they deserve to be?
Opposition research: Cal Raleigh
Many people believed Cal Raleigh should have been the American League MVP winner last year. Hitting a league-leading 60 home runs while playing good defense as a catcher is something that simply doesn’t happen. While the 60 home runs might have been a fluke, it wasn’t like Raleigh came out of nowhere. He hit 34 homers the years before, and combined with a Gold Glove in 2024, it felt like the “best catcher in baseball” debate had been settled and would be for at least a few years.
The debate has been reopened this season because Raleigh has followed up that stellar campaign with one of the worst seasons by any player in baseball.
Cal Raleigh has a lower average this season than one-armed outfielder Pete Gray did for the 1945 St. Louis Browns pic.twitter.com/6qsClWt2Ub
“Big Dumper” is no longer a complimentary nickname, as Raleigh is batting just .159 with 14 home runs. He spent about a month on the Injured List with an oblique strain earlier this year, but if the Mariners hoped a return to health would mean a return to production, they’ve been sorely disappointed, as his post-injury statistics are in line with what he was doing beforehand.
If it feels like Cal Raleigh is having the most catastrophic year-over-year decline in performance you've ever witnessed on a baseball diamond, it's because he almost certainly is.
It isn’t clear why Raleigh has had such a downturn this season. Maybe his teammate put a curse on him for snubbing him during the WBC? If so, that’s an epic own goal on Randy Arozarena.
Randy Arozarena went off on his Mariners teammate, Cal Raleigh, for refusing to shake his hand 😳
Arozarena also added that "the only thing [Raleigh] should be thankful for is having such great parents," and that they were "proud to see" Arozarena before the game
Unless the Mariners make a run to win the West, this will be another season where they don’t make it to the World Series. I understand that they’ve only been around since 1977, but that’s almost 50 years now.
the great thing about being a Mariners fan is that I can say with absolute confidence that my team never won a World Series by cheating
This franchise had the coolest player of the 90’s, and the most prominent Japanese player in baseball for 14 years, and they couldn’t find a way to win even one American League pennant? They should have done what the Dodgers are doing and convince other high profile Japanese players to team up with Ichiro. (It probably didn’t help that they never made the playoffs with Ichiro after his rookie season.)
Maybe the guy was a bad teammate? I know one Mariners fan, and he actually can’t stand Ichiro, saying he was a selfish player who worried about individual stats to the team’s detriment. Then again, I think a lot of fans of bad teams say that about their stars.
Remembering a guy who played for both the Phillies and Mariners
Mike Sweeney was a multiple-time All-Star for the Kansas City Royals. The first baseman had elite on-base skills and could be counted on for 20+ home runs a season. By the time he signed with the Mariners before the 2009 season, he was 35 years old and clearly in decline.
Mostly used as a bench bat, Sweeney was solid for the Mariners, with an OPS of .784 and 14 home runs in 104 games. In late 2010, the Mariners were out of contention, while Ryan Howard had to go on the Injured List, so the Phillies sent some cash the Mariners way and added Sweeney for the stretch run.
Sweeney’s time with the Phillies was mostly unmemorable, but he did hit a home run in the division-clinching victory against the Nationals, and he had a single in his only postseason at bat during the NLDS.
After the season, Sweeney retired and returned to the Royals in a front office job.
Do not want
Speaking of Arozarena, there were rumors that the Phillies could have traded for him before the deadline. That obviously didn’t happen, but it remains possible that they pursue the outfielder in free agency this offseason. But he’s 31 years of age, has been a good, not great hitter throughout his career, is enjoying a career best season heading into free agency, and is rated poorly on defense.
Flying to Seattle and starting a series without an off day is tough, but with the Phillies on a roll, maybe that’s for the best. There have been many debates about how real momentum is in baseball, but generally when a team is doing well, you don’t want to get them out of their routine. (Though a cross-country flight and changing time zones probably qualifies as getting them out of their routine.)
We know the Phillies are going to lose at some point (right?) and I assumed that was going to happen on Sunday. But the offense decided to just win the game dramatically instead.
I think the team is due for an absolute stinker of a game where they just suffer a week’s worth of misfortune in one night. I hope that doesn’t happen on Monday, because it would be nice to see Zack Wheeler look good after about a month of shakiness. On the other hand, with the games starting late, I probably won’t be able to see the entire affair. So maybe it would be nice for them to get the stinkiness out of their system while I’m asleep.
The NHL Network has been ranking the best player at each position leading up to the start of the 2026-27 NHL season. On Sunday, August 2nd, they revealed their current top 20 wings list and ranked Martin Necas 15th. The following week, they released their top 20 list of the league's best defensemen, ranking Cale Makar 1st.
Following it up, they have now released their top 20 centers currently in the league. NHL Network’s Jamison Coyle, E.J. Hradek, and Mike Rupp, who hosted the show, explained that while counting down the best centers in the league, they based the rankings on “player performance over the past several seasons, with an emphasis on the 2025-2026 regular season and 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, while also considering future upside.”
To no one’s surprise, they ranked Nathan MacKinnon second in their rankings for centers right now. The only other player who stood above him was Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid. In second place, he ranked above Macklin Celerini (3rd), Leon Draisaitl (4th), and Aleksander Barkov (5th).
When MacKinnon’s position in the rankings was reached, Hradek said on his placement in the rankings, “He is electric. Nathan MacKinnon’s one of those guys that when you watch him, when you see him coming out of that defensive zone with the puck, he does those quick crossovers. There’s nothing like it in the NHL. He’s like a little locomotive coming up the ice. He’s able to shift gears and move laterally just as fast as he’s able to go forward. He’s a special, special player.”
It was pretty spot on what Hradek said, and if you had to make a poll among the league's fans, players, and management, it's a fair assumption to say that, really, outside of McDavid, MacKinnon has shown these past couple of seasons that he really is the clear-cut second-best center in the league and at times could argue that he could be placed above McDavid.
“MacKinnon had 127 points (53 goals, 74 assists) in 80 games last season and has had at least 111 points each of the past four. He's scored at least 30 goals in eight of the past nine seasons; he had 20 in 48 games of the 56-game 2020-21 season. He has 150 power-play points over the past four seasons, a stretch when he's an NHL-best plus-146. MacKinnon led the NHL last season at plus-57 and won the Rocket Richard Trophy as goals leader. The 2024 Hart Trophy and Ted Lindsay winner has been a top-five Hart finalist in six of the past seven seasons. His 1.30 points per game in the playoffs is fifth in NHL history among players with at least 100 games, trailing Wayne Gretzky (1.84), Mario Lemieux (1.61), McDavid (1.53) and Draisaitl (1.48).”
This past season was a special one for MacKinnon, as he scored 53 goals and 74 assists for 127 points, leading the league in goals and setting a new career high. Helping him take home his first-ever Rocket Richard Trophy, while finishing third in Hart Trophy voting and finishing inside the top 20 in Selke Trophy voting. His 53 goals tied him for the sixth most goals in Nordique/Avalanche history, tying him with Michel Goulet back in the 1985-86 season.
The biggest critique last season was the power play; despite all the talent, the lack of execution and failure to capitalize on opportunities really stood out, and it showed in many players' stats, even though they finished with high point totals. Despite MacKinnon scoring 53 goals, only 11 of them came from the power play, while 43 were even-strength goals. That amount tied him for second in Nordique/Avalanche history, with only Goulet having scored more (43).
His even-strength point total was 97, which was the most even-strength points scored in a season since Wayne Gretzky’s 103 during the 1990-91 season. It showed how strong he and the Avalanche team were at 5-on-5, and he still finished with the third-most points of the season despite the team's power-play finishing at 17.0%
It will be another fascinating season to see how MacKinnon does, with the team making minimal offseason changes and barring any impact on his health from injuries. If we see anything similar to what he has witnessed from MacKinnon these past seasons and the power play reverts to lethal form, it will be another Hart Trophy-esque season for the “Nate Dogg”.
Houston Astros general manager Dana Brown knew this day was coming, and there was nothing that was going to save it.
Not a postseason berth.
Not a deep October run.
Not a downtown parade celebrating their third World Series title in 10 years.
So after a horrific homestand, losing six of their last eight games to three of the worst teams in the American League – the Athletics, Los Angeles Angels and Seattle Mariners – Astros owner Jim Crane pulled the plug Monday.
Brown was fired, although it was announced as a mutual parting of the ways. He was informed of the decision Sunday night, they agreed to call it a mutual parting Monday morning, and he was already packing his bags and taking off for his home in New Jersey.
It was the Astros' 7-6 defeat Sunday to the lowly Athletics, blowing a 6-0 lead, that sent Crane over the top, believing that if they had any chance of reaching the playoffs, drastic changes needed to be made.
While one high-ranking Astros official said that Joe Espada will not receive a new contract after the season, Espada’s status is unchanged and he will remain as manager, and a decision by Crane will be made after the season. The Astros are 65-66 and tied for first place in the AL West.
Crane, who will have a news conference Tuesday, Aug. 25 in New York to discuss his reasoning for the Brown firing and what’s next, simply had seen enough to believe the Astros weren’t going to make the playoffs if he didn’t do something rash. He will oversee the operations with the assistance of Hall of Famer Jeff Bagwell, who has tremendous influence in the organization as a senior adviser, along with assistant GMs Charles Cook, Gavin Dickey and Connor Huff.
They will look for a full-time GM in the offseason, likely trying to hire someone from the Milwaukee Brewers, Tampa Bay Rays or Cleveland Guardians.
It’s possible that they could turn to Bagwell, if he shows strong interest in the job, with Cook expected to get a strong look as someone who’s highly regarded by the organization.
Those will be decisions in the offseason. But for now, Crane badly wants to be a playoff team again after the Astros missed the postseason last year for the first time in nine years.
In a season where no AL West team currently owns a winning record, Brown became the third general manager in the division to lose his job, joining the Athletics' David Forst and Angels GM Perry Minasian.
"I’ve never seen anything like it," one AL executive said. "Three GMs fired in one division. Unreal."
Brown, who led the Astros to two division titles in his nearly-four-year tenure, could easily return to Atlanta where he was the Braves' special assistant and scouting guru. GM Alex Anthopoulos could even bring the band back together and hire Minasian, too, who was his assistant GM before going to the Angels.
Brown surely will get another job in baseball, just like James Click, who was fired as the Astros GM after winning the 2022 World Series and is now a special assistant in Toronto.
"I want to thank Jim Crane for the opportunity to serve in my first role as an MLB General Manager," Brown said in a statement. "The Astros organization and the fans have welcomed me and my family, and I am grateful to have called Houston home for the past four seasons. I wish the organization well and I look forward to the future as I continue my 36-plus years in professional baseball."
Brown’s future starts now, and so does the Astros’ urgency to now save their season.
This story has been updated to include new information.
HOUSTON — General manager Dana Brown and the Houston Astros mutually have agreed to part ways, the team announced, when it was tied for first place in the AL West.
Brown’s contract was set to expire at the end of the season. Senior adviser Jeff Bagwell and assistant general managers Charles Cook, Gavin Dickey and Connor Huff will take over Brown’s responsibilities while team owner Jim Crane will oversee baseball operations during the transition.
The move comes after the Astros went 3-6 on a homestand that ended to fall into a tie with the Texas Rangers for the AL West lead.
Brown had been the team’s general manager since January 2023.
“Over the past four seasons, Dana has helped our organization win two division titles and has led our baseball front office through key scouting, draft and development efforts,” Crane said in a statement. “On behalf of the Astros, I want to thank him for his commitment, energy, and contributions to our organization. We wish he and his family the best.”
Brown came to Houston after four seasons as vice president of scouting for the Atlanta Braves to replace James Click, who was not given a new contract and left the Astros just days after they won the 2022 World Series.
“I want to thank Jim Crane for the opportunity to serve in my first role as an MLB General Manager,” Brown said. “The Astros organization and the fans have welcomed me and my family, and I am grateful to have called Houston home for the past four seasons. I wish the organization well and I look forward to the future as I continue my 36-plus years in professional baseball.”
The Cubs were involved in four walk-off games of the six they played against the White Sox and Mariners over the past week.
Unfortunately, since the latter series was on the road, the Cubs won only two of those four walk-offs.
And even though they went just 3-3 on the week, they scored 39 runs in the six games — though the last five of those were off Mariners position players. Nevertheless, they count just the same.
Here’s who was hot and not for the Cubs over the past week.
Overall for the week, the Cubs center fielder batted .375/.483/1.083 (9-for-24) with two doubles, five home runs, eight RBI, six runs scored, five walks and two stolen bases. That might just be enough to win him another NL Player of the Week award. He’s now up to 8.1 bWAR (8.7 fWAR).
David Peterson continues to shine
Peterson, temporarily moved to the bullpen when Edward Cabrera temporarily returned to the rotation, threw a key 1.1 scoreless innings last Monday against the White Sox, then returned to starting and threw six innings against the Mariners Saturday, allowing two runs and striking out eight [VIDEO].
Since his disastrous start against the Cardinals July 3, Peterson has a 2.20 ERA and 1.195 WHIP in eight games (seven starts) covering 41 innings. Even including that awful Cardinals game, he’s got a 3.93 ERA and 1.311 WHIP in 10 games (nine starts) with the Cubs.
Aaron Civale has quietly been very good with the Cubs
Civale kept Sunday’s game in order with four one-hit innings until the Cubs bats turned it into a blowout. He also kept last Wednesday’s game against the White Sox close with 1.1 scoreless innings, though the Cubs ultimately could not come back and win that one.
He has a 1.80 ERA and 1.050 WHIP (2.84 FIP) in nine games for the Cubs covering 20 innings, with five walks and 18 strikeouts. He also threw well in five games for the Cubs last September.
If Civale would agree to come back to the Cubs in 2027 in this role, I think he’d be quite good at it.
Hat tip to Ian Happ, who went 6-for-20 with two home runs over the six games. If this is the start of one of Happ’s hot streaks, it’s coming at a very good time.
And another H/T for Alex Bregman: .360/.414/.760 (9-for-25) with three home runs in the six games. Bregman’s season OPS is up to .767.
Three down
Where’s the Kevin Gausman the Cubs traded for?
In three starts for the Cubs, Gausman has one good start, one mediocre outing and one bad one. This past week was the mediocre game, seven hits and three runs in 4.1 innings, with 86 pitches thrown.
He’s going to start tonight against the Diamondbacks. Hoping for better things.
Back to the drawing board for Ryan Zeferjahn
In his two appearances for the Cubs in these six games, Zeferjahn blew a save against the White Sox (in the game PCA won with his 10th-inning walk-off homer) and gave up the game-winning hit to Leo Rivas of the Mariners Friday.
Zeferjahn has talent, but… maybe the Cubs will have to wait until 2027 to make the best use of it.
The entire American League is killing the Cubs
The Cubs are 54-32 (.628) against NL teams and 21-24 in interleague play.
The Brewers are 54-35 (.607) against NL teams and 27-15 in interleague play.
Thus the entire difference between the Cubs and Brewers can be accounted for in their record vs. American League teams. The Cubs are the only National League team currently in a postseason position to not have a winning record in interleague contests.
Perhaps fortunately for the Cubs, they have just one series left vs. an AL team, the last three games of the regular season at Fenway Park against the Red Sox. The Brewers have two — they will host the Rangers this weekend, then play at Baltimore Sept. 18-19-20.
Happy Monday! Let's kick this week off on a high note!
Join me as I break down three of my favorite MLB player propsfor Monday, Aug. 24, including why I expect Parker Messick to shove this evening in Los Angeles.
Best MLB player props today
Player
Pick
Odds
Parker Messick
Over 6.5 strikeouts
-158
Kody Clemens
Over 1.5 total bases
+115
Ryan Feltner
Under 3.5 strikeouts
+110
Parker Messick Over 6.5 Strikeouts (-158)
The obsession continues with backing Cleveland Guardians left-hander Parker Messick, but he keeps finding himself in shove spots. Tonight, he draws one of baseball's most swing-happy lineups, the Los Angeles Angels.
Messick has been on an absolute tear over his last three starts, posting a 32% strikeout rate. Over his last five outings, he sports a 29% strikeout rate, with 30% of his pitches ending in either a swinging strike or called strike and a near-70% first-pitch strike rate.
The very aggressive southpaw faces an Angels lineup that features eight hitters with at least a 21.7% strikeout rate, including four who strike out 32.8% of the time or more. Overall, the team has a 25.5% strikeout rate against left-handed pitchers. On top of that, they also own a 74% contact rate and 31.5% O-Swing rate.
If you are not in the juice-paying business, take this up to 7.5 for plus money. The near 5-to-1 price for 10 strikeouts is pretty intriguing as well.
Clemens has a .596 xSLG and a 29.6% ground-ball rate, while generating a 52% hard-hit rate and nearly 15% barrel rate over his last 10 games. Over his last 30 plate appearances against left-handed pitching, the 30-year-old has a .300 BA, .500 SLG and .800 OPS.
Springs has struggled against left-handed hitters, with a 9.82 ERA and 7.16 xFIP while allowing 2.46 HR/9 in his 60 most recent left-on-left matchups. Those lefties have a .285 xBA, .449 xSLG, and .279 ISO.
At +115 for two bases, this is a great price for a guy who is more than capable of a big game. Take this down to +105.
Today marks his 27th game with a poorly rated strikeout rate. In the previous 26, he stayed under 3.5 strikeouts 50% of the time. He has also stayed under this prop in eight of his last 10 poorly rated strikeout rates.
Feltner has a much higher strikeout rate on the road, at 15.20% this year. However, in his last three outings, his strikeout rate is below 10%.
The Washington Nationals have only two bats above a 20% strikeout rate in their last 30 at-bats against a right-handed pitcher.
Unders are always sweaty, but snagging this at plus money will make up for it.
Time: 6:45 p.m. ET
Where to watch: COLR, NATS
Colby Marchio's 2026 Transparency Record
Prop picks: 428-843, -14.7 units
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
On Sunday, Aug. 23, the NHL Network announced their list of “Top 20 Centers Right Now” and ranked Anaheim Ducks franchise center Leo Carlsson at 14th. Previously this summer, NHL Network ranked Carlsson’s teammate Cutter Gauthier as the NHL’s 19th best winger and teammate Jackson LaCombe as the NHL’s 17th best defenseman.
At 14th, Carlsson’s ranking sandwiches him between Nico Hischier of the New Jersey Devils at 15th and Tim Stutzle of the Ottawa Senators at 13th. Atop the list sat Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, Macklin Celebrini, Leon Draisaitl, and Aleksander Barkov at 1-5, respectively. Interestingly, Connor Bedard (1st overall in 2023), who was selected one spot ahead of Carlsson (2nd in ’23) in the same draft class and was seen as a borderline “generational talent” at the time, came in behind Carlsson, at 16th.
The 2025-26 season was Carlsson’s (21) third in the NHL, a season where he and the Ducks enjoyed a breakout performance from their franchise player, as he tallied 67 points (29-38=67) in 70 regular season games and added 11 (4-7=11) in 12 playoff games through the Ducks’ run to the second round of the 2026 NHL Playoffs.
The story of the offseason occurred when the foundation of the NHL (and the Ducks’ cap sheet) was shaken on July 3, as the Philadelphia Flyers signed then-RFA Carlsson to a five-year offer sheet that carried a whopping $18 million AAV, the highest in NHL history. The Ducks matched the Flyers’ offer sheet, and Carlsson will remain in Anaheim for the foreseeable future.
Though the OS likely gave the Ducks pause and may have forced them to hesitate, Anaheim ultimately concluded that keeping Carlsson, even at a potential overpay, was their priority over the extra cap space, a cleaner cap sheet, and four extra compensatory first-round picks.
After long last, the Ducks emerged from one of the NHL’s longest rebuilds by qualifying for the 2026 Playoffs. Despite missing 12 games and playing through a difficult and rare thigh injury, Carlsson was the team’s top-performing forward. From a zoomed-out perspective, players of Carlsson’s talent and makeup are rare, can typically only be acquired at the Draft, and represent the very reason franchises embark on rebuilds. Rebuilds often even come and go without a team drafting a player of Carlsson’s ilk.
Equipped with a rapidly growing skill set, highlighted by a combination of speed, size, and skill, Carlsson is a high-danger chance-generating machine. Though not technically near a perfect skater, his output is undeniable, as he intelligently finds ways to pick up pucks or place himself in lanes where he catches passes at full speed and drives opposing defenders on their heels to open lanes for himself or teammates at will.
This past season, he added some change-of-pace layers to his attacks where he can cut back and better utilize the open ice he single-handedly creates. The encouraging factor for the Ducks when evaluating Carlsson is that he seems to be just scratching the surface of his potential on both ends of the ice.
Public draft evaluations in 2023 pegged Carlsson as a two-way, responsible, tactical center. The reality is the exact opposite. He’s already proven to be one of the NHL’s most dynamic young talents, operating at a high rate of speed and at his best when attacking downhill. Compared to fellow European talents like Anze Kopitar and Aleksander Barkov at the time of his draft, he’s more akin to Nathan MacKinnon in terms of his on-ice style and impact.
Moving forward, areas of needed growth for Carlsson are those Barkov/Kopitar/Bergeron-esque defensive habits, as well as higher efficiency when driving cycle sequences. Carlsson has the capability to win any number of small-area battles and turn defense into quick-strike offense while possessing the size and strength to cleverly protect pucks and fend off defenders in the tight areas of the ice.
With Carlsson now earning more than the Ducks had likely anticipated, for them to become a successful perenial Stnaley Cup contender in the near future, as is their stated long-term goal, they’ll have to operate with a top-heavy roster and cap sheet. Carlsson may not quite play to the level of an $18 million center in his first year (or even in the first couple) of his contract, but Anaheim will increasingly rely on him to lead the team’s young core and become the franchise icon and superstar player he’s now paid to be.
As was always the case, now just more prominent a sentiment, the Ducks will go as far as Carlsson, flanked by a core of Jackson LaCombe, Cutter Gauthier, Lukas Dostal, and Beckett Sennecke, can take them.
Aug 21, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Tommy Edman (25) celebrates with first baseman Kike Hernandez (8) and third baseman Max Muncy (13) after hitting a walk-off single in the 10th inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
What a difference a week makes, 168 little hours. After a particularly deflating home series loss the Milwaukee Brewers, the Dodgers haven’t lost since. They took care of business by sweeping a pair of bad teams in the Colorado Rockies and Pittsburgh Pirates.
The Dodgers are back to within a game of the Brewers for the top seed in the National League, and Los Angeles now has a four-game lead on the NL East-leading Braves, with a three-game series in Atlanta next up.
Batter of the week
Max Muncy homered twice and drove in seven runs, putting up a tidy 1.312 OPS.
Honorable mention to Shohei Ohtani, who homered three times and stole two bases, and to Alek Thomas, who was called up to fill in for an injured Andy Pages and has an RBI single in both games with the Dodgers thus far.
Pitcher of the week
Blake Snell allowed one run in his two starts, and has provided more rotation stability with three six-inning starts in three tries since returning from the injured list.
6-0 record 37 runs scored (6.17 per game) 22 runs allowed (3.67 per game) .721 pythagorean win percentage
Year to date
80-51 record 653 runs scored (4.98 per game) 502 runs allowed (3.83 per game) .612 pythagorean win percentage (81-50)
Miscellany
Thirty in threes: On Tuesday at Coors Field in Denver, Shohei Ohtani hit his third home run of the series against the Rockies and his 30th of the season. Coupled with his 54 home runs in 2024 and 55 homers in 2025, Ohtani has at least 30 home runs in all three years with the Dodgers, and six seasons in a row going back to 2021. Ohtani is the seventh Dodger to hit at least 30 home runs three years in a row, and the first since Gary Sheffield from 1999-2001.
Walking the pLAnk: The Dodgers beat the Pirates in all three games over the weekend, continuing a trend. Dodger Stadium has been mostly nightmare fuel for the Pirates for a decade. The Dodgers are 23-5 (.821) against the Pirates in Los Angeles since 2017, with six sweeps and eight series wins at home against the Pirates in nine tries.
Transactions
Tuesday: After struggling for three weeks in his returned from one IL stint, Edwin Díaz landed back on the injured list with neck inflammation. Emmet Sheehan returned to the Dodgers, now in a relief role.
Friday: Another fresh arm came up in the form of Paul Gervase, and Sheehan was optioned back to Oklahoma City after not pitching in his two games active.
After a brief weekend at home, the Dodgers are back on the road to run the Doyle Alexander gauntlet, hitting the road to face the Atlanta Braves and Detroit Tigers. Tarik Skubal lines up to pitch against his old team on Friday night at Comerica Park. Tyler Glasnow is back off he injured list on Tuesday, and Shohei Ohtani will likely pitch an inning to start Sunday in Detroit if all goes well with his bullpen session in Atlanta.
With Jose Urquidy coming off a dominant outing, the Chicago White Sox enter tonight's matchup against the Texas Rangers as -126 favorites at Rate Field. First pitch is scheduled for 7:40 p.m. ET.
My Rangers vs White Sox predictions have full confidence in Chicago here as it faces the shaky Kumar Rocker.
Who will win Rangers vs White Sox today: White Sox (-126)
The Texas Rangers hand Kumar Rocker the baseball this evening, and he is not exactly consistent. The right-hander owns a 5.28 FIP across his last two starts while allowing 5.40 BB/9, putting himself in trouble too often.
The Chicago White Sox are showing real promise at the dish, carrying a .209 ISO and 117 wRC+ over their last 13 contests.
Jose Urquidy just came over in a trade, and after a rough debut, he tossed six scoreless innings last week. He was more of a reliever before arriving in Chicago, but the White Sox bullpen profile is promising with a 3.37 FIP over its last 38 1/3 frames.
Chicago has the cleaner full-game profile, and I would take this up to -150.
COVERS INTEL: Rocker has allowed 1.80 HR/9 across his last five appearances, compared to 1.26 HR/9 overall this season. His homer issues are dangerous against a flourishing Chicago lineup.
Rangers vs White Sox Over/Under pick: Under 8.5 (-121)
Chicago’s offense may be swinging it well, but the same cannot be said for Texas. The Rangers have a horrible 77 wRC+ across the last week, and the White Sox bullpen has been solid lately.
Rocker may give up some runs amid his command and homer issues, but Texas’ relief corps can help keep the damage in check once he exits. The Rangers’ bullpen owns a 3.19 FIP over its last 19 2/3 innings of work.
With Texas struggling badly at the dish, this points to a lower-scoring contest where Chicago does most of the damage.
Play this pick up to -140.
Rangers vs White Sox home run prediction: Miguel Vargas (+414)
Miguel Vargas has been a consistent power outlet for the White Sox all season. While he has only gone deep once in his previous seven contests, the underlying metrics suggest he could punish Rocker or potentially a Texas reliever.
The slugger owns a 52.9% hard-hit rate and 17.6% barrel rate over the last week while putting 47.1% of his contact in the air. Rocker’s HR problems are evident, and he has also allowed a 45% fly-ball rate over the last month.
Weather at Rate Field looks cool and clean tonight, with partly cloudy skies and temperatures falling from 71 F to around 68 F. Winds are light around 6–7 mph, and rain chances sit at 0% throughout the game window. Conditions should be neutral overall, with no delay concern.
Rangers vs White Sox odds
Moneyline: Rangers +114 | White Sox -126
Run line: Rangers +1.5 (-186) | White Sox -1.5 (+158)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (+105) | Under 8.5 (-121)
Rangers vs White Sox trend
The Chicago White Sox have hit the moneyline in 32 of their last 50 games at home (+14.15 Units / 25% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Rangers vs. White Sox.
How to watch Rangers vs White Sox and game info
Location
Rate Field, Chicago, IL
Date
Monday, August 24, 2026
First pitch
7:40 p.m. ET
TV
RSN, CHSN
Rangers starting pitcher
Kumar Rocker (4-10, 4.46 ERA)
White Sox starting pitcher
Jose Urquidy (1-1, 5.06 ERA)
Rangers vs White Sox latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Winners of nine straight, the Philadelphia Phillies (73-58) take the show on the road tonight in Seattle against the Mariners (62-69). The Phillies arrive in Seattle having climbed to within three games of Atlanta in the NL East. The Mariners are just 6-4 in their last ten games but that’s good enough to keep them realistically in the playoff chase as they sit three games behind the Astros and the Rangers in the AL West and that same three games behind the Rangers for the final Wild Card spot.
Philadelphia completed a sweep of St. Louis yesterday with a 6-4 victory, rallying in the bottom of the ninth to extend their winning streak to nine games. Kyle Schwarber capped the comeback with his 39th home run to send the home crowd home happy. Seattle lost 19-2 to the Cubs yesterday but it was not even their most lopsided loss of the last week as they were still smarting from a 22-0 loss in Milwaukee last Tuesday. Mariners’ C Jhonny Pereda and 3B Weston Wilson pitched a portion of the eighth inning and the entire ninth inning respectively. Overall, though, the weekend was a success as the Mariners did take two of three from the Cubs.
Tonight’s pitching matchup features two of the best in the American League as Zack Wheeler (10-4, 2.92 ERA)takes on Logan Gilbert (10-7, 3.35 ERA). The righthanders each possess a WHIP of just 1.01. While the overall numbers are elite, Wheeler’s stats of late are less consistent. He has allowed ten earned runs across 4 starts (17.1 innings) in August. Gilbert has been better. Over his last four starts the veteran has pitched allowed eight runs over a total of 24.2 innings.
Lets dive into tonight’s matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game Details and How to Watch: Phillies vs. Mariners
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The Latest Odds: Phillies vs. Mariners
The latest odds as of Monday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Philadelphia Phillies (-108), Seattle Mariners (+101)
Randy Arozarena is just 1-13 (.077) including 7 Ks against Zack Wheeler in his career
Luis Arraez is 2-12 but has hit 1 HR in his career against Logan Gilbert in his career
Kyle Schwarber is 4-14 (.286) with 1 HR against Gilbert
Bryce Harper is 3-6 against Gilbert
Trea Turner was 2-13 over the weekend against St. Louis
Brandon Marsh has hit safely in 4 of his last 5 games (6-15)
Julio Rodriguez was 1-13 against the Cubs this past weekend
Rodrigez is 2-26 over the last 2 series
Cal Raleigh is riding a 3-game hitting streak (3-11)
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top Betting Trends & Insights: Phillies vs. Mariners
The Mariners are an MLB-worst 49-82 on the Run Line this season
The Phillies are 54-77 on the Run Line this season
The OVER has cashed 67 times in Mariners’ 131 games this season (67-57-7)
The OVER has cashed 60 times in the Phillies’ 131 games this season (60-63-8)
Expert picks & predictions: Phillies vs. Mariners
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s game between the Phillies and the Mariners:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Mariners on the Moneyline.
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Run Line.
Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total OVER 6.5.
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Tristan Peters has had a dream season — and has been a dream for the White Sox in center field in 2026. | (Photo by Isaac Wasserman/Getty Images)
The Chicago White Sox have been the most fun team to watch in Major League Baseball this season, with their 11th walk-off win of the season on Sunday afternoon thanks to a Tristan Peters solo homer in the bottom of the ninth. It also helped move Chicago’s record to 27-19 in one run games.
This was also the 21st White Sox comeback win, defined by games where they either were tied, or down by up to three runs, heading into the seventh inning or later before rallying. It shows how resilient this young White Sox team has been throughout this season, with eight different players providing walk-off hits, including both Peters and Edgar Quero as the only ones to do so multiple times.
They have three players in the heart of their lineup in Munetaka Murakami, Miguel Vargas and Colson Montgomery who will all have 30+ home runs by the end of the season. It is not any of them, but Tristan Peters, who with his walk-off home run on Sunday became the only player on the White Sox to have three walk-off hits, and two of them walk-off home runs.
Peters began his walk-off magic months ago, finishing off the home opener with a GWRBI single in the 10th inning:
Peters has been one of the most unsung players of this Sox team this year, in July also becoming one of only four players this year to hit for the cycle, and just the seventh player in franchise history to do so.
Of all the surprising players to emerge this season for the White Sox, Peters has to be one of the most wholesome surprises. As the one-time Savannah Bananas player (who also used his old Savannah Bananas bat for Players’ Weekend), Peters has the unique distinction of being their only player to make a jump to the majors. And Peters hasn’t just made the majors, but went to the All-Star Game as a rookie!
It was impossible to think that a year ago — or even months ago — Peters of all players would be a key piece, starring in center field, as the While Sox make a postseason push.
If the Blue Jackets are open to adding a player on a PTO, it would not be surprising if it is a defenseman. The Blue Jackets' blueline could use more depth, and there are still some interesting UFAs left on the market.
One UFA who could make sense for the Blue Jackets to take a look at on a PTO is veteran defenseman Matt Grzelcyk.
On October 2nd, NMU will, for the first time in program history, retire players' jersey numbers and raise banners to commemorate Waddell and two others.
Waddell wore jersey #4 for NMU from 1976 to 1980. Waddell totaled 138 points in 120 games. He was also the team's captain during his junior year.
It is a little surprising that Blankenburg has still not been signed at this point in the summer. The former Blue Jackets defenseman just had the best season of his NHL career so far. In 61 games split between the Nashville Predators and Colorado Avalanche, he set new career highs with eight goals, 16 assists, and 24 points.
“Elvis informed us a few weeks ago that he was experiencing some discomfort in his shoulder during his offseason workouts,” said Waddell. “Following an MRI, it was determined that surgery was the best course of action. He’ll be evaluated again in a few weeks, at which time we’ll have a clearer idea on when he will be back on the ice.”
The Athletic's Corey Pronman recently ranked each NHL team's U23 pipeline. The Columbus Blue Jackets were among the top half of NHL teams ranked by Pronman, as they were given the No. 13 spot.
The Town of Yarmouth declared July 13, 2013, as Jody Shelley Day, and honoured Shelley by renaming Cottage Street as Jody Shelley Drive, and also renumbering the Mariners Centre, the local winter sports facility, as 45 Jody Shelley Drive, after his jersey number.
Klesla made his NHL debut in 2000 before he was sent back to Junior. He would come up in the next season and be there full-time. He would then go on to play in 515 games for the Jackets over the course of 10 seasons. On February 28, 2011, he was traded to the Phoenix Coyotes and played the next four years.
Jan Čaloun - 2001 - Drafted by the San Jose Sharks in 1992.
Čaloun played 11 games for the CBJ during its inaugural season, scoring three points. After his 11 games in Columbus, he would return to Europe and retire in 2010. He moved into coaching after his playing days, and currently coaches ESC Dresden U17 in Germany.
Kevyn Adams - 2000-01 - Adams was drafted 25th overall in the 1993 NHL Draft by the Boston Bruins.
Adams was drafted by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2000 NHL expansion draft. He would Adams would score 22 points in 66 games with the Blue Jackets before being traded at the trade deadline to the Florida Panthers alongside a 4th-round pick in the 2001 NHL entry draft in exchange for Ray Whitney and future considerations.
Ben Simon - 2005-06 - Simon was drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 1997 NHL Draft.
Simon, a native of Shaker Heights, Ohio, played 13 games for Columbus during the 2005-06 season. He totaled zero points. He left for Europe and played one season in the EIHL in England. He retired in 2011.
Bill Bowler - 2000-01 - Bowler was undrafted out of Toronto, CA.
Bowler played a total of 9 games for the Jackets during their inaugural season and had two points. He spent most of that year with the Syracuse Crunch and totaled 79 points in 72 games. In 2002, he spent one season in Germany before retiring.
Mike Pandolfo - 2003-04 - Pandolfo was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in the 3rd round of the 1998 NHL Draft.
Pandolfo was traded to the Blue Jackets at the 2002 NHL Draft. He played in three games for Columbus during the 03-04 season and had zero points. He spent most of his time with Columbus playing for the Syracuse Crunch. He retired after the 2007–08 season.
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Parker Messick
Kody Clemens
Ryan Feltner
COVERS INTEL: Rocker has allowed 
