Shohei Ohtani is again out of the Los Angeles Dodgers lineup for Friday's series opener against the Washington Nationals amid lingering inflammation in his right bicep and soreness in his neck. It marks the first time all season that the Dodgers' two-way superstar has missed back-to-back games.
Manager Dave Roberts described Ohtani's off day in Thursday's 3-2 walkoff win over the St. Louis Cardinals as a "spa day" that provided just as much of a mental break – Ohtani went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts in a loss Wednesday, Sept. 2 – as it did a physical one. With a second day off Friday, Sept. 4, Roberts mentioned he can possibly start moving his body without the pressure of having to prepare to hit leadoff.
"A lot of players, when they're not feeling well physically, it adds to the toll mentally and emotionally," Roberts told reporters pregame. "So I think that Shohei is just kind of like that, like most players."
Tommy Edman will bat leadoff for the Dodgers against the Nationals, with Alex Call sliding into the DH spot.
Roberts said he's in ongoing conversations with Ohtani, and the team's training staff, to figure out just how many days Ohtani would need to return to his MVP form. A stint on the injured list, though unlikely, isn't off the table. Right-handed pitcher Bobby Miller has been brought up from Triple-A Oklahoma City and is on the taxi squad in the event a roster move is needed.
Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes told reporters Thursday, Sept. 3 that the hesitation behind putting Ohtani on the IL is the thought that there is more downside to having him not available at all for 10 days vs. just having him reset for a couple days. Roberts offered a slightly more nuanced perspective on Friday.
"The short answer is no," Roberts said. "It's not good to have that version of him. I'm sure what Brandon was saying is that in five or six or seven days, would the old version – the normal version, the regular version – of Shohei be there? We don't know that answer, but just to kick the can is an option."
Ohtani is batting just 2-for-23 with 11 strikeouts dating back to Aug. 27.
On the pitching side of things, Ohtani doesn't appear to be any closer to returning either. He was originally set to make his first start since July 3 in a game against the Tigers in Detroit on Aug. 30, but he was scratched after he threw a 20-pitch bullpen session. According to Roberts, Ohtani has stopped throwing plyo balls "for probably a few days," which would certainly delay his throwing progression.
On Thursday, Roberts was asked about the possibility that Ohtani may not pitch again this season.
New York Mets A.J. Ewing (9) strikes out in the third inning against the San Diego Padres at Citi Field, Monday, Aug. 17, 2026, in Queens, NY. (Corey Sipkin for...
A.J. Ewing got what interim manager Andy Green called a “reset” Friday, as the rookie center fielder’s season has gone a bit sideways in the second half.
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Ewing wasn’t in the lineup against San Francisco left-hander Matt Wilkinson, even though the lefty-swinging Ewing has better numbers versus lefties than righties.
Green said it was a “48-hour reset to get going again” coming off Thursday’s off day in the schedule.
Ewing said he understood the decision.
“I’m ready to go, for sure, but taking a second to watch and learn can help sometimes,’’ Ewing said prior to the Mets’ 10-6 win over the Giants. “You pick up things whenever you watch, so it can work.”
Ewing’s issues at the plate date back to right around the All-Star break.
New York Mets center fielder A.J. Ewing reacts after striking out against the Houston Astros in the third inning at Citi Field on Aug. 28, 2026. JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POST
After putting up an .805 OPS over his first 55 games following his May call-up from Triple-A Syracuse — where Ewing played just 12 games — the 22-year-old has been in a funk offensively.
Entering Friday, he had put up just a .494 OPS in his previous 44 games. Only Washington’s Namim Núñez has been worse.
He’s also struck out at a 28.2 percent clip in that stretch — a number that typically is more associated with power hitters.
“I think he’s going to come around,’’ one National League scout said. “His speed and athleticism are too good and with his defense, he doesn’t have to hit a ton. But the strikeouts are a worry. That’s not who he should be.”
Ewing has a few weeks to end his first season in the majors on a high note and insisted Friday his confidence hasn’t slipped.
New York Mets’ A.J. Ewing (9) strikes out in the third inning against the San Diego Padres at Citi Field on Monday, August 17, 2026. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
“One thing I understand is the person going through anything like this right now is the same person that was going the other way [in the first half],’’ Ewing said of his drop-off in production. “This stuff happens and as much as I want to say it’s never going to happen again, it’s going to happen again. But I’m going to get out of this.”
Green, who inserted another rookie, Nick Morabito, into the lineup Friday, struck a similar note regarding Ewing’s future — despite the prolonged slump.
“We know there’s more in there from him in the batter’s box than we’re seeing right now,’’ Green said. “We’ve seen it. Like anybody else, he’s trying to get hits and sometimes you have to take a breath and trust how good you are and the work you’ve put in. He’s a guy we believe in to an incredibly high degree going forward. This will serve him well in the long run.”
At various points of what’s been a lost season in Queens, the Mets could at least say they believed they had found long-term answers in both center and right field with Ewing and fellow rookie Carson Benge.
Ewing’s rough patch since the break has cast some doubt on that, but the NL scout said these could be natural ups and downs from a player who played just two full seasons in the minors before his MLB debut.
“Maybe it will serve him well,’’ the scout said. “Better now than when they’re playing for something.”
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 11: Julio Rodríguez #44 of the Seattle Mariners reacts after making the catch for the out on a hit by Trent Grisham #12 of the New York Yankees in the first inning at Yankee Stadium on August 11, 2026 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) | Getty Images
If you are a Mariners fan, there’s a strong chance someone in your life has recently sent you a reel by the comic Jordan Jensen in which Jensen tells a story about being at the Sunday August 13th Yankees game and seeing Julio Rodríguez throw a ball into the stands and allegedly kill a pigeon. If you haven’t seen the reel yet, it’s worth a watch; you can see it, titled “The Perfect Throw” here.
As I watched the reel, my first thought – as I’m sure it was for many of you – was absolutely no way. It’s too good a story, too neat a parallel to the infamous Randy Johnson dead dove incident, and most importantly, too much Mariners as central character. Surely this was exaggerated for the bit. So because I am a Serious Journalist, I asked Julio about it, just hours after the reel was distributed to Jensen’s 822 thousand followers on Instagram.
Julio, who hadn’t seen the reel yet, watched through it with me, rolling his eyes at Jensen’s lengthy discussion of what a “Mariner” actually is (“that’s not funny”), but appreciative of the way Jensen characterized his throw and interaction with the crowd (“Of course I throw a ball to the kids. Of course I do that.”). But when we hit the actual part of the story with the pigeon, Julio had some corrections.
The first point of contention: the death of the pigeon.
“No way,” said Julio immediately at that part of the video. “No, no, no. No way.”
According to Julio, the ball did strike the pigeon—one of a flock circling around the outfield hoping to scavenge a snack in the late innings of a day game—and the pigeon fell, but it was concussed, not dead, and certainly not obliterated in a Randy Johnson-style poof of feathers.
Mariners bullpen catcher Justin Novak, who was in the bullpen at the time, backs up Julio’s story, saying the grounds crew came and picked up the pigeon and deposited it in a shaded spot in the Mariners bullpen, under an overhanging bit of wall, where the bird could let the shock wear off. It remained there through the end of the game, with members of the bullpen checking in on it occasionally.
“It was just sitting there like, bro, what?” says Novak.
“But as far as we know, that pigeon is fine.”
However, both Julio and Novak say the part about the crowd chanting “pigeon killer” at Rodríguez is accurate, and backed up by film. You can see him being playful with the crowd in the next inning after a routine flyout from Trent Grisham, the only ball that would reach him in the outfield for the rest of the afternoon:
“They were shouting ‘pigeon killer!’ said Novak. “And like, ‘we love pigeons!’”, proving the biggest liars in this story are the Yankees fans themselves.
So no, Julio Rodríguez did not kill a pigeon. However, this shouldn’t stop you from modernizing one of the greatest couples costumes of all time and going as Julio and the Pigeon this Halloween.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 26: Freddy Fermin #54 of the San Diego Padres is congratulated in the dugout after scoring a run during the eighth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Petco Park on August 26, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
New York Yankees (80-60) at San Diego Padres (73-67), September 4, 2026, 6:40 p.m. PST
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Which is part of why much of David Stearns’ time Friday afternoon during his homestand availability was spent discussing what has gone wrong (plenty) and right (a bit) with the club’s infield.
With the exception of Bo Bichette — who would plug in as the everyday third baseman if he opts in for next season, a contractual decision that Stearns said he has not discussed with the infielder — Stearns provided hints at how the Mets’ infield could look next season, including:
Despite a rough defensive season, Francisco Lindor will be the everyday shortstop in 2027.
In just about every metric, from the traditional (10 errors in his first 82 games) to the more advanced (ranking 52nd among 62 shortstops who had logged at least 150 innings this season in Defensive Runs Saved), Lindor has taken a step back defensively.
Francisco Lindor watches his home run against the Tampa Bay Rays during the first inning of a baseball game at Tropicana Field on September 1, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. Getty Images
The position is mostly patrolled by younger kids, and Lindor turns 33 in November. The only players who are older and have spent most of their time at shortstop this year are Mookie Betts, Xander Bogaerts and Trea Turner.
Lindor’s glove has regressed, with several booted balls, including Tuesday at Tropicana Field, but perhaps more notably, his sprint speed is down for a third straight season, falling from 28.1 feet per second in 2023 in his fastest one-second window in 2023 to 26.8 feet this season.
But there is “no question” the normally steady and two-time Gold Glover will be the Mets shortstop next year, Stearns said.
“Certainly a few more mistakes than we’re accustomed to seeing,” Stearns allowed before the Mets began a series with the Giants at Citi Field. “I think a lot of the underlying stuff is still pretty good. And uncharacteristically, he just hasn’t completed some of the plays that he normally completes.
“I really don’t think there’s anything more in there than that. And I think we’re going to be looking at a shortstop next year who completes those plays at the rate we’re usually seeing him complete.”
Marcus Semien is a “steadying force” but has not been steady at the plate.
President of baseball operations for the New York Mets, David Sterns, before the game against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on September 28, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Getty Images
In evaluating Semien’s season, Stearns praised the second baseman in just about every way except his bat.
The 14-year veteran is a “consummate professional” who “does post every day,” “works incredibly hard,” and is “still a really good defender,” Stearns said.
But such attributes are secondary considering Semien entered play with a .632 OPS that ranked 138th among 142 qualified hitters.
“The offensive performance in its totality this year hasn’t been what he wants, hasn’t been what we would want,” Stearns said. “We’ve seen flashes.”
Not enough of them in Semien’s first season in Queens after being swapped for Brandon Nimmo, who has hit better (.761 OPS) with the Rangers but had a lengthier contract and blocked outfield spots that are being used on Carson Benge and A.J. Ewing.
It is possible the Mets consider competition — either established major leaguers or rising prospects — for the second baseman next season, but Stearns did not sound as if he was about to recommend the club eat the $46 million due Semien over the next two years.
“Who he is as a person, how he’s contributed to our team, from a work-ethic standpoint,” Stearns said, “it’s been outstanding.”
Jorge Polanco’s status: “TBD”
Brought in to assume the bulk of the work Pete Alonso left behind, Polanco played two games at first base and will enter next spring as a mystery defensively.
Having undergone ankle surgery last month for an injury that hampered him all season, Polanco’s status defensively will be “TBD,” Stearns said, until the Mets see how he is moving and how he recovers.
“If there’s one thing I’ve learned about Jorge is he’s going to work incredibly hard to do everything in his power to be a good player for us next year,” Stearns said. “I think he will be.”
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Owed $23 million next year, Polanco’s would be a difficult contract to move, especially because his bat — which most attracted the Mets — never awoke, perhaps because of the ankle, hitting .148 with a .431 OPS in 37 games.
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“Clearly it did not work out the way we anticipated this year,” Stearns said.
Polanco’s brutal season has opened a door that Young stepped through.
A 31-year-old who had not proven himself in the majors and played in South Korea in 2024, Young has held his own defensively at first base and hit well enough — particularly against righties, against whom he entered play with a .799 OPS and eight homers in 243 plate appearances — to make himself an option for next season, maybe as half of a platoon at first.
“This is a good hitter, and it’s someone who we thought of as a good hitter going back to last year,” Stearns said. “We just couldn’t get him the consistent runway at the big league level.
“But he’s done it for a prolonged stretch now. We think it’s real — he controls the strike zone well, he gives you constantly good at-bats, he understands game situations. He’s a good player, and I think he’s demonstrated that.”
NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 05: Andre Pallante #53 of the St. Louis Cardinals pitches during the game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday, August 5, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Amya Henley/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The St. Louis Cardinals head east from California, but not that far east as they’ll land in Denver on Friday for a weekend series against the Colorado Rockies. Andre Pallante returns from the injured list to the mound for the Cardinals while the Rockies will give the ball to Ryan Feltner. First pitch is scheduled for 7:40pm central time and the game broadcast will be available via Cardinals.tv.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 23: Ben Simmons #25 of the Philadelphia 76ers is fouled by Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center on March 23, 2021 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Put another shrimp on the barbie in Sacramento, mates. Ben Simmons is coming to the Sacramento Kings.
Just in: Three-time All-Star Ben Simmons has agreed on a one-year, $3.5 million deal with the Sacramento Kings, his agents Max Wiepking, Sean Tribe and Ryan Arney tell me and @MarcJSpears. The one-time All-NBA star is back in the NBA for a 10th season after sitting out 2025-26. pic.twitter.com/xj5X7lr3op
Simmons put down his fishing pole and got back into the gym this summer, joining the Australian national team in a mini-camp this summer and later showcasing for NBA executives in Florida.
Ben Simmons is back on the court hitting jumpers with the Australian men's national team in Melbourne 👀
Simmons is attempting an NBA comeback with several teams reportedly interested 🔥
What Kings general manager Scott Perry saw impressed him enough to offer Simmons a veteran minimum contract for next season. The team was reportedly looking for a veteran mentor and backup for Darius Acuff, Jr., the No. 7 pick in this year’s draft. They chose Simmons, even though they might not want him to advise Acuff on shot selection, free throw shooting, communicating with the front office, three-point shooting, or injury prevention.
According to Sam Amick of The Athletic, the Warriors were “in the mix” for Simmons, along with the New York Knicks. The Warriors eventually chose to sign Brandon Williams and Georges Niang to fill out the roster, which could mean they weren’t impressed by Simmons but could also mean Simmons preferred the opportunity in Sacramento to help restart his career.
Simmons was the No. 1 pick in 2016, sitting out his first NBA season with an injury and sitting out another full season in 2021-22 with a holdout and an injury. The Brooklyn Nets dealt for Simmons in 2022 after James Harden demanded a trade, and Simmons suited up for 90 games in three seasons in Brooklyn, eventually getting a buyout and joining the Los Angeles Clippers. Presumably, he got a sponsorship deal with Boingo Wireless for his trouble.
Having been dogged by health problems, specifically a chronically bad back, for years, Simmons stepped away from basketball last year. He bought a fishing team, the South Florida Sails, and spent time working and competing with the team. Leading into the summer, he was reportedly feeling much better and ramping up to return to the NBA.
For years, Simmons has been hesitant to shoot because of his struggles at the foul line, and hesitant in general because his back and legs were in so much pain. If he can actually play regularly and avoid injury, he’s still a 6-foot-10 point guard who can be a monster defensively, even if he’s never going to shoot threes and might not shoot much at all.
However, it’s not the ideal place for Simmons to make a comeback, except he should be able to get plenty of minutes for the Kings. It’s not great for Simmons that head coach Doug Christie seems to be teetering on the brink of getting fired, Domantas Sabonis wants to be traded, Zach LaVine is almost definitely getting traded, and Vivek Ranadive is the owner.
In positive news, there’s a really weird ziggurat in West Sac, there’s two big rivers where he can fish, and the movie “Lady Bird” is a cinema classic.
Once again, the Warriors were mentioned as a team that just fell short of acquiring a player, just days after we learned the Warriors didn’t trade for Jaren Jackson, Jr. It’s a strange trend and almost feels like someone in the Golden State front office has a humiliation fetish when these things get leaked.
It was perfectly reasonable for the Warriors not to reach an agreement with Simmons. Maybe they were worried about adding another injury-prone player to the roster. Maybe Simmons didn’t provide the floor-stretching outside shooting they could get from Niang. Maybe Draymond Green said something offensive about Aussies on a podcast.
It’s just weird that after so many trades and signings, someone makes sure to publicize that the Warriors did not succeed in making that move themselves. As the world of Warriors news is quite slow in early September, we’ll take it, but is Kirk Lacob really that thirsty for clicks?
Oct 7, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; A view of baseballs in the dugout during game two of the ALDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs between the Cleveland Guardians and the Detroit Tigers at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con
Stupid Tigers blow a 5 run lead.
Oh well, just win Jays and continue to win and it doesn’t matter what the stupid Tigers do.
Jameson Taillon is back up to start tonight. Tiedemann is back in Buffalo. I’m sad about that.
Daniel Lynch the 4th starts for the Royals (didn’t he do Twin Peaks?).
And Shane Bieber and Trey Yesavage are both throwing on flat ground, throwing from the mound is the next step. And, as always, Anthony Santander is almost ready to play rehab games, until the next setback.
The NHL saw a major contract get signed on Friday.
The Vancouver Canucks signed young defenseman Zeev Buium to an eight-year, $75.04 million contract ($9.38 million AAV). The Canucks are betting on Buium's upside and will be hoping that the 20-year-old can continue to develop in the right direction after his solid rookie season.
With the way salaries have been going up around the NHL, Buium's deal certainly has the potential to age very nicely for Vancouver. He is a promising young defenseman with very good upside. Yet, at the same time, this contract only continues to show just how good Lane Hutson's contract with the Montreal Canadiens is.
Hutson is entering the first season of his eight-year, $70.8 million contract extension, where he will have a bargain $8.85 million cap hit. The young defenseman signed this deal in Oct. 2025 after he six goals and 66 points in 82 games as a rookie for Montreal in 2024-25. He also, of course, won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL's rookie of the year.
Buium was solid last season, as he recorded six goals and 26 points in 76 games. However, he was not anywhere near Hutson's level as a rookie and will now be making more than him. That only shows just how great Hutson's deal is.
The Canadiens clearly made the right call extending Hutson when they did. Had they waited until this summer, he could have landed himself a significantly higher payday when looking at the salaries this year's restricted free agents received.
Charles Barkley, 63, has put another timeline on the end of his “Inside the NBA” run, but he insists that not only will he be leaving, but Ernie Johnson may be departing with him.
Barkley said during a recent appearance on “The Bill Simmons Podcast” that he expects the upcoming 2026-27 NBA season to be his last on “Inside the NBA,” adding that Johnson will be joining him in retirement.
“Me and Ernie are a package deal,” Barkley said. “So right now, unless Ernie changes his mind, next year is my last year, 100 percent.”
Charles Barkley says — again — that he will retire from broadcasting, this time following the 2025-26 NBA campaign. Getty Images
Johnson, 70, has not publicly announced his retirement, making Barkley’s revelation with Simmons particularly notable.
This isn’t the first time Barkley hinted at leaving the show, although it came under different circumstances last time.
As the future felt uncertain for “Inside the NBA,” Barkley indicated that the 2024-25 NBA season would be the end for him. It was also the end of the NBA on TNT, with the channel heading toward missing out on the league’s new media rights deal.
“I told TNT I was going to retire at 60. And they were like, ‘Oh, he’s full of s–t. He’s not gonna retire,’” Barkley recalled to Simmons.
“So we come up, I said, ‘Hey guys, it’s my last year.’ They’re like, ‘What do you mean?’ I said, ‘I told y’all six years ago I was gonna retire at 60.’ They’re like, ‘You were serious?’ I said, ‘Yeah, I was serious.’ Then they said to me, ‘Do us a favor. Stay two more years, ’til we get the new deal.’ I talked it over with my friends. I said, ‘OK, I’ll tell you what. I’ll stay ’til 62,’ which was last year … little did I know these f–king idiots was gonna lose the NBA,” he added.
Inside the NBA broadcasts live before a game on October 24, 2023 at the Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. NBAE via Getty Images
ESPN eventually added the show to its lineup, keeping Barkley and Johnson together alongside co-hosts Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith and the same production crew.
Barkley said Johnson called him after TNT lost its NBA rights and asked him to stay, in part so the show’s longtime behind-the-scenes employees could remain employed.
“The only reason I stayed is so everybody could keep their job behind the scenes,” Barkley told Simmons, explaining that he has worked with many members of the staff for more than 25 years, a point he has made on numerous occasions.
Barkley has also noted that he met with NBC and Amazon after TNT lost the NBA, with NBC offering him more money than he was making at Turner.
Johnson has hosted “Inside the NBA” since 1990, while Barkley joined the program in 2000.
ATLANTA, GA - AUGUST 30: Ryan Feltner #18 of the Colorado Rockies pitches during the game between the Colorado Rockies and the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on Sunday, August 30, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kathryn May/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Orioles handed Colorado its franchise-record 10th consecutive home loss Monday night when Colton Cowser robbed Jake McCarthy of a potential two-run walk-off home run to preserve a 2-1 Baltimore win.
The Rockies responded with a 4-2 win Tuesday before taking Wednesday’s finale 6-5 in 11 innings. Colorado was down to its final strike in the ninth before Zac Veen tied the game with a double and Brett Sullivan delivered the walk-off single in the 11th.
Baltimore arrived at Coors Field 68-69 and left 69-71. It was not a fatal blow to the Orioles’ Wild Card hopes, but it was a stumble at a time when every series matters.
Now the Colorado Rockies (54-86) open a three-game series against the St. Louis Cardinals (70-71), who sit four games behind the final National League Wild Card spot.
The Cardinals are just 4-6 over their last 10 games. That has not hurt them as much as it could have. Still, a bad weekend in Denver would put a substantial dent in the Cardinals’ fading playoff chances.
Ryan Feltner takes the mound for Colorado, making his 21st start of the season.
Feltner enters at 5-9 with a 5.84 ERA over 101.2 innings. It has been a rough season overall, and especially lately. Over his last seven games, including six starts, he is 2-5 with a 6.50 ERA and 1.81 WHIP across 36 innings.
After missing his scheduled start Saturday because of illness, Feltner returned Sunday in Atlanta with encouraging results. He worked four innings of relief behind Mason Adams, allowing only an unearned run while striking out six without a walk.
The changeup was central to the outing. Feltner threw it 35% of the time and generated eight whiffs on 15 swings, with five of his six strikeouts coming on the pitch. The changeup itself did not change much. The bigger difference was Feltner’s ability to locate the four-seamer higher while keeping the changeup down, creating more vertical separation between the two pitches while maintaining roughly a 10 mph velocity gap.
St. Louis counters with Andre Pallante, who makes his 25th start of the season.
Pallante enters 12-6 with a 3.57 ERA over 136 innings and has been steady throughout the year. He owns a 3.51 ERA over his last seven starts and a 3.31 mark over his last 15.
His pitch mix changes considerably by handedness. Against righties, he is primarily a slider-sinker pitcher, using the slider about 40% of the time and the sinker around 35%. Against lefties, his four-seamer jumps above 50%, with the curveball and slider each around 20%.
That mix produces plenty of ground balls. Pallante owns a 55.0% ground-ball rate and has allowed barrels on just 5.3% of batted balls.
Three hitters in Friday’s lineup faced Pallante in his last start against Colorado last season. Hunter Goodman went 2-for-3, while Mickey Moniak and Adael Amador each had RBI singles as the Rockies scored five runs on eight hits over five innings.
The Rockies enter tonight 10-12 in Friday games this season. With four Friday games left, including tonight, they still have a chance to finish .500 or better on Fridays.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - AUGUST 29: Starting pitcher Daniel Lynch IV #41 of the Kansas City Royals tries to make a throw to first on a bunt by Steven Kwan #38 of the Cleveland Guardians (not pictured) during the third inning at Progressive Field on August 29, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
One of the fun things about covering the Friday and Saturday night games all season has been that, on a week like this with one off day, if a good starting pitcher pitches on a Saturday, I get to write about him that night, and I know I’ll get to write about him again next Friday. The corollary, however, is that when Daniel “Danny Drips” Lynch IV pitches on a Saturday night, I know I have to write about him the next week.
At first I was fine with the Royals giving him a shot. I wasn’t optimistic it would work, but I also didn’t think it was going to hurt anything, and it made the guy happy. I’m all for making guys happy. But now that we’ve seen it for a month or so, it might be making him happy, but it’s not making anyone I care about happy. Danny Drips is not a big-league starting pitcher. I remain not-entirely-convinced that he’s a big-league reliever. But here he is, starting for the Royals on September 4, while a guy they touted as potentially an answer to their rotation woes for next season pitches for Omaha again. I have a hard time blaming Matt Quatraro and J.J. Picollo for everything that has gone wrong for the Royals this year, but when they do things like this, it gets easier.
Fortunately, the Blue Jays will be countering with Jameson Taillon. Taillon has been a very good starting pitcher for years, but this year his walk rate and home run rates have skyrocketed. That led the Cubs to cut bait on him, despite desperately needing starting pitching as they continue their playoff chase. The Blue Jays picked him up, and he has made two starts totaling eight innings. He’s only allowed 3 runs, but he’s walked 5 while striking out only 7. It does not feel like he’s turned a corner.
What I’m saying is, watch out for dueling no-hitters tonight.
Lineups
Not much new to say about the Royals’ lineup. I’ll note that if Jac doesn’t start hitting dingers again soon, he’s going to get passed by Carter Jensen. Carter only has one fewer than him after the barrage in the Marlins series.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - APRIL 03: A general view of the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center on April 3, 2016 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Today’s Lineups
DIAMONDBACKS
ASTROS
Geraldo Perdomo – SS
Jeremy Pena – SS
Corbin Carroll – RF
Yordan Alvarez – DH
Gabriel Moreno – C
Isaac Paredes – 3B
Ketel Marte – 2B
Jose Altuve – 2B
Lars Nootbaar – DH
Daulton Varsho – CF
Nolan Arenado – 3B
Christian Walker – 1B
Max Kepler – LF
Taylor Trammell – RF
Tim Tawa – 1B
Yainer Diaz – C
Ryan Waldschmidt – CF
LaMonte Wade – LF
Merrill Kelly – RHP
Cristian Javier – RHP
Roster moves
The Arizona Diamondbacks made the following roster moves. The D-backs’ active roster is at 28 and the 40-man roster is at 39.
Reinstated from the 10-day injured list: OF Tommy Troy (sprained right AC joint; retro to July 12)
Designated for assignment: OF Jorge Barrosa
Is this the end of Barrosa’s time with the D-backs? He’d appeared in 97 of the team’s games so far, though had only made 34 starts, being mostly used as a pinch-runner and/or late inning defensive replacement. Does seem weird that the team has chosen to dump the switch-hitter. Let’s play the old Player A/Player B game with a couple of Arizona outfielders: Player A: 159 PA, .201/.285/.343 = .628 OPS, 0.6 bWAR, 0.4 fWAR, four-plus years control Player B: 139 PA, .214/.273/.317 = .591 OPS, -0.5 bWAR, -0.4 fWAR, 21 games control I’ll leave it as an exercise for you to figure out who’s who, and wonder why Player B is still the owner of a roster spot.
Eleven players in the D-backs bullpen right now, with just three starters, making the bullpen chart long and thin! That obviously won’t last, with the need for a fourth starter on Monday (might be Jose Cabrera who worked a couple of middle innings during the bullpen game versus the Phillies), then the widely-expected return of Corbin Burnes on Tuesday against the Royals on Tuesday. But it does give the team options, should Merrill Kelly have a short outing tonight. Mind you, his last start, he looked like a new pitcher altogether. We’ll see if it persists. If so, perhaps Merrill needs to send an Edible Arrangement to the Cubs’ third-base coach.
The main focus of scoreboard watching this weekend, will be the Padres’ series against the Yankees in San Diego, which starts 90 minutes after our game. That’s a tougher opponent than the Astros, though the Padres do have home-field advantage. It’d be nice to put a bit of daylight between us and San Diego, and with the top of our rotation going in this series, I’m hopeful that can happen. Would not hurt if the Yankees were to help out a bit. If you prefer to look up in the standings instead, the Cubs are visiting the Marlins, while the Phillies also have a tough series, hosting the Braves. Both those games will have been under way for 50 minutes when this gets posted.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 29: Cristian Javier #53 of the Houston Astros throws a pitch against the New York Mets during the second inning at Citi Field on August 29, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Caean Couto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
TONIGHT’S GAME: The first-place Houston Astros (72-69), who hold a slim 2.0-game lead in the AL West over the Texas Rangers, will welcome in the Arizona Diamondbacks (74-67) tonight for the first of a three-game weekend series at Daikin Park.
RHP Cristian Javier (1-5, 6.45 ERA) will get the start for the Astros tonight opposite RHP Merrill Kelly (9-12, 5.08 ERA) and the Snakes.
EL REPTÍL: RHP Cristian Javier is making his ninth start of the season and his sixth since returning from the IL in early July. He’s split time between being a starter and reliever since his return, making five relief appearances and five starts. Since returning from the IL, he has a 4.84 ERA (19ER/35.1IP) with 38 strikeouts in 35.1 IP.
SLOW AND STEADY RECOVERY: Since starting the season with a 20-31 record after 51 games, the Astros are 52-38 (.578) in their last 90 games (since May 22). That is the second-best record in the AL in that span, behind the Red Sox (54-38).
ABOUT THE RECORD: At 72-69 and three games over .500, the Astros have matched their high-water mark for the season, also reached with 63-60, 60-57, 59-56, 58-55, 6-3, and 5-2 records. The Astros have got there with an American League-best 7-3 record over their last 10 games.
STARTING BLOCKS: Astros starters have a 1.66 ERA (4ER/21.2IP) with 21 strikeouts, a .169 opponent average (13×77) and a 1.15 WHIP in the first four games of this homestand. Stretching back over the Astros last 10 games, in which they’ve gone 7-3, Astros starters own a 2.94 ERA (16ER/49IP).
MEASURING UP: The Astros are within a streak of playing four straight teams with winning records (CWS, ARI, PHI, TB). The Astros are a Major League-best 28-15 (.651) vs. teams currently at .500 or above. Some clubs that the Astros have winning records against include BOS (5-1), CHC (3-0), CWS (5-2), CLE (4-2), MIA (3-0), and TB (2-1).
VS. THE D-BACKS: In their last series against each other, the Astros swept the Diamondbacks in a three-game set in Arizona from July 21-23, 2025. The Astros are 8-1 in their last nine games against the D-backs, which dates back to the 2023 season.
MINOR LEAGUE HONORS: Astros prospect RHP Antonio Morales has been named the Dominican Summer League Pitcher of the Month for August. Morales, 19, went 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA (0ER/14IP), while allowing a .067 (3×45) opponent average in three apps. for the DSL Astros Orange in August.
TODAY’S ROSTER MOVE: The Astros have placed LHP Steven Okert on the 15-day IL with a right hamstring strain (retro to Sept. 1). In a corresponding move, the Astros recalled LHP Bryan King from Triple A Sugar Land.
RELIEVER OF THE MONTH: Announced yesterday, LHP Josh Hader was named the American League Reliever of the Month for August. It is Hader’s ninth career Reliever of the Month Award and his third as an Astro. In the month, Hader converted all seven of his save opportunities, while going scoreless in his 13 total appearances and 14.1 innings pitched.
STREAKING: LHP Josh Hader has worked 19 consecutive scoreless appearances, spanning 20.0 innings (since July 21). This is the longest streak by an Astros hurler this season and the second-longest active streak in the Majors. Opponents are just 5×65 (.077) vs. Hader during the streak.
THE CLOSER: LHP Josh Hader has 249 career saves, needing just one more save to become the 41st player in modern MLB history to reach 250 career saves. Hader has 22 of those saves this season, in 22 save chances.
YOU’RE MY BOY BLU!: RHP A.J. Blubaugh, who’s tossed 14.0 consecutive scoreless innings, has taken a huge Major League lead in innings pitched as a reliever with 86.1, far ahead of second-place RHP Paul Blackburn (75IP). The Astros have not had a reliever lead the Majors in innings since RHP Doug Jones (111.2IP) in 1992.
TRIPLE THREAT: DH Yordan Alvarez, who is a solid candidate for the AL MVP Award, currently owns at least a share of the lead in all three Triple Crown categories. He enters tonight leading the AL in batting avg. (.316), while ranking tied for first in HR (37) and RBI (94).
Rare Feat: Since Carl Yastrzemski won the AL Triple Crown in 1967, there has been just one Triple Crown winner in the Majors, Miguel Cabrera in 2012 (AL).
FEELS INTENTIONAL: DH Yordan Alvarez has been issued 30 intentional walks on the year, which is a franchise record, besting the 27 intentional walks for 1B Jeff Bagwell in 1997. Alvarez leads the Majors in intentional walks, topping second-place DH Shohei Ohtani (16) by a whopping 14 IBB. Lastly, the AL record for intentional walks in a season is in play for Alvarez, a record that’s currently held by RF Aaron Judge (36 IBB in 2025).
THE HIT MAN: 2B Jose Altuve has 2,495 career hits, needing just five hits to reach 2,500 for his career. Among active players, Altuve ranks second in hits, trailing only 1B Freddie Freeman (2,586).
BEHIND THE DISH: C Christian Vázquez has played in 999 career games as a catcher and is looking to become just the third active catcher to reach 1,000 career games behind the dish. He would join C Salvador Perez (1,427) and C J.T. Realmuto (1,382) in that exclusive group.
TODAY IN ASTROS HISTORY: 2023 – Trailing 3-0 through the 4th, the Astros offense exploded in a Labor Day matinee in Arlington, scoring 13 runs over the game’s last 5.0 innings en route to a 13-6 win. The offense connected for five homers on the day, including multi-homer games by 2B Jose Altuve (4×6) and CF Mauricio Dubón (2×5), who went back-to-back on two different occasions. According to STATS, the Astros became the first team in MLB history to have their No. 9 (Dubón) and No. 1 (Altuve) hitters hit back-to-back homers twice in the same game.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Friday, September 4, 7:10 p.m. CT
Location: Daikin Park, Houston, TX
TV: Space City Home Network
Radio: KBME 790 AM & 94.5 FM HD2; TUDN 102.9 FM HD2 (Spanish)
CLEVELAND, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 04: The Cleveland Guardians grounds crew removes the tarp from the field during a rain delay before game one of a doubleheader between the Cleveland Guardians and the Detroit Tigers at Progressive Field on September 04, 2026, in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This game was just about a perfect microcosm of the season. The bullpen can’t hold up to pull out a tight game very often, an early lead crumbled in one terrible inning from Keider Montero, and after a nice burst from the offense early they went to sleep when it mattered most, doing nothing in the final five innings to fight back. Brayan Rocchio tied the game with a grand slam in the fourth, and he walked it off with a solo shot against Drew Sommers to win 7-6 over the Tigers in Game 1 of Friday’s doubleheader in Progressive Field.
After a rain delay of about a half hour to start the day, the game got underway around 3:15 p.m. ET. Gleyber Torres led off with a single off lefty Logan Allen, and Kevin McGonigle drew a walk. Hao-Yu Lee struck out and Dillon Dingler flew out sharply to Steven Kwan in center field. Riley Greene drew a walk to load the bases, and Ben Malgeri broke through with a two-run single back through the box. Spencer Torkelson singled through the left side, and again it was the kids coming through as Max Clark ripped a line drive single to right field to plate Greene and Malgeri. Javy Báez pulled a ground out to end the top half, but it was 4-0 Tigers.
Keider Montero took the mound and gave up a one-out double to Chase DeLauter. Jose Ramirez moved him to third with a single, and a Jo Adell sacrifice fly made it a 4-1 game. Montero locked up Nathaniel Lowe with fastball in the corner down and away. It was called a ball but Dingler correctly challenged, ending the inning.
The top of the Tigers order was up again in the top of the second, and again they made something happen. Singles from Torres and McGonigle started the inning. Lee grounded into a 5-4-3 double play, but Torres scored to make it 5-1. Montero gave up a one-out double to Travis Bazzana, but stranded him with a pair of flyouts to Clark in center field.
Slade Cecconi took over for Allen in the third with one out and struck out Malgeri. Spencer Torkelson got on the board, driving a 2-0 sinker out to right field.
Max Clark followed with another single and then swiped second base. We’re loving us some Max Clark. Báez flew out to left to strand him. 6-1 Tigers.
Montero was cruising along pretty well until the bottom of the fourth. With one out, Lowe singled and rookie Angel Genao doubled him to third. A single from Bazzana plated Lowe, and Montero walked light hitting Patrick Bailey to load the bases. Not good. Rocchio paid it off, getting a 1-1 knuckle curve right at the bottom of the zone and launching a grand slam to right field. Tie ballgame. That gut punch took the wind out of the Tigers and they never got it back.
Tyler Holton handled the bottom of the fifth, getting a double play ball after an Adell lead off single and escaping the inning unscathed. Craig Yoyo had the ball after replacing Cecconi in the top of the sixth. Max Clark recorded his third single of the game, but that went nowhere. Holton took care of the sixth as well, while lefty Erik Sabrowski entered for a 1-2-3 top of the seventh.
Holton walked DeLauter in the bottom of the seventh, and gave way to right-hander Tyler Kinley. He got Ramirez to fly out. DeLauter swiped second, but Adell grounded into a force out, and Lowe lined out to Clark in center. After making a sliding catch, the ball came loose from Clark’s glove, but they ruled he had control long enough and we were on to the eighth.
Still, other than Clark, the Tigers had just folded up shop, and now luck deserted them as Greene and Malgeri both hammered the ball to corner outfielders, and Torkelson struck out swinging.
Drew Sommers spun a good bottom half to keep this thing deadlocked, but the Tigers had to score. It will not surprise you dear reader, to learn that they did not score.
Cade Smith gave up a one out single to Colt Keith, and he took second on a passed ball. But Torres took a called strike three, and McGonigle foul tipped a high heater into the glove.
John Peck entered the game at shortstop for defensive purposes, but there was no defense possible for this. A first pitch heater from Sommers was launched deep to left center and over the big wall for a walkoff home run. Cool, cool.
The Tigers had 11 hits and two walks, so we can’t say the offense did nothing. But the Tigers knack for giving up homers in the worst possible times is unmatched this year.
