Penguins' Prospect Headlines List Of NCAA Players On Verge Of Unrestricted Free Agency

For the Pittsburgh Penguins, there are several players as part of the Jake Guentzel trade tree who are in a "wait and see" stage to determine whether that trade will end up panning out for the organization.

But they are about to take a loss on at least one of the pieces of that deal.

On Aug. 15, select NCAA players set to graduate who are in their fourth season of NCAA eligibility can become unrestricted free agents. According to Puckpedia, if a player is eligible, they must complete the necessary paperwork to indicate they're no longer a college student and submit it to the NHL's Central Registry by the 15th in order to become a draft-related free agent. 

And at the top of the list is Penguins' prospect Cruz Lucius.

Lucius, 22, was acquired as part of the trade that sent Jake Guentzel to the Carolina Hurricanes before the 2024 trade deadline. He played two seasons at the University of Wisconsin before transferring to Arizona State University for his past two collegiate seasons. He had a breakout campaign in 2025-26, registering 15 goals and 46 points in 36 games, which was good enough for 11th overall in NCAA scoring. 

Unfortunately for the Penguins, Lucius has already informed the team that he does not plan to sign with them for "personal reasons," meaning he is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent on the 15th so long as he completes the necessary paperwork. Had he opted to remain with Pittsburgh and sign, he would have joined a relatively crowded pool of forward prospects.

Koivunen Contract, For Better Or For Worse, Sets Precedent For Dubas And Penguins Moving ForwardKoivunen Contract, For Better Or For Worse, Sets Precedent For Dubas And Penguins Moving ForwardKyle Dubas and the Pittsburgh Penguins came to terms with unproven young forward Ville Koivunen on an eight-year, $32 million contract Thursday, which could set a high precedent for future contracts involving the team's young talent.

Lucius was brought over from Carolina along with fellow forward prospects Ville Koivunen and Vasily Ponomarev - who is playing in the KHL - as well as NHL forward Michael Bunting and a second-round pick in the 2024 draft that turned into defenseman Harrison Brunicke, arguably Pittsburgh's top prospect. Bunting was then traded to the Nashville Predators in exchange for forward Tommy Novak and defenseman Luke Schenn, who was flipped for a 2027 fourth and a 2026 second-round pick that became Markus Ruck.

Even if the Guentzel trade tree is still growing and still has fruit to bear, the eventual loss of Lucius is a small blow to the Penguins' forward depth as well as their payout from that trade. 

Lucius was a fourth-round selection (124th overall) by Carolina in 2022.

Revisiting The Jake Guentzel Trade TreeRevisiting The Jake Guentzel Trade TreeOn Thursday, the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a> will take on the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/tampa-bay-lightning">Tampa Bay Lightning</a> in Florida, as Pittsburgh looks to hold onto its playoff positioning and Tampa looks to extend its Atlantic Division lead.&nbsp;

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!  

Cubs Minor League Wrap: Smokies trash the Trash Pandas, 7-1

Knoxville Smokies players and staff celebrate the win over the Pensacola Blue Wahoos in a Minor League Baseball game on July 29, 2026, at Covenant Health Park in Knoxville, Tennessee. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs deconsecrated the St. Paul Saints (Twins), 7-6.

Braxton Garrett made his Cubs’ debut in this game and he had some major issues throwing strikes. Garrett only allowed one run on one hit over two innings, but he walked six batters while striking out just one. Only 29 of Garrett’s 62 pitches were strikes.

Hoby Milner pitched one inning on a rehab assignment. In the fifth inning, Milner gave up no runs, but did surrender one hit and allowed one run. He did not strike anyone out.

Connor Noland got the win in relief. Noland allowed three runs on seven hits over 3.2 innings. He struck out three and did not walk anyone.

Noland got in trouble in the ninth inning, giving up two runs and leaving runners on first and third with two outs when he was replaced by Tyler Ferguson. Ferguson threw one pitch, got a ground out to first base and collected the save.

The I-Cubs were held scoreless for the first five innings until right fielder Kevin Alcántara hit a two-run home run, his 19th on the year. (Or 20th if you count the one at Wrigley.) The Jaguar was 2 for 4 with a double and the home run.

Iowa took the lead for good with a five-run seventh inning, highlighted by a two-run home run by first baseman BJ Murray. It was Murray’s 14th this year. He went 1 for 5.

Left fielder Jordan Nwogu was 2 for 3 with a walk. He scored once and drove in two.

Second baseman Owen Miller went 2 for 4 with a double and a run scored.

The first Jaguar in orbit is Kevin Alcántara.

Big two-run single for Nwogu.

Murray’s home run tonight may not have landed in a cornfield, but it counts the same.

Justin Dean robs the Twins’ top prospect of extra bases.

Knoxville Smokies

The Knoxville Smokies caged the Rocket City Trash Pandas (Angels), 7-1.

Connor Schultz started and took the win after allowing just one run on five hits over five innings. Schultz walked one and struck out one.

Shelby Miller pitched the sixth inning on a rehab appearance and struck out the side in order on 14 pitches.

DH Alex Ramírez hit a two-run double in the seventh inning. Ramírez went 2 for 5 and scored one run.

First baseman Miguel Useche doubled twice in a 2 for 5 night. He scored once and drove in one.

Catcher Ariel Armas went 3 for 4 with an RBI single in the sixth inning.

Second baseman Drew Bowser was 2 for 4 with an RBI single.

Left fielder Carter Trice bangs into the wall, but hangs on to the catch.

The Ramírez two-run double.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs were driven mad by the Great Lakes Loons (Dodgers), 11-3. The start of this game was delayed by 88 minutes.

Braylon Myers threw the first 2.1 innings and took the loss after he was charged with three runs on three hits. Myers walked three and struck out one.

Shortstop Angel Cepeda was 1 for 3 with a walk and two steals. He was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the eighth inning for one RBI.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans quieted the Hill City Howlers (Guardians), 3-1.

Jubrayker Salaya made his Low-A debut and pitched three innings. He allowed one unearned run on one hit. He struck out two and walked one.

Next up, Victor Zarraga threw three scoreless innings and got the win. Zarraga allowed just one baserunner, a hit batter, but then erased him in a double play so he faced the minimum. Zarraga struck out two.

The Pelicans divided the nine innings equally between three pitchers, and Julio Valdez got the three-inning save. Valdez gave up no runs on just one hit. He struck out two and walked one.

Right fielder Eli Lovich was 1 for 2 with a walk and a run scored.

Center fielder Ethan Conrad was 1 for 4 with a double.

Highlights:

Trent Grisham starting to turn corner with red-hot Yankees stretch: ‘That’s what he’s capable of’

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows  New York Yankees center fielder Trent Grisham reacts after he hits an RBI double, Image 2 shows Trent Grisham celebrates one of his two homers on Wednesday night
Trent Grisham

At first, Wednesday emerged as an instance of Trent Grisham struggling in center field — despite the public support of Aaron Boone one day prior, despite the Yankees having another option in Spencer Jones who could play there and a dip at the plate not helping his case.

But by the end of the night, when the Yankees’ 10-5 win concluded, Grisham’s best offensive game in months made that — and his rough season at the plate at large with a $22 million contract — an afterthought.

Grisham crushed two homers, collected three hits and drove in four runs, delivering his second multihomer game of the season and ninth of his career.

Access the Yankees beat like never before

Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Greg Joyce about the inside buzz on the Yankees.

Try it free

He has collected multiple hits in three consecutive games, which tied his career best. And Grisham has gone 8-for-14 over his last four games, capturing one of his best stretches of the season as he attempts to fix a brutal start. 

“I don’t think he gets swung emotionally very much by highs and lows,” Boone said. “The reality is he’s putting together a lot of good at-bats right now for us, and we know that’s what he’s capable of — of setting the tone for us.” 

Grisham admitted that he wanted a better read on the ball off Brendan Donovan’s bat at the start of the second inning, which had an exit velocity of 70 mph and an expected batting average of .170, according to Baseball Savant. The shallow fly ball into center field started with Grisham slowly jogging in.

New York Yankees center fielder Trent Grisham reacts after he hits an RBI double in the seventh inning on Aug. 12, 2026. JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POST

Shortstop George Lombard Jr. ended up wildly attempting to dive for it, tumbling to the ground as Donovan sprinted into second with a double. 

“It felt like the ball was up there long enough that a play could’ve been made if everyone got the right jump on it,” said Boone, who added that he still needed to watch the replay to see Grisham’s read. 

Trent Grisham celebrates one of his two homers on Wednesday night. Robert Sabo for NY Post

But the Yankees escaped the inning unscathed, and with two outs in the fifth inning, Grisham crushed a first-pitch sinker 364 feet to right field.

He drove in Lombard with a double in the seventh before adding his 15th homer of the season in the eighth, giving him three in the last four games. 

“Earlier in my career, I’ve gotten really high and really low, really emotional,” Grisham said. “What I’ve seen in the better players across the league usually just kinda stay even-keeled. … So I just try to emulate that as much as I can.” 

Yankees Merch Shop
  • WinCraft insulated can coolers
  • Team Effort driver head cover
  • 47 Brand adjustable cap
  • Customizable jersey
  • Logo fleece blanket
  • 14-ounce sculpted relief coffee mug
New York Post receives revenue from affiliate and advertising partnerships for sharing this content and when you make a purchase.

By the time the Yankees’ game ended Aug. 2, Grisham’s average had dipped to .211, the lowest it’d been since early June. His career season in 2025 kept fading.

But even with his power down one season after a career-best 34 homers, Grisham, at least for this 10-day stretch has started to ease some of those concerns.

“Hitting the ball in the seats and the gap,” Boone said, “I’ll sign up for that.”

Everything we know so far about shocking sale of Los Angeles Lakers: Why now? Potential impacts?

Nobody saw this coming.

When the Buss family sold their majority stake in the Lakers 14 months ago — ending 46 years of being a family-run business — it didn't come out of nowhere. There had been speculation for years that as the deep pockets needed to run a competitive major American sports franchise grew, the Buss family had no choice but to consider this option, and Dodger owner Mark Walter already owned 27% of the team (and had first right of refusal on any sale).

Now, just 14 months later, Walter is flipping the Lakers and selling them to Joshua Kushner and Bob Iger at a valuation of $12.5 billion. The suddenness of the sale caught the league off guard and leads to a lot of questions. Here's what we know so far.

How did sale come together?

Fast.

NBC Sports had been told that Kushner and Iger were seriously involved in the bidding for a potential expansion team in Las Vegas (though not necessarily the frontrunner). That massive expense — an expansion fee expected to be at least $7 billion but likely higher — to get in the door and then start a new team may have given the partners pause.

Kushner reached out to Walter on Friday and the deal quickly came together during the weekend, all of it coming together in three days, Iger told The California Post.

Why sell the team now?

That is the $12.5 billion question. It also is at least part of the answer. Walter purchased the team 14 months ago at a valuation of $10 billion, so turning a tidy $2.5 billion profit in just more than a year is good work if you can get it.

However, it also may be that Walter needed cash. Walter is the CEO and invested deeply in Guggenheim Partners (which owned the Lakers as well as the Los Angeles Dodgers), and is also the founder and leads TWG Global, a holding company. Investigators at both the U.S. Attorney's Office in Manhattan and the SEC are looking into alleged failure to properly disclose billions of dollars in related-party private credit loans tied to Walter's companies.

Bloomberg reports that Walter is trying to raise cash to pay down debt in the face of that investigation. A quick sale of the Lakers might help with that.

Because Joshua Kushner is the brother and business partner of Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of President Donald Trump, there has been online speculation that the White House had a hand in forcing the sale. A White House spokesperson reportedly told Front Office Sports the sale had nothing to do with Trump or the administration.

Will the Buss family still be involved?

Yes. Walter is selling his majority stake in the franchise, and the Buss family will maintain its 15% share.

Under the agreement with Walter, Jeanie Buss stayed on as the official governor of the Lakers and was going to be in that role for at least five years. The new owners plan to honor that agreement, Iger told The California Post.

"We have enormous respect and appreciation for Jeanie, her father and what they've contributed to this franchise, and we have every intention to honor the agreement that was made between Mark and Jeanie. If things change, they'll change, but we're going into this with enormous respect and appreciation for who she is and what she represents in the organization."

Does this sale impact the Dodgers?

No. Walter and Guggenheim will maintain ownership of the two-time defending World Series Champions, and this sale does not involve the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks.

How will this impact the front office? The roster?

In the short term, nothing changes. The Lakers' retooled roster is largely set for this season — even though they have discussed trying to land wing Jonathan Kuminga in a sign-and-trade, if they can do it on their terms. At this point, there would be no bold moves to really make, even if ownership wanted to.

Also, Luka Doncic made it clear he remains committed to the Lakers.

Long-term it remains to be seen what this means. Walter had come in and started the "Dodgerification" of the Lakers organization, adding to the team's scouting and analytics staff and, like the Dodgers, pushing the franchise in a more analytically driven direction. Walter also made major changes on the business side of the organization, bringing in Lon Rosen as the team's new president of business operations, a role he had with the Dodgers.

We don't know what an Iger/Kushner ownership style looks like. Neither do they, Iger told the California Post.

"It's just premature to speculate at all about what we plan to do, because frankly, we haven't made any plans yet. Again, we go into this with an appreciation of who the Lakers are. And we just want to build value from today on...

"This is very new."

Who are Kushner and Iger?

Kushner founded Thrive Capital, a venture capital firm that invests largely in young tech companies such as Instagram and OpenAI, among many others. Kushner is worth an estimated $5.2 billion, according to Forbes.

Maybe more famously, Kushner is the younger brother of Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump's son-in-law. However, Joshua does not have a role in the White House, reportedly has differing political views from his brother, and is a much more private person. Kushner also has invested in NBA teams before and is currently a minority owner of the Miami Heat (shares he will have to sell to complete this deal).

Iger is well known to many Southern California for his many years — across two stints — as the CEO of The Walt Disney Company, the second of which ended earlier this year. He is a consultant with Thive.

Kushner may be most of the money behind the sale, with Iger likely being the face of the new ownership group.

What are the next steps?

The details of the sale itself need to be formally put together in the coming months, then that will be presented to the league, which will do its due diligence. Ultimately, two-thirds of the Board of Governors need to vote to approve the sale.

That likely is all a formality. This sale is going to happen.

The Cubs never doubted Alex Bregman and neither did he. His three-homer game shows why.

WASHINGTON – Alex Bregman is more locked in than any hitter in the major leagues. The Chicago Cubs are as close to the Milwaukee Brewers as they’ve been in nearly three months.

And with three balls rocketing off Bregman’s bat Wednesday, Aug. 12, he and the Cubs served notice that their alliance is starting to turn lethal.

The two-time World Series champion and MVP runner-up crossed another item off his career to-do list, posting his first three-homer game as the Cubs withstood a stiff challenge from the Washington Nationals but burst the dam in the middle innings for a 12-6 victory.

The Cubs signed Bregman to a five-year, $140 million contract not only for his production but also his reputation as a human victory cigar, his mere presence uplifting teammates in a manner rare among ballplayers.

Yet after an epic run with the Houston Astros and a culture-shifting year spent in Boston, Bregman and the Cubs have proved a symbiotic relationship, grinders helping grinders.

This week, that came in the form of Bregman and major league development assistant Ben Martin poring over more than a decade of videos at 1 in the morning after the club arrived in Washington.

The video dated as far back as Bregman’s 2016 stint at Class AA Corpus Christi in the Astros’ system, and the duo used KinaTrax motion-capture data to chart changes in his swing.

The homework paid off: Bregman had two hits and a homer in the Cubs’ series-opening win Tuesday.

A night later came the booms.

His three-run homer off reliever Jake Bird in the fifth inning lifted Chicago to a 4-1 lead and after the Nationals tied it in the bottom half, his two-run blast off Yovanny Cruz an inning later pushed Chicago’s lead to 9-4, ensuring a lower-leverage game for the Cubs' bullpen.

For good measure, he piled on with a two-run shot in the eighth off veteran right-hander Trevor Williams, capping a perfect night: 3-for-3, three homers, two walks and an undeniable status that he’s been the game’s hottest hitter for three weeks running.

Since July 27, Bregman leads all major league hitters with 26 hits in 16 games. He’s slashing .394/.460/.788 in that span, with six home runs.

For reference: It took him 69 games spanning 10 weeks to hit his first six home runs of the season. Not that the Cubs really doubted the three-time All-Star and 2019 AL MVP runner-up.

Nor did Bregman.

“No. I knew,” Bregman said about tamping down any worries and retaining his confidence that, eventually, he’d break out. “But just gotta keep going. Gotta figure out what’s going on and address it. I feel like the last month or so has been a step in the right direction.

“But really, the last two days have been a real step in the right direction.”

Backing up his home run Tuesday with three more towering fly balls into the left field seats – almost identical, really – was crucial. Bregman knows himself enough to avoid the pitfall of the false positive – a moment where he believes he’s figured out a flaw in his swing, only for him to feel uncomfortable in the box the next day.

“Honestly, that’s the most important thing, right?” he says. “I’ve had days this year where it’s gone all right, had a few extra-base hits and the next day, you wake up and get to the ballpark and it feels completely different because maybe that cue wasn’t the one that was actually correct.

“We went through the archives for this, from way back in the day, to look at all the changes of how I’ve kind of loaded throughout my career. We were watching Double-A Corpus Christi video two nights ago in my room, 1 o’clock, Ben and I.”

That stint at Corpus Christi came barely a year after the Astros used the No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 draft on Bregman, then an LSU shortstop. The No. 1 pick was Dansby Swanson, the Vanderbilt shortstop picked by Arizona.

Bregman wore No. 2 in Houston as a reminder he wasn’t yet No. 1. Now, he and Swanson are mutual appreciators in Chicago, both owning three-homer games this season.

“He’s obviously a guy I respect the knowledge of the game he has,” Bregman says of Swanson. “We bounce things across each other over the course of a season. We’re both looking to do one thing and win.

“That’s what wakes us up in the morning every day, is winning baseball games.”

Says Swanson, who hit his 18th homer Wednesday: “The track record speaks for itself. For him, it’s about being convicted in something that he’s doing. I feel like he’s finally found that. I’ve seen it his whole career.

“He’s a special player when he’s going right.”

Bregman’s season totals still look mildly un-Bregmanlike – a .256 average, 16 homers, a .759 OPS that’s a good tick off the .846 mark he brought into this season.

Yet the Cubs are now 71-50, nicely invigorated by trade deadline additions, and as close to Milwaukee since they were 2½ games out on May 24.

You forget, Cubs manager Craig Counsell says, that it’s a 162-game season.

“A 162-game season,” he says, for emphasis.

The great ones know that well. And Bregman now has the production to match the passion he’s spread around an already locked-in clubhouse.

“Part of that personality really fit in seamlessly,” says Swanson. “One thing he’s brought is help guys navigate through things, whether it’s other guys and their at-bats, pitchers and their approach.

“He’s at his best when he has his hands in everything.”

Never moreso than Wednesday night.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: The Cubs never doubted Alex Bregman and neither did he. His three-homer game shows why.

Gaslamp Ball Reacts Survey: Padres have valuable lefty, should they keep him?

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 10: Adrian Morejon #50 of the San Diego Padres pitches against the Milwaukee Brewers during the eighth inning at Petco Park on August 10, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Padres fans and fans across the country.

Adrian Morejon is one of the longest tenured players on the roster for the San Diego Padres. The left-hander was signed in as an International Free Agent in 2016 and made his debut with the team in 2019. Morejon was initially being used as a starter but poor performances as a starter and injuries pushed him to the bullpen where he has blossomed into one of the most dominant relievers in MLB. The only bullpen arm who might be more dominant than Morejon is his teammate and current San Diego closer, Mason Miller. Morejon might not be the most dominant overall reliever in the game, but there is little argument that he is is the most dominant left-handed releiver in the game.

With his appearance today in the final game of the series against the Milwaukee Brewers at Petco Park, Morejon has a record of 9-2 with a 2.76 ERA. He pitched the 10th and 11th innings and was not perfect, but he was good enough to hold the team with the best record in baseball in the Brewers to two hits and an unearned run with two walks and four strikeouts. He now has 80 strikeouts over 65.1 innings and has appeared in 56 games this season for San Diego. Morejon was not as dominant as the Friar Faithful have come to expect, but that is understandable when you look at the fact that the Padres just finished a stretch of 26 games in 27 days, the last 16 of which came after the lone day off.

Morejon has been one of the primary contributors in the San Diego bullpen in recent years. He has become more prominent over the last two years as the setup man for the Padres. Morejon typically comes into games in the eighth inning of a game with a three-run lead or less. On most nights he mows down opposing hitters and then hands the game over to Miller who has recorded 30 saves on the season. Opponents know their opportunities will be limited over the final innings of the game once Morejon takes the mound.

It is important to note he is not married to the eighth inning role even though that is where he comes into most games. When Jason Adam is healthy, Morejon has come into the games in the seventh or even the sixth innings depending on where the matchups benefit the Padres. More recently Morejon has become the Shohei Ohtani specialist when San Diego plays the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Morejon’s days in San Diego may finally be coming to an end after he has spent a decade in the system. He will be a free agent at the end of the year and because of his performance and status in MLB, he could cash-in with a massive free-agent contract. It was for this reason that rumors about a possible Morejon trade could have been an option at the MLB Trade Deadline. All 29 MLB teams could use Morejon in some way in their ‘pen and many would make him their closer. The left-hander was not traded and made it clear prior to the deadline he did not want to be traded. In fact, he told members of the media who were assembled in the locker room that he would like to look at the possibility of remaining with the Padres beyond this season.

Every fan likes to play general manager, so Gaslamp Ball is giving respondents the opportunity to do just that with the Gaslamp Ball Reacts Survey poll question this week. Do you think the Padres should extend Morejon? That’s it. Just a simple “Yes” or “No.” Results will be posted later in the week.

Brought to you by FanDuel Sportsbook, the official sportsbook partner of SB Nation.


Tobias Myers facing significant issue as struggles continue at Triple-A after Mets demotion

An image collage containing 1 images, Image 1 shows Tobias Myers, who was demoted earlier this season, is still struggling at Triple-A

ATLANTA — Tobias Myers went from a valued arm for the Mets early this season to far removed from the major league mix as the season nears the home stretch.

The right-hander, who was demoted in June, has pitched to an 8.24 ERA over his past eight appearances for Triple-A Syracuse, most recently utilized as a starter.

Access the Mets beat like never before

Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Mike Puma about the inside buzz on the Mets.

Try it free

Myers began the season as a swingman for the Mets after arriving with Freddy Peralta in a trade with the Brewers last winter.

“He has the kind of stuff and has demonstrated the kind of stuff that gets people out in the big leagues,” interim manager Andy Green said before the Mets’ 6-3 loss to the Braves on Wednesday at Truist Field. “It hasn’t been showing in Triple-A right now. He has the capacity to change that. He’s got great work ethic. He’s just got to demonstrate it. If he does, I fully expect to see him.”

Myers’ dip in velocity has been the most significant issue, according to Green.

“The most recent outing he was sitting around 90 [mph],” Green said. “He’s been successful in the big leagues, there was an outing last year he went 3 ¹/₃ [innings], he was up to 98 and was sitting at 96. He has bullied hitters with his fastball and then the split plays off it. That is not happening right now. That belongs to him, and our pitching group is there to help him. But he’s got the opportunity to change that and he’s somebody we do believe in and want back here.”

Tobias Myers, who was demoted earlier this season, is still struggling at Triple-A. Corey Sipkin for New York Post

Cristian Pache spent most of the season at Syracuse wondering if he would get an opportunity with the Mets. The veteran is now receiving that opportunity as the team’s fifth outfielder following the trade that sent Tyrone Taylor to the Cubs.

“I will keep working to play,” Pache said. “I want to do more for the team.”

Pache has primarily served as a late-inning defensive replacement in games Brett Baty has started in the outfield.

“The elite defense, the baserunning, kind of fits that role for us if we need that,” Green said. “Those are the skill sets we value with him and there’s not a lot of starts [for him] with the other guys in the outfield.”


Francisco Alvarez’s .838 OPS for August entering play wasn’t unnoticed by Green.

“I think [his at-bats] have just been really competitive, every one of them, for the most part,” Green said. “The power is there. The hits are there. He’s starting to drive in runs as well. Alvy’s ceiling is still astronomically high. He has the capacity to do so much in this game and to see a lot of it come out and see his OPS continue to march northward, it’s fun to see.”


The Mets fell to 18-21 against NL East opponents this season. They will continue their division slate with three games against the Nationals beginning Friday at Citi Field.

Erik Erikson describes a 10-5 Mariners loss to the Yankees

Aug 12, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; Seattle Mariners left fielder Randy Arozarena (56) follows through on a two run home run against the New York Yankees during the first inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

If you don’t know about the psychologist Erik Erikson, in addition to having a pleasing name to say, he was a pretty cool guy who studied identity formation (with specific cultural contexts, way before anyone was doing that), describing eight distinct life stages, each guided by an existential question. The 2026 Mariners have been making me think about a lot of existential questions, like why baseball hurt so much?, and none so many as tonight, when they dangled the possibility of a slump-busting win only to fall in the late innings at Yankee Stadium in particularly grueling fashion.

According to Erikson, the first stage of life – infancy – is marked by the psychological crisis of trust vs. mistrust. The world is big and scary and unfamiliar, and it’s unclear as to what can be trusted. That’s a battle Mariners fans have been going back and forth on with this 2026 team, who have been seemingly unable to string together nine innings of cohesive baseball, let alone a winning streak. But lately the Mariners have been so bad it’s almost felt comforting. Familiar. Consistent, even if it’s terrible. So it wasn’t thrilling so much as it was frightening when they posted a three-run first inning against Yankees starter Will Warren. With one out, Cole Young hit an oppo ground ball single with one out. Is it time to start beating the “put Cole Young back at leadoff” drum a little more loudly? Randy Arozarena continued his homer-hitting ways, lacing a sweeper off the plate just over the right field wall for a two-run homer. With two outs, Julio Rodríguez added on with a solo homer of his own. Three runs! In the first inning! The Mariners fan mind cannot comprehend.

But for those of us torn between trust and mistrust, and heavily on the side of mistrust, it’s hard not to see another example of the Mariners not fully jumping on a pitcher early. It only took three pitches to make those two outs between the home runs, both outs pounded into the ground. Probably nothing to worry about, right? Right?

Maybe a little something to worry about, because Bryce Miller gave back one of those runs right away in the bottom of the inning. Toddlerhood, per Erikson, is marked by a struggle for autonomy – asserting likes and dislikes as a way to mark oneself as an independent entity in the world. Freed from the confines of the piggyback, these last starts down the stretch have been Bryce Miller’s opportunity to prove he deserves to stand as an autonomous unit. But today Miller’s repertoire essentially shrunk to two, maybe three pitches, as he went all fastball/sinker supplemented with the splitter. Miller didn’t throw his cutter a single time today, explaining he doesn’t like that pitch against this lineup, and he threw just two sweepers and one slider.

“I wish I would’ve thrown a few more curveballs,” he said postgame, but noted the primary thing he needed to do was execute his pitches better, especially at pivot points.

“I couldn’t execute,” he said. “I couldn’t make the pitches when I needed to. All the runs they scored on me were with two outs…I gotta execute with two outs and two strikes.”

Things got worse in the third, despite Canzone chipping in another solo homer to give the Mariners that run back. But the Yankees seemed ready for what Miller wanted to do in the third, starting with a leadoff double from Austin Wells, who dropped the head of the bat on a fastball in his lefty loop zone for a hard-hit two-bagger. It looked like Bryce might escape the inning without letting the run score, but he opted to go six straight splitters to Ben Rice, who refused to chase them, issuing a two-out walk (bad Bryce!). Miller then got into a long battle with Spencer Jones, feeding him almost nothing but fastballs (and one splitter) but unable to miss Jones’s bat. Finally, on the eighth pitch of the at-bat Miller left a 96.6 mph fastball middle-low for a two-run double that drew the Yankees within a run. The psychological crisis of toddlerhood, according to Erickson, is the tension between a desire for autonomy and shame/doubt. The psychological crisis for me watching this game is the tension between me truly, deeply believing Bryce Miller is a good pitcher, and the doubt tonight’s performance engendered.

The Mariners offense had opportunities in this game, which is the frustrating part of tonight’s loss for me. In the second, a leadoff “double” (flyball that dunked into no-man’s land) for Brendan Donovan, followed by a walk to Cal Raleigh, ultimately went nowhere after a Colt Emerson strikeout and a Taylor Ward GIDP. After Canzone’s homer in the third, Julio and Cal Raleigh worked back-to-back walks, only for Donovan to hit an inning-ending groundout. A leadoff single in the fourth from Raleigh was stranded with another Emerson strikeout and back-to-back groundouts from Ward and Young, Ward’s on a first-pitch swing.

The backbreaker for me was the fifth inning. Randy Arozarena led off with a 12-pitch walk – the longest plate appearance of his career – that bounced Warren from the game. With Fernando Cruz in, Dominic Canzone popped out on the second pitch he saw, for the second time that game making a quick out following a strong plate appearance by Randy. Julio Rodríguez then walked, and Josh Naylor singled up the middle to bring in a run and give the Mariners some breathing room, but more importantly, keep the line moving with just one out. But then a pair of Yankees fans stormed the field, causing a delay, and Aaron Boone yanked Cruz to replace him with lefty Tim Hill, and once again, Brendan Donovan went after the second pitch he saw for an inning-ending GIDP. Per Erickson, the existential question of early childhood (3-6 years) has to do with the safety of exploring the larger world: is it okay for me to do, move, and act? I would prefer the Mariners hitters ask themselves these questions when standing in the box considering their swing choices.

As expected, the Yankees went on to tie it up in the fifth against Miller. With Miller’s repertoire limited, the Yankees were clearly looking for the sinker or fastball early in counts. Austin Wells swung hard at a first-pitch sinker for a flyout, followed by George Lombard Junior doing the same on a four-seamer, flying out to Canzone. Finally, Trent Grisham was able to get one of those early-swing flyballs over the wall, jumping on a first-pitch sinker for a Yankee Stadium special (364 feet, .130 xBA), to bring the Yankees within a run once again. Ben Rice followed that with a double on one of the two sweepers Miller threw tonight, and then Spencer Jones again ambushed a first-pitch fastball for a back-to-back double, tying the game.

The Mariners had a chance to go ahead in the sixth. Cal Raleigh led off with another walk, and as frustrating as this game was, Cal Raleigh showing some better discipline at the plate is a good sign, she said, lacing up her clown shoes securely. But Colt Emerson struck out, and despite Taylor Ward reaching on a fielding error that should have been a GIDP, Young and Arozarena went on to make back-to-back two-pitch weak contact outs to quell that threat.

Bryce Miller managed to make it through the sixth, almost getting into some more two-out trouble when Ryan McMahon narrowly missed a homer on a splitter at the bottom of the zone; he was thrown out trying to stretch for a double thanks to a nails throw by Canzone in right. But the Mariners weren’t able to carry that momentum forward in the top of the seventh; Josh Naylor took a two-out walk but was picked off for the third out of the inning, surprised by Paul Blackburn. The Mariners took seven walks tonight, and scored just one of them. Late childhood and adolescence, says Erikson, is the age of looking around and assessing oneself against one’s peers: do I have what it takes to make it in the world? What is my identity? This late in the season, it feels like the Mariners still lack an identity.

The Yankees finally went ahead in this in the bottom of the seventh, making some more hard, loud contact off Gabe Speier. George Lombard Jr. singled, then scored on a Trent Grisham double. “That’s a double, and that’s the Yankee lead” crowed Karl Ravech on ESPN, and it felt like he said “and that’s the ballgame,” and that’s also how it felt, a feeling only intensified when Ben Rice added on with a hard-hit single up the middle Colt Emerson couldn’t handle to score another run. After an intentional walk to righty Heliot Ramos, Speier was supposed to get lefty Jazz Chisholm, but walked in a run instead to put the game even further out of reach. We’re up to the stage of early adulthood, marked by romantic/interpersonal relationships in Erikson’s schema, so I’m going to hold your hand while I tell you that Cole Young was removed prior to this inning with “dizziness.” Cole Young has been the emotionally loadbearing One Good Thing about this cursed season, so this one feels like an extra little kick in the throat from the baseball gods.

From here on, the game went about as you expect. The deficit got bigger, with Nick Davila giving up a second homer to Grisham, making it 10-5. The Mariners failed to add on. The announcers, both national and local, turned to different topics of conversation other than the game.

Middle adulthood, says Erickson, is driven by the existential question “can I make my life count?” (It always comes back to Mary Oliver, you know this by now.) There is something about a baseball season – spanning seasons, all the life events that can happen between March and October, easily markable gateposts – that inspires one to think about mortality. And there is something about the Mariners, in particular, that inspires one to think about how one is counting out the days of one’s life, or what it says about us to tie ourselves to this continually underperforming, disappointing, frustrating baseball franchise. I’m not there yet chronologically, but hoping I can mentally, at least, get to Erickson’s final stage of identity development sometime before the end of this season: ego integrity vs. despair, the answer to the question “was it okay to be me a Mariners fan?”

Senators Apparently Turned Down Draft-Night Trade Offers From Pittsburgh And Vancouver

The Senators launched a new season of Breakaway on their YouTube channel on Wednesday, and the first episode of Season 7 offered an interesting behind-the-scenes look at the team's war room during the first round of this year's NHL Draft.

The episode's most intriguing material came from a mic'd-up Steve Staios, who revealed several details about Ottawa's draft-night thinking.

One of the biggest revelations was that their 25th overall pick, Jonas Lagerberg Hoen, was ranked nine picks higher (16th overall) on the Sens' internal draft board.

Steve Warne and Gregg Kennedy discuss how GM Steve Staios generally keeps his cards close to his vest.

So they had to be thrilled he was still available when their pick came around.

That being said, it sounds like Staios could have gone either way when it came to choosing between Lagerberg Hoen and Jaxon Cover, the London Knights forward Ottawa eventually selected 32nd overall.

"Okay, I was thinking [we pick] Cover first and then Lagerberg Hoen?" Staios wondered aloud to his scouting staff. "Or [do we think Lagerberg Hoen] won't be there?"

The Senators settled on the skilled Swede at No. 25, and a couple of factors appeared to push them in that direction.

One was obviously their internal ranking and the concern that he wouldn't last to 32. The other was some interesting intel gathered during the pre-draft interview process.

"We talked to some of the top-end Swedish guys in the interview process," Staios told head coach Travis Green. "Stuff like, 'If you can bring a player with you, who would it be?' And this guy's name came up a lot."

That apparently helped reinforce what Ottawa's scouts already thought about Lagerberg Hoen.

Staios was also busy on the phone leading up to the 25th pick, listening to potential trade offers.

At one point, as viewers got to eavesdrop on one of his phone calls, Staios said he was being offered the 33rd and 41st picks for Ottawa's 25th and 72nd selections.

It doesn't take much detective work to figure out that the offer came from new Vancouver Canucks GM Ryan Johnson, whose club owned picks 33 and 41.

Had Staios accepted, the Senators would have held picks 32, 33 and 41 instead of 25, 32 and 72.

He opted to stay put, almost certainly because Ottawa didn't believe Lagerberg Hoen would still be there at No. 32. Considering the Senators had him ranked 16th overall, it's easy to understand why they weren't willing to take that chance.

There was another interesting option involving the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Staios revealed that Pittsburgh had called to offer a deal that included a Penguins roster player, although the min-doc didn't reveal the player's identity.

That leaves plenty of room for speculation on who that might be.

One name that would make some sense is Justin Brazeau. The 6-foot-6, 232-pound winger scored 17 goals and 17 assists last season and has been mentioned in trade speculation. 

With the Sens having recently lost the physical presence Brady Tkachuk provided, it's not difficult to imagine the Penguins offering a player like Brazeau. Naturally, the Pens' 39th overall pick or something else would have to be included in such a deal.

Or if there were no picks changing hands, the unnamed roster player might need to be someone like Rickard Rakell or Bryan Rust.

But Staios resisted the various offers and plowed forward with his top picks in the order they were given.

They landed a player they had ranked 16th at No. 25, then still managed to get Cover seven selections later at No. 32.

For fans who enjoy the off-camera mechanics of draft night, it's a fun episode.

It's one thing to hear Gary Bettman announce names at the podium. It's another to hear how close the Senators came to doing something completely different.

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News

This article was first published in The Hockey News. For more Sens coverage at The Hockey News, click on one of the Sens headlines below:

2025 Senators First-Rounder Shares 'Gnarly' Details Of His Long Road Back
Drake Batherson Wins His Club Championship, Taking Trophy From His Dad
Senators Newcomer Recognized For NHL's Best Goal Of The Year
Career Year, New Deal Fuel Former Senator's NHL Comeback Bid
Jordan Spence On Tkachuk's Exit: 'I Think That It's Going To Make Us Better'

Georges Niang reportedly a Warriors target

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 30: Georges Niang #20 of the Cleveland Cavaliers drives to the basket against Jonathan Kuminga #00 of the Golden State Warriors in the fourth quarter at Chase Center on December 30, 2024 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 Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Golden State Warriors still have two roster spots remaining thanks to their offseason strategy of “LeBron
James Or We’re Staying The Same.” One player who seems to fit what the Warriors look for an in end-of-the-bench signing is a veteran forward known as “The Minivan,” Georges Niang.

The 33-year-old forward missed all of last season with an injury to his left foot, though neither the tanking Utah Jazz nor the tanking Memphis Grizzlies were interested in rushing Niang back to the court. He’s a 39.9% three-point shooter for his career, hitting over 40% of his shots behind the arc in six of his last seven seasons.

Niang was quite good in his last NBA season. In 2024-25, he averaged a career-high 9.9 points and 2.1 threes on 40.6% shooting in a season split between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Atlanta Hawks — he went over in the De’Andre Hunter trade, one the Cavaliers almost immediately regretted. Officially, he stands 6-foot-6 and weighs 230 pounds. He’s a below-average defender but not terrible but his role is to make catch-and-shoot threes, often from the corner.

That’s an archetype the Warriors have looked for in previous seasons. Omri Casspi, Jonas Jerebko, and Otto Porter, Jr. have all been that sort of player. Here’s what the Warriors presumably like about Niang:

  • Shooting
  • Veteran experience
  • Basketball IQ
  • Injury history
  • Short for his position
  • Has a podcast, “
  • Was alive when “Seinfeld” was making new episodes

The Dubs are also reportedly interested in Brandon Williams, the 26-year-old guard who averaged 13 points and 3.9 assists in 66 games with the Dallas Mavericks last season. Obviously Williams is a little young for the 2026-27 Warriors, and only shot 23.2% from three-point range last season. But advanced statistics do like his defense, and he averaged 0.9 steals last year.

Williams worked his way up through the G League to reach the NBA, after a knee injury cost him his sophomore year at Arizona and then the pandemic derailed the draft process in 2020 after he recovered. He’s 6-foot-1, so the Warriors can continue their dream of being the NBA’s shortest team even if they add Williams. The Mavericks seem uninterested in bringing Williams back, because they’ve acquired almost nothing but power forwards since Masai Ujiri took over the team, and apparently Cooper Flagg is Kyrie Irving’s backup now.

If previous reports are true, Niang and Williams may be competing for the same roster spot, as the Dubs are reportedly interested in adding a center as well. However, they already have Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford, and Charles Bassey available at the five, along with Draymond Green’s usual small-ball five work, so they might prioritize shooting and having another guy who could dribble. There’s also a vacant two-way contract slot at present, which could go to a player like Graham Ike.

Why is Niang called “The Minivan”? It’s because of an unimpressive dunk Niang delivered while a member of the Utah Jazz in 2018. After Warriors Summer League legend Joe Ingles razzed Niang about barely clearing the rim, Niang explained to reporters that while some players had “Ferrari engines,” he had a “minivan engine” which required several laps around the block just to warm up.

That was eight years ago, so you can imagine the level of athleticism Niang is working with now, especially after missing a season with an injury. Still, the Warriors aren’t adding him for his dunking ability!

There’s simply not a lot of options out there. They weren’t adding Russell Westbrook anyway, but he retired. Ben Simmons is preparing to do showcases in Australia. Bradley Beal is coming back from a broken hip. Gabe Vincent averaged 4.4 points and 1.4 assists last season. Signing Cam Thomas would make Steve Kerr retire. Ochai Agbaji is sort of bad at basketball.

All we know is that the Warriors are adding two players and those players are getting the minimum. Are those players going to be exciting? That depends on how exciting you consider a minivan to be.

Lakers’ 2026 NBA Cup Group Play scheduled revealed

It was already known that the Lakers would play the Warriors three times during October entering Wednesday.

Now, a fourth matchup in the month has been revealed. 

The Lakers will travel to San Francisco to play the Warriors on Oct. 30 to kick off their NBA Cup Group Play slate.

It was already known that the Lakers would play the Warriors three times during October entering Wednesday. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
The Lakers will travel to San Francisco to play the Warriors on Oct. 30 to kick off their NBA Cup Group Play slate. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It’s the second matchup of the Amazon Prime’s NBA Cup Group Play doubleheader, with the 76ers and LeBron James hosting the defending NBA Cup and NBA champion Knicks beforehand on Oct. 30. 

The NBA announced the Lakers’ four NBA Cup Group Play games on Wednesday:

  • Oct. 30: at Warriors;
  • Nov. 6: vs. Trail Blazers;
  • Nov. 20: vs. Kings;
  • Nov. 27: at Spurs.

The Lakers will also play the Warriors in preseason exhibitions on Oct. 6 at Chase Center and Oct. 13 in Las Vegas before hosting the Warriors for both teams regular season opener on Oct. 21. 

The group play of the NBA’s fourth annual in-season tournament will run from Oct. 30 through Nov. 27, with the single-elimination knockout round being played from Dec. 4-9.


Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters

California Post News: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, WhatsApp, LinkedIn
California Post SportsFacebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X
California Post Opinion
California Post Newsletters: Sign up here!
California Post App: Download here!
Home delivery: Sign up here!Page Six Hollywood: Sign up here!


The NBA Cup final will be played at Butler’s Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on Dec. 11 – the first time it will be held outside of Las Vegas, which hosted the tournament’s first three finals.

The semifinals will be played in the team’s markets after the semifinals and the final were played in Las Vegas the previous three years. 

The full NBA schedule will be released at noon on Thursday. 

The Lakers’ six known regular season games are:

  • Oct. 21: vs. Warriors;
  • Oct. 30: at Warriors;
  • Nov. 6: vs. Trail Blazers;
  • Nov. 20: vs. Kings;
  • Nov. 27: at Spurs;
  • Dec. 25: vs. 76ers.

Mighty Mahle and Braves bombs secure series win versus the Mets, 6-3

ATLANTA, GA - AUGUST 12: Lane Thomas #20 of the Atlanta Braves runs after hitting a solo home run in the second inning during the game against the New York Mets at Truist Park on August 12, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Jack Casey/Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images

A platoon pairing with a homer apiece, Austin Riley ending the night a triple short of the cycle, a reminder not to run on Ronald Acuña Jr., and much more. 

It was an eventful 6-3 Braves win. I’ve got your AA apology forms right here.

Mets starter Zac Thornton had only given up three home runs coming into tonight’s series finale, and the fourth came rocketing off the bat of Lane Thomas in the second inning to get the scoring started. Thomas belatedly acknowledged the bullpen as he rounded the bases, but hey, it was his first homer as a Brave. He gets a pass this once.

The Braves tacked on another run in the bottom of the third courtesy of Ronald Acuña Jr. After his leadoff walk, he advanced to third on a Drake Baldwin single and came home to score after Matt Olson hit into a double play. Ronald drove in another in the fifth after an Austin Riley double and a Sean Murphy single, but was thrown out at second. It was a little payback from the Mets after Jared Young, in the top of the same inning, forgot the golden rule: don’t run on Ronald.

All in all, this was three (3) more runs of support for Tyler Mahle than he received in his Braves debut versus the Yankees last Friday. 

Mahle’s home debut started inauspiciously – a nine-pitch at-bat led to a leadoff single in the first for A.J. Ewing. But he rebounded to set down the next three Mets in order. 

He built upon his impressive debut with yet another six strong innings of work. He likely could have gone deeper if he didn’t have so many full counts to various Metropolitans. The lone blemish on his final line was a leadoff homer to catcher Luis Torrens in the sixth, but otherwise he scattered four total hits and struck out seven on 93 pitches. 

Mahle departed with the Braves leading 3-1. Dylan Dodd took over for the Braves in the seventh and gave up a solo homer to Luis Robert Jr. to make it 3-2. 

But the Braves would get those two runs back and then some. 

Platoon perfection was achieved with Mike Yastrzemski coming off the bench to lead off the bottom of the seventh to face Dedniel Núñez. Yaz saw a ball high before sending the second pitch 102 mph to right center.

Austin Riley, already with a single and a double on the evening, wanted in on the action and crushed a slider a whopping 438 feet to left center field. Back-to-back dingers are the most fun way to get two runs back, change my mind. 

Núñez struck out Murphy but allowed a double to Ronald before being lifted. Jefry Yan of the exuberant strikeout celly immediately allowed an RBI single to Baldwin to make it 6-2 Braves. Yan got Olson swinging, but kept it demure on the mound given the score. Ozzie Albies’ lineout ended the frame.

Dodd turned the ball over to his fellow Dylan, and Lee worked a scoreless eighth inning with nothing of note besides the two-out walk to Ewing.

Once again, we find ourselves with a comfortable four-run lead. Once again, we see Raisel Iglesias enter in the top of the ninth in a non-save situation. Once again, we are all a little more clenched than we thought we’d be.

The drama began with a Bo Bichette homer to lead off the inning. Then followed a Carson Benge double and a Luis Robert Jr. walk. The tying run, Jared Young, came to the plate with no outs. Somewhere in the dugout, Mahle began to wonder if the price for every good start of his was a meltdown for Iggy. It had only happened once, but it sure looked like it might be happening again.

But our closer, dear reader, remembered who he was: an All-Star. And he needed all of seven (7) pitches to get Jared Young to ground out, Francisco Alvarez to pop out, and Marcus Semien to ground out to end it. Deep breaths!

The Braves take the rubber match and the series with tonight’s final score of 6-3. But almost more importantly: the Braves ABS score vs. (soon-to-be retiring) umpire Andy Fletcher was 4-1 (Ronald winning one in the first, and Sean getting three correct before a failed Hail Mary in the ninth). There’s a lot to like about how the Braves are playing lately: clutch hitting, good pitching, contributions from our new guys, and if we can finally get good at ABS? Watch out, league.

The Braves are back in action on Friday with the Arizona Diamondbacks coming to town. Chris Sale will get the ball starting at 7:15 pm ET.

Yankees’ offense finally breaks through, clubs Mariners to win series

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 11: George Lombard Jr. #96, Trent Grisham #12, Heliot Ramos #34, and Spencer Jones #78 of the New York Yankees celebrate after the 4-1 win against the Seattle Mariners at Yankee Stadium on August 11, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Caleb Bowlin/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Man, it feels good to score runs.

The Yankees have gone 18-10 in the last month, but you wouldn’t guess it by looking at the lineup. They’ve been carried by great pitching, and they got that from their bullpen tonight, but not the starter. At least they followed my perpetual advice — score 10 runs and worry about the rest later. They did exactly that, putting up double digits in tonight’s 10-5 win.

We do need to talk about the start. I do not think that Will Warren is long for this rotation. Ryan Weathers has already impressed enough on his own, but another lackluster outing tonight makes the decision between the two of them ever easier. Two home runs in the first inning had the Yankees down 3-0 before they took a swing in anger, and yes, Trent Grisham needs to make this play, but Warren didn’t do himself any favors after.

George Lombard Jr. is an outstanding defender. He should not be the one responsible for that ball; that is Grish’s all the way but the Yankee center fielder couldn’t get into second gear, and the leadoff hitter was on board. Warren was visibly unimpressed by the effort, and did manage to pick up Grisham by getting out of the inning, but trouble continued from there.

Warren surrendered a third homer in the third inning, immediately after the Yankees had managed to scratch out a run and make the game a little closer. He was yanked after walking the first batter of the fifth inning. Four-plus innings, five earned runs — Randy Arozarena, who hit one of those first-inning bombs, came around to score after the free pass — and four walks against three strikeouts. He had no out pitch to lean on, nothing to offer when he really needed a whiff.

This is the fourth time in the last 10 starts that he has been charged with at least five earned runs. He is the fifth starter in this rotation, but even fifth starters have to be a little more reliable than that. That this happens at a time when the Yankee lineup actually woke up a little bit today makes everything worse. When Carlos Rodón returns I doubt we will see Warren start another game this year, barring further injuries to the roster.

Fortunately the Yankees were able to touch Mariners’ starter Bryce Miller, with Ryan McMahon driving a double in the second to open the scoring, even as he was thrown out at third to end the frame:

Funny enough, Mac would get hosed down at second in the sixth inning, after bouncing a ball off the wall in right. McMahon’s actually hit somewhat respectably over the last six weeks or so but we may need to talk about his baserunning.

Meanwhile, Spencer Jones continued to hit the ball well, driving in a trio with two doubles:

I think Jones is always going to struggle to find consistency, at least until he finds some way to shorten up his swing. With tonight’s effort he’s back over 100 wRC+, after the two doubles and being dotted on the jersey in the team’s big seventh inning. I do not enjoy the aesthetic of his game, but if he hits like this, you take it.

And to his credit, Trent Grisham made up for that centerfield snafu, with perhaps the two biggest hits of the game. One to get the Yankees within one:

And one to put them ahead:

Ben Rice followed up with a single of his own to give the Yankees lucky number seven, and three batters later Jazz Chisholm Jr. walked with the bases loaded, the fourth big PA by a Yankee lefty against the lefty reliever. That Jazz was able to take his walk after Heliot Ramos was IBB’d purely to get the lefty-lefty matchup must have felt even better for the onetime-slugger who has struggled all year.

Brett Headrick continued his dominance with his 52nd scoreless outing of the year, dominating the Mariners in the eighth for the second straight night. Headrick has thrown 24 pitches in this series, getting six outs, and beginning to feel a little like prime Dellin Betances, from the south side. Grisham added his third extra-base hit of the day, allowing the team to say “**** the closer”:

The Yankees have now won four of their last five series, even though I know it doesn’t quite feel like it. This was the first game in two weeks that it seemed they were in control of, clawing back right away after being down early, and the whole lineup contributing to pull ahead.

Another 10 runs might be a bit too much to ask tomorrow in the series finale, but games get a lot easier to win if you get on base and hit a bunch of doubles and homers. We wrap this series up with a day game, 1:35pm Eastern first pitch from Max Fried against Logan Gilbert for Seattle.

Box Score

56-65: Chart

Aug 12, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; Seattle Mariners relief pitcher Gabe Speier (55) reacts during the seventh inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Yankees 10, Mariners 5

The joy and wonder of childhood: Randy Arozarena, .13 WPA

Diaper blowouts: Gabe Speier, -.36 WPA

Game thread comment of the day:

Feels a little cheating/low effort to make a gif the GTCOTD, but, well, it certainly mirrors the effort this team has put forth lately.

Michael Arroyo Threat Level:

SCIOSCIA

Trent Grisham's two homers power Yankees' offense in 10-5 win over Mariners

The Yankees fell behind early, but rallied to defeat the Mariners, 10-5, thanks in large part to two home runs from Trent Grisham on Wednesday night.

Here are the takeaways...

-Randy Arozarena's bullying of the Yankees continued, smashing a one-out, two-run shot to give the Mariners an early 2-0 lead in the first off of Will Warren. It's Arozarena's second straight game with a home run and the 19th career long ball against the Yankees. Two batters later, Julio Rodriguez went to the second deck in right field.

Warren would give up his third homer of the game in the third inning, when Dominic Canzone launched a changeup into the second deck of right field. 

The right-hander settled in, pitching into the fifth inning but walked Arozarena on the 12th pitch of the at-bat before Aaron Boone pulled his starter. Fernando Cruz came on and allowed a two-out RBI single to Josh Naylor, putting an end to Warren's line.

Warren allowed five runs on six hits and four walks while striking out three batters. 

Cruz pitched into trouble, giving way to Tim Hill,who picked up a massive inning-ending double play to keep the Mariners to five runs. After that, the Yankees bullpen locked down the Mariners.

Paul Blackburn allowed a walk in 1.2 innings pitched and Brent Headrick struck out the side in the eighth, his 52nd consecutive scoreless inning. 

-The Yankees would get on the board in the second thanks to a two-out infield single by Jazz Chisholm Jr., and Ryan McMahon driving him in with a double, but the Yankees third baseman was thrown out trying to advance to third on the relay throw. 

Spencer Jones would bring the score within one in the third with a two-out, two-run double, narrowly missing a three-run homer the opposite way. With two outs in the fifth, Grisham hit a solo shot, and after a Ben Rice double, Jones came through with a double of his own -- narrowly missing a home run to center field -- to tie the game at 5-5. 

In the seventh, the Yankees took their first lead of the game. George Lombard Jr. hit a one-out single, then Grisham drove the rookie home with a double. Rice followed up with a single to drive in the second run of the inning. Chisholm worked a bases-loaded walk to plate another.

Grisham smashed his second homer of the game in the eighth, a two-run blast to put the Yankees up 10-5.

-Lombard Jr. went 2-for-4 with two runs scored. He also committed his first big-league error when he ranged to his right and fumbled the ball on the transfer. 

Jones went 2-for-4 with three RBI.

Game MVP: Trent Grisham

Grisham's two home runs and four RBI were the difference in this one.

Highlights

What's next

The Yankees and Mariners wrap up their series on Thursday afternoon. First pitch is set for 1:35 p.m.

Max Fried takes the mound (4-3, 2.88 ERA) against Logan Gilbert (8-7, 3.42 ERA).