Owner John Sherman gave an interview with Josh Vernier about what it will take to make the Kansas City Royals competitive by 2027, and Jacob Milham and Jeremy Greco spend the bulk of this episode working through what he actually said. An entirely new bullpen is one of the clearest needs, and Sherman’s acknowledgment of the work ahead sets the tone for a broader roster evaluation that follows, including where potential investment in starting pitching should be prioritized.
Sherman’s framing of the organization as a results-based business runs through the conversation, and Jacob and Jeremy weigh his comments against real skepticism about the team’s current spending and management strategy. Sherman deserves credit for candor, but candor alone does not close the gaps that have defined this roster all season.
On the field, Jac Caglianone’s home run distance is leading all of MLB right now, and it powered the Royals on win in the Chicago Cubs series that also saw Bobby Witt Jr. make his return from injury. Daniel Lynch IV’s return to the rotation gets a more critical look, with the lack of swing and miss in his outing raising familiar questions about whether he fits into the team’s long-term pitching plans.
The prospect pipeline closes the episode on an encouraging note. Zion Rose is showing promise in his early games, Angeibel Gomez is lighting up the DSL, and Jacob Berry has performed well since coming over in a trade. Jacob and Jeremy connect these developments to the team’s improving prospect rankings and what it could mean for future call-ups.
With Skubal in the final year of his contract and the Tigers stumbling into the final third of their schedule, GM Scott Harris decided it was time to cut his losses and look to the future. Not only did he trade his ace, Skubal, he also sent No. 2 starter Casey Mize to the San Diego Padres just before the deadline.
But then a funny thing happened.
The Tigers didn't sink like a stone in the standings. Instead, they kept moving up.
Tigers pick their path
The decision to deal Skubal may have come after the Tigers dropped two of three at home to the Baltimore Orioles, capped by blowing a seven-run lead in what would be Skubal's final start to fall to 51-58 with two months to play.
Setting off for a nine-game road trip to Sacramento, Seattle and San Francisco, things looked pretty bleak.
When the Skubal trade was announced on Aug. 2, the Tigers were just completing a three-game sweep of the A's.
They then took two of three against both the Giants and Mariners and are now just two games under .500.
How have they managed to stay afloat?
The schedule has helped. The A's have the second-worst record in the AL, while the Giants have the second-worst mark in the NL.
But beyond that, left-hander Framber Valdez has won has last two starts, going seven innings in both games and yielding a total of two runs. This season's biggest surprise, right-hander Troy Melton, hasn't given up an earned run in any of his last three starts. And right-hander Jackson Jobe also returned from Tommy John surgery to make his first start in 14 months. He hit 100 mph in tossing five scoreless innings against the Giants.
The offense has caught fire as well, scoring at least eight runs in six of the nine games on the road trip. The Tigers have now outscored their opponents by 87 runs, the largest margin of any AL team.
As they return home for series against the division-rival Cleveland Guardians and Chicago White Sox, the Tigers will look to continue their post-Skubal surge.
Tigers' playoff position
The Detroit Tigers have an overall record of 58-60, with 44 games left to play. At the start of play on Tuesday, Aug. 11, they are currently tied for second place in the AL Central division, 3½ games behind the White Sox. They are also 1½ games out of the AL's third wild-card spot.
A pair of the best offenses in baseball start a three-game set at Nationals Park on Tuesday, Aug. 11, with the Chicago Cubs booked as a sizable road favorite over the Washington Nationals in the series opener.
My top Cubs vs. Nationals predictions and MLB picks are calling for Chicago to win a high-scoring game tonight.
Who will win Cubs vs Nationals today: Cubs moneyline (-160)
There is a huge pitching disparity in this matchup, with Chicago Cubs lefty Shota Imanaga allowing two runs or fewer in each of his past seven starts for a tidy 1.77 ERA.
The Washington Nationals are countering with Jake Irvin, and he’s spun a confidence-shattering 5.37 ERA and 5.39 xERA across 13 starts.
The Chicago offense is also rolling to the tune of a second-ranked wOBA while averaging 5.8 runs per game over the past 30 days, so I’m anticipating the North Siders putting enough crooked numbers on the scoreboard to pull away from the Nats.
COVERS INTEL: Irvin has surrendered the third-highest barrel percentage among pitchers with at least 50 innings this season, which positions the Cubs to both pull away for the win and lead the way to this total going Over.
Cubs vs Nationals Over/Under pick: Over 8.5 (-125)
So, with the Nationals ranking second in wOBA against lefties for the campaign and second in xwOBA across their past 24 games, I’m also expecting Washington to put runs on the board.
Cubs vs Nationals home run prediction: Pete Crow-Armstrong (+340)
In addition to the noted shortcomings, Irvin has served up a .511 slugging percentage and .394 wOBA to opposing hitters at home, and the Chicago star has only left the yard three times during the run despite the eye-popping underlying numbers.
As a result, I like Crow-Armstrong to go deep in ideal hitting conditions tonight.
Neil Parker's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 44-19, +27.58 units
Over/Under bets: 19-16, +1.86 units
Cubs vs Nationals weather
Despite a slight chance of rain impacting play, the forecast calls for excellent hitting conditions with 85°F heat and 58.8% humidity under partially cloudy skies.
Cubs vs Nationals odds
Moneyline: Cubs -160 | Nationals +140
Run line: Cubs -1.5 (-105) | Nationals +1.5 (-115)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-130) | Under 8.5 (+110)
Cubs vs Nationals trend
The Cubs have won 34 of their last 50 games (+14.85 Units / 23% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Cubs vs. Nationals.
How to watch Cubs vs Nationals and game info
Location
Nationals Park, Washington, D.C.
Date
Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026
First pitch
6:45 p.m. ET
TV
Marquee, Nationals.TV
Cubs starting pitcher
Shota Imanaga (8-9, 3.60 ERA)
Nationals starting pitcher
Jake Irvin (2-5, 5.37 ERA)
Cubs vs Nationals latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Adam Fox ranked No. 13 on NHL Network’s top 20 defenseman list heading into the 2026-27 season.
In 2025, Fox ranked No. 16 on the list, as he jumped three spots in the rankings this year.
“He won the Norris one year, and then we kind of forget about him and say, well, he’s dipped, or he struggled a bit here,” former New Jersey Ken Daneyko said on the NHL Network. “But overall he’s been one of the best defensemen in the game the last six, seven years.”
The defensemen that rank ahead of Fox on this list are Cale Makar, Quinn Hughes, Zach Werenski, Rasmus Dahlin, Miro Heiskanen, Lane Hutson, Matthew Schaefer, Jake Sanderson, Moritz Seider, Evan Bouchard, Charlie McAvoy, and Jaccob Slavin.
Despite missing 27 games during the 2025-26 season due to injury, the 28-year-old defenseman still recorded nine goals, 44 assists, and 53 points in 55 games, nearly averaging a point per game.
Fox still operates as the lone defenseman on the new Yoek Rangers’ first power-play unit, while the addition of Vladislav Gavrikov last year has given the former Norris Trophy winner a reliable defensive partner.
“We’ve been so blessed to see the young guys in the game come in and be wizards offensively like Lane Hutson, like a Matthew Schaefer, that someone that doesn’t have the flair, maybe the dynamic ability to them, that we sort of forget about them,” Thomas Hickey said on NHL Network. “And I think Fox is the forgotten player on this list.”
WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 07: Yovanny Cruz #48 of the Washington Nationals pitches during the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on Friday, August 7, 2026 in Washington, District of Columbia. (Photo by Alyssa McDaniel/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
In his first trade deadline, Paul Toboni had a pretty simple plan of attack. His goal was to add as much pitching as possible. More specifically, he went after relievers who were close to big league ready and starters in the upper minors. In total, he acquired nine pitchers at the deadline, and so far they have looked very good.
Toboni wanted to sell while not totally giving up on the season. The Luis Garcia Jr. trade looks like a perfect example of that. Trading away a bat of Garcia’s caliber obviously hurts, but given the return and the replacement, it does not seem to have hurt the team much. Abimelec Ortiz has picked up right where Garcia has left off, while Yovanny Cruz and Jake Bird have made positive starts to their Nationals careers.
Cruz in particular is a guy who has already been very impactful. In the Reds series, Cruz was put into high leverage spots on multiple occasions, and came through both times. The righty throws 100 MPH, but also has two nasty secondary pitches, with his slider being particularly nasty.
This Yovanny Cruz slider is the kind of weapon banned in the Geneva Convention pic.twitter.com/I1LwjYkQ0g
That slider has the potential to be one of the best pitches in baseball. It averages over 91 MPH while having real slider movement. This pitch is not a glorified cutter, it is a slider that is thrown at exceptional velocity. Cruz will need to finetune his fastball command, but he is already one of the better arms in the bullpen, with upside to be a legit closer.
Cruz is not the only guy Toboni received to make his mark in the big league bullpen though. On Sunday, lefty Will Dion threw three scoreless innings in long relief. The Nats received Dion as part of the Foster Griffin deal and he is a very unique arm.
Honestly, he is the polar opposite of Cruz, and this is by design. Dion only throws 91-92 MPH, but his fastball is more effective than Cruz’s 100 MPH heater. The lefty throws from an extremely high slot and gets 20 inches of ride on his fastball. That makes the fastball very tough to pick up. Dion has reverse splits because his best secondary pitch is a changeup which he mostly throws to righties.
Dion may not have the upside of Cruz, but he looks like a useful bullpen piece. If he finds a better weapon for lefties, he could be a good matchup guy. Right now, he is at his best in a multi-inning role. It is not a star, but Dion should be a useful big leaguer.
The success is not just limited to the major league level though. Josh Hartle, Ben Grable and Jack Cebert were the top three pitching prospects the Nats received at the deadline. All of them have gotten off to good starts in the organization.
Grable has tossed two scoreless innings in Harrisburg so far. However, his most noteworthy achievement is that he had a 4 strikeout inning last time out. Grable struck out the first batter of the inning, but the ball got away from the catcher, allowing the runner to go to first. The righty did not let that phase him, striking out the next three batters he faced to accomplish the rare feat.
— Nationals Player Development (@Nats_PlayerDev) August 9, 2026
Interestingly, Grable got all four of the strikeouts on his slider. Entering the system, Grable’s claim to fame was his elite fastball. It is a 96 MPH heater with over 20 inches of carry. Grable also commands the heater brilliantly. Hitters just can’t hit the pitch, which is why he throws it about 75% of the time.
However, Grable’s slider was seen by scouts as a solid but not spectacular pitch. One question I had about Grable is whether he could succeed while being so fastball heavy. If his slider can take a leap forward, that would change a lot. With his heater and a legit slider to go with it, Grable could be an elite closer.
Cruz and Grable are elite relief prospects, something the Nats clearly were looking for in the Luis Garcia Jr. trade. However, they did also get an exciting starting pitching prospect in Jack Cebert. He made his first start in the Nats system this weekend and looked very sharp.
The former 15th rounder has had a rapid rise this season. He really impressed in the Yankees system before having some blister issues and getting traded. Now the blisters are gone, and Cebert is back on the mound. On Sunday, Cebert tossed 4 scoreless innings, only allowing one hit and striking out six.
— Nationals Player Development (@Nats_PlayerDev) August 9, 2026
As you can see in the video, Cebert has a great feel for spin. He can throw multiple breaking ball shapes, featuring a sweeper, a cutter and a curveball. That ability, combined with his solid command gives him the ability to be in an MLB rotation one day.
He also throws a 4-seamer and a sinker as well. They are not very hard, but the movement on the pitches is good. Hopefully the Nats can find a tick or two here. Overall, he is an arm that I like and is someone who can make an impact as soon as next season.
Speaking of exciting arms that may need more velocity, Josh Hartle also looked great in his organizational debut. Hartle was the biggest name the Nats received in the quantity based Foster Griffin return. The lefty only sits around 91, but is deceptive and has great command. He also gets a ton of ground balls.
Hartle went 5.1 innings, allowing 3 hits, 1 run and struck out 7 without allowing a walk. The lanky lefty used his deep pitch mix and low arm slot to fool hitters. He kept them off balance all outing long. That is what he will need to do in order to have success in the MLB.
— Nationals Player Development (@Nats_PlayerDev) August 7, 2026
If Hartle can get more in the 92-93 range, I think he can be a back of the rotation arm. Right now, he projects more as a funky lefty relief arm in my opinion. However, that is still a useful big league piece.
Paul Toboni was clearly more driven by finding useful big league contributors than hunting for upside. While I would have loved a bit more upside in the Griffin deal, the idea makes a lot of sense. The Nats already have plenty of high ceiling, low floor guys. Finding those useful big leaguers to round out the roster is very important.
So far, most of the 9 pitchers Paul Toboni received at the deadline have looked very good. As time goes by, this will be something that is interesting to monitor. There is a chance that most of these guys have big league roles, though many of them are not the flashiest players. So far the early returns on these deals are good and it seems like Paul Toboni has built quality depth on the mound.
San Diego (63-57) rallied from a two-run deficit to beat Milwaukee (74-45), 3-2 in the series opener. Jackson Merrill cranked a two-run homer in the seventh inning and Mason Miller recorded his 30th save of the season for the Padres.
Milwaukee had its two-game winning streak snapped yesterday, but is 5-2 over the last seven games. The Brewers offense is in a bit of a slide to start August. Milwaukee is hitting .222 (21st) and has 35 runs scored over 10 games (T-19th). However, the pitching continues to impress. The Brewers have a 3.13 ERA (7th), the second-best WHIP (1.02), and league-leading .192 OBA.
The Padres have won three straight games and four of the past five as the race for the NL Wild Card heats up. San Diego remains one game back of both Philadelphia and Arizona for the final two spots, but 2.5 games or more ahead of the field. In August, San Diego is top 10 in runs (46), hits (84), home runs (11), RBI (42), and stolen bases (7) through 10 games.
Let’s dive into tonight’s matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.
Game details & how to watch Brewers at Padres
Date: Tuesday, August 11, 2026
Time: 9:40 PM EST
Site: Petco Park
City: San Diego, CA
Network/Streaming: MLB TV
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Brewers at the Padres
The latest odds as of Tuesday:
Moneyline: San Diego Padres (+126), Milwaukee Brewers (-135)
Spread: Padres +1.5 (-149), Brewers -1.5 (+123)
Total: 7.5
Probable starting pitchers for Brewers at Padres
Tuesday's pitching matchup (August 11): Kyle Harrison vs Walker Buehler
Fernando Tatis Jr is hitting .216 in August (8/37)
Jackson Merrill is hitting .359 in August (14/39)
Manny Machado hit .167 in August (6/36)
Jackson Chourio is hitting .343 in August (12/35)
William Contreras is hitting .152 in August (5/33)
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Brewers at Padres
San Diego is 65-55 ATS ranking sixth-best
Milwaukee is 62-57 ATS, ranking ninth-best
San Diego is 64-54-2 to the Under, ranking 9th-best
Milwaukee is 66-50-3 to the Under, ranking second-best
San Diego is 32-29 ATS at home
Milwaukee is 27-26 ATS on the road
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Padres and the Brewers
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Tuesday's game between the Padres and the Brewers:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Brewers on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Brewers at -1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Under on the Game Total of 7.5
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MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - MAY 08: Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves reacts against the San Antonio Spurs during the first quarter in Game Three of the Second Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Target Center on May 08, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 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 David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The 2026-27 NBA schedule is slowly leaking out before it is fully released on Thursday. So far, we know about the opening night triple-header, which includes the New York Knicks getting their championship rings in front of LeBron James in his Philadelphia 76ers debut, and also another San Antonio Spurs vs. Oklahoma City Thunder showdown. For as good as opening night is, the Christmas schedule is even better.
So many of the league’s biggest stars will be on display on Christmas day, from Victor Wembanyama to LeBron James to Giannis Antetokounmpo to Luka Doncic to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to Anthony Edwards to Nikola Jokic to Stephen Curry. There’s five games on the Christmas slate, and not even the biggest NBA diehard can watch them all. We’re here to help.
Let’s rank every game on Christmas day from least-watchable to most-watchable. It’s never too early to start planning your holiday so you can fit in some basketball.
5. Denver Nuggets at Golden State Warriors at 10:30 p.m. ET
Curry and Jokic are always brilliant. So why is this game last? The late night start time is the first factor, because after a long day with family it might be hard to make it through this game for those on Eastern or Central time. There’s also the pesky fact that both of these franchises feel like they’re going in the wrong direction. I see the Warriors as a lottery team in our early power rankings, and they’re already talking about this season like a gap year. The Nuggets just got bounced in the first-round of the playoffs, and haven’t done anything to improve the team over the summer. I might look like a fool for this ranking when Curry and Jokic pop off, but for now I’m putting this as the skippable Christmas game.
4. Miami Heat at Boston Celtics at 2:30 p.m. ET
The Boston Celtics almost traded for Giannis this summer. The Miami Heat actually did. This is another chapter in the defining rivalry of the Eastern Conference in the 2020s with both franchises still in the early stages of retooling after some big offseason moves. The best thing about Heat-Celtics is that each team has an entrenched identity. Joe Mazzulla’s Celtics are the ultimate math-ball team, and will be bombing away from three. Erik Spoelstra’s Miami squad is defined by Heat Culture, with toughness and defense taking centerstage. This should be a good contrast of styles in the early afternoon session.
3. Philadelphia 76ers at Los Angeles Lakers at 5 p.m.
LeBron goes back to LA for Christmas to see family and play his former team, the Lakers. This game should feature tons of offense, with James, Brown, Tyrese Maxey, and maybe Joel Embiid running up the score as Luka and Austin Reaves try to keep pace. New Lakers center Walker Kessler is going to be fighting for his life to try to keep Philly away from the rim, but that’s where Maxey’s movement shooting can get you. I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see Luka pick apart what should be a spotty Philly defense, especially if Embiid is out. This one should have plenty of fireworks.
2. Oklahoma City Thunder at Minnesota Timberwolves at 8 p.m.
The Wolves traded for LaMelo Ball over the offseason, in the process making a bold bet that the best way to try to take down the Thunder and Spurs is with high-volume pull-up three-point shooting. Ball and Anthony Edwards are among the best off-the-dribble shooters from deep in the league, and it will be fascinating to see them try to solve the might OKC defense with tough shot-making. I’m also interested in seeing how Chet Holmgren responds in a spotlight game. He has been excellent when he’s not playing Victor Wembanyama, but it feels like he needs to re-establish himself as an elite player this season after such a terrible performance in the Western Conference Finals. This is also a big opportunity for the Thunder youngsters like Bennett Stirtz, Nikola Topic, and Aday Mara in a national TV game against an elite opponent. I predict we see this series in the playoffs, and not in the first round.
1. San Antonio Spurs at New York Knicks at noon
The Knicks always seem to have the noon game on Christmas, and this year it’s an NBA Finals rematch. Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs head back to Madison Square Garden to try to avenge their frustrating Finals loss from last season, and both rosters mostly remain intact. All eyes will be on Wemby as he tries to take over in the Garden, but it sure feels like the Knicks unlocked something special last season that could sustain into this year. The Finals might have ended in five games, but that was some of the best basketball we’ve witnessed since LeBron led the 3-1 comeback over the Warriors in 2016. I can’t wait to see the next chapter.
The New York Yankees will receive a $2.6 billion financing injection from Apollo Global Management, the club announced on Tuesday, with the firm providing a combination of debt and equity in the parent company of the storied MLB franchise.
Apollo will refinance existing debt and take a minority stake of undisclosed value in Yankees Global Enterprises, the company that owns the Bronx Bombers. MLB rules limit private capital ownership of a franchise by a single fund to no more than 15%.
The Steinbrenner family will continue as full control owners of YGE, which also holds stakes in Serie A’s AC Milan, MLS’ New York City FC, the hospitality provider Legends and the YES Network.
As part of the arrangement, Apollo Sports Capital chief executive Al Tylis will join the board of YGE in a newly created seat. The alternative asset manager, with $1.05 trillion in assets under management as of June 30, launched its roughly $6 billion sports fund last year, most notably buying control of LaLiga’s Atlético Madrid this spring at a valuation of $2.55 billion. Other holdings include minority stakes in Wrexham FC, the Welsh football club owned by actors Rob Mac and Ryan Reynolds, as well as investments in the Madrid and Miami Open tennis tournaments.
Sporticopreviously reported that the Yankees and Apollo were in talks over a potential financial injection, with the equity stake expected to buy out existing limited partners in the Yankees.
DALLAS, TX - MAY 26: Anthony Edwards #5, Kyle Anderson, and Mike Conley #10 of the Minnesota Timberwolves talk to the media after the game against the Dallas Mavericks during Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals of the 2024 NBA Playoffs on May 26, 2024 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2024 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Timberwolves fans and fans across the country.
As the Minnesota Timberwolves are across the Atlantic enjoying team bonding time in France, it feels good to see that somebod(ies) is taking a leadership role this offseason.
However, once the season begins, will there still be the calming voice to help guide the ship? Who’s going to break the huddles in Mike Conley’s absence? Who’s going to make wisecracks from down the tunnel without Joe Ingles? Who will test Rudy Gobert’s boxing skills in a timeout now that Kyle Anderson is gone? All important questions.
With a couple empty roster spots available, would it be wise to use those on more depth pieces, or find a wily Master Splinter to sit on the bench all year?
PORT ST. LUCIE, FLORIDA - MARCH 19, 2026: Austin Overn #30 of the Tampa Bay Rays looks on during the first inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the New York Mets at Clover Park on March 19, 2026 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
This was the 18th week of full minor league play (stats are entering play on Tuesday, August 11th).
According to FanGraphs (which factors in age and proximity to the big leagues), prospect Theo Gillen tops the system and might just find himself in the running for Minor League Player of the Year.
Meanwhile, the Rays pitching hasn’t been spectacular this season and Aidan Cremarosa remains the top hurler in the system despite spending the past several weeks on the Injured List. He was activated off of the IL last week.
RUMBLINGS
Austin Overn lands on the Injured List after being drilled in the foot by a pitch last week. Overn attempted to play through and eventually made his way to second base. But at that point, he struggled to put any weight on the injured foot and had to be assisted off of the field after being removed from the game.
Brendan Summerhill Jose Urbina, and J.D. Gonzalez have also been placed on the Injured List
Nate Knowles was released, he was the Rays 4th round pick in 2024.
The Rays have signed several players to minor league deals:
Justin Yeager
J.T. Arruda
Jake Woodford
Dominican Summer League numbers are hardly worth paying attention to, but some fun notes:
Since July 13th, Maykel Coret is hitting .295/.352/.538 with 6 HR over 88 PA
Eliomar Garces has one of the most fun statlines in the game, hitting .283/.505/.379 with 2 HR and 33 SB. He is currently running a 27.3 BB% and 7.3 K%, giving him one of the best BB/K rations in basebabll.
TEAM LEADERS
Must currently be assigned to that team
Baseball America’s top ten prospects are featured below each team they’re currently assigned to.
(minimum of 190 TBF & PA)
Tampa Bay Rays
Top 10 Prospects
None currently on active roster
Durham Bulls
Team Offensive Leaders: AVG: .267, Blake Sabol OBP: .340, Tatem Levins SLG: .432, Blake Sabol HR: 11, Carson Williams, Blake Sabol, & Logan Davidson wRC+: 97, Blake Sabol SB: 30, Homer Bush Jr
Team Pitching Leaders: ERA: 2.56, Evan Reifert FIP: 3.73, Ty Johnson K%: 33.0% Ty Johnson BB%: 4.2%, Mason Englert WHIP: 1.04, Ty Johnson AVG: .181, Ty Johnson WHIFF%: 15.3%, Ty Johnson
Team Offensive Leaders: AVG: .309, Austin Overn OBP: .403, Xavier Isaac SLG: .565, Austin Overn HR: 21, Will Simpson & Xavier Isaac wRC+: 151, Austin Overn SB: 48, Austin Overn
Team Pitching Leaders: ERA: 4.29, Chris Clark FIP: 4.60, Chris Clark K%: 27.3%, Jackson Baumeister BB%: 3.2%, Santiago Suarez WHIP 1.15, Santiago Suarez AVG: .214, Jackson Baumeister WHIFF%: 14.9%, Jackson Baumeister
Team Offensive Leaders: AVG: .289, Tony Santa Maria OBP: .432, Ryan McCoy SLG: .585, Ryan McCoy HR: 19, Nathan Flewelling wRC+: 157, Ryan McCoy SB: 45, Tony Santa Maria
After last night's series-opening win, the Houston Astros (-183 moneyline favorites) look to keep the ball rolling against San Francisco Giants left-hander Carson Whisenhunt.
My Astros vs. Giants predictions and MLB picks for Tuesday, Aug. 11, see Houston pulling off the win on the road.
Who will win Astros vs Giants today: Astros monyeline (-183)
Whisenhunt has struggled in all five of his starts this season, allowing four runs in four of those five games. Opposing hitters are making a near-50% hard-hit rate and 10% barrel rate against him this season.
The Astros have not been the most exciting team against southpaws, but they are still the more dangerous lineup compared to the Giants.
San Francisco's offense has been dreadful for weeks now, owning an 87 wRC+, .289 wOBA, and .644 OPS over its last 21 games.
I see no reason to force the dog here. Take the run line if you want longer odds.
COVERS INTEL: Over his last 30 at-bats against left handed pitching, Christian Walker owns a .304 BA, .609 SLG, 1.079 OPS, and .305 ISO.
Astros vs Giants Over/Under pick: Under 7.5 (+109)
With how well Brown has been pitching over his last three outings, posting a 2.41 ERA, 0.80 WHIP, and allowing an under 9% barrel rate to opposing hitters, I fully expect him to shut down this ice-cold Giants lineup.
As for Whisenhunt and his struggles with hard contact, I don't think the Astros are good enough against left-handed pitching to carry this total Over.
Across the Astros' last 60 plate appearances against lefties, this team has been pretty lifeless from a numbers standpoint.
I like the Under, especially at plus money.
Astros vs Giants home run prediction: Rafael Devers (+596)
There is not a lot to love for the long ball in this matchup, given the pitching matchup and the weather. However, snagging Giants slugger Rafael Devers at nearly +600 to go yard is a great price.
He enters with the highest rating in this matchup over at Batters-Box, covering over 75% of Brown's pitches. Over his last 10 games, Devers is generating a 61.5% hard-hit rate and 25% HR/FB rate.
The last 30 lefties Brown has faced are barreling the ball at a 17.6% clip while owning a .539 xSLG.
I would take this down to +550.
Colby Marchio's 2026 Transparency Record
MLB Season: 381-747, -19.9 Units
Home Run Bets: 96-344, +8.4 Units
Astros vs Giants weather
It will be a chilly one out in the Bay, with temperatures in the low 60s and 10.3 mph winds blowing out to left-center. Temperatures are expected to drop as the game progresses, making for less-than-ideal hitting conditions late.
Astros vs Giants odds
Moneyline: Astros -183 | Giants +165
Run line: Astros -1.5 (-112) | Giants +1.5 (-103)
Over/Under: Over 7.5 (-121) | Under 7.5 (+109)
Astros vs Giants trend
The Astros have hit the run line in 14 of their last 19 games (+12.10 Units / 51% ROI. Find more MLB betting trends for Astros vs. Giants.
How to watch Astros vs Giants and game info
Location
Oracle Park, San Francisco, CA
Date
Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026
First pitch
9:45 p.m. ET
TV
SCHN, NBC Sports Bay Area
Astros starting pitcher
Hunter Brown (3-1, 3.53 ERA)
Giants starting pitcher
Carson Whisenhunt (2-3, 7.25 ERA)
Astros vs Giants latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
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Josh Inglis' expert pick: Mariners at Yankees Over 7.5
Price: 55¢ (-122) at Polymarket
This game projects for 9.89 runs with a fair price of -181 on this total, making the Over a buy even at 8.5 runs at -110.
Bryan Woo is coming off a hefty 100-pitch outing, a number he has reached just once this season, while averaging fewer than 90 pitches per start. That workload could be an issue against a New York Yankees lineup in a favorable hitting environment.
It’s also a good spot to fade Ryan Weathers, who has not allowed a run in his last two starts but still owns the 11th-worst hard-hit rate among MLB starters this season. Woo is even worse, ranking ninth-worst. Both starters also rank in the Bottom 50 in Blast Contact%.
Looking at the later innings, both bullpens rank in the Bottom 5 in WAR over the last 30 days. With pitching concerns from start to finish, there are enough paths to runs to back the Over on this short total.
Time: 7:05 p.m. ET
How to watch: TBS
Jon Metler's expert pick: Marlins moneyline
Price: 49¢ (+104) at Polymarket
Paul Skenes hasn't looked like the same pitcher we've seen over the last two seasons. His fastball is down roughly 2 mph from his rookie season, and the Miami Marlins lineup construction takes away one of his biggest weapons: a devastating slider on the outer half against right-handed hitters.
The Marlins are expected to start six left-handed bats, while Otto Lopez and Xavier Edwards give them low-strikeout hitters at the top who can work deep counts and put the ball in play.
Skenes has also struggled to pitch deep into games lately, rarely reaching the sixth inning. Miami's disciplined lineup should force him to work, drive up his pitch count, and potentially chase him early.
Polymarket has the Marlins at 49 cents, but I make them closer to 54 cents, so I'm backing the slight underdogs at home.
Time: 6:40 p.m. ET
How to watch: SportsNet Pittsburgh, Marlins.TV
Neil Parker's expert pick: Cubs at Nationals Over 8.5
The Chicago bats are set up to do damage at the dish tonight, too. Washington righty Jake Irvin has surrendered the third-highest barrel percentage among pitchers with at least 50 innings. And while Cubbies lefty Shota Imanaga has surrendered two runs or fewer in each of his past seven starts, his 1.77 ERA during the stretch is miles below his 3.75 xERA and 3.50 xFIP.
So, with the Nationals ranking second in wOBA against lefties for the campaign and second in xwOBA across their past 24 games, I’m also expecting Washington to put runs on the board.
Time: 6:45 p.m. ET
How to watch: Marquee, Nationals.TV
Joe Osborne's expert pick: Twins moneyline
Price: 52¢ (-108) at Polymarket
Bailey Ober has been a completely different pitcher at Target Field, posting a 2.72 ERA compared to a 6.75 mark on the road.
The Minnesota Twins are 7-2 in his nine home starts, and he's handled this Baltimore Orioles lineup before, limiting their hitters to a .606 OPS across 60 combined at-bats.
The Orioles have also been brutal against right-handed pitching lately, ranking 27th in OPS over the last two weeks. Baltimore could also unravel late as its bullpen has been one of the worst in the league, posting an awful 6.26 ERA over those 14 days.
Time: 7:40 p.m. ET
How to watch: MASN, Twins.TV
Dustin Saracini's expert pick: Blue Jays moneyline
This includes limiting the Boston middle-of-the-lineup hitters, Wilyer Abreu and Willson Contreras, to a combined 6-for-28 mark with an expected batting average of .176 or lower.
With an outstanding 31% whiff rate against this lineup, and Cease allowing just one earned run across his last 22 innings, expect much of the same from the Cy Young candidate tonight. The Toronto Blue Jays win this one in a low-scoring affair.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
I'm back after a long vacation and am ready to crush the Dinger Tuesday slate loaded with home run props to dig through.
The Rangers have a home-run gift in Anaheim with Brandon Nimmo's price standing out above the rest. Meanwhile, Shota Imanaga might be pitching well, but he is serving it up as always, and there's a great price on CJ Abrams on offer.
Finally, Pete Crow-Armstrong is once again in great position to go yard.
Nobody has a better home run matchup tonight than the Texas Rangers, and Brandon Nimmo is a HR bet for me at anything +300 or better.
Los Angeles Angels SP Ryan Johnson is the worst starter on one of baseball's worst rotations, which has shipped off starters while also dealing with injuries. He's allowed a homer in seven straight games and continues to struggle with command, with 25 walks against 38 strikeouts in 50 innings.
He's also allowed 13 long balls, resulting in a 2.17 HR/9, while posting just a 34% ground-ball rate.
Nimmo has three dingers over the last two weeks and leads the team in that category, as well as wRC+ and xwOBA. He also gets the platoon advantage as a left-handed hitter against the righty Johnson.
There aren't a ton of great prices on the Rangers, but I'm taking Nimmo's hot bat at these odds over the handful of batters priced shorter than three dollars.
Time: 9:38 p.m. ET
Where to watch: ABTV, Rangers Sports Network
Home run pick: CJ Abrams (+510)
Washington's CJ Abrams has averaged around +375 for a dinger over his last 10 games, but oddsmakers are giving us better than +500 today at home against Shota Imanaga, who I think they're overvaluing.
The Chicago starter has allowed just 12 runs over his last eight games, but the majority of those runs have come via the long ball, with eight homers served up. He's surrendered 56 dingers over his last two seasons across just 277 innings. That's not a pretty HR/9 over a good sample, and his 37% ground-ball rate isn't helping either.
Abrams is seven homers off the league lead and is handling lefties at a better rate than he has over his career this season. It's lefty vs. lefty, but I like Abrams at home, and there are 60 points on this price that I'd buy down to.
Time: 6:45 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Nationals.TV, Marquee Sports Network
Home run pick: Pete Crow-Armstrong (+325)
This is a +EV price on the betting favorite in the NL MVP odds (-115), with a fair price of +250/+260.
The Nationals are trotting out Jake Irvin, who has allowed the fifth-most homers since 2023 and has seen his ground-ball rate fall for a second straight season. Irvin faced the Cubs once this season and allowed two dingers, while Pete Crow-Armstrong has taken him deep once across nine plate appearances.
There is nothing fancy here, just a price on the good side of three dollars with one of the best hitters in baseball in an elite HR matchup.
Time: 6:45 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Nationals.TV, Marquee Sports Network
Josh Inglis' 2026 Transparency Record
HR picks: 27-148, -17.78 units
Today’s HR combo
Brandon Nimmo
Trade Now +10064
CJ Abrams
Pete Crow-Armstrong
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DETROIT, MI - JANUARY 18: Cade Cunningham #2 and Ausar Thompson #9 of the Detroit Pistons look on during the game against the Phoenix Suns on January 18, 2025 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
NBA scheduling details are starting to trickle out, and it looks like the Detroit Pistons will be kicking off the season in a big way — by playing in the first game of the season league-wide as part of an opening night triple-header.
Detroit is set to face off against the Boston Celtics in an Eastern Conference showdown at 3 p.m. on Oct. 20 in a nationally televised game on NBC. Set your work schedules accordingly.
That will be followed up by two primetime games — the Philadelphia 76ers vs. the New York Knicks, aka LeBron, Jaylen Brown, and the new-look Sixers against the reigning NBA champions. Finally, the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs will face off to try and set the standard of who will rule the Western Conference.
The Pistons starting the season is quite the glow-up after having the NBA’s worst record just one year ago. Detroit is coming off of a 60-win season and the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. Cade Cunningham will get an opportunity to show a huge NBA audience thirsty for real basketball that he’s one of the 5-10 best players in the league, and that his team has no intention of taking a step back.
That might be news to many NBA watchers, as Detroit’s offseason has not been looked upon fondly while other teams in the East like the Sixers, Heat, Raptors, Hawks, and Celtics are making major moves, and the Knicks, Cavs, Magic, and Hornets are looking to build on last season’s varying levels of success.
But what will hopefully be readily apparent to everyone involved is that surrounding a great player with shooting makes him even better. As good as the Pistons were last season, they didn’t quite have that. They had Duncan Robinson, one of the league’s best marksmen, and he returns. But they’ve doubled down on that with the addition of Isaiah Joe, who isn’t far behind Robinson in skill level. They’ve also added John Collins, who can attack the rim and nail shots from the perimeter at a high level.
It will also be a chance for Ausar Thompson to take his next step toward being a star player, which is the trajectory I think he is destined for. Already probably the league’s best perimeter defender, he isn’t near his ceiling, and he continues to put in the work to try and to turn his offensive repertoire into something that consistently helps his team.
Will Jalen Duren be back? Likely. Catching lobs, slamming putbacks, and having a sneaky level of finesse and footwork to dominate down low. It’s the ingredients for a fun basketball team. The ingredients for a winning basketball team. And I’m glad the NBA will get to see it right off the bat.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 18: Mason Barnett #63 of the Athletics pitches against the Los Angeles Angels at Sutter Health Park on June 18, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to Tuesday!
The squad got whacked in the first game of their series with the Rays last night, with the bullpen blowing yet another game that the Green & Gold should have won. When you’re up 6-2 in the eighth you don’t expect the final score to be a 10-6 loss. That’s just how this season has gone though. Fitting.
Anyways, the club is in need of a starting pitcher tonight and they’ve has settled on right-hander Mason Barnett:
In a lost season it’s at least encouraging to see the organization continuing to give their younger players a chance to pitch through their struggles in the big leagues. The former prize that the A’s received from Kansas City in exchange for reliever Lucas Erceg, Barnett has spent the past two years mostly in Triple-A with a few brief stints with the big league club. His first taste of Triple-A last year didn’t yield great results but the then-24 year old righty still managed to make his big league debut with five starts last September. The results, again, weren’t great but plenty of pitchers struggle a bit their first time in The Show and he was still young for a big league pitcher.
This season Barnett technically began in the hunt for a rotation spot but he predictably began the year as depth down in Las Vegas with the Aviators. After ten starts he was brought up to the big league level, where he’s been stashed in the bullpen for the past couple of months. In 14 relief appearances Barnett has been so-so with a 4.74 ERA, dominating in June before taking a step back in July.
A few weeks ago back at the end of July the club sent Barnett back to Triple-A, where he got back into starting with three innings for the Aviators. Evidently the squad just wanted to ease him back into that role as the club soon brought him back up for a “bulk” appearance after that one tune-up in Triple-A.
Barnett’s made two starts for the A’s since: His first was very encouraging as he tossed five full innings against a hot Red Sox club, allowing just three runs in his final inning of work. His most recent appearance? Not so hot as Cincinnati collected six runs off the young righty, though again he seemed to lose steam as he got deeper into the game. Similar to how the Boston game went.
If he’s not fully stretched out by this point that’s understandable considering he was used as a reliever for the past two-ish months. Still, it’s a good thing that the organization is finally giving the 25-year-old a chance. Barnett was considered one of the top pitching prospects in the A’s system as recently as last year, ranking fourth (ahead of Luis Morales) on MLB.com’s top prospects list. He showed improvement in Triple-A this year and finally had some success out of the bullpen in the big leagues. Now the club will be hoping to see him continue to grow into the type of pitcher they’ll need for next year. That all continues tonight against a tough Rays team that looks postseason bound.
We don’t know who will be getting the ball in tomorrow’s game either so like with Barnett we’ll just have to wait and see. Anyone in particular you’d like to see get the nod? Luis Morales perhaps?
First pitch is at 6:40. Have a great one A’s fans.
Lopez with the best start for the club in a while:
Jacob Lopez completes seven innings against the Rays, allowing just two runs. He snaps a streak of 43 consecutive games in which A's starters had logged 6 1/3 innings or fewer, which was the longest such streak in A's history.
COVERS INTEL: Irvin has surrendered the 
Brandon Nimmo
CJ Abrams
Pete Crow-Armstrong
