BOSTON, MA - AUGUST 17: Andruw Monasterio #32 of the Boston Red Sox celebrates with teammates after defeating the Arizona Diamondbacks at Fenway Park on Monday, August 17, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Joe Sullivan/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Good morning! Haven’t had enough of historic win streaks this season? Good news! The Sox are currently on another one. With their win over the DBacks last night, the Sox won their 15th consecutive game against teams that entered the game with a record of .500 or better. The last time they lost to a team over .500 was all the way back on July 1 against the Nationals, aka their last lost before going on their historic 15-gamer.
According to CBS Sports, this is the longest such streak in MLB history, topping the 1933 Washington Senators (who, yes, were technically called the Nationals at the time, even if no one used that moniker):
Use this space to talk about what continues to be the weirdest regular season in Red Sox history and whatever else you want and, as always, be good to one another.
DENVER (AP) — Shohei Ohtani hit a two-run shot to reach 30 homers for the sixth straight season and Freddie Freeman had two hits and two RBIs as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Colorado Rockies 7-6 on Tuesday night.
Teoscar Hernandez had a triple and double, and Tommy Edman doubled twice as the Dodgers broke out of an offensive slump in Denver.
Los Angeles scored 10 runs in the four-game series against Milwaukee over the weekend. Against Colorado, the Dodgers have scored 18 runs on 24 hits with four homers, including three by Ohtani, in the first two games of the three-game set.
Ohtani’s 30th homer traveled 448 feet into the Los Angeles bullpen off Ryan Feltner (5-7) and gave the Dodgers a 3-1 lead in the third inning. The Rockies tied it in the bottom of the inning before Los Angeles went ahead again in the fourth.
Edman, Kyle Tucker and Hernandez doubled in the inning to make it 5-3, and Hernandez scored on Freeman’s sacrifice fly.
Eric Lauer (8-6) allowed four runs on six hits with six strikeouts in five innings. The 31-yeare-old left-hander has been one of the best starters for Los Angeles since coming over from Toronto on May 17. He went 6-1 with a 3.48 ERA in his first 11 starts with the Dodgers.
Before the game, Los Angeles placed closer Edwin Diaz on the injured list with neck inflammation and recalled righty Emmet Sheehan from Triple-A. Tanner Scott, elevated to the closer role, earned his 17th save when he got TJ Rumfield to pop out to short with the tying run on.
Colorado’s Will Castro hit his 14th homer of the season, a solo shot in the fifth inning.
Up next
Dodgers RHP Roki Sasaki (5-5, 4.46 ERA) faces Rockies LHP Kyle Freeland (4-10, 6.27) in the finale of the three-game series Wednesday night.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Athletics outfielder Tyler Soderstrom is headed for season-ending hip surgery after going on the injured list for an impingement in the left hip.
A’s manager Mark Kotsay said Tuesday that Soderstrom would have the procedure Friday. The club placed him on the 10-day injured list on Sunday. It was his second stint on the IL with this ailment over the summer after struggling since his return from it July 8.
Soderstrom saw a specialist in Los Angeles on Monday and the decision was made to shut him down for good.
The 24-year-old Soderstrom batted .245 with 19 home runs and 56 RBIs in 109 games this season and was riding an 11-game hitting streak. He set career highs with 25 homers, 93 RBIs and a .276 batting average over 158 games last season.
PITTSBURGH, PA - MARCH 31: Rickard Rakell #67 of the Pittsburgh Penguins scores against the Detroit Red Wings at PPG PAINTS Arena on March 31, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
There is still a debate raging as to whether or not the Pittsburgh Penguins are actually trying to rebuild, or if they are instead trying to maintain some level of competition as long as Sidney Crosby is still on the roster. I am still of the belief that they are, in fact, rebuilding, and they are very clearly telling you that with how they are doing business at the moment.
I have made this argument here before, and for the purposes of this article, will make it again.
It’s not a full-scale, tear it all down to the ground tank-job of a rebuild, and maybe you disagree with that and think that it should be. I have grown far more skeptical of those sorts of rebuilds in the current NHL landscape and how successful they can actually be, but that’s another argument for another day.
But it is still very much a long-term approach and rebuild happening right in front of you.
Teams that are not rebuilding do not go into a season with around $10 million in salary cap space. The only teams in the league with more salary cap space this season, as of this moment, are the Columbus Blue Jackets, Philadelphia Flyers, Calgary Flames, Vancouver Canucks, Seattle Kraken, and Detroit Red Wings. The Blue Jackets are going to blow past them in the coming weeks when Adam Fantilli signs his new deal.
The Flyers would have blown past them had they successfully pulled off the Leo Carlsson offer sheet.
Calgary and Vancouver are very much deep into rebuilds.
Seattle and Detroit are both just a mess. I’m not sure what either of those teams are doing, and I’m not sure they know, either.
Teams that are not rebuilding do not make 19 draft picks over the most recent two-year stretch, including seven in the first two rounds and six within the top-40.
Teams that are not rebuilding do not have 10 picks in the first two rounds over the next three years.
Do you know how many other teams in the NHL have 10 picks in the first two rounds of the next three drafts right now?
The answer is zero.
The only other teams that have even as many as eight picks in those rounds are the Calgary Flames, Vancouver Canucks and New Jersey Devils. All three of them have exactly eight picks, while Calgary and Vancouver are, again, very much deep into rebuilds.
The players they are acquiring are either short-term reclamation projects on one-year deals (Anthony Mantha, Andrei Kuzmenko types), veteran players that come with additional draft picks (think Kevin Hayes, Connor Clifton and Matt Dumba type trades), or younger players in their early-to-mid-20s that need a change of scenery or have not yet fully reached their potential. They are lottery tickets.
They are telling you what they are doing without actually coming out and saying it.
One of the most important rules in sports is to believe what teams do, and not what they say.
But the big question that remains with all of this is this: If they are rebuilding, why are there still so many older players on the roster?
As is the case with a lot of situations in life, the most likely explanation is also probably the simplest explanation.
Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang are still here largely because they are legacy players and franchise icons. Whether it’s right or wrong, whether you agree with it or not, the Penguins have decided as an organization that it is important to keep them here. It certainly makes it harder to bottom out for draft position, but as noted above, it does not stop them from focussing on the future in literally every other area.
Even that doesn’t really explain why players like Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust are still here.
That also (probably) has a very likely, and very simple explanation — nobody else wants them.
More accurately, nobody else wants the type of players they are, that are signed to the type of contracts they are currently signed to.
Are they still good players, and productive players? Absolutely they are. Could either one of them help a lot of teams right now? Absolutely they could. If I were a floundering team full of losers and underachievers that can’t break through, I’d probably love to have a guy like Bryan Rust on it given type of player he is and the type of winner he’s been.
But I’m not an NHL general manager.
The problem is that when you trade for a player, or acquire a player, you are not just acquiring their current level of play and current level of production. You are acquiring their age, their injury history, their position, their future production and, perhaps even most importantly out of all of that, their contract. It is the total package.
And that is where I see an issue regarding the trade values for Rakell and Rust.
As good and productive as they still are, look at the type of players they are. Look at where they play. Look at their contracts.
They are fringe first-second line wingers, in their mid-30s, with term remaining on their contracts.
That is not the type of player that teams are trading for right now. It is not the type of player teams are trying to jump through hoops to acquire. And my argument for that is everything we have seen happen across the league over the past two years.
I went back to the 2024-25 trade deadline, up through the current point of this offseason, and looked at every NHL forward that has been traded over that time, and specifically looked for forwards age 32 or older.
Players that fit Rakell and Rust’s player profiles are almost non-existent on the list.
Some numbers and names:
There have been 31 forwards age 32 or older traded over that time period, which does seem like a lot, and should indicate some sort of market for players like Rakell and Rust. But….
Of those 31 forwards, 21 of them were either entering the final year of their contract as an offseason trade, or were already in the final year of their contract as a pending unrestricted free agent or rental. There was no long-term commitment with them. Rust and Rakell both have two full years remaining, and had even more going into last season and into the previous trade deadline. Teams don’t want term on older players.
Of the 10 forwards in that group that were traded, only 10 of them had multiple years of term remaining on their contract. Which, again, might indicate some sort of value. BUT…
Here are the names on that list: Vincent Trocheck, Nazem Kadri, Fredrick Gaudreau, Charlie Coyle, Brayden Schenn, Ryan Strome, Nic Dowd, Nick Bjugstad, Ondrej Palat and Chris Kreider.
Think about that list of names.
Look at them.
Study them.
Picture them in your head.
Imagine for a second where they are playing on the ice.
Find the common denominator.
Look them up if you want to confirm it.
Or just let me tell you that EIGHT of them are primarily … centers.
The only two mid-30s forwards, with term remaining, that are primarily WINGERS, that have been traded over the past two-plus years are Palat and Kreider.
In Palat’s case, it was a strict salary dump that saw the Islanders trade third-and sixth-round picks along with him to get his contract off the books. Is that what the Penguins should be doing? That’s not a rebuilding move.
In Kreider’s case, the Rangers traded a fourth-round pick along with him to acquire a third-round pick (they basically moved up 15 spots in the draft) and a mid-level prospect. Not exactly a meaningful return or one that is screaming with value. That’s probably the type of return you’re looking at here. Is that worth it? Does that make sense?
Positional value matters, and it matters a lot. It’s a lot easier for a contending team to find a veteran player on the wing that can score you 25 or 30 goals than it is to find a center that can play meaningful minutes. You don’t need to trade assets for the former. Or take on term. Not when you can sign a player like, say, Anthony Mantha for two years and keep your other assets.
The center market is dramatically different, both in terms of the impact they can make, and the availability of them.
Looking back at everything regarding Rakell specifically in hindsight, and I would argue they might have given him such an extended run at center this season not only because of injuries on the roster, but also as a means of trying to boost his trade value. Especially when he started getting work at center in training camp and the preseason before the in-season injuries at the position started to build.
It’s a young man’s game, and teams clearly value younger players in trades, whether they are fully proven or not. Just because teams are throwing around multiple first-round picks for players like Mason McTavish or Simon Nemec does not mean they are going to value players like Rakell or Rust the same way, even if the latter players might be (or are) better right now. You’re just not going to get much in a trade for a mid-30s winger signed for multiple years. Nobody is. Nobody does. You can not force another team to take your player just because you might want to move them.
You might not be able to move them until next year.
If at all.
That might just be the nature of the beast in the NHL right now. It might have to be the reality of the Penguins rebuild.
It has become clear over the last few months that a flawed team will make the playoffs out of the American League. The Orioles, along with several other teams, have found a way to remain in contention for the third and final wild card spot despite sitting on the wrong side of .500.
Reason would suggest that one of these teams will separate themselves at some point, but it hasn’t happened yet. Now, after an impressive series in Tampa Bay, fans are starting to wonder if the Orioles could be that team.
Why not? Nope. Not doing that. But, for real, is there any reason why the Orioles wouldn’t be capable of emerging from the pack? Actually, yes. There’s plenty of them. The bullpen marks a clear vulnerability. The defense could come back to haunt this team at any point, and the lineup is filled with inconsistent performers that could regress at any moment.
That being said, Baltimore has provided several reasons to look at the glass half full. Pete Alonso has been that dude. Jackson Holliday is swinging a hot bat, and Gunnar Henderson appears to have remembered who he is. Coby Mayo and Christian Encarnacion-Strand have provided some pop from the hot corner. The starting rotation looks like a unit that could go out and win a three game series. Samuel Basallo has already started a rehab assignment. Blaze Alexander should return at some point, and the Orioles have a pair of rehabbing closers that could return by the end of the season.
The American League refused to bury the Orioles when they had the chance. As dark as things seemed this season, Baltimore always maintained a legitimate chance to make the playoffs. At the time, it felt like Baltimore would need to luck into that spot. The team would need to fall upward into a position that every other team decided to run away from. Even if the Orioles made the playoffs, they wouldn’t have truly earned it.
That sentiment has changed. Baltimore entered last night’s game with New York tied for the third wild card spot. They also entered the series with the toughest remaining schedule in the American League. The Orioles still have five games remaining against New York, four against Boston, and three with Tampa Bay. That’s life in the AL East, but Baltimore will also play a three-game set against the National League leading Milwaukee Brewers.
If the Orioles hope to make the playoffs, they need to go out and earn it against the league’s best. If they do it—and that’s a big if—they should enter the postseason with a mindset that they can beat any team on any given night.
The tough schedule feels like bad luck, but it’s really a golden opportunity for Baltimore to recapture its mojo heading into the postseason. If the Orioles make the playoffs, they’ll have played above .500 baseball against some of the league’s best. That, or they’ll completely smoke the Mets, Rockies and A’s while treading water against the rest.
There are some easy ones coming, but this is a “go out and earn it” type of week. A homestand against the Yankees and Rays is exactly the type of opportunity this team needs to prove it’s for real. The players may or may not feel a need to prove it to the front office after a deadline sell off, and there’s no way of knowing whether they want to prove it to the fans, but this group should want to prove it to themselves. Recently, they’ve been playing like a unit doing just that.
It feels like we’re putting the cart before the horse here, but I’ve completely lost faith in the other AL teams. The question now becomes whether this team is capable of going out and taking it. One strong week and all bets are off when it comes to the 2026 Orioles. What a world.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - AUGUST 16: Bryson Stott #5 of the Philadelphia Phillies throws to first base to get out Victor Caratini #37 of the Minnesota Twins (not pictured) during the sixth inning at Target Field on August 16, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Matt Krohn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We’re in the second half of August. There’s plenty of baseball left to play, but we are in the days where the schedule takes on a greater importance, where each series carries a greater heft. The Phillies are currently fighting to hold on to their playoff position, occupying the second wild card spot, one game ahead of San Diego and two ahead of Arizona.
The Phillies have a West Coast trip coming up, with visits to Seattle, Anaheim and Arizona. After that, the schedule returns to NL East play, with a brief interlude against Houston. Home against Atlanta, home against Houston, and then a road trip involving another series against Atlanta, a pair of games against Washington, and a series against the Mets.
Following that, the Phillies will finish up the regular season at home, with three games against the Brewers, and three against the Rays.
All of these will matter; any of them could be pivotal. So today’s question is: as the season approaches the finish line, which series do you have circled as the most crucial?
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - AUGUST 18: Drake Baldwin #30 of the Atlanta Braves hits a solo home run against the Minnesota Twins in the sixth inning at Target Field on August 18, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Twins defeated the Braves 4-1. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
If I’ve heard anything about Ronald Acuña Jr. via the internet, it’s that Ronnie can’t hit the hot fastball. It’s not really true. He’s league-average via xwOBA (he’s striking 96+ MPH fastballs as good as your average hitter). He has less to show for it as the wOBA runs about 30 points lower for his career.
Do you know who isn’t hitting fastballs well since August 3rd (not including yesterday)? This collective Braves team, that’s who unfortunately. The Braves are dead last versus fastball per wOBA and on-base percentage, second-worst by batting average, and sixth-worst by xwOBA. Contrast this to before August 3rd when they were 12th by BA and wOBA, 18th by OBP, and ninth by xwOBA.
What’s weirder is lefties have been most affected. That’s a 59-point gap in xwOBA and a 107 point one in slugging. It’s really been Drake Baldwin, Ozzie Albies and Jim Jarvis that are most affected. Matt Olson is still chugging along with no issue, Michael Harris is down but outstripping his xwOBA and Mike Yastrzemski is chipping in.
Righties feeling it as well but not as deeply. The xwOBA is still okayish but they’re underperforming there. But the on-base percentage is down, which suggested that they’re chasing a fair bit. Regardless, it’s an issue that all the Braves have to solve soon. The Braves are seeing the eleventh most pitches in the zone since the trade deadline, versus 29th before. Opposing pitchers are hunting more strikes in the zone, because they can sense blood the same as we can.
So why have the Braves stopped mashing fastballs? Is this more Tim Hyers tinkering? Did the post-All-Star Break surge end as the team has tired? I don’t know, but they’re so much more fun when they’re killing fastballs.
Personally, I would not recommend winning games this way on a regular basis.
But the Cubs seem to have found the knack for taking leads, giving them up, coming from behind and winning in a walk-off. They did it again Tuesday night at Wrigley Field — including a long rain delay — defeating the White Sox 4-3, this time on an Alex Bregman single in the ninth inning.
That was PCA’s sixth leadoff homer of the season and 31st of the year, which ties his career high, set last year.
More from BCB’s JohnW53:
Pete Crow-Armstrong has homered for the Cubs’ first hit in three straight games: in the third inning on Sunday, then leading off Monday and Tuesday.
The Cubs’ first hit has been a homer in 21 games, exactly one of every six.
Crow-Armstrong has done it seven times; Seiya Suzuki, four times; Alex Bregman, Ian Happ and Dansby Swanson, twice; and Michael Busch, Michael Conforto, Nico Hoerner and Matt Shaw, once. Six of PCA’s and Hoerner’s led off games.
The White Sox used left-handed opener Bryan Hudson in the first inning to counter the lefty hitters at the top of the Cubs lineup. Hudson retired all three right-handed hitters he faced (Seiya Suzuki, Bregman and Nico Hoerner) and the two lefties homered off him. Go figure.
Kevin Gausman struggled through the early innings. He walked the first two Sox he faced, but got out of the inning with a double play. Then he allowed three hits resulting in a run after retiring the first two Sox hitters in the second, a monster home run to Munetaka Murakami in the third that hit the left-field video board, and another run in the fourth on a pair of doubles that gave the Sox the lead. During that inning Craig Counsell and trainer Nick Frangella visited Gausman and after quite a delay, he remained in the game. Gausman came out for the fifth, allowed a one-out single, then got the trainer visit again and left the game [VIDEO].
Here’s why:
Per #Cubs, Kevin Gausman left the game with a left hand cramp.
Gausman’s outing was obviously not good, and a cramp on your non-pitching hand is a weird way to leave a ballgame. Hopefully, things will go better next time. Here’s Gausman explaining what happened [VIDEO].
The Cubs had two runners on leading off the second on singles by Pedro Ramirez and Ian Happ, but didn’t score, and after Happ’s single, Sox bulk guy Erick Fedde retired 13 of the next 14 Cubs in order, so they trailed 3-2 at the end of the fifth.
Meanwhile, Javier Assad had relieved Gausman and got out of the fifth inning with a double play. Then Assad threw two more scoreless innings and struck out Andrew Benintendi leading off the eighth. I don’t know what more Assad has to do to convince Counsell and the brass to put him back in the rotation. Three innings, two hits, no runs, a pair of strikeouts, 40 pitches, 28 strikes. In nine games since the beginning of July: 1.71 ERA, 1.137 WHIP in 31.2 innings. To quote the old Kyle Hendricks mantra: “All he does is get guys out.”
The Cubs tied the game in the bottom of the seventh. Miguel Amaya led off with a walk and Kevin Alcántara ran for him. Michael Conforto also walked, putting the tying run in scoring position. But the next two Cubs, PCA and Suzuki, struck out. (Suzuki didn’t have a good game on his birthday, going 0-for-5 with three K’s.)
After Assad had struck out Benintendi to begin the eighth, Counsell summoned Caleb Thielbar, who’s not had a good year. But Thielbar was effective on this night, allowing a two-out single but then getting Chase Meidroth to ground out to end the inning.
After nearly 90 minutes, the game resumed. The Cubs went out 1-2-3 in the bottom of the eighth and Jacob Webb, who has been outstanding for the last two months, entered to throw the ninth. He allowed a two-out walk but got out of the inning with a ground ball to Busch.
Carson Kelly, who had entered the game in the eighth, led off the bottom of the ninth with a double. Then Michael Conforto was called out on strikes. This time, unlike Monday, the Sox intentionally passed PCA to put runners on first and second. Suzuki popped up in foul territory to Murakami, who made a nice sliding catch [VIDEO].
That was the Cubs’ 13th walk-off win this year. More from John:
The Cubs had consecutive walk-offs once this season before Monday and Tuesday. They won three straight vs. the Reds on May 4-6, the last two in 10 innings.
The Cubs now have 13 walk-off wins. Going into yesterday, no other team had more than nine.
The 13 walk-offs tie them with 1932 and 2015 for their second most in a season by the Cubs. They had 14 in 1930.
The MLB record for walk-off wins in a season is 17, set by the Pirates in 1959 and tied by them in 1977. Just in case, you know.
This team has shown resilience all year — after the rough losses over the weekend, to have two walk-offs in a row like this against a tenacious White Sox team is a really good result. As I mentioned at the top of this recap — this is not the recommended way to win games, but it’s certainly exciting and entertaining. The Cubs have again reached their season high at 21 games over .500 and since June 10 are 40-19, half a game behind the Red Sox for the best record in MLB over that span.
The Brewers destroyed the Mariners 22-0 Tuesday, matching the biggest shutout in MLB history, though the last nine runs were scored off a position player. So the Cubs continue to trail them by 4.5 games in the NL Central.
The Cubs will go for the series sweep Wednesday afternoon at Wrigley Field. Clay Holmes will start for the Cubs and once again, the Sox will use a left-handed opener, this time Sean Newcomb. José Urquidy will likely be the “bulk guy” after Newcomb. Game time is 1:20 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network (and CHSN and WCIU-Ch. 26 with the Sox announcers).
The Mets conclude a three-game series against the Padres at Citi Field on Wednesday afternoon at 1:10 on SNY.
Mets Notes
Carson Benge is hitting .297/.361/.451 in 216 plate appearances dating back to June 18
Francisco Lindor has an .809 OPS with 10 homers in 200 plate appearances since returning from the IL on June 24
Bo Bichette is hitting .316/.357/.472 (.829 OPS) with seven homers and 13 doubles in 252 plate appearances dating back to June 11
Robert Stock allowed one run (which was unearned) on three hits while walking three and striking out five in 4.1 innings against the Nationals in his last start
Today's Lineups
PADRES
METS
Fernando Tatis Jr., RF
A.J. Ewing, CF
Jake Cronenworth, 2B
Francisco Lindor, SS
Manny Machado, DH
Bo Bichette, 3B
Ty France, 1B
Carson Benge, RF
Jackson Merrill, CF
Jared Young, 1B
Luis Rengifo, LF
Francisco Alvarez, DH
Luis Campusano, C
Brett Baty, LF
Xander Bogaerts, SS
Marcus Semien, 2B
Sung-Mun Song, 3B
Luis Torrens, C
What channel is SNY?
Check your TV or streaming provider's website or channel finder to find your local listings.
How can I stream the game?
The way to stream SNY games is via the MLB App or MLB.tv.
Open “MLB” and tap on “Subscriber Login” for Apple Devices or “Sign in with MLB.com” for Android Devices.
Type in your MLB.com credentials and tap “Log In.”
To access live or on-demand content, tap on the "Watch" tab from the bottom navigation bar. Select the "Games" sub-tab to see a listing of available games. You can scroll to previous dates using the left and right arrows. Tap on a game to select from the game feeds available.
For more information on how to stream Mets games on SNY, please click here.
The Atlanta Braves and Minnesota Twins wrap up a three-game set this afternoon at Target Field, with the visitors sitting as a slim -104 moneyline favorite for the series finale.
However, my Braves vs. Twins predictions see value in Minnesota, who have been in much better offensive form lately.
The Atlanta Braves recalled right-hander AJ Smith-Shawver to start today after a couple of outings at Triple-A Gwinnett. Smith-Shawver made his 2026 debut in late July after recovering from injury and looked solid, allowing two earned runs in 4 1/3 frames.
That is still a tiny sample, and he faces a Minnesota Twins offense with a 118 wRC+ over the last week. I do not expect a long leash, which matters with the Braves bullpen owning a 7.21 FIP over its last 18 2/3 innings while giving up 2.89 HR/9.
Taj Bradley has been respectable with a 4.37 monthly FIP, and the Braves are ice cold with a 64 wRC+ over their last six games.
Play up to -130.
COVERS INTEL: The Braves have struggled offensively on the road with a 91 wRC+. At home, that number sits at 107.
Braves vs Twins Over/Under pick: Under 8.5 (+101)
I'm leaning toward the Under tonight, although it's not a slam-dunk angle. Atlanta's inconsistencies at the dish are a big reason for this play, and although Bradley isn't untouchable, he has been better at Target Field, and Minnesota's bullpen owns a 3.67 xERA over the last week.
As previously mentioned, Atlanta's relief corps is getting hit around the ballpark, but Minnesota will have to do the brunt of the scoring here, which is why I like the Under. The Braves have scored just three runs in this series so far.
Smith-Shawver was also decent in Triple-A, and I do not expect him to get completely lit up.
Play this pick down to -110.
Braves vs Twins home run prediction: Josh Bell (+474)
Josh Bell has always had big-time power, and I’m eyeing him to go yard again today. While the slugger has just one homer in his last six games, he owns a 42.1% hard-hit rate during that span and a 44.2% fly-ball rate over the last two weeks. He also homered on Tuesday.
It is hard to judge Smith-Shawver off his recent outings, but the Braves’ bullpen gives Bell a clearer path. Atlanta’s relief corps has allowed homers at an alarming rate while giving up nearly half of its contact in the air over the last week.
Bell is worth a look at this price.
Play this pick down to +450.
Quinn Allen's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 53-64, -18.67 units
Over/Under bets: 66-48, +8.85 units
Braves vs Twins weather
Weather at Target Field looks excellent today, with mostly clear skies and temperatures climbing from 74°F to 78°F during the afternoon. Winds are very light around 2–5 mph, and rain chances sit at 0%. Overall, conditions look clean and neutral, with no delay concern or major weather impact.
Braves vs Twins odds
Moneyline: Braves -104 | Twins -100
Run line: Braves -1.5 (+150) | Twins +1.5 (-156)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-108) | Under 8.5 (+104)
Braves vs Twins trend
The Atlanta Braves have hit the Game Total Under in 16 of their last 21 away games (+10.75 Units / 48% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Braves vs. Twins.
How to watch Braves vs Twins and game info
Location
Target Field, Minneapolis, MN
Date
Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026
First pitch
1:40 p.m. ET
TV
Twins.TV, BravesVsion
Braves starting pitcher
AJ Smith-Shawver (0-0, 4.15 ERA)
Twins starting pitcher
Taj Bradley (9-5, 3.98 ERA)
Braves vs Twins 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.
TORONTO, ON - AUGUST 16: Ben Rice #22 of the New York Yankees rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run in the tenth inning during the game between the New York Yankees and the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on Sunday, August 16, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Colton Hall/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Yankees finally managed to score more than one run with a 4-3 extra innings victory in the series finale over the Blue Jays to avoid the sweep. In scoring just two runs in regulation, they were in danger of making 11 games out of 16 in which they scored two or fewer runs. That wasn’t the only skid they hopefully managed to snap, Ben Rice supplying the game-winning two-run homer in the ninth amid a serious slide for a player who powered much of their offense in the first half.
We join Rice with one out in the top of the tenth, automatic runner Ali Sánchez standing on third following a leadoff sacrifice bunt by José Caballero. Rice entered this contest eight for his last 64 with just one home run. He has not had the best of games to this point, 0-for-4 with a strikeout and coming off a critical error in the bottom of the ninth that led to the game-tying run to score off David Bednar to send it to extras. The pressure is on Rice to atone for his mistake, which can’t make his job at the plate any easier.
Blue Jays reliever Braydon Fisher throws his slider more than half the time. When you include the curveball, roughly 80-percent of the pitches that Fisher throws are breaking balls, so you can bet that Rice is sitting on a bender here.
Indeed, Fisher starts this AB with a slider in the dirt for ball one. If not for such an extreme breaking ball usage rate, you could see how a hitter might be tempted to chase this pitch given it exits Fisher’s hand centrally located over the plate aimed at the bottom of the zone. However, Rice can pretty much eliminate anything aimed thigh-high or lower as four out of five of those pitches from Fisher will end up breaking below the strike zone.
With his next slider, Fisher attempts to back-foot one hoping this time he can elicit a chase.
Once again, a hitter who hadn’t read the scouting report might have been tempted to swing at this given it looks like it could be a fastball that will tail front door across the inside edge of the plate. Rice sticks with his plan of hunting the slider, which lets him know immediately that this pitch that starts inside will stay inside for ball two.
There’s no deviation in plan from Fisher as he throws his third slider in a row, almost as if playing a game of cat and mouse with the hitter who must be thinking that surely he won’t throw three in a row to open an AB.
The problem with throwing the same breaking ball multiple times in a row is each has to be marginally better than the last as the hitter gets a better and better idea of the way the pitch will break and where it will therefore land given its initial aiming point. Instead, Fisher throws his worst slider of the AB, at the bottom of the zone but over the heart of the plate, and Rice does not miss it. He’s hunting a pitch that’s out over the plate and starts belt high, knowing exactly where to drop his barrel to do maximum damage. The ball rockets off his bat at 108.5 mph and travels 438 feet for the game-winning two-run home run.
Here’s the full AB:
Obviously, the Yankees woes on offense are rooted in the injuries Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger, and Giancarlo Stanton. However, we cannot discount the effect that Rice’s extended slump has played on the team’s misfortunes. After genuinely placing among the league’s best hitters with a 168 wRC+ in the first half, Rice’s season nosedived to the tune of a 63 wRC+ since the All-Star break. The absences of the aforementioned trio placed a mountain of pressure on Rice’s shoulders to carry the offense as the lone slugging threat, and unfortunately the burden has proven too heavy to carry alone.
It must be said that he has been on the receiving end of some particularly rotten luck. His BABIP has fallen almost 100 points from the first half to the second and his wOBA has plummeted 150 points despite a deficit of just 40 points in expected wOBA in the second half vs. the first. However, we cannot blame the entirety of his slump on bad luck, with regression in certain key areas underlying the loss of form. His strikeout rate went from 23.3-percent in the first half to 31.1-percent in the second, his chase rate has jumped by almost six percentage points, and his in-zone contact rate plunged by nine percentage points, all of which to me feel like a classic case of a player who is pressing for results.
While one AB is hardly conclusive, there was still a lot to like from Rice’s approach. His knowledge of the scouting report on Fisher meant he wasn’t remotely tempted into chasing the first two sliders out of the zone. Then, when he got his pitch to hit, he didn’t miss it — something which has plagued the entire Yankees lineup during this extended stretch of punchless offense. He has talked about how one of the keys to his first half success was hunting a specific pitch in a specific location and letting everything else go by, and hopefully this AB is the start of a return to that approach for a player who is as important as anyone to the Yankees offense.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 18: Jose Iglesias and Francisco Lindor #12 of the New York Mets pose for a phot ahead of the game against the San Diego Padres at Citi Field on August 18, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Caleb Bowlin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Meet the Mets
The Mets were beaten by the Padres 5-2. Luis Torrens and Luis Robert Jr. each hit solo home runs but the Mets were unable to overcome Fernando Tatís Jr.’s two home runs and grand slam robbery of Lindor.
The Mets activated Austin Warren from the injured list and sent Chayce McDermott down to Syracuse.
Jose Iglesias returned to Citi Field last night to throw out the first pitch ahead of his Broadway debut.
After the conclusion of today’s game, the NYPD and FDNY will face off in the fifth annual Battle of the Badges game at Citi Field.
Luke Gabrysh, one of the players acquired in the trade that sent Brooks Raley to the Phillies, has been promoted to Double-A Binghamton.
Just over a month after being drafted, the Mets’ 19th round pick John Smith III has been promoted to High-A Brooklyn.
Joel Sherman compared the Mets rookie class this season to others around the league, as well as others in Mets history.
Carson Benge was been named the Mets Heart and Hustle Award winner for 2026.
Around the National League East
Casey Donovan spent five days with the Nationals in 2022, never appearing in a big league game, and has questioned his major league legitimacy ever since.
Josiah Gray finally began a rehab assignment last night, marking his first appearance in a game since last September.
The Phillies came from behind to beat the Marlins 6-4. Zack Wheeler allowed two runs in five innings, walking four batters and striking out seven.
The Twins beat the Braves 4-1. Ryan Jeffers and Josh Bell each drove in two runs to help the Twins secure the win.
The Nationals were shut out 5-0 by the Rangers. Jackson Kent gave up all five runs on eight hits in just 3.2 innings.
Around Major League Baseball
After being placed on the restricted list last night, Ketel Marte is reportedly heading back to Arizona for an MRI on his knee.
Trey Mancini, longtime Baltimore Oriole and 2022 World Series champion with the Astros, has announced his retirement from baseball.
Dodgers reliever Edwin Díaz is headed back to the injured list, though the reason has not been disclosed.
Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue
Steve Sypa put out the twenty-first edition of Mets Minor League Players of the Week for 2026.
Allison McCague published the latest Pitcher Player Meter for the last two weeks of Mets baseball.
This Date in Mets History
Former Mets pitcher and current Mets broadcaster Ron Darling turns 65 today.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JULY 29: AJ Smith-Shawver #32 of the Atlanta Braves pitches against the New York Mets during their game at Citi Field on July 29, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Atlanta Braves announced Tuesday that right-hander AJ Smith-Shawver was recalled to Atlanta, and fellow righty Tyler Kinley was designated for assignment.
The #Braves today recalled RHP AJ Smith-Shawver to Atlanta and designated RHP Tyler Kinley for assignment.
Smith-Shawver rejoins the Braves after spending the majority of the 2026 season in the minor leagues recovering from Tommy John surgery. He did have a brief outing at the big league level in July, where he threw 4.1 innings and gave up two runs on four hits. He was later optioned to the Gwinnett Stripers before eventually getting called on again.
The Los Angeles Dodgers are placing closer Edwin Diaz on the 15-day injured list due to neck inflammation. He is going back to Los Angeles for further evaluation.
After parts of eight major league seasons, Trey Mancini has announced his retirement.
From the Feed:
The Braves added catcher Chuckie Robinson on a minor league deal.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - AUGUST 18: Corey Seager #5 of the Texas Rangers is congratulated by Joc Pederson #3 following a victory over the Washington Nationals at Globe Life Field on August 18, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Rangers 5, Nationals 0
It is a win. Woo-hoo!!!
Was the time change the problem? Did the Rangers just need to get back to the Shed? To sleep in their own beds?
It is nice to start the homestand off with a solid double-ya.
Cal Quantrill continues to provide the Rangers with quality outings filling in in the rotation, logging seven shutout innings. Its the deepest he’s gone in a game since May of 2024, when he was pitching for the Rockies.
C.J. Abrams led off the game with a ground rule double off of Quantrill. The Nationals didn’t get another runner as far as second base until the eighth inning, when another ground rule double, this one off of Robby Ahlstrom, put runners on second and third with two out.
The Rangers scored all five of their runs in the first three innings.
On the one hand, you’re a little frustrated, because there’s a lot of runs scored early, and then none after that, and you think, hey, what’s wrong, why did you stop scoring? I was looking forward to double digits in this game.
On the other hand, scoring a bunch of runs early instead of spreading them out or scoring them late allows you to have a comfort level throughout the game. Less stress, owing to significant margin.
A game you win 5-0 thanks to four runs in the eighth is much more anxiety-inducing than a game you win 5-0 thanks to all the runs scoring in the early going.
Wyatt Langford, mired in a lengthy slump, came through with a pair of hits and a walk, scoring two of the Rangers’ runs, including their first run of the game, courtesy of a Jake Burger GIDP.
Langford also scored the third run of the game, when he came home on an infield grounder by Brandon Nimmo. The throw beat Langford, but he was able to get his hand on the plate before the tag. The Nationals challenged, the call stood, and there was happiness and joy throughout the stadium, except in the field where the Nationals players were standing. And the Nationals dugout.
Corey Seager, off of being out of the lineup Sunday and then having the Monday off day, had a single and a double, each of which moved Langford to third prior to Langford ultimately scoring. Give Seager an assist, if you will.
Justin Foscue came into the game slashing .174/.208/.217 since the All Star Break. He took Nationals starter Jackson Kent deep for the Rangers’ second run. It was Foscue’s first home run since July 9.
Brandon Nimmo had two hits! Cody Freeman had two hits! Texas had 11 hits in all, along with 4 walks, and maybe you’re saying, well, the Rangers should have scored more runs then, what with all those hits and walks, in which case I say, shut your damn piehole.
Meanwhile, the Astros lost, putting Texas a game back in the West.
Detroit and Baltimore, who were tied with the Rangers for the third Wild Card spot heading into Tuesday’s games, each lost, so Texas is now in sole possession of WC3.
There are a whopping five teams within a game of WC3, however, so don’t get too comfy there.
The Mariners are three back of the Rangers in the Wild Card race, having dropped a game back due to being beaten 22-0 by the Brewers.
And yes, I mentioned how far back the Mariners are just to have an excuse to mention that they lost 22-0.
Cal Quantrill touched 95.5 mph with his fastball, averaging 93.9 mph. Robby Ahlstrom’s sinker topped out at 95.2 mph. Jakob Junis’s changeup hit 87.3 mph. Tyler Alexander’s fastball maxed out at 92.2 mph.
Corey Seager had a 107.6 mph double and a 103.7 mph single. Brandon Nimmo had a 106.1 mph single and a 102.9 mph single. Wyatt Langford had a 105.5 mph single. Justin Foscue had a 105.1 mph home run. Ezequiel Duran had a 104.3 mph single. Jake Burger had a 103.8 mph single.
Can the Rangers build on this victory and start a winning streak? Tune in and find out!
The Calgary Flames were one of the NHL's worst teams last season, finishing near the bottom of the standings and ultimately retaining the sixth overall pick in the NHL Draft. Still in the early stages of a rebuild, Calgary lacks the star power needed to score goals and win games consistently.
Recently, Bleacher Report examined all 16 non-playoff teams and assessed whether their offseason moves were worth "buying" or "selling." The Flames landed in the "sell" category, and the outlet wasn't convinced Calgary did enough to take a meaningful step forward in 2026-27.
How Can the Flames Change Their Trajectory Next Year?
One of Calgary's biggest long-term challenges remains Jonathan Huberdeau's contract. The veteran forward carries a $10.5 million cap hit through 2030-31, making him the highest-paid player on a rebuilding roster that could once again find itself in the NHL Draft Lottery.
Moving Huberdeau would be extremely difficult without retaining salary or attaching significant assets, but his contract still limits Calgary's flexibility. If the Flames can eventually find a creative solution, it could open both a roster spot and valuable cap space for the next stage of the rebuild.
Connor Zary and Zach Whitecloud have also surfaced in trade rumors. If either player is moved, Calgary could continue reshaping its roster while creating opportunities for younger players management believes can become part of the club's long-term core.
More importantly, the Flames need to support Dustin Wolf more. After emerging as one of hockey's top young goaltenders, Wolf spent last season backstopping a team that struggled near the bottom of the standings. No matter how well he performs, Calgary will only improve if the skaters in front of him generate more offense and the organization's young players take meaningful steps forward.
The End of an Era
The Scotiabank Saddledome is scheduled to close following the 2026-27 season, barring a playoff run that extends its NHL life beyond the regular-season finale. Regardless of where Calgary finishes in the standings, the final season at the Saddledome will carry significance of its own. The rebuild will not be completed overnight, and another difficult season would not necessarily change the organization's long-term direction.
Instead, fans will have one final year to appreciate a building that has housed Flames for more than four decades. There will be a final home opener, a final Battle of Alberta, a final goal, a final save, and eventually a final NHL game in the 43-year-old arena.
For a rebuilding team still searching for its next championship window, the farewell season offers Flames fans something meaningful to embrace even if the climb up the standings remains difficult.
COVERS INTEL: The Braves have struggled offensively on the road with a
