Red Sox look to win 10th straight series against visiting Athletics

OAKLAND, CA - SEPTEMBER 25: Oakland Athletics mascot Stomper greets fans during the game between the Texas Rangers and the Oakland Athletics at RingCentral Coliseum on Wednesday, September 25, 2024 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

Nine straight series wins was just what the doctor ordered. And every Red Sox fan. They’re pitching, hitting homers, playing defense. They look like the best team in baseball. And for the last month or so, they’ve been the best. They won two of three against the Athletics in Sacramento, possibly hindered by the sun angles, and will get three games to test themselves against the team at Fenway Park. This weekend will help answer if it was the Athletics pitching – which hasn’t been great – or the batter’s eye that proved challenging for the Sox in that series.

Jack Perkins allowed just 2 runs in 5.2 innings to Boston as part of a three-game stretch where he allowed 8 runs over 13.2 innings. Which isn’t great but he gave up 7 to the Marlins before that stretch and 6 to the Tigers right after. Now the righty faces Boston again. Payton Tolle rolled out a 6.0 inning, 7K, 2 run outing against the Dodgers last time out. Almost the same as he put up against these Athletics. Let’s see the rematch!

Gage Jump provided the lone win for the A’s in Sacramento. He went 6.0 innings, struck out 7, didn’t allow a run. But surrounding that start: 4.2 innings and 6 runs against the Diamondbacks and 3.2 innings and 6 runs against the Tigers. Jake Bennett, like Tolle, just keeps rolling along. Around 6.0 innings per start, 3 runs or fewer. What a steal from the Nationals.

J.T. Ginn missed Boston when they were in Sacramento. A righty, he’s been all over the place in the last month. But an 8-run outing against the White Sox sticks out the most. The Red Sox will feature a bullpen start to close out the weekend. The exact makeup of this game isn’t known at the moment so it could be an opener and Bello or it could be a more traditional 1-2 inning per guy event.

Shea Langeliers, Nick Kurtz, and Zack Gelof are all on the IL now.

Since the win against Boston the A’s have lost 8 straight games. Boston has won 8 straight.

Probable Pitching Matchups

Friday, August 7: Jack Perkins (6.72 ERA / 4.61 FIP) vs. Payton Tolle (3.30 ERA / 3.41 FIP)

Saturday, August 8: Gage Jump (4.59 ERA / 3.80 FIP) vs. Jake Bennett (2.90 ERA / 3.23 FIP)

Sunday, August 9: J.T. Ginn (3.51 ERA / 4.22 FIP) vs. TBD Bullpen (— ERA / — FIP)

When/Where to Watch

Friday, August 7: 7:10 PM ET on NESN

Saturday, August 8: 4:10 PM ET on NESN

Sunday, August 9: 1:35 PM ET on NESN

Yankees Birthday of the Day: Don Larsen

American baseball player Don Larsen poses in the uniform of the New York Yankees, mid 1950s. (Photo by Phil Burchman/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The imperfect man pitched a perfect game yesterday.

So read Joe Trimble’s lead on October 9, 1956 in the New York Daily News. The day prior, a man who was an afterthought on a team in the midst of winning its seventh championship in 10 years, a man known more for his carousing off the field than his performance on it, had achieved the unthinkable. He’d held a Brooklyn Dodgers lineup stacked with five Hall of Famers to 27 plate appearances, permitting none to reach base safely in the first and last perfect game in World Series history.

Don James Larsen
Born: August 7, 1929 (Michigan City, IN)
Died: January 1, 2020 (Coeur d’Alene, ID)
Yankees Tenure: 1955-59

Don Larsen grew up on the Indiana side of Lake Michigan. His father, James, played sandlot baseball and passed along the game to young Don, who began playing ball with his father at the age of four. While he was in high school, the family moved to San Diego, where Larsen made the All-Metro Conference basketball team at Point Loma High and garnered several college basketball scholarships. The fun-loving Larsen declined. “I was never much with studies, and I didn’t really have an interest in going to college and studying my life away,” he would later say of his decision.

Instead, Larsen signed a contract with the St. Louis Browns, spending four seasons in their minor-league system before he was drafted into the Army in 1951. He played baseball for an Army team at Fort Shafter on Oahu for two years, returning to the mainland in time for spring training in 1953. The 23-year-old pitched well enough to earn a spot out of camp, an achievement he likened to “Christmas in springtime.”

Larsen was a bright spot on the 100-loss Browns as a rookie, tossing a team-high 192.2 innings with a 4.16 ERA. His teammates gave him a delightfully ’50s nickname that would stick with him throughout his career: Gooney Bird. Depending who you ask, the origin of the moniker was either Larsen’s gangly appearance or his outside-the-lines antics.

The Browns moved to Baltimore for the ‘54 season. The newly christened Orioles once again lost 100 games, with Larsen taking the decision in an MLB-high 21 of them. He won only three games but two came against the mighty Yankees, drawing the attention of the team’s manager, Casey Stengel.

Following the season, he was traded to New York in a mammoth 17-player deal that also netted the Yankees future Cy Young Award winner Bob Turley. Larsen was injured to start the year but pitched well once recalled, going 9-2 in 19 games (13 starts) to help his new team to the pennant. He drew the start in Game 4 of the World Series against the Dodgers. With the Yankees up two games to one and the chance to stake them to a commanding series lead, Larsen faltered, allowing five runs — including two long balls — in four innings as the Dodgers coasted to victory. After the Yankees lost to their chief NL rivals in Game 7, Larsen remained positive about his experience. “I had stretched beyond my childhood dreams by playing for the Yankees in the World Series,” he would later recount. “Even though we lost the championship to the Dodgers, I was thankful to have been even been there in the first place.”

The next year shaped up similarly. An 11-5 record in the regular season as the Yankees repeated as AL champs, followed by an even more frustrating World Series outing against the Dodgers in which he walked four in 1.2 innings as the Yankees coughed up an early six-run lead.

This is where reality and myth start to become inextricable. There’s as much lore around Larsen’s perfect game as any event in Yankees history. New York Daily Mirror writer Arthur Richman later relayed that Larsen told him the night before on the way back from the bars that he would pitch a no-hitter. This was likely impossible given Stengel’s habit of informing pitchers whether they would start on game day, employing his coach, Frank Crosetti, to place a baseball in the starter’s shoe. Much like David Wells, the next Yankee to reach perfection, there’s been much written about the extent of Larsen’s hangover that game day as well.

Whatever the merit of these stories, Larsen took the mound at Yankee Stadium on October 8 prepared to face a lineup that had twice torn him to shreds. The outcome would be different that day, with the 27-year-old needing just 97 pitches to carve up one of the most potent lineups ever assembled. After throwing his improbable perfecto, Larsen jogged off the mound and was intercepted by a euphoric Yogi Berra, the catcher who he hadn’t shaken off a single time all day. Yogi jumped into Larsen’s arms, and a piece of Americana was born.

Larsen would pitch for 10 more seasons but, naturally, never match the majesty of his finest achievement. He embraced the narrow scope of his baseball legacy. “I have thought about that perfect game, more than once a day, every day of my life since the day I threw it,” he said in 2012.

Larsen spent three more years in New York, mostly serving as a mediocre swingman but making four more October outings. In the ‘58 Fall Classic, he held Milwaukee off the board for seven innings in an eventual 4-0 victory and pitched 2.1 more innings of one-run ball in the decisive Game 7 to earn his second ring. He’d pitch for six more teams after departing New York at the conclusion of the ‘59 season, including a return to the World Series as a member of the Giants in 1962, pitching back at Yankee Stadium in Games 3 and 4. Larsen made his last appearance with the Cubs in 1967, weeks before his 38th birthday.

After the conclusion of his playing career, Larsen moved to San Jose, where he worked for many years as a paper salesman. After retiring, he moved to Idaho, though he was always a safe bet to return to the site of his former glory each Old-Timers’ Day. Larsen also formed a kinship with the two other pitchers who spun perfect games for the Yankees in the 20th century: David Wells, who coincidentally also went to Point Loma High, and David Cone, whose gem Larsen actually attended since there were pregame festivities celebrating the return of Yogi Berra to Yankee Stadium. Larsen threw the ceremonial first pitch to Berra, and Cone threw the last to Joe Girardi.

Larsen died on the first day of 2020 at the age of 90. Please join us in remembering perhaps the most unlikely of Yankee legends, the everyman who for one day was perfect.


See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.

THN Ranks Connor Bedard As 3rd Best Center In Central, Blackhawks 30th Best Off-Season

It's been an interesting off-season for the Chicago Blackhawks. They added Patrick Kane late in the free agent window, made some significant draft selections, and traded for Bowen Byram ahead of the draft. 

Are these moves going to help them take a step in their development? Will it start to show in 2026-27, or will it take some time? It is going to be a young, exciting team to watch, but whether or not they take a jump in the standings remains to be seen. 

The Hockey News is ranking each NHL team's off-season from 32nd to 1st, and the Chicago Blackhawks did not land in an ideal spot as the 30th-best. 

NHL Off-Season Rankings: No. 30, Chicago BlackhawksNHL Off-Season Rankings: No. 30, Chicago BlackhawksTheHockeyNews.com is ranking the NHL's 32 teams for their performance throughout the off-season, with today's focus being on the Chicago Blackhawks. Do they have enough new talent to make the playoffs, or is more pain ahead?

The logic behind their landing in 30th place is that the additions they made, along with the subtraction of Louis Crevier and Ilya Mikheyev, won't help them take a step forward. They are relying on young players to carry the team, which makes it difficult to see the plan working right away. 

Below them are the Anaheim Ducks at 31 and the Detroit Red Wings at 32. Neither of them had good off-seasons at all, especially Detroit, but they are both currently ahead of the Blackhawks in terms of their NHL roster.  

The only way for the Blackhawks to prove any doubts wrong about thier off-season moves is for Bowen Byram to look like the number one defenseman they are going to pay him to be, and for Kane to be an incredible mentor for the young guys, both on and off the ice. Winning also solves everything when it comes to a team's perception.

It wasn't all negativity when it comes to lists involving the Chicago Blackhawks, however. The Hockey News ranked the top three centers in the Central Division earlier in the week and was very kind to Connor Bedard. 

Top Three Centers In The NHL's Central DivisionTop Three Centers In The NHL's Central DivisionTrue to its name, the Central Division has some of the best and most exciting centers in the NHL. But who are the three best heading into the 2026-27 NHL season?

Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche is one of the three best centers in the world, which made him the clear-cut number-one guy within the division. It's also fair to see Wyatt Johnston of the Dallas Stars ranked second, as he's become one of the premier players in the sport as well. 

Connor Bedard came in at third, which is a result of his first breakout season in 2025-26, where he was a 30 goal/point per game player for the first time in his NHL career. 

By coming in third on this list, he beat out Mark Scheifele, Robert Thomas, and Ryan O'Reilly, amongst some other great centers in the Central Division. 

The next step for Bedard is to reach the 40-goal plateau and then possibly the 50-goal plateau, while taking a step in his point-per-game journey. He also needs to work on getting his shoulder right, as he is expected to miss the first month of the season recovering from surgery. If there are no setbacks, he should be able to put that behind him for good. 

There is a lot of organizational faith in Connor Bedard and his future, but they are going to need many other young players to reach their NHL potential if they are going to become a winning franchise again. 

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Seven Rays prospects rank on Baseball America updated Top-100 for 2026

PHILADELPHIA, PA - JULY 12: Theo Gillen #14 of the American League Futures team looks on during the 2026 All-Star Futures Game Presented by Nike at Citizens Bank Park on Sunday, July 12, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

Baseball America updates their Top-100 MLB prospects list with some regularity throughout the year, but the most meaningful mid-season update follows the conclusion of both the MLB Draft and MLB Trade Deadline. Now that the dust has settled, the Rays have seven prospects ranked in the new Top-100, including two in the top twenty.

5. Theo Gillen, OF

The jump in Power has turned Gillen’s profile into one of the best in baseball. This morning in the Slack chat Cole Mitchem comped Gillen’s current profile to Brewers CF Garrett Mitchell or Phillies CF from 2023-2025 Brandon Marsh. Gillen is 8 years younger than both.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 60 | Power: 60 | Run: 60 | Field: 60 | Arm: 45

13. Grady Emerson, SS

A prep short stop was a prototypical Rays selection at No. 2 overall, but the offensive profile at 17-years young made this the obvious choice as well.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 65 | Power: 50 | Run: 55 | Field: 55 | Arm: 60

54. Nathan Flewelling, C

Tampa Bay’s third round pick from 2024 has risen this year, as BA praises his improving defense and consistent power from his lefthanded swing.

    Scouting Grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 55 | Run: 30 | Field: 50 | Arm: 50

    59. Caden Bodine, C

    The 30th overall selection of the 2025 draft, Bodine might be the star of the loaded Shane Baz trade return, having already rocketed up to Double-A after demolishing the A and A+ levels.

    Scouting Grades: Hit: 60 | Power: 40 | Run: 40 | Field: 60 | Arm: 45

    64. Cooper Flemming, SS / 3B

    The team’s 2nd round pick from last season (53rd overall in 2025) boasts a 130 wRC+ in Low-A, outpacing fellow draftees SS Daniel Pierce (100 wRC+, 14th overall in 2025) and OF Brendan Summerhill (98 wRC+, 42nd overall), and in lock step with…

    Scouting Grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 50 | Run: 45 | Field: 50 | Arm: 55

    76. Taitn Gray, 1B

    … last season’s third round selection, the switch hitting Gray (128 wRC+, 86th overall in 2025). He’s a bit positionless at the moment, and needed a minor elbow surgery to clean up loose bodies, but the bat is real at 18 years young.

    Scouting Grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 60 | Run: 50 | Field: 45 | Arm: 50

    82. Brody Hopkins, RHP

    The key return in the Randy Arozarena trade (now that OF Aidan Smith — who was not a Top-100 prospect — has been traded), Hopkins has seen his walk rate spike to 22% in 85 innings at Triple-A while the Rays try to simplify his delivery mid-season, but the quality of his stuff is still respected.

    Scouting Grades: Fastball: 65 | Curveball: 70 | Changeup: 40 | Cutter: 65 | Sweeper: 60 | Control: 40

    Padres and Diamondbacks even season series

    SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 10: The San Diego Padres mascot Swinging Friar and the mother version of swinging Friar pose on the field for Mother's Day before the game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Petco Park on May 10, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Matt Thomas/San Diego Padres/Getty Images) | Getty Images

    Diamondbacks News

    (MLB.com) Padres even season series with D-backs, gain ground in Wild Card race

    They’ve played three series this season. And, after the Padres’ 5-1 victory Thursday night, they’ve split all three of them. It sure looks like this race might go down to the wire — a season-ending three-game series between the two NL West rivals at Petco Park.

    “We’ve played these guys pretty even all year round,” Padres manager Craig Stammen said. “We’ll see them again later in the year in a three-game series. Could be the decider of it all.”

    (San Diego Union Tribune) Padres win, earn crucial series split with Diamondbacks

    Thursday night was important. Big. Enormous.

    But then the magnitude also shrunk in the shadow of the 46 games that remain.

    “Uh, yeah, probably,” Padres manager Craig Stammen said Thursday afternoon when asked if he viewed that night’s game as having added consequence. “I mean, right now, the space that we’re in, we’re two games behind these guys. So the best way to get closer is to beat them. So I think that’s the number one priority today.”

    (Arizona Sports) Back-and-forth battle between Diamondbacks and Padres to be continued

    The Diamondbacks (61-55) and Padres (60-56) remain neck-and-neck in a race for the third NL Wild Card spot with 46 games left. Their final series will close the regular season at Petco Park to determine the head-to-head tiebreaker.

    Over the past two seasons, the D-backs took on the Padres at the end of the campaign with their playoff fate in the air. The chance of that happening again is legitimate.

    MLB News

    (Sporting News) Dave Dombrowski reveals Bryce Harper was key to Phillies trading for Luis Arraez

    “It started with Bryce Harper,” Dombrowski said of the bold Arraez trade. Stark noted that, “But Harper opened the door to the Arraez trade by telling Dombrowski multiple times he’d make that move, from first base to right field, if they needed him to.”

    Well, it wasn’t to acquire a first baseman, but rather a new second baseman. But the shift for Harper was all the same.

    By adding Arraez, Harper would have to move from first base to the outfield, back where he played the majority of his MLB career.

    (ESPN) Where all 30 MLB teams stand after 2026 trade deadline

    In addition to the usual Stock Watch measurements, I’ve taken a stab at looking how complete each team’s roster is, expressing it as a percentage. The basic details are in the methodology box. The idea is that for contenders, it’s a look at how well-situated a team is for the playoff push and a potential October run. For the noncontenders, it’s a glimpse at just how much work they have to do so that their future Augusts and Septembers are a little more dramatic.

    (MLB.com) Arrighetti leaves 1st rehab start in Blue Jays’ system with apparent injury

    Spencer Arrighetti, who the Blue Jays acquired at the Trade Deadline for outfielder Daulton Varsho, made his first rehab appearance in Toronto’s system on Thursday, but he left early with an apparent injury.


    The 26-year-old Arrighetti, who has been on the injured list since July 25 with right foot nerve irritation, was removed after 2 1/3 hitless innings with Triple-A Buffalo. He threw 39 pitches before he was lifted from the game.

    Mike Gansey reflects on Sixers' whirlwind offseason: ‘It's just crazy in this NBA'

    Mike Gansey reflects on Sixers' whirlwind offseason: ‘It's just crazy in this NBA'  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

    Mike Gansey had high ambitions entering his first offseason as the Sixers’ president of basketball operations.

    By his own admission, however, there was no surefire master plan to first trade for All-NBA wing Jaylen Brown and then sign all-time great LeBron James on a veteran’s minimum salary. 

    “I didn’t know how it was going to go,” Gansey said Thursday after Brown’s introductory Sixers press conference. “(James) obviously had a lot of great options. I didn’t know what he was going to decide. But I thought maybe after Jaylen, we had a better chance. I guess that was all we needed. 

    “And our players were obviously the biggest recruiters. … Our ownership is obviously great with that as well. I think after the Jaylen (trade), I don’t want to say it got real, but at least we had a chance to be in the mix.”

    James wound up choosing the Sixers over a group of teams that included the Cavs, Heat and Warriors. The 22-time All-Star has inked a two-year contract with a player option in the second season.

    Gansey was glad to pounce on his opportunities to assemble a star-filled lineup. He noted that the Sixers now have two former NBA Finals MVPs (Brown and James) and two former regular-season MVPs (Joel Embiid and James). 

    “It’s just crazy in this NBA,” he said. “You don’t know what’s going to happen. For me, it’s just, ‘Hey, I’m going to pick up the phone. I’m going to try to get involved in everything I possibly can.’ See what’s out there and be aggressive and be creative. Fortunately for us, this is where we landed.”

    While Gansey is eager to watch the Sixers in action, he highlighted that the team is 0-0 and will require time to gel. Brown struck similar notes in his press conference.

    “I’ve been around a long time,” Brown said, “long enough to know that what you have on paper doesn’t really mean (anything). It can if you put the work in, but if you allow distractions, if you allow the media to get into your locker room, if you allow certain things and the personalities don’t work, it could be a detriment.

    “So I’m aware that it could go either way. It just takes an amount of work, and the transparency and leadership can really guide this thing or not.”

    Gansey still clearly has valid reasons to believe that the 2026-27 Sixers have enormous potential.

    “I think we have great (top-end) talent,” he said, “but also getting Anfernee Simons, Dean Wade, (Ariel) Hukporti, having Dominick Barlow, getting Labaron (Philon Jr.) in the draft. I’m just excited to see how it looks — the combinations, the lineups, the versatility we have. When you have the talent, it’s exciting, and then trying to figure it out is the hard part. But I’m excited to see what’s ahead.” 

    Gansey also views Embiid’s summer as a major source of optimism. 

    After grinding through another injury-riddled season last year, the 32-year-old big man recently posted photos of himself working out with teammates on social media.

    “He’s just been himself, man,” Gansey said of Embiid. “I remember when I got the job, I went over there and he was like, ‘I want to have a great year. I want to play a lot of games. I want to be All-NBA Joel.’ He’s talked the talk and now he’s walking the walk. He’s lost some weight; you saw the pictures. He’s been in the gym. He’s doing all the right things and he’s super motivated.”

    Of course, Embiid is not the only Sixer itching for the start of the season.

    “Talking to (head coach Nick Nurse), he’s excited,” Gansey said. “It’s just like a kid in a candy store. He’s like, ‘How are we going to put this thing together and see if works?’” 

    Mike Gansey reflects on Sixers' whirlwind offseason: ‘It's just crazy in this NBA'

    Mike Gansey reflects on Sixers' whirlwind offseason: ‘It's just crazy in this NBA'  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

    Mike Gansey had high ambitions entering his first offseason as the Sixers’ president of basketball operations.

    By his own admission, however, there was no surefire master plan to first trade for All-NBA wing Jaylen Brown and then sign all-time great LeBron James on a veteran’s minimum salary. 

    “I didn’t know how it was going to go,” Gansey said Thursday after Brown’s introductory Sixers press conference. “(James) obviously had a lot of great options. I didn’t know what he was going to decide. But I thought maybe after Jaylen, we had a better chance. I guess that was all we needed. 

    “And our players were obviously the biggest recruiters. … Our ownership is obviously great with that as well. I think after the Jaylen (trade), I don’t want to say it got real, but at least we had a chance to be in the mix.”

    James wound up choosing the Sixers over a group of teams that included the Cavs, Heat and Warriors. The 22-time All-Star has inked a two-year contract with a player option in the second season.

    Gansey was glad to pounce on his opportunities to assemble a star-filled lineup. He noted that the Sixers now have two former NBA Finals MVPs (Brown and James) and two former regular-season MVPs (Joel Embiid and James). 

    “It’s just crazy in this NBA,” he said. “You don’t know what’s going to happen. For me, it’s just, ‘Hey, I’m going to pick up the phone. I’m going to try to get involved in everything I possibly can.’ See what’s out there and be aggressive and be creative. Fortunately for us, this is where we landed.”

    While Gansey is eager to watch the Sixers in action, he highlighted that the team is 0-0 and will require time to gel. Brown struck similar notes in his press conference.

    “I’ve been around a long time,” Brown said, “long enough to know that what you have on paper doesn’t really mean (anything). It can if you put the work in, but if you allow distractions, if you allow the media to get into your locker room, if you allow certain things and the personalities don’t work, it could be a detriment.

    “So I’m aware that it could go either way. It just takes an amount of work, and the transparency and leadership can really guide this thing or not.”

    Gansey still clearly has valid reasons to believe that the 2026-27 Sixers have enormous potential.

    “I think we have great (top-end) talent,” he said, “but also getting Anfernee Simons, Dean Wade, (Ariel) Hukporti, having Dominick Barlow, getting Labaron (Philon Jr.) in the draft. I’m just excited to see how it looks — the combinations, the lineups, the versatility we have. When you have the talent, it’s exciting, and then trying to figure it out is the hard part. But I’m excited to see what’s ahead.” 

    Gansey also views Embiid’s summer as a major source of optimism. 

    After grinding through another injury-riddled season last year, the 32-year-old big man recently posted photos of himself working out with teammates on social media.

    “He’s just been himself, man,” Gansey said of Embiid. “I remember when I got the job, I went over there and he was like, ‘I want to have a great year. I want to play a lot of games. I want to be All-NBA Joel.’ He’s talked the talk and now he’s walking the walk. He’s lost some weight; you saw the pictures. He’s been in the gym. He’s doing all the right things and he’s super motivated.”

    Of course, Embiid is not the only Sixer itching for the start of the season.

    “Talking to (head coach Nick Nurse), he’s excited,” Gansey said. “It’s just like a kid in a candy store. He’s like, ‘How are we going to put this thing together and see if works?’” 

    Report: Kevin Love’s agent in contact with the 76ers

    LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 18: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers and Kevin Love #42 of the Utah Jazz talk before the game on November 18, 2025 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

    The free agency dust is finally starting to settle in Sixers land after a blockbuster trade for Jaylen Brown and the signing of LeBron James. Thus far, the Sixers have signaled they’re heading into the season with their current group at 14 roster spots. Now, we’re getting an idea of what’s to come, with ESPN’s Dave McMenamin and other insiders reporting on the league’s top remaining free agents.

    Per McMenamin, the Sixers “have been in contact” with Love’s agent, Jeff Schwartz, since signing James. He also shared that Love has interest in pairing with James, but has also maintained a strong relationship with Utah Jazz coach Will Hardy, with whom he played last season. As things stand currently, the Jazz roster is full.

    The Sixers could bring Love aboard, albeit at a later date. They lack the cap space below the first apron to fill their 15th and final roster spot as currently constructed. However, they can sign Love to a prorated contract in mid-December without any roster turnover if they choose.

    This isn’t the first time Love has had interest in joining the Sixers. In February of 2023, the Sixers were among the final two teams he decided between fresh off a buyout with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Love would go on to sign with the Miami Heat. He spent two and a half years there before being traded to Utah in 2025 in a multi-team deal that brought Norman Powell to Miami. Love spent all of last season with the rebuilding Utah Jazz, averaging 6.7 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists on 39.7 percent shooting and 37.3 percent from three in 16.6 minutes across 37 games. He started five games.

    At age 37, Love’s best years are certainly behind him. However, you could argue that the Sixers could do worse with their final roster spot. Love can still shoot the three and is an effective rebounder (his per-36 rate was 12.6 rebounds per game). With the backup center spot occupied by Adem Bona and Ariel Hukporti, he’d bring a different skillset to the mix if the Sixers wanted floor spacing over rim protection and athleticism. By all accounts, he’s also a good presence in the locker room, beyond his relationship with James.

    For now, it appears unlikely Love will join the Sixers due to roster and salary cap implications. However, there’s a chance we could see this move come to fruition mid-season as a straight-up signing or if the Sixers make another transaction within the next few months if Love remains unsigned.

    Chase Petty to start for Reds tonight against Nationals

    CINCINNATI, OHIO - JULY 29: Chase Petty #61 of the Cincinnati Reds pitches during the game against the Cleveland Guardians at Great American Ball Park on July 29, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Cleveland defeated Cincinnati 6-1. (Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images) | Getty Images

    With a free spot on the team’s 40-man roster (and another freed up by the move of Blake Dunn to the 60-day IL), the Cincinnati Reds made a pair of roster claims on Thursday afternoon.

    Right Ron Marinaccio was claimed off waivers by the Pittsburgh Pirates, while the club also announced the addition of righty Chase Solesky off waivers from the Tampa Bay Rays. Solesky was officially optioned to AAA Louisville after the moves, while Marinaccio was held on the active roster as a potential starter for Friday’s series opener against the Washington Nationals in the wake of Hunter Greene’s move to the 15-day IL.

    As it turns out, though, that won’t be the case. Marinaccio will be on the roster as a depth option, but it will be another Chase – Petty, in this instance – who’ll get the nod for the Bottom of the 1st for the Reds on Friday night in Washington. That’s according to C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic.

    Petty, long considered a starting pitching prospect, has mostly worked as a reliever in his time with the Reds so far this season. That’s also been the case in his most recent outings with AAA Louisville, as he hasn’t pitched more than 2.1 IP with them since back on June 4th. So, the Reds will effectively be employing a bullpen game on Friday, with Petty leading the line first among the troupe.

    The Reds will take on the Nationals at 6:45 PM ET on MLB.tv this evening.

    Astros Prospect Report: August 6th

    PORT ST. LUCIE, FL - MARCH 14: Brett Gillis (78) of the Houston Astros pitches against the New York Mets during a Minor League spring training game on March 14, 2026 at Clover Park in Port St. Lucie, Florida. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

    Another day of minor league baseball is in the books. See the results below. Check out the previous day’s recap here.

    AAA: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (58-52) lost 5-3 (BOX SCORE)

    Alexander started for Sugar Land and went 4 innings allowing 3 runs. He was relieved by Weiss who allowed one unearned run over 2.1 innings. The offense got on the board in the 8th inning on a Delgado RBI double, Loperfido groundout and Whitcomb sac fly. The pen allowed one more run and the offense was quiet the rest of the way as Sugar Land fell 5-3.

    Note: Teng has a 3.60 ERA in in Triple-A.


    AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (50-55) lost 9-4 (BOX SCORE)

    Gillis started for the Hooks and pitched well allowing 2 runs over 5.2 innings while striking out 7. The offense got on the board in the third inning on a Holy solo home run. In the 5th they scored 2 runs on a Call RBI double and Hernandez RBI single. The pen struggled allowing 7 runs as the Drillers took the lead. The offense got one back in the 8th on a Whitaker RBI single but that was it as the Hooks fell 9-4.

    Note: Gillis has a 3.57 ERA this season.


    A+: Asheville Tourists (34-69) lost 14-7 (BOX SCORE)

    Asheville got on the board in the first inning scoring 2 runs on an error. Oakes started for Asheville and went 3 innings allowing 5 runs. The pen struggled too allowing another 7 runs as the Dash opened up a big lead. Asheville got 4 runs back in the 7th on a wild pitch, Powell groundout, Frey sac fly and Monistere RBI single. Batista added an RBI single in the 9th but the deficit was too much to overcome as Asheville fell 14-7.

    Note: Thomas has a .852 OPS this season.


    A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (53-50) won 10-9 (BOX SCORE)

    The Woodpeckers got on the board in the first on a Wakefield groundout. They got 2 more runs in the third inning on a Wakefield 2 run double. Beck got the start and went 4 innings allowing 3 runs. In the 5th, Wakefield added a sac fly. The pen allowed a few runs but in the 7th, the Woodpeckers rallied for 6 runs on a Cauro hit by pitch, Flores 2 run single, Fielder RBI single and Ramirez 2 run double. The pen was able to hold on as the Woodpeckers won 10-9.

    Note: Luciano has a .889 OPS in Single-A this season.


    Today’s minor league starters:

    SL: Jackson Nezuh – 7:35 CT

    CC: Nolan DeVos – 7:05 CT

    AV: Nick Potter – 5:30 CT

    FV: TBD – 5:35 CT

    Grading the Mets’ trade deadline

    DUNEDIN, FLORIDA - MARCH 20, 2025: Émilien Pitre #4 of the Tampa Bay Rays takes batting practice prior to a spring training game against the Toronto Blue Jays at TD Ballpark on March 20, 2025 in Dunedin, Florida. (Photo by George Kubas/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images

    Now that the dust has settled on the trade deadline and we’ve had some time to reflect on the Mets’ deals, let’s put a grade on how well they did.

    Revising our priors

    We discussed what the value on the Mets’ pieces was likely to be in our trade deadline primer in the week before the deadline. By and large, those assessments held up and serve as a good baseline for what the Mets should have received, with two notable exceptions.

    Both Brooks Raley and A.J. Minter returned well below what was suggested in the primer, where I floated a lighter version of the Ryan Helsley deal from 2025. Upon further digging and conversations with other experts, that was far too aggressive a position. Neither Minter nor Raley rate well in either contact suppression or – more importantly – in-zone whiff generation at this juncture. Smarter teams were likely not valuing either as more than a 2nd lefty option, and the return for both players reflects that.

    David Peterson to the Cubs

    Mets receive:
    1B Cole Mathis

    News

    Grade: A

    This deal obviously came several weeks before the deadline, but it merits mention here as part of the Mets’ broader sell off. Peterson was absolutely terrible in New York this season, and that includes his peripherals. He was trending towards being DFA’d in order to clear room for better / more interesting / more long term-relevant arms. Somehow, the Mets managed to pull a legitimately exciting prospect in return for making Peterson available early, taking the risk on Cole Mathis’s injury history to capture the upside. Very nice move.

    Freddy Peralta to the Rays

    Mets receive:
    2B Émilien Pitre
    RHP Gary Gill Hill
    OF Aidan Smith

    NewsBreakdown

    Grade: A-

    This is not a slam dunk return, but it’s a very nice one for what Peralta is. Pitre in particular has become significantly more interesting this year, improving his EVs despite no clear uptick in home run total (somewhat akin to A.J. Ewing in the minors). It’s quite possible the public consensus rankings are lagging behind a real improvement in true talent level. Aidan Smith might not be able to hit and Gary Gill Hill has an ugly ERA, but both have promising underlying traits of their own.

    So again, not a robbery, but a nice package of players, and one that is indeed more valuable than what the players the Mets gave up have turned out to be for the Brewers. Not a bad place to wind up.

    A.J. Minter to the Twins

    Mets receive:
    1B/3B Billy Amick
    IF Bruin Agbayani

    NewsBreakdown

    Grade: C

    As discussed above, this return is broadly appropriate return for a reliever of A.J. Minter’s caliber. The shape of this return, however, is not something I’m a fan of. Billy Amick has far more name value than actual and isn’t actually much of a prospect. Agbayani is equivalent to your stereotypical, overslot mid-round prep pick. It’s not awful, but an interesting DSL flier (such as Jhomnardo Reyes, who was moved for 1+ years of Dean Kremer) or an intriguing traits arm (such as personal cheeseball Matt Barr) would’ve been more both better and potentially attainable.

    Huascar Brazoban to the White Sox

    Mets receive:
    RHP Zach Franklin
    RHP Gabe Davis

    NewsBreakdown

    Grade: A-

    Huascar Brazoban has not fundamentally changed as a pitcher, suggesting that his stronger top-line this year is more a small sample size aberration than a true jump. Getting a guy like Zach Franklin who has arguably better stuff and is a decade younger as well as a recently interesting college arm in Gabe Davis is a very nice move. There’s a reason the Mets linked up with the White Sox for this deal and not, say, the Dodgers or Brewers. Read into that what you will.

    Brooks Raley to the Phillies

    Mets receive:
    RHP Luke Gabrysh
    OF John Spikerman

    NewsBreakdown

    Grade: B

    As stated above, this is a fine return for what Brooks Raley is. Throw another interesting trait arm in the dev machine and let it churn, and add a gamble on an elite defender to boot.

    Ben Rortvedt to the Dodgers

    Mets receive:
    RHP Chayce McDermott

    News

    Grade: A

    This deal didn’t get a breakdown, but it was one of the better deals the Mets made even if it was a small magnitude one. Rortvedt is a 4th catcher the Mets’ had no utility but who is familiar with the Dodgers’ staff and clubhouse. McDermott is a few years removed from being a top pitching prospect and still has some crazy spin capacity. The Dodgers don’t have the playing time available to give McDermott the runway to iron out his control, but the Mets clearly do and he’s already up in the major league bullpen. He’ll either figure it out and become a potentially valuable relief arm or he’ll walk 8 batters per 9 and help the Mets’ tank – a win either way, and it cost nothing.

    Luke Weaver to the Pirates

    Mets receive:
    SS Sammy Stafura

    NewsBreakdown

    Grade: B+

    Nice bit of work by the Mets here, and kudos to them for being willing to pay down some of Weaver’s contract to get a better return. Stafura has serious contact concerns that really lower the floor, but has the power, speed, and defensive abilities – as well as recent minor league performance – where you can dream on a really exciting player. He’s in the right range of prospect quality for a reliever of Weaver’s quality too.

    Clay Holmes and Tyrone Taylor to the Cubs

    Mets receive:
    3B Jefferson Rojas

    NewsBreakdown

    Grade: B

    Repeating a bit of what we covered in the breakdown, Jefferson Rojas is a decently rated prospect that I suspect is overhyped publicly. There is no standout tool here, nothing exciting to hang your hat on, and guys like that often cap out as second-division regulars. This is also a broadly appropriate return for what Clay Holmes and Tyrone Taylor (who remains a marginal platoon bat on an expiring deal, recent HR binge notwithstanding) are. Totally fine, no real drama in either direction.

    Conclusion

    The overarching theme of the Mets’ deals is that they broadly aligned with the value they should have received. Yes, that value was often a bit lower than what fans might’ve expected (who can blame us for having rose colored glasses at times?), but that doesn’t change the reality of how major league teams evaluate players.

    There were certainly a couple nice wins. David Peterson returned a better prospect than he had any right to. Scooping up Chayce McDermott was a tidy bit of business. The Peralta return looks good. All of these wins were either marginal or in smaller magnitude deals, however, meaning the impact on the overall grade is not huge.

    It is also important to consider the broader market context, against which the Mets’ returns again look fairly reasonable. Most starters and relievers of similar quality were traded for similar packages, and the Mets’ arguably did a bit better in spots by targeting less intelligent teams. There is one notable exception, that being the Cardinals receiving at least one and likely two top-100 prospects from the Brewers in exchange for Dustin May and JoJo Romero. Now, Dustin May is a more valuable starter than either Peralta or Holmes, but it’s worth wondering if the Mets could’ve snagged one of those top-100 names (Josiah Ragsdale in particular would’ve been very exciting) by packaging one of their lefty rental relievers with a starter and routing them to Milwaukee.

    Dinging the Mets because of one outlier deal this deadline is a bit unfair, particularly when we don’t know what conversations were had behind the scenes or what preferences other teams had. However, the bottom line is that the Mets did not do anything particularly creative, nor did the score any huge wins. By and large, they got what they were supposed to.

    Final Grade: B

    In The Name Of The Father

    Coming home from a successful roadtrip going 6-4 against some tough competition, the Diamondbacks found themselves a couple of even tougher divisional opponents on the horizon in the San Diego Padres and the Los Angeles Dodgers. While the trade deadline didn’t go as most Dbacks fans had envisioned, they had to put that behind them and look ahead towards the rest of the season with as much optimism as we possibly can. This team is still a very talented group and with reinforcements on the horizon in the likes of Michael Soroka, Corbin Burnes and even Justin Martinez, the snakes would need to continue to play the same style of ball that had them go 15-10 throughout the month of July in hopes of staying in playoff contention and returning to October for the first time since their magical 2023 World Series appearance.

    The Friar Split

    Entering play on Monday the Diamondbacks and Padres found their season matchup tied even at 3 wins a piece, with a big 4 game set on the horizon. A series victory or even a sweep of the Padres would have been the most ideal outcome for the Snakes, splitting the series is far from the worst thing we could have asked for, as the fellas and I agreed that it might not be the most satisfying outcome, they avoided losing any ground in both the NL Wild Card race but also in the NL West standings.

    There were some very good things to come from this series like Brandon Pfaadt continuing his dominant stretch or Mitch Bratt getting his first career MLB win behind a 10-Run offensive outburst, there were also some moments that were frustrating to witness like the sloppy defense (especially in Tuesday’s Game 2 defeat) or Kohl Drake failing to reach 5 innings for the third outing in a row.

    Noot Noot De-boot

    The Dbacks lone move from Monday’s trade deadline in Lars Nootbar got to have an impact throughout this whole series and immediately felt like he was going to fit this Dbacks scheme well and improve the team in ways that might not be the flashiest, but effective none the less.

    Gabe and Brandon both mentioned that while the .200 batting average (only 10 at bats so obviously not anything to dive deep into) doesn’t appear on paper to be the most impactful, the 3 walks Nootbar worked along with the actual tape showed that Nootbar brought a refreshing approach from a DBacks hitter that we don’t really get to see outside of Geraldo Perdomo. Lars showed off his plate discipline and ability to make the pitcher really work to earn his out, especially in his first inning at-bat against Walker Buehler where he worked it full and made Buehler throw 8 pitches to him alone. The 3 of us agreed that he might not be the slugging bat that we all wanted at the deadline, if he can be a .250 hitter with an OBP around .350 or better then he will be a very solid addition to a lineup that at times has a tendency to have quick and unproductive outs that can lead to the opposing pitchers settling in and going deeper into games.

    It’s A Bratt Summer

    The fellas and I wanted to focus on the more positive results from this series split, and yes the big offensive outburst that saw the Dbacks spoil Casey Mize’s Padres debut and chase him before he could even finish the 4th inning, we agreed that the Player of The Game and one most deserving of praise was Mitch Bratt. Not only was this the most efficient outing in Bratt’s young MLB career (92 Pitches in his 7 IP of work), it was also his first (of hopefully many) career wins as a Major Leaguer!

    The thing that was most impressive to us was the difference in fastball location in this start compared to the other starts in Mitch’s career. Brandon mentioned that his near perfect pinpoint location of his fastball helped his breaking stuff play more effectively and lead to the Padres offense being caught off guard by that low 90’s fastball multiple times, as even the Padres Manager Craig Stammen would admit to in his post game presser.

    Gabe also brought up Bratt’s age (recently turned 23) and how with him being so young still, he still has so much potential to grow as a starter and this outing could be the spring board he needed to build that confidence and show himself that he has the stuff that will play at the big league level. Age is a big factor to keep in mind as young arms aren’t always going to break into the bigs on a Paul Skenes type of level and dominate, sometimes it takes them a few years to find their footing and what really works for them. Take new Dodgers lefty Tarik Skubal for example, the Kingman native’s first full season came in 2021 as a 24 year old and didn’t become a well known name to even the most casual baseball fans until his 1st CY Young season in 2024 at the age of 27. I’m not saying Bratt will be a Skubal 2.0 (Bratt doesn’t throw nearly as hard as Skubal) but just that young arms can sometimes need a year or two to really blossom into their true potential.

    The Enemy in Blue

    The fellas and I wrapped up our show with a look ahead as they have what could be a very important 3 game series against the NL West leading Los Angeles Avenge- uhhh I mean Dodgers come to town. Normally around this time of year we look at the divisional standings and see the Dodgers have a double digit plus lead and can basically just wrap up another divisional title for them, but this year it is not the same story. A mixture of both the Padres and Dbacks playing well alongside the Dodgers going on a season long 6-game losing streak and coming off a sweep at the hands of the Chicago Cubs, the Dbacks find themselves only 8.5 games behind the Dodgers for the NL West lead.

    While the possibility of dethroning the Dodgers as NL West champions isn’t very high, it’s most definitely not zero and if there was ever a year to do it, this might be the best shot. It’s going to be a hostile environment this weekend at Chase and the matchups lean more in favor of LA, as the Dodgers not only have 2 splitter heavy starters in Roki Sasaki and Yoshinobu Yamamoto starting games 1 and 2 (The Dbacks struggles against the splitter have been well documented this year), The Dodgers also have had their way against the Mainstay Merrill Kelly in their matchups, with Merrill being 0-11 with a 5.56 ERA in 17 regular season starts against LA.

    Even with a tough matchup ahead of the Snakes, Gabe believes that even if they don’t end up taking the divisional crown from LA, making the race to win the West take as much of the 162 game slate to do it could pay dividends in October as the Dodgers might not have the opportunity to rest their stars in hopes to keep them as fresh for their quest for a 3-peat.

    Its A Dispatch Giveaway

    We also revealed at the end of the show that the fellas and I have a special giveaway planned that includes bobbleheads, jersey giveaways, Dbacks trading cards and even a baseball bat signed by a DBacks legend and fan favorite. So make sure to stay till the end to get a sneak peak and also hear how and when to enter!

    Predict the Celtics win total this year (Staff Roundtable)

    BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - APRIL 28: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics celebrates a three point basket against the Philadelphia 76ers during the second quarter in Game Five of the First Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoff at TD Garden on April 28, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) | Getty Images

    For the final roundtable, I asked the staff to come up with a wins prediction. We will all forget about this in the Fall, but as of today this is where we stand.

    Ian Inangelo

    Even without Brown, I think this Celtics team will have similar success to the team last season. This team is built to have success around Jayson Tatum who could put up a MVP level season next year. The depth around him is still the same minus Paul George who could see new life in a different situation and in a system that suits his skill sets better. We could also potentially see a leap from Pritchard and a bounce back from White which will make the offense even better. My final conclusion: 52 Wins.

    Trevor Hass

    The Celtics have eclipsed 50 wins each of the last five seasons, and that trend will continue this season. There’s no reason to think the number will increase or decrease significantly. I say they go down slightly from last year’s 56 and end up 53-29 to earn the No. 4 seed. If Paul George stays healthy and plays at a high level, I could see that number going up slightly.

    Steve Hooper

    The Eastern conference has leveled up in a big way. That means I don’t believe we will get near that 56 win mark again. I think 49 wins is about where I land right now.

    Jake Issenberg

    The Celtics have been a regular season wins machine under Joe Mazzulla. Never falling below 56 wins. I will say it again for those in the back. Last season the Celtics ranked second in the entire league in offense, while also ranking fifth in defense. The Celtics followed this up by addressing their glaring hole at back up big man by adding Mitchell Robinson, they get Jayson Tatum back, a guy who was selected to four straight 1st Team All NBA teams, and added Paul George who is still really good at basketball. To win in today’s league you need depth, defense, shooting, and top end talent. The Celtics tick every box. In last year’s Eastern Conference this team would have cracked 60 wins comfortably. Given the improved depth of the conference, I’m pegging this team for 57 wins.

    Nate Moskowitz 

    I’m predicting 58 wins. That feels slightly high as I type it, but I believe in the system to always stack wins in the regular season. Tatum is back with a healthy offseason. Robinson improves the big rotation. Hopefully you can get enough games out of Paul George, and when he’s out, internal development should help to improve on their record from last season.

    Jeff Clark 

    I don’t think you can do a simple math problem using last year as a starting point and reducing wins for Brown and adding them for Tatum and Mitchell Robinson or whatever. The whole calculus has changed around the league has a lot less incentive to tank. I think wins will be a lot harder to come by. On the other hand, the Celtics and Joe Mazzulla’s system are very good at cranking out regular season wins. Tatum will have something to prove. The young guys will all be looking to level up and will simply out-work a lot of opponents. So I think I’ll go with a conservative but healthy 53 wins. (I may talk myself into a higher number by training camp, but ultimately the season will be measured on the playoffs.)

    Grant Burfeind 

    I’ll go with 55 wins. This roster is obviously going to look different, but I still think there’s a lot working in Boston’s favor. Joe Mazzulla has established an identity with this team, and everyone walking through the door knows exactly what’s expected. Tatum gets the offense to himself, Paul George gives them another proven shot creator and defender, Mike Conley feels like the perfect steady veteran to help keep everything organized over an 82-game season. I could keep going but it’s a long offseason so need to save some words for later.

    I also think this team is going to defend at a ridiculously high level. White, Robinson, George, Tatum, the young kids…that’s a lot of length, rim protection and defensive IQ. They may not score quite as effortlessly as last year’s group, but I don’t think they’ll need to. Fifty-five wins feels about right. And if that comes with Banner 19 instead of 56 regular-season wins (last year’s total)? Sign me up.Robby Fletcher  [4:08 PM]
    Boston surprised everyone (myself included) with their 56 wins last year. This season, it shouldn’t be a surprise to see them pass 50 wins again.

    The East is more competitive this time around, and Boston has new additions that need to prove they can stay available for the majority of the season, but they have depth, balanced scoring and a central star in Jayson Tatum that will have the ball in his hands more than he ever has in his NBA career. This is a good team. I’m going with 53 wins, a slight tick down from last year but a result that should get them in the top-4 of the standings.

    And if you’re wondering, yes, these guys will hit on the 40-20 rule.

    Mike Dynon

    56 wins. Keeping it simple. They did that with only one Jay (mostly), why can’t they do it again with the other Jay? There’s also room for improvement with Tatum (being 100% healed), Hauser/White shooting (return to normal), growth of all the young guys, and Mitchell Robinson improving an already strong defense. I hope to be pleasantly surprised by Paul George.

    Rich Jensen

    I’ll go with 57 wins; While it’s true the rest of the East hasn’t sat still, the C’s haven’t either. They have a relatively inexperienced roster that is still on a path of year-over-year improvement.

    Bobby Manning

    I’ll come in lower at 52 wins, still in line for a top-four seed and maybe even higher if there’s greater competition throughout the conference. That’s taking into account the extraordinary health the Celtics had on their way to 56 last year, the tanking that undoubtedly aided it as well alongside the expected absence of Paul George, Mitchell Robinson and even Jayson Tatum at times for load management. This team still has the depth to dive deep into the 50s, but lessons learned from last season will probably lead the team to taking a longer outlook toward April rather than shooting for the highest seed possible.

    Your Turn – How would you answer this question?

    The Reds might be just good enough to break our hearts again

    CINCINNATI, OHIO - JULY 12: Manager Terry Francona #77 of the Cincinnati Reds looks on from the dugout during a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs at Great American Ball Park on July 12, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Jeff Dean/Getty Images) | Getty Images

    The Cincinnati Reds took down the A’s yesterday by the score of 6-5, in doing so wrapping up a series sweep at home. The win also dug them out of last place in the National League Central for the first time since the Republic of Sienna surrendered to the Florentine-Imperial army, and it clawed the club back to within 4.0 games of the final NL Wild Card spot.

    They’ve won 5 of 6 series out of the gate after the All Star break. They have rediscovered the ridiculous form they had in 1-run games through the first electric month of the season. Elly De La Cruz is playing at an MVP level, Sal Stewart simply cannot miss, and the duo of Brady Singer and Rhett Lowder have gone from the afterthought 5th starters they performed like earlier in the season to viable, if not dependable upper-tier starting pitching options again. Even Tyler Stephenson has emerged as a legitimate force in the lineup again, the veteran backstop shrugging off weeks of trade rumors to blast his way back into a deserving role in the middle of the order.

    The Reds are, quite simply, on a roll. All this despite being moderate sellers during this week’s trade deadline and realizing they’ll likely be without starter Hunter Greene for an extended period once again.

    It is still a very imperfect club, to be sure. They’re also about to head out on a 6-game road trip, one that will test the very resolve they’ve displayed in the season’s second half thusfar.

    Still, that’s a road trip where they could well find themselves with the upper hand. The Washington Nationals are up first, and they’ve stumbled to just a 2-8 record over their last 10 games while dealing starter Foster Griffin away at the deadline earlier in the week. Then, they head west to face a Chicago White Sox club that’s nominally a first place club (albeit in a sluggish AL Central), one that saw deadline addition Joey Bart hurt immediately after being acquired and who has also stumbled to just a 4-6 record out of the gate.

    The Reds, as currently constructed, still aren’t a fully put together team. Thing is, there are still a ton of teams out there who can be described the very same way, yet the Reds have found a way to simply play a lot better baseball than the rest of them for several weeks in a row now. The results have been good enough to drag them back into the periphery of The Discussion, something that’s a direct byproduct of the playoff system being so damn inclusive these days.

    I don’t expect this Reds club to go hang a banner this year. Let’s make that point quite clear. But if you can find a way to sneak into the playoffs at all, well, you technically have a chance to make a miracle happen, and the Reds have inched their way back to within screaming distance of the chance to do just that.

    It’s been admirable, if nothing more, but the Cincinnati Reds have reeled us in just enough to break our hearts again, something that didn’t even seem on the table when they rolled into the All Star break at 9 games under .500 and buried in every standings available.

    Orioles vs Rangers Prediction, Picks & Odds for Tonight's MLB Game

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    We’re fading Texas Rangers starter Nathan Eovaldi in my Orioles vs. Rangers prediction tonight - he’s struggled mightily against this Baltimore lineup over the course of his career.

    The Baltimore Orioles walk into Globe Life Field as massive +133 underdogs at Polymarket, and while I think they have an opportunity to win, we’re going to keep it safe on the run line (-163).

    Let’s get right into my MLB picks for Friday, Aug. 7, and try to fatten that wallet before the weekend.

    Who will win Orioles vs Rangers today: Orioles +1.5 (-168)

    The Baltimore Orioles have had an underwhelming season against expectations, but they’re in a solid get-right spot against Nathan Eovaldi and the Texas Rangers in a series they have to win.

    Eovaldi has regressed this year, and it won’t get any easier against the Orioles, who own a .316 xBA (.447 AVG) and .386 xwOBA against him across 43 plate appearances. If you’re looking for damage, Pete Alonso is a good place to start - he’s a career 3-for-4 against the righty with a .852 xSLG.

    On the other side is Shane Baz, and while he has a limited sample size against the Rangers (19 at-bats), he’s dominated, limiting the offense to a .173 xBA and .267 xSLG, which includes a 2-for-10 line between Corey Seager and Wyatt Langford.

    Baz is on an absolute heater, too, allowing just five earned runs across his last 20.1 innings pitched. With the Orioles just one game back of the Wild Card, expect them to bring their best.

    Looking for more plays for today? Our Colby Marchio drops his MLB moneyline picks for the entire slate tonight.

    Covers COVERS INTEL: Nathan Eovaldi has a problem with Gunnar Henderson, too. The stud shortstop is 7-for-13 with an xBA of .368 against the righty over the course of his career. If the Orioles win, he'll be the reason why.

    Orioles vs Rangers Over/Under pick: Under 7.5 runs (-120)

    Baz is coming off his best outing of the season against a potent Phillies offense (6.1 IP, 1 ER), and should be able to stifle the bats of the Rangers, a team he’s found tremendous success against. 

    When looking at the MLB trends, it’s easy to see why the Under is a must-bet today - it’s hit in all six games when the Orioles play AL West opponents, and is 6-1 in Baltimore’s last seven road games. 

    Globe Life Field is one of the most pitcher-friendly ballparks in the bigs, coughing up just 94 long balls this year - good for 21st in baseball. Let’s sweep the board before the weekend, shall we?

    Dustin Saracini's 2026 Transparency Record
    • ML/RL bets: 0-4, -4 units
    • Over/Under bets: 1-3, -2.9 units

    Orioles vs Rangers weather

    Globe Life Field is a climate-controlled dome - the weather won't have any impact on playing conditions tonight.

    Orioles vs Rangers odds

    • Moneyline: Orioles (+129) | Rangers (-142)
    • Run line: Orioles +1.5 (-168) | Rangers -1.5 (+146)
    • Over/Under: Over 7.5 (+114) | Under 7.5 (-120)

    Orioles vs Rangers trend

    All signs are pointing toward the Under today - it's hit in the Rangers' last four games against the American League East, and six of seven in the Orioles' last seven road games. Find more MLB betting trends for Orioles vs. Rangers.

    How to watch Orioles vs Rangers and game info

    LocationGlobe Life Field, Arlington, TX
    DateFriday, August 7, 2026
    First pitch8:15 p.m. ET
    TVApple TV
    Orioles starting pitcherShane Baz
    (4-10, 3.86 ERA)
    Rangers starting pitcherNathan Eovaldi
    (10-9, 4.31 ERA)

    Orioles vs Rangers latest injuries

    Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
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