ATLANTA, GA - AUGUST 11: Ronald Acuña Jr. #13 of the Atlanta Braves looks on in the seventh inning during the game against the New York Mets at Truist Park on August 11, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Atlanta Braves may have lost the season series to the New York Mets, but a victory in tonight’s finale will earn them a much-needed series win following the series loss in the Bronx.
Take a look at today’s lineup – I don’t know about you, but I would’ve been pretty [heart eyes emoji] about this lineup on Opening Day:
Enough of the experiment (for now) – Walt Weiss has reinstated Ronald Acuña Jr. in the leadoff spot. He’ll also return to right field after DH’ing last night. He’ll trade spots with Drake Baldwin, who gets the day off from being behind the plate. Hitting third, Matt Olson could break the current four-way tie for the league’s HR lead with a couple more of his patented moonshots. Ozzie Albies hits cleanup followed by Michael Harris II. Mauricio Dubón gets the start at shortstop today and will bat sixth. LF Lane Thomas will hopefully live up to his lefty-crushing reputation as he bats seventh with Zac Thornton on the mound for the Mets. Austin Riley bats eighth, and Sean Murphy will serve as the battery mate for Tyler Mahle and hit ninth.
The New York Mets will also have last night’s catcher be their DH today – Francisco Alvarez remains in the lineup in the seven-hole. The top three in the order are also unchanged: AJ Ewing (LF), Francisco Lindor (SS), and Bo Bichette (3B). Carson Benge and Luis Robert Jr. swap so that Benge can hit cleanup. Jared Young and Brett Baty get the start at first and second base, respectively. Luis Torrens will bat ninth and catch for Thornton.
The New York Knicks headline a four-game slate to be played on Martin Luther King Day, January 18, this season. It's the 41st time the league will feature games on the federal holiday, which honors the slain civil rights leader.
The day starts with two Eastern Conference contenders, the Detroit Pistons visiting the Cleveland Cavaliers. Cleveland bounced the top-seeded Pistons from the playoffs in the second round last season.
King's birthplace of Atlanta, Georgia, hosts the next matchup of the day, with the Hawks playing the new-look Philadelphia 76ers. Atlanta has beaten Philadelphia nine straight times.
Madison Square Garden will welcome the Minnesota Timberwolves in a game that features two of the league's most dynamic guards: NBA Finals MVP Jalen Brunson and perennial All-Star Anthony Edwards.
In the nightcap, Memphis, the city where King was shot and killed in 1968, takes center stage, with the Grizzlies hosting the Houston Rockets. It will be the 24th time the Grizzlies have hosted a game on MLK Day, with Memphis posting an 8-15 record in those games.
As is customary, the Philadelphia Flyers find themselves connected to the latest offseason news, but rather than a trade target or a free agent, we're talking international suspension.
On Wednesday, Hockey Canada, via an independent appeal board, has made a decision regarding a breach of conduct for the five acquitted players involved in the 2018 Hockey Canada sexual assault case.
Forward Alex Formenton, who has been out of the NHL since 2022, has been reinstated by Hockey Canada effective immediately, but the other four players, including former Flyers goalie Carter Hart, will remain suspended.
According to the press release, Cal Foote will remain suspended until Nov. 10, Hart be suspended until Nov. 10, 2027, Dillon Dube will be suspended until Nov. 10, 2028, and Michael McLeod will be suspended until Nov. 10, 2030.
"The players had been formally suspended from Hockey Canada-sanctioned programs, pending the completion of the appeal process," the release said.
"As the independent investigation did not conclude that any other player on the 2018 National Junior Team breached Hockey Canada’s code of conduct, those players are eligible for consideration to participate in any Hockey Canada-sanctioned program, effective immediately.
However, any player under consideration to play on a national team will be subject to Hockey Canada’s enhanced screening process, which will continue to include a third-party review of the findings regarding the 2018 National Junior Team before being eligible to represent Canada internationally."
Hart, 27, is the only one of the five acquitted players to resume their NHL careers, having spent the last season with the Vegas Golden Knights after last playing for the Flyers in Jan. 2024.
In 18 regular season games, Hart went 13-3-3, eventually reuniting with his former Flyers head coach, John Tortorella, going on a fairytale run to the Stanley Cup Final before getting handily dealt with by the champion Carolina Hurricanes.
Despite a hot start, Hart ultimately finished his postseason run with a 14-8 record, a 2.56 GAA, and .909 save percentage, going ice-cold in the Final.
The Flyers' former second-round pick last represented Canada internationally at the 2019 IIHF Men's World Championships, where Canada lost to Finland in the final.
Hart was 3-0 for Canada in that tournament, and led all goalies who had played in at least three games with his .964 save percentage.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - AUGUST 06: Dustin May #21 of the Milwaukee Brewers pitches against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first inning at American Family Field on August 06, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Although it’s August, the divisional races are starting to heat up; with these last couple of wins for San Diego, they find themselves in the mix for a Wild Card. For the Brewers, the heat has intensified with these last two losses; the Chicago Cubs now find themselves 4.0 games behind for first place.
With arguably one of the biggest series of the year looming with the Los Angeles Dodgers this weekend, the Brewers look to salvage the final game of the series with the Padres with Dustin May on the mound.
May will be making his second start in a Brewers uniform after having a stellar first outing a week ago. He’ll try to build upon his six innings of two-run ball, with five strikeouts, in what feels like a must-need similar outing today.
Thankfully, the Brewers caught a break this afternoon as it came out that Pat Murphy misspoke when talking about injuries last night, stating that it was Jackson Chourio who hurt his thumb and not Brice Turang. With already a roughed-up infield, a blow to Turang on the right side would not have been ideal. However, Chourio is back in the lineup today, batting leadoff, and playing in left field. Also returning from injury is shortstop Joey Ortiz, who will look to fill a much-needed hole in the infield as Turang can slide back to second base.
Pat Murphy says he misspoke last night. It’s Jackson Chourio who is dealing with a sore thumb, not Brice Turang. Both are in today’s lineup at this particular point in time.
Other notable moves in the lineup is Jake Bauers will be in left field today, as Andrew Vaughn takes over at first base, and Luis Lara and Christian Yelich will be riding the pine in today’s series finale.
First pitch is 3:10 p.m., and you can find the game on Brewers.TV and WTMJ 620.
WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 11: Jacob Young #30 of the Washington Nationals hits a home run against the Chicago Cubs during the second inning at Nationals Park on August 11, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With the most runs in all of baseball, the Nats have had a lot of offensive success stories this season. You could argue that Jacob Young made the biggest transformation out of anyone though. The defensive minded center fielder entered the season with just 5 career homers despite having near everyday reps the last two seasons. This year he has already hit double digits after a 427 foot bomb last night.
This offseason, adding power was a real focus for Young. He went to Driveline to improve his bat path and exit velocities. Between that instruction and the work by the Nats hitting coaches, Young has made tremendous strides at the plate while maintaining his elite defense. His OPS has gone from .583 to .719 thanks mostly to slugging. Young’s OBP is only up 16 points, but his slugging percentage has increased a whopping 120 points.
After yesterday’s game I asked Young if reaching double figures in home runs was a goal for him. Young said that was not really a goal he was looking at. Instead, he said he was working on “The internal goals of getting the ball in the air more, hitting it harder and chasing less. The home runs are just a byproduct of that”.
This is the ultimate Toboni era answer, at least in my opinion. Part of what the new regime is trying to instill is a process driven mindset. With the energetic Jacob Young, they have an eager Guinea Pig. The Nats center fielder is always looking to get better. Last season it was his infamous muscle gain before the season. However, with the new regime, he is now being led in the right direction.
On the broadcast Dan Kolko said something revealing after Young hit his home run. He said that Young reaching double digits in the home run column was “Pretty awesome for a guy who was told to hit the ball on the ground quite a bit”. This was pretty clearly a dig at the old regime who wanted Young to be a more prototypical slap hitter.
Jacob Young crushes his 10th HR and Dan Kolko appears to diss the old hitting coach (Darnell Coles) and manager (Davey Martinez) about hitting groundballs. pic.twitter.com/tst4hdF9lV
The data also backs up Kolko’s claim. Young’s average launch angle has risen from 3.8 degrees to 11 degrees. That means he is trying to lift the ball more and is up to do damage rather than slap ground balls. The steeper bat path has predictably lowered his ground ball rate significantly. In 2024 and 2025, Young had an identical 56.5% ground ball rate. Among qualified hitters, Young had the 7th highest ground ball rate last year, and that appears to be by design.
This season, that number has dropped to 40.6%, a nearly 16 point dip. Young is actually hitting the ball on the ground slightly less than the average hitter. A lot of Nats players have seen a dip in ground ball rate this year under hitting coach Matt Borgschulte. However, nobody has evolved as drastically as Young.
While Young is having a breakout offensive season, it has not been a totally linear progression. The Nats center fielder looked like his normal light hitting self through April, even if he had already hit two homers matching his 2025 total. However, the changes he made really seemed to click in May. He shockingly hit 5 homers that month and by May 20th, he had more homers in the 2026 season than he had his entire career before this year.
However, Young took a major step back at the plate in June, hitting just .186 with one homer. Young said the big problem that month was the fact he was chasing too much. The staff showed him the alarming data and talked to him about his approach right before the All-Star Break.
Something must have clicked during that conversation because since the break, Young is hitting .352 with a 1.057 OPS. Plate discipline has played a massive role in that with the 27 year old walking more than he is striking out in that time.
For the season, Young has been roughly a league average hitter with a 98 wRC+. That is more than enough for him to be an impactful starter though. In the field, Young is as good as ever, registering 12 outs above average in center. He has also been a better baserunner this year after being weirdly bad on the bases last year.
Young is 13 for 16 on steals this year. That is a major improvement on his abysmal 15 for 26 mark from 2025. His overall base running IQ has also been noticeably better this year. It is just another area where the former Florida Gator racks up value.
Overall, Jacob Young has been highly impactful for the Nats. He has 2.2 fWAR this season, which is actually tied for third on the team with the departed Luis Garcia. Young is ahead of names like Daylen Lile, Dylan Crews and Keibert Ruiz.
With the offensive strides Young has made this season, he has turned into such a nice player. When you look at the Nats outfield, there are guys with more pedigree and more offensive upside. However, you cannot forget about Jacob Young because he has proven to be able to produce in multiple different ways.
SACRAMENTO, CA - MARCH 19: Russell Westbrook #18 of the Sacramento Kings looks on during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers on March 19, 2026 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, 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 Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Russell Westbrook is calling it a career. The point guard announced his retirement from the NBA at age-37 on Wednesday after a brilliant career that spanned 18 seasons. Westbrook will be remembered as the 2017 NBA MVP, and the first player to average a triple-double since Oscar Robertson.
Westbrook retires as the NBA’s all-time leader in triple-doubles with 209. It’s likely that record doesn’t last for long, because Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic already has 198 triple-doubles at age-31. Westbrook became the first player to average a triple-double for a season in 55 years on the way to his only MVP. He would average a triple-double in a season four times in his career, all with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Seattle SuperSonics selected Westbrook out of UCLA with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, but the franchise’s move to Oklahoma City was already in motion at that time. Westbrook joined Kevin Durant, who was drafted one year before him, and then teamed with James Harden one year later to form one of the best young trios in league history. The Thunder reached the 2012 NBA Finals where they lost to LeBron James and the Miami Heat, and Harden was traded to the Houston Rockets the next year.
Westbrook reached new heights after Durant left for the Golden State Warriors in free agency in the summer of 2016. He put up numbers the league had never seen before in a super high usage role, but he was unable to lead OKC out of the first round of the playoffs. The Thunder traded him to the Houston Rockets for a package headlined by Chris Paul in the summer of 2019, which began a nomadic stage of his career.
Westbrook played for the Washington Wizards, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, Denver Nuggets, and Sacramento Kings before retiring. He averaged 15.2 points, 6.7 assists, and 5.4 rebounds on 52.8 percent true shooting this past season with the Kings.
Westbrook will go down as one of the most polarizing players in league history, in part because he was unable to improve as a three-point shooter after his athleticism started to wane. In his prime, though, Westbrook was an absolute marvel with the most ferocious rim attacks the league had ever seen from a point guard.
SB Nation wrote about Westbrook so much over the years. Here are a few of my favorite pieces.
The sale has not been finalized by the NBA but is expected to be worth more than $12 billion. It would be the second time the Lakers have been sold in the past two years.
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Iger is no stranger to the sports world, overseeing ESPN, which is an entity under The Walt Disney Company, while serving as Disney’s CEO from 2005 to 2020, and then again from 2022 until March of this year.
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He helped launch ESPN's new direct-to-consumer platform in 2025. The company initially launched its ESPN+ streaming service in April 2018 during Iger’s first tenure as CEO.
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Iger also helped shepherd the Disney company through many of its multibillion-dollar acquisitions, from Pixar in 2006 and Marvel in 2009. He secured Lucasfilm in 2012 for more than $4 billion, sparking an ambitious relaunch of the "Star Wars" franchise across film and TV.
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In recent years, Iger helped expand "Star Wars" and Marvel into the Disney theme parks, and spearheaded the opening of Disneyland in Shanghai.
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Iger was the brainchild behind one of the company’s largest acquisitions, the purchase of 20th Century Fox, which includes properties such as Hulu, FX and National Geographic, in 2018 for $71 billion.
"Laker fans, you couldn’t have two better owners. I’ve known Bob personally for over 40 years - he has always loved the Lakers and basketball, and he will bring championships back to LA."
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The Lakers last won an NBA championship in 2020.
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Johnson served as the star point guard for the Lakers during the late 1990s before later becoming the President of Basketball Operations from 2017-19.
"Being a Laker means everything to me, and I’m excited to get back on the court and bring a championship to LA," Doncic said. "I’ve gotten used to big changes over these last few years, but I know that no matter what, there is no limit to the potential of this iconic franchise. I look forward to meeting Josh and Bob so we can get to work building something special in LA together."
The sale to businessman Joshua Kushner and former Disney CEO Robert Iger would mark the highest amount ever paid for a North American sports franchise, surpassing the $10 billion that Walter paid for the Lakers. — Scooby Axson
The Los Angeles Lakers have two new owners, after Bob Iger and Josh Kushner purchased the franchise from Mark Walter for a jaw-dropping $12.5 billion sum.
It didn’t take long for Lakers superstar guard Luka Dončić to weigh in on the sale, as he made a social media post in the wake of the deal that read, “Being a Laker means everything to me, and I’m excited to get back on the court and bring a championship to LA.
“I’ve gotten used to big changes over these last few years, but I know that no matter what, there is no limit to the potential of this iconic franchise. I look forward to meeting Josh and Bob so we can get to work building something special in LA together,” he added.
Luka Dončić of the Los Angeles Lakers made a social media post in the wake of the multibillion-dollar deal. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
This sentiment from Dončić earned the approval of Jeanie Buss, who is still the Lakers’ Team Governor after selling her majority stake to Walter for $10 billion in 2025.
Buss responded to Dončić’s X post and wrote, “Perfectly said ”.
“We have enormous respect and appreciation for Jeanie, her father and what they’ve contributed to this franchise,” Iger said. “And we have every intention to honor the agreement that was made between Mark and Jeanie. If things change, they’ll change, but we’re going into this with enormous respect and appreciation for who she is and what she represents in the organization.”
Barring anything unforeseen, it makes sense why she would be in a good mood.
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SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 26: Adrian Houser #12 of the San Francisco Giants pitches against the Los Angeles Angels in the top of the six inning of a major league baseball game at Oracle Park on July 26, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Francisco Giants conclude this three-game home series against the Houston Astros this afternoon.
Taking the mound for the Giants will be right-hander Adrian Houser, who enters today’s game with a 4.55 ERA, 4.83 FIP, with 65 strikeouts to 31 walks in 97 innings pitched. His last start was in the Giants’ 5-2 win over the Detroit Tigers on Friday, in which he allowed one run on six hits with four strikeouts and a walk in five innings.
He’ll be facing off against Astros left-hander Bryan King, who enters today’s game with a 3.83 ERA, 4.64 FIP, with 40 strikeouts to 17 walks in 49.1 innings pitched in relief. His last appearance was in the Astros’ 7-2 loss to the San Diego Padres on Sunday, in which he closed out the game, allowing two runs on two hits with three strikeouts in one inning.
The former NBA MVP announced his retirement Wednesday with a farewell video on social media narrated by Michael B. Jordan, bringing an end to his 18-year NBA career.
“Sometimes you don’t even know when you’ve already watched the end,” Westbrook wrote in the caption. “You had to be there. And now it’s over.”
Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder looks on before Game Four of Round One of the 2019 NBA Playoffs at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on Sunday, April 21, 2019. NBAE via Getty Images
The three-plus minute video served as Westbrook’s goodbye to basketball, with ESPN’s Shams Charania later reporting that the nine-time All-Star was retiring.
Earlier this week, rumors emerged that Westbrook could be leaving the NBA for Hapoel Tel Aviv in Israel, although insider Marc Stein reported that the possibility was “laughably false.”
Westbrook’s retirement closes the book on one of the NBA’s most distinctive careers.
The 37-year-old spent the 2025-26 season with the Kings, averaging 15.2 points per game across 64 contests.
Russell Westbrook of the Sacramento Kings looks on during a game against the Philadelphia 76ers on March 19, 2026, at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. NBAE via Getty Images
The longtime Thunder star won the 2016-17 NBA MVP award and two scoring titles, made nine All-Star teams and became the league’s all-time leader in triple-doubles during his surefire Hall of Fame career.
Westbrook spent 11 seasons in Oklahoma City after being drafted No. 4 overall out of UCLA in the 2008 NBA Draft.
He, Kevin Durant and James Harden led the Thunder to the 2012 NBA Finals as one of the youngest teams to ever make it to the championship round before falling to LeBron James and the Heat.
Westbrook would bounce around the league after leaving OKC following the 2018-19 season, spending time with the Rockets, Wizards, Lakers, Clippers, Nuggets and Kings.
Russell Westbrook is calling it a career after 18 NBA seasons.
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Westbrook announced his retirement from basketball in a video posted to his Instagram account on Wednesday, Aug. 12.
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Westbrook finished his career as the all-time leader in triple-doubles with 209 in his storied career.
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He entered the NBA after being selected out of UCLA with the No. 4 overall pick by the Seattle SuperSonics, who shortly after became Oklahoma City Thunder.
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Westbrook played for the Houston Rockets, Washington Wizards, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, Denver Nuggets and Sacramento Kings.
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During his 18-year career, he averaged 20.9 points, 6.9 rebounds and 8.0 assists per game through 1,301 NBA games.
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He became a league MVP, nine-time All-Star and two-time scoring champion on his way to a future Hall of Fame career.
The NBA never rests, and USA TODAY is keeping tabs on the league all year long with reporters on the ground covering every team. Follow the news on our NBA hub . Get our USA TODAY Sports newsletter in your inbox every morning and join our WhatsApp channel to get the latest updates right in your texts.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 11: Luis Campusano #12 of the San Diego Padres celebrates after hitting a two-run home run against the Milwaukee Brewers during the fifth inning at Petco Park on August 11, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Milwaukee Brewers (74-46) at San Diego Padres (64-57), August 12, 2026, 1:10 p.m. PST
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For Bob Iger, his and Josh Kushner’s purchase of the majority ownership of the Lakers from Mark Walter for a historic $12.5 billion valuation was still sinking in as of late Wednesday morning.
Because after the former Disney CEO and his business partner originally pursued ownership stakes in the NBA’s potential expansion in Las Vegas, it came to their attention last weekend that Walter could be interested in selling his stake in the Lakers that he purchased just over a year ago.
For Bob Iger, his and Josh Kushner’s purchase of the majority ownership of the Lakers from Mark Walter for a historic $12.5 billion valuation was still sinking in as of late Wednesday morning. Getty Images
“We were involved in pursuing the new franchise in Vegas,” Iger said during an exclusive phone call with the California Post. “And while that happened, it was suggested to us that maybe Mark Walter would be interested in selling his stake in the Lakers. And we immediately decided that given the value of the franchise and the iconic nature of the team, that we would be really smart to pursue it. The deal came together in three days.
When Walter purchased the majority ownership of the Lakers from the Buss family for a valuation of a then-record $10 billion, the league announced that former majority owner Jeanie Buss would remain the team’s Governor for a period of at least five years.
Iger told the Post he and Kushner intend to honor the agreement made between Walter and Buss.
“We have enormous respect and appreciation for Jeanie, her father and what they’ve contributed to this franchise,” Iger said. “And we have every intention to honor the agreement that was made between Mark and Jeanie. If things change, they’ll change, but we’re going into this with enormous respect and appreciation for who she is and what she represents in the organization.”
Iger shared that has yet to speak to Lakers star Luka Doncic, but mentioned that he spoke with Buss, as well as coach JJ Redick. The Lakers coach and Iger built a relationship while Redick played for the Clippers from 2013-17 – with Iger being a longtime Clippers season ticket holder.
Iger shared that has yet to speak to Lakers star Luka Doncic, but mentioned that he spoke with Buss, as well as coach JJ Redick. Getty Images
And now, he’ll be leading the Lakers.
“Grateful, appreciative, excited to own something that’s as iconic as the LA Lakers,” Iger said of his feelings. “Josh and I are avid NBA fans. And [to] have an opportunity to own not just any NBA team, but the LA Lakers is…it’s extraordinary from a life experience perspective and business perspective. It’s still sinking in. We’re very excited.”
With the deal coming together so quickly, questions still remain about the vision that Iger and Kushner have for the Lakers.
Iger added: “This is very new.”
And what potential changes could come under their ownership.
Iger made it clear it’s too early to speculate what’s to come.
“We’re fans,” Iger said. “We respect the value that’s been created, both on the court and off. Our intention is to build this great franchise from a position of strength in many respects as an organization. We’re smart enough to know what we know and what we don’t know. It’s just premature to speculate at all about what we plan to do, because frankly, we haven’t made any plans yet. Again, we go into this with an appreciation of who the Lakers are. And we just want to build value from today on.”
Iger added: “This is very new.”
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The exterior of Taliesan West, Frank Lloyd Wright's winter home, has several varieties of cactus lining the driveway, circa 1948. (Jim Heimann Collection/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Today’s Lineups
ROCKIES
DIAMONDBACKS
Jake McCarthy – CF
Geraldo Perdomo – SS
Cole Carrigg – SS
Corbin Carroll – RF
TJ Rumfield – 1B
Gabriel Moreno – C
Hunter Goodman – DH
Ketel Marte – 2B
Mickey Moniak – LF
Lars Nootbaar – DH
Willi Castro – 3B
Nolan Arenado – 3B
Zac Veen – RF
Max Kepler – LF
Connor Norby – 2B
Tim Tawa – 1B
Brett Sullivan – C
Ryan Waldschmidt – CF
Ryan Feltner – RHP
Merrill Kelly – RHP
41 games left, and there is a three-way tie for the second and third wild-card spots in the National League. The Diamondbacks, Phillies and Padres all go into play today with the same record of 64-57, so it’s how the trio perform over the remaining quarter of the season which will decide who reaches the postseason. There are a few metrics which we can look at, to try and gain some insight into how things might break down.
Run differential: The D-backs actually lead the way here, at +13. The Padres are exactly even, and the Phillies are -1. Interestingly, there are “better” teams further back in the NL, led by the Nationals, who are +22 despite being three games under .500 in the standings.
Strength of remaining schedule: With Arizona having crossed two games against the Rockies off the schedule, they have now dropped into a virtual tie with San Diego. Both sides face opponents with an average win percentage of .499 the rest of the way. Philadelphia have a tougher run, at .518.
Projected record: Fangraphs gives the edge to the Phillies at 23-18, with the Padres and D-backs tied at 21-20. That would mean the third wild-card would be decided by whoever wins the final series of the season, when Arizona goes to San Diego. Baseball Prospectus concurs, having the Phillies finish at 88 wins, with the D-backs and Padres both at 84 (technically, the Padres are two-tenths of a win better).
Playoff odds: Fangraphs: PHI 75.3%; SDP 51.9%; ARI 49.4% Baseball Prospectus: PHI 85.0%; SDP 49.7%; ARI 46.1% Baseball Reference: PHI 60.7%; ARI 50.9%; SDP 41.7%
Really, you pay your money and you take your choice. I’m not sure the extent to which any of the projection factor in the returns of players for Arizona like Corbin Burnes and Justin Martinez, which should provide a boost (although you can certainly argue the size) for the Diamondbacks down the stretch. For now, though – let’s just worry about finishing off the series today with a win.
Duke Ellis of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders steals a base during a Minor League Baseball game at Coca-Cola Park in Allentown, United States, on May 23, 2026. (Photo by Dan Squicciarini/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images
Duke Ellis took a lead off first base in the seventh inning of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders’ game against Rochester on August 6th at PNC Field. He broke for second and when the throw from Red Wings catcher Maxwell Romero Jr. was high, Ellis safely slid headfirst into the bag.
It was Ellis’ 41st stolen base of the season and 83rd of his career, surpassing the franchise record of 82 set by Nick Punto from 2001-03.
Since then, he has extended the mark to 85 steals in 156 career games with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Ellis is on the brink of another franchise record, too. He ranks second in the International League with 43 steals in 49 tries; Braiden Ward of the Worcester Red Sox leads with 51 swipes. Ellis is one steal away from tying and two shy of breaking the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre single-season record of 44 set by Tommy Barrett in 1989 — the franchise’s inaugural season.
“I take a lot of pride in my baserunning. It’s kind of gotten me to where I am now,” Ellis said. “Individually, it’s a big accomplishment and really cool to get to that achievement.
“At the end of the day, though, I really don’t do it for me. I do it to win ballgames. I get to second so it’s a little easier RBIs for everybody else. That’s kind of the reason I do it. The achievement is awesome, but in the bigger picture it’s not just for me.”
Both Punto and Barrett played for the Red Barons when Scranton/Wilkes-Barre was affiliated with the Philadelphia Phillies. So did Ellis’ father Robert. In fact, he threw one of the franchise’s seven no-hitters on June 6, 2004, against Louisville in the second game of a doubleheader.
That connection made breaking the career stolen base record even more special.
“He called me and said, ‘I have a no-hitter there and now you have that record there,’” Ellis said. “It’s kind of cool to hear his stories and follow in behind it.”
In describing the art of stealing bases, Ellis said swiping second is like playing checkers and taking third is like playing chess.
“Stealing second is all about jumps and obviously how fast you are,” Ellis said. “Stealing third, it took me a lot of years to get where I am now. I wasn’t even close to it to where I’m at right now even last year. These guys have been pretty awesome here with my development on just stealing third. I have found there’s a small art to it, but it’s not like I do anything special. I play it more like chess. You have to look for little things in game and what the pitcher’s doing and everything else to be able to take third base.”
There is an added challenge, too, when Ellis comes into the game as a pinch-runner where the opposition — and everyone in the ballpark — knows he is going to steal.
“It’s a little more difficult, but not much more as stealing when I’m playing,” Ellis said. “When I come in a pinch-running situation to steal bags late, everybody obviously knows you’re stealing. You’re there to steal bags and get into scoring position. But I get to do a lot more studying on the tendencies of the pitcher and maybe what the catcher does that gives some things away. So there’s more studying thought-process into that situation than if I’m in the lineup that night.”
In six minor-league seasons, Ellis has 223 stolen bases and been caught 31 times in 439 games. He has played for four organizations: the Chicago White Sox, New York Mets, Seattle Mariners and New York Yankees. He was claimed by the Yankees off waivers from the M’s on August 26, 2024.
Ellis also appeared in 11 MLB games in 2024 with the White Sox (8) and Yankees (3) and has five stolen bases without ever getting caught. His lone hit in the majors came with the Yankees on September 4th at Texas — a ninth-inning single off Grant Anderson.
With the RailRiders this season, Ellis is batting .237 (55 for 232) with 10 doubles, three triples, four home runs, and 21 RBIs.
“The team is doing solid and I feel like if the team is going good, then individually you’re going good,” Ellis said. “Me, as an individual player, I feel like it’s going solid. You have you’re ups and downs, just like what baseball is. But I have a good group of guys around me, so my lows aren’t that low and my highs aren’t that high. They keep me pretty even keel.”
This season is the final stop for the RailRiders.
Team officials announced that it will rebrand for the 2027 season. The new name has already been chosen and approved by Major League Baseball and will be unveiled in early November. In a statement, team officials said the new name will “celebrate the region’s beauty, heritage and outdoor legacy.”
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre began in 1989 as the Red Barons, Triple-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. In 2007, when it became the Yankees’ Triple-A affiliate, the team was known as the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees. After PNC Field underwent a season-long renovation in 2012, a “Name the Team” contest was held and RailRiders was the winner starting with the 2013 campaign, beating out five other finalists (Blast, Black Diamond Bears, Fireflies, Porcupines, and Trolley Frogs).
Along with the rebrand, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre also revealed its 2027 schedule. It will open next season on the road with a three-game series at the Worcester Red Sox on March 26-28, followed by a six-game series at the Buffalo Bisons on March 30-April 4. Its home-opening series at PNC Field is April 6-11 against the intrastate rival Lehigh Valley IronPigs. The season concludes at home Sept. 14-19 with a series against the Rochester Red Wings.
In the 150-game schedule, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre will face traditional northeast opponents Buffalo, Lehigh Valley, Rochester, and the Syracuse Mets 24 times each — two six-game home series and two six-game road series. It will play Worcester 18 times (9 home, 9 away).
One of the highlights of the schedule is the first-time meeting with the Memphis Redbirds, Triple-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals, on May 11-16 at AutoZone Park in Tennessee. Besides Memphis, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre again will make road trips to face the Indianapolis Indians (June 8-13) and Iowa Cubs (Sept. 7-12). It visited both those cities this season.
Other opponents coming to PNC Field next season include the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (June 15-20), Charlotte Knights (June 22-27) and Toledo Mud Hens (July 20-25).
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