Amen Thompson is poised for a breakout year. Already one of the league's best perimeter defenders whose offensive game keeps improving each season, the 23-year-old is on the verge of becoming one of the league's brightest young stars.
The Houston Rockets are paying him like one. Thompson and the Rockets have agreed to a five-year, $208 million contract extension, a deal broken by ESPN’s Shams Charania and since confirmed by other reports. The contract includes a 10% trade kicker.
This is a win for both sides. It's a big payday for Thompson (starting next season), an average of $41.5 million per season for five years is generational wealth. For Houston, they lock a young star in at less than the 25% max he might have gotten in the non-apron era ($252 million), giving them a little more flexibility in future years.
Thompson's value starts on defense: He has been top 10 in Defensive Player of the Year voting each of the last two years, and two seasons ago was named First Team All-Defense. Thompson led the NBA in total minutes played last season at 2,953. On offense, with point guard Fred VanVleet out for the season, coach Ime Udoka asked Thompson to take over more of that role and he responded with 18.3 points (a career high), 7.8 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game, and the team had a +6.6 net rating in his minutes.
With VanVleet back, Thompson can return to his more natural off-ball, secondary-creator role. He still does his damage attacking the rim, with 72% of his shot attempts coming within 10 feet of the basket and shooting 21.6% from 3-point range last season.
Thompson is only the second player from the 2023 draft class to sign a rookie extension after three seasons, joining Victor Wembanyama. Thompson will make $12.3 million this season on the last year of his rookie deal before the new contract kicks in.
Houston has now locked down much of its young core with extensions already in place for Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr. and Tari Eason.
NEW YORK, NY - JULY 01: Eric Plunk #33 of the New York Yankees pitches during a baseball game against the Cleveland Indians on July 1, 1991 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Trivia nights are a fun activity at local bars, breweries, and restaurants. The best part of trivia is confidently knowing the answer once it is asked. If you ever find yourself faced with the question, “Who is the only Major League Baseball player to be traded for the same Hall of Famer twice in their career?” the answer is former Yankee Eric Plunk. Another trivia tidbit: Plunk is not the reason behind the phrase or term “plunk,” meaning to hit a batter. No, that is simply a fun coincidence, as the term was coined well before Plunk was born or started throwing baseballs.
Eric Vaughn Plunk
Born: September 3, 1963 (Wilmington, CA)
Yankees Tenure: 1989-1991
Plunk grew up in California and attended Bellflower High School. He was drafted by the Yankees in the 4th round of the 1981 MLB June Amateur Draft. The 6-foot-5 right-handed pitcher had a plus fastball to go along with a good curveball, but scouting reports noted that Plunk would occasionally lose command of his offerings.
The Yankees had Plunk report to the Gulf Coast League after being drafted. Plunk went on to make 11 starts that season, most of them before his 18th birthday. In 1982, Plunk stayed in rookie ball, this time playing in the Appalachian League. After getting his feet wet playing professional ball, Plunk played the 1983 and 1984 seasons for the Yankees farm team in Fort Lauderdale. Over those two seasons at Single-A, Plunk posted a 20-22 record over 48 starts with a 2.81 ERA in 301.1 innings and had established himself as one of the Yankees’ top prospects.
Everything changed for Plunk on December 5, 1984. On that day, he was traded by the New York Yankees with Tim Birtsas, Jay Howell, Stan Javier, and José Rijo to the Oakland Athletics for star leadoff man Rickey Henderson, Bert Bradley, and cash.
Oakland assigned Plunk to their Double-A affiliate to start the 1985 season. Plunk made 13 starts in Double-A, going 8-2 with a 3.52 ERA. That was good enough to get the call-up to Triple-A Tacoma. Plunk would struggle and have to grind out the rest of the season, going 0-5 with a 5.77 ERA.
To start the 1986 season, Plunk was back in Tacoma. After making six starts, Plunk received his first call-up to the major leagues. Plunk made his debut against Toronto on May 12. Plunk stuck on the roster and finished the season with the Athletics, logging 120.1 innings, making 15 starts and appearing in 11 more games as a reliever.
After the season, the Athletics decided they wanted to see what Plunk could be as a reliever. He started the 1987 season back in Tacoma, but was called back up after tossing 34.2 innings with a 1.56 ERA out of the pen, picking up 9 saves in less than a month. Over the rest of the 1987 season in the show, Plunk appeared in 32 games, 11 of which were starts. His final line was 4-6 with a 4.47 ERA and two saves in 95 innings.
Heading into the 1988 season, the Athletics decided to use Plunk as one of the primary set-up men for Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley. In 1988, Plunk threw 78 innings, all out of the pen, and posted a 3.00 ERA to go along with a 7-2 record. The Athletics made the playoffs after winning the AL West, eventually losing to the Dodgers in the World Series. Plunk worked 2.0 clean innings in the 1988 playoffs.
In 1989, Plunk would make history. After a solid start to the season, on June 21, he was traded from Oakland along with Greg Cadaret and Luis Polonia to the New York Yankees for Rickey Henderson. This was the first and only time to date that a player was traded for the same Hall of Famer twice. The Athletics, with Henderson, would go on to win the World Series in the Battle of the Bay. Plunk, coming full circle back to the team that drafted him, went 7-5 with a 3.69 ERA in pinstripes in 20 relief appearances and 7 starts. The Yankees would finish the season in 5th place in the division.
The Bombers would move Plunk back into his full-time relief role for the 1990 season. Plunk tossed 72.2 innings in 47 games. His ERA was 2.72. The team, however, was not good at all. Posting a record of 67–95, it was the Yankees’ first last-place finish since 1966 and the first last-place in the division era. 95 losses is the most ever by the Yankees, as the 103 losses in 1908 were by the Highlanders.
Plunk was with the Yankees for all of the 1991 season. The team was better, but still not very good. Despite being such a strong reliever, the Yankees decided to use Plunk for spot starts in addition to relieving. Plunk’s ERA went up more than 2 full runs, and he was released by the Yankees following the season.
Prior to the 1992 season, Plunk signed with the Blue Jays but was cut after spring training. He then landed in Cleveland. The Land is where Plunk would spend the next seven seasons. Just like when he arrived in Oakland, Plunk found himself on another team that was on the verge of making a few World Series runs. In another fun piece of trivia Plunk was the first pitcher to win a game at Jacobs Field. Across those seven years in Cleveland, Plunk pitched 462.0 innings, all in relief. His record was 36-33 with a 3.25 ERA, and he picked up 26 saves.
In July of 1998, Plunk was traded by Cleveland to the Milwaukee Brewers for Doug Jones. Plunk pitched the rest of 1998 and the 1999 seasons for the Brewers. In 107 innings, he posted a 4.63 ERA and went 5-6. Plunk tried to play the 2000 season but appeared in 7 games for the Cubs’ Double-A affiliate before hanging up his spikes.
Over a 14-year career, Plunk went 72-58 with a 3.82 ERA. In total, at the major league level, he threw 1,151.0 innings and pitched in two World Series. He was hurt for Cleveland’s 1995 loss, but his teams could not pull off the win in either.
After his playing days ended, Plunk remained attached to baseball. Back in California, he started coaching and working privately with players looking to further their development at The Institute of Sports & Education in Corona, CA.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - AUGUST 05: Pitcher Noah Cameron #65 of the Kansas City Royals is doused with water by Tyler Tolbert #2 and Jac Caglianone #14 after the Royals defeated the Minnesota Twins 2-1 to win the game at Kauffman Stadium on August 05, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The only thing hotter than the August weather in Kansas City has been the performance of Jac Caglianone and Noah Cameron. Today, the pair was recognized with Caglianone named American League Player of the Month for August, and Cameron named American League Pitcher of the Month. It is just the fourth time in Royals history they have had a player and pitcher win league honors in the same month
July 1980 – George Brett and Larry Gura
September 1981 – Willie Wilson and Larry Gura
July 1985 – George Brett and Bret Saberhagen
Caglianone led all MLB hitters in wRC+ in the month of August at 208. He was scorching hot, hitting .411/.429/.684 with six home runs in 24 games. He is just the 16th Royals hitter to hit .400 for an entire month with at least 80 plate appearances. He hit safely in 21 of his 24 games in August and registered a career-high 13-game hit streak. He is the first Royals hitter to win AL monthly honors since Bobby Witt Jr. in July of 2024.
Highest batting avearge for a Royals hitter in a month (min. 80 PA)
Cameron was 4-0 with a 1.87 ERA in five starts for the Royals, and had a 19-inning scoreless streak in August. He is the first Royals pitcher to win AL monthly honors since Kris Bubic in May of 2025.
It has been quite a comeback for both players this season. By the end of May, Jac Caglianone was struggling with an OPS below .700 while Noah Cameron had a 4.61 ERA. But Caglianone has seemingly figured out MLB pitching, hitting .310/.350/.564 with 18 home runs in 74 games since that point. Cameron began calling is own pitches, transforming his season. In his last eight starts he has a 7 percent walk rate, .143 opponent’s batting average, and 1.84 ERA.
Royals named American League Player and Pitcher of the Month
The Boston Red Sox visit the Baltimore Orioles for a key four-game series in the American League Wild Card race beginning Thursday, Sept. 3.
Boston is a 54% favorite ahead of the opening pitch at 7:15 p.m. ET, and my top Red Sox vs. Orioles predictions and MLB picks call for the BoSox to come through with the win at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland.
Who will win Red Sox vs Orioles today: Red Sox moneyline (54.3%)
For help understanding probabilities, see our odds calculator.
Baltimore Orioles righty Brandon Young has outpitched his underlying numbers this season with his 4.36 xERA and 4.47 xFIP well above his 3.38 ERA, and he’s thrown a career-high 147 innings including his 16 2/3 frames with Triple-A Norfolk.
The workload is catching up, too, with Young’s numbers skyrocketing to a 5.15 xERA and 4.77 xFIP while allowing a healthy .366 wOBA and .205 ISO across his past six starts.
As a result, I like the Boston Red Sox to succeed at the dish, given they’ve averaged 5.3 runs per game while ranking fourth in xwOBA over the past 30 days, and I'd back them to 56%.
Red Sox vs Orioles Over/Under pick: Over 8.5 (51%)
The Orioles are also running hot at the plate with a fifth-ranked xwOBA and an average of 4.6 runs per game over the past 30 days, and their lineup features a number of impact right-handed hitters to counter Boston lefty Jake Bennett.
There are also ideal hitting conditions forecast at Camden Yards tonight, and in addition to the highlighted favorable matchup for the Boston lineup, the Red Sox have hit the Over in 20 of their last 30 games (+8.90 Units / 27% ROI).
This Over 8.5 is in play to 53.5%.
Red Sox vs Orioles home run prediction: Wilyer Abreu (22.2%)
Red Sox outfielder Wilyer Abreu has six extra-base hits across his past seven games for a .321 ISO, and he also sports a .214 mark against righties for the season.
With Abreu already taking Young deep once this season, and with the righties struggling, the Boston star has my attention tonight.
Neil Parker's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 50-22, +30.08 units
Over/Under bets: 23-21, +0.54 units
Red Sox vs Orioles weather
The forecast calls for a hot and humid evening (89 F at first pitch) with a mild 5 to 6 mph wind blowing out to right field for favorable hitting conditions.
Red Sox vs Orioles odds
Moneyline: Red Sox 55.6% | Orioles 51.2%
Run line: Red Sox -1.5 (%43.5) | Orioles +1.5 (60%)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (52.4%) | Under 8.5 (52.4%)
Red Sox vs Orioles trend
The Boston Red Sox have won 27 of their last 45 away games (+7.10 Units / 13% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Red Sox vs. Orioles.
How to watch Red Sox vs Orioles and game info
Location
Camden Yards, Baltimore, MD
Date
Thursday, September 3, 2026
First pitch
7:15 p.m. ET
TV
FOX
Red Sox starting pitcher
Jake Bennett (9-6, 3.27 ERA)
Orioles starting pitcher
Brandon Young (9-3, 3.38 ERA)
Red Sox vs Orioles latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JULY 5: Chris Manon #30, Arthur Kaluma #47, and William Hickey #66 of the Los Angeles Lakers smile after the game against the Miami Heat during the California Classic Game on July 5, 2026 at Chase Center in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Welcome to our Lakers Season Preview Series! For the next several weeks, we’ll be writing columns every weekday breaking down the biggest questions we have about every player the Lakers added this offseason. Today, we start with a look at the team’s three two-way players, Chris Mañon, Arthur Kaluma and AK Okereke.
Throughout his brief tenure with the Lakers, head coach JJ Redick has been more than willing to give two-way players a chance.
That foundation leads to optimism that a pair of intriguing two-way options for the team this season in Chris Mañon and Arthur Kaluma could find their way onto the court. Both were not just part of the surprisingly fun Summer League Lakers, but standouts.
Both also possess unique skill sets not seen elsewhere on the team’s roster. Is that enough of a path to lead them to minutes this season? And can the team’s third two-way player, AK Okereke, find his footing in the G League and blossom into the team’s next diamond in the rough?
What is his best-case scenario?
Chris Mañon
Defensively, Mañon has been league-ready since last season. The questions have largely centered on the other side of the court. At Summer League, Mañon had some promising offensive flashes.
If he’s able to hit threes at a league-average rate, excel off the ball as a cutter and weakside playmaker or be able to get downhill and finish at the rim, then things become more interesting. He very well may be the team’s best perimeter defender and if he can survive offensively, he wouldn’t be far removed from a standard contract.
Arthur Kaluma
Kaluma’s advantage this season is the gaping hole at the forward spot in the starting lineup and rotation overall. Multiple players are going to get chances in that position, with Kaluma likely one of them. If he can prove in the preseason and training camp that Summer League wasn’t a flash in the pan, then I think there’s a real chance he gets a chance in the regular season.
The Lakers need front court bodies. Kaluma is a big that can stretch the floor and still be physical. If he can make that work in real NBA minutes, then it’s going to be hard to keep him off the floor.
AK Okereke
Even in the most glass-half-full outlook, it’s hard to see Okereke doing much more than developing in the G League this season. He also had moments in Summer League, but they were much shorter and surrounded by a lot more examples of the development he needs.
That being said, fellow two-way signee Kaluma painted a pretty clear picture of how to spend a year behind the scenes developing and turn that into an opportunity.
What is his worst-case scenario?
Chris Mañon
This is pretty obvious, but everything about Mañon’s playability hinges on his offense. If he can’t find his shot and struggles without the ball in his hands, then it’s going to be hard to keep him on the floor, no matter how good he is defensively.
As much as the Lakers need defense, Redick has shown that there aren’t many minutes to be had even for good defenders if it’s 4-on-5 on the other end of the floor.
Arthur Kaluma
What if Kaluma’s strong summer was just a hot streak? He wouldn’t be the first player to play well in Las Vegas and then struggle months later when the games actually matter.
No one is expecting him to hit threes at the insane clip he did in Summer League, but if he becomes someone who can’t space the floor and teams don’t respect him from the perimeter, then most of his value is lost. Suddenly, he can’t drive by defenders on hard closeouts or splash home open threes.
And matched up against NBA forwards, the speed and intensity can overwhelm guys. If Kaluma can’t adjust on that end, then he’s not just another Laker who can’t defend, but one who can’t at least make up for it on the other end.
AK Okereke
It’s no secret that Okereke is the two-way signing closest to the chopping block. That adds a small sense of urgency to his development.
If he isn’t coming along early or another, more intriguing option comes along, then it’s unlikely the Lakers would hesitate to part ways with Okereke and use his two-way spot on someone else.
It wouldn’t spell the end of Okereke even in the Lakers’ system, but it would put more pressure on him to find his role in the league.
What is his most likely role on the team?
With how preseason games typically shake out, there’s going to be real chances for Kaluma and Mañon, specifically. As guys rest and rotate through games, those two are likely going to be some of the guys who benefit from some extra minutes with the actual rotation players.
If they can impress in those outings, then I think there’s also a real chance they get opportunities in actual games, too. For both, it feels like a strong preseason could parlay into minutes in the season. Otherwise, they’ll be playing from behind and have to wait for an opportunity to open up.
As for Okereke, his two-way spot is far from secure. One wave of injuries to the parent Lakers or an unexpected roster cut — a la Smith Jr. last year — could mean his two-way contract is gone.
You don’t need me to tell you how good Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong has been all year, but he really turned things on in August.
Even after going just 1-for-5 during the Cubs’ home run onslaught on the last day of the month without adding to that home run total, PCA batted .280/.366/.703 (33-for-118) during August with six doubles, a triple, 14 home runs, 28 RBI and 29 runs scored.
For that great performance, PCA was today named National League Player of the Month for August. It’s the second time this year he’s been given this honor, as he also won it for the month of June. The Player of the Month award has been given out for almost 70 years, since 1958. PCA is the first Cub ever to win this honor twice in one season. The last Cub to win more than one, period, was Derrek Lee, for April 2005 and September 2009. (Cody Bellinger won twice, once as a Cub in 2023 and once as a Dodger in 2018.)
Since PCA began his hot streak May 26, he is batting .316/.412/.693 (107-for-339) with 22 doubles, five triples, 32 home runs, 68 RBI, 72 runs scored, 20 stolen bases and 51 walks — in 84 games, just a bit more than half a season.
Congratulations to PCA on this award. This season has been absolutely amazing for him — remember watching all this, because it’s one of the greatest years in Cubs franchise history. Hopefully, it will wind up in PCA crushing it during the postseason, and then following it up with the NL MVP award.
The Kawhi Leonard saga came to a head on Wednesday, Sept. 2, when the NBA released the results of an 11-month investigation that concluded the Los Angeles Clippers knowingly circumvented the league's salary cap through "no-show" endorsement deals for their former star forward.
The Clippers are being fined $30 million, and the team will forfeit five first-round picks in the 2029, 2030, 2031, 2032 and 2033 NBA drafts. Leonard has been fined $700,000, but will not be suspended. The league, however, is suspending Ballmer, the team's owner, from all league activities for one year.
Throughout the 36-page document, investigators state the three individuals most responsible for the Clippers’ rule-breaking are team owner Steve Ballmer, president of business operations Gillian Zucker and president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank. Among their transgressions:
The Clippers were punished for circumventing the NBA salary cap before. The team was fined $250,000 in 2015 for trying to facilitate an endorsement deal for free agent DeAndre Jordan.
The Clippers denied agreeing to requests from one of Leonard's relatives for additional benefits prohibited under the CBA.
The Clippers introduced Leonard to representatives of companies who later became corporate sponsors of the team and who signed endorsement deals with Leonard at almost the exact same time.
The Clippers executives repeatedly delayed and attempted to obfuscate the NBA's ability to obtain information about the case.
How does the punishment affect the Clippers' future?
In addition, the team's proposed trade sending Leonard to the Toronto Raptors is currently on hold.
If the trade goes through, L.A. will receive Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick and two unprotected first-round picks, two second-rounders and a first-round pick swap in 2027. After that, roughly half of the Clippers' cap space this season will be tied up in two players, guards Ingram and Darius Garland, who are set to make over $82 million combined this season according to Spotrac.
Is this the end of the Kawhi Leonard saga?
Maybe not.
Independent journalist Pablo Torre, whose reporting spurred the NBA's investigation of the Clippers, said on his Sept. 2 "Pablo Torre Finds Out" podcast: “There is more to come than is in the NBA report ... This is not everything.''
Torre pointed out that the NBA's report did mention an unidentified second player, and that the league issued a statement acknowledging "more information will likely surface over time."
Winners and losers of NBA's Kawhi Leonard investigation
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 27: Josh Hader #71 of the Houston Astros in action against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on August 27, 2026 in New York City. The Astros defeated the Yankees 5-1. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Major League Baseball announced today that Astros LHP Josh Hader has been named the American League Reliever of the Month for August. It is Hader’s ninth career Reliever of the Month Award and his third with the Astros, also winning in August 2024 and June 2025. His nine career Reliever of the Month honors are the second-most since 2005 when the award was established, trailing only RHP Edwin Díaz (10).
Hader was scoreless through his 13 appearances and 14.1 innings pitched in August, recording a .085 opponent batting average (4×47), a 0.35 WHIP and 15 strikeouts to just one walk. He also converted all seven of his save opportunities and picked up one win. Among AL pitchers with at least 14 innings pitched last month, he ranked first in ERA, opponent batting average and WHIP, and ranked tied for fifth in strikeouts. Hader also ranked tied for third among AL relievers in saves.
Hader carries an active scoreless streak of 19 appearances and 20.0 innings, which began on July 21 vs. MIA and is the second-longest active scoreless streak in the Major Leagues (by innings and appearances). In August, Hader also finished out a streak of 35 consecutive batters retired from July 21-Aug. 14, which was the longest hitless streak by an Astro since LHP Framber Valdez went 39 consecutive batters without allowing a hit from July 31-Aug. 6, 2024. Additionally, Hader made his 500th career appearance on Aug. 19 vs. LAA.
The 32-year-old, six-time All-Star has been spectacular since making his season debut on June 3 following a stint on the Injured List. In 38 appearances this year, Hader owns a 0.72 ERA (3ER/37.1IP) with 49 strikeouts, a 0.67 WHIP and a .111 (14×126) opponent average. He has also converted all 22 of his save opportunities and has recorded four winning decisions. Among AL relievers since June 2, he ranks first in opponent batting average (.111), second in ERA and third in SO/9 (11.81) (min. 35 IP).
Hader becomes the third Astros player to win a monthly award this season, with OF Yordan Alvarez winning AL Player of the Month in March/April and July and RHP Spencer Arrighetti winning AL Pitcher of the Month in May.
The Vancouver Canucks are just a few weeks away from the start of the 2026-27 season. This year will bring plenty of intrigue, as the off-season brought major changes to the organization. Some of the biggest moves happened on the management side, which included Daniel and Henrik Sedin being named Co-Presidents of the Canucks.
Recently, Henrik spoke to Swedish news outlet Expressenabout the upcoming campaign. The Hockey Hall of Famer was asked a variety of questions, including about a rebuild timeline and trade rumours surrounding center Elias Pettersson. Using Google Translate, here's what Henrik said.
To kick off the interview, Henrik was asked if he and Daniel ever considered stepping away from hockey full-time after retirement. Henrik responded by saying, "Yes, we absolutely have. We didn't care much about hockey at all during Covid, but it became quite natural to go back to hockey three years after our careers. Then we got the chance to step in as advisors at that time. When Patrik (Allvin) came there, we had long discussions about wanting to get back out on the ice and work closer to the players. That's what we thought was fun. We told him to stay away from the other stuff, because we don't need to be seen. Then Patrik found a role that suited us, and that's what we've done up until now."
Henrik was then asked about the rebuild, which is something ownership appears to be fully on board with. He said, "When the owners asked, it was pretty obvious, especially for the plan they presented. If they had said, "Do you want to take over? We want to win next year," then it would have been more difficult. But now, considering that we agreed with them about what the vision was and the plan for the next few years, it became different. If you are on the same wavelength as the owners in how you see things being done, then it becomes easier to take on such a job."
As for a potential timeline for returning to the playoffs, Henrik stressed the importance of not rushing the process. He answered the question by saying, " It's really hard to say. It depends on who we draft and how quickly they develop. It's important to have good support in development and all that. Then, whether they come in after one year or three years, it's hard to say. But we also know that you can't "rebuild" for as many years as you want. There has to be development. But in these first few years, we will at least start from scratch. Then we'll see what happens."
While fans have accepted a rebuild, the team needs to ensure it continues to grow year after year. In the interview, Henrik was asked how the organization intends to avoid a prolonged rebuild, with the Buffalo Sabres and the Chicago Blackhawks used as examples. Henrik said, "It's hard. Detroit also lasted an incredible number of years, and it's hard. It's about getting the foundation you build right when you draft. They come in, develop, and you help them with everything they need. It's leadership, support on the ice and getting that group to become a cornerstone of what we do. I think we have already brought in the young guys we brought in last year, like Tom Willander, Zeev Buium, Liam Öhgren and many younger players who have come together."
Finally, Henrik was asked about center Elias Pettersson, who has struggled over the past few seasons. As part of the question, Henrik was also asked about the trade rumours that continually emerged all off-season. Henrik answered the question by saying, " We have said that we want to give him every opportunity to succeed. Both Ryan Johnson and Manny (Malhotra) believe a lot in creating an environment around the team where he can just come in and play hockey. Right now, in the situation we are in, he doesn't need to focus on anything other than coming in well prepared. That's the hope, and we believe in that."
As for the trade rumour part specifically, Henrik said, "No. In the NHL, there are trade rumours about all players. If you don't live up to your contract and the team is struggling, then there are often trade rumours. It's something you have to live with over there."
The 2026-27 season begins on September 29 against the Edmonton Oilers. Before that, Vancouver will be travelling to Penticton on September 17 for training camp. The Canucks also have a prospects showcase scheduled for September 12 and 13 against the Seattle Kraken.
May 14, 2026; Vancouver, BC, Canada; The Vancouver Canucks promoted Henrik Sedin (left) and his twin brother Daniel Sedin (right) to co-presidents during a press conference at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
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That was one of the more frustrating games of the year. That’s a reasonably high bar too as there have been a lot of lousy, frustrating games. Watching the Cubs rally on two different occasions after Jacob Misiorowski was given the lead by the Brewers offense only to eventually come up (well) short. Just another frustrating day at the ballpark. The Cubs were 74-53 after taking the first two games of the series versus the White Sox on August 18. They are 4-9 since. Not the worst stretch of the season for the Cubs, but definitely one of them.
This one was frustrating on multiple levels. I made a reference to a game feeling like a rerun the other day. This is one of those games that happens a handful of times every year. The Cubs hit the ball hard it finds a glove. The Brewers hit the ball soft, it finds grass. It was pretty clearly a difficult night to pitch at Wrigley Field, particularly early in the game. The Brewers relievers were more less able to figure it out, the Cubs relievers were more or less not. Though in fairness, all of the runs that lost the game were charged to starter David Peterson.
I always know that I’ve just about hit peak frustration with this team when I get to the point where they lose a game and my brain has a sour grapes response. As in, maybe this team shouldn’t make the playoffs, I wouldn’t enjoy it anyway. Yeah, that’s where I’m at right now. It all feels fatalistic.
I think it was right about that 13 games ago that I got comfortable with this team. I felt like they’d reached the point where they were kind of high functioning with all of their limitations. Like no lead was ever going to really be safe with the pitching staff. But also, they score a ton of runs so often that it’s just kind of okay.
I like to think of baseball sometimes as an X/Y axis with one axis being offense is bad/offense is good and the other axis is pitching is bad/pitching is good. Every team is dominant when you get good/good performance. Every team is putrid when you get bad/bad performance. So the first measure of how good your season is comes from having more games in the good/good section than in the bad/bad section. The Cubs have been very good at that.
The second measure of how good your season is comes from how well you do in the good/bad section and bad/good section. The Cubs do reasonably well when the offense is good but the pitching is rough. There aren’t a lot of pitching was good, offense was bad wins for this team. The whole saving grace for the team has been that the offense has been so good that the team is on the right side of the offense axis so consistently.
This funk right now arises from too many games when the pitching is rough. That contrasts earlier in the year when the team had that 10-game losing streak. The pitching didn’t do a ton of favors, but that streak largely saw the offense sputtering. They scored just 25 runs during that 10-game skid and eight of those were in one game (and five in another). They have 91 runs in this 13-game stretch. The problem is that it is massively stratified. 60 runs in the four wins in that stretch and 31 runs in the nine losses.
Long story short, not good enough.
Three Positives:
Alex Bregman had two hits, one a homer, and drove in four runs.
Pete Crow-Armstrong had a single and drew two walks. He scored twice.
Ryan Rolison faced five batters and got five outs. He and Caleb Thielbar were the only two effective Cub pitchers on the night.
Game 140, September 2: Brewers 9, Cubs 5 (78-62)
Reminder: Heroes and Goats are determined by WPA scores and are in no way subjective.
THREE HEROES:
Superhero: Alex Bregman (.290). 2-4, HR, 4 RBI, R
Hero: Ryan Rolison (.209). 1.2 IP, 5 BF, K
Sidekick: Caleb Thielbar (.030). IP, 3 BF, 2 K
THREE GOATS:
Billy Goat: David Peterson (-.501). 3.2 IP, 23 BF, 7 H, 4 BB, 6 R, 4 K (L 4-2)
Goat: Michael Busch (-.109). 0-4
Kid: Nico Hoerner (-.096). 0-4
Note: Peterson’s WPA is 10th worst WPA game score of the season by a Cub. Year over year, those are mostly relievers, but occasionally a position player or starter will get in there. But this year all 10 of these are relievers. Recent reference, it was eight relievers and two starters in 2025. In 2024 it was three starters and seven relievers.
WPA Play of the Game: Alex Bregman’s two-run single in the second gave the Cubs a two run lead with two outs. (.185)
Cubs Play of the Game: William Contreras had an RBI-single with one out in the fourth, giving the Brewers a 6-5 lead. (.120)
Cubs Player of the Game:
Game 139 Winner: Tyrone Taylor received 43 of 65 votes.
Rizzo Award Standings: (Top 5/Bottom 5)
The award is named for Anthony Rizzo, who finished first in this category three of the first four years it was in existence and four times overall. He also recorded the highest season total ever at +65.5. The point scale is three points for a Superhero down to negative three points for a Billy Goat.
Up Next: The last of the four-game set with the Brewers. The Cubs will look to salvage a split. They are 2-4 to start this stretch of 13 games in 13 days. Kevin Gausman (8-11, 4.52) starts for the Cubs. He is 3-1 with a 5.14 as a Cub. Last time out, he won despite allowing five runs in five innings against the Reds. The Brewers scored three in five innings against him in April in Toronto.
24-year-old righty, Logan Henderson (9-2, 2.48) starts for the Brewers. He’s rolling, winning six of his last seven starts with a 2.09 ERA (43 innings). He last lost on August 10 at San Diego and had a quality start in that one (3 runs over 6.1 innings. He hasn’t allowed more than three runs in any of his 19 career starts. He only threw as many as six innings once before August, but then did so in all five August starts.
Once again, the matchup doesn’t look great on paper. Hopefully, Gausman keeps the team in the game. Many of the Brewers leverage relievers have now thrown in back-to-back games.
Aug 5, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners designated hitter Taylor Ward (27) reacts to hitting a single during the third inning against the Detroit Tigers at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Today marks the one-month mark since the 2026 MLB trade deadline. The Phillies were very active at the deadline, as they acquired Luis Arraez, Caleb Kilian, and Brooks Raley. So far, the results have been a mixed bag. Arraez is obviously the biggest name, and although he’s been rather pedestrian, hitting .280 with a .678 OPS through his first month in a Phillies uniform, the lineup itself has excelled since his arrival. The Phillies offense ranked first in on-base percentage for the month of August, a dramatic difference from their dead last ranking from April through the end of July. How much of that which can be directly or indirectly attributed to Arraez is up for interpretation, but the numbers show the team has improved since he was inserted into the lineup.
The two new pitchers the Phillies acquired are a different story. Raley has been fine, but he’s regressed heavily from his previous numbers with the Mets this season. Kilian appeared in just four games before suffering an oblique strain and being placed on the injured list on August 10th. It’s quite possible he does not pitch again this season. For the rotation, the Phillies opted not to acquire another starter, choosing to give Andrew Painter another run at the fifth spot. That decision was maligned at the time, but it looks to have been a shrewd one, as Painter looks like a completely different pitcher since returning from his mid-season demotion to Triple-A.
But we’re not here to talk about who the Phillies DID trade for. So, let’s look at how some of the names connected to the Phillies whether by insider rumor or fan speculation have fared over the last month.
Taylor Ward
Ward has been a constant in the rumor mill surrounding the Phillies for the last few seasons. He was finally moved from the Angels in the offseason, heading to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for Grayson Rodriguez. While with the Orioles, Ward’s previous power numbers from his past two years cratered, but his OBP jumped to what would have been a career-best .383. The 32-year-old found himself on the move again at this past deadline, this time heading to the Mariners in exchange for reliever Alex Hoppe and minor leaguers Brock Moore and Harrison Kreiling. The package Baltimore netted for Ward appeared very light on the surface, leading to much consternation among the Phillies fanbase and others over why he went for so little.
Well, it looks as though the Orioles are actually the favorites to come out ahead of that deal, as Ward has been abysmal for Seattle. He’s hitting just .121 through 19 games with 21 strikeouts. Ironically, the Mariners have trended downward since the deal and are fading from the AL postseason picture while the Orioles are trending up and remain firmly in the mix for the third Wild Card in the mediocre AL.
Luis Robert Jr.
Robert is yet another name that has been oft linked to the Phillies over the past few seasons. The White Sox finally moved on from their former center fielder over the winter when they sent Robert to New York as part of Daniel Stearns’ offseason makeover of the Mets. But Robert was a total bust for the Mets, as he appeared in 27 games before suffering a lumbar disc injury on April 30th that kept him out of action until July 20th. His name floated around rumors at the deadline as part of the Mets’ sell-off, but New York did not or could not move him before the deadline passed.
Flash forward to August 29th, and Robert was waived by the Mets in an attempt to move off of the remaining $5M of his deal, assuming he would require the $3M buyout and his $10M option would be declined. The Orioles claimed Robert on August 31st, officially ending his tenure with the Mets after 58 games with a .223/.303/.399 batting line and 0.8 WAR.
Jo Adell
Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but Adell is another right-handed hitting outfielder that has seen his name connected with the Phillies at the last two trade deadlines. The 27-year-old saw a drastic drop in production from his career year in 2025, as he had a .682 OPS with Anaheim this year after posting a career-best .778 last season. Like his former teammate Ward, the Angels finally found a deal they liked for Adell, sending him to the Guardians at the deadline in exchange for catching prospect Jacob Cozart.
Unlike the previous two names so far on this list, Adell has been a boon for his team post-deadline. He’s hit .258 with an .815 OPS in 24 games with Cleveland and has seen his walk rate jump from a miniscule 3.5% to a more respectable 9.8%. Adell has been a huge addition for the Guardians as they try to chase down the White Sox in the AL Central.
Kevin Gausman
Gausman was a somewhat surprising addition to the deadline trade market, as the Blue Jays were coming off of a shocking World Series run that saw them come within literal inches of winning a championship in Game 7. But the magic quickly wore off in 2026, as Toronto found themselves 53-60 on August 3rd and 4.5 games out of a postseason spot. So, the Blue Jays opted to dismantle some of that AL pennant winning club, with Gausman’s name emerging as a possible option for clubs seeking rotation help, such as the Phillies.
The 35-year-old Gausman was in the midst of a down year himself when he was sent to the Cubs in exchange for outfielder Brett Bateman and infielder Ty Southisene. Gausman is in the final year of a five year, $110M deal and had a no trade clause that blocked a move to all but eight teams. One of those teams where he could have been traded without his consent was the Phillies, but they opted to let him go to Chicago. The Cubs were hoping that Gausman could shake off the 4.38 ERA he had in 23 starts with the Blue Jays and recapture his form as a front of the rotation playoff caliber starter. That has yet to happen so far, as Gausman has a 5.14 ERA in five starts since the trade and has already allowed five home runs.
Clay Holmes
Holmes matches two ongoing themes of the trade deadline in that he was a starting pitcher that went to the Cubs as well as being a part of the Mets’ selloff. The converted reliever excelled in his first season as a full-time starter with the Mets in 2025, finishing with a 3.53 ERA across 165.2 IP in 33 games (31 starts). Holmes looked to have been off to an even better start to 2026, posting a 2.39 ERA across his first nine starts, but a tibia fracture suffered on May 15th shut him down until the middle of July when he began rehabbing in the minor leagues.
At the time of the deadline, Holmes was one of the more intriguing non-Tarik Skubal options on the market. His three year, $38M signed prior to last season includes a player option after this season, meaning that Holmes can once again test free agency following 2026. Considering his performance over the last year plus when healthy, Holmes is likely to exercise that option. That along with the uncertainty of his injury status at the time of the deadline (he had only appeared in rehab games to that point) made sure there was non-insignificant risk in acquiring him. The Phillies clearly chose not to take that risk while the Cubs did, and Chicago has reaped the benefits of it. Holmes has picked up right where he left off prior to injury, as he has a 1.55 ERA in five starts since the trade. His chances of opting out have likely increased even more, but the Cubs will be happy to employ him in the meantime.
Robbie Ray
Ray was yet another solid rotation option available in a trade at a time when the Phillies rotation was very much in flux. The 34-year-old was in the midst of a second straight renaissance season pitching in pitcher friendly Oracle Park in San Francisco, as he was pitching to a 3.08 in 22 games (21 starts) with the moribund Giants. The trifecta of Ray pitching well, his status as a rental still being owed a little more than $4M, and the Giants being long out of the race, made him ripe for a change of address at the deadline.
The Padres ended up being the ones to acquire Ray’s services, sending two prospects in Miguel Mendez and Joniel Hernandez to San Francisco with the Giants also agreeing to pay part of Ray’s salary. The lefty has been a good pickup for San Diego, as he’s made five starts and sports a 3.42 ERA as the Padres look to chase down the Phillies and others for an NL Wild Card spot.
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 09: Steve Ballmer attends a basketball game between the Los Angeles Clippers and the New York Knicks at Intuit Dome on March 09, 2026 in Inglewood, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Los Angeles Clippers circumvented the salary cap to funnel extra money to Kawhi Leonard for his commitment to the team, and they were caught red-handed. The NBA dropped the hammer on the Clippers on Wednesday after a one-year investigation into the allegations first uncovered by journalist Pablo Torre. The NBA decided to dock the Clippers five future first-round draft picks while suspending governor Steve Ballmer for a year as punishment for Leonard’s no-show endorsement deal with Aspiration and other companies. This is a massive penalty, and it could ruin the Clippers for the next decade.
The NBA had precedent to punish cap circumvention with the 2000 Joe Smith scandal that stripped the Minnesota Timberwolves of five first-round picks back when David Stern was commissioner (though two picks were eventually returned). Adam Silver followed through after a thorough investigation by top-rated law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen, & Katz. While Leonard and Ballmer came away with relatively small fines compared to their level of wealth, Clippers fans and players suffer after receiving this devastating penalty.
Still, the NBA got it right. This was a job well done by Silver and the league office. Let’s go through the winners and losers of this historic NBA story.
Winner: Pablo Torre
Torre was named in the first sentence of the report on the NBA’s findings. His independent reporting started this investigation and led to the one of the biggest punishments in sports history. He went after a billionaire for cheating the system, and he was completely vindicated. This ruling is an incredible victory for Torre, yes, and also for journalism. At its core, journalism isn’t about scooping a press release by a few hours — it’s about finding the truth, holding power accountable, and giving unbiased, verified information to the public. Torre did that by taking on one of the richest billionaires in the world and continuing to stand strong in his reporting despite a massive smear campaign against him. Hopefully, he inspires a younger generation of journalists to keep searching for the truth in a dying field.
Winner: Adam Silver
It would have been convenient for Silver to sweep this under the rug. Ballmer has been a great owner for the NBA, pouring tons of money into a stale Clippers franchise and doing everything he can to revitalize a dormant organization in one of the league’s biggest markets. This punishment could potentially turn off other sponsors, who now might worry they’re doing something wrong if they agree to endorsement deals with players, which happens for all 30 teams. Silver has always made his top priority protecting the league’s money, but in some ways it came at the risk of losing integrity. There was simply too much evidence in the report by Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen, & Katz to ignore. Silver made the difficult decision to punish the league’s richest owner and stand up for the league’s rules to help ensure competitive balance. I was ready to roast Silver if he let the Clippers off the hook. Instead, I’m applauding his judgment. The NBA has more integrity today than it did yesterday because of this ruling. The other owners are fully put on notice that you can’t just spend your way past the rules. Silver laid down the law, and he deserves all the credit for it.
Winner: Kawhi Leonard
Leonard has to pay back $700K in restitution for improper benefits. Aside from that? He’s getting off scot free despite being the central figure in this entire fiasco. I suppose Leonard can hide behind the idea that it was Uncle Dennis asking for all these endorsement deals, not him. Sure, man. The reality is that Leonard was one of the best players in the NBA at the time, but he wasn’t landing the same endorsements as LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant because he has a bizarre, off-putting personality away from the court. Kawhi is a robot. Uncle Dennis made it his mission to get Leonard the money he thought he deserved, but the problem is he refused to do any actual work for any of it. I really feel like the Clippers could have evaded this entire debacle if Leonard would have just shared some Instagram posts, taken a few pictures, and planted a few trees. Instead, Leonard did absolutely nothing. The Clippers essentially funneled money to various sponsors as a way to give Kawhi a little extra. Kawhi’s reputation took a hit in this, for sure, but it didn’t impact his money or his career. The trade to the Raptors will finalize soon, and shortly after that, Kawhi will probably sign the last huge contract extension of his career. I think Toronto is good enough to potentially reach the NBA Finals with Leonard next season. What a story that would be after all this nonsense.
Loser: The Clippers
Obviously. The 2020s are fully cooked for the Clippers, and they’re probably screwed for the 2030s, too. Let’s move on to the next one.
Loser: ESPN
ESPN seemed to get out of the business of journalism a long time ago, but their coverage of this story was lazy at best and flat-out dishonest at worst. This company once had Pablo Torre and many other great reporters on staff. Now all of their money goes to Pat McAfee and Stephen A. Smith. Torre broke this story, and ESPN’s reporters, with far more resources, never advanced it and seemed to spend most of their time covering up for a lying mega billionaire. ESPN’s bad coverage started with Ramona Shelburne’s softball interview with Ballmer shortly after the allegations broke. Go back and watch it now, and it looks totally pathetic for every party involved. Two weeks before the Wachtell report dropped, ESPN published a story with this headline:
Shams Charania’s byline was originally on that story, but it’s not today after the punishment dropped. Weird! ESPN’s report said that there was no evidence of Ballmer funneling money to sponsors to get Kawhi endorsement deals. Wachtell sure found a lot of evidence after Torre pointed them in the right direction. ESPN’s podcasts like The Hoop Collective, which I often listen to, also never really took the story seriously. ESPN’s reporters dropped the ball at every turn. It’s a truly humiliating moment for the company, and it’s the ultimate proof that it has no interest in trying to do actual journalism anymore.
i regularly listen to hoop collective and they were so pathetic on that whole story that i questioned why i listen to them in the first place. completely co-opted and towing the party line
I stopped listening to them due that nonsense. The whole ESPN organization stuck its head under a rock. Baxter Holmes only wrote recap stories after each new piece of evidence was released. ESPN’s army of reporters didn’t break a damn thing on the years biggest NBA story.
The Clippers were arguably the luckiest team of the 2026 NBA Draft lottery. Los Angeles landed the Indiana Pacers’ first-round pick in the Ivica Zubac trade, but it was top-4 protected. That pick came in at No. 5, which meant the Clippers got it, and they used it to draft Illinois guard Keaton Wagler. I feel for Wagler today more than anyone else. Wagler is now joining a franchise with a dead-end future who won’t be able to pair him with other talented young players moving forward because of this penalty. The Clippers badly need Wagler to turn into a superstar, and it could still happen, but now it feels like he’s destined to spend the first half of his career next to a bunch of cast-offs and veteran free agents. Whatever optimism Wagler felt about his future with the Clippers has to be crushed now.
Loser: Clippers fans
Steve Ballmer is still one of the richest people in the world. Kawhi Leonard got away scot free. The people who will truly feel this punishment are Clippers fans, as if they didn’t have it bad enough already. The Clippers were a terrible franchise in the ‘80s, ’90s, and ‘00s. Things started to tick up when they traded for Chris Paul and drafted Blake Griffin, but those teams never made it out of the second round. It really felt like the Kawhi and Paul George era was going to bring the Clippers sustained success and possibly a championship. They were my 2020 title pick! Instead, Kawhi basically played half a season every season during his time in Los Angeles, and the furthest they ever made it was a conference finals. Now the franchise is totally decimated for at least the next 10 years. First round picks don’t just give teams the ability to acquire good young players, they are also the currency to make transactions. It’s like the Clippers have a gun without any bullets now. If the Clippers have any sense, they should make the tickets and the merchandise much more affordable going forward. The team has no hope for the future because it cheated and got caught. The least they could do entertain their fans for an affordable price. Ballmer doesn’t need the extra money anyway.
They won’t do it, mainly because it’s how nothing in life works, but the Clippers should absolutely lower the price of tickets, concessions, merchandise, etc. for the foreseeable future. The fans, at least, deserve that from them for all of this.
I’m almost disgusted by how happy Lakers fans are in this. Their joy is palpable. The Clippers have never been a real threat to the Lakers’ dominance inside or outside of Los Angeles, but now the Clippers are completely cooked. Lakers fans couldn’t be happier.
Wait so the Clippers had to give up more first round picks than the number of playoff series they won with Kawhi? Lmaooooooooo
The NBA still has plenty of problems, to be sure. The regular season is too long (this is the biggest one), the style of play leads to too many injuries, officiating is inconsistent (hey, it’s the hardest sport in the world to officiate), the end of games drag out forever with commercial stoppages and challenges, etc. I do think the NBA has more integrity today than it did yesterday with this Clippers punishment, though. It would have been really easy for Adam Silver to essentially sweep this under the rug with a light punishment. He didn’t do that. He made an example out of the Clippers, which was absolutely essential given that the league now basically operates with a hard cap. The league had to come out with an iron fist to deter this type of thing from happening again. In this case, the punishment fit the crime. Add in the new anti-tanking rules (which I don’t like, but hey), and the NBA might actually have some good PR on their side for the first time in years.
Winner: Players’ Union
The union is the reason that Kawhi got away with all this with a slap on the wrist. If the NBA tried to void Kawhi’s contract, the league was going to have a major fight on its hands with the union, and this would have been tied up in arbitration forever. The NBA Players’ Association kind of took one on the chin in the last CBA negotiations by allowing the second apron to create a subtle hard cap, but this case showed its power. The union protected Kawhi from punishment for his many misdeeds while the Clippers got hammered. We should all be lucky enough to have a union like the NBAPA on our side.
Loser: Steve Ballmer
He’s still rich, but his reputation is ruined. He thought the rules didn’t apply to him, and he was caught red-handed. He was supposed to be the man to bring the Clippers out of the dark ages, and instead he’ll forever be remembered in NBA circles as the guy who cheated, lied about it, and got busted. All that money can’t buy a good reputation. Ballmer’s is finished.
The Chicago White Sox (73-66) and the Houston Astros (71-69) wrap up their four-game series this afternoon at Daikin Park in Houston. The Astros have taken two of the first three games following last night’s 2-0 shutout of the Sox.
Last night was an old-fashioned pitchers’ duel between Davis Martin and Hayden Wesneski. Davis worked 5.2 shutout innings and Wesneski threw seven scoreless innings. Houston broke through with two in the eighth on Nelson Velazquez’ single to center which scored Jose Altuve and Isaac Paredes. AJ Blubaugh pitched around trouble in the eighth to pick up his fifth win of the season and Josh Hader pitched a perfect ninth to pick up his 22nd save and complete the shutout. The White Sox were held to three hits for the game.
The win was Houston’s third in their last four games while Chicago has now lost three of their last four. Cleveland lost last night so the Sox remain on top in the AL Central by three games. The Rangers lost and so the Astros’ lead in the AL West is now two games.
Luis Castillo (4-10, 5.31 ERA) takes the ball for the White Sox this afternoon. The righthander has labored for much of the season but especially since coming over at the Trade Deadline from Seattle. In five starts for Chicago, Castillo has allowed fewer than four runs once and completed five innings or more once. The long ball could well be a factor today as Castillo has offered up 23 home runs this season. Houston sends their ace, Hunter Brown (4-3, 3.33 ERA) to the mound today. The righthander’s last two starts have been gems as he has allowed a total of two runs across his last 12.1 innings. There is familiarity for Brown when it comes to the White Sox. He faced the Sox on July 25 in the Windy City and blanked them for seven innings. He struck out seven and allowed just two hits in a 4-1 win.
Lets dive into tonight’s matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game Details and How to Watch: White Sox vs. Astros
Date: Thursday, September 3, 2026
Time: 2:10PM EST
Site: Daikin Park
City: Houston, TX
Network/Streaming: MLB.TV, CSN, SCHN
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The Latest Odds: White Sox vs. Astros – September 3
The latest odds as of Thursday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Chicago White Sox (+134), Houston Astros (-163)
Spread: White Sox +1.5 (-156), Astros -1.5 (+129)
Total: 8.5 runs
Starting Pitchers and their Stats: White Sox vs. Astros for September 3
Astros: Hunter Brown Season Totals: 81.0 IP, 4-3, 3.33 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 86K, 44 BB
White Sox: Luis Castillo Season Totals: 122.0 IP, 4-10, 5.31 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 106K, 38 BB
Who’s Hot? Who’s Not! White Sox vs. Astros
Yordan Alvarez is 12-24 including 5 HRs in his career against Luis Castillo
Jeremy Pena is 9-26 against Castillo
Daulton Varsho is 1-16 against Castillo
Andrew Benintendi is 3-12 including 1 HR in his career against Hunter Brown
Cam Smith is 3-21 over his last 7 games
Jose Altuve is 0-6 to begin September after hitting .308 (28-91) in August
Dalton Varsho is 1-14 over his last 4 games and 2-22 over his last 6
Miguel Vargas is 3-12 this series
Munetaka Murakami has not homered since August 18 (14 games)
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top Betting Trends & Insights: White Sox vs. Astros
The White Sox are 82-57 on the Run Line this season
The Astros are 70-70 on the Run Line this season
The OVER has cashed 78 times in games involving Chicago this season (78-59-2)
The OVER has cashed 71 times in games involving the Astros this season (71-61-8)
Expert picks & predictions: White Sox vs. Astros for September 3
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for tonight’s game between the White Sox and the Astros:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Astros on the Run Line.
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Yordan Alvarez is arguably the best hitter in baseball right now, but he doesn't force the issue and will take what's given to him.
With a 97th percentile walk rate, and a matchup against a pitcher he is 12-24 against in his career, Alvarez headlines my MLB player props and MLB picks for Thursday, Sept. 3.
Best MLB player props today
Player
Pick
Odds
Yordan Alvarez
Over 0.5 walks
-117
Lawrence Butler
Over 0.5 singles
+133
Jake Bauers
Over 0.5 hits
-156
Yordan Alvarez Over 0.5 walks (-117)
Yordan Alvarez is someone pitchers need to tread with caution against at the best of times. That holds even more true in today’s matchup against Luis Castillo.
Alvarez has hammered Castillo over the years, going 12-24 with five home runs and just two strikeouts.
The Houston Astros are not hitting well as a whole, making pitching to Alvarez an even more unnecessary risk than usual.
Alvarez has walked in 58% of games he faced a right-handed starter sitting in the 40th percentile or worse in K-BB%.
I’d play this up to -130.
Time: 2:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: CHSN, SCHN
Lawrence Butler Over 0.5 singles (+133)
Lawrence Butler is sporting a .294 average over the last 30 games, and has reached safely in 16 of his past 17.
While his season numbers against lefties are nothing to write home about, he has quietly hit fastballs and sliders – which happen to be Kade Anderson’s two primary pitches.
Butler owns a .292 average facing LH fastballs, and .263 against the slider. Anderson throws one of the two pitches more than 87% of the time vs. lefties.
Nearly 71% of Butler’s hits against lefties were singles, and I like his chances of getting one today.
Play to +110.
Time: 9:40 p.m. ET
Where to watch: NBCSCA, SEAM
Jake Bauers Over 0.5 hits (-156)
Jake Bauers has hit .268 against right-handed pitching this season, and that number has climbed to .290 over the past 30 games.
Kevin Gausman ranks in the 27th percentile in batting average allowed to left-handed hitters, making this an appealing spot for Bauers to pick up a knock.
What really makes Bauers an attractive buy is how he’s handled the fastball-splitter combination.
Bauers has hit .330 or higher against both of those pitches, and they account for nearly 95% of what Gausman throws to lefties.
I’d back Bauers to -185.
Time: 7:15 p.m. ET
Where to watch: FOX
Todd Cordell's 2026 Transparency Record
Prop picks: 5-4, +0.55 units
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - SEPTEMBER 02: James McCann #8 of the Arizona Diamondbacks hits a solo home run against the Philadelphia Phillies during the eighth inning at Chase Field on September 02, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. Diamondbacks won 1-0 (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Team News
Diamondbacks bullpen has finest hour in shutout vs. Phillies: ‘We take pride in what we do’
Taylor Clarke, Derek Law, Kevin Ginkel, Jose Cabrera, Brandyn Garcia, Jonathan Loaisiga and Juan Morillo stymied the Phillies for three hits and two walks. It was the most pitchers used in a nine-inning shutout win in franchise history.
McCann’s first-pitch go-ahead HR in 8th snaps D-backs’ 3-game slide McCann knew Painter had gotten him out on breaking pitches in his previous two at-bats, but wasn’t necessarily sitting on a breaking ball in the eighth. He knew that Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto is an excellent game-caller, so he was prepared for anything they might throw his way.
“It was definitely one of those games where really either way — they come up with a big hit and the momentum shifts in their favor, we come up with a big hit and [it shifts in] our favor,” McCann said. “That’s a good quality team over there. It was a great series.”
25% of the oxygen we breathe is used by the brain.
This oxygen is used to help blood cells circulate the brain and allow it to function normally. The brain also uses three times as much oxygen as the muscles in the body do.
Giraffes cannot swim.
A giraffe can maintain its balance on land due to its gait. However, research has shown that this balance is ineffective in the water. This makes them one of the worst swimmers in the animal kingdom.
Pepsi is named after indigestion.
When Caleb Bradham created Pepsi in 1965, he named it after the word “dyspepsia,” or indigestion. Bradham believed that his fizzy drink would help cure indigestion, hence the name, Pepsi.
COVERS INTEL: The Baltimore Orioles rank 29th in on-base percentage with the 
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