Ortiz had a truly dismal first two months of the season — across 48 games, he hit .188/.287/.231 with one homer, two doubles, 11 RBIs, and 15 runs. He had a slightly better month of June — .250/.283/.357 over 22 games — but he’s come out of nowhere since that time as one of the better hitters in all of baseball. Since July 4, Ortiz has played in 32 games (110 plate appearances), batting .343/.391/.596 with five homers, six doubles, two triples, 19 RBIs, and 17 runs. That stretch has helped push his season line to a much more respectable .252/.317/.381 line while also providing some of the best defense in baseball.
Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum will now have a chance to prove themselves against each other. | NBAE via Getty Images
There’s a rather perplexing phenomenon when it comes to the way Celtics fans perceive Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
Of course there are exceptions, but the majority of people I talk ball with believe the following are all true:
1) Jaylen Brown is an excellent basketball player, but Jayson Tatum is an even better all-around basketball player.
2) Jaylen Brown had a terrific season last year and took his game to the next level as the clear-cut No. 1 option.
3) Jayson Tatum looked sharp in his return and is poised to have a monster season as the clear-cut No. 1 option.
4) While Paul George has his limitations, a healthy Jayson Tatum and a healthy Paul George pairing is more dangerous than just Jaylen Brown by himself.
5) The Celtics will be worse this year than they were last year.
Now wait a minute. If Tatum is better than Brown, and you add George to the mix, wouldn’t that make this year’s Celtics better than last year’s? Forget the playoffs, when things got wonky against a hot 76ers team. If the rest of the team is very similar, and they also added Mitchell Robinson, wouldn’t this regular-season version theoretically be better than last year’s?
Jayson Tatum shares a motivational message on being a leader:
“Being around somebody that feels like they know it all, I don’t wanna be around that person. I don’t wanna be the smartest person in the room, I want to learn from somebody else.”
You would think so, but most people don’t view it that way. That’s where it gets interesting. Jaylen Brown is like the ex-girlfriend you complain about when you’re dating but miss when she’s gone. Celtics fans have always waffled on Brown from the start, and it took him leaving to realize just how truly valuable he was on and off the court.
Even with the Finals MVP, even with the monster year and even with the parade of goodbyes, he’s still not as beloved as his fellow Jay. Why is that? Part of it stems from the fact that Tatum is more reserved and doesn’t say anything controversial. Brown speaks his mind, for better or worse, and gains some additional fans and additional critics in the process.
Brown is a polished, versatile and dynamic scorer and determined defender, but his playmaking skills and ability to shape the entire game aren’t quite as robust as Tatum’s. But wait a minute again. They won 56 games last year, and when Tatum came back, they lost in the playoffs.
That’s true. That is what happened. But part of it was because Brown no longer felt like “the guy.” Brown was still the No. 1 scorer on the team, but having Tatum back in the mix took away some of the bravado that made him sparkle in the regular season.
Once Brown got a taste of the limelight, he didn’t want to surrender it. He’s always wanted to be the alpha, and the irony now is that he’s one of four proven, ball-dominant playmakers on a star-studded roster.
Tatum, meanwhile, will have the opportunity to prove that he, too, can orchestrate a dominant regular season as the clear-cut, undisputed, No. 1 option. He’ll have plenty of help, with George, Derrick White, Payton Pritchard and more, but for the first time in his career, it’s undeniably his team.
He’s a genuinely unselfish person, and I’m sure he was authentically rooting for the Celtics last year from the sideline. At the same time, there’s no doubt in my mind he yearned for a chance to operate in Brown’s position. That’s just human nature. Now, he has the opportunity.
Jayson Tatum & Joe Mazzulla putting in work in the offseason 👀
It will be fascinating to watch how Tatum’s season in this role compares to Brown’s. Does he become even more aggressive as a scorer, or does he read those double teams better than Brown and post a career-high in assists? Does he flirt with triple-doubles some nights, take over in the clutch even more and surpass 2025-26 Brown’s sixth-place finish in the Most Valuable Player race?
Comparing them and pitting them against each other as teammates was silly, and the reality is that it yielded way more friction and tension than was ever necessary. Calling it a toxic work environment would be a stretch, but the reason it never quite felt like a warm and fuzzy relationship is because it wasn’t.
Now, it becomes a fascinating exercise. Is Tatum truly as equipped for that role as we all think he is? Will they miss Brown’s ability to get you a bucket when you really need one? Will Tatum’s game evolve to mirror Brown’s? Will Brown’s game with the 76ers evolve to mirror Tatum’s?
The questions extend from there. Will Derrick White’s shooting percentages increase with Tatum by his side to get him the rock? Will Neemias Queta become even more lethal in the pick and roll with Tatum there to initiate? Will Baylor Scheierman, Hugo González and Sam Hauser space the floor even better with Tatum playing the role of puppeteer?
LEBRON JAMES, TYRESE MAXEY, JAYLEN BROWN PUTTING IN WORK. 🔥🔥🔥
Brown is an outstanding player, but Tatum has a chance to leave his imprint in his own way. Something tells me he won’t squander it.
The regular-season matchups will be entertaining and probably carry more spice than they need to. But if they do end up meeting in the playoffs, trading buckets in a captivating rematch, that could be some seriously gripping television.
Nothing will replicate the good old days. No season will feel quite like 2024. But this season, like last year, will add an intriguing new subplot. We’ve unsuccessfully tried to resist comparing them for so long. Now, we can finally, earnestly, do so.
While Montreal Canadiens GM Kent Hughes has yet to strike a deal that could be “needle-moving” for the Habs this offseason, he did acquire an interesting player in a trade with the Anaheim Ducks. After three seasons with the Laval Rocket, it was obvious that 124th overall pick in the 2020 draft Sean Farrell wouldn’t be able to go any higher in the Habs’ organization, and Hughes elected to give him a new start in the Ducks’ organization, acquiring Sasha Pastujov in return.
The 23-year-old left-shot winger was the Ducks’ 66th overall pick in the 2021 draft, and like Farrell, he has not managed to make his way to the NHL. In his second season with the Californian organization, he even made a detour through the ECHL, but last season, he had a career-high 57 points in 71 games, while Farrell had 53 points in 72 games. After landing in Montreal, he was signed to a one-year, two-way deal with an $850,000 NHL salary.
Pastujov’s such a great player,” Luneau said. “He plays with so much talent, and he makes his plays look so easy. He’s an incredible person and a fantastic playmaker on the ice. We spent a lot of time together; we were even roommates for a season. He’s been great for me.
As things stand, Pastujov will likely spend the season in Laval with Daniel Jacobs’ men, but he looks like an interesting project and one of the players worth watching at rookie camp, if only to evaluate what he has to offer.
Last season, the Canadiens’ rookie camp kicked off on September 11th, while the regular season started on October 8, which was just under four weeks before puck drop. With this season scheduled to start on September 29th, we should soon get a rookie camp invite list and a schedule. So far, we know that the Canadiens have invited Alexey Vlasov, but there’s bound to be more invites. Anyone excited for the new season?
Jackson Wolf’s outing crumbled in the fourth as the Cubs roared back to win and even the series on Friday.
The left-hander was actually pitching well until he got into a jam in the top of the fourth. With runners on, Wolf failed to make a good throw on a comebacker, then hit a batter, then walked in a run. Tyler Mattison allowed two of Wolf’s runners to score as well. When the smoke cleared the Cubs had a five-run inning and the lead.
That was unfortunate, because things were promising early on. Josue Briceño led off the bottom of the second with a single and took second on a Chris Meyers ground out. Cal Stevenson tripled him in, then scored on a Michael Siani sacrifice fly.
In the third, Wolf gave up a leadoff double, but he got a ground out and then Siani made a great catch and throw in to Bennett Lee at the plate to cut down the runner trying to tag and score from third. The defense couldn’t do much to help Wolf in the fourth.
So, it was 5-2 in the fifth when Mattison left the game with one on and one out. Hayden Minton, freshly converted to relief work, made his debut with a runner on base. Unfortunately he gave up a pair of singles that allowed the inherited runner to score. Minton did handle the sixth without any issues.
Andre Granillo wild pitched in a run in the seventh for a 7-2 Iowa lead. Siani singled and scored on a Justice Bigbie single in the ninth. Brenan Hanifee surrendered a run in relief before it was over.
Cruz: 2-5, 2 K
Meyers: 1-3, 2B, BB, K
Stevenson: 1-3, R, RBI, 3B, BB, K
Wolf (L, 1-1): 3.2 IP, 5 R, ER, 3 H, 3 BB, 4 K
Coming Up Next: It’s a 7:05 p.m. ET start on Saturday.
New Hampshire Fisher Cats 4, Erie SeaWolves 2 (box)
Max Alba threw a good game but the bats were pretty quiet in this one.
Alba went six innings with just one earned run allowed for his best start of the year. He struck out five and walked one, giving the SeaWolves every opportunity to win this one.
They did strike first in this one. Peyton Graham ripped a two-out double to left in the bottom of the first, and Thayron Liranzo nearly decapitated pitcher Johnny King with a screamer that clipped him in the ribcage as he ducked and then carried out into center field. A 1-0 lead was all they mustered there though, and Alba gave up the tying run in the fourth on a pair of doubles.
Thayron Liranzo rips a 107-MPH liner off Johnny King and into center field to score Peyton Graham and give Erie an early lead. King is one of Toronto’s top prospect, and the trainer came out to check on him, but he stayed in the game. @ZachSurdenik on the call. pic.twitter.com/yktL2uIMST
Moises Rodriguez coughed up three runs in the top of the ninth to lose this one. Woody Hadeen hit his first Double-A homer in the bottom of the ninth, but the solo shot didn’t spark any magic.
Woody Hadeen’s first home run of 2026 is an absolute bomb to dead center that pulls Erie within two runs in the 9th. @ZachSurdenik on the call. pic.twitter.com/LpBmI3Jeks
Coming Up Next: It’s a 6:05 p.m. ET start with the series now tied up.
South Bend Cubs 7, West Michigan Whitecaps 5 (box)
JoJo Ingrassia struggled in his start and the bullpen didn’t do much better as South Bend evened up the series on Friday.
Ingrassia surrendered three runs in three innings of work, all of them in the bottom of the third inning. Preston Howey took over and gave up a run in the fourth before throwing a scoreless fifth. Ethan Sloan handled the sixth, and then the offense finally got something going in the top of the seventh.
Cristian Santana started the inning with a single and rode home on Carson Rucker’s first High-A home run. Nolan McCarthy followed with a single, and with one out, Jackson Strong doubled him to third. Bryce Rainer was pitched carefully and walked. He would not extend his five-game homer streak, sadly. Beau Ankeney did lift a sacrifice fly to score a run and make it 4-3 South Bend.
Congratulations to Carson Rucker, who reaches out and lines a 2-run homer to right center to cut South Bend’s lead in half. It’s his 1st home run with the Whitecaps, and his 12th overall this year. pic.twitter.com/XNy3kW0WPM
Unfortunately, Sloan then gave up three runs in the bottom half, and the ‘Caps were right back where they started. In the top of the eighth they made another push, as Andrew Sojka led off with a single and stole second. Santana walked, and they pulled off a double steal. Rucker got Sojka home with a ground out, and McCarthy lifted a sacrifice fly to score Santana, but that made it 7-5 Cubs, and they wouldn’t get any closer.
McCarthy: 3-3, R, RBI, 2B
Strong: 2-5, 2B, 2 K
Rainer: 1-2, 3 BB, SB, CS
Santana: 1-3, 2 R, BB, 2 K, SB
Ingrassia (L, 0-1): 3.0 IP, 3 ER, 6 H, 2 BB, 3 K
Coming Up Next: It’s a 7:05 p.m. ET start in South Bend on Saturday, and this series is now also tied up at two games apiece.
The Flying Tigers just keep rolling. They did a nice job taking advantage of seven walks while issuing just one free pass to make it four straight over the Mets.
Malachi Witherspoon got the start, and they kept it a short one though he and Michael Oliveto behind the dish worked well together. He blanked the Mets for three innings and threw 25 of 37 pitches for strikes. The right-hander allowed three hits, but zero walks! and struck out five. I’m not sure how to proceed with Witherspoon, but it’s his first year of pro ball, so probably they’ll keep him starting and try to get his mechanics into a more consistent place next year.
Jude Warwick opened the scoring with a solo shot in the top of the second inning, his ninth of the season.
Jude Warwick smacks a solo homer to right center to give Lakeland an early lead. It’s his 9th home run of the season. pic.twitter.com/V5PQvTB1B7
Javier Osorio followed with a walk and then moved to third on an Enderson Delgado double. Jordan Yost singled in Osorio and Oliveto singled in Delgado for an early 3-0 lead.
Michael Oliveto rips an RBI single the opposite way and Lakeland now leads 3-0 in the 2nd. pic.twitter.com/lhC09bLSZe
Lefty Carlos Rodriguez took over from Witherspoon in the fourth and collected two outs before the standard August in Florida rain delay. Xiomer Guacache took over when play did resume.
In the top of the fifth, Jesus Pinto walked and stole second with one out. He then took third as Zach MacDonald struck out, and Anibal Salas singled him home for a 4-0 lead.
Guacache allowed a run in the bottom of the fifth and then a solo shot to start the bottom of the seventh. So it was 4-2 Lakeland. Jose Guzman then allowed a solo shot in the eighth to pull the Mets within one.
In the top of the ninth, the Flying Tigers were looking to restore some cushion. Pinto and MacDonald walked to lead off the inning, and a wild pitch let them both advance. Warwick hit one to second but it got booted, allowing Pinto to score. Osorio later lifted a sacrifice fly to score MacDonald for a 6-3 lead.
Guzman collected the save, his fifth on the year.
Pinto: 1-3, 2 R, 2 BB, 3 SB
Oliveto: 1-3, RBI, 2 BB, 2 K
Salas: 2-5, RBI, 3 K
Delgado: 3-5, R, 2B, K
Witherspoon: 3.0 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 0 BB, 5 K
Coming Up Next: It’s a 6:10 p.m. ET start in St. Lucie on Saturday as the Flying Tigers hunt for a sweep.
Feel free to use this thread to chat about (almost) anything you want: video games, food, movies, non-football sports, you name it. As long as it’s allowed by the site’s ToS, it’s fair game here.
Incident happened when Inter Miami met Philadelphia Union
Argentinian lashed out at Quinn Sullivan in 2-2 draw
Lionel Messi has been fined for slapping an opponent during a Major League Soccer game. The 39-year-old Inter Miami forward lashed out at Quinn Sullivan of Philadelphia Union during their match on Wednesday, catching the midfielder around the back of the head.
The Argentinian appeared to be angry Sullivan had elbowed him after he had played the ball, with the referee intervening before the situation could escalate. The match at Subaru Park finished 2-2.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 21: Ben Rice #22 of the New York Yankees in action during the game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium on May 21, 2026 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Yankees lost a pair of annoying close games to the Blue Jays to begin last weekend in Toronto, so it was nice to see New York return the favor last night while also trimming the Rays’ AL East lead to three games. Cam Schlittler bent but did not break, a close call went the Yanks’ way on Spencer Jones’ decisive high, majestic homer down the right-field line, and they held on for a 3-1 win. Hell yeah. They lost Cam’s most recent start against the Jays and had to win a game started by his top AL Cy Young foe, Dylan Cease, to avoid a sweep a week ago. The Bombers still obviously want to win today no matter what, but the stakes are at least a little less high with Cease aiming for his own revenge. Don’t grant it!
Today on the site, John will discuss a forgotten figure from baseball history who has had a profound effect on the game: Abner Powell, innovator of the rain delay tarp and much more. Madison will run through the Rivalry Roundup, and Jeff will salute the 137th birthday of the Yankees’ first World Series-winning behind the plate, Wally Schang. Nick will also discuss former top Giants prospect Marco Luciano, who has found new life in the Yankees’ system.
Today’s Matchup:
New York Yankees vs. Toronto Blue Jays
Time: 1:35 p.m. EST
TV: YES Network, Sportsnet, TVA Sports
Venue: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
Questions/Prompts:
1. Ryan Weathers has been electric lately with a sparkling 0.85 ERA over the last month of play. How does he hold up today? Predict his pitching line.
2. I feel like one of the other editors or I asked this recently, but how about a pulse check: Do you think the Blue Jays will end up in the playoffs despite all the various 2026 disappointments?
NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 21: Spencer Jones #78 of the New York Yankees high fives teammates after hitting a two-run home run during the game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium on August 21, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
New York Daily News | Peter Sblendorio: Spencer Jones has been at the heart of the Yankees’ last two wins, homering on Thursday to help secure the sweep over the Orioles and following it on Friday with a two-run moonshot against the Blue Jays. Aaron Boone made sure to highlight the adjustments Jones is making to opposing pitchers’ strengths and weaknesses with each game of big league experience under his belt. With Cody Bellinger likely one more rehab appearance away from rejoining the major league team after a month-long absence, Jones’ recent performances are making it very difficult for the Yankees to justify demoting him when Bellinger returns. In 55 games, Jones is slashing .229/.306/.425 with seven home runs, seven doubles, 21 RBIs, and a 104 wRC+ across 170 plate appearances.
ESPN | Jorge Castillo: The Yankees maintained optimism that Max Fried’s absence with a recurrence of the left elbow bone bruise that cost him over two months would require a far shorter stint on the IL this time around. It appears that is the case, with the lefty already scheduled to throw off a mound for the first time on Saturday after suffering the injury on Tuesday. Fried said the key during his time out will be refining his mechanics — which he admitted he has been “fighting… a lot this year,” — to allow his arm a full proper follow through, which he believes should prevent a future setback. Fried has a 2.81 ERA in 15 starts and needs to ensure a complete recovery given his paramount importance to making a deep postseason run.
MLB Trade Rumors | Anthony Franco: We received conformation that Ryan McMahon was placed on the 10-day IL with a sprained left thumb, Max Schuemann taking his place on the active roster on Friday. McMahon suffered the injury when he jammed his thumb into second base on a slide getting thrown out trying to stretch a double in the second inning of Thursday’s win over the Orioles, the third baseman eventually departing in the eighth following a pair of uncomfortable ABs. McMahon and Boone remained optimistic that the injury will require a minimum IL stint, José Caballero expected to take over primary third base duties in his absence.
USA Today | Gabe Lacques: George Lombard Jr. has been in the big leagues for just two week, but he already has made an impression on his teammates and coaches. The star rookie has already accumulated more fWAR (1.3) in 14 games than the man he replaced, Anthony Volpe, accrued in 56 games. Aaron Boone praised the work he does behind the scenes to be ready for every matchup, while Jazz Chisholm Jr. called Lombard a “veteran at shortstop,” despite being just 21 years old. Lombard credited the welcome he received as a kid in the Dodgers clubhouse when his father was their bench coach, and would use those opportunities learn through observation about the lifestyle, preparation, and routine needed to post at the big league level day in and day out.
MLB Trade Rumors | Steve Adams: The Yankees announced that they had agreed a minor league deal with right-handed pitcher Eli Morgan, who will report to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Morgan was recently designated for assignment by the Royals and elected free agency. Morgan spent the first four years of his career with the Guardians as a middle-inning reliever—some fans might remember him facing the Yankees in the 2024 ALCS—but serious elbow and shoulder injuries limited him to just 26.2 innings with the Cubs and Royals over the last two seasons. In six big-league seasons, Morgan has made 184 appearances (19 starts), pitching to a 4.25 ERA (97 ERA+), 4.45 FIP, and 282 strikeouts in 292 innings.
CHICAGO — Luis Robert Jr. returned to his roots Friday, but the vibe sure had changed since his departure.
A White Sox team that had become something of a punchline in recent seasons was first in the AL Central, firmly in position to bring rare October baseball to this city’s South Side.
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“This is a team that will always have a special place in my heart,” Robert said through an interpreter before going 1-for-3 with a double in the Mets’ 6-4 loss to the White Sox on a walk-off home run at Rate Field. “I keep tabs of the results of the games, and I am really proud to see how they are performing this season.”
Robert, 29, played his first six major league seasons for the White Sox before the Mets acquired him in a January trade that included Luisangel Acuña departing Queens.
But Robert’s experience with the Mets has mirrored his last seasons with the White Sox, in which he spent significant time on the injured list and played for teams well removed from the playoff race by August. Robert spent nearly three months on the injured list this season with lumbar disc herniation before rejoining the team July 20.
Robert entered play with an underwhelming .652 OPS. And the Mets, despite 11 victories in 15 games, began the day 58-70 and 10 games behind in the race for the NL’s final wild-card spot.
“This season has been pretty similar to how other parts of my career have gone, where I have been hurt, where I have been off the field,” Robert said. “But right now I think the most important thing for me is to finish the season strong and go out there and try to be the best version of myself.”
Luis Robert Jr. celebrates with teammates after scoring a run in the fourth inning of the Mets’ 6-4 loss to the White Sox on Aug. 21, 2026 in Chicago. Matt Marton-Imagn Images
The Mets tried to trade Robert before the Aug. 3 deadline, but were unsuccessful. It has left Robert as a spare part who is receiving playing time as Juan Soto rehabs a calf strain.
Rookies Carson Benge and A.J. Ewing are pieces in the team’s future, and Soto remains a fixture with his record $765 million contract. It has left Robert in the position of knowing the Mets are unlikely to exercise their $20 million option on him for next season.
“When you are talking about the young guys, you are talking about guys who have a really bright future, who are really impactful,” Robert said. “And then you have Juan Soto, who is a veteran, who is going to be here for a while. I think from the perspective of the outfield construction, [the future] is really bright.”
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The present includes Robert sometimes in left field — a position he played Sunday for the first time in his major league career after appearing exclusively in center. Robert returned to left field for Friday’s series opener.
“I have only played one game there and honestly I can say it was pretty easy,” Robert said. “I didn’t get any balls hit to me, no fly balls, no ground balls. I hope there can be a little more activity or I can be a little more a part of the game out there.”
The White Sox lost at least 100 games in each of Robert’s final three seasons with the club. Included was a 2024 nightmare in which the White Sox set a modern major league record with 121 losses.
But an infusion of young talent, along with the signing of Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami, has helped revive the franchise.
“It doesn’t surprise me at all,” Robert said of the White Sox success. “Before I got traded in the offseason, I saw the moves they were making, the necessary moves to improve the team and that is what they are doing.”
Second Test, day one: Bangladesh 64; Australia 165-8 in Mackay
Fast bowler takes five wickets before lunch and finishes with 6 for 12
Australia’s top-order batting woes continued after Mitchell Starc’s six-wicket blitz as Bangladesh fought back on an extraordinary opening day of the second Test in Mackay.
Bangladesh’s own left-arm speedster Shoriful Islam, who had recovered from a side strain that kept him out of the first Test, cut a swathe through Australia’s batting to claim 6 for 35 off 11 lethal overs in his best-ever return in an innings.
According to manager Dave Roberts, Pages suffered a fracture on the back of his hand in the Dodgers’ 5-4 walk-off win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday.
Roberts said Pages is expected to return this season, but could be sidelined for up to 4-5 weeks.
Andy Pages is hit in the hand by a pitch during the third inning of the Dodgers’ 5-4 walk-off win over the Pirates on Aug. 21, 2026 in Los Angeles. AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill
“It’s just really unfortunate, obviously,” Roberts said. “I would expect him back, knowing him, on the earlier side … But I feel for him because he was having such a good year and he likes to play. But yeah, we’ve got to move on and hold down the fort until he’s back.”
Pages had been having a breakout campaign in 2026, emerging as one of the majors’ best center fielders with both his bat and his glove.
Offensively, the 25-year-old entered Friday hitting .272 with 21 home runs, 80 RBIs and a career-best .797 OPS in his third MLB season. Defensively, his plus-18 mark in defensive runs saved was fifth-best in the majors at any position, and behind only Ceddanne Rafaela of the Boston Red Sox among center fielders.
Without Pages –– who will be further evaluated this weekend to see if surgery on his injury is required –– the Dodgers will have to scramble to find a replacement in their lineup.
Kiké Hernández is the most obvious option, as a veteran bat with ample center-field experience in his career. However, he has played only 16 games this season because of injuries, and has gone just 4-for-30 at the plate since most recently returning from the IL last month. As a right-handed hitter, the Dodgers might also prefer him in more of a platoon role.
Switch-hitting utilityman Tommy Edman is another center field option for the Dodgers, and is under consideration to factor in at the position moving forward, Roberts said. However, the team has largely used him at only second base and left field so far this year, and might be hesitant to give him regular starts in center following his ankle surgery this offseason.
In the minor leagues, the Dodgers’ only 40-man roster member with extensive center field experience is Alek Thomas, a five-year MLB veteran who was traded to the Dodgers earlier this season after being designated for assignment by the Arizona Diamondbacks. Thomas, a left-handed hitter, has hit .297 in 54 games in triple-A this year.
Los Angeles head athletic trainer Thomas Albert (left), center fielder Andy Pages and manager Dave Roberts walk after Pages was hit in the hand by a pitch in the third inning of the Dodgers’ walk-off win over the Pirates. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Dodgers do have a deep crop of outfield prospects, including James Tibbs III and (in Double-A) Josue De Paula. Nevertheless, they are both primarily corner outfielders with defensive question marks at that. Another triple-A prospect, Zach Ehrhard, is having a productive season in Oklahoma City, but would have to be added to the 40-man roster in order to be called up.
“We’re going to huddle up tonight and see who we bring,” Roberts said. “You’ve got to be mindful of the defense, certainly in center field … We’ll piece it together. I’m not sure right now, but I do think that the main thing is locking down center field.”
Ideally, whatever plan the Dodgers come up with will only have to be short-term.
Roberts said he didn’t expect Pages’ timeline to change depending on whether or not he needs surgery. He reiterated his expectation of having the slugger back in time for the beginning of a postseason in which the Dodgers will be pursuing a third-consecutive World Series title.
For now, however, the team will have to wait and see, only able to hope Pages’ hand recovers quickly enough.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 21: Spencer Jones #78 of the New York Yankees is congratulated by teammate Trent Grisham #12 of the New York Yankees after Jones hit a two run home run in the second inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium on August 21, 2026 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Cam Schlittler was always going to be a tough assignment. They managed six hits and three walks off him, which under most circumstances you’d have to say was a good day, but couldn’t push more than one across. The Jays pitching staff was in some sense even better, allowing just four total hits and five walks for a 1.000 WHIP. The Yankees capitalized on their opportunities and the Jays didn’t, though, and so the loss.
The Jays got off to a good start, with two singles and a walk among the first four batters. Unfortunately there was also a double play in there, and they couldn’t capitalize.
That set the tone. They went quietly in the second and third. In the fourth, they stranded back to back singles. Finally, in the fifth, they managed to get one across on a Brett Bateman double, an error, and a ground ball that made its way through.
That would be their only run. Bateman did his part, tripling in the seventh, while Jesus Sanchez and Brandon Valenzuela would double in the eighth and ninth, respectively, but they cashed none of thwie opportunities.
Meanwh, Mason Fluharty had a tough first, issuing a pair of walks. Spencer Arrighetti took over and got out of the jam. In the next inning, though, he gave up a pair on A leadoff Trent Grisham walk and a Spencer Jones two run homer. As it happened that would would ultimately have been enough. A single, walk and sac fly added an insurance run in the fourth.
Nothing much happened from there. The Jays had some hits but couldn’t threaten seriously
Jays of the Day: nobody
Less So: Arighetti. Lukes, McAdoo, Arig
It’s a matinee tomorrow, with first pitch at 1:35pm ET. Dylan Cease (7-5, 2.42) squares off against Ryan Weathers (5-7, 3.56).
If all goes well, Cody Bellinger would rejoin the Yankees lineup Sunday.
The outfielder came through his first rehab game feeling fine according to manager Aaron Boone, after Bellinger served as designated hitter and went 1-for-3 Thursday.
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In his follow-up, he played six innings of left field for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Friday and went 0-for-3 with a strikeout. If he encountered no issues, the plan was for Bellinger to take an off day Saturday and then be an option for the series finale against the Blue Jays in The Bronx.
Presuming he is activated Sunday, Bellinger would have missed four weeks and one day, returning on the early side from a Grade II hamstring strain that had called for a 4-6 week absence.
A team that has been without Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton and now is without Ryan McMahon would welcome back a much-needed bat.
There has been curiosity concerning whose roster spot Bellinger would take, with both the optionable Spencer Jones and the not-optionable Amed Rosario possibly in danger.
But as McMahon hit the injured list Friday with a thumb sprain and Max Schuemann was recalled, Schuemann became the most likely roster-crunch victim.
Boone hinted as much when asked if the club had considered bringing up Anthony Volpe rather than Schuemann to replace McMahon.
The manager said Volpe was “in the conversation” but cited Schuemann’s defensive flexibility and the impending return of Bellinger to explain the move.
Cody Bellinger, who has been on the injured list, could return to the Yankees’ lineup on Sunday. Jason Szenes for New York Post
The club probably did not mind altering Schuemann’s routine for a couple days to summon him to the majors and might have minded bringing up Volpe — who is learning second base with SWB — for just a weekend.
In the Yankees’ 3-1 win, Brent Headrick allowed a two-out triple to Brett Bateman but bounced back to strike out George Springer to escape the seventh, furthering a stretch in which he has not allowed a run in 38 of his past 43 games.
Paul Blackburn then entered and pitched around a one-out double to Jesús Sánchez.
“It’s been awesome,” Boone said of the setup men who have emerged as significant pieces.
After Austin Wells caught nine innings Thursday and with a day game set for Saturday, the catcher was out of the starting lineup Friday.
He pinch hit in the seventh and flied out.
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Ali Sánchez (0-for-2, two strikeouts) started for the first time since Aug. 13.
The Yankees signed righty Eli Morgan to a minor league deal after the 30-year-old was designated for assignment by the Royals last week.
Morgan had pitched to a 5.12 ERA in 19 ¹/₃ big-league innings with Kansas City this season.n
