Maggio, 23, was selected in the fifth round of the 2022 NHL Draft by the New York Islanders and became a fan favorite during his three-plus seasons with the Bridgeport Islanders of the American Hockey League.
In 187 games in Bridgeport, Maggio recorded 35 goals with 46 assists for 81 points, serving as a leader through some dark times for the club's AHL affiliate.
Maggio was an expiring restricted free agent but was not tenured a qualifying offer.
As the season winds down, Houston slugger Yordan Alvarez will have to worry about two sets of spoilers.
The first is the more traditional type — teams that will try to beat the Astros in key games and deny them a spot in the postseason.
The other includes individual spoilers — players who could prevent Alvarez from making history as baseball’s next Triple Crown winner.
Alvarez currently leads the American League with a .320 average, 36 home runs and 90 RBIs. If he holds onto the top spot in all three categories, he’d be the first batter to win the Triple Crown since Miguel Cabrera in 2012. The biggest threats Alvarez faces all come from the AL East.
The next-highest batting averages in the AL both belong to Tampa Bay players — Chandler Simpson at .310 and Yandy Díaz at .306. Fortunately for Alvarez, there aren’t any stealth candidates — players with high averages who don’t currently have enough plate appearances to qualify, but would by the end of the season.
The home run race currently is the tightest, with Tampa Bay’s Junior Caminero just one behind with 35. Ben Rice of the New York Yankees has 34. There are times when Alvarez seems like Houston’s only major threat offensively, and he’s been intentionally walked 28 times — way more than Caminero (10) and Rice (four). Those lost opportunities could matter in a close race.
Alvarez’s closest competition in RBIs is Baltimore’s Pete Alonso, who has 85. Alonso recently went on a 14-game hitting streak. Caminero also is in the mix with 83 RBIs.
When Cabrera pulled off the Triple Crown in 2012, he had to hold off Hall of Famers Joe Mauer and Adrian Beltre in batting average, as well as likely Hall of Famer Mike Trout. He finished one homer ahead of Josh Hamilton and Curtis Granderson.
Trivia time
Alvarez broke Jeff Bagwell’s franchise record for intentional walks in a season. Bagwell drew 27 in 1997. Who is in third place on that list for Houston?
Performance of the week
Pete Crow-Armstrong hit a leadoff homer in the bottom of the first and a walk-off shot in the 10th to give the Chicago Cubs a 7-5 win over the White Sox.
The Cubs then won in walk-off fashion again a night later against the White Sox, but were beaten via the walk-off twice in a row by Seattle later in the week. The Cubs have 13 walk-off wins this year, the most in baseball, but the White Sox and Mariners aren’t far behind with 11.
Comeback of the week
Philadelphia was down 4-0 with two outs in the bottom of the ninth before rallying for a 6-4 victory over St. Louis. Edmundo Sosa hit a three-run double, and Bryan De La Cruz hit a single that tied the game. Then Kyle Schwarber won it with his major league-leading 39th homer of the season.
It was the ninth straight victory for the Phillies, who now trail first-place Atlanta only by three games in the NL East. The Braves were 9 1/2 games up less than two weeks ago.
It’s been a bizarre season for Philadelphia, which was 8-18 by late April, then went 48-27, then lost eight of its last games in July before going 16-5 so far in August.
Team of the week
Kansas City was the lone team to go 7-0 over the past week, although the Phillies and Los Angeles Dodgers both went 6-0. The Royals took advantage of four games against the dreadful Athletics before sweeping three in a row from a Detroit team that’s chasing a playoff berth.
Last-place Kansas City actually is 36-30 at home this year but has gone 22-44 on the road.
Trivia answer
Rusty Staub drew 24 intentional walks for the Astros in 1968.
Someone has to win as the Cincinnati Reds visit the San Francisco Giants to open a weekday series at Oracle Park.
The Reds have lost three straight series, three of the last four games, and are 3-7 in the last 10. The Giants are even more dismal, riding a four-game losing streak and a 2-8 mark in their last 10.
The Giants are the perfect "get well" team for Cincy. That’s why my Reds vs. Giants predictions and MLB picks have the Reds rolling as -150 favorites on Monday, Aug. 24.
Who will win Reds vs Giants today: Reds -1.5 (+114)
The Giants are also coming off a cross-country trip after getting swept in Boston over the weekend, while the Reds are in the middle of a West Coast swing. Cincinnati is 37-30 against sub-.500 teams, while the Giants have a losing record against losing teams.
The moneyline is too steep to take the Reds straight up, so we’ll surrender the runs.
San Francisco’s last eight losses have been by an average of three runs, so it’s not a huge sacrifice.
Play to +105.
COVERS INTEL:Chase Burns has not allowed a home run in August, spanning four starts and 23 1/3 innings. Burns has a fastball velocity in the 92nd percentile in MLB, and 31 of the 70 outs he's recorded this month have come via strikeout.
Reds vs Giants Over/Under pick: Under 7.5 (-121)
The Reds are deploying Burns against a Giants lineup that may be missing half its starters.
Matt Chapman, Marcelo Meyers, and Casey Schmidt are already on the injured list, and now Willy Adames left Sunday’s game after injuring his elbow on a swing and likely won’t play. Meanwhile, Victor Bericoto left the game after crashing into a wall.
Bryce Eldridge will also miss this series on bereavement leave, meaning the Giants will be scrambling to assemble a lineup of bodies warm enough to swing bats, let alone compete.
The Reds have been shut out twice in the last six games and scored once or fewer five times in the last 10.
Play the Under to -130.
Reds vs Giants home run prediction: Sal Stewart (+561)
Reds first baseman Sal Stewart leads the team with 27 home runs and is two RBI shy of 100 on the year.
The Giants are starting left-hander Carson Whisenhunt, and Stewart destroys southpaws. His .291 average against lefties is 36 points higher than against righties, and his .903 OPS is 124 points higher. He homers every 16.7 at-bats against lefties, compared to every 19.3 against right-handers.
Whisenhunt has a 9.37 ERA, 2.265 WHIP, and .977 OPS against him over the last month. His barrel and hard-hit rates are both well below average, so Stewart should find something to drive against him.
Shawn Krest's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 31-37, -2.72 units
Over/Under bets: 41-22, +6.64 units
Reds vs Giants weather
Oracle Park will feature winds blowing out toward center field. However, as BallparkPal notes, the effect doesn't translate to more scoring. Instead, expect swirling effects to deaden fly balls and prevent the outward wind from generating much in the way of extra scoring. Temperatures will be in the low 60s.
Reds vs Giants odds
Moneyline: Reds -150 | Giants +144
Run line: Reds -1.5 (+113) | Giants +1.5 (-117)
Over/Under: Over 7.5 (+113) | Under 7.5 (-117)
Reds vs Giants trend
The San Francisco Giants have hit the Game Total Under in 20 of their last 35 games at home (+4.50 Units / 12% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Reds vs. Giants.
How to watch Reds vs Giants and game info
Location
Oracle Park, San Francisco, CA
Date
Monday, August 24, 2026
First pitch
9:45 p.m. ET
TV
FS1
Reds starting pitcher
Chase Burns (14-2, 2.51 ERA)
Giants starting pitcher
Carson Whisenhunt (3-4, 7.03 ERA)
Reds vs Giants 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.
The final full week of August begins with one MLB wild-card race deadlocked at the playoff cut line and another featuring several contenders still within striking distance.
In the American League, the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox have created breathing room atop the wild-card standings. The final spot is far less secure: The Cleveland Guardians and Texas Rangers enter Monday, Aug. 24, with identical 65-66 records, leaving the projected postseason field vulnerable to changing with virtually every result.
With the regular season ending Sept. 27, every series carries greater weight for teams trying to move into the picture or protect their place in October. Here are the latest MLB wild-card standings, projected playoff matchups and key postseason races in both leagues.
Last half of intraleague games: These are the records from intraleague games after the All-Star break.
Last half of intraleague games plus one: Previous intraleague game on the schedule before All-Star break is used and process is repeated until tie is resolved.
When do MLB playoffs start?
Wild-card series: Tuesday, Sept. 29 through Thursday, Oct. 1
Division series: Saturday, Oct. 3 through Saturday, Oct. 10
Championship series: Sunday, Oct. 11 through Tuesday, Oct. 20
World Series: Friday, Oct. 23 through Saturday, Oct. 31
Huge hailstones prompt organisers to act 15km from end
Riders seen heading into hotel on route to take cover
A torrential hailstorm in the French Pyrenees forced the abandonment of the third stage of the Vuelta a España on Monday.
With 15 kilometres (9.32 miles) remaining of the 174km route from Gruissan to Font-Romeu, the skies darkened as the peloton neared the top of the Col de Mont-Louis and huge hailstones began bouncing off the tarmac and pelting the riders.
SAN DIEGO, CA - AUGUST 22: Brooks Lee #22 of the Minnesota Twins celebrates with teammates in the dugout after hitting a solo home run in the second inning during the game between the Minnesota Twins and the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on Saturday, August 22, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Ryan Levy/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
For a tantalizing 24-hour period, the Twins were in the playoffs after sweeping Atlanta. One weekend trip to San Diego later, and those good vibes were gone as the Friars did the sweeping. Fortunately for the Twins, all the other teams vying for that last spot in the Wild Card were similarly mediocre last week, so they only dropped a half-game out of the third wild card spot, compared to last week. This week will start easy with a trip to Sacramento to face the league-worst Athletics, and then the ChiSox will come to town hoping to solidify their hold on the AL Central crown.
The Past Week on Twinkie Town:
Check out The Feed, where you can add your discussions about the Twins!
We’re starting a new segment called Daily Questions! Provide your opinion on the Twins and debate with the community!
Game threads and recaps are back! Commiserate with your fellow fans as we experience the season together.
With about one month to go in the regular season, the top-four spots in the American League – barring a 2025 Mets-esque collapse – seem pretty certain, with the Rays, White Sox, Yankees, and Red Sox. After that, the Astros and Rangers keep flip-flopping for the AL West lead, and the Guardians currently hold the 3rd wild card spot, although the Blue Jays, Twins, Orioles, Mariners, and even the Tigers (along with whoever doesn’t get the AL West crown) could easily compete for that playoff spot as well.
The National League is a bit more neat, with Milwaukee, Los Angeles, and Atlanta still comfortable holding the top spots in their divisions, and then Chicago, Philadelphia, and San Diego rounding out the next three. The Diamondbacks and Marlins seem to be the only other teams really in range, although the Cardinals could surprise us.
The 2025 No.3 overall pick, Kade Anderson, made his debut for the Mariners on Saturday and Ryan Blake at Fangraphs evaluates his start and his prospects.
WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 02: Jacob Young #30 of the Washington Nationals makes a leaping catch to retire Spencer Torkelson #20 of the Detroit Tigers during the fourth inning of game one of a split doubleheader at Nationals Park on July 2, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For most of Jacob Young’s time as the Nats starting center fielder, it was assumed that he was destined to be replaced. Young was a 7th round pick and not a very highly touted prospect. With top prospects like Robert Hassell and Dylan Crews coming, Young was just keeping the seat warm until the big boys were ready to take it away.
However, as the bigger names have stagnated, Young has only ascended. This season he is having by far the most complete year of his career. The 27 year old has always been an elite defender in center field, and that remains the case, with Young posting 12 outs above average. Progression with the bat is what has really taken Jacob Young’s game to the next level though.
This season Young has 10 home runs, a feat that was seen as unthinkable for him prior to this year. Following the Nats new hitting philosophy, Young is hitting the ball harder and in the air more often. That is allowing him to do much more damage. His .703 OPS and 95 wRC+ is more than serviceable given his glove.
The idea was that Crews and Hassell would pass Young because their bats were much better. When the new regime came in, most people thought that Crews and Hassell could be two big beneficiaries. However, it was Young’s bat that took the big step, not those highly touted prospects.
Those two may have more natural ability, but Young seems to be outworking them. That is no knock on their work ethic, more a testament to Young. After having a dreadful offensive season in 2025, he took it upon himself to go to Driveline and totally overhaul his approach to hitting.
That has helped Young become a valuable contributor. Meanwhile, Hassell is out of the organization and Crews is still stuck in neutral. The gritty placeholder now has a firmer place in the team’s future than even Dylan Crews, who was supposed to be a franchise altering player.
In two of the last three seasons now, Young has had 2 win seasons. He may not hit the ball 112 MPH or have top 100 prospect pedigree, but at a certain point you can no longer argue with the production. Right now he is a better hitter and fielder than Dylan Crews.
This season, we have been talking more about his bat, but Young reminded us just how incredible his defense is yesterday. He scaled the wall like spiderman and made an insane acrobatic catch. I don’t think there is a better outfielder at making plays at the wall than Young. Over the past few years, he has made about a dozen plays that have genuinely blown my mind.
When you talk to Young, it is easy to see why he has overachieved his whole career. Even in post-game interviews, he is very thoughtful and curious. He seems like the type that will leave no stone unturned to get better. I remember last year when he showed up to camp jacks. It may have been misguided, but it was an example of him wanting to do whatever it takes to improve.
Seeing how far he has come at the plate just shows you how hard he is working. Last season, I thought about Young similarly to Nasim Nunez, a bench guy at best. This Barry Svrluga tweet summarized my thoughts well.
There are 231 major league hitters who have at least 300 plate appearances this year. Only two have a lower OPS than Jacob Young's .545.
Why he is taking at-bats from anyone — Robert Hassell III, Dylan Crews or Daylen Lile — is beyond me.
Almost exactly 12 months later, Young is having a better year than all of those guys. In my mind at least, Young has passed Dylan Crews on the outfield pecking order. Heading into 2027, I would be content with a Lile, Young, Wood outfield, which is not something I thought I would be saying entering this year.
A lot of people have taken what Jacob Young has done this season for granted, but I am not going to. He does not have flashy offensive tools, but he is a good ball player who always brings something to the table. That is more than you can say about the highly touted options who have tried and failed to unseat him.
Giannis Antetokounmpo made a choice: The challenge of chasing another ring with a team closer to that path outweighed his love for the city of Milwaukee. He moved on.
"The easy thing would be to stay in Milwaukee, but I don't want to be comfortable. From a small child, I want always to have new, new challenges. And for me, this is a challenge, that I go somewhere where I don't know, I don't have experience, I don't have a home, I don't have found school for my children, I don't know where the parks are, I don't know who the manager is, I don't know who I play with. I will go there and I will try to make it happen, as I went to Milwaukee and I made it happen. And for that, for me, it excites me, it likes me, that is, from a small child, I always liked the challenge...
"The city of Milwaukee, I love the city of Milwaukee. I will love it until I die. I bleed purple and green. It's very simple. They made me who I am today... And, anyway, and basketball-wise, I passed very beautifully. And that will always be in my heart. It will never, it doesn't matter if I play in Mars. It will always be in my heart, and, luckily, when I finish this cycle with Miami, which I don't know when it will end, and if, I will definitely return to Milwaukee, and I don't know if they want me then."
The reaction in Milwaukee will be interesting when Antetokounmpo returns to the city wearing a Heat uniform for a game on Jan. 28. I'd expect a warm reception: He loved and embraced the city and the team, and he brought them a title. Still, the years of "will he/won't he," then finally pushing his way out the door, leaves a bitter aftertaste.
In Miami, Antetokounmpo is closer to a title and there may be a path to get there, but heading into next season the team is not in the upper tiers of the East. Right now, I have the Heat as a play-in team in a much deeper Eastern Conference than we saw a season ago. If Antetokounmpo stays healthy, is energized and returns to playing at an MVP level, then that prediction will be too low, but he'll have to show it.
Antetokounmpo said he wanted a challenge. Well, he's got it.
A brand new week is here! Let's kick it off with three of my favorite home run props and predictions for tonight's MLB slate, highlighted by Munetaka Murakami and Kyle Schwarber
Here are my favorite MLB picks for Monday, Aug. 24.
The No. 1 hitter on Batters-Box today is the South Side slugger, and he draws a heavy fly-ball pitcher in Texas Rangers right-hander Kumar Rocker, who has struggled against left-handed hitters all season long.
The last60 left-handed hitters Rocker has faced have generated a 71.1% elevation rate, while owning a .367 xBA, .625 xSLG, and .383 xwOBA against him.
The Chicago White Sox rookie has the team's highest barrel rate over the last 10 games, while posting a .263 ISO and .457 xSLG.
Through 56 elite ratings this season, he has left the yard nearly 34% of the time. He also covers almost 80% of Rocker’s pitch mix.
Take this down to +300.
Time: 7:40 p.m. ET
Where to watch: CHSN, RSN
Home run pick: Kyle Schwarber (+307)
Philadelphia Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber is coming off a monster weekend at the dish, looking to keep that momentum rolling into the new week.
Schwarber draws Seattle Mariners right-hander Logan Gilbert, who has allowed the last 30 left-handed hitters he has faced to produce a 43% line-drive rate, while owning a .331 xBA and .476 xSLG.
Schwarber owns a .549 xSLG, .302 ISO, 45.5% hard-hit rate, and 18.2% barrel rate over his last 10 games. Across his last 30 at-bats against right-handed pitching, the big fella is generating a 52.4% hard-hit rate and 28.6% barrel rate.
Hard to pass up this price for KYLE SCHWARBER to go yard while he is on this type of heater.
Play to +275.
Time: 9:40 p.m. ET
Where to watch: SEAM, NBCSP
Colby Marchio's 2026 Transparency Record
HR picks: 108-378, +16.5 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.
The Philadelphia Flyers practically walked away empty-handed from the 2017 NHL Draft with injuries sabotaging Nolan Patrick's career, but in a new re-draft, the Flyers land the No. 1 center they always wanted.
THN's own Owen Cameron has been doing a long-running summer series of re-drafts, starting with Porter Martone and the 2025 draft earlier this month.
For years, the Flyers' draft strategy has been central to the scrutiny surrounding the franchise, and it's no secret that the 2017 draft, if executed properly, would have had a tremendous reversal on the Flyers' current outlook, both for the present and the future.
In Cameron's 2017 re-draft, superstar Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar is off the board, going first overall to the New Jersey Devils, leaving the Flyers with the lay of the rest of the land to choose from.
Interestingly, at least depending on your perspective, the Flyers select Montreal Canadiens star Nick Suzuki second overall, making the former Vegas draft pick their franchise center.
"If Rick Tocchet had Nick Suzuki, the 2026 Selke Trophy winner, he would be bouncing off the walls with excitement," Cameron opined.
Players like Miro Heiskanen (third), Robert Thomas (fifth), Nico Hischier (seventh), and Elias Pettersson (eighth) all went later in Cameron's do-over.
What Nick Suzuki would look like on the current Flyers team
Suzuki, 27, has been one of the best centers in all of hockey over the last few seasons, breaking out with 33 goals, 44 assists, and 77 points in 2023-24, dropping 30 goals, 59 assists, and 89 points in 2024-25, then exploding for 29 goals, 72 assists, and 101 points this past season.
Adding to the 5-foot-11 center's appeal is the fact that he's appeared in all 82 regular season games in each of the last six seasons, in addition to winning north of 50% of his faceoffs in each of his last three seasons.
It was long debated on social media and in hockey circles if Suzuki, who was originally drafted 13th overall by the Golden Knights, had what it took to be a No. 1 center in the NHL, but any narrative that suggested otherwise has officially been quashed for good.
Suzuki's career really took off once the Canadiens added Juraj Slafkovsky, who has developed nicely since being drafted No. 1 overall in 2022, in tandem with the continued development of Cole Caufield.
Oh, and the Canadiens drafted some guy named Ivan Demidov in 2024, too.
If we were to air-drop Suzuki onto the present-day Flyers, he'd fit right in and continue to produce.
The Flyers, like the Canadiens, have a talented group of young wingers, led by Matvei Michkov, Porter Martone, and Tyson Foerster. None of those three are quite at the level of Caufield or Slafkovsky just yet, but hypothetically adding Suzuki down the middle, in addition to a second year from Trevor Zegras, would be a massive boon for their development.
Unfortunately, that isn't the reality, as the Flyers swung and missed in 2017 and have since done the easy part first, assembling a syndicate of skilled wingers with different skillsets before getting their No. 1 center.
After making the playoffs this past season, picking later in the first round than normal, and striking out on the Leo Carlsson offer sheet, the Flyers' quest for a Suzuki of their own will continue for the foreseeable future.
CENTENNIAL, CO - JUNE 11 : Colorado Avalanche GM Joe Sakic is in the press conference at Family Sports Center in Centennial, Colorado on Thursday, June 11, 2026. (Photo by Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post)
Hyoung Chang/Denver Post via Getty Images
DENVER — Joe Sakic was back in the goal-scoring business in an alumni game that featured some of his Stanley Cup-winning Colorado Avalanche teammates.
Just a few shifts for old time’s sake as the Hall of Fame forward turned front office executive was paired on a line with Peter Forsberg and Milan Hejduk. He scored early off a pass from Hejduk.
Now, it’s back to the deal-making business for Sakic with training camp around the corner.
Sakic’s trying to wrap up a contract extension that will keep Cale Makar, a two-time Norris Trophy winner as the league’s top defenseman, in Denver well into the future. Makar is coming off a season in which he had 20 goals and 59 assists.
“We continue talking,” Sakic said before taking the ice against the University of Denver alumni at Magness Arena. “I’m pretty confident that he’ll be signed before the season starts.”
There already have been some big contracts signed this offseason, including Bowen Byram’s six-year,
$75 million contract extension with the Chicago Blackhawks that’s set to make him the highest paid defenseman.
“Really? I haven’t noticed that,” Sakic cracked about the contracts and how it might affect the market for Makar. “Like I said, I’m not worried about it. I don’t think Cale’s worried about it. Dialog’s been great and when there’s an agreement, we’ll gladly announce it. Hopefully something will be done before the start of training camp.”
Sakic also had no updates on contract talks with coach Jared Bednar, who’s entering his final year. The Avalanche are coming off a season in which they had the best record in hockey before being swept by the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference Final. Bednar, the franchise’s all-time leader in wins, led Colorado to a Stanley Cup title in 2022.
“Everything’s great. Not worried about that,” Sakic said. “There’s been coaches, there’s been players that have gone into their last year of their deals before, and there’s going to be in the future, so not really concerned about it.”
For Sakic & Co., the game was a chance to take the ice with teammates — and honor old friends. The teams took a moment to remember Claude Lemieux, who died in May at age 60.
Lemieux was part of the Avalanche’s Stanley Cup team in 1995-96, which was the team’s first season in Denver after moving from Quebec. The Avalanche won again in 2000-01.
The entire weekend was a chance to catch up and swap tales.
“This is just the perfect type of game to get together, get on the ice ... spend some time for a few days, and then just think about the old times,” Sakic said.
Forsberg felt the same way. He said his foot keeps him from skating as much as he would like and was hoping he wouldn’t be benched.
“My playing form is not that good anymore,” the Hall of Famer said with a laugh.
Forsberg’s eager to see Sakic step back into the general manager role in addition to serving as president of hockey operations. Sakic inherited the GM job again when Chris MacFarland left for the front office of the Nashville Predators.
It was a busy offseason for Sakic as he sent Valeri Nichushkin to the Columbus Blue Jackets for draft picks. That was a way to free up space given Nichushkin had four more seasons left on his contract at a salary cap hit of $6.125 million. The savings could be used to possibly wrap up a long-term extension with Makar.
“Just feels like everything Joe touches, it goes well,” Forsberg said. “I’m really happy to see him back.”
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - AUGUST 23: Designated hitter Kyle Schwarber #12 of the Philadelphia Phillies reacts with his team after hitting a walk off two RBI home run during the ninth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Citizens Bank Park on August 23, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Bill Streicher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Phillies are coming in on a nine-game winning streak after sweeping the Twins, Marlins, and Cardinals in successive series. Philadelphia continues to remain in a tight race for the NL Wild Card and the NL East division title. Meanwhile, the Mariners are barely hanging onto the fringe of the AL playoff picture, including giving up 19+ runs twice in a week. All this is to say the momentum is with the Phillies.
So things aren’t looking great, but the Mariners are not eliminated yet; it’s still very possible for them to make a run for the playoffs, remaining just three games out of the Wild Card and three games out of the AL West. Plus, despite the blowouts, the Mariners still claimed a series victory over one of the best teams in the NL, the Chicago Cubs. While things have definitely looked bleak since the All-Star break, this team still has the chance to control their destiny, and disrupting a red-hot Phillies squad could be the perfect start to doing so.
The Phillies are a different team than you would expect, despite the notable names in their lineup — Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, and Trea Turner — they actually don’t pop off the page much as a team offensively. They’re not top 10 in the NL in runs or average or home runs or hits. In fact, across the board they end up rather middle of the pack despite the power-hitting stars that fill out the lineup. It’s much more likely that you’ve heard talk about their rotation this year, especially the continued breakout of Cristopher Sánchez, who the Mariners will thankfully be missing. However, the Mariners will still have to face the always dangerous Zach Wheeler, who is likely cruising to another top 10 Cy Young finish, as well as closer Jhoan Duran, who remains one of the best closers in MLB. This group of pitchers excels at striking out batters, so much so that they lead the NL as a group. However, the Phillies have weaknesses; while their starters can often go out and drop a quality start or keep a lineup shut down for six innings, the bullpen will still let a few runs through. If the Mariners can score early and attack a leaky Phillies bullpen, they may yet have a chance to size some momentum here and ride it right into the playoffs.
Player
Position
Bats
PA
K%
BB%
ISO
wRC+
Kyle Schwarber
DH
L
560
33.2%
14.6%
0.288
140
Trea Turner
SS
R
561
21.6%
6.4%
0.145
87
Bryce Harper
RF
L
559
20.9%
16.6%
0.238
139
Luis Arraez
2B
L
541
4.4%
5.0%
0.121
119
Alec Bohm
1B
R
509
13.6%
6.3%
0.142
89
Bryson Stott
SS
L
490
16.3%
10.2%
0.148
105
Brandon Marsh
LF
L
489
24.7%
6.1%
0.162
104
J.T. Realmuto
C
R
369
20.9%
7.6%
0.126
79
Justin Crawford
CF
L
383
17.8%
5.7%
0.089
85
The Phillies have rarely deviated from the lineups they send out on a day-to-day basis. The top three will almost always be Schwarber, Turner, Harper, followed by some combination of Bryson Stott, Alec Bohm, and Luis Arraez. While the order can shift, those six are essentially guaranteed to be in the lineup somewhere.
Kyle Schwarber typically leads off; the three-true-outcomes power hitter and perpetual MVP candidate continues to offer power and a solid eye at the top of the lineup, leading the NL in home runs and currently third in walks. Schwarber also leads the NL in strikeouts, so it’s not like there’s no hope in getting him out. Trea Turner typically falls behind Schwarber. The well-compensated shortstop has faced a lot of criticism this year from local fans as his production continues to fall short of expectations. The former All-Star has gone from winning a batting title to dropping 60 points in his batting average and has struggled to match his form and performance from last year on any level. Still, you never know when someone is gonna break out, and the Mariners tend to bring the best out of their opponents. Bryce Harper rounds out the top three; the two-time MVP is always a cause for concern, and this week is no different. Harper leads the league in walks while boasting a 134 OPS+ to go along with 26 home runs so far this year. While he might not quite be in the MVP conversation, Harper is certainly someone to be very wary of.
Zack Wheeler has been one of the best pitchers in baseball for the better part of a decade, a model of consistency and health. A blood clot in his shoulder cut his season short last year and he eventually had to undergo surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome. Despite the severity of the injury, he missed just a month to start the season and has looked no worse for wear once he got back on the mound. Under the hood, he’s seen his strikeout-to-walk ratio slip just a tiny bit, though a strikeout rate dropping from 33.3% to 30.4% still makes him one of the best strikeout artists in the game. He’s got excellent command of his deep repertoire, plenty of weapons to induce swings and misses, and masterfully keeps batters off balance.
Pitcher
IP
K%
BB%
HR/FB%
GB%
ERA
FIP
Aaron Nola
137
24.6%
7.8%
18.9%
39.6%
5.12
4.92
George Kirby
140
19.9%
5.6%
10.6%
43.9%
4.18
3.76
Pitch
Usage vRHB
Usage vLHB
Velocity
Stuff+
Whiff+
BIP+
xwOBA
Four-seam
17.7%
27.3%
92.3
107
64
80
0.401
Sinker
28.1%
13.0%
91.6
103
85
117
0.375
Cutter
10.0%
5.9%
86.3
91
109
82
0.356
Changeup
7.1%
21.6%
85.6
67
88
95
0.317
Curveball
34.8%
32.2%
78.3
125
136
114
0.223
Slider
2.3%
0.1%
83.2
Aaron Nola’s long and successful career seems to be winding down. He’s been a staple member of the Phillies rotation for more than a decade, but with all those miles on his arm, he’s started the slow descent of an aging hurler. His ERA isn’t as high as it was during an injury-plagued season last year but his FIP is up to a career-high this year. His trademark curveball is still a very effective pitch but the deterioration of his fastball velocity is the main culprit behind his struggles. He’s responded by throwing his breaking ball more than ever, but batters are still pounding his hard stuff when they see it.
Pitcher
IP
K%
BB%
HR/FB%
GB%
ERA
FIP
Jesús Luzardo
156
30.1%
7.3%
10.9%
48.2%
3.35
2.84
Bryan Woo
138.1
24.3%
5.2%
9.0%
36.8%
4.10
3.30
Pitch
Usage vRHB
Usage vLHB
Velocity
Stuff+
Whiff+
BIP+
xwOBA
Four-seam
29.2%
13.1%
96.9
98
80
98
0.304
Sinker
12.5%
34.9%
95.8
110
86
99
0.326
Changeup
23.4%
3.0%
86.0
103
122
96
0.297
Sweeper
34.9%
49.1%
86.1
123
145
97
0.181
After trading for Jesús Luzardo last year and helping him truly establish himself as a big league pitcher, the Phillies signed him to a five-year extension this offseason. He has responded with the best season of his career. His strikeout-to-walk ratio is higher than ever, he’s pushed his groundball rate up six points, and he’s very likely to earn downballot Cy Young votes for his efforts. Everything starts with his power sweeper. He’s throwing that breaking ball more than ever and it’s one of the best pitches in all of baseball. A pair of solid fastballs and a changeup round out his repertoire, but the big bender is the foundation that makes the whole package hum.
The Big Picture:
Team
W-L
W%
Games Behind
Run Diff
Recent Form
Astros
65-66
0.496
—
-44
W-L-W-L-L
Rangers
65-66
0.496
—
-46
L-W-W-L-W
Mariners
62-69
0.473
3.0
-61
W-L-W-W-L
Angels
52-79
0.397
13.0
-70
L-W-L-W-L
Athletics
51-80
0.389
14.0
-187
L-L-L-W-W
Team
W-L
W%
Games Behind
Run Diff
Recent Form
Yankees
74-56
0.569
+9.5
+100
W-W-W-L-W
Red Sox
71-59
0.546
+6.5
+99
W-L-W-W-W
Guardians
65-66
0.496
—
-9
L-W-W-W-W
Rangers
65-66
0.496
—
-46
L-W-W-L-W
Blue Jays
64-68
0.485
1.5
-55
L-W-L-W-L
Twins
63-68
0.481
2.0
-54
W-W-L-L-L
Orioles
63-68
0.481
2.0
-35
L-L-W-W-L
Mariners
62-69
0.473
3.0
-61
W-L-W-W-L
Tigers
61-69
0.469
3.5
+73
L-L-L-L-L
Another week, another Wild Card leader. Thanks to a sweep over the weekend in Colorado, the Guardians have leapt into the third Wild Card slot, tied with the Rangers and Astros. Houston technically holds the AL West division lead despite matching records with the other Texas team; the ‘Stros travel to face the Yankees this week. Meanwhile, the Rangers head to Chicago to face the AL Central leading White Sox.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - SEPTEMBER 30: Bobby Witt Jr. #7 of the Kansas City Royals dives into second as he tries to steal in the third inning against the New York Yankeesat Kauffman Stadium on September 30, 2023 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Royals fans and fans across the country.
The Royals are red hot; they’ve won eight straight. Even with all of that winning, though, they’ve merely created a second tier of “not in the playoff hunt” by having significantly more wins than the Athletics and Angels, but far fewer than the rest of the American League. Still, I come to you, wanting to dream a little about the playoffs.
So, yes, the Royals aren’t in it. In fact, they’d need to win 23 of their remaining 30 games just to finish the season with a .500 record. That said… a .500 record seems like it would probably be good enough to squeak into the postseason; the Guardians currently hold the final spot while a game below .500. 23 out of 30 would be a .767 winning percentage; that’s a 124-win pace over a full season. That’s ridiculous. But, well, the Royals don’t have to do it over a full season, just over the next month or so. When they started this eight-game winning streak, they needed to win 31 of their last 38 to reach .500, and they’ve played 1.000 since then. Compared to that, 23 out of 30 isn’t that crazy is it?
OK, yeah, it’s still pretty crazy. But here’s a question for you: how many more games would the Royals have to win in a row before it stopped seeming crazy? 10 in a row would mean they needed to win 21 of their final 28; that’s a .750 winning percentage to finish out the year. If they swept the rest of August, they’d have won 14 in a row and need to have a 17-7 September. That doesn’t seem completely unreasonable. If they got halfway through September without losing a game, they’d have won 26 in a row and only need to finish 5-7 to reach .500.
A couple key things to remember, here: I’m not asking you if you think the Royals can achieve any of those winning streaks. Just how long the streak would need to be for you to start dreaming about the playoffs again. Also, if they at least swept the rest of August, they’d hold tie-breakers over the Twins, Mariners, Tigers, and Guardians. With a really strong shot to also hold one over the Blue Jays. That’s a lot of teams in front of them that they’d beat out for a final playoff spot, should it miraculously come to that.
BOSTON, MA - MAY 10: Roman Anthony #19 of the Boston Red Sox during the game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park on May 10, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Sox’ contingent of rehabbing big leaguers has been a mixed bag in the minors so far. Roman Anthony seems fine, more or less, hitting moon shots, working walks, and working his way back. Trevor Story and IKF, on the other hand, look lost at the plate. So what’s next for this trio? Story and IKF will head to Boston today to be reevaluated, and they could potentially rejoin the team for the upcoming series against the Marlins. Anthony, though, will head southwest from Portland to Worcester and make his first appearance with the WooSox on Tuesday. Could he return before the weekend? “I wouldn’t completely rule it out,” Chad Tracy said. “But I still think he’s in the building-up phase of outfield and continuing to get at-bats. So, I won’t completely rule it out, but he’s definitely going to continue on Tuesday in Worcester.“ (Ian Browne, MLB.com)
Trevor Story certainly didn’t look like a big leaguer down in Worcester. And complicating matters with respect to his return is the fact that Nick Sogard has looked great in Fenway. “You can’t say enough about it,” Tracy said of Sogard’s receet play. “You’re getting power swings on the left side, powerful swings on the right side. You’re getting great defense. It’s been enormous, the at-bats he’s taken.” (Alex Speier, Boston Globe)
Unfortunately, Garrett Crochet isn’t nearly as close to returning, though he is making progress, having recently started “playing catch from 90 feet with greater intensity.” As a result of his injury, he has officially lost his ability to opt out of his contract in 2030, and the Sox now hold an option on him for the 2032 season. “I’ve long since accepted it,” Crochet said. “Regardless of that, my goal is to come back and help the team in any way that I can.” (Peter Abraham, Boston Globe)
When Crochet does return, he’ll find himself paired with a new battery mate of course. Luckily, new catcher Adley Rutschman is getting great reviews for the way he handles the staff. (Peter Abraham, Boston Globe)
As amazing as this season has been, it isn’t hard to think about what this team would look like Garrett Crochet in the rotation, especially come playoff time. As it stands, though, we’ll get a little preview of the Sox playoff rotation this week, as Ranger Suarez, Payton Tolle, and Sonny Gray will face the Marlins in that order. (Rodney Knuppel, NESN)
Jake Bennett may or may not make a postseason start. He’s been great relative to expectations this season, but is starting to struggle a bit. Those struggles continued in the early stages of yesterday’s game, but he was saved by some great defense. (Chris Cotillo, MassLive)
SEATTLE, WA - AUGUST 22: Cal Raleigh #29 of the Seattle Mariners bats during the game between the Chicago Cubs and the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on Saturday, August 22, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Eric Hiller/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
When a team is on a hot streak – and I feel like a nine-game winning streak qualifies – it isn’t always the best thing for them to have to travel across the country. But the schedule makers have seen fit to send the Phillies out west for a three-city road trip, so hopefully, they can keep the magic going in the Pacific time zone.
On the positive side, the first stop on the trip is Seattle where the Mariners are having a massively disappointing season. After losing in game seven of the 2025 ALCS, the Mariners have slumped to 62-69, which somehow is still good enough for third place and the edge of contention in the awful American League West.
Since this is a Seattle team, I’ll put it in grunge terms: They’re still alive. But do they deserve to be?
Opposition research: Cal Raleigh
Many people believed Cal Raleigh should have been the American League MVP winner last year. Hitting a league-leading 60 home runs while playing good defense as a catcher is something that simply doesn’t happen. While the 60 home runs might have been a fluke, it wasn’t like Raleigh came out of nowhere. He hit 34 homers the years before, and combined with a Gold Glove in 2024, it felt like the “best catcher in baseball” debate had been settled and would be for at least a few years.
The debate has been reopened this season because Raleigh has followed up that stellar campaign with one of the worst seasons by any player in baseball.
Cal Raleigh has a lower average this season than one-armed outfielder Pete Gray did for the 1945 St. Louis Browns pic.twitter.com/6qsClWt2Ub
“Big Dumper” is no longer a complimentary nickname, as Raleigh is batting just .159 with 14 home runs. He spent about a month on the Injured List with an oblique strain earlier this year, but if the Mariners hoped a return to health would mean a return to production, they’ve been sorely disappointed, as his post-injury statistics are in line with what he was doing beforehand.
If it feels like Cal Raleigh is having the most catastrophic year-over-year decline in performance you've ever witnessed on a baseball diamond, it's because he almost certainly is.
It isn’t clear why Raleigh has had such a downturn this season. Maybe his teammate put a curse on him for snubbing him during the WBC? If so, that’s an epic own goal on Randy Arozarena.
Randy Arozarena went off on his Mariners teammate, Cal Raleigh, for refusing to shake his hand 😳
Arozarena also added that "the only thing [Raleigh] should be thankful for is having such great parents," and that they were "proud to see" Arozarena before the game
Unless the Mariners make a run to win the West, this will be another season where they don’t make it to the World Series. I understand that they’ve only been around since 1977, but that’s almost 50 years now.
the great thing about being a Mariners fan is that I can say with absolute confidence that my team never won a World Series by cheating
This franchise had the coolest player of the 90’s, and the most prominent Japanese player in baseball for 14 years, and they couldn’t find a way to win even one American League pennant? They should have done what the Dodgers are doing and convince other high profile Japanese players to team up with Ichiro. (It probably didn’t help that they never made the playoffs with Ichiro after his rookie season.)
Maybe the guy was a bad teammate? I know one Mariners fan, and he actually can’t stand Ichiro, saying he was a selfish player who worried about individual stats to the team’s detriment. Then again, I think a lot of fans of bad teams say that about their stars.
Remembering a guy who played for both the Phillies and Mariners
Mike Sweeney was a multiple-time All-Star for the Kansas City Royals. The first baseman had elite on-base skills and could be counted on for 20+ home runs a season. By the time he signed with the Mariners before the 2009 season, he was 35 years old and clearly in decline.
Mostly used as a bench bat, Sweeney was solid for the Mariners, with an OPS of .784 and 14 home runs in 104 games. In late 2010, the Mariners were out of contention, while Ryan Howard had to go on the Injured List, so the Phillies sent some cash the Mariners way and added Sweeney for the stretch run.
Sweeney’s time with the Phillies was mostly unmemorable, but he did hit a home run in the division-clinching victory against the Nationals, and he had a single in his only postseason at bat during the NLDS.
After the season, Sweeney retired and returned to the Royals in a front office job.
Do not want
Speaking of Arozarena, there were rumors that the Phillies could have traded for him before the deadline. That obviously didn’t happen, but it remains possible that they pursue the outfielder in free agency this offseason. But he’s 31 years of age, has been a good, not great hitter throughout his career, is enjoying a career best season heading into free agency, and is rated poorly on defense.
Flying to Seattle and starting a series without an off day is tough, but with the Phillies on a roll, maybe that’s for the best. There have been many debates about how real momentum is in baseball, but generally when a team is doing well, you don’t want to get them out of their routine. (Though a cross-country flight and changing time zones probably qualifies as getting them out of their routine.)
We know the Phillies are going to lose at some point (right?) and I assumed that was going to happen on Sunday. But the offense decided to just win the game dramatically instead.
I think the team is due for an absolute stinker of a game where they just suffer a week’s worth of misfortune in one night. I hope that doesn’t happen on Monday, because it would be nice to see Zack Wheeler look good after about a month of shakiness. On the other hand, with the games starting late, I probably won’t be able to see the entire affair. So maybe it would be nice for them to get the stinkiness out of their system while I’m asleep.
COVERS INTEL:
Munetaka Murakami
Kyle Schwarber
