WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 09: Brady Singer #51 of the Cincinnati Reds pitches in the first inning during the baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles at Nationals Park on August 9, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cincinnati Reds hold just a 0.2% chance of making the playoffs as of writing on Thursday morning, that coming from the fine folks at FanGraphs. The St. Louis Cardinals, though, are still clinging to a much more realistic miracle scenario with a 9.5% chance.
So, if the Reds are going to get anything tangible out of this dismal 2026 season, perhaps it needs to come in the form of playing spoiler for their most bitter of rivals.
The Reds can claim victory in this endless five-game series against their National League Central rivals with a win on Thursday afternoon. Sal Stewart’s late heroics on Wednesday night means the two teams have split the four games they have played so far this week, and Brady Singer will lead Cincinnati into the series finale in Great American Ball Park beginning at 12:40 PM ET Thursday.
Dec 31, 2025; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse (25) and Boston Bruins center Elias Lindholm (28) are seen out on the ice during the second period at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Walter Tychnowicz-Imagn Images
Walter Tychnowicz/IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
NEW YORK — The Boston Bruins and Edmonton Oilers each will play two regular-season games in Germany next year as part of the NHL and NHLPA’s efforts to grow hockey in the country, the league announced.
The Bruins are to play two games in Munich, while the Oilers will play two matches in Leon Draisaitl’s native city of Cologne during the 2027-28 NHL season. The opponents have yet to be determined.
“These events represent an important step in our commitment to grow the game in Germany. By bringing more NHL games to one of Europe’s most dynamic hockey markets, we hope to continue to deepen engagement amongst our fans, partners and local communities, while at the same time creating a significant opportunity to grow the game throughout the country,” NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said.
The Chicago Blackhawks and Ottawa Senators already were slated to play two games in Düsseldorf in December. Those Global Series games are the second and third regular-season games the league has staged in Germany after the Buffalo Sabres and Los Angeles Kings played in Berlin in 2011.
More are to follow with the NHL and NHLPA committed to bringing regular-season games to Germany for at least the next three seasons.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MARCH 07: Gage Jump #79 of the Athletics throws a pitch against the Los Angeles Angels in the first inning of a spring training game at Las Vegas Ballpark on March 07, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Angels defeated the Athletics 3-0. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Okay, it’s not funny anymore. The A’s have blown two late leads and now find themselves staring down the barrel of another series loss. No, a series sweep. To the Royals, who like us are in the cellar of their division. Where did the fight go?
It’s Gage Jump on the bump this afternoon. He’s slowly come out of his first real rough patch, pitching into the sixth and allowing just three runs to the Texas Rangers. He brings an overall 4.50 ERA into this contest, a number he’d like to get down by the end of the day.
No major surprises today. Bolte atop the lineup again, and our double play duo today will be Darell Hernaiz and Donovan Walton.
Meanwhile the Royals have right-hander Randy Dobnak going for them today. Dobnak, a longtime Twin, has bounced around for the past couple years but it making the most of his chance with Kansas City. In eight games the righty has tossed 41 2/3 innings and is sporting a pristine 1.73 ERA. He’s coming into this one on a high note as well after firing nearly six full shutout innings against the Angels last time out.
Fleury spent 13 seasons with the Penguins after being selected first overall in the 2003 NHL Draft and helped them win three Stanley Cups. He has the most wins of any goaltender in Penguins history and the second-most wins of any goaltender in NHL history.
He finished his Penguins' tenure with a .912 save percentage and a 2.58 goals-against average.
Rutherford was named the Penguins' general manager in June 2014 and lasted until January 2021. During his tenure, he helped the Penguins win back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017 and made some big trades, acquiring Phil Kessel, Trevor Daley, Nick Bonino, Justin Schultz, Carl Hagelin, and Patric Hornqvist.
Murphy spent five seasons with the Penguins and was instrumental in their back-to-back Stanley Cup wins in 1991 and 1992. He was a force on the blue line, finishing the 1991 playoffs with five goals and 23 points in 23 games, then the 1992 playoffs with six goals and 16 points in 21 games.
He's widely regarded as one of the best defenseman in franchise history.
McGregor enters the Hall of Fame in the contributor category posthumously. He served as the Penguins' president from 1967-70 and helped bring the Penguins to Pittsburgh. He passed away on Jan. 6, 2026.
MILWAUKEE — Pat Murphy doesn’t sound like the manager of a team with the best record in the major leagues as he discusses what the Milwaukee Brewers have accomplished thus far.
“I don’t think we’ve played great,” the two-time reigning NL manager of the year said. “We haven’t really jelled. We haven’t really come together.”
The Brewers’ results tell a different story.
Milwaukee appears well on its way to earning its eighth playoff berth in the last nine seasons as it chases a fourth consecutive NL Central title. The Brewers won three of four from the two-time defending World Series champion Dodgers and trounced Seattle 22-0 before their four-game winning streak ended with a 7-5 loss to the Mariners.
“There’s so much that I see that needs to improve, yet you look up and everybody’s saying, ‘Wow, I love the way you play,’ “ Murphy said. “And I look funny and I look behind me, and I see if they’re talking to someone else. Really? Maybe I’m too critical. Maybe I’m missing something. I don’t know. I do trust the team.”
They’ve been rewarding that trust.
Surviving a 17-day grind
The Brewers just completed a 17-day run that included no days off, one complete West Coast trip and part of another. They went 10-7 during that stretch.
After losing three straight games at San Diego, the Brewers responded by winning a series with the Dodgers, who swept them out of the NL Championship Series last year. After finally getting a day off, the Brewers delivered their 22-0 blowout of Seattle that matched the most one-sided shutout in modern MLB history.
“I think it says we’re a good baseball team,” first baseman Jake Bauers said. “I think in tough times it can be easy to lose sight of that, but we have the right people around to bounce back when things get tough, and we have the right people around to continue to play winning baseball.”
Milwaukee has needed to stay hot to remain ahead of the Chicago Cubs, who have won 11 of their last 16 games and are 4 1/2 behind Milwaukee in the NL Central standings. The Brewers and Cubs face off in a four-game series Aug. 31-Sept. 3 at Wrigley Field before meeting again for three games in Milwaukee from Sept. 7-9.
During that grueling 17-day run, the Brewers encountered some criticism for their inability to acquire two-time AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal. The Brewers made a strong push to land Skubal, only to see the Detroit Tigers send him to the Dodgers instead.
Having NL Cy Young Award front-runner Jacob Misiorowski and Skubal fronting a starting rotation in a playoff series would have given the Brewers perhaps their best shot at making the postseason breakthrough that has eluded them during the franchise’s longest run of sustained success. The Brewers haven’t reached a World Series since 1982 and have never won it all.
Continuing to win without adding Skubal
Logan Henderson, an outstanding rookie pitcher the Brewers chose to keep rather than including in a trade, outdueled Skubal in the series finale at Los Angeles. The 6-2 victory improved Henderson’s record to 7-2 with a 2.70 ERA.
The Brewers pivoted after the Skubal trade by acquiring former St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Dustin May, who is seeking to become the latest in a growing list of starting pitchers to improve after joining the Brewers. Left-hander Kyle Harrison, who also is thriving in his first year in Milwaukee, attributes that trend to Milwaukee’s pitching coaching staff of Chris Hook, Jim Henderson and Juan Sandoval.
“They’re so good at just knowing who you are as an individual and knowing what you need,” Harrison said. “Shoot, yeah, they’ve been doing it for a while now, too, so it’s pretty cool to have those guys you can trust and rely on.”
The Brewers believe they have the makings of a quality playoff rotation with Misiorowski, Henderson, Harrison and May. Milwaukee has withstood injuries that knocked two-time All-Star Brandon Woodruff out for the season and prevented Quinn Priester from pitching at all this year.
Milwaukee’s lineup has produced the fewest homers in the big leagues, yet the Brewers remain among the top five teams in scoring. Bauers’ breakthrough season has helped the Brewers overcome down years from 2018 NL MVP Christian Yelich and three-time All-Star William Contreras.
Without naming names, Murphy said: “I watch some of our leaders that might not be getting the results, but the way they handle everybody else is pretty impressive.” Murphy added that might be one of the keys to this team’s success.
Another simply is the ability to continue competing even when things aren’t going smoothly.
“Maybe that’s the secret,” Murphy said. “Maybe this team still plays well enough to be close when they’re not at their best.”
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - AUGUST 12: Sean Murphy #12 of the Atlanta Braves returns to the dugout during the second inning against the New York Mets at Truist Park on August 12, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Before we get to the Pokemon card collector battle that is Sale vs. Misiorowski tomorrow afternoon, there’s one left to play in Chicago.
Returning to Rate Field, the Braves will be trying to salvage a series against Anthony Kay and the Chicago White Sox starting at 2:10 pm ET.
With the lefty Kay set to start, Ronald Acuña Jr. is back in the leadoff spot. Sean Murphy will take over the catching duties today so Drake Baldwin gets a bit of a break as today’s designated hitter. Matt Olson and Ozzie Albies are in their usual places and bases. Lane Thomas is the most experienced against Kay with a .444 average in 10 plate appearances and is hitting fifth above Michael Harris II. We might be in our Mauricio-Dubón-everyday-shortstop era as he’s slotted in at seventh (and hopefully mostly cooled down from yesterday’s yelling match with umpire Carlos Torres). Austin Riley will hit eighth, and Murph will follow.
Left fielder Sam Antonacci will lead off for the White Sox. As noted in the preview, the Braves will see Munetaka Murakami for the first time this afternoon, where he’ll be hitting second and manning first base. Miguel Vargas will be in the other hot corner and batting third. Andrew Benintendi will serve as DH in the cleanup spot, followed by right fielder Braden Montgomery, who had a storybook debut at the Braves’ expense in June. Shortstop Colson Montgomery and second baseman Chase Meidroth will hit sixth and seventh followed by center fielder Tristan Peters. Drew Romo rounds out the batting order and will be behind the plate to catch Kay.
It's been a solid 5-1 SU run this week, and my MLB player props are once again trying to smash this short-slate Thursday.
Gerrit Cole doesn’t have the leash to pass up his Under 6.5 strikeouts at plus money, Kyle Bradish hasn’t hit this Over in eight straight starts and is somehow plus money for the Under, and Robert Gasser is coming off a career-high in pitches, which sets up the Under on his inflated outs total.
These are my favorite pitcher and strikeout props for Thursday, Aug. 20.
Best MLB strikeout props and starting pitcher picks today
Player
Pick
Odds
Gerrit Cole
Under 6.5 strikeouts
+102
Kyle Bradish
Under 5.5 strikeouts
+117
Robert Gasser
Under 17.5 outs
-110
Strikeout prop: Gerrit Cole Under 6.5 strikeouts (+102)
Gerrit Cole has pitched more than six innings just twice over his 15 starts, as the Yankees are still a little cautious with him and will likely pull him after 18 outs even if he’s sitting under 90 pitches. He’s also more of a K-per-inning pitcher, and is 2-6 O/U on this total on the road this year.
Getting six or fewer Ks on 18 outs at plus money was my first pitcher bet of the day.
THE BAT is projecting 6.0 strikeouts on 88 pitches, which still leaves plenty of room if he does get to 95 pitches, something he’s done in just 40% of his last 10 starts. The fair price on this prop with those projections is -150, making this one of the best +EV pitcher props on the board today.
There’s also some rain risk, which can only help the Under.
Time: 6:35 p.m. ET
Where to watch: MASN, YES
Strikeout prop: Kyle Bradish Under 5.5 strikeouts (+117)
The last time Kyle Bradish topped this number was June 22. Since then, he's gone eight straight starts with five or fewer Ks, totaling just 30 punchouts over 44 innings.
He is not a K-per-inning pitcher this year and had failed to reach 40 innings in back-to-back seasons heading into 2026 because of injuries. He returned from Tommy John surgery in 2025 and has already thrown 133 innings this year, so the workload is getting heavy and could be scaled back.
Bradish hasn’t gone beyond six innings in five straight starts, and the possible rain in Baltimore isn’t going to help. He had a rain-shortened start earlier this month in which he threw just three innings and didn’t come back out.
The Yankees are a good K matchup, but that’s already priced in. I want this plus-money Under on a pitcher who hasn’t touched this total in eight straight starts and could be seeing his workload scaled back.
I’d play this to even money and have this at better than a coin-flip.
Time: 6:35 p.m. ET
Where to watch: MASN, YES
Pitcher out prop: Robert Gasser Under 17.5 outs (-110)
Robert Gasser is coming off a career-high 102 pitches last game, where he went beyond 18 outs for just the second time in 14 games. He’s already at 100 innings this year after throwing just 80 combined innings over the previous two seasons.
The leash could be shorter and the efficiency could be down — a perfect setup for an Under 17.5 outs at a great price.
In his five games before that 102-pitch outing five days ago, Gasser threw 94, 76, 77, 86, and 58 pitches. The Brewers burned some arms last night, but they still have their top four high-leverage arms available, and their top three big arms haven’t been used since Sunday.
Gasser is 4-10 O/U on this total this season and struggles against right-handed bats, with a handful of them in the Seattle lineup capable of making a difference today.
The projection is 84 pitches and 15.56 outs, making this a five-star prop at this total.
Time: 2:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Brewers.TV, Mariners.TV
Josh Inglis' 2026 Transparency Record
Prop picks: 19-16, +4.92 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 Seattle Mariners (60-67) bounced back with a 7-5 win on Wednesday night over the Milwaukee Brewers (78-49) following the historic 22-0 throttling on Tuesday.
Seattle sits 2.5 games back of the final Wild Card spot in the American League after Wednesday's win. The Mariners are 3-1 in the last four games and 4-2 over the past six. The Mariners are hitting .276 in the past week (7th) with 27 runs scored over five games (T-13th). However, due to allowing 22 runs, Seattle ranks last in ERA (7.86) and OBA (.308) in that span, plus bottom three in all of August.
Milwaukee is also 3-1 in the last four games and 4-2 over the previous six. The Brewers sit atop of the NL Central by 4.5 games and are 1.5 games ahead of the Dodgers for the best record in the NL. Milwaukee's pitching staff has the fifth-best ERA in August (3.19), plus the second-best OBA (.210). Robert Gasser takes the mound and Milwaukee is 8-2 in his last 10 starts and 4-1 over the past five.
Let’s dive into today'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 & how to watch Mariners at Brewers
Date: Thursday, August 20, 2026
Time: 2:10 PM EST
Site: American Family Field
City: Milwaukee, WI
Network/Streaming: MLB TV
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Cal Raleigh is hitting .104 in August (5/48) with two home runs and 18 strikeouts
Julio Rodriguez is hitting .267 in August (16/60) with three home runs and 18 strikeouts
Randy Arozarena is hitting .234 in August (15/64) with four home runs and five RBI
Christian Yelich is hitting .173 in August (9/52) with seven RBI and 17 strikeouts
Jake Bauers is hitting .308 in August (16/52) with 13 walks and 15 strikeouts
Brice Turang is hitting .200 in August (11/55) with 19 strikeouts to eight walks
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 to know ahead of Mariners at Brewers
Seattle is an MLB-worst 48-79 ATS
Milwaukee is 66-61 ATS
Seattle is 63-57-7 to the Over, ranking eighth-best
Milwaukee is 69-55-3 to the Under, ranking fourth-best
Seattle is an MLB-worst 25-40 ATS on the road
Milwaukee is 36-29 ATS at home, ranking fifth-best
Expert picks & predictions for today's game between the Mariners and the Brewers
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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 Thursday's game between the Mariners and the Brewers:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Brewers on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Brewers at -1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Under on the Game Total of 8.0
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The Montreal Canadiens finished last season in third place in the Atlantic Division (even if it was because of a tie-breaker), earning themselves a first-round date with the Tampa Bay Lightning. As the new season approaches, the THN Yearbook predicts the Canadiens will finish even higher this season, in second place in their division behind the Florida Panthers.
Should that be the case, the Habs would at least have home-ice advantage for the first round of the playoffs, which would certainly be an advantage. The prediction is not all that surprising; the Panthers are set to bounce back in a big way after missing both Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk for most of last season and acquiring Brady Tkachuk in the offseason.
It would be surprising if the Bolts fell any lower than third place; they did lose Darren Raddysh, but they replaced him with John Carlsson, and to be frank, Jon Cooper always finds a way. The Leafs in fourth place seem a bit ambitious to me; yes, they’ve made plenty of changes, but most of those were throwing a lot of money to older free agents, a bit like the Nashville Predators did with disastrous results not so long ago. Seeing the Sabres regress would make sense given that they’ve lost Alex Tuch and have moved on from Bowen Byram, but I’m not convinced they’ll fall that low.
The Senators tried as hard as they could to make up for the loss of their captain, but William Eklund doesn’t bring the same type of energy as the youngest Tkachuk does. As for the Bruins, they could very well miss the playoffs for the second time in three years. JJ Peterka was a good add, but little else has moved the needle. As for the Wings, whether they end up moving Dylan Larkin or not, they’ll be in a weird situation. Trading your captain after he asked to move and gave a very limited, acceptable list of trade destinations rarely leads to a good return, and if they manage to convince him to stay in the wake of Steve Yzerman’s departure, he’ll still be the guy who wanted out- not a great example and hardly good for morale in the room.
As for the Canadiens, for the prediction to be true, organic growth will have to play a role again, as Kent Hughes hasn't been able to bring in any outside reinforcements despite trying his best.
ARLINGTON, Texas — Jacob deGrom is set for another chance to become the second-fastest pitcher to 2,000 career strikeouts when he is scheduled to start for the Texas Rangers a week after only pitching two innings in his previous game because of triceps fatigue.
Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said deGrom recovered well after a bullpen session the previous day, and will start the series finale against Washington.
“Feels good, so good to go,” Schumaker said, adding that deGrom won’t be on any specific limitations. “We’ll watch it and just kind of talk to him in between innings to make sure everything’s good.”
The two-time Cy Young Award winner has 1,998 strikeouts in 1,660 1/3 innings over 271 starts since his big league debut in 2014. DeGrom has 147 strikeouts in 120 2/3 innings this season.
Hall of Fame pitcher Randy Johnson got his 2,000th strikeout in his 262nd game for the quickest by games, ahead of Clayton Kershaw’s 277. Chris Sale holds the record by innings at 1,626, with Yu Davish’s 1,697 1/3 currently second.
At 38, DeGrom (8-8, 3.95 ERA) is trying to become the ninth active player and 94th all-time to reach the milestone. He would be the fourth this season, following Kevin Gausman, Sonny Gray and Aaron Nola.
DeGrom struck out three in the two innings he pitched in a 7-0 loss at the Los Angeles Angels, when he gave up two runs and five hits in a 32-pitch second inning. He has also been dealing with left hip and glute issues over the past month or so.
“He’s got a lot going on ... so any extra days right now at this time of the year for our pitchers are huge,” Schumaker said. “But for DeGrom to get the extra rest, I know he didn’t want it, but for everything going on, hopefully it’s beneficial.”
After his Cy Young Awards with the New York Mets in 2018 and 2019, and the pandemic-shortened 2020 season when he led the National League in strikeouts for the second year in a row, deGrom made only 35 starts total from 2021-24 because of a series of injuries. He missed most of 2023 and 2024 because of elbow surgery after making only six starts in his first season with Texas.
The active leader with 3,554 strikeouts is Justin Verlander, who at 43 is the oldest player in the majors and is retiring after this season. He has made only one start this year for Detroit, on March 30 before going on the injured list because of left hip inflammation. He then sustained a left hamstring strain during a bullpen session in mid-June.
Verlander is eighth on the career list, 20 behind Hall of Famer Don Sutton for seventh. The strikeout king is Nolan Ryan with 5,714 over 27 seasons before he retired in 1993 at age 46.
In the history of any franchise, you can pick out a handful of keystone signings that help usher in a new chapter in the annals of the team. A decade of mismanagement under CBS ownership left the Yankees in the wilderness, contributing to a 14-year World Series drought, the longest in the franchise’s history since the nascent years as the Highlanders.
With George Steinbrenner’s purchase of the team and promise to return the once-proud franchise to their glory years, changes were on the horizon. Fading into the review mirror were the days of Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris, meaning a new slate of stars had to be assembled in the Bronx. Catfish Hunter, Reggie Jackson, Goose Gossage, Willie Randolph, Sparky Lyle, Ron Guidry, Lou Piniella, Chris Chambliss, Mickey Rivers, Ed Figueroa, and Bucky Dent all arrived in the first half of the 1970s via the Draft, trade, or free agency to form the core of the eventual back-to-back World Series winning Bronx Zoo. However, it was the 1973 trade for Graig Nettles that truly signaled the sea change in the franchise’s fortunes.
Graig Nettles Born: August 20, 1944 (San Diego, CA) Yankees Tenure: 1973-83
Graig Nettles was born on August 20, 1944, in San Diego, CA, the second of three sons to Wayne — a former police officer and high school teacher — and Florence Nettles. He was a star dual athlete for San Diego High School, earning a scholarship to play college basketball before switching to baseball as an upperclassman. He was drafted by the Twins in the fourth round of the inaugural 1965 amateur draft after starring over the summers for the semi-professional Alaska Goldpanners in Fairbanks.
Under the tutelage of his future manager with the Yankees, Billy Martin, then managing in the Twins minor league system, Nettles rose quickly though the levels. He was handed a pair of September cups of coffee in 1967 and 1968 before Martin’s promotion as the big league manager in 1969 earned Nettles a permanent role in the majors. Blocked at third by Harmon Killebrew, Nettles was dealt to Cleveland the following season, for whom he would play two seasons before being granted a trade by GM Gabe Paul — later his GM in New York — to the Yankees alongside Jerry Moses for Charlie Spikes, John Ellis, Jerry Kenney, and Rusty Torres following the conclusion of the 1972 season.
“If I could have picked the spot I wanted to go, it would have been the Yankees. I always wanted to play for New York and for Ralph Houk. I hope I’ll satisfy the team and be here for ten years or so.”
In his debut season in the Bronx, Nettles batted .234/.334/.386 with 22 home runs and 81 RBI in 160 games. Notably, he crushed the team that traded him away, with four home runs and seven RBIs during a doubleheader in Cleveland on April 14th and his first six home runs of the year coming against his former employers as part of an eleven homer spree in his first 22 games. His production looked pretty similar in 1974, slashing .246/.316/.403 with another 22 homers and 75 RBIs. The Yankees would miss out on the playoffs by two games, and Nettles was ejected from a game on September 7th after six superballs bounced out of a broken bat he maintained he received from a fan in Chicago.
1975 saw Nettles slash .267/.322/.430 with 21 home runs and 91 RBIs to earn the first of his six All-Star appearances. It also was the birth of the free agent era, and Jackson, Hunter, Gossage, Randolph, Rivers, Figueroa, and Dent all signed to join Nettles, Thurman Munson, Guidry, Lyle, and Nettles’ fellow trade acquisitions Piniella and Chambliss. In the span of just a couple years, the Yankees had transformed from a rudderless franchise just starting to find its direction to a veritable juggernaut truly ready to compete for titles.
The following season, Nettles led the AL with 32 bombs, slashing .254/.327/.475 with a career-high 136 wRC+. His 8.1 fWAR remained the high water mark for a Yankees third baseman until Alex Rodriguez put up 9.1 in 2005. The season culminated in the Yankees’ first World Series appearance since 1964 — a humbling sweep at the hands of the Reds.
The fruits of this franchise renaissance finally arrived in 1977, Nettles setting career highs in home runs (37) and RBIs (107) while earning his second All-Star nod, first Gold Glove, and finishing fifth in the AL MVP race. Though he would bat just .171 with no home runs and three RBIs in 43 plate appearances that postseason, the Yankees would squeeze past the Royals in a finely poised ALCS three games to two before securing their first title in 15 years, winning in six games over the Dodgers thanks to Jackson’s Mr. October heroics.
However, Nettles would take center stage the following October. After another strong regular season in which he slashed .276/.343/.460 with 27 home runs and 93 RBI to earn consecutive All-Star and Gold Glove nods and a sixth-place AL MVP finish, Nettles caught the popup from Carl Yastrzemski to end Game 163 between the Yankees and Red Sox, and went yard in another ALCS vanquishing of the Royals. Trailing the Dodgers two games to none in the Fall Classic, Nettles’ defense almost singlehandedly won them the game in Game 3. Nettles made a diving stop in the third and erased a pair of bases-loaded jams in the fifth and sixth with some quick-twitch glove work.
The Yankees would go on to win the next three games to secure back-to-back crowns, Dodgers outfielder Reggie Smith saying of Nettles’ defensive heroics in Game 3, “It’s Dodgers 2, Nettles 1. If we hadn’t been losing, I may have applauded myself.”
Over these years, Nettles gained a reputation for his acerbic wit, earning the nickname “Puff” for his habit of disappearing after a practical joke. He also stood out as one of the Yankees’ most combative players, getting involved in several brawls. On May 20, 1976, Nettles tackled Bill “Spaceman” Lee and broke the pitcher’s collarbone during a brawl against the Red Sox.
In Game 5 of the 1977 ALCS against the Royals, Nettles ignited perhaps the most famous brawl in postseason history. After a hard slide at third by George Brett, Nettles kicked his fellow third baseman in the face and sparked a melee that somehow didn’t result in any ejections.
With the tragic passing of Thurman Munson in a plane crash in 1979, Nettles was never the same player. He also missed significant time to a hepatitis diagnosis in 1980 and the strike in 1981, the latter season representing Nettles’ final hurrah in pinstripes. He was named the ALCS MVP after batting .500 with nine RBIs in a sweep of the A’s. However, he broke his thumb on a diving attempt in Game 2 of the World Series against the Dodgers and missed the next three games, going 2-for-3 with a double in his final postseason game for the Yankees as they fell to LA in six.
Nettles always had a contentious relationship with Steinbrenner, and things really soured in his final two years thanks to stalled contract talks and a diminished platoon role at third. Things reached a head upon the publishing of Nettles’ infamous book Balls, and like Sparky Lyle after the release of The Bronx Zoo, Nettles found himself shipped out of town on the next train, sent to the Padres for Dennis Rasmussen and a PTBNL.
“I was happy to get away from New York. The owner said things about me being a destructive force on the club, so why play for a guy who keeps sniping at you? I finally had enough of him. I’ll always be a Yankee. I love those guys. I love the team, and I’ll always root for them.”
Nettles helped lead the Padres to their first World Series appearance in his first season, and would later play for the Braves and Expos before retiring in 1988 at the age of 43. He remains one of the most notable Hall of Fame snubs in the live ball era, his 67.9 rWAR the highest mark for a third baseman not enshrined in Cooperstown. His 390 home runs trailed only Mike Schmidt, Eddie Mathews, and Darrell Evans among regular third basemen at the time of retirement. He was removed from the BBWAA ballot in 1996 after falling below the requisite five percent threshold and never garnered enough support from multiple Veterans Committees.
He is one of just 11 Yankees to hit at least 250 homers with the team and is top-15 all time in WAR in franchise history, yet somehow has still not been honored in Monument Park. Nonetheless, his immaculate glove work at the hot corner, power bat, and fiery competitiveness cemented Nettles as a favorite among fans from the Bronx Zoo era, his appearances at Old-Timers’ Day—including as recently as 2025—always acknowledged with a thunderous reception.
We wish Puff a happy, healthy, and hearty 81st birthday!
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - AUGUST 19: Josh Smith #9 of the Toronto Blue Jays falls after scoring against the Tampa Bay Rays during the sixth inning of the baseball game at Tropicana Field on August 19, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There isn’t much for news this morning. They are telling us that Brett Bateman’s injury isn’t serious, he likely won’t go on the IL. I feel like ‘not serious’ tends to mean ‘season ending’ but I’m not going to jump to that.
The problem with having a guy on the active roster who can’t play is that the size of bullpens teams use these days, you don’t have many options on the bench. Yesterday it was Clement who couldn’t play, so it made pinch hitting tougher, and when a player might have to come out of the game, I started thinking about which pitcher they should put in the outfield. Insert your own Sanchez joke here.
The old man in me can’t believe you need 8 guys in the bullpen. And they are all overworked. When I was young, there was 5 guys in the bullpen. The closer, a setup man, a third decent reliever and two guys who were really starters and were there just in case that day’s start gets ejected early in the game. The fifth guy would pitch in 10-15 games a year. He was really there so they could still play cards when one of the others had to warm up.
But the game has changed. And I get it. Pitchers throw at 100% every pitch. They didn’t in the old days.
Anyway, today’s lineup. No Sanchez:
Today’s Lineups
BLUE JAYS
RAYS
Charles McAdoo – 3B
Chandler Simpson – LF
Daz Cameron – LF
Junior Caminero – 3B
Alejandro Kirk – C
Jonathan Aranda – 1B
George Springer – DH
Yandy Diaz – DH
Kazuma Okamoto – 1B
Cedric Mullins – CF
Andres Gimenez – SS
Jonny DeLuca – RF
Ernie Clement – 2B
Richie Palacios – 2B
Myles Straw – CF
Jorge Mateo – SS
Nathan Lukes – RF
Nick Fortes – C
Shane Bieber – RHP
Ian Seymour – LHP
Yesterday’s umpire was pretty good:
The Jays starts at 1:00 Eastern, which makes it 11:00 my time, which really works well with my laziness. I can’t go workout, because I have to get a post up, and get the game thread ready. All I can do is sit and watch comedy clips all morning.
PITTSBURGH — Paul Skenes insists he has had stretches during his still-burgeoning career when he has had to grit his teeth and grind through it.
The problem is, it rarely seemed like it.
Spending two seasons doing things few pitchers in the history of the game have done — as Skenes did while winning NL Rookie of the Year in 2024 and the NL Cy Young in 2025 with a dazzling arsenal that frequently was unhittable — has a way of raising expectations. Maybe unfairly so to someone only a few months removed from his 24th birthday.
The towering and remarkably mature right-hander is well aware of the standard he has set while becoming one of the faces of the game. There is a weight that comes with it, one he is intent on shouldering even when it’s not easy.
And it’s not easy at the moment. At least not as easy as Skenes has made it look so often since his electrifying arrival.
So while he feels there are things to be upbeat about during a 4 1/3 inning stint in a 4-3 victory over Detroit — particularly a fastball that clicked back into the upper 90s after hovering at 95 mph in a loss to Miami — he knows there remains plenty to work on after another outing where the results just were a little off.
“I’ve been learning a lot and I’ll continue to learn a lot,” he said after his ERA ticked up to 3.95, more than double his career mark of 1.96 when the season began. “Just got to keep going.”
Skenes allowed three runs on four hits with a season-high tying four walks and five strikeouts while throwing just 46 of his 81 pitches for strikes. While he credited the extended break he received when the Pirates adjusted their rotation over the weekend for the uptick in velocity, the fact that the ball isn’t bending to his will remains baffling.
The pitcher who allowed just four or more walks five times in his first 77 appearances now has done it in three of his last four starts.
“I think the walks, it’s frustrating,” he said. “Nobody wants to go out there and walk anybody. Nobody is trying to.”
And yet it is happening. Detroit’s Colt Keith and Gleyber Torres both worked free passes in the first inning, and while Skenes emerged from the frame unscathed, he needed 24 pitches to get three outs.
It’s one of the reasons manager Don Kelly came to get him following an RBI single by Torres with one out in the fifth gave the Tigers the lead. Skenes was on the hook for the loss — which would have been his 10th in 13 decisions since May 17, a stretch in which his ERA is 5.05 — until Rafael Flores Jr. and Brandon Lowe homered in the ninth to give the Pirates just their second win this season when trailing after eight innings.
A creature of habit like most others who do what he does for a living, Skenes hasn’t changed much about his meticulous preparation and is trying to “remember what’s real and what’s not.”
And what’s real?
“Just objective numbers, watching the game, execution, all that stuff,” he said. “Not anything from the outside.”
It’s what’s happening on “the outside” that leaves his teammates at a loss. While he received a typically warm ovation when he was introduced at PNC Park, criticism of his play — and, in one picture of Skenes walking alongside girlfriend Livvy Dunne on a Miami beach that went viral, his physique — has grown as his funk has extended to late summer.
“I think the world’s been spoiled on who Paul Skenes really is,” Lowe said. “He had probably the best starting stretch to a career ever. And now he’s not the greatest pitcher on the face of the planet for a few months, and people were worried and freaking out a bit.”
Lowe is one of the many Pirates who do not count themselves in that group. The veteran second baseman believes what’s happening with Skenes simply is the nature of baseball taking its course.
“There’s a reason why there’s not going to be a guy that pitches for 10 years and wins 10 Cy Youngs,” he said. “People adapt, people adjust.”
Skenes spent two seasons overwhelming opponents with a mix of power and precision. The power has dipped a bit. So has the precision. Batters have taken advantage. Now it’s up to Skenes to punch back.
The walks are a problem, but one Skenes is confident he can fix. And for as rocky as it feels, the reality is he’s still in the top 10 in the majors in strikeouts (171) and his current ERA still ranks in the top 40.
“He’s at 3 point whatever instead of his normal one (something),” Lowe said. “That’s still pretty good.”
Just not really good. Yet with a nine-game road trip that could define Pittsburgh’s season looming, Skenes hopes he’s hit his version of rock bottom and is on the way back up.
“I think it’s good just having my body in a really good spot (for) the last month or so of the regular season,” he said. “And hopefully a substantial number of innings after that.”
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 12: Mark Walter attends a basketball game between the Loa Angeles Lakers and the Dallas Mavericks at Crypto.com Arena on February 12, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We rejoiced that the owner of the Dodgers — the same organization that had become the model franchise in all of Major League Baseball and was in the process of winning their second straight World Series — would bring that same acumen and thirst to win to a Lakers organization that could sorely use an injection of that same spirit and leadership.
We rejoiced at the idea of Walter’s deep pockets supplanting those of the Buss Family, who had traditionally run the Lakers as a “mom and pop business” that, even while historically spending money on players and (some) head coaches, had proven more frugal when investing in areas like front office staffing, scouting, analytics, and health and wellness among other areas not governed by the collective bargaining agreement.
We rejoiced that the more insular, inner-circle-reliant approach to leadership that Jeanie Buss had adopted over the years would be replaced by a more expansive, forward-thinking mindset to organizational structure. The prospect of broadening the search for talent across the front office and business operations was an idea many — again, including me — welcomed.
And, ultimately, we rejoiced at the idea of how these three ideas would merge to reposition the Lakers as not only the most significant brand in the NBA, but the best run and most successful organization too. The Lakers would not only be well-run and well-funded, but also on a fast track to reclaiming their spot at the top of the NBA franchise hierarchy.
If this all sounds like wish-casting optimism, one only needs to remember the general response to Walter’s purchase by those who don’t root for the Lakers (or, even more, root for their failure), which was, for lack of a better word, fear.
Fear of what seemed like almost an inevitability: the Lakers, under Walter’s leadership, would begin capitalizing on their historical standing as the league’s glamour franchise by investing heavily in all the modern mechanisms that promote team success.
Only 14 months later, Walter is stunningly out as the Lakers owner, seemingly before his ownership could even gain real traction. And, while there are clear reasons to be skeptical of (or even unnerved by) the Josh Kushner and Bog Iger led group that Walter is selling his majority stake in the Lakers to, I actually find myself rejoicing some in the fact that Walter will not be around to try to see out all those grand plans to take the team I love back to the top of the league.
That might sound harsh or extreme, but if I’m being honest, it’s the feeling I simply cannot shake in the aftermath of Walter’s decision to deal away the franchise he’d only officially taken control of last October. Because the more I read about Walter, and the more I learn about the federal investigation into his finances, the more I’m grateful that he will not be the team’s owner during this exact period of what is sure to be the most challenging of his professional (and, maybe, personal) life.
I mean, let’s be real. With every ensuing report, the ricketyness of Walter’s financial position is being revealed in real time, undermining much of the appeal his ownership group was supposed to provide in the first place. From dumping the Lakers to working to sell off his stake in the Chelsea Football Club to reports of him trying to cash out early from both the Dodgers and Lakers TV contracts with Spectrum for a lump sum payment, Walter is clearly scrambling for his financial — and, maybe, literal — freedom in ways that almost certainly would have had a negative effect on his ability to lead the franchise forward. Especially if we’re talking about pure finacial resources.
And even if you don’t necessarily believe this would have all come to a head in this upcoming season, I think it’s more than fair to speculate whether he’d have been the deep-pocketed leader many fans (and analysts) were projecting him to be well into the future. And whether or not you would argue that was his main appeal in the first place, it’s hard to disagree with the fact it was certainly one of the top reasons for excitement with him taking over the franchise.
Inglewood, CA – February 15: Los Angeles Dodgers owner, Mark Walter during the 75th NBA All-Star game at Intuit Dome in Inglewood on Sunday February 15, 2026. (Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images) | MediaNews Group via Getty Images
And this is just the sunniest version of the possible negative outcomes that are on the table. There are versions of this story where even if he’s able to put Humpty Dumpty back together again by patching together the money needed to make the loans who reportedly took out from his related insurance companies whole, protracted legal issues follow him around like the stench on Peanuts’ Pigpen that continue to chip away at both his standing in the business community and his general effectiveness as a leader and steward for the organization.
That’s not the sort of context I’d want for the Lakers generally, but particularly not at a time when they are supposed to be transitioning to a new era with Luka Dončić as the face of the franchise. This is a time for stability and focused discipline to push the team forward into an extended period of contention. It’s hard to imagine that being the case when your principal owner is under federal investigation.
Maybe if the Lakers were actually in the same position as the Dodgers, where there was a decade-plus worth of infrastructure built out under Walter’s ownership, I’d feel differently. That’s the sort of foundation that can better withstand this sort of disruption with both business and team-building operations more naturally insulated because of their longer tenured and more established track records of success.
The Lakers, however, are not yet fully set up in that same way. The first season of Walter’s ownership was supposed to be a feeling out period and, as we’ve seen, it’s only been in the last four to six months where more change has been instituted in terms of staffing changes and updates to the business and basketball operations structuring.
And while I fully understand that disrupting that path forward now in favor of a new ownership group’s vision feels similar to the point I’m making about Walter’s issues, the prospect of all that is happening with him lingering or being more long-lasting is not far-fetched at all. So, I’d rather press the reset button now and have a new direction established with all the attention and intent of a new group over what could be extended uncertainty with Walter’s ongoing and developing legal issues.
This isn’t necessarily an endorsement of Iger and Kushner, either. But I’d much rather take a chance on the unknown with them over what we currently know about Walter and his ongoing financial and legal troubles.
The Bronx Bombers walk at a 9.8% clip, fourth-best in MLB. For me, this is one of the most undervalued stats in baseball, but it matters more here because of the current form Baltimore Orioles armKyle Bradish.
He grades in the 25th percentile in walk rate at 10.3%, and the underlying numbers are worse: a 43.8% zone rate and a 55.3% first-strike rate, both career lows. A patient lineup does not need to hit him to score.
Gerrit Cole is the other half of the equation. He's looking closer to vintage form with a 1.93 ERA across three August starts and a 2.15 mark since the All-Star break.
COVERS INTEL:Kyle Bradish's four-seamer has become a giveaway pitch. He throws it 17.4% of the time, and hitters are batting .330 with a .481 xSLG against it.
Yankees vs Orioles Over/Under pick: Under 7.5 (-108)
Both offenses score in bursts or not at all.
New York sits at a .273 BABIP, the lowest in MLB, and Baltimore is fourth-worst in contact rate at 72.3%. That is a profile built for two three-run innings rather than sustained ones. The multi-run homer is likely what beats me, but it's reduced with both pitchers having an approximate 5% barrel rate reduction over the last week.
Bradish grades in the 79th percentile in ground-ball rate at 48.5% against a Yankees club that hits 40.9% fly balls, a mismatch of intent that turns damage swings into outs on the ground. Cole sits in the 77th percentile in xERA at 3.37 and has allowed just five earned runs across 18 2/3 August innings.
I made this total 7.1 and would play it to -120.
Yankees vs Orioles home run prediction: Jazz Chisholm (+562)
Bradish's chief skill is keeping the ball on the ground. Beating him means getting lift on breaking stuff.
Jazz Chisholm is the Yankee who does it best, posting a .413 average and .609 slugging with a .504 xSLG against sinkers this season, a plus-5 run value and the best mark on the roster. Chisholm also pulls 53.9% of his contact, the highest rate in the lineup, into a right field porch that rewards it.
Play to +350.
Chris Hatfield's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 44-44, +0.90 units
Over/Under bets: 50-38, +13.49 units
Yankees vs Orioles weather
There's a 70% chance of rain with high near 80F. Though the weather may not have a direct impact on the game, a delay could limit either pitcher's workload. Check the radar before first pitch if considering such props.
Yankees vs Orioles odds
Moneyline: Yankees -118 | Orioles +108
Run line: Yankees -1.5 | Orioles +1.5
Over/Under: Over 8 | Under 8
Yankees vs Orioles trend
Yankees are 6-1 in their last seven games as a favorite. Find more MLB betting trends for Yankees vs. Orioles.
How to watch Yankees vs Orioles and game info
Location
Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Baltimore, MD
Date
Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026
First pitch
6:35 p.m. ET
TV
MASN, YES
Yankees starting pitcher
Gerrit Cole (6-6, 3.22 ERA)
Orioles starting pitcher
Kyle Bradish (7-11, 3.65 ERA)
Yankees 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.
Gerrit Cole
Kyle Bradish
Robert Gasser
COVERS INTEL: