The San Diego Padres are one of the hottest teams in baseball, posting an 8-3 record over the last 10 games. It has allowed them to secure a slim one-game lead over the Arizona Diamondbacks in the chase for the last National League Wild Card berth.
The roster seems set; everyone understands their roles. But there is still one move to make. It is not so much for the remainder of this season, more for the 2027 campaign.
The Padres need to promote Ethan Salas as one of their September call-ups.
Outstanding minor league season forces call-up conversation
It should not come as a surprise, as Salas is the organization’s prized minor league possession. He has played in two levels (Double-A San Antonio and Triple-A El Paso) this season. You would expect a September promotion is the final step in his development.
After suffering through an injury-plagued 2025 season, Salas has been on fire at the plate. In 72 games with the San Antonio Missions, the 20-year-old batted .286 with seven home runs and 37 RBI. It earned him a promotion to Triple-A, where Salas continued to rake. Currently, he is hitting .315 with three home runs, 35 RBI and a mouth-dropping 1.076 OPS in 15 games.
His play has opened some eyes within the organization. Usually, major league clubs bring up their top prospects when rosters expand, rewarding them for an outstanding minor league season.
In Salas’ case, it would give the youngster a taste of being around big-league players during the stretch run. He can observe and learn from players like Manny Machado on how to prepare for pressure-packed games that could decide a team’s postseason fate.
Granted, the young catcher will not be eligible for the postseason, but summoning him to San Diego will prepare Salas to compete for a starting job next spring.
Fermin and Campusano raising the level of their game
The Friars have a good mix behind the plate. Freddie Fermin and Luis Campusano share the catching duties. Both players have spent time on the injured list this season, but their return to the lineup has provided a much-needed spark to the offense.
Fermin is batting .312, and Campusano is hitting .310 for August. It is the type of offensive production that has allowed the Padres to own an MLB-best 18-7 record since late July. Salas would not replace either catcher in the lineup, but does add depth as a left-handed bat off the bench.
Since the All-Star break, the Friars have been a wonderful story. The club has picked itself off the mat to surge back into contention for a postseason berth. But the job is not done.
If the Padres fail to play October baseball, all was for naught.
Calling up Salas to bolster the September roster is the right move.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 11: The Chicago White Sox mascot Southpaw warms up before a game against the Cincinnati Reds at Rate Field on August 11, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jessie Alcheh/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After finishing off a 5-1 homestand, New York Mets (58-70) head out on the road for a three-game series with the AL Central-leading Chicago White Sox (66-61). The Mets last faced the South Siders in May 2025, taking two out of three from them at Citi Field. The Mets last traveled to Rate Field in summer 2024, when they swept the ChiSox on the road. In fact, the Mets have swept the last two series they’ve played in the South Side of Chicago. The Mets sport a seven-game road winning streak against the White Sox, with their last loss coming all the way back on June 25, 2013.
The Mets cooled off the Padres, who came in as baseball’s hottest team and left as losers of two out of three games. The Mets could have had a sweep, if not for Fernando Tatis Jr. and his heroics on both sides of the ball in the 5-2 loss on Tuesday night. Tatis Jr. robbed Francisco Lindor of a grand slam and hit two home runs, driving in three of San Diego’s five runs in the process. The Mets got a small measure of revenge with a 2-1 win on Monday and a 4-2 victory in the rubber match to leave home with the series win. In Monday’s win, Benge was the shining star, throwing out runners at home on back-to-back play, with the latter throw clocking in at 103.9 mph (the third-hardest outfield throw in the Statcast era). A.J. Ewing, who has been struggling at the plate, contributed with an outfield assist of his own in the second inning, and each of those three runs proved critical. On Wednesday, Benge’s two-run homer to left field put the Mets ahead, and they were able to do just enough to hold on.
Benge really shined in this series and solidified his case as a potential NL Rookie of the Year contender alongside frontrunners Sal Stewart and JJ Wetherholt. With his two OF assists on Monday, he now leads all NL right fielders with nine assists. He also continues to excel with his glove beyond just his arm, posting 3 DRS in RF (and 1 DRS in LF) in 2026.
What’s most impressive about Benge is how well he’s recovered from a slow start. There was talk in April of sending him back to AAA, but Juan Soto’s initial injury gave him extra life in the lineup. After starting the season hitting .179/.235/.263 with a 41 wRC+ in his first 29 games through May 2, he’s hit .297/.359/.459 with a 130 wRC+ in 92 games since this point in the year. Among qualified NL hitters, that wRC+ is good for 14th, while his 3.1 fWAR is seventh among NL hitters, trailing Pete Crow-Armstrong, Gabriel Moreno, Bryson Stott, Luis Arraez, Shohei Ohtani, and James Wood. Safe to say Benge has been really good, and it stands to reason that he’ll only get better.
The White Sox enter this series on a bit of a rut, having lost three of their last four contests leading into the weekend. They dropped their first two games against the crosstown rival Cubs before salvaging the finale on Wednesday. Then, in what was supposed to be a day off on Thursday, they played a makeup game against the Braves and fell 2-0. The White Sox maintained their lead over the Twins in the AL Central, which is now 3.5 games, as they look to become the first team in MLB history to make the postseason after back-to-back 100-loss campaigns.
Chicago lives and dies by their offense. They are 10th in MLB and 5th in the American League with a 103 wRC+ and a .726 OPS. They have the third-most home runs in the AL (167) and have scored the most runs in the league (605), 13 clear of the second-place Twins. Their bullpen has also enjoyed a solid year, posting a 3.76 ERA (4th in the AL). Their rotation is their biggest weakness, posting a 4.39 ERA (1oth in the AL) and a 4.35 FIP (13th in the AL).
Unsurprisingly, Munetaka Murakami has been the standout star for the White Sox (shoutout Tokyo Yakult Swallows). The rookie has blasted 29 home runs (tops on the club) and would probably be chasing down Pete Alonso’s rookie record had he not missed six weeks with an injury. He is still very much in consideration for the AL Rookie of the Year award and leads White Sox hitters with a 146 wRC+ and an .893 OPS in 92 games. Miguel Vargas is also enjoying a breakout season for Chicago, posting 3.8 fWAR (a career best and tops on the White Sox) and leading the entire AL in runs scored (86) while hitting 28 homers and posting a 131 wRC+ in a team-leading 125 games. Vargas’ year earned him his first ever All-Star game nod. Colson Montgomery rounds out the White Sox hitters with 25+ homers, as he enters play with 26 dingers and a 101 wRC+ with 2.5 fWAR in 120 games.
Friday, August 21: Sean Manaea vs. Sean Burke, 7:40 PM EDT on WPIX
Manaea was cruising in his last start against the Nats, but an ill-timed three-run home run quickly flipped the game on its head and made his line look worse than it was. He ended up being charged with four earned runs on six hits over 6 1/3 innings and settled for a no decision as the Mets ended up coming back late. He struck out seven, walked two, and surrendered two home runs in the start. It remains encouraging that Manaea, who began the year in the pen, continues to give the team solid length and save the bullpen. He’s pitched into the seventh inning in two consecutive outings and has completed at least six innings of work in five straight and in six of seven starts. He has been looking a lot more like 2024 Manaea as the season has gone on.
Burke is enjoying a breakout season for Chicago. The 26-year-old has already eclipsed a career-high with 140 innings pitched and has set a career mark with 154 punch outs in his second full season in the majors. His 3.15 ERA is about a run less than the mark he set in his rookie season, and his 3.44 FIP is about a run and a half less than last year. It’s been a really positive year for the former third round pick, and he’ll look to finish things off on a high note. He is coming off a start in which he allowed four earned runs on five hits over 4 1/3 innings against the Tigers. Prior to that, he had a really strong start against the Reds, allowing one earned run on three hits with eight strikeouts over seven innings.
Saturday, August 22: Christian Scott vs. Luis Castillo, 7:10 PM EDT on SNY
Scott turned in a really strong effort his last time out against the Nationals, resulting in his fourth win of the season. The right-hander went 6 1/3 innings and allowed three earned runs on five hits to pick up the victory. He struck out seven and walked two while giving up one home run and hitting a batter. It was his longest start of the year and also the first time he has thrown a pitch in the seventh inning since his second major league start—he did so in each of his first two big league outings. At 84 2/3 innings pitched, he is now three innings away from his career high of 87 2/3 innings, which he accomplished in 2023 across St. Lucie, Brooklyn, and Binghamton. After missing all of last year and with the team out of the playoff picture, it does stand to reason that he could be shut down at some point in September to preserve some innings on his right arm.
Castillo has had a brutal 2026 season, but his past was at least enough to convince the White Sox to take a chance on him and pick him up from the Mariners ahead of the trade deadline. Since arriving in Chicago, he’s had two rough starts and one great start—in fact, probably his best start of the year. In that outing against the Reds, where he picked up his fourth win of the season, he allowed just one hit and two walks while striking out 10 over seven scoreless innings. In the other two starts combined (both of which resulted in no decisions), he went 8 2/3 innings and allowed nine runs (eight earned) on 14 hits, with two walks and six strikeouts.
Sunday, August 23: Nolan McLean vs. Erick Fedde, 2:10 PM EDT on SNY
McLean picked up his ninth win of 2026 in the team’s series opener against the Padres on Monday. The victory was heavily aided by three outfield assists over the first two innings, while allowed him to skirt some early-game trouble and allowed him to pitch deeper into the game. He ended up going six innings and allowing just one earned run on six hits. He only struck out three and walked four, which is less than ideal, but he was able to limit the damage thanks to his defense.
The Mets are plenty familiar with Fedde, who spent his first six seasons with the Nationals and also had a cup of coffee with the Braves in 2025. He signed a one-year deal in February 2026 with the White Sox and has bounced back and forth between Chicago’s rotation and bullpen. This will be his first start in August after making five relief appearances and allowing 10 runs (nine earned) on 14 hits in 12 innings. His last start came against the Rays on July 31, when he earned the win after allowing one earned run on four hits with six strikeouts over five innings. He has historically struggled against the Mets, posting a 6.78 ERA in 74 1/3 innings against New York.
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - MAY 02: Andy Ibanez #77 of the New York Mets hits a sacrifice fly to score Mark Vientos #27, to trail 3-2 to the Los Angeles Angels, during the seventh inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on May 02, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After 2023 rule changes successfully brought back the stolen base, steals are down for the second year in a row. Michael Baumann at Fangraphs investigates.
Jun 25, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards first round draft pick and number one overall pick AJ Dybantsa speaks to the media during a press conference at InterContinental Hotel. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
In this week’s SB Nation Reacts survey, we asked if you thought Washington Wizards forward AJ Dybantsa will win the 2026-27 NBA Rookie of the Year. Our respondents were split, but a majority of 56 percent believe that Dybantsa, the No. 1 pick in the 2026 Draft, will be the Rookie of the Year when it is all said and done.
BOSTON, MA - 1992: Kevin McHale #32, Robert Parish #00, and Larry Bird #33 stand on the court during a game played in 1992 at the Boston Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1992 NBAE (Photo by Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
As we celebrate History Month here at CelticsBlog, we just had to ask who would win a round robin of the Celtics greatest championship teams. Despite some crossover, we divided the franchise’s rich history into five squads by the stars that powered them: Bob Cousy and Bill Russell; Dave Cowen and John Havlicek; Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish; Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen; Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
The 80s Celtics were the resounding winners. Coincidentally, we’re right in the middle of that Big Three’s championship run with the ’84 banner to close out Week 3 of CelticsBlog’s History Month.
If the Lakers were the 80s personified, then the Celtics were the foundation and the first few floors of NBA history. They were run by Red Auerbach, who had been a fixture in the league from its inception. He had won fourteen championships by this point in time—nine as a coach and five as a general manager. They wore uniforms that were barely distinguishable from the ones that the team was wearing when Red was hired to coach them more than thirty years earlier. Their arena was a relic—a cramped relic painted mostly yellow, without air conditioning, with seats that were jammed together and placed behind columns and every one of them had been occupied for every single game the Celtics played for the past three seasons.
The Celtics played on a parquet court that had been trod by the league’s legends going back to the first year after World War II. It was a scarred and uneven surface that matched the tough and gritty character of the arena built around it.
The Celtics played in Boston—a crowded city where the past was present everywhere, where landmarks from the beginning of the nation were part of the fabric of everyday life, a city somehow nicknamed ‘Beantown.’ It had everything that L.A. lacked—history, tradition, cultural institutions—and it was hopelessly, helplessly uncool.
The 1984 Finals were a culture clash as well as a basketball contest.
There’s certainly a mystique surrounding those Bird teams. Part of it was the rivalry with the Lakers. Part of it was the personal history between Bird and Magic. And part of it was how the identity of the team perfectly mirrored the character of the city.
But there was also just the basketball part of it and how that team that also included Dennis Johnson and Danny Ainge could play different styles and handle the halfcourt ground war of the 80s and run-and-gun with the modern and old school NBA.
I’m probably biased because I grew up with the Bird teams, but I think they hit the sweet spot of being able to play the modern game (Bird and Ainge were great shooters, while McHale eventually learned to shoot a few threes and DJ would have if he’d come along a bit later) but also being able to match up well in the paint with the old-school teams.
We could argue about it over a thousand dinners or fire it up on NBA 2K, but ultimately, it’s an unanswerable question of who is best. Looking forward, Boston’s future next season is just as unpredictable, but our friends at FanDuel still have the Celtics (+1400) with the fifth highest odds to win a championship behind the Thunder (+230), Spurs (+280), Knicks (+900), and Sixers (+1000).
If Banner 19 goes to the rafters next spring, we might have to reignite this debate featuring Bird vs. Tatum.
The Tigers have four players listed on the 2026-27 roster, published on the school’s official website. I’m not great at math, but as classes begin Monday, Wade is set for his own Norman Dale moment.
And if SEC commissioner Greg Sankey has his way, it’s going to be more difficult for Wade to fill out his 2026-27 roster with real, live college basketball players.
Wade and LSU are awaiting eligibility rulings on numerous players, part of which flies in the face of Sankey’s edict that schools move carefully when adding players seeking a fifth year of eligibility through the court system.
The same court system that on Wednesday gave a group of former players — whose eligibility expired at the end of last season — a temporary restraining order to gain a fifth year in response to the NCAA’s new eligibility standard of five years to play five seasons.
The NCAA recently passed the standards, and has since been picking and choosing which appeals from the class of 2022 to approve and deny. Which, of course, is stupid.
Not surprisingly, those moves have led to multiple lawsuits against the NCAA — which eventually brings us back to LSU vs. the SEC. The inevitable we all knew was around the bend.
Former St. John’s star player RJ Luis, who left for the NBA after the 2025 season and signed an NBA two-way contract, has committed to play for LSU and has taken the friendly local judge route to do so.
There, in the same East Baton Rouge courtroom where a group of former players were given the TRO, Luis asked the court for a similar exemption. Sankey filed an affidavit in the Luis case, and said allowing athletes who have signed professional contracts to return to college disrupts the ecosystem of college sports — and harms other players in search of roster spots in the process.
I’m not sure any of us fully understand the legal gymnastics currently playing out, including the parties involved. But I do know this: LSU blatantly ignoring an edict from the SEC commissioner — the man works in lockstep with the league’s presidents and chancellors — is bad for business.
Bad for the SEC’s reputation as a win-at-all-cost conference, and bad for Sankey’s ability to herd 16 member institutions in the same direction in other future, critical structural moves. Like the SEC playing by its own rules if Congress can’t pass the Protect College Sports Act.
How does the conference believe it can get all 16 to play together and play fairly by the same rules, if LSU — and maybe others — can’t agree to the current, simple ask from Sankey and the presidents and chancellors to tread carefully?
Any by treading carefully, they mean don't do it.
When a single institution decides nothing will deter it from competing at the highest level, with the best coaches money can buy, and the best players money can buy — rules or edicts or simple professional courtesy be damned — not even the executives of its own conference can stop it.
LSU could end this charade by telling Luis we wish you luck on your appeal to gain an extra year of eligibility, but you can’t play here. That, and other member schools doing the same with the group of athletes that received the TRO ― three of whom played football last season at Ole Miss.
That’s what Sankey wants and expects.
But he better not get caught watching the paint dry on what could be the last shot at preserving order.
Matt Hayes is the senior national college football writer for USA TODAY Sports Network. Follow him on X at @MattHayesCFB. Listen to him daily, from 12-2 p.m., on 1010XL-Jacksonville.
Williams team principal James Vowles during a press conference at the Mascot Circuit Zandvoort, Netherlands. Picture date: Friday August 21, 2026. (Photo by David Davies/PA Images via Getty Images) | PA Images via Getty Images
Hickory starter Evan Siary went seven innings, allowing two runs and striking out three.
Paulino Santana homered. Pablo Guerrero homered and walked twice. Yolfran Castillo had a double and a walk. Dewar Tovar had a hit. Josh Springer was 2 for 3 with a homer and a walk. Jeremy Owens and Seong-Jun Kim each had a hit.
Hub City starter Case Matter threw two shutout innings, striking out one. Kamdyn Perry allowed five runs in three innings, walking three, hitting two batters and striking out one.
Evan Morrison was 2 for 4 with a double. Chandler Pollard doubled.
Rehabbing Jack Leiter allowed five runs in three innings for Frisco, including a homer, walking two and striking out five. Joey Danielson allowed a run in an inning, striking out one. Dylan MacLean struck out three and walked three in four innings, allowing two runs. Eric Loomis struck out three in a shutout inning.
Yeison Morrobel homered. Arturo Disla was 2 for 4 with a double.
Round Rock starter David Davalillo allowed two runs, including a homer, in 5.2 IP, striking out two and walking one. Ben Peoples allowed three runs in 0.1 IP, walking one and giving up a homer. Ryan Lobus allowed a homer to former Ranger Dustin Harris in one inning, walking one and striking out two. Michel Otanez struck out one and walked one in a scoreless inning.
Alejandro Osuna was 3 for 5 with a pair of doubles and a stolen base. Cam Cauley had a hit, a walk and a stolen base. Logan O’Hoppe had a pair of hits. Aaron Zavala was 2 for 4 with a homer.
The Winnipeg Jets are coming off a disappointing season in which they missed the playoffs for the first time since 2022, and according to one prominent prospect evaluator, there may not be a quick fix coming through the pipeline.
Winnipeg fell three spots from Pronman's 2025 ranking, when the organization came in at No. 25.
Photo by Kirby Lee/USA Today
It's an assessment that comes at an interesting time for the Jets. After years of regular-season success and three consecutive playoff appearances, Winnipeg took a significant step backwards in 2025-26. The Jets finished 35-35-12 and 12th in the Western Conference, just one season removed from winning the Presidents' Trophy.
With much of the team's established core still built around veterans including Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor, Josh Morrissey and Connor Hellebuyck, the development of Winnipeg's next wave has become increasingly important. Pronman's ranking suggests there are some legitimate pieces on the way. The question is how many.
At the top of the group is 2026 first-round pick Viggo Björck. Winnipeg selected the Swedish centre eighth overall in June, giving the organization the kind of high-end prospect it hasn't had the opportunity to draft in quite some time. Pronman views Björck as an intelligent, highly competitive centre with legitimate top-six NHL upside.
The 18-year-old immediately became one of the most important pieces of Winnipeg's future.
Sascha Boumedienne is another. Selected 28th overall by Winnipeg in 2025, Boumedienne spent the past two seasons at Boston University and helped Sweden capture gold at the 2026 World Junior Championship.
The mobile defenceman has shown an ability to create offence from the blue line, although his development remains a longer-term project. Pronman identified his mobility as one of the stronger attributes within Winnipeg's young group.
Beyond those two, things become less certain. Brayden Yager remains one of Winnipeg's most recognizable prospects after being acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Rutger McGroarty trade in August of 2024. The former 14th-overall selection made the jump to professional hockey last season and remains a potential NHL centre for the Jets.
Elias Salomonsson, meanwhile, has already begun making that transition.
The 21-year-old Swedish defenceman appeared in 32 games for Winnipeg last season, scoring one goal and five points. A second-round selection in 2022, Salomonsson has steadily climbed through the organization after playing professionally in Sweden and spending parts of two seasons with the Manitoba Moose. He could be in position to take another step with the Jets in 2026-27.
There are other intriguing names further down the pipeline. Brad Lambert, Colby Barlow and Nikita Chibrikov have all spent time developing with Manitoba, while Kieron Walton, Kevin He and Alfons Freij represent younger projects still attempting to establish themselves as legitimate NHL options.
But that is where Pronman's primary concern with Winnipeg lies. There is potential at the top of the system, particularly following the addition of Björck, but considerably less certainty behind the organization's best young players.
It's also important to put a bottom-five ranking into context. Winnipeg spent much of the past several seasons operating as a contender, which meant drafting late and occasionally moving future assets to improve the NHL roster.
The Jets traded their first-round picks in both 2024 and 2025 before eventually getting back into the opening round of the 2025 draft, acquiring the 28th selection from Carolina and using it on Boumedienne.
Missing the playoffs last season provided an unusual opportunity. For the first time since selecting Patrik Laine second overall in 2016, Winnipeg held a top-10 pick. Björck was the result. Now comes the important part. The Jets need more of their young players to turn potential into NHL production.
Winnipeg still has one of hockey's premier goaltenders in Hellebuyck, a 100-point centre in Scheifele and an elite scorer in Connor. The veterans at the top of the roster give the organization reason to believe it can rebound quickly. But that core won't remain in its prime forever.
For a franchise that has historically needed to draft and develop its own talent, The Athletic's No. 28 ranking serves as a reminder of just how important the next few years of development will be.
The Jets have some promising young pieces, but they could certainly use a few more.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 19: Fernando Tatis Jr. #23 of the San Diego Padres stands in the dugout before the game against the New York Mets at Citi Field on August 19, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Matt Thomas/San Diego Padres/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Diego Padres finished a .500 road trip after dropping the final game of the series to the New York Mets by a score of 4-2. It was a disappointing end to a two-city trip that felt like it could have been much better. San Diego took two of three from the Cleveland Guardians and went into New York looking to replicate that success.
The Padres opened the series with the Mets with a 2-1 loss that saw four outs recorded at the plate in the first two innings. Three of those outs came on outfield assists and caused a lot of the Friar Faithful to question whether the team needed to make a change at the third base coach position. Of course, those were more heat of the moment discussions and they quickly dissipated the next night.
The second game of the series will forever be known as the Fernando Tatis Jr. Game. The star right fielder led off the game with a solo home run on the very first pitch. He later went on to add a two-run home run which was a welcome sight considering his slow start to the season in regard to his power numbers. But the home runs took a back seat to his defense which helped Robbie Ray maintain a lead and eventually earn a win.
With two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the second inning Tatis leaped high above the wall in right field to take away what would have been a grand slam home run from Francisco Lindor. The Padres would go on to win the game, 5-2.
In the final game of the series, the Frair Faithful were hoping for the Padres to ride the momentum from Tuesday night to a second consecutive win and a series win. However, they were unable to provide starter Michael King with any run support and they were unable to come through with a clutch hit in the final at-bat of the game. With runners on the corner with one out, pinch-hitter Austin Hays bounced into a double play and San Diego dropped the game and the series to New York with a 4-2 loss.
The Padres have little room for error in the win-loss columns and need to get back on track in the series opener against the Minnesota Twins tonight at Petco Park. The Twins are coming off a sweep of the Atlanta Braves and are engaged in their own playoff hunt in the American League. The sweep in Atlanta followed Minnesota getting swept in a three game set against the Philadelphia Phillies.
The Padres have improved their starting rotation and have been getting consistent 6-plus-inning outings from their starters. They have an offense that has shown it can put up a big number on the scoreboard but the problem has been consistency. San Diego will be rested after a day off on Thursday and will get energy from what is likely to be another sellout crowd, but can they turn that into a win? That will be determined tonight at 6:40 p.m.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - MAY 08: Vj Edgecombe #77 of the Philadelphia 76ers dribbles the ball during Game Three of the Second Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs against the New York Knicks at Xfinity Mobile Arena on May 08, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 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 Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Young Sixers are doing their best to get you a basketball fix while we wait through the summer for this team to make its return. VJ Edgecombe, Labaron Philon and Dominick Barlow are playing in Rico Hines Runs and putting together their fair share of highlights.
Of course, we can’t take summer workouts and scrimmage videos too seriously (how many years did we have to endure videos of Ben Simmons making offseason jumpers and pretend it meant something?). It’s clearly a long way from NBA competition. Nevertheless, it’s fun to see how guys look, and get some indications of what players have been working on over the summer.
Edgecombe in particular has been standing out in the footage shared, from smooth threes to how he looks creating off the dribble. Him tightening his handle would be one way for him to take another step up as a creator off the dribble and playmaker, and unsurprisingly he seems to be heading that way with the footage we’ve seen from him this summer. He’s certainly looking fluid handling the ball inside the arc and creating space for pull-ups here.
VJ Edgecombe was frying at Rico Hines Runs 😮💨🔥 Y'all see a breakout season for him this year?? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/B75wDTuBDl
It won’t be remotely surprising to see Edgecombe go up another level next season with the work ethic, drive, upside, and growth he’s already shown in the NBA. And even if he isn’t always handling the ball as much with LeBron James and Jaylen Brown now on the team, Edgecombe has thrived as a secondary attacker and play finisher anyway. If he can pair that explosive complementary scoring, dynamic transition play, and his high-energy defense with improved play as a ball-handler whenever he has to initiate alongside a pair of his star teammates (who can be staggered effectively every night now given the Sixers’ top-end depth), Edgecombe should be in for a stellar sophomore year.
You can watch the full Rico Hines Run footage here:
Labaron Philon had his moments, too. The Sixers’ new rookie is joining a seriously stacked squad now in terms of offensive creators, but there’s still room for Philon to get some run as a backup behind Tyrese Maxey and Edgecombe. Not to mention the inevitable games where LeBron and/or Joel Embiid are out resting and there are extra touches to go around.
Philon is arriving with plenty of talent as a three-level scorer and pick-and-roll creator. But he’ll need to be able to operate effectively as more of a connector, secondary passer, and off-ball shooter as well on a team like this. Extra time working off Edgecombe this summer can only be a good thing as the young guards start building their chemistry.
The first of many Rico Hines Runs to come, featuring VJ Edgecombe, Labaron Philon, and many more. pic.twitter.com/LjvgBKpqe9
Dominick Barlow is in the mix too, and the form on his jumper is looking smoother. If he can improve at all on the 25.6 percent from three he shot last season, mainly being reliable enough from the corner with the easy spot-up opportunities he’ll have next to LeBron and Co., that would make a big difference to his potential as a contributor.
As Barlow mentioned in his recent interview with Adam Aaronson of PhillyVoice, he’s been putting a lot of work into his corner three this offseason. Especially because of LeBron’s arrival to create opportunities for Barlow to benefit with extra space when playing off James’s top-tier passing. Barlow’s going to find himself open in the corners whenever he plays, and LeBron will be able to set him up with ease.
As for Edgecombe, he’s had a pretty busy summer. Apart from getting into these Rico Hines Runs and all the work he’s putting into training, VJ has also been stepping up and recording some impressive numbers for the Bahamas in the FIBA Basketball World Cup qualifiers.
Bahamas needed a couple of huge games from V.J. Edgecombe, and he absolutely DELIVERED 📫
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 16: Rafael Devers #16 of the San Francisco Giants hits a three-run home run against the Colorado Rockies in the bottom of the second inning of a major league baseball game at Oracle Park on August 16, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s a simple question. And for me it’s a simple answer. I watch the game for the players and for the moments they create on the field. For 8 years Rafael Devers wowed me with his bat, his flare for the dramatics, and with the attitude of boyish fun he brought to the field. I don’t want to be the type of person who cares about anything more than that.
Talk about Rafael Devers and whatever else you want in this space and, as always, be good to one another.
The Milwaukee Brewers (-140) have flexed their muscles against quality competition this season, posting a 41-21 record against teams over .500.
With Milwaukee starting the heavy favorite to win the NL Cy Young, my Braves vs. Brewers predictions and MLB picks see the Brewers earning another victory against a good team on Friday, Aug. 21.
Who will win Braves vs Brewers today: Brewers moneyline (-140)
The Milwaukee Brewers are better positioned for success at the dish.
Eight of their projected batters have been posting double-digit walk rates against lefties over the last 30 games. That will not only help them get on base, but it'll pester Chris Sale and increase his pitch count.
They’ve also hit for a lot of power, producing an 11.8% barrel rate (99th percentile) and 41.4% hard-hit rate (89th percentile) during that span.
The Atlanta Bravessit 29th in OBP vs. righties over the past 30 games, which will make life even harder against Jacob Misiorowski.
Bet this to -150.
COVERS INTEL: The Braves have struck out at the seventh-highest rate against righties in August. That doesn't bode well going up against Misiorowski and his 100th percentile K%.
Braves vs Brewers Over/Under pick: Over 6.0 (-110)
This total is too low.
Sale is exceptional, but he's pitched into the seventh inning just once over his last 10 starts, and Milwaukee’s patience at the plate should chase him in six innings or fewer.
That would give Milwaukee plenty of opportunities to scratch together runs against a bullpen sitting 25th in xFIP over the last month.
Misiorowski isn't immune to power, allowing multiple homers in three of his last seven starts. He gives up a lot of fly balls, and the Braves boast the sluggers to capitalize.
I’d play the Over to -122.
Braves vs Brewers home run prediction: Gary Sanchez (+510)
Sale attacks right-handed bats with a steady dose of fastballs, and that’s good news for lefty-masher Gary Sanchez.
He's gone nuclear against four-seamers from southpaws, barreling up that pitch more than 22% of the time while posting a .684 ISO.
Sanchez has the ability to make Sale pay if he fails to locate his fastball, and that’s more likely if the Brewers can force the veteran into longer at-bats with their patience.
Bet this down to +480.
Todd Cordell's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 84-77, -11 units
Over/Under bets: 84-71-6, +2.42 units
Braves vs Brewers weather
This game will be played in a dome.
Braves vs Brewers odds
Moneyline: Braves +120 | Brewers -140
Run line: Braves +1.5 (-190) | Brewers -1.5 (+160)
Over/Under: Over 6.0 (-105) | Under 6.0 (-115)
Braves vs Brewers trend
Milwaukee has hit the moneyline in 34 of their last 50 home games (+9.25 units, 11% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Braves vs Brewers.
How to watch Braves vs Brewers and game info
Location
American Family Field, Milwaukee, WI
Date
Friday, Aug. 21, 2026
First pitch
4:10 p.m. ET
TV
BravesVision, Brewers.TV
Braves starting pitcher
Chris Sale (12-8, 2.16 ERA)
Brewers starting pitcher
Jacob Misiorowski (12-5, 1.75 ERA)
Braves vs Brewers 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.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - AUGUST 20: A detail view of the scoreboard after Jacob deGrom #48 of the Texas Rangers threw career strikeout 2000 against the Washington Nationals during the first inning at Globe Life Field on August 20, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
PHILADELPHIA, PA - AUGUST 17: Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Jhoan Duran #59 warms up in front of his entrance visuals during the game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Miami Marlins on August 17th 2026 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, PA. (Photo by Terence Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Phillies have been calling upon the services of Johan Duran a lot lately. The fire balling closer has appeared in four games over the last week and has seen his rest days start to shrink in number as the postseason race tightens.
Look no further than his appearances earlier this week for evidence of how much the Phillies will lean on him the rest of the year. Duran collected a save on Sunday but needed 33 pitches to do so. He was then immediately called upon again on Monday in another save situation, however this time he only needed 10 pitches. Duran received some rest on Tuesday, but he was back at again for his third save in four days on Wednesday. In those appearances, Duran threw a total of 61 pitches.
Duran has for the most part been durable. He did miss time earlier this season due to an oblique strain, but has been otherwise extremely reliable since arriving in Philadelphia at last year’s trade deadline. Still, it’s always worrying to put this much mileage on a reliever’s arm, as you run the risk of overworking him and sacrificing effectiveness.
But in Duran’s case, his earlier injury may actually be a bit of a blessing in disguise at the current moment, as he’s only thrown 45.1 innings this season so far, way down from the 70 he tossed last year. There’s obviously still a month to go in the regular season, but Duran is behind his 2025 innings pace due to missing that time earlier, as he was up to 55 innings by August 19th of last season. Therefore, it should give the Phillies at least some confidence that he should be able to hold up over an increased workload down the stretch.
Of course, total innings is only one worry. The other is general lack of rest in the day-to-day workings of a reliever. The rest of the Phillies bullpen is a prime example of what can happen when relievers are called upon in rapid succession with little time off. Duran hasn’t seen any velocity bleeding yet and his fastball has actually slightly ticked up as the season has progressed, but it will be something worth monitoring as he sees his usage increase.
The Phillies are going to ride Duran as much as possible while they look to secure a postseason berth, especially if they keep up their tendency of playing close games. But how do you feel about Jhoan Duran’s workload?
COVERS INTEL: The Braves have struck out at the seventh-highest rate against righties in August. That doesn't bode well going up against 
