ST. LOUIS, MO - AUGUST 12: Kyle Leahy #62 of the St. Louis Cardinals pitches during the game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium on Wednesday, August 12, 2026 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Ali Overstreet/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates will convene again Saturday afternoon for game 2 of their weekend series. Kyle Leahy is the scheduled starter for the Cardinals while the Pirates will send RHP Lake Bachar to the mound. First pitch is 1:15pm central time with the game broadcast available via Cardinals.tv.
Fun fact: Tottenham and Newcastle have met 61 times in the Premier League era without ever playing out a scoreless draw. Today could be the day for a dreary stalemate but it seems unlikely – fingers crossed for a glut of goals.
Premier League: Hull City have made it back-to-back wins upon their return to the top flight, with Liam Millar scoring the only goal of their game at Coventry City to deposit another three precious points in the bank. James Tarkowski left it until added time to cancel out Alex Scott’s opener as Bournemouth were held by Everton at the Vitality Stadium. In today’s early game, Liverpool and Nottingham Forest served up an entertaining 2-2 draw at Anfield, where the hosts had to come from behind twice to rescue a point.
We get to avoid this guy, Byron Buxton, again. | Getty Images
One of Ken Harrelson’s favorite sayings was, “It’s not who you play, it’s when you play ’em.” Like many a Hawkism, that’s partially true — both matter, after all — and the White Sox are again in good position when it comes to timing.
That’s because Sox killer Byron Buxton — .916 career OPS, 24 homers, a gazillion Defensive Runs Saved — is again out due to a hip injury, sustained Tuesday. That turned out to be huge last night, when Buxton’s spot in the lineup came up with two on with the game on the line and instead of him sending one into Canada, the batter hit into a double play. It may well come in handy today, too.
The Sox timing is also really good when it comes to Twins pitching, because they avoid both Joe Ryan and Taj Bradley this series and are facing only a very weak remainder of the rotation. Today’s starter, Bailey Ober, is the best of the rest, but the huge (6´9´´, 260 pounds) righty carries a 4.49 ERA and only has 74 strikeouts in 108 innings. Ober will face a White Sox lineup that has scored 28 runs in its last three games.
The White Sox counter with Erick Fedde, who hasn’t started a game since July 31, instead operating very successfully as the Ex-Lax (Note the excellent opportunity for product placement and income instead of just using the generic “bulk reliever.” Surprising Jerry hasn’t thought of it yet, but I’ll be happy to get a percentage of the take for coming up with it.) Why no opener today? Only The Shadow knows. Well, The Shadow and Will Venable. Fedde faces a Twins team that’s on a three-game losing streak, but is celebrating SpongeBob SquarePants Day, so may be especially inspired.
Should be a great day for baseball and SpongeBob, with temps in the 70s and moderate wind out of the from right to left. Usual broadcast suspects.
Kolisi and Marx inspire world champions to victory
The Boks are back. Level at one apiece in the series and back to what they do best. Blending power and directness, blood and thunder to edge out far enough ahead of New Zealand and withstand a gutsy comeback from the All Blacks. Throw in some brazen mischief from Rassie Erasmus, who swapped his entire front-row just an hour before kick-off, and this was much closer to a trademark Springboks performance after they were unrecognisable a week ago.
They were far from flawless but constantly ferocious and while All Blacks – particularly given how they finished the match – will head back for the third Test still confident they remain in the series because this was not a knockout blow by the Springboks. It was, however, some counterpunch after last week’s humbling. The third Test is scheduled for Johannesburg but they may consider relocating to Manila.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 26: Lake Bachar #71 of the Pittsburgh Pirates looks on from the dugout before the game against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on August 26, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Pittsburgh Pirates vs. St. Louis Cardinals, August 29, 2026, 2:15 p.m. ET
The Pittsburgh Pirates are hoping to bounce back after dropping the opener in their three-game series with the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium.
The Pirates are turning to the bullpen for this game, as Lake Bachar (1-3, 3.70 ERA) opens the matchup. He last pitched on August 26 against the San Diego Padres, going 1.1 innings and giving up no hits and no runs. He was an opener twice before with the Pirates, on August 16 and August 23, but he never went longer than three innings. The Pirates will have to dig into their depth today, but with Braxton Ashcraft going on Sunday, they have the opportunity to do so.
The Cardinals are handing the ball to Kyle Leahy (10-4, 3.13 ERA), who is enjoying the best year of his career. Leahy is making his 26th start of the season, and he hopes to get his fourth win in the month of August.
He went four innings, giving up two hits but did not give up a run in the team’s 6-4 loss at Citizens Bank Park in his last start. Leahy pitched against the Pirates back on April 28 at PNC Park, going 5.1 innings, giving up nine hits in an 11-7 victory.
Location: Busch Stadium, St. Louis, MO
Broadcast: KDKA AM/FM, Sportsnet Pittsburgh
Pitching Matchup: Lake Bachar (1-3, 3.70 ERA) vs. Kyle Leahy (10-4, 3.13 ERA)
BD community, this is your gameday thread for today’s game against the St. Louis Cardinals. Chime off in the comments section below.
The Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani during Friday night's game against the Detroit Tigers. (Paul Sancya / Associated Press)
Shohei Ohtani is not feeling “100%,” manager Dave Roberts revealed before the Dodgers game against the Tigers on Saturday. And that will be at the center of the team’s conversation about whether to start him Sunday.
It would be Ohtani’s first pitching start since July 3. He’s been just serving as the designated hitter in the meantime, while managing lingering inflammation and soreness in his left knee, primarily aggravated by pitching. But it’s not just his knee that’s ailing him, Roberts said after talking to the Dodgers training staff. His biceps issue from earlier in the year is part of the concern as well.
Ohtani threw a 20-pitch bullpen — shorter than his customary between-starts session — on Friday to tentatively set him up to throw the first inning Sunday.
“The knee, the body, just throwing, pitching, not 100%,” Roberts said. “What percent it is, I don’t know the answer.”
Roberts said he wanted to have clarity after the game Saturday, so he could notify Tigers manager A.J. Hinch and right-hander Tyler Glasnow, who is set to pitch Sunday either way. If Ohtani pitches Sunday, it would be opening for Glasnow.
“I’m not going to ambush those guys, and I’m not going to ambush Glas,” Roberts said. “So I think I would say that after the game, we’ll know definitively.”
If Ohtani doesn’t pitch Sunday, Tuesday, likely before left-hander Eric Lauer, could in theory be an option. But if Ohtani doesn’t feel good enough to start Sunday, two extra days of rest probably aren’t to resolve the issue, making a longer leadup more likely.
“We’re still thinking about potentially the buildup and what that would mean, which is fair,” Roberts said. “But at the end of the day, it’s what’s best for Shohei, what’s best for us, what makes the most sense. That’s kind of where we’re at.”
The longer it takes for Ohtani to return to the mound, the fewer starts he’ll have to build up before the postseason.
“I wouldn’t bet against Shohei,” Roberts said. “But I still think that five innings to the end of the season is aggressive for anyone.”
Though Roberts said the question is more “when,” rather than “if,” Ohtani will return to the mound, the fact that Ohtani’s knee issue (and apparently biceps as well) has not yet resolved calls into question whether it makes sense for him to resume two-way duties this late in the year.
“To be quite frank, I just don’t see everything getting to 100% by the end of the season,” Roberts said. “But there’s a lot of pitchers that are not 100% and still viable. So again, it’s just not an exact science.”
If that holds true, the concern is twofold: both how Ohtani’s health could affect his performance on the mound and at the plate.
“Obviously, where we’re at right now with the pitching, the starting pitching certainly being a strength, his value offensively is hugely important, and so we can’t compromise that in any fashion,” Roberts said. “So, if throwing potentially cuts into that, that’s not worth the squeeze. So that’s something, for me, I’m very bullish on making sure we don’t compromise the hitting.”
Ohtani entered Saturday with a .218 batting average since Aug. 8, when he resumed playing catch. But Roberts pushed back on the impulse to draw a line between Ohtani’s recent offensive dip and his side work on the pitching side.
“It just hasn’t been a whole body of work on the throwing side,” Roberts said. “Honestly, for me, I think the pitch selection hasn’t been good.”
Regardless of Ohtani’s status for Sunday, the superstar’s feedback will continue to play a large role in the Dodgers’ decision-making.
“I think that as the competitor, he wants to do both, and I respect it,” Roberts said. “But nothing I’m saying changes his identity as a two-way player.
“I think in the moment, he still feels that there’s still an opportunity, and I’m not trying to say there isn’t. But I do think that at the end of the day, he’s very aware of our roster, strengths, weaknesses, and his value to the ball club, and whatever that means.”
ST. PAUL, MN - AUGUST 2026: St. Paul Saints outfielder Walker Jenkins (23) heads to first base after a walk in the first inning at CHS Field in St. Paul, Minn., on Tuesday, August 25, 2026. (Photo by Carlos Gonzalez/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
First Pitch: 1:10 pm CDT TV: Twins.TV Radio: TIBN / WCCO 830 / The Wolf 102.9 FM / Audacy
In the hugely anticipated sequel to last night’s game, the Twins will be facing the Chicago White Sox again this afternoon. That’s right — the Minnesota faithful were left begging for more, and you know what? The squeaky wheel gets the grease. Here we go again.
As one door closes, another door opens. It’s not lost on me in the last few weeks of the 2026 season that Bailey Ober’s high-wire, 88-mph act, while impressive, might prelude an offseason exit from the roster. We’ve been on Joe Ryan Watch for what feels like three seasons now, but I’m a little more keyed into Bailey’s starts than I might otherwise be if he was throwing, say, 92.
He gets the start today as highly-anticipated — and quite well-received — Walker Jenkins spends his first afternoon in the major leagues. He might not have the raw headcount to rival Chicago’s slew of rookies, but he’ll probably be okay.
Trading block legend Erick Fedde is on the bump for the White Sox. this is his second stint with the White Sox, after joining them in 2024 out of Korea, then spending time with three different clubs at the big-league level last year. I bet he has some stories. But today, we’re not gonna hear them. Instead, he’s gonna pitch.
Aug 26, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; A young Detroit Tigers' fan tries to get autographs outside their dugout after their game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Detroit Tigers (62-72) vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (81-54)
Time/Place: 1:10 p.m., Comerica Park SB Nation Site:True Blue LA Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network Pitching Matchup: RHP Keider Montero (9-8, 3.30 ERA) vs. LHP Blake Snell (2-1, 2.57 ERA)
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - AUGUST 28: Enrique Hernández #8 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates scoring a run in the sixth inning with Shohei Ohtani #17 while playing the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on August 28, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Blake Snell faces Keider Montero as the Dodgers look to make it two straight wins against the Detroit Tigers.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 23: Carlos Rodón #55 of the New York Yankees pitches during the second inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium on August 23, 2026 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) | Getty Images
A 1-0 win is as nailbiting as it gets, but it’s still a win. The Yankees took the first round of this big four-game series last night, setting them up well for a good weekend. Hopefully they can do it in a less-stressful way, with two games against the Red Sox today and sending lefties to the hill in both of them.
Carlos Rodón does get the ball for the day half of today’s doubleheader, signaling a grumpy day for me. He’s on a three-win pace if he had been healthy all year, which is more than enough given he’s the fourth option in the rotation, but the aesthetic experience of him is far worse than the analytical. He’s only gone four innings his last two starts, despite allowing a single earned run in both, because his control has been rather spotty since coming off the IL (and he’s had a pitch count to consider). On a day where we’ll play two, let’s hope he figures out a bit of length and saves a bullpen that may be needed with Max Fried coming off the injured list himself. Rodón threw 76 pitches in his last outing, so that’s the baseline.
Before opening FanGraphs, I could have sworn Jake Bennett was an MLB: The Show create-a-player, but the 6-foot-6 lefty does seem to be a real person. Boston seems to run this pattern of large lefties who don’t strike many people out but somehow never give up home runs, and Bennett follows this archetype. I regret to inform Yankee fans we may see some repeats of last night given Bennett’s talents and the apparent inability of the Yankees to elevate contact against southpaws, but I also reserve the right to be surprised.
There are a couple changes to the lineup from last night, with Spencer Jones taking over in center field, Ali Sánchez behind the plate, and Amed Rosario starting at third and also batting third. I’m not sure any of those moves are necessarily upgrades from what the team had on Friday, but if they score more than one run it’s all gravy.
Rejoice for this game is back on normal channels.
How to watch
Location: Yankee Stadium – Bronx, NY
First pitch: 1:05 pm ET
TV/Streaming: YES, NESN, MLB Network
Radio broadcast: WFAN 660/101.9 FM, WADO 1280 – NYY | WEEI 93.7, WCCM 1490 AM (SP), WESX 1230 AM (SP) – BOS
If there was any doubt about Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck's intentions heading into next season, the Hart and Vezina Trophy winner made it clear late last week when he confirmed through his agent that he has requested a trade. The 33-year-old had knee surgery, and a career-worst .895 save % with the Jets last season, but still played 57 games (23-23-11) and was the key to Team USA’s gold medal victory at the Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina.
The Buffalo Sabres were connected to Hellebuyck around the NHL Draft in late June, but Sabres GM Jarmo Kekalainen and Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff could not find common ground on a deal. The conventional wisdom is that now that Hellebuyck has made his trade request public, that Cheveldayoff is not in as strong a negotiating position to get the best deal for the netminder, but he reportedly is open to going to a wide swath of teams.
Unless Hellebuyck is prepared to hold out, Winnipeg could wait into the season for the right return for such a valuable commodity.
The Sabres could be in the mix for Hellebuyck, but deals that had previously been offered that included goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen might be off the table, since he has a five-team no-trade clause that could block a trade to Winnipeg. It is expected that any deal involving Buffalo would include one of their young centers (Noah Ostlund or Konsta Helenius), one of their top prospect defenseman (Daxon Rudolph or Radim Mrtka) and/or an established NHL forward (Jack Quinn or Ryan McLeod).
Other teams could be in the mix for the veteran netminder, either to get them into the playoff mix, or to elevate them from a consistent postseason entrant to a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.
Where will Connor Hellebuyck end up?
New Jersey Devils
Team Status: The Devils let go of Lindy Ruff in 2024 in favor of Sheldon Keefe, and the former Leafs coach succeeded in making the postseason in 2025, but last season missed the playoffs again with a 42-37-3 record (87 points), due in part to center Jack Hughes missing over 20 games with a hand injury and getting subpar goaltending from veteran Jacob Markstrom.
Current Goalie Situation: Markstrom was traded to Florida in June, leaving the Devils with a three-headed monster between the pipes (similar to the Sabres) of veterans Jake Allen, David Rittich, and youngster Nico Daws, who had subpar numbers with AHL Utica the last three seasons.
Assets To Trade: Reportedly, Cheveldayoff is looking for a young goaltender as part of any trade, but the main focus would be getting help up the middle. GM Sunny Mehta could put Daws as part of a Hellebuyck trade, and 24-year-old pivot Dawson Mercer would be an attractive get, but there is some indicators that Mehta is keeping his powder dry in case Quinn Hughes does not agree to an extension with Minnesota.
If the Hughes contract situation is resolved with a deal with the Wild, the possibility of the Devils engaging on Hellebuyck increases exponentially.
STREAKING THE WRONG WAY: The Cubs have lost three straight games for just the third time since their 42-25 surge began on June 11. The first time was Aug. 19-22. In both three-game skids, the losses were by a total of five runs: three, one and one in the first span; one, two and two in the current one. The Cubs have not dropped four in a row since the final four of their 10-game losing streak, May 23-26. They have played 80 games since then. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
SATURDAY IN THE PARK: The Cubs are 11-11 on Saturdays. They finished last season 20-7. They are 6-6 on Saturdays at home. They were 9-5 a year ago. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
NOT DIGGING THESE LONG BALLS: The four home runs surrendered by Cubs pitchers yesterday raised their season total to 202. At their current pace, they will end the season with 242, seven more than their team record of 235, set in 2021. There have been 14 seasons in which other teams served up 242, with a high of 305, by the Orioles in 2019. The second most were 270, by the Rockies the same year. Seven of the 14 highest totals came in 2019. The Orioles and White Sox gave up 242, both in 2017. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
TODAY IN CUBS HISTORY: The Cubs trail the Pirates 6-3 going to the bottom of the eighth. Willson Contreras hits a two-run homer in that inning and Jorge Soler homers in the bottom of the ninth to send it to extras tied 6-6. The Pirates push a run across the plate in the top of the 13th, but RBI singles by Anthony Rizzo and Miguel Montero give the Cubs an 8-7 win. It happened 10 years ago today, Monday, Aug. 29, 2016.
Kevin Gausman had an outstanding start in his last outing, Monday vs. the Diamondbacks. He was flipped with Shōta Imanaga in the rotation to give Imanaga an extra rest day, so Gausman is going on normal four days’ rest.
He has not faced the Reds since 2024 so most current Reds have a pretty small sample size against him. The exception is Eugenio Suárez, who as you know just kills Cubs pitching. Against Gausman, Suárez is 8-for-26 (.308) with two home runs. Suárez also homered off Gausman in Game 5 of last year’s ALCS.
Be careful here, Kevin.
Coming off a 2025 when he was an All-Star and finished eighth in Cy Young voting, hopes were high for Andrew Abbott’s 2026 season.
He has not been as good. Five starts in August: 5.40 ERA, 1.482 WHIP. He did throw 5.2 shutout innings against the Cubs May 5 at Wrigley Field, but the Cubs got to him for four runs in four innings July 12 in Cincinnati.
Please visit our SB Nation Reds site Red Reporter. If you do go there to interact with Reds fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.
The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note.
You’ll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).
At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game.
The Live! (formerly “First Pitch”) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.
You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.
ATLANTA, GA - AUGUST 26: Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tyler Glasnow (31) looks on from the dugout during the MLB game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves on August 26, 2026 at TRUIST Park in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Dodgers finish off the road trip with one more game against the Tigers on Sunday morning at Comerica Park in Detroit.
Tyler Glasnow is back on the mound on four days rest after throwing five innings on Tuesday in Atlanta in his return from the injured list. He allowed three runs in the first inning but struck out seven and didn’t allow anything else the rest of the way.
Glasnow is either going to start on Sunday or will follow Shohei Ohtani after one inning. On Saturday morning in Detroit, manager Dave Roberts told reporters that Ohtani is not 100 percent and the decision on whether Ohtani will pitch on Sunday will come after Saturday’s game.
Shohei Ohtani isn’t feeling 100% overall (not just the knee), Dave Roberts said. The team is still talking over whether it makes sense to start him Sunday for 1 inning. Roberts would like to finalize that decision in time to tell the Tigers, Tyler Glasnow know after today’s game.
“Good to get him back in the lineup,” interim manager Andy Green said Saturday. “He’s worked incredibly hard over the last few weeks; he’s done a lot of it behind the scenes… he’s pushed himself in a way you don’t, frankly, see a lot of veterans push themselves when your team is in this type of situation we’re in.
“I think that speaks volumes to his desire to be on the field, to his desire to play.”
Soto has been on the shelf since late July when he sustained a left calf strain, the second time a calf ailment has sent him to the sidelines this year. He will make his return from the IL without making any rehab appearances and go right into the lineup Saturday as the DH and batting second.
As far as Soto’s workload, Green said there is an element that remains day-to-day, which he said explains the club being “cryptic” around a return date.
“We’ll check him daily; that will be part of the process,” the skipper said. “If he needs a day, he will get a day. There will be some days [off] scheduled at the outset that we do have… It’s just day-by-day, and if he’s feeling great and things look good, then there’s no manager in the world that doesn’t want to pencil him into the two-hole every day.”
Adding later: “Excited to get your best players back on the field.”
And that was a real shame for Soto and the Mets, as the slugger was in the middle of a fantastic year in the batter's box. In 84 games, Soto had 21 home runs and 52 RBI with a .283/.408/.539 slash line for a .947 OPS (164 OPS+ and 158 wRC+) and was named an NL All-Star starter.
Soto missed a bit over two weeks in early April (that time in the right calf) before he sustained a Grade 2 strain in the left calf during a game with the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 24.
In a corresponding move, infielder Eric Wagaman has been optioned to Triple-A Syracuse.
