I'm firing two units on the Atlanta Braves at -137 today. Forget the pedigree—this comes down to current form and matchup edges.
While Gerrit Cole remains a big name, his fly-ball and hard-contact tendencies give Atlanta’s heavy hitters a prime launchpad.
On the bump for ATL, Chris Sale brings a far superior whiffs-and-chase profile to keep New York guessing in my Braves vs. Yankees predictions and MLB picks for Aug. 8.
Who will win Braves vs Yankees today: Braves moneyline (-137)
I'm on the Atlanta Braves in this spot for two units down to -155. The New York Yankees were lucky to get a win last night.
The offense has remained dreadful for a few weeks now (just look at a wOBA near the bottom of the league over the last 30 days), and this is a strength-on-weakness matchup against Gerrit Cole.
Cole has allowed a 9.5% barrel rate, 42.6% hard-hit rate, and 67% air-ball rate this season, which is not ideal against an Atlanta lineup that ranks fourth in baseball in barrel rate.
We could debate who's the better pitcher long-term, but there's no doubt Chris Sale has had a better season than Cole on the other side.
His strikeout-heavy profile matches up well against a lineup that is whiffing more than ever lately at a 26% strikeout rate over the last seven days.
COVERS INTEL:Cole’s four-seamer is the specific pitch Atlanta can attack. He throws it 47.1% of the time, and it has allowed a 45.2% hard-hit rate this season.
Braves vs Yankees Over/Under pick: Under 7.5 (-116)
I'd play the Under to 7.
Both starters can control the shape of this game. Sale gives Atlanta strikeout upside against a Yankees lineup that has been flat-out bad, while Cole is still more than capable of limiting traffic even if his barrel profile creates some concern.
If Sale handles the Yankees’ cold stretches and Cole avoids the multi-run homer, this profiles more like a lower-scoring road favorite script than a full offensive eruption. In fact, it could look a lot like last night.
Chris Hatfield's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 43-39, +8.58 units
Over/Under bets: 46-36, +11.74 units
Braves vs Yankees weather
The Bronx forecast is hot, with thunderstorm risk around the game window, so delay risk matters more than any clear wind-based run adjustment
Braves vs Yankees odds
Moneyline: Braves -137 | Yankees +124
Run line: Braves -1.5 | Yankees +1.5
Over/Under: Over 7.5 | Under 7.5
Braves vs Yankees trend
The New York Yankees have hit the Team Total Under in 24 of their last 30 games at home (+17.35 Units / 48% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Braves vs. Yankees.
How to watch Braves vs Yankees and game info
Location
Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
Date
Saturday, August 8, 2026
First pitch
3:05 p.m. ET
TV
BravesVision, YES
Braves starting pitcher
Chris Sale (12-6, 2.08 ERA)
Yankees starting pitcher
Gerrit Cole (5-5, 3.42 ERA)
Braves vs Yankees 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.
Noah Philp was standing in the Edmonton Oilers’ dressing room during his first season in the NHL when he was asked what he had taken from his time with the University of Alberta Golden Bears.
"Just to enjoy hockey,” Philp said.
“You’re taking classes, you’re doing everything together. Just really finding the love for hockey.”
That was less than two years ago, when Philp had returned from a season away from the sport and finally reached the NHL after taking one of the more unusual routes to get there.
Now, at 27, he’s walking away from hockey again.
Philp has retired despite having signed with HV71 of the Swedish Hockey League earlier this summer, ending a professional career that included 32 NHL games between the Oilers and Carolina Hurricanes. He scored two goals and five points in those games after making his NHL debut with Edmonton in October of 2024.
Philp arrived at the University of Alberta after going undrafted out of the WHL and played 36 games for the Golden Bears over parts of three seasons.
He did not win a national championship there, and he didn’t even stick around long enough to win the Canada West title his teammates captured months after he left for professional hockey.
But when Philp reflected on his time with the Bears after reaching Edmonton, those things didn’t appear to matter much.
“It was so much fun being there, and all the guys are great,” he said. “You get to really band together, because you know nobody’s leaving, everyone’s there together.”
That environment helped Philp turn himself from an undrafted junior player into someone the Oilers were willing to sign.
Philp played his first professional season with the Bakersfield Condors in 2022-23 before announcing he was stepping away from hockey that summer because he decided there were things outside of hockey that needed his attention and took the 2023-24 season away from the sport.
Philp made his NHL debut with Edmonton, played 15 games during the 2024-25 season and recorded two assists while spending most of the year in Bakersfield.
When I spoke with him during that season, he wasn't concerned about where things were going, when he would get there, or if he would ever become a full-time NHL player.
“I had no expectations,” he said of getting his opportunity with the Oilers. “I just put in a good summer, I felt ready to play, and I was just trying to come in and play as hard as I could. Basically put my best foot forward every day. I think that when that’s all I focus on, that usually [gets] results.”
Philp eventually found himself sharing a dressing room with Corey Perry, watching a player with more than 1,300 NHL games to his name from a few stalls away.
“[Perry’s] knowledge of the game is incredible, just to watch how he does things out there,” Philp said. “I’ve tried to pick his brain and learn from him.
“And I commend him. He’s seen so many players, and then another young guy comes in. For him to treat me the way that he does, it means a lot to me.”
He was 26 during his rookie season, had already spent years in junior and university hockey, played professionally, stepped away from the game and then worked his way back into it.
“I’m kind of an old young guy but it’s good,” he said. “It’s sort of the same process. Maybe for myself, it’s a little different, maybe a little bit more mature, in terms of just seeing how the game flows and [the] risk-reward. I think that’s something that is beneficial about being older, you’ve just seen a little bit more.”
He played another 17 NHL games in 2025-26, scored the first two goals of his NHL career and added an assist before his time in Edmonton ended. He finished his NHL career with two goals and three assists in 32 games.
That’s not the career Philp would have imagined when he was playing for the Golden Bears and he probably couldn’t have imagined much of what followed.
Philp was undrafted, came through U Sports, signed with his hometown NHL organization, left professional hockey entirely, returned a year later and still managed to reach the league.
And somewhere in there, the resources he found at Alberta helped make it possible.
“They had lots of resources and lots of extra things you could take advantage of,” Philp said. “And a lot of the time it’s up to the player, and I felt like I did a decent job of finding what I could to try to improve. I think it definitely helped me develop.”
But Philp also found the for hockey again there. He found enough of it again after leaving the sport the first time to come back and make the NHL.
And after getting there, Philp has decided 32 games were enough.
Jul 31, 2011; Toronto, ON, Canada; Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Brandon Morrow (23) delivers a pitch against the Texas Rangers at the Rogers Centre. The Blue Jays beat the Rangers 7-3. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
15 Years Ago
Brandon Morrow pitched 8.2 no-hit innings, leading the Blue Jays to a 1-0 victory. It was likely the best pitching performance I have ever witnessed.
With two outs in the ninth, Evan Longoria hit a ground ball between second and first. Aaron Hill made an outstanding effort to reach the ball and got his glove on it, but it deflected into right field. Even if he had fielded it cleanly, he wouldn’t have had a play at first. Hill hoped the official scorer would call it an error, but it was ruled a hit.
Morrow struck out 17 batters—just one shy of Roger Clemens’ franchise record—and walked only two, facing four batters above the minimum. His 100 Game Score tied for the fourth-best since the start of the lively ball era in 1920. Only Kerry Wood (105), Nolan Ryan (101, vs. the Blue Jays), and Sandy Koufax (101) have posted better scores. That’s remarkable company.
He threw 137 pitches—risky for a pitcher with his injury history. I would have taken him out after the hit, but instead, he struck out Dan Johnson to end the game. Most managers would have pulled him after the single (and 132 pitches), but Cito Gaston wanted him to finish the complete game on the mound.
The no-hitter was nearly broken up in the top of the ninth when Jason Bartlett hit a fly ball to deep center, but Vernon Wells made a spectacular catch at the wall. If not for the no-hitter, I’m sure Vernon would have played it off the wall instead. He ended up with a dislocated toe but missed only one game. With 17 strikeouts, our defense wasn’t often tested, but Vernon’s catch was as good as any you’ll see.
Offensively, the Jays managed just five hits. Their lone run came in the first inning: Yunel Escobar drew a one-out walk after DeWayne Wise lined out, moved from first to third on a groundout, and scored on a single by Vernon Wells. Morrow made that early run hold up.
Another memorable moment was Jose Molina’s stolen base—his only steal of the season. He would go on to steal two more the following year and finished his 15-year career with 20 stolen bases.
Ultimately, it was Morrow’s day. In my recap, I wrote:
For Morrow, it was his first complete game and his first shutout. And he is just 26; he’ll have more days like this.
I was wrong.
Brandon went on to pitch in 100 games for the Blue Jays, making 93 starts and posting a 34-31 record with a 4.40 ERA over five seasons. After Toronto, he played for the Padres, Dodgers, and Cubs. Notably, he appeared in all seven games of the 2017 World Series with the Dodgers.
His final season was 2018. Over his career, he appeared in 334 games (113 starts), with a 51-43 record, 40 saves, a 3.96 ERA, 368 walks, and 877 strikeouts.
It’s long enough for the anger of a playoff loss to fade, for players to leave town, for coaches to watch the film over and over again and for a front office to separate what actually went wrong from what was simply bad luck.
For the Colorado Avalanche, that should be enough time to know the difference.
The four-game sweep at the hands of Vegas in May exposed problems that had been hiding beneath an extraordinary regular season. Poor puck management. Defensive-zone mistakes. An inconsistent power play. An offense that became too dependent on its stars when the Golden Knights took away the middle of the ice.
Those problems can't follow Colorado into 2026-27.
And they won't have exactly the same team trying to fix them.
Jack Drury and Ross Colton are now in Nashville. Joel Kiviranta returned to Dallas. Fedor Svechkov is expected to step into Drury's spot at center, while veteran Jaden Schwartz, who won a Stanley Cup with the St. Louis Blues in 2019, arrives on a three-year deal.
Colorado also took another reclamation swing on Fabian Lysell, acquiring the former first-round pick from Boston for Ivan Ivan after moving Valeri Nichushkin to Columbus.
There has been plenty of change around a core that remains very much intact.
But the biggest challenge isn't rebuilding Colorado's identity.
It's making that identity harder to beat.
The Avalanche spent most of last season overwhelming teams with speed. When that worked, they looked nearly impossible to stop. But Vegas showed what happens when an opponent is willing and capable of clogging the middle of the ice.
Colorado has to become better at recognizing when the aggressive play is worth the risk and when the smart play is simply getting the puck out.
Not every shift needs to end with a highlight-reel banger. Sometimes winning means making the boring play, or whacking away for a garbage goal in vintage Artturi Lehkonen fashion.
That's especially important in the defensive zone, where too many unnecessary mistakes turned into dangerous chances throughout the season. Colorado's talent allowed it to survive those mistakes for most of the season. The Golden Knights were ready and executed their gameplan.
The Avalanche also need more answers when Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar can't take over a game.
MacKinnon going scoreless against Vegas wasn't the problem by itself. Superstars have bad series. The problem was that the depth of the team, which had been one of Colorado's strengths all season, couldn't make Vegas pay enough for focusing its attention elsewhere.
It wasn't as if the secondary players simply disappeared.
Nichushkin scored in Game 1. Colton scored the opening goal of Game 2. Then came Game 3.
Nazem Kadri and Drury scored to give Colorado what looked like an insurmountable lead. The Avalanche had the game exactly where they wanted it.
Then Vegas scored five unanswered goals.
That was the moment the series changed. Colorado had opportunities to put the Golden Knights away, but when Vegas punched back, the Avalanche couldn't deliver another response.
The five-goal collapse put Colorado in a 3-0 hole and ultimately spelled the end of what had been a magical campaign.
But there's another layer to that problem heading into next season.
Several of the players who did contribute offensively in the Western Conference Final are no longer in Colorado. Nichushkin, Colton and Drury are all gone, meaning the Avalanche have to replace production that was already important when the games mattered most.
That's where players such as Schwartz, Svechkov and Lysell could become important. None of them should be expected to single-handedly solve Colorado's depth-scoring problem, but the Avalanche will need their new additions — along with the returning players — to make sure the offense doesn't become overly dependent on MacKinnon and the rest of the stars when opponents find a way to take them away.
The power play needs to become a weapon again, too.
Kadri's return to Colorado via trade provided the power play with a temporary jolt, but that boost didn't last long. Kadri suffered a broken finger shortly afterward. While he eventually returned to the lineup, he never really looked like himself again.
And perhaps most importantly, Colorado has to learn how to respond when things stop going according to plan.
That was the most troubling part of the Vegas series.
The Golden Knights erased leads in Games 2 and 3, and Colorado never really recovered. The confidence seemed to disappear. The swagger disappeared with it.
A championship team doesn't have to avoid adversity.
It has to know how to answer it.
The Avalanche have spent the offseason changing the supporting cast. Now they have to change what happens when the punches start landing.
The Presidents' Trophy proved this team can dominate for 82 games. This season, the Avalanche will have 84 opportunities to prove they've learned from what happened in May.
The goal isn't simply to be the best team in the regular season again. It's to become the team nobody wants to face when everything is on the line.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - AUGUST 06: Ronald Acuna Jr. #13 of the Atlanta Braves hits a solo home run in the eighth inning of a game against the Miami Marlins at Truist Park on August 6, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Edward M. Pio Roda/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Drake Baldwin leads off again, as Ronald Acuna gets a day off in the field, batting second and DHing. Mike Yastrzemski and Mauricio Dubon man the corner outfield spots around Michael Harris. Jim Jarvis returns to the starting lineup, batting ninth and playing shortstop.
SUN VALLEY, IDAHO - JULY 09: NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman attends the Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference at the Sun Valley Lodge on July 9, 2026 in Sun Valley, Idaho. Every year, some of the world's wealthiest and most powerful figures from the media, finance, technology, and political spheres converge at the Sun Valley Resort for the exclusive week-long conference hosted by boutique investment bank Allen & Co. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Well, it seems to be that time again. Despite being the least lucrative of the four major North American sport leagues, the NHL appears to be committed to being the first such league to expand to 34 teams. Allan Walsh, an outspoken NHL player agent, has claimed that the NHL is committed to expanded to Houston and Atlanta.
The exact timeline of when this may happen is unclear, but there has been plenty of noise surrounding this for quite awhile. Really, the Seattle Kraken had hardly played a game before people were asking when the NHL would expand next. But today, I want to look at whether it’s really a good idea for the NHL to expand again.
The Historical Success of Modern Expansions
Since the Post-Merger Expansion Era began in 1991, the NHL has seen 11 new franchises join the league. The first was the San Jose Sharks in 1991, and the most recent was the Seattle Kraken in 2021. Combined, this is how the expansion teams have fared in the 35 seasons played since the Sharks joined the league (with W-L-T-OTL record):
138 combined playoff appearances (47.62% of possible appearances)
16 Stanley Cup Finals appearances
9 Eastern (four expansions) to 7 Western (seven expansions)
7 Stanley Cup victories (20% of total Stanley Cup wins since Sharks joined league)
5 Eastern to 2 Western
Expansions account for 4 of 6 teams to never reach the Stanley Cup Finals since 1981 (85 combined expansion team seasons
Expansions account for 7 of 10 teams to never win the Stanley Cup Finals (155 combined expansion team seasons to 159 non-expansion team seasons)
6 of 7 expansion team Stanley Cup victories are associated with no state income tax
3 — Tampa
2 — Florida
1 — Vegas
1 of 7 expansion team Stanley Cup victories strongly associated with Scott Niedermayer and Jean-Sebastien Giguere’s giant shoulder pads (Anaheim)
In all, post-merger expansion teams have not really been all that successful relative to the rest of the league, with only a few teams reaping benefits over the last 35 years. More often than not, expansion teams flounder and settle somewhere between perpetual bottom feeding and inescapable mediocrity. Will the Minnesota Wild ever make a Conference Finals again? Will the Seattle Kraken make the playoffs a second time? Will the Columbus Blue Jackets make the playoffs again? Are the Winnipeg Jets entering another long playoff drought? Will the Ottawa Senators or Nashville Predators ever get back to consistent playoff appearances? What success do fans of expansion teams really have to look forward to?
Gary Bettman’s Tendency to Support No-State Income Tax Teams and TV Market Impact
Of the six current teams in the National Hockey League that play in states with no state income tax, five are post-1979 expansions: Tampa Bay, Nashville*, Florida, Vegas, and Seattle. The other, the Dallas Stars, moved from Minnesota to Texas in 1993, just six seasons prior to winning their one and only Stanley Cup.
*Tennessee only recently abolished the state income tax, while the other teams here have played their entire existences under no tax
Now, with Allan Walsh reporting that Houston and Atlanta will receive expansion teams in the near future, the NHL will gain one more no-tax state team in Houston while Atlanta will play under a flat-tax rate of 5.49%, which is on the high end for low to middle income earners but more of a medium ground for high-income earners such as professional athletes. In his Tweet, though, Walsh is also responding to a report that the NHL is valuing large television markets in their decision. With Houston and Atlanta being the largest television markets without an NHL team and both being among the 10 largest markets in the country, it certainly looks like a good idea to target them for expansion.
However, the fate of the Atlanta Thrashers should not be ignored. Atlanta struggled with attendance issues despite playing in one of the largest cities in the United States. Georgia does not have a strong presence in hockey, with their one of their only professional hockey teams being the Atlanta Gladiators of the ECHL. They have been one of the worst teams in the ECHL since once making a Cup Final in 2006, and they have not made the second round of the ECHL playoffs since 2013, and they have broadly seen attendance decline since a high in 2005. Generally, it follows that Houston, whose AHL team saw significantly higher attendance prior to being moved in 2013, would have an easier time supporting a hockey team. Georgia has no top-level college hockey, it has no teams above ECHL level, and it already has a failed NHL franchise under its belt.
In an age of widespread streaming and sports cable channel issues, a more reliable marker of viability may be state hockey presence. Wisconsin strikes me as a better area for expansion, with Madison serving as a small market within driving distance of the larger Milwaukee market. This could follow the Buffalo Sabres model of popularity, which combines Buffalo with several smaller television markets throughout upstate and western New York to form a devoted fanbase. Madison to Milwaukee is a comparable distance to the Buffalo to Rochester drive.
Diluting Talent and Expansion Drafts and Alternatives to NHL Expansion
While the NHL is not expanding as rapidly as they did in the 1990s, there are considerations for the effects expansion may have already had on the league.
League save percentage has dropped from .913 in 2017 to .908 in 2021 to .896 in 2026.
Total players have jumped from 983 in 2017 to 1,011 in 2021 to 1,038 in 2026.
Hockey fans can probably identify the issues that are difficult for teams to overcome in today’s NHL. It’s difficult to find good goaltending. It’s even harder to roll four good centers. 32 NHL teams losing another set of middle six forwards, second pairing defensemen, and backup goaltenders is only going to exacerbate those issues, and the gap between the average top-line player and fourth-liner is going to expand. I do not think this will be good for the quality of product on the ice, as fans are more interested by close, tense games than high-scoring blowouts.
An issue lingering in my mind over the past few weeks with Sunny Mehta and Braden Birch’s overhaul of the Utica Comets is the AHL’s Veteran Rule, which restricts AHL teams from having “too many” older players on the team to protect the AHL’s status as a developmental league. I think this cross-identity for the AHL as simultaneously a professional and developmental league may be serving to hold it back a bit in terms of quality of play, and eliminating the AHL’s Veteran Rule would prevent the loss of North American hockey talent to leagues such as the KHL, where 18 of the top 50 scorers in 2025-26 were North American. By boosting AHL teams, NHL clubs would have access to a higher level of talent in players who would be near the top of AHL scoring and could serve as better NHL call-up depth than the league currently has.
Expanding the ECHL’s veteran rule in turn could establish the league as a center for younger player development, giving it a better calling card for attendance. In this sense, I think to the Minor League Baseball system, where the AA league has emerged as a top player development league, while AAA baseball has morphed over time into more of a veteran holding league and last step for prospects. With leagues having distinct identities, AAA baseball attracts higher attendance and AA baseball is a center for developmental coaching. If the NHL, AHL, and ECHL took more steps to improve the quality of depth hockey in North America, I think they would be in a better place to support expansion to 34 teams. As of now, though, any expansions would be more likely to go the way of the Columbus Blue Jackets or Seattle Kraken than the way of the Vegas Golden Knights or Tampa Bay Lightning, as Houston and Atlanta will just be picking from whatever scraps have been left by the most recent expansions in a league with very little precious depth. And if one of them is allowed to draft years before the other like Vegas was before Seattle, the gap between them may be similar.
Your Thoughts
What do you think about the rumors of expansion? Do you think the league is ready? Leave your thoughts in the comments below, and thanks for reading.
WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 24: Chris Hacopian of the Washington Nationals looks on prior to the game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on Friday, July 24, 2026 in Washington, District of Columbia. (Photo by Olivia Vega/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Nats first round pick Chris Hacopian will be making his minor league debut tomorrow. Interestingly, it will not be in Fredericksburg. Instead, the local kid will be skipping over Low-A and will join the Wilmington Blue Rocks. The old regime would always send draft picks to Low-A first, even if it were only for a few games, but that has changed.
The Nationals are promoting first-round pick Chris Hacopian from the FCL to High-A Wilmington this weekend, per source.
After being drafted 11th overall last month, it will be exciting to see Hacopian get started. That Wilmington team was already loaded, and now they are getting another top prospect. The likes of Eli Willits, Ronny Cruz and Miguel Sime Jr. are some of the players currently in Wilmington. Now, Paul Toboni’s first draft pick will join them.
This assignment is interesting for a couple reasons. First is that it is another change from the new regime. Even when Dylan Crews was drafted second overall, he played 14 games in Fredericksburg. After that, he skipped High-A and went to Harrisburg. Playing for the Fred Nats was like a rite of passage for Nationals prospects.
First time I've seen this since I've started working in Fredericksburg
2026 1st round pick Chris Hacopian will skip the FredNats entirely, heading straight to High-A Wilmington https://t.co/Ax03r0bbV3
Wilmington is known as a bad place to hit, and the old regime was hyper-aware of that. The new regime has been more willing to send guys to Wilmington and let them stay there. It is a pitchers park, but if you can hit, you can thrive there. We saw that with the likes of Ethan Petry, Devin Fitz-Gerald and now Eli Willits.
Hacopian will be the next big bat in Wilmington. Toboni and the front office must have felt that the infielders bat was just too advanced for Low-A. There is certainly evidence for that, as Hacopian was seen as one of the best college hitters in the class. He has walked more than he has struck out wherever he has played. Now, he will take on Wilmington.
Hacopian just skipping over Low-A whew. Shows you how advanced they think the bat is https://t.co/tTsB6lzmLd
Getting to see the 2026 draft picks will be fun for fans of the Nats farm system. So far, the only player who has debuted is 9th rounder Cashel Dugger, who has played a couple games in Low-A. Now, we will get to see Hacopian.
I would imagine that second rounder Chase Brunson is next in line to make his debut. There is a chance he also goes to Wilmington, but I think a quick stop in Low-A is more likely. 5th rounder Daniel Cuvet is another exciting bat to watch down the stretch.
The high school duo of Luke Williams and Cooper Harris are unlikely to debut this year. High school pitchers almost never pitch in their draft years and Williams is still too raw to throw straight in Low-A. We saw Eli Willits go straight to Low-A and shine, but he was uniquely polished.
It will be very interesting to see how Hacopian does in his pro debut. I think he will hold his own at the very least, but this is an aggressive assignment in a tough place to hit. If he does struggle, it would not be time to panic just yet. However, with how polished the bat is, the front office clearly thinks he has the hitting chops to succeed right away.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JUNE 29: JJ Picollo General Manager of the Kansas City Royals talks with John Sherman Chairman and CEO of the Kansas City Royals prior to a game Kauffman Stadium on June 29, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year, we ask questions of the most plugged-in Kansas City Royals fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
Earlier this week, we asked you to grade how Royals General Manager J.J. Picollo’s trade deadline went:
Honestly, I’m a bit baffled by these results. Back when we asked how many players the Royals needed to trade away by the deadline, almost everyone agreed they needed to trade at least three, with five or more coming in just behind three to four. The Royals ended up trading only one player from the 40-man roster. And yet, 22% of respondents to this poll thought they managed at least a C at this trade deadline. 4% of you gave them a B! Please, I’m begging you, if you gave a B, I’d love for you to tell me why in a comment.
I’ve already written extensively about why I think this trade deadline is an F. So even the 54% majority of you who gave them a D are significantly higher on the Royals’ performance at the deadline than I am. To summarize my thoughts, it seems to me that the Royals made a massive mistake by not trading every expiring contract they have, including John Schreiber and Starling Marte. I also don’t think Michael Wacha and Seth Lugo are going to be the difference between next year’s team being a contender and not, and whatever trade value they have now will likely be greatly diminished by this time next season.
It’s possible the Royals talked to all of those players and came away with the impression that none of them wanted to be traded and the team didn’t get offers large enough to override those preferences. And I have some sympathy for the players involved, certainly. But if I were offered a few hundred thousand to do my job somewhere else for a few months, I think I’d probably figure it out. These guys can, too.
Anyway, what’s done is done. And, frustratingly, it seems like we are going to be stuck watching these veterans play out the string on the current MLB roster before departing for other homes this offseason instead of getting a look at anyone else who might offer more now or in the future. I guess that means we have the offseason spending spree* and lockout to look forward to instead. How exciting.
*If the Royals want to even pretend like they’re going to compete next year, they’re going to have to throw a lot of cash at a lot of players just to fill out the roster.
The red-hot Boston Red Sox enter Saturday’s matchup against the Athletics as a heavy -257 moneyline favorite, with first pitch scheduled for 4:10 p.m. ET.
With Jake Bennett in solid form, my Athletics vs. Red Sox predictions expect Boston to roll to another convincing win against a shaky Gage Jump.
Who will win A's vs Red Sox today: Red Sox -1.5 (-131)
The Athletics send Gage Jump to the mound at Fenway Park, and he’ll face a Boston Red Sox offense carrying a 158 wRC+ over the last week.
Jump is not in ideal form, posting a 4.55 xERA over his last two starts. While he has not allowed a homer during that span, the rookie has walked 9.31 BB/9, which is dangerous against a Red Sox lineup that is rolling.
Jake Bennett counters for Boston, and he continues to deal. The left-hander owns a 3.84 FIP over his previous two appearances while holding opponents to a 33.3% hard-hit rate and 2.6% barrel rate.
Boston should capitalize against Jump, while Bennett limits the damage.
I’ll play this pick up to -150.
COVERS INTEL: The Red Sox have thrived against left-handers, posting a 113 wRC+ this season. That's compared to a 94 mark vs righties.
A's vs Red Sox Over/Under pick: Under 9.5 (-131)
The total is set high at 9.5, and I’m predicting the Under. The Athletics are doing very little offensively right now, and Boston’s bullpen has been lights out. Over its last 26.1 innings, the Red Sox relief corps owns a 1.93 xERA while surrendering just 0.34 HR/9.
I expect Boston to do most of the scoring, but Oakland’s bullpen is not in complete collapse mode, posting a 4.41 FIP across the last week. If the A’s pen can limit damage once Jump departs, this game can stay under 10 runs.
I’ll play this pick up to -140.
Quinn Allen's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 46-55, -15.38 units
Over/Under bets: 56-42, +7.55 units
A's vs Red Sox weather
Weather looks warm at Fenway Park today, with partly cloudy skies and temperatures holding in the mid-to-upper 80s through first pitch. Winds should be moderate early, then ease later, and rain chances remain relatively low. The warm air could slightly help carry, but conditions should not be a major factor.
A's vs Red Sox odds
Moneyline: A's +245 | Red Sox -237
Run line: A's +1.5 (+127) | Red Sox -1.5 (-133)
Over/Under: Over 9.5 (+122) | Under 9.5 (-127)
A's vs Red Sox trend
The Boston Red Sox have covered the Run Line in 27 of their last 40 games (+19.65 Units / 41% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for A's vs. Red Sox.
How to watch A's vs Red Sox and game info
Location
Fenway Park, Boston, MA
Date
Saturday, August 8, 2026
First pitch
4:10 p.m. ET
TV
FS1
A's starting pitcher
Gage Jump (4-7, 4.59 ERA)
Red Sox starting pitcher
Jake Bennett (7-4, 2.90 ERA)
A's vs Red Sox 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.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - AUGUST 07: Ryan Waldschmidt #15 of the Arizona Diamondbacks celebrates after hitting a walk off two run home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the ninth inning at Chase Field on August 07, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. Diamondbacks won 4-3. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Diamondbacks News
Diamondbacks Win Most Playoff-like Game of Season The Diamondbacks took the series opener in tis final series against the Los Angeles Dodgers with playoff rankings for both teams still on the line.
Kelly’s Cramping Issue Resurfaces Versus Dodgers Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Merrill Kelly signaled to the dugout with two outs in the sixth inning after giving up a RBI single on Friday against the Los Angeles Dodgers, asking to be taken out of the game. The team later confirmed it was due to cramping in Kelly’s right leg, making this the fourth straight season the issues have flared up.
Waldschmidt’s Wild Walk-off Night After the Diamondbacks lost starter Merrill Kelly to yet another cramping issue, they then lost the hard-earned lead over the division rival Dodgers. That brought Ryan Waldschmidt to the plate in the ninth with a runner on and Edwin Diaz looking to close out the game and earn the save for the Dodgers. Waldschmidt had other ideas and launched his second home run of his young career.
Hunter Greene to Undergo Elbow Surgery The Reds announced that right-hander Hunter Greene will undergo elbow surgery, per Mark Sheldon of MLB.com. The extent of the procedure isn’t known just yet, but president of baseball ops Nick Krall tells the Reds beat that the surgery will pertain to Greene’s elbow ligament (via Pat Brennan of the Cincinnati Enquirer).
The Mets carry a four-game win streak headed into the second game of the team's three-game road series against the the Pittsburgh Pirates.
First pitch on Saturday night is set for 6:40 p.m. on SNY.
Mets Notes
Robert Stock will take the mound for the Mets. The 36-year-old journeyman was rock solid in his first start of the season against the Miami Marlins on Aug. 2, allowing one earned run on three hits while striking out four and walking none across five full innings.
In the series opener on Friday night, Mets rookie outfielder A.J. Ewing reached base in four of his five plate appearances, increasing his OPS on the season to .743.
Today's Lineups
METS
PIRATES
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
What channel is SNY?
Check your TV or streaming provider's website or channel finder to find your local listings.
How can I stream the game?
The way to stream SNY games is via the MLB App or MLB.tv.
Open “MLB” and tap on “Subscriber Login” for Apple Devices or “Sign in with MLB.com” for Android Devices.
Type in your MLB.com credentials and tap “Log In.”
To access live or on-demand content, tap on the "Watch" tab from the bottom navigation bar. Select the "Games" sub-tab to see a listing of available games. You can scroll to previous dates using the left and right arrows. Tap on a game to select from the game feeds available.
For more information on how to stream Mets games on SNY, please click here.
The Los Angeles Kings have announced that they will retire former captain Anze Kopitar’s number this upcoming season, and they will do it on February 24, 2027, when the Montreal Canadiens come to visit. On top of retiring Kopitar’s number 11, LA will also be unveiling a bronze statue of the most productive scorer in team history. The artwork will join those depicting Wayne Gretzky, Luc Robitaille, and Dustin Brown, which was unveiled in 2023. Kopitar’s number will be the eighth the franchise retires after Rob Blake (4), Marcel Dionne (16), Dave Taylor (18), Robitaille (20), Brown (23), Rogie Vachon (30) and Gretzky (99).
It’s no surprise that the Kings elected to retire his jersey with the Canadiens in town, as the newly retired forward revealed in an interview with Elliotte Friedman earlier this year that if he ever had to play for another team, it would have been the Habs. The former Kings’ captain explained that he enjoyed the city of Montreal and playing there. Kopitar hung up his skates as the Kings’ all-time scoring leader with 1,316 points in 1,521 games played. He surpassed LA legend Marcel Dionne on March 14, 2026, in a game against the New Jersey Devils.
The Slovenian centerman could very well have been a Canadiens had the Habs made a different choice at the 2005 draft. The 6-foot-3 and 225-pound pivot was picked 11th overall by Los Angeles. That year, the Canadiens had the fifth overall pick, and they used it to select franchise cornerstone Carey Price. That first-round was an excellent one since it also included Sidney Crosby, Bobby Ryan, Jack Johnson, Mark Staal, Tuukka Rask, and TJ Oshie.
Needless to say, the Canadiens’ center line wouldn’t have had a giant hole down the middle had they elected to go for Kopitar instead of Price, but the Habs’ fate in net would have been quite different. Although if they had picked Kopitar, they could have used the second-round pick, the 45th overall, they used on Guillaume Latendresse to select goaltender Jonathan Quick, who was only picked in the third round by which team? Well, the Kings, of course. Or they could have just stuck with Jose Theodore for much longer, since the Laval native was only 29 years old back then and had already won the Vezina and the Hart Trophy in 2001-02.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - JULY 22: Houston Astros first-round draft pick Logan Hughes speaks to the media before a game between the Houston Astros and Miami Marlins at Daikin Park on July 22, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Houston Astros/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Another day of minor league baseball is in the books. See the results below. Check out the previous day’s recap here.
AAA: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (59-52) won 18-10 (BOX SCORE)
Nezuh started for Sugar Land and went 3.2 innings allowing 4 runs, 3 earned. The offense got on the board in the 4th scoring 3 runs on a Spence RBI single, Guillemette sac fly and Delgado RBI single. In the 7th the offense scored 4 runs on an Alexander 2 run single, run on a wild pitch and a run on a Brooks sac fly. Santa struggled in relief allowing 3 runs in the bottom of the inning as the Isotopes tied it up. The game went to extra innings and in the 10th the Sugar Land offense blew it open. Delgado broke the tie driving in 3 runs on a bases clearing triple. A Dezenzo 2 run single, Spence 2 run double, Guillemette RBI single, Delgado RBI single, Whitcomb walk, and an Alexander walk extended the lead. The pen allowed a few more but held on for the 18-10 win.
Roddery Munoz, RHP: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (50-56) lost 3-1 (BOX SCORE)
DeVos got the start for the Hooks and pitched well allowing one run on one hit while striking out 6 over 5 innings of work. The pen allowed a couple of runs as the Hooks went down 3-0. The offense got a run back in the 9th inning on a Nunez RBI single but that was it as they fell 3-1.
Ramsey David, RHP: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
Jack Dashwood, LHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
A+: Asheville Tourists (34-69) SUSPENDED
A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (53-51) lost 4-3 (BOX SCORE)
Ardines got the start for the Woodpeckers and went 4 innings allowing 2 runs while striking out 7 in his Single-A debut. The Woodpeckers got on the board in the 5th inning on a Hughes 2 run single. Baez pitched in relief allowing 1 run over 3 innings. The offense tied it up again in the 8th on a Luciano RBI double. The game was tied in the 9th but Salem walked it off on a bases loaded walk.
Note: Luciano is hitting .362 over his last 27 games.
NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 24: Aaron Judge #99 and Anthony Rizzo pose for a photo during the 2026 BBWAA Awards Dinner at New York Hilton Midtown on Saturday, January 24, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Since Don Mattingly’s retirement after the 1995 season, the Yankees have generally filled the first base spot by bringing in an established veteran. First it was Tino Martinez, then it was Jason Giambi, before Mark Teixeira filled that role from 2009 through 2016. For five years after him, the position became a turnstile, with Greg Bird (the only homegrown player to man the position regularly in two decades), Chris Carter, Chase Headley, Luke Voit, Edwin Encarnación, and DJ LeMahieu tagging in, to mixed success. Finally, looking to improve the offense as the 2021 squad stumbled through the first half, the Yankees swung a deal with the Chicago Cubs, bringing in one of the legends that broke the 108-year curse: Anthony Rizzo.
Anthony Rizzo Born: August 8, 1989 (Parkland, FL) Yankees Tenure: 2021-2024
Born and raised in Parkland, Florida, Rizzo was selected out of high school by the Boston Red Sox in the sixth round of the 2007 MLB Draft. He made a cup of coffee in rookie ball that season, before starting the 2008 campaign with Single-A Greenville. Baseball, however, quickly became of secondary importance, as that May, the 18-year-old Rizzo was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. He did not return to the playing field until the end of the summer, when the Red Sox front office permitted Rizzo — recently declared cancer-free — to take one plate appearance; he doubled.
He spent two more years in the Boston system before being traded, along with Casey Kelly, Reymond Fuentes, and Eric Patterson, to the San Diego Padres for first baseman Adrian Gonzalez. He made his major league debut on June 9, 2011, tripling in his second time at the plate.
Two days later, he recorded his first big league home run.
Those would be his only true highlights as a member of the Padres, however. He generally struggled in his first run in the Show, slashing .141/.281/.242 in 49 games. When San Diego traded for Yonder Alonso that December, Rizzo became expendable and was traded again, this time to the Chicago Cubs for pitcher Andrew Cashner and outfielder Kyung-Min Na. Rather amusingly, both times Rizzo was traded as a youngster, Jed Hoyer was the general manager acquiring him (although in Chicago, Hoyer reported to President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein, who had final say on the deal).
Rizzo started 2012 with Triple-A Iowa, as Bryan LaHair began the year as the team’s first baseman. He quickly proved ready for the limelight, however, and made his Cubs debut on June 26th. Over the next three and a half seasons, he established himself as one of the Senior Circuit’s premier first baseman, slashing .268/.361/.480, receiving two All-Star nods, and finishing as a finalist for the Gold Glove Award at first base.
All of that would be a prelude to the highlight of his career, the 2016 season. His production was impressive in and of itself, as he slashed .292 /.385/.544, hit 32 homers and 43 doubles (the first Cubs left-handed hitter to do so!), and drove in 109 runs. And he piled on the regular season accolades, earning his first Gold Glove, his first and only Platinum Glove (to this day, the only first baseman to have won the award), his first and only Silver Slugger, and his first starting nod in the All-Star Game. More importantly, despite a slow start to the postseason, he went 17-for-50 with three homers, five doubles, and six walks between the NLCS and World Series. Thanks to Cleveland scoring once in the bottom of the tenth, his run in the top of the inning would prove to be the winning run, and rather fittingly, the player who had become the face of the Cubs would catch the final out of the 2016 World Series.
The Cubs never climbed the mountain again, but that was through no fault of Rizzo’s. From the start of the 2017 campaign until he was traded to the Yankees in July 2021, his 128 wRC+ ranked 28th in baseball among 92 qualified hitters, and his 14.0 fWAR ranked 34th; additionally, he won three Gold Gloves. Across that span, arguably only Freddie Freeman and Paul Goldschmidt were definitively better, with Joey Votto and Matt Olson also falling right around the same spot in the rankings as Rizzo.
Looking to shore up their infield defense and add another lefty bat in one swoop (remember, the 2019-2023 Yankees were notoriously heavy on right-handed bats), the Yankees spun a deal for Rizzo at the 2021 deadline, sending Kevin Alcántara and Alexander Vizcaíno to Chicago in order to steal him away from the Boston Red Sox. While Joey Gallo was the bigger name acquired at the time, Rizzo made an immediate impact, homering in his Yankee debut.
While the 2021 season ended in disappointing fashion, the Yankees saw enough in Rizzo — who slashed .249/.340/.428, provided great defense, and most importantly, slid right into a leadership role in the clubhouse — to make him a priority signing once the lockout ended that March (they did make a run on Freddie Freeman, but it was clear that Freeman preferred to either stay in Atlanta or head out to LA). Hitting behind Aaron Judge, Rizzo had his best season since 2019, with a 130 OPS+ and a career-high 32 homers in just 130 games. Unsurprisingly, he opted out of his contract, and equally unsurprisingly, he re-upped with the Yankees again, signing another two-year deal with a team option for 2025.
Rizzo’s career resurgence continued at the start of 2023, as through May 27th, he had a .303/.376/.507 slash line (149 wRC+) with 11 home runs in 52 games. Then, Fernando Tatís Jr. hip-checked Rizzo on a pickoff play, and while nobody knew until August 3rd, gave him a concussion. From that point on, the first baseman struggled, slashing just .174/.272/.227 with only one homer until he was finally shut down for the year in August.
The 2024 season wasn’t any better for Rizzo, as he struggled out of the gate, slashing .223/.289/.341 (82 wRC+) before breaking his arm in mid-June in a collision at first base. He returned to the lineup when rosters expanded on September 1st, and while he didn’t exactly light up the world, his 98 wRC+ gave the Yankees a definitive upgrade at first base over the rookie Ben Rice. Unfortunately, he was plunked on September 28th and fractured multiple fingers. After the Yankees managed to fake their way through the ALDS with Oswaldo Cabrera and Jon Berti learning first base on the fly, Rizzo returned for the ALCS and World Series, during which he went 6-for-14 in the ALCS and 2-for-16 in the World Series.
The Yankees declined Rizzo’s team option for 2025, and while he tried to latch on with a team, he ultimately decided to retire, joining the Cubs in an ambassadorial role. Rather famously, while hanging in the bleachers during his first game as a fan, a home run was hit right at him.
At the end of the day, Rizzo will always be remembered as a Cub, not as a Yankee. Even so, despite his lackluster performance towards the end of his career, he nonetheless managed to worm his way into Yankee fans’ hearts. Even so, he is only the second most popular member of his family:
WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 07: (L-R) Clayton Beeter #39 of the Washington Nationals celebrates with Harry Ford #17 after their team's 5-3 victory against the Cincinnati Reds at Nationals Park on August 07, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Last night Nats fans saw something odd and unique. We saw the back end of the Nationals bullpen come in and lock down a game. The trio of Yovanny Cruz, Orlando Ribalta and Clayton Beeter were lights out last night. They did not allow a single hit in their three innings of work.
It was only one game, but for the first time all season I felt like the Nats had a back end of the bullpen that could bring real success. Cruz, Ribalta and Beeter all have filthy stuff and have the ability to get out of tight situations. We saw Cruz bail out Cade Cavalli last night with some help from Nasim Nunez.
Cruz to Ribalta to Beeter feels like a real formula.
That trio, at least last night, is what a back end of a bullpen is supposed to look like. All three of them throw in the upper 90’s, or triple digits in Cruz’s case. However, they also have elite secondary pitches to back up those heaters. Beeter and Cruz have electric sliders that just drop off the table. Meanwhile, Ribalta also has a good slider, but throws a nasty changeup as well.
Of the three, Yovanny Cruz has the best stuff in my opinion. The slider he throws is legitimately one of the nastiest I have ever seen. It is 90-93 but gets real slider movement instead of being a glorified cutter. The pitch he struck out Matt McLain with was just unfair.
This Yovanny Cruz slider is the kind of weapon banned in the Geneva Convention pic.twitter.com/I1LwjYkQ0g
For Cruz to reach his closer ceiling, his fastball needs to make some improvements. That is a weird thing to say about a guy who averages over 100, but it is true. Cruz’s fastball command has been less than impressive in his two outings. Even when he is in the zone with it though, it has not really been fooling anyone.
The pitch is 100, which helps him out. However, it is straight as an arrow and is not deceptive. In 2026, big league hitters can handle a straight 100 MPH pitch. Cruz has thrown 37 heaters at the big league level this season, and has not gotten a single whiff. If I were the Nats, I would heavily consider replacing his 4-seamer with a power sinker.
For now, Cruz is a good 7th inning guy with big stuff, but he still has room to grow. He can devastate right handed hitters with the slider, but lefties have given him more issues. I wonder if he should mix in that splitter a bit more often against them. However, to reach his ceiling, Cruz needs to refine that heater.
One pitcher who does not have any fastball issues is Orlando Ribalta. Despite averaging “only” 96.8 instead of 100, his heater is much more effective. Ribata gets a 28.7% whiff rate on his riding 4-seam fastball. A lot of times he uses his slider to get ahead of hitters before putting them away with the heater or changeup.
The other day I wrote about how Ribalta has quietly been a highly effective reliever for the Nats. He has not been perfect this season, but he has come through more often than not. Ribalta avoids hard contact, gets a decent amount of strikeouts and throws strikes. That is a good combination.
The Nats have cycled through a lot of relievers they won’t be bringing back but Orlando Ribalta is one guy who is a keeper https://t.co/oh5z7UXPRa
Lastly, let’s get to the closer Clayton Beeter. Honestly, Beeter is not a guy who fills me with a ton of confidence due to his erratic nature. However, when he is hitting his spots, he is a real weapon. That is what he did last night to close the show in routine fashion.
Beeter basically throws his fastball and slider the same amount. It is a very simple package with just two pitches. However, the offerings tunnel very well off each other and the slider works well against lefties and righties.
This season, batters are just hitting .108 off the slider. It is a pitch he can manipulate and use in all situations. Beeter’s slider is at least a 70 grade pitch and devastates hitters. When hitters get the heater, it can be an issue. However, he is throwing more sliders lately and hitters just are not picking it up.
The Nats do not exactly have the 2015 Royals bullpen now, but these three are a solid way to close out games. They will not get it done every time, but I think we will see more games like last night down the stretch. If you give these guys a couple runs to work with, we will not see games be blown like they were earlier in the season.
Games like last night are why Paul Toboni brought in the likes of Cruz. He can be a real fireman and clean up those first and third with nobody out jams. With the likes of Ben Grable also coming next year, this bullpen can go from a disaster to a solid unit without a ton of spending. That is how you build a sustainable bullpen, which the Nats have not had for a long time.
COVERS INTEL:Cole’s four-seamer is the specific pitch Atlanta can attack. He throws it 47.1% of the time, and it has allowed a 45.2% hard-hit rate this season.
