Steve Cohen talks 'mistakes' David Stearns made building 2026 Mets: 'We might have taken too much risk'

Speaking to reporters in the Mets' dugout ahead of Wednesday's series finale against the Padres at Citi Field, owner Steve Cohen discussed the state of the team, touching on his hope for the future while looking back at why the 2026 season went sideways. 

While Cohen reaffirmed his commitment to president of baseball operations David Stearns, who is under contract through the 2028 season, he also went into detail about "mistakes" he felt were made as the 2026 team was being constructed.

"We might have taken too much risk as far as when you think about all the changes that were made," Cohen said. "Whenever there are significant changes, sometimes it takes a while to integrate. Those are the things I'm looking at. It's an example of where we can be better."

Cohen added:

"I just think when you add new players, when you add a coaching staff. Maybe adding players with an injury history. When you add risk upon risk upon risk -- one risk alone, but when you add enough risk to something, all of a sudden you can have a dispersion of results. It doesn't mean that it had to turn out bad. It just means that you have dispersion of results, and maybe the possibility of an undesirable result is more of a possibility because of the risk you're taking. 

"I equate it to running a portfolio. The more risk you take in a portfolio -- yeah, it can have major upside, but also your downside can be bigger. And so you can have bigger variance in results. I think that's what happened here."

The Mets underwent a drastic makeover during the offseason, with Pete Alonso and Edwin Diaz leaving via free agency, while Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil were traded.

New York also turned over nearly the entire coaching staff aside from manager Carlos Mendoza (who was fired and replaced by interim manager Andy Green in late June). 

When it comes to the players who left, Diaz has been injured and ineffective for the Dodgers and McNeil has struggled for the Athletics. Meanwhile, the Mets' outfield seems set for the future with Juan Soto, A.J. Ewing, and Carson Benge as Nimmo puts up strong offensive numbers for the Rangers (while playing poor outfield defense).

The decision to not make a strong effort to retain Alonso, who signed a five-year deal with the Orioles worth $155 million, looms large given how Alonso is performing (.854 OPS and 28 homers in 126 games for Baltimore), his connection to the fan base, and who the Mets chose to help replace him.

Shortly before Cohen spoke, it was revealed that Jorge Polanco -- who was signed in part to replace Alonso at first base and in the lineup -- would be having season-ending surgery due to the left ankle bursitis that limited him to just 37 games this season as he hit .148/.201/.230 with two home runs in 145 plate appearances.

Apr 5, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; New York Mets designated hitter Jorge Polanco (11) stands in the on deck during the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park.
Apr 5, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; New York Mets designated hitter Jorge Polanco (11) stands in the on deck during the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. / D. Ross Cameron - Imagn Images

Before signing a two-year deal with New York, Polanco had been limited by injury each of the last four seasons, including issues with his knee, hamstring, and ankle.

Another key player the Mets brought in this past offseason was Marcus Semien, who was acquired in the trade for Nimmo, allowing New York to clear the final two years of Nimmo's contract.

Semien played through a hip injury earlier this season and has struggled badly offensively, hitting just .208/.269/.351 (.620 OPS) in 107 games.

The main risk when it came to Semien had to do with his performance at the plate, which sagged in 2024 and 2025 before cratering this season.

Stearns and the Mets also took a chance on oft-injured center fielder Luis Robert Jr., who has been limited to 48 games this season because of a back injury and has a .648 OPS.

The Mets took risk in the offseason with the rotation as well, banking on bounce backs from Kodai Senga, David Peterson, and Sean Manaea, who all struggled badly down the stretch in 2025.

Senga dealt with injuries, was removed from the rotation, and has been thriving lately in a high-leverage relief role, Peterson was traded to the Cubs in July, and Manaea (who dealt with a bone chip issue last season) was relegated to the bullpen for the first few months before returning to the rotation in June and finding success -- and his fastball velocity.

One of Stearns' major offensive moves in the offseason that is working out is the Bo Bichette signing.

But Bichette seemed to have a bit of an adjustment period early on as he put up a .583 OPS in 59 games through May. Since then, he is hitting .312/.350/.464 (.814 OPS) and playing strong defense at third base. 

Putting a bow on his thoughts regarding how too much risk might have hurt the 2026 Mets, Cohen summed it up:

"When I look at it as a whole, I see individual decisions that make perfect sense. But when you add it all up, then you get into a different realm of 'did we take too much risk?' It's kind of looking at it from a top down perspective as opposed to an individual decision."

Given Cohen's feelings and the lessons Stearns has learned, it's fair to believe the Mets will approach this coming offseason differently.

According to reports, Rockies to call up Mark Manfredi

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 28, 2026: Mark Manfredi #84 of the Milwaukee Brewers throws a pitch during the ninth inning of a spring training game against the Cincinnati Reds at American Family Fields of Phoenix on February 28, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by David Durochik/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images

ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel is reporting that the Colorado Rockies are calling up LHP Mark Manfredi, a pitcher they acquired in the Antonio Senzatela trade with the Milwaukee Brewers.

The Brewers drafted Manfredi, 26, in the ninth round of the 2023 MLB Draft. The native of Highland Heights, Ohio, attended the University of Dayton. The lefty was a starter when drafted, but has pitched exclusively out of the bullpen since 2025.

He spent the 2024 season with the High-A Wisconsin Timber Rattlers where he earned a 3.94 ERA over 76.0 IP with a 1.37 WHIP.

Last season, Manfredi pitched for the Double-A Biloxi Shuckers where he had a 3.30 ERA in 60.0 IP with a 1.27 WHIP.

This season, he started with Biloxi and was promoted in June to the Triple-A Nashville Sounds. During his time with the Sounds, he’s tallied a 3.09 ERA across 23.1 IP. This number includes 30 Ks and 11 BB.

He has struggled a bit since arriving at Triple-A Albuquerque where he has a 10.80 ERA over 5 IP, including six walks.

Manfredi is known primary for his fastball, of which FanGraphs Eric Longenhagen wrote, “Manfredi has a good fastball. He sits 93-97 with uphill angle. His secondaries aren’t especially nasty, but he has two different breaking balls that play up a little bit against lefties because of his arm slot, and he’ll throw the occasional changeup to keep hitters honest.”

As Jeff Aberle noted in his PuRPs evaluation, the Rockies would need to provide Manfredi protection from the Rule 5 Draft, so the promotion is not unexpected, especially in light of the organization’s decision earlier this week to DFA Michael Lorenzen.

Moreover, Rockies president of baseball operations Paul DePodesta foreshadowed the move when speaking with media immediately following the trade deadline.

“Manfredi is also a guy who I think has a chance to be here relatively soon,” DePodesta said. “We think he can factor into our bullpen for sure from the left side, and it’s a very different look than [Brennan Bernardino].”

Purple Row will continue to monitor this developing story.


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Cale Makar Tied For Highest Overall Among Defensemen In NHL 27

On Tuesday, the rankings and overalls for forwards were released for NHL 27, which included Nathan MacKinnon tied for the second-highest overall at 97, and four other Colorado Avalanche forwards with their ranks and overalls shown.

MacKinnon & Necas Crack NHL 27 Top-100 Player RatingsMacKinnon & Necas Crack NHL 27 Top-100 Player RatingsNathan MacKinnon trails only Connor McDavid’s historic 99 overall rating, while Martin Necas surges into the elite top 30 following a career-best 100-point performance.

Today, the overalls for both defensemen and goaltenders were revealed, leading to the final rankings among all top players, including Cale Makar and Avalanche goaltenders Scott Wedgewood and MacKenzie Blackwood.

Makar In A Three-Way Tie For First

Makar, Zach Werenski, and Quinn Hughes have all been revealed to be 95 overall this season. The only advantage Makar has is that he is the highest-rated right-shot defenseman, with the second-highest overall going to Evan Bouchard at 91 overall. Both Hughes and Werenski are left-shot defensemen and are tied, with second place also being a tie with Rasmus Dahlin and Miro Heiskanen at 93 overall.

Though, according to the EA Sports NHL 27 Player Ratings, Makar is ranked the fifth-highest player, only behind Leon Draisaitl at four, Nikita Kucherov at three, MacKinnon at two, and Connor McDavid at 1. Behind him are Werenski at six and Hughes at 9.

Makar is coming off a season in which he finished with 20 goals and 59 assists for 79 points in 75 games played, earning him All-NHL Second Team honors and finishing second in Norris Trophy voting behind Werenski. Obviously, comparing last season to his 2024-25 season, which saw him score 30 goals and 96 points, it's a “down” season, but really, you can say it was.

Cale Makar Is Worth A Record Contract. The Avalanche Have To Get The Number RightCale Makar Is Worth A Record Contract. The Avalanche Have To Get The Number RightCale Makar has earned a historic contract, but the Colorado Avalanche must balance paying their franchise defenseman with maintaining the championship-caliber roster needed to keep chasing Stanley Cups.

While he played five fewer games, he also shot the puck less, dropping from 246 shots on goal to 199, and his shooting percentage from 12.2 to 10.1. He wasn’t a liability on the ice and still created so many scoring chances like usual, but alongside some cold streaks and the power play not helping the team out, it really hurt his production, which is still crazy to say when 29 of his 79 points came from the power play.

The Lumberyard Cracks The Top-20

The goaltender rankings have also been revealed, and both Wedgewood and Blackwood have cracked the top 20 list of goaltenders. Wedgewood has been given an 87 overall, which is a good ninth, just above guys like Lukas Dostal, Dustin Wolf, and Spencer Knight, but right behind guys like Jesper Wallstedt, Jake Oettinger, and Jeremy Swayman.

Blackwood was revealed with an 86 overall, ranking him 17th among goaltenders. That puts him above guys like Jet Greaves, Linus Ullmark, and Karel Vejmelks, but behind guys like Filip Gustavsson, Jakub Dobes, and Brandon Bussi.

It's a fair ranking for both goaltenders. It rewards and highlights the excellence Wedgewood showed last season, finishing with career stats across the board, including a 31-6-6 record, a .921 save percentage, and a 2.02 goals-against average in 45 games played. Both of those stats were the best among all qualified goaltenders last season.

Scott Wedgewood Deserves Better: The Avalanche Goaltender’s Latest NHL Snub Is AbsurdScott Wedgewood Deserves Better: The Avalanche Goaltender’s Latest NHL Snub Is AbsurdScott Wedgewood has become one of the NHL’s most overlooked goaltenders, and the latest ranking may be the most baffling snub yet for the Avalanche netminder.

Even for Blackwood, who started the season hurt and didn’t have a great season overall, but still managed to finish with a 23-10-2 record, with a .904 SV% and a 2.51 GAA, helping Wedgewood secure the William M. Jennings Trophy.

Colorado Eagles Add Former Dallas Stars Draft Pick With Proven Scoring TouchColorado Eagles Add Former Dallas Stars Draft Pick With Proven Scoring TouchThe Colorado Eagles have added former Dallas Stars sixth-round pick Francesco Arcuri, who brings a proven scoring touch and a fresh opportunity to make his mark at the AHL level.
Image

Mets owner Steve Cohen would be open to Andy Green throwing 'hat in the ring' ahead of managerial search

Mets owner Steve Cohen met with reporters prior to Wednesday’s series finale against the San Diego Padres and discussed a host of topics, including finding the club’s next manager. 

With Carlos Mendoza dismissed midseason, Andy Green moved from a player development role into the interim manager job. While the results have been promising (the Mets have gone 23-23 with Green), president of baseball operations David Stearns has said that Green will return to the front office after the season, and Cohen echoed that on Wednesday, though he did say he'd welcome Green changing his mind.

“Well, I’m going to take him at face value. He’s telling us that he wants to go back to the front office,” Cohen said. “We’re going to do a managerial search and if it turns out he wants to throw his hat into the ring, that would be great.”

Asked about what qualities he wants to see in the next skipper, Cohen said relating to the players in the clubhouse is near the top of the list.

“I want a manager that can really relate to the players. I love the idea of a manager that motivates the players,” said Cohen. “As we know, playing baseball is up and down. People have great moments and go into slumps. So how do you get the best out of your players? And I think that’s pretty important.”

Three of the last four full-time Mets managers – Mendoza, Luis Rojas, and Mickey Callaway – stepped into the managerial role with no prior experience as a major league manager. 

Cohen was asked if past experience was a prerequisite this time around, but deferred to Stearns when it comes to handling the upcoming search.

“I’m going to leave that to David. That’s a little bit in the weeds for me,” Cohen said. “What I really think is we’ll see quality candidates and then we can figure out what to do next.”

Of course, there are already names floating around for the Mets job, including Alex Cora, who was fired by the Red Sox earlier this season but has a proven track record.

“I’m sure there’s a bunch of names out there," Cohen said when asked specifically about Cora’s candidacy. “Once again, they’ll do a managerial search and they’ll figure it out then.” 

Submit your questions for The Pindown: A Detroit Pistons Podcast

Send in your questions now for this week’s episode of The Pindown: A Detroit Pistons Podcast to discuss everything Pistons. Submit your question in the comments section here or on Twitter to @TheRealWesD3 and/or @RobbieBettelon. If you’re on BlueSky, you can also send to @RobbieBettelon.bksy.social.

Join us live on Thursday night as Wes and Robbie go through some thought experiments together, and then draft their versions of an All-Time Pistons team. What questions would you like to add to the show?

Plus, The Pindown has a phone line where you can leave a message and hear your voice on the show. Call (313) 355-2717 and leave us a voicemail with your question. Please try to keep the message around 45 seconds or less so we can fit everyone into the show.

The podcast will be uploaded to all audio platforms the following morning.

The Pindown: A Detroit Pistons Podcast Vitals:

When: Thursday, August 20th at 7:30 p.m. ET

Where: Detroit Bad Boys YouTube Channel

How to submit questions:

  • Detroit Bad Boys Website: Comment section of the weekly Pindown episode articles.
  • Call (313) 355-2717 and leave us a voicemail with your question. Please try to keep the message to 45 seconds or less.
  • Twitter: @detroitbadboys@RobbieBettelon, or @therealwesd3
  • YouTube: Chat section of The Pindown live recording — Subscribe here

As always, leave any questions or topics you want to be discussed in the comment section below.

Go Stones.

Chicago Cubs vs. Chicago White Sox preview, Wednesday 8/19, 1:20 CT

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 17: Pete Crow-Armstrong #4 of the Chicago Cubs celebrates after hitting a two-run walk-off home run during the tenth inning against the Chicago White Sox at Wrigley Field on August 17, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Wednesday notes…

  • GOING FOR THE SWEEP, PART 1: This is the 18th of the Cubs’ 60 regular-season series against the White Sox in which they won the first two games. There was a third game in 10 of the previous series. The Cubs won five and lost five. The Cubs have won eight straight at home vs. the Sox: the final game of 2023, both played in 2024, three last year and the last two nights. Their previous longest home streak in the rivalry had been only four games. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
  • GOING FOR THE SWEEP, PART 2: This is the 13th of the Cubs’ 42 series in which they have won the first two games. They won the third game as well in seven series, most recently Aug. 3-5 at home vs. the Dodgers, and lost it in five, including last week at Washington. The win over the Dodgers completed their fourth three-game sweep. The others were over the Diamondbacks, Mets and Padres, all at home. They won a fourth game, too, at home vs. the Phillies and Pirates and at New York vs. the Mets. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
  • IN THE SUNSHINE: The Cubs are only 27-26 in day games, far worse than their 46=27 at night. They finished last season 43-32 in sunshine. They are 17-12 in day games at home, including 10-5 in day games following night games. They were 29-20 and 7-8 a year ago. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
  • PCA! PCA! PCA!: Pete Crow-Armstrong, 17 games in August: .278/.400/.611 (19-for-69) with four doubles, a triple, seven home runs, 16 RBI, 13 walks, 19 runs scored and five stolen bases (with no caught stealing).

Cubs lineup:

White Sox lineup:

Clay Holmes, RHP vs. Sean Newcomb, LHP

Clay Holmes was lights-out in his last start, last Friday against the Cardinals: 6.2 innings, one hit, one walk, 11 ground-ball outs.

The last time he faced the White Sox was May 26, 2025 at Citi Field and he had a similar outing: 5.2 innings, four hits, one run. Many of those White Sox aren’t on the team anymore and current Sox are a small sample size 3-for-18 against Holmes.

Just keep those ground balls coming.

Once again, the White Sox appear to be using an opener, this time Sean Newcomb. His last outing was Aug. 16 against the Tigers, when he was used to close things, posting his fourth save. He also faced the Tigers as an opener Aug. 14 in Detroit, throwing 1.1 scoreless innings. He hasn’t thrown more than 33 pitches in an outing since June, so expect at most two innings here.

He threw two scoreless innings against the Cubs May 17 at Rate Field and has generally been effective this year, posting a 2.51 ERA and 1.103 WHIP in 46 games covering 68 innings.

You might remember, or choose to forget, Newcomb’s 17 games with the Cubs in 2022, when he posted a 9.33 ERA and allowed seven home runs in 22.2 innings.

The last time Newcomb was an opener, José Urquidy was the “bulk guy,” and that’s the last time Urquidy pitched (Aug. 14), so I’d expect that to happen again today. Fun fact: Urquidy was supposed to come to the Cubs in 2022 from the Astros in a trade for Willson Contreras, but Astros owner Jim Crane personally blocked the deal that had already been agreed to by the teams.

Here is the weather forecast for the area around Wrigley Field.

Today’s game is on Marquee Sports Network. It’s also on CHSN and WCIU-Ch. 26 with the Sox announcers.

Here is the complete MLB.com live streaming page for today.

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com game preview

Please visit our SB Nation White Sox site South Side Sox. If you do go there to interact with Sox 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.

Discuss amongst yourselves.

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GameThread: Detroit Tigers vs. Pittsburgh Pirates, 12:35 p.m.

Aug 18, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Detroit Tigers left fielder Brett Callahan (34) circles the bases on his first career MLB home run against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the fifth inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Detroit Tigers (61-64) vs. Pittsburgh Pirates (61-66)

Time/Place: 12:35 p.m., PNC Park
SB Nation Site:Bucs Dugout
Media:
Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Pitching Matchup: RHP Jackson Jobe (1-1, 6.23 ERA) vs. RHP Paul Skenes (9-11, 3.88 ERA)

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MLB Player Props & Best Bets for Today, Aug. 19

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Baseball all day long! We have a full slate ahead, with plenty of value in the MLB player props market.

Join me as I break down three of my favorite MLB picksfor Wednesday, Aug. 19, including why I expect Pete Alonso to go nuclear.

For more props, Josh Inglis has you covered with his three favorite MLB home run predictions.  

Best MLB player props today

Player PickOdds
Guardians Parker MessickOver 6.5 strikeouts+102
Marlins Griffin ConineTo record a hit-154
Orioles Pete Alonso Over 1.5 H+R+RBI-138

Parker Messick Over 6.5 Strikeouts (+102)

One of the most exciting young pitchers in the game right now is Cleveland Guardians southpaw Parker Messick, who has the highest average strikeout rate on the slate over at Batters-Box. He also owns the No. 1 pitcher rating while facing a San Francisco Giants lineup that has struggled mightily against left-handed pitching.

So far this season, the Giants own a 23.1% strikeout rate, 76% contact rate and 33.4% swinging-strike rate. On the road against lefties, those numbers take a dive, with a 30.8% strikeout rate, 70% contact rate, and 34.2% swinging-strike rate. Over their last 60 at-bats against a left-handed pitcher, only three hitters have a strikeout rate below 13.3%. Everyone else is above 30%.

Messick has posted a near-30% strikeout rate across his last three outings, setting him up in an excellent spot to shove against an ice-cold Giants lineup. He has also recorded 6+ strikeouts in each of his last four starts.

Do not pay juice for this prop.

  • Time: 6:40 p.m. ET
  • Where to watch: CLEG, NBCSBA

Griffin Conine To Record a Hit (-154)

Miami Marlins outfielder Griffin Conine to record a hit against Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola is mainly a price play.

For starters, Conine is the No. 1-rated hitter on Batters-Box's current-season dataset. Across 26 elite-rated matchups this season, he has recorded at least one hit 61.54% of the time.

The outfielder has been absolutely destroying the baseball lately. He homered last night, and hopefully he can go deep again, but we only need the floor here. Over his last 10 games, Conine owns an .833 SLG and .433 ISO while generating almost a 60% hard-hit rate and a 22.7% barrel rate.

Nola has been tormented by left-handed hitters at home this season, allowing them to hit .314 with a .583 SLG and .407 wOBA. On top of that, lefties are producing a 56% elevation rate and 36.8% hard-hit rate against him.

If you're not in the juice-paying business, take his hits + runs + RBI prop. However, the hit prop is playable to -160.

Check out Quinn Allen's full Marlins vs. Phillies predictions.

  • Time: 6:05 p.m. ET
  • Where to watch: MIAM, NBCSP

Pete Alonso Over 1.5 Hits + Runs + RBI (-138)

It is hard to ignore just how hot Baltimore Orioles slugger Pete Alonso has been over his last 10 games, posting a .947 SLG, .824 xSLG, and .447 ISO while generating a 65.6% hard-hit rate and 22% barrel rate.

Alonso also enters today's matchup with an elite rating on Batters-Box. Across 60 elite ratings over the last three seasons, he has gone Over this prop 68.33% of the time.

Tonight, he draws New York Yankees right-hander Will Warren, who has been allowing a boatload of hard contact to opposing hitters over his last five outings. The last 60 right-handed hitters he has faced are producing a 56% hard-hit rate, 9.3% barrel rate, and 60% elevation rate, all while posting a .479 xBA, .662 xSLG, and .358 ISO.

The trends and recent numbers are too delectable to pass up. Take this down to -140, or grab his 2+ bases at plus money.

Check out Chris Hatfield's full Yankees vs. Orioles predictions.

  • Time: 6:35 p.m. ET
  • Where to watch: YES, MASN, AmazonPV 
Colby Marchio's 2026 Transparency Record
  • Prop picks: 414-799, -5.8 units

Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Happy Birthday Woody Williams

BALTIMORE, MD - JUNE 1: Woody WIlliams #19 of the Toronto Blue Jay looks on before a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles on June 1, 1997 at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Today marks the 58th birthday of former Blue Jays pitcher Woody Williams.

I’ll admit, I often confuse Woody Williams with Chris Carpenter. Both left the Blue Jays and eventually landed in St. Louis—Williams with a stop in San Diego along the way. They each found greater success with the Cardinals (though Carpenter excelled even more), and they were teammates during their time there.

Woody was a 28th-round draft pick in 1988 out of the University of Houston (Joey Hamilton was chosen a few spots earlier by the Orioles in the same round). Expectations were likely modest, but he excelled in the minors. In May 1993, the Blue Jays called him up to help in the bullpen, where he pitched in 30 games with a 4.38 ERA.

He spent the next couple of seasons in the back of the bullpen. Then, in August 1996, he finally got his chance in the rotation. Paul Quantrill began the season as a starter, but was moved to the bullpen. With Marty Janzen and Huck Flener struggling, Williams earned a shot. He made 10 starts, going 4-5 with a 4.35 ERA.

The following season, Williams spent a full year in the rotation, finishing 9-14 with a 4.35 ERA. Over 31 starts, he pitched 194.1 innings, allowing 201 hits and 31 home runs (during the height of the PED era), with 66 walks and 124 strikeouts. While not spectacular, he held his own as the third starter behind Roger Clemens and Pat Hentgen. The game has changed a lot in the past twenty years—back then, Woody was a reliable third starter who nearly reached 200 innings.

In 1997, Williams went 10-9 with a 4.46 ERA. Over 32 starts, he pitched 209.2 innings, allowing 196 hits, 36 home runs, 81 walks, and recording 151 strikeouts.

Then came the trade—or, more accurately, the infamous trade. Williams and a few minor leaguers were sent to San Diego for Joey Hamilton. GM Gord Ash trusted the advice of newly hired assistant GM Dave Stewart, who had played with Hamilton and claimed to see star potential in him. Ash signed Hamilton to a three-year, $16.5 million contract (a hefty sum at the time), but Hamilton delivered a disappointing 14-17 record with a 5.83 ERA.

Williams went on to have a solid career. He spent five seasons with the Padres, posting a 51-45 record and a 4.32 ERA. The Padres later traded him to the Cardinals, where he flourished—going 45-22 with a 3.53 ERA over four seasons. His standout year was 2003, when he finished 18-9 with a 3.87 ERA in 34 games (33 starts).

As a Blue Jay, he compiled a 28-34 record with a 4.30 ERA over 166 games (76 starts). Overall, he finished his MLB career with a 132-116 record and a 4.19 ERA in 424 games, 330 of them starts. How many 28th-round picks can claim a career like that?

I read that he occasionally threw a knuckleball, though I don’t recall ever seeing it.

According to Wikipedia, Woody has five children and lives in Alvin, Texas.

Happy birthday, Woody. Hope it’s a great one.

Also celebrating birthdays today:

  • Luis Gómez turns 73 today. He spent two seasons with the Blue Jays (1978–1979), playing shortstop in 1978 and serving as a utility infielder the following year. Gómez hit .227/.276/.282 in 212 games and played eight MLB seasons with the Twins, Jays, and Braves.
  • Jeff Tam turns 54 today. In 2003, he appeared in 44 relief games for the Jays, marking the end of his six-year MLB career. Tam posted a 5.64 ERA and allowed opponents a .314/.396/.465 batting line. Most of his career was spent with the A’s, though he also played for the Mets and Cleveland.

New NHL 27 Player Rankings Have Several Florida Panthers Forwards Rated Quite High

Hockey fans who also enjoy video games are getting geared up for the upcoming release of NHL 27.

The globally popular hockey game made by EA Sports is set for release on Sept. 11 and preorders are being widely accepted.

This week, EA Sports released player rankings for the game, and the Florida Panthers are looking quite solid, especially at forward. 

While Florida doesn’t have anyone in the prestigious 99 Club (congrats, McJesus), there are three Panthers forwards whose overall rankings are in the 90s, and two just outside, coming in at 89.

Leading the way for the Cats is their captain, Sasha Barkov, whose overall ranking was 95, which placed him as the 8th forward on the list. This comes as no surprise, with Barkov known far and wide as arguably the best two-way forward in the world.

While Barkov missed the entirety of the 2025-26 season after tearing up his knee during training camp, the Finnish superstar took the ice during May’s IIHF World Championships and looked like he never missed a beat.

Barkov led Finland to a gold medal while pacing the team with 11 points in 10 games.

Next up on EA’s list is Florida’s scoring specialist Sam Reinhart. His overall ranking is 91, closely followed by Matthew Tkachuk at 90 overall, then his brother Brady Tkachuk and Brad Marchand, each with 89 overall rankings.

Last season, it was Reinhart and Marchand who kept the Panthers afloat scoring-wise while both Barkov and Tkachuk, among others, were out with injuries.

It’s not hard to see any of those players reaching or exceeding point-per-game status next season.

Getting back to the NHL 27 rankings, you don’t have to look much further down the list to find the next group of Panthers players.

In fact, there are four more Cats who are all ranked in the 80s.

They are Sam Bennett, coming in with an overall ranking of 86, Anton Lundell, also at 86, Carter Verhaeghe overall ranked 85 and Eetu Luostarinen at 84.

When diving into the breakdown of each player, some interesting tidbits jump out.

First, of all the aforementioned Panthers on the list, the ones with the highest rated speed at 89 were Marchand and Verhaeghe, followed by Bennett at 88 and Barkov at 87.

Marchand was also an 89 at acceleration, as was Bennett, followed by Verhaeghe at 88 and Reinhart at Brady Tkachuk at 87. For those wondering, Matthew Tkachuk was given an 85 for both speed and acceleration.

In the deking category, which is kind of important for forwards, Barkov came in highest with a 93 ranking. Next-highest was Reinhart at 91 and Marchand at 90.

Barkov and Marchand led the way with 94 rankings in the passing category, but also in the 90s were Matthew Tkachuk (93), Reinhart (92) and Brady Tkachuk (90).

The Panthers player deemed to have the hardest, or best I suppose, slapshot was Brady Tkachuk, the only player ranked in the 90s in that category (right at 90).

Brady Tkachuk also had Florida’s highest wrist shot ranking (91), followed by Reinhart at 90.

To check out the full Panthers forward rankings for NHL 27, click here

This year’s version of EA Sports’ NHL game has fans excited for some new features, including a brand-new broadcast duo of John Buccigross and Darren Pang.

It’s always been a cool feature of playing videos games when you can lead your team to a championship, but that must have a different feel for Panthers fans lately.

You know…now that they know what it feels like to have the Panthers win the actual Stanley Cup.

Let us know what you think of Florida's NHL 27 rankings in the comments below. 

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Photo caption: Dec 5, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Florida Panthers center SamReinhart(13), center AleksanderBarkov(16) and left wing Matthew Tkachuk (19) against the Philadelphia Flyers at Wells Fargo Center. (Eric Hartline-Imagn Images)

Diamondbacks News

PHOENIX, AZ - AUGUST 12: Ketel Marte #4 of the Arizona Diamondbacks looks on at third base during the game between the Colorado Rockies and the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on Wednesday, August 12, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Zach Gardner/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

Diamondbacks News

Merrill Kelly Has Another Rough Outing, Offense Still Without Marte
Merrill Kelly’s August ERA is problematic and is going the wrong direction at the worst possible time for Arizona. Although, it seems that even Google is having a hard time figuring out the Diamondbacks these days. I was somewhat confused when I tuned in to find this all wrong.

Will Ketel Marte Torpedo Snakes’ Season, Lovullo’s Job?
There is no doubt that many will paint it that way.

Justin Martinez Makes Highly Anticipated Return to Mound
On an all-around bad night, the return of Justin Martinez gave the slightest glimmer of hope.

Marte Back in Phoenix After Boston No-Show
Marte’s agent, Charisse Espinosa-Dash, told MLB Network on Wednesday that her client is continuing to deal with a personal matter and will have an MRI on his knee in Phoenix on Thursday.

Marte Looking Forward to Return Calling Team Support Unwavering
Whatever is going on with Ketel Marte, may things improve soon an may everything work itself out in a positive fashion. While he did not go into the stands and batter a fan, the rest of this seems incredibly appropriate at this moment in time for the team.

Carroll: Players Thinking of Marte’s Well-Being During Time of Uncertainty
There is no way around it, Ketel Mater’s recent actions have created a monster distraction for the team as they attempt to make the playoffs.

Other Baseball News

PCA vs Ohtani for NL MVP, What the Players are Saying
With roughly 40 games left in the season, this race is likely to come down to the wire.

Which Teams Have suffered the Most Due to Injuries
Seeing Arizona as a prominent member of this club is not terribly surprising.

Brewers Tie Mark for Largest Modern-Day Shutout Margin
Milwaukee pasted Seattle 22-0 in Wisconsin on Tuesday night.

Tatis Has a Night
Fernando Tatis robbed a grand slam and swatted two home runs of his own as the Padres put a bit of space between themselves and the Diamondbacks in the Wild Card race.

Jorge Polanco to undergo season-ending ankle surgery, placed on 10-Day IL

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JULY 30: Jorge Polanco #11 of the New York Mets in action during the game against the Miami Marlins at Citi Field on July 30, 2026 in the Queens borough of New York City. The Mets won 4-2. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Mets have placed Jorge Polanco on the IL with left ankle bursitis. The first baseman/DH will undergo surgery and is done for the season, according to Andy Green. The team’s skipper noted that Polanco “can’t get freedom from the pain”, which he has been playing through.

The team signed Polanco to a two-year, $40 million to serve as the first baseman, but injuries have derailed his season. He originally landed on the IL amid the team’s 12-game losing streak in April with a right wrist contusion, and the bursitis he experienced plagued him throughout the year, leading to his rehab assignment being temporarily shut down in June. He eventually returned on July 7 but was a shell of a hitter the team expected. Prior to his injury, he was hitting .179/.246.286 with one homer and a 51 wRC+ in 61 plate appearances across 14 games. Those numbers were worse since his return, as he hit .123/.169/.190 with one homer and a -1 wRC+ in 84 plate appearances across 23 games. During the latter stretch, he endured a career-worst 0-for-26 stretch. Polanco has one more year left on his contract, though it remains to be seen what role he will play with the club.

The Mets made a couple of additional roster moves around Polanco’s IL placement. To replace his bat, the team called up Eric Wagaman. They also sent down Jack Weisenburger, who pitched in last night’s game, and called up right-handed reliever Chayce McDermott to join the bullpen.

San Diego Padres at New York Mets

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 18: Manny Machado #13 of the San Diego Padres celebrates with David MacIas #46 after hitting a home run during the ninth inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field on August 18, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Caleb Bowlin/Getty Images) | Getty Images

San Diego Padres (68-59) at New York Mets (57-70), August 19, 2026, 10:10 a.m. PST

Watch: Padres.TV

Location: Citi Field – Flushing, NY

Listen: 97.3 The Fan



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Mets vs. Padres: Lineups, broadcast info, and open thread, 8/19/26

Feb 19, 2026; Port St. Lucie, FL, USA; New York Mets pitcher Robert Stock (89) poses for a photo during media day at Clover Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Mets lineup

A.J. Ewing – CF
Francisco Lindor – SS
Bo Bichette – 3B
Carson Benge – RF
Jared Young – 1B
Francisco Alvarez – DH
Brett Baty – LF
Marcus Semien – 2B
Luis Torrens – C

SP: Robert Stock – RHP

Padres lineup

Fernando Tatis – RF
Jake Cronenworth – 2B
Manny Machado – DH
Ty France – 1B
Jackson Merrill – CF
Luis Rengifo – LF
Luis Campusano – C
Xander Bogaerts – SS
Sung-Mun Song – 3B

SP: Michael King – RHP

Broadcast info

First pitch: 1:10 PM ET
TV: SNY
Radio: Audacy Mets Radio WHSQ 880AM, Audacy App, 92.3 HD2

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Padres’ Fernando Tatis Jr. favors robbing home runs over hitting them in 5-2 win over the Mets

NEW YORK — Fernando Tatis Jr. favors robbing homers over hitting them.

Tatis’ glove and bat were on display in a 5-2 win over the Mets, as the 27-year-old robbed New York’s Francisco Lindor of a grand slam in between hitting two homers.

“Tough challenge,” Tatis said following his 14th career two-homer game, which ties him for second in franchise history. “But robbery today was more fun.”

Tatis hit the first pitch from New York’s Zac Thornton 452 feet into the second deck in left field before adding a two-run homer off Thornton in the fifth. He has 15 homers after opening the season without a longball in his first 238 at-bats.

But Tatis’ biggest contribution in the game came in the field during the second inning, when he reached over the wall in right field and pulled back Lindor’s potential slam.

“It’s amazing — he’s seriously one of the most athletic fielders I’ve ever seen,” said Padres pitcher Robbie Ray, who loaded the bases with three walks. “What he’s able to do out there, just to be able to be in that spot to make that catch, was incredible.”

Tatis, Ray and manager Craig Stammen all were surprised as Lindor’s fly drifted toward the wall on an night with minimal wind.

“I knew it was going to be a play at the wall,” Tatis said. “Just great timing — prepare myself to launch and go for it.”

Tatis was one step from the wall when he jumped and grabbed the ball just as it began to clear the wall. The converted shortstop used his hands to break his fall as his hat fell off and bounced behind him.

Tatis stood straight up and stared toward the infield, which left everyone on the field and the crowd of 35,508 wondering if he’d made the catch.

“Just taking off a grand slam right there, that’s a game changer,” Tatis said.

Tatis then raised his glove, after which Ray raised his arms and put his glove on his head.

“He does it with a flair,” Stammen said. “And that’s who makes Fernando who he is and why we love watching him.”

Ray walked a few more steps with his glove on his hat, grinning in disbelief as he gazed at Tatis, who jogged in with his mouth agape before he exchanged low fives with centerfielder Jackson Merrill.

“I kind of blacked out in the moment,” Ray said with a grin. “Just a really cool — it was just an incredible play.”

Ray allowed just two baserunners over his final four innings.

“It’s up there as one of the most impactful games he’s had as a Padre, for sure,” Stammen said. “You look at how many runs he created and then how many runs he took away. That’s a pretty big number.

“They talk about plus/minus in the NBA and hockey and stuff like that. That was a big plus/minus game for ‘Tati’ tonight.”