The first of four against the Red Sox. We do need some wins.
Okamoto has the day off after fouling the ball off his knee yesterday. So Charles McAdoo gets to play third. He was on a hot stretch with the Bisons, so I’m hoping it continues. And Ernie Clement gets a day off. He rarely gets one, I hope he gets to relax all game.
Texas Rangers lineup for August 10, 2026 against the Anaheim Angels: starting pitchers are MacKenzie Gore for the Rangers and Reid Detmers for the Angels.
Texas takes on Anaheim in the first of a four game set in the land of Mickey. With a lefty going for the Angels, we have a collection of righthanded bats in the lineup that, well, hit righthanded, anyway.
The lineup:
Langford — CF
Seager — SS
Duran — LF
Nimmo — RF
Burger — 1B
Foscue — DH
Diaz — C
Bride — 3B
Cauley — 2B
8:38 p.m. Central start time. Rangers are -111 favorites.
Three-time MVP Nikola Jokić has been clear about his desire to end his NBA career with the Denver Nuggets. The question is how long that NBA career might last for, given an overseas team’s interest in poaching him.
ESPN reported on Monday that Dimitrios Giannakopoulos, a Greek businessman who owns Panathinaikos Basketball Club in Athens, has made a proposal to buy out the final year of Jokić’s current contract.
While the Nuggets already declined Giannakopoulos’ offer, he still seems to believe that he can convince The Joker to sign with him in free agency next summer. Therefore, this proposal was Giannakopoulos’ attempt to have Denver involved in the deal one year before Jokić’s potential free agency rather than waiting a year to sign Jokić outright.
Jokić (who averaged a triple-double last season with 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds and 10.7 assists per game) hasn’t signed a contract extension with the Nuggets yet, and has two seasons and $121.8 million left on his current deal. But he has a player option to opt out after the 2027 season, which would make him an unrestricted free agent and technically make him available for Giannakopoulos to court without the need for Denver’s approval.
Given that the 31-year-old center is eligible to sign a five-year, $359.5 million extension with the Nuggets in July 2027, Giannakopoulos’ proposal would presumably need to guarantee more money for Jokić to even consider making such a seismic move.
Then again, Giannakopoulos has an estimated net worth of $1.2 billion, which suggests he has the funds to compete with what would be a record-breaking NBA contract.
Regardless of Giannakoloulos’ interest, Jokić still only seems interested in staying with the Nuggets, which also means staying in the NBA. But money talks — and Giannakoloulos has money in spades.
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First Pitch: 6:40 pm CDT
TV: Twins.TV
Radio: TIBN / WCCO 830 / The Wolf 102.9 FM / Audacy
In the revenge tour we’ve all been waiting for, Dean Kremer faces his former team just days after they kicked him to the curb. Minnesota returns to Target Field for a three-series “homestand,” although one neutral-site game and some disjointed midweek scheduling will affect the vibe. Not my vibe, though. We ridin’.
It’ll be Kremer’s second start with Minnesota. In his final outing with Baltimore, he was rocked for eight earned runs, less than a week after allowing six to the Boston Red Sox. Under the tutelage of Pete Maki, however, Kremer held the Kansas City Royals to just one run across five innings. All statistical evidence would indicate that Kremer is about to become the greatest pitcher in Twins franchise history.
For the Orioles, it’s former Marlin Trevor Rogers making his 22nd start of 2026. It’s been a more-or-less average year for Rogers, who boasts a career 108 ERA+ (and a 122 ERA+ with the Orioles), but is only rocking a 99 this year. That’s great in Diamond Dynasty terms, but this is real life, where numbers generally have more than one applicable context.
New addition Kaelen Culpepper is back in the lineup after an off-day in the Milwaukee finale. Austin Martin is still leading off.
GO TWINS GO!
Texas Rangers starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi has been placed on the 15 day injured list with right posterior elbow inflammation, the team announced today. To take his place on the active roster, the Rangers have recalled pitcher Ben Peoples from AAA Round Rock. In addition, the team announced that pitcher Nolan Kingham, who was designated for assignment to make room for Jordan Montgomery on the active and 40 man roster, has been claimed on waivers by the Seattle Mariners.
So, uh, this isn’t good. Eovaldi started three days ago, on Friday, August 7, against the Baltimore Orioles, and threw 86 pitches over 5.1 innings. Eovaldi is no stranger to the i.l., and he’s been surprisingly healthy so far this season, up to this point — his 22 starts matches his total from last year, and his 132.2 innings pitched surpasses last year’s total of 130.
I will sit and bite my nails nervously until we have more information on Eovaldi’s situation. I would guess that Cal Quantrill, who had been in the rotation until Cody Bradford was activated, will start on Wednesday, which is when Eovaldi’s spot will come up next.
With about 40 games left in the regular season, the Milwaukee Brewers boast the best record in Major League Baseball (74-44), 2.5 games ahead of the Tampa Bay Rays and three games ahead of the Atlanta Braves. They are on pace to win the NL Central for the fourth year in a row, all while improving their win-loss record each year.
Yet, despite the impeccable record, a Cy Young frontrunner and high-end baserunning, several fans and experts don't seem to be taking the Brewers seriously as World Series contenders. Per BetMGM, the Brewers do have the third-best odds of winning the 2026 World Series at +1000, but that's a far cry from the favorite Los Angeles Dodgers (+155).
Sure, the Dodgers have won two straight World Series, made the biggest acquisition of this year's trade deadline, and boast a starting rotation that could go toe-to-toe with the Avengers, but when the playoffs come around, anything can happen right?
The Brewers have improved each of the last four years, getting further in the playoffs at the same time. Last year, they reached the NLCS for the first time since 2018, and although they were swept by the Dodgers, it was a step in the right direction. If their trajectory over the last few years keeps up, they could very well find themselves in the Fall Classic this time.
So, why are they being overlooked? Is it because they have to stare down the mighty barrel of the Dodgers? Or is there something else that fans are overlooking?
Last year, the Dodgers entered the postseason as the National League's No. 3 seed. Despite winning the previous World Series, many fans thought the Dodgers might not have had what it takes to repeat as champions. Obviously, they did.
It took them just four games to dispatch of the Brewers in the NLCS, and seven games to take care of the Toronto Blue Jays in the World Series.
This year, the team supposedly got even better. The Dodgers acquired the biggest name during free agency in outfielder Kyle Tucker and added strong relief options in Kirby Yates and closer Edwin Diaz despite spending a ton of money just one year prior on closer Tanner Scott, who did not pan out.
In all fairness, Kyle Tucker hasn't panned out either. The $60 million a year man has been underwhelming in 2026, boasting just a .727 OPS. Does that really matter though? The Dodgers have the funds and the talent to make even massive flops look irrelevant. Look no further than last year, when the team acquired Scott to be their closer and did not perform well. Did the Dodgers have to recover from a poor signing? No. They just spent a bunch more money on Diaz the next year.
Tucker is different though. He's an everyday player, taking away reps from other potential stars. In the playoffs, an outfielder is more important than a late-inning arm that can only go once every two or three days.
Furthermore, Tucker hasn't been that great in the postseason recently. Since 2023, Tucker has gone just 13-for-67 (.194) with only four extra-base hits across 21 postseason games. He still does well to get on base, drawing nearly as many walks as he has strikeouts in that span, his bat hasn't been as threatening when October rolls around, and with how poorly he's playing this year, perhaps that massive offseason acquisition will finally come back to haunt the Dodgers.
The team as a whole also has clearly taken a step back on offense. When the Dodgers won the World Series in 2020, they led all of MLB in runs scored. They did the same in 2024, and were second in 2025. This year, they haven't fallen so far behind, ranking fourth (591) with the Brewers right behind them at fifth (585), but it's evidence that while the Brewers have been climbing these last few years, the Dodgers have been falling; a slow fall, but a fall nonetheless. And with how highly touted the Dodgers' pitching staff is, it's easy to look over the fact that the Dodgers rank seventh in MLB in ERA (3.72) while the Brewers rank second (3.47).
If the MLB playoffs began today, here are the six teams that would represent the National League:
Other teams such as the San Diego Padres, St. Louis Cardinals and Miami Marlins are in the hunt as well. This season, when facing those eight other teams, the Brewers boast a 27-13 record. They've won more than two-thirds of their games against the best teams in the National League.
For perspective, the Dodgers have a 24-23 record against those same teams (subbing the Dodgers themselves for the Brewers of course). The Braves own a 26-16 record. Good, but not as grand as the Brewers.
In all fairness, both the Dodgers and Braves own 2-1 records against Milwaukee this year, but that's just one series. Anything can happen in three games. We can't assume either team would have the advantage in a seven-game series.
The Cubs are the only team in the National League with a better or similar record than the Brewers against those teams competing for spots in the playoffs (28-15), but the Cubs have gone 2-4 against Milwaukee this year, and have recorded just a .163 batting average and .544 OPS in those games.
As mentioned earlier, the Brewers currently boast the second-best team ERA in baseball and the best in the National League (3.47). But does that matter in the playoffs?
In 2025, the Dodgers ranked 16th in MLB in team ERA. In 2024, they ranked 13th. In 2023, the Texas Rangers ranked 18th.
In recent years, team pitching hasn't mattered as much as you might think come the postseason. While in 2022, the Houston Astros ranked second in team ERA before winning it all, recent years have favored offensive powerhouses.
That said, while team pitching hasn't mattered as much, single dominant pitching performances have reigned supreme. Just last year, we saw Yoshinobu Yamamoto drag the Dodgers to a World Series title. Yamamoto's Herculean performance was the biggest reason the Dodgers won it all. A single, untouchable arm can make all the difference in a seven-game series, and guess which team has the best pitcher in baseball right now?
Jacob Misiorowski has undoubtedly been the best arm in baseball this year, and it stands to reason that should the going get tough in the playoffs, the Brewers would turn to their 24-year-old arm.
The question is whether or not Misiorowksi could handle such a massive workload in such a short span. After all, Yamamoto is currently averaging more than 6.2 innings of work per start , while Misiorowski is averaging barely six.
That might not seem like a huge difference, but it is.
This season, Misiorowski has yet to make an appearance on fewer than four days of rest. In the postseason, it's going to be shorter. Furthermore, he's only pitched more than 100 pitches in a game three times. He also only goes into the seventh inning in just 31.8% of his games.
On the bright side, five of the seven games in which he pitched into the seventh came in a six-game stretch between May 13 and June 12 this year. He gave up just one earned run in that stretch, never had more than five days rest, and threw more than 90 pitches in four of those games. Despite his high velocity, that stretch shows potential for a workhorse load in the playoffs, and that might be exactly what they need.
Of course, there are still more than 40 games left in the regular season, and one cold stretch could sour any momentum the Brewers have built thus far. Look no further than what is currently happening to the Dodgers.
On Monday, Aug. 10, the Brewers embark on a 12-game stretch during which they will face the Padres, Dodgers and Braves. These series could be a good measuring stick to see just how the Brewers can handle high-caliber opponents day-in, day-out. This will be just the second series against both the Dodgers and Braves for Milwaukee this year.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY Sports: The Brewers are being overlooked despite owning MLB's best record
Kings' reported Opening Night, home opener games for 2026-27 NBA season revealed originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
The Kings’ 2026-27 NBA regular season schedule is beginning to take shape.
The Kings will open the season Oct. 21 on the road against the Los Angeles Clippers, KCRA’s Sean Cunningham reported Monday, citing sources. Cunningham also reported Sacramento’s home opener at Golden 1 Center follows three days later, on Oct. 24, against the Golden State Warriors — an early measuring-stick game against one of the league’s most scrutinized rosters heading into the year.
The schedule reveal comes at a pivotal moment for a franchise still searching for its identity after a historically difficult 2025-26 season. The Kings waived longtime veteran DeMar DeRozan this offseason and since have drafted rookies Darius Acuff Jr., Alex Karaban and Emanuel Sharp as the front office leans into a younger core. That youth movement extends to the front court as well, where promising young bigs like Dylan Cardwell and Max Raynaud found themselves in the lineup last season, both part of the same generational reset the front office appears to be building around.
What remains far less settled is the fate of the Kings’ veteran core. Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine and Malik Monk have all been connected to trade rumors this offseason, and it is entirely possible one or more of them is wearing a different jersey by the time Oct. 21 arrives. Not everyone believes that would be the right move — longtime Kings broadcaster Jerry Reynolds has publicly argued the Kings should not feel pressured into moving Sabonis specifically, even amid the swirling speculation.
That tension — a front office rebuilding around youth while still weighing what to do with its most accomplished veterans — is likely to define the Kings’ storyline well before the games even start counting. The full 82-game schedule will be released Thursday, which should offer more clarity on how the Kings plan to build toward respectability after one of the more disappointing seasons in franchise history.
One free agent that remains an intriguing addition for the New York Rangers is Patrik Laine.
Herb Zurkowsky of the Montreal Gazette pointed out that Laine has been linked to the New York Rangers, Minnesota Wild, Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Philadelphia Flyers.
Since recording 44 goals in his second NHL season with the Winnipeg Jets, Laine has dealt with numerous injuries that have clouded the rest of his career to date.
The 2016 second overall pick has now played for three different teams: the Jets, the Columbus Blue Jackets, and most recently, the Montreal Canadiens, as he’s coming off a four-year, $38.4 million contract.
Now, Laine will likely be forced to sign a one-year, prove-it contract after playing in just five games for the Montreal Canadiens this past season.
Despite his lengthy injury history and decrease in production over the years, the 28-year-old forward still holds intrigue on the open market due to his goal-scoring abilities.
It was just two seasons ago when Laine scored 20 goals in 52 games and led the Habs with 15 power-play goals.
According to Vincent Mercogliano of The Athletic, Drury remains on the prowl for a forward to bring in before training camp begins, so Laine may be on the Rangers’ radar.
Mets interim manager Andy Green discussed several topics prior to Monday’s series opener with the Braves…
Senga impressing in high-leverage role
Though Green stopped short of naming a new closer in Devin Williams’ absence due to a shoulder injury, he has been impressed by what he’s seen from Kodai Senga moving into a high-leverage role.
Senga worked around a walk in his first outing against Cleveland, then struck out two in a perfect inning.
“He threw an eighth the other day in the heart of the lineup in the highest spot,” he said. “To me that's as much leverage as the ninth, we’ll see how it plays today and in the coming days, we were fortunate yesterday to not need a closer.”
From Green’s standpoint, he felt that Senga attacked those appearances very well, and the Mets were left encouraged by what they saw from him from a velocity standpoint.
No matter where they end up using him next, Green is excited to continue seeing Senga tested in his new role.
Coming into spring training, Jared Young’s role on the Mets’ Opening Day roster was a bit of a question mark.
With injuries and some underperformers along the way, though, the veteran has more than stepped up and carried his weight as the regular first baseman for the majority of the season.
Young’s three-hit day in Sunday's win brought his OPS up to .770 for the year.
“He’s someone the whole organization was excited about,” Green said. “Last year there wasn’t an opportunity, there was one this year, and if you look at his track record as a hitter he’s one of those guys you ask how did he not get a shot.
"All year he's been really competitive in the box -- he’s gone through stretches where he’s been outstanding and stretches like everyone else where he’s grinded -- but he’s had really productive at-bats all season long,” he continued.
“He’s also an amazing teammate, goes out and competes everyday, and cares about the people around him -- it’s always cool to see a guy like that get an opportunity.”
A.J. Ewing – CF
Francisco Lindor – SS
Bo Bichette – 3B
Carson Benge – RF
Jared Young – 1B
Marcus Semien – 2B
Brett Baty – LF
Jorge Polanco – DH
Francisco Alvarez – C
Christian Scott – RHP
Drake Baldwin – DH
Ronald Acuña – RF
Matt Olson – 1B
Michael Harris – CF
Ozzie Albies – 2B
Mauricio Dubon – LF
Austin Riley – 3B
Jim Jarvis – SS
Sean Murphy – C
Bryce Elder – RHP
First pitch: 7:15 PM EDT
TV: SNY
Radio: Audacy Mets Radio WHSQ 880AM, Audacy App, 92.3 HD2
Here are the lineups for the first game in St. Louis. Let’s discuss!
For the Phillies:
For the Cardinals:
Before we get to the lineup, some rather important official business, sadly. While we are technically unaffiliated with the Boston Red Sox, we are obviously part of the larger Red Sox community. For those of you hurting out there because the team hasn’t won in 72 hours: We hear you. We feel you. And we’ll do whatever we can to make things right for tonight’s “short-lived Yankees starters” battle between Sonny Gray and Jameson Taillon. We know we have a responsibility to you, and we will work like heck to make it up to you. No but seriously they hadn’t lost back-to-back games since July 1. That’s insane.
We’re now into the dog days of the NBA season.
LeBron James made his decision. Luka Doncic got his center in Walker Kessler. Giannis Antetokounmpo is with the Heat.
Over the last few months, there have been some seismic changes in the NBA, leaving the landscape looking very different heading into next season.
Here are the biggest winners and losers so far this summer.
The 76ers traded Paul George for Jaylen Brown and acquired James in free agency, catapulting them into becoming championship contenders. Brown finished sixth in MVP voting last season. James is easily a top-20 player in the NBA.
The 76ers have gone from being mired in mediocrity, failing to get past the second round of the playoffs since they drafted Joel Embiid with the No. 3 overall pick in 2014, to becoming the most interesting team in the league.
There are a lot of questions about how this roster will work. There might be too many chefs in the kitchen with Embiid, Brown, James, Tyrese Maxey and V.J. Edgecombe all needing touches.
But the 76ers have the potential to move the needle. James went to the opposite coast of his family and joined a team with which he has no history because he believes they give him his best chance of winning his fifth championship.
That says a lot about the 76ers’ prospects.
The Warriors went all in on trying to get James onto their team. Steph Curry, who normally remains mum about front office moves, publicly pitched for James to join the Warriors. Draymond Green declined his $27.7 million player option so the Warriors could pay James more money.
But James chose to join the 76ers, and the Warriors have pretty much stood pat this offseason. That leaves Curry, who turns 39 next season, running things back with the same roster he had last season— you know, the one that didn’t make the playoffs. Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody will miss the start of the season because of injuries. The Warriors know they’re not title contenders next season.
That’s a shame for Curry, who wants to play meaningful basketball in the sunset of his career.
James mulled over where he would take his talents for his fourth and final stop of his illustrious career for more than three weeks.
There were many factors to consider. Would he prioritize tying his career into a neat bow by returning to the Cavaliers, who selected him as the No. 1 overall pick in 2003? Would he join forces with Antetokounmpo in Miami and try to win a third ring with the franchise that turned him into an NBA champion in 2012? Would he join Curry and Green on the Warriors to create a geriatric super team?
But James chose to prioritize winning. In retrospect, this all makes so much sense.
James has devoted his life to basketball since he was in middle school. The reason why he became the first player in NBA history to reach his 23rd season is because of his unparalleled dedication to his craft. If he’s still showing up to arenas five hours before games and missing countless moments with his family and friends, it might as well mean something.
And in the NBA meaning is defined by winning.
So James went to where he believes he has his best shot of adding to his legacy. if he’s still pouring his heart into the sport, he might as well go all in on having another trophy to show for it. With the 76ers, he has a real shot of being atop the mountain again.
Jalen Bruson and Co. are coming off of a magical championship run. No one thought they’d be hoisting the Larry O’Brien trophy in June. No one thought Brunson would turn into one of the biggest superstars in the NBA. They left their detractors reeling.
But their path to repeating as champions just got much tougher. The 76ers are loaded. The Heat will be formidable with Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo once they find their rhythm. Tyrese Haliburton is going to be on a revenge mission next season after returning from a torn Achilles’ tendon that he suffered during the 2025 NBA Finals. The East is no longer a cakewalk.
The Knicks are the team to beat. But there’s now a lot of talent in their conference nipping at their heels, threatening to derail their goal of proving the league wrong once again.
Cardinals outside linebacker Josh Sweat remains on the active/physically unable to perform list with a knee issue. Coach Mike LaFleur has repeatedly said he is not worried about Sweat's availability for the Sept. 13 opener.
General Manager Monti Ossenfort reiterated that belief Monday.
"Josh is making good progress. Josh is getting closer every day," Ossenfort said, via video from PHNX Cardinals. "I think Josh is going to be out there in due time to get ready for the season opener, and we're excited to get him out there and get him going."
Sweat, 29, was the subject of trade chatter in the offseason, as the Cardinals received calls about him. Ossenfort said the Cardinals are not interested in trading Sweat, who had a career-high 12 sacks last season.
"I'd say [trade] discussions that come by that, there's always a lot of talk that goes around that," Ossenfort said. "We have no interest in trading Josh. We're excited to have him. Some of those discussions [we're] going to keep private, but excited to have Josh here. [He] had a great year last year. Excited for more good things out of him this year."
So apparently, the rumors of Spencer Strider’s baseball demise for 2026 may have been somewhat exaggerated. Right before the trade deadline, there was “scuttlebutt” from MLB.com Braves beat writer Mark Bowman that Spencer Strider had cleared out his locker room and was likely done for the season.
However, during today’s pregame press conference, Walt Weiss indicated that Strider may not be done for 2026 after all. When Weiss was asked for updates on various pitchers who are currently on the shelf, he shocked the room by casually including Strider in those updates as well.
Weiss had no updates as far as Robert Suarez goes and maintained that Spencer Schwellenbach had a way to go before returning from his throwing program. Weiss did mention that Hurston Waldrep had a “good report” once he got a second opinion on his throwing arm and then mentioned that both he and Strider would be starting up throwing programs soon.
“There was a possibility that he could’ve been out for the year,” explained Weiss. “It’s tough to put timelines out there because things just change. Their progression changes day to day — it’s never linear.” Weiss went on to explain that apparently it was just down to Strider himself noticing that he was feeling somewhat better than expected. “He’s feeling good, the tests are positive and when that happens you get to the next step where it’s ‘Let’s start throwing again,’ so he’s felt good enough to do that,” stated Weiss.
With that being said, it’s still pretty tough to imagine Spencer Strider coming back and having a major impact on the rotation here in 2026 and Weiss mentioned as much while continuing to give his thoughts on the situation. “There’s a big leap between starting a throwing progression and throwing on a major league mound,” explained Weiss. “There’s a lot to uncover but at least he’s starting to throw again.”
There’s already a prime example of just how long a throwing program can take — after all, it sure seems like Spencer Schwellenbach has been on a throwing program for what feels like half of the season so far. I’d imagine that it’s still doubtful that we’ll see Strider pitch in a big league game again in 2026 and if he does, I anticipate it being out of the bullpen. But for now, don’t close the door on Strider returning because apparently the Braves themselves still think he might have something to contribute here in 2026.
Meanwhile, BravesVision analyst Paul Byrd tried to get the skinny on the confusion that occurred on Saturday (and bled into Sunday) when it came to Chris Sale and that contentious balk call. Weiss stated that he was still just as confused as ever with what happened out there, despite having a conversation with crew chief Dan Bellino.
“This is not something that we have ever done. Chris Sale has never done this in his career; declaring from hitter-to-hitter. That’s never been a thing. You declare once and that’s it,” stated Weiss. “Now, if you’re going to go back to the stretch then you have to redeclare but he’s never had to declare from hitter-to-hitter — you declare one time.”
“So I don’t know where that came from,” continued Weiss. “I don’t know if the league is cracking down on it. […] If this is something that we’re cracking down on […] then that’s a conversation at the home plate meeting or a heads up. I haven’t heard anything about cracking down on it — it’s news to me! Usually there’s a memo that goes around at the very least. We’ve never dealt with this before and we didn’t even know what the heck was going on when the balk was called. I think there needs to be clarity.
“My conversation with Bellino is that he’s going to have to declare every hitter moving forward,” said Weiss as he continued to discuss the weird situation. “If that’s the case, then let me know and let Chris know. We’ve dealt with a lot of changes — not that this is a rule change. We’ve dealt with having to adjust with pitch clocks and throw-overs and we do it seamlessly because these guys adapt very well. If that’s the case then we need to know that. I think we’ll get to the bottom of it soon. It was a weird chain of events there and I’ve never dealt with that before.”
So yeah, there are still some feelings of contention between the Braves and that particular umpiring crew but for now, the Braves appear to be prepared to deal with it, adjust and move on. That should be the end of what was a wacky saga that somehow turned into a two-day affair (and now three since here we are, talking about it).