Minor League roundup, September 3: Cam Maldonado keeps crushing it

Cam Maldonado catching a ball in the outfield in college.
Fort Myers, FL - February 21: Northeastern outfielder Cam Maldonado catches a fly ball for an out. (Photo by Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images

Just three games for the San Francisco Giants Minor League Baseball affiliates on Thursday, as AA Richmond had their game postponed due to weather. They have a doubleheader scheduled for today to make up for it.

Here’s what happened in those other games!

Link to the 2026 McCovey Chronicles Community Prospect List (CPL)

All listed positions in the roundup are the position played in that particular game.


News

A few assignments were announced since yesterday’s roundup. Most notably, RHP Eric Nachtsheim, July’s 6th-round pick, was assigned to Low-A San Jose. We should get to see him make his pro debut this weekend, when San Jose plays their final 3 games of the regular season.

AAA Sacramento added some talent, as the Giants claimed infielder Brett Harris off of waivers from the Red Sox, and optioned him.

Very oddly, San Jose RHP Trey Seeley was activated off the 7-Day IL on Friday. Seeley was removed from Tuesday’s start in the 1st inning, and looked distraught while walking off with the trainers, suggesting a serious injury. He then was placed on the IL on Wednesday. So it was very odd seeing him come off the IL this morning (you don’t really need to served the 7 days on the IL in the Minor Leagues, as it’s really just an injury designation more than an actual enforced time). That said, bookkeeping in the Minors is shoddy enough that this could just be a clerical error, or perhaps the Giants doing it for some reason I’m not aware of, beyond Seeley actually being healthy. It’s worth keeping an eye on whether or not he gets into a game.


AAA Sacramento (75-57)

Sacramento River Cats lost to the Salt Lake Bees (Angels) 4-3 (10 innings)
Box score

The Pacific Coast League might be where offense goes to flourish and pitching goes to die, but apparently the River Cats and Bees didn’t get the memo. The scores so far in this series? 4-1, 3-1, and 4-3. You won’t see many 3-game stretches in the PCL featuring a grand total of 16 runs between the teams!

Needless to say, the pitching was strong in this one. And it was strong in a way that Sacramento’s older brothers in San Francisco can’t relate to: because of a dominant bullpen. The start went to LHP Seth Lonsway, who made his 1st appearance since getting optioned following his fairly surprising MLB debut.

Lonsway was pretty solid which, if we’re being frank, is better than he’s been most of the year. He pitched 5.2 innings and gave up 8 baserunners (6 hits and 2 walks), while allowing 3 runs and striking out 3. He did a decent job avoiding hard contact, though he did give up a home run to MLB veteran Jeimer Candelario.

It seems a certainty that Lonsway will be designated for assignment in the coming months, as the Giants are going to have to clear about 20 spots on their 40-man roster over the fall and winter. But it also seems a near-certainty that he’ll clear waivers and be outrighted back to Sacramento, so he can continue serving as emergency depth in 2027.

While Lonsway was merely decent, the bullpen was spectacular. It began with another stellar showing from RHP R.J. Dabovich, who gave up no hits in 1.1 innings, while walking 1 and striking out 3. Dabovich has been excellent since finishing his rehab assignment and returning to Sacramento: in 4 outings with the River Cats, he’s pitched 4.1 scoreless innings, while allowing just 3 baserunners and striking out 5. Dabovich is up to 10.1 total innings on the year, which may not sound like a lot, but it’s more than he had in any of the past 3 years. It wouldn’t be surprising if the Giants send him to the AFL to get him some more reps … if he can stay healthy, he could work his way into the bullpen plans next year, as there’s a ton of talent in his arm.

LHP Philip Abner and RHP Eric Cerantola both had strong games, as each struck out 2 batters in a no-hit inning, with the former facing the minimum of 3 batters, and the latter allowing both a walk and a hit batter. LHP Nick Zwack pitched the 10th and “allowed” a sacrifice bunt and a sacrifice fly, which scored the Manfred Man, meaning Zwack was handed the unlucky distinction of getting the loss despite not allowing a single baserunner.

A few strong performances on offense, despite the low score. Most notable was that second baseman Darren Baker, Dusty’s son, made his organizational debut. He hit 1-3 with a strikeout and a stolen base before leaving the game early. Baker, who was recently signed to a Minor League deal, hadn’t played in a game since mid-July, so the Giants will probably give him a handful of partial games before letting him play all 9 innings.

First baseman Diego Velasquez (No. 31 CPL) had a nice game, hitting 3-4 with a double and a walk. The Giants certainly made Velasquez, a switch-hitter who turns 23 next month, earn his AAA stripes, as he spent 255 games in AA before getting the call to the highest level of the Minors. That approach seems to have worked, as he’s looked extremely comfortable with the River Cats, posting an .861 OPS and a 133 wRC+ through 24 games.

The Giants have a ton of backup infielders (Christian Koss, Osleivis Basabe, Shay Whitcomb, Nate Furman, and Brett Harris) on the 40-man roster, and plenty of those names will be employed elsewhere come 2027. That could open the door for Velasquez to play a role next season, if he can keep hitting like this.

If you’ve been reading these articles lately, you know that the exciting trio at the top of Sacramento’s lineup — Bo Davidson (No. 4 CPL), Parks Harber (No. 17 CPL), and Scott Bandura — has been struggling something fierce lately, after dominating the summer. Thankfully, that cold streak ended for one of the players, as Bandura, playing in center field, had a lovely game, hitting 2-5 with a pair of doubles, a walk, and a strikeout.

The mini slump was not enough to notably bring down Bandura’s numbers in AAA this year, as the 2023 7th-round selection still has a .317 batting average with just a 14.6% strikeout rate, leading to an .875 OPS and a 130 wRC+. What a season he’s had, and it’s certainly put him in position to make the MLB roster, either in the final weeks of the season or as a Rule 5 protection.

Davidson, playing in right field, did not break out of his slump, but he didn’t necessarily add to it either, as he had a day with some good and some bad, hitting 1-5 with a double and a walk, but striking out 3 times. After going scorched earth on the PCL for a while, Davidson has calmed down considerably, and in his last 10 games is hitting 7-39 with 3 extra-base hits, 6 walks, and 11 strikeouts. That’s brought him down to an .839 OPS and a 117 wRC+, though it’s still been a wildly successful AAA campaign for the lefty slugger.

Harber, unfortunately, did add to his slump, which has gotten extremely ugly. The right-hander, who turns 25 later this month, went 0-6 in this game with a strikeout hat trick, bringing his 8-game running tally to a truly unsightly line: 1-32, with 4 walks and 12 strikeouts. After rocking a wRC+ in the 130s and 140s for his 1st few weeks in AAA, the undrafted free agent acquired in the Camilo Doval trade is now down to a .751 OPS and a 99 wRC+. But these sorts of barriers are normal in development, which is why I find it so strange that the Giants keep bypassing AAA roadblocks with early promotions. But I digress…

High-A Eugene (77-51)

Eugene Emeralds beat the Hillsboro Hops (D-Backs) 7-6
Box score

A fairly dramatic one for the Emeralds, who scored all 7 of their runs in the 8th inning. That’s one way to win a baseball game!

Eugene kicked off that 7-run inning with a 3-run blast by the hottest hitter on the team, right fielder Cam Maldonado (No. 34 CPL).

Maldonado, who finished the game 2-5 with a strikeout, had an up-and-down season in Low-A, but has been other-worldly since heading to the Pacific Northwest. Last year’s 7th-round pick is only 20 games into his High-A tenure but has already smacked 8 home runs, leading to a 1.129 OPS and a 178 wRC+ for the 22-year old. What a way to end the year!

The other offensive stars were a pair of newcomers to the system, second baseman Dalton Wentz and shortstop Kaeden Kent. Wentz, a 21-year old switch-hitter taken in the 16th round in July, but given a 4th-round bonus, hit 2-3 with a double, a walk, 2 stolen bases, and a strikeout. Kent, a 23-year old switch-hitter acquired in the Heliot Ramos trade, went 2-4 and swiped a pair of bags.

Wentz has done an impressive job fitting in, considering that he jumped straight to High-A for his pro debut. He’s hit safely in 9 out of the 11 games he’s played in, and while he’s struck out too many times (16), he’s hitting 11-42 with 4 extra-base hits and 7 walks, good for a .772 OPS and a 109 wRC+. Pretty impressive for someone who skipped rookie ball and Low-A, and was on the young side for a college draftee (he turned 21 a few weeks after being drafted).

Kent, who was a 3rd-round pick by the Yankees a year ago, has been awesome in his short stint with the Emeralds, posting an .879 OPS and a 121 wRC+ through 7 games. He’s a remarkably well-rounded player, which I suppose isn’t too surprising given who his dad was!

While that pair of middle infielders excelled, the same can sadly not be said of the third baseman Walker Martin, who had a brutal game. Martin, a 2nd-round pick in 2023, hit 0-3 with 2 strikeouts and 3 errors, though he did reach base once via a walk. The Giants gave Martin a chance in High-A despite fairly middling results in Low-A, and so far the results have been tough: he has a .234 average, a 33.7% strikeout rate, a .728 OPS, a 91 wRC+, and has committed 30 errors.

Unlike in Sacramento, Eugene’s bullpen was unexciting and uninspiring in this one, but there was a strong — and exciting — start, thanks to LHP Jordan Gottesman.

Gottesman, who was a 6th-round pick last year out of Northeastern, was making his High-A debut following a late-season promotion, and it sure went well, as he tossed 4.2 innings, while allowing just 2 hits, 1 walk, and 1 run, and striking out 2. The only real stain on Gottesman’s day was that, despite the low strikeout total and low baserunner total, he needed 91 pitches to get through 4.2 innings. Still and all, a wonderful debut in the Northwest League for someone who figures to be a key part of Eugene’s rotation in 2027.

Low-A San Jose (77-52)

San Jose Giants beat the Fresno Grizzlies (Rockies) 8-5
Box score

Down in San Jose we’re seeing a funny power surge from left fielder Oliver Tejada, who just can’t stop hitting the ball over the fence. The 19-year old from the Dominican Republic was back at it on Thursday, hitting 1-4 with a 2-run blast and a walk, though he struck out 3 times.

Tejada made his stateside debut last year in the Complex League, where he hit just 1 home run in 57 games. He began this season still in Arizona, where he hit 1 more home run in 26 games. When the season ended he joined San Jose where he has … wait for it … now hit 7 home runs in 42 games. Go figure.

Funnily enough, despite the power surge, Tejada’s isolated slugging has actually lowered since the promotion, due to how many doubles and triples he was hitting in the Complex League. And despite all the home runs, it hasn’t been a seamless transition to Low-A, as the righty has been taking an all-or-nothing approach: after having a .320 average and a 19.3% strikeout rate in rookie ball this year, he’s hitting just .218 with a 29.1% strikeout rate in San Jose.

But home runs can cure a lot of ailments, especially for players who are strong defensively. And given that Tejada will be busy wrapping Christmas presents when he turns 20, it’s fair to say that the contact issues in his introduction to full-season ball aren’t all that concerning. Give it time!

Designated hitter Angel Guzman is another player who came to San Jose when the ACL season wrapped up, and he has been in an absolute groove at his new level. The 20-year old Dominican hit 4-5 in this game, while bopping a double and driving in 2 runs, which pushed him up to an .884 OPS and a 128 wRC+ with San Jose. His numbers really haven’t fallen off at all since getting promoted, as the lefty took a few weeks to get acclimated and then positively made up for lost time, posting a .967 OPS in August.

Shortstop Josuar González (No. 2 CPL) bounced back following one of the only bad games of his career, as he hit 2-5 with a double and a strikeout. If he can keep this up for 3 more games, the 18-year old switch-hitter will end his debut A-ball stint with an OPS that starts with a 1 (it’s currently 1.013, with a 153 wRC+).

Undrafted free agent catcher Scott Gell made his professional debut and went 0-4 with a walk and a strikeout. Welcome to the pros, Scott!

A funny start from RHP Ben Bybee, last year’s 8th-round selection out of Arkansas. Bybee, pitching a day after celebrating his 23rd birthday, worked quickly and let the ball get put in play. He needed just 61 pitches to get through 5 innings, and all 20 batters that he faced put the ball in play, as he finished the game with neither a walk nor a strikeout. You don’t see that very often!

Despite the tiny pitch count, Bybee did give up 7 hits, which included a pair of home runs, tagging him for 4 runs on the day. That’s been an issue for Bybee in his debut season: he does a great job of avoiding free baserunners, but is simply far too hittable. He’s only issued 2.3 walks per 9 innings, with just 1 hit by pitch all year. But he’s also only struck out 6.9 batters per 9 innings, and in 78.1 frames has ceded 87 hits and 13 home runs, leading to a 5.06 ERA and a 5.85 FIP.

RHP Samir Chires returned to San Jose following a brief emergency depth stint in Sacramento and tossed 2 no-hit innings with 3 strikeouts, though he walked 2 batters. Chires, who turns 23 later this month, has been awesome in his A-ball debut, after starting the season in the ACL. In 14 outings with the Baby Giants, he has a 1.90 ERA and a 3.49 FIP, with 25 strikeouts against just 5 walks in 23.2 innings.


Home run tracker

22 — Cam Maldonado — [8 in High-A; 16 in Low-A]
8 — Oliver Tejada — [7 in Low-A; 1 in ACL]


Friday schedule

Sacramento: 6:45 p.m. PT vs. Salt Lake (SP: Trystan Vrieling)
Richmond: 3:05 p.m PT doubleheader at Akron (SP: Charlie McDaniel)
Eugene: 6:35 p.m. PT at Hillsboro (SP: Cade Vernon)
San Jose: 7:05 p.m. PT at Fresno (SP: Jackson Flora)

Reminder that almost all MiLB games can be viewed on MLB TV

Spurs Villain Tournament, Sweet 16: Killers and “Dirty” Players

HOUSTON - MAY 28: Hakeen Olajuwon #34 of the Houston Rockets and David Robinson #50 of the San Antonio Spurs battle for position in Game Four of the Western Conference Finals during the 1995 NBA Playoffs at The Summit on May 28, 1995 in Houston. The San Antonio Spurs defeated the Houston Rockets 103-81. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1995 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

We’ve gotten through the first round of our quest to determine who the biggest Spurs Villain of all time is, and today, we move on to round two, beginning with the “on-court” side of the bracket (yes, there is a method to the madness). This includes Spurs Killers (players who dominated playoff series and/or made devastating shots or plays that will haunt our minds for all eternity) and Dirty Players (players who committed dirty plays against the Spurs, injured or attempted to injure a Spur, and we will never forgive them).

First, let’s take a quick look back at the results from Round 1, where both brackets saw upsets in the 4 vs. 5 seeds, but otherwise the favorites won by heavy margins:

It’s not too surprising to see the 2026 Knicks killers pass up Serge Ibaka in Spurs Killers considering it was the Finals (as opposed to the Conference Finals) and more recent by 12-14 years. On the Dirty Players side, Kevin Garnett’s notoriety, over-the-top trash talk — which allegedly included mocking Tim Duncan’s deceased mother — and physical, bordering on dirty style of play just barely beat out an admittedly singular but consequential dirty play by Juwan Howard.

So those are the two upsets, and now we move on to the next round to see who will advance to the Elite 8. (And we apologize for having polls in two places, both here and in The Feed. We know it’s confusing, but embedding Feed polls is the only way to have polls in the main articles for now. They are still the exact same poll, so you can only vote once regardless of where.)

Round 2: Spurs Killers

1. Derek Fisher vs. 5. Jalen Brunson & OG Anunoby

This is another case where recency bias and/or playoff round may or may not play a role, but if you weren’t around to experience the 2000’s Spurs, you have no idea the damage Fisher did to all our psyche back in the day. It was the peak of the Spurs/Lakers rivalry in an era of dynasties, and even though both Tim Duncan and Kobe Bryant eventually won 5 championships, Lakers fans never let us forget that they repeated and we didn’t, which according to them meant the Spurs “weren’t a real dynasty”.

And Fisher — a mere role player who could barely be considered average — almost single handedly caused two of those failed repeats. His 0.4 shot and Brent Barry no-call foul were both extremely lucky and came when the Spurs were trying to defend championships, not win a first one with a very green, inexperienced roster, which was the case this year. The way the Knicks humiliated the Spurs was certainly painful, but honestly the Spurs shot themselves in the foot more than anything. At least that’s how I feel, but you may feel entirely different, and that’s okay! Vote with your heart.

2. Ray Allen vs. 3. Hakeem Olajuwon

I admitted in round 1 that The Shot remains the play that haunts my mind the most (I even remember the nightmares I had that night), while I admittedly was only 9 years old in 1995 and didn’t watch The Dream destroy The Admiral. To not let recency bias get in my own way here, let’s consider the consequences. While Ray Allen’s shot will never stop gracing our social media timelines or NBA commercials, at least it led to The Redemption in 2014: arguably one of the most impressive and satisfying championships in both Spurs and NBA history.

On the other hand, you can legitimately assert that Olajuwon’s destruction of David Robinson in the 1995 Playoffs damaged the latter’s legacy, knocking Robinson down a peg in all-time rankings for having never won a championship as the best player on his team. But, on the other-other hand, one was in the Finals and took away a championship, the other was the Conference Finals. It all comes down to the voter to decide.

Round 2: “Dirty” Players

1. Zaza Pachulia vs. 5. Kevin Garnett

Now we move on to dirty players, and this one is a case of physical vs. mental. Pachulia committed one of the two most infamous dirty plays against the Spurs in modern history when he slid under Kawhi Leonard on a closeout in 2017, ending his season (and, indirectly, his time on the Spurs’ good side) and any hopes they had in the Conference Finals against the Warriors. He even forced the NBA to make a new rule that recklessly or intentionally interfering with a player’s landing zone on a three-point attempt is subject to video review and could be upgraded to a flagrant 1 or 2 foul.

As for Garnett, his playbook was more about getting under players’ skin with over-the-top trash talk and shenanigans, sometimes crossing red lines like he did with Tim Duncan’s mother, but he admittedly doesn’t have a record of physically trying to hurt anyone (at least on the Spurs). Although, you might call stuff like yelling directly into and even touching someone’s face being too “up close and personal” for comfort. (I bet Timmy had to get a towel after that.)

2. Karl Malone vs. 3. Eduardo Najera

And here is the player who committed the other of the two most infamous dirty plays against the Spurs in modern history, when Malone elbowed Robinson directly in the temple, knocking him out cold and sending him to the hospital. (Somehow, Robinson was called for the foul and Malone wasn’t, I guess there was no video review back in 1998.) I remember watching that play live as a kid, and it traumatized me a bit. But that wasn’t all! He also whacked Duncan in the face a few weeks later and kicked him in the head another time. Possibly the dirtiest player in NBA history had no trouble living up to his reputation against the Spurs.

His opponent, Eduardo Najera, also has a history of multiple incidents against the Spurs. While his first incident in Game 1 of the 2003 WCF wasn’t necessarily a dirty play — Malik Rose hit his head on his knee, leaving him spazzing on the floor for a moment and resulting in a concussion scare — Rose grew more frustrated with Najera’s too-physical play throughout the series and got visibly frustrated with him in Game 6. And more infamously, there was the 2010 playoffs, when Najera got ejected for dangerously pulling Manu Ginobili, who already had a broken nose, down to the ground and received a flagrant 1 for poking Tony Parker in eyes, resulting in the glare of death from Pop.

Vuelta a España: Wout van Aert battles scorching heat to claim stage 13 victory

  • Mas keeps hold of red jersey with 1min 45sec lead

  • Kooij claims stage win at Tour of Britain

Wout van Aert won his fourth career stage at the Vuelta a España amid scorching heat on Friday, while Enric Mas kept the red jersey.

On a hot and sunny day in southern Spain, Van Aert beat fellow breakaway rider Valentin Paret-Peintre to claim the hilly 192km jaunt from Almuñécar to Loja.

Continue reading...

One MLB team increased attendance by almost 80%. But there's a catch.

The biggest turnaround story in MLB attendance this season belongs to one of the clubs with the biggest on-field flip — but the better record doesn’t tell the full story.

The Tampa Bay Rays have increased their per-game attendance 77.3% year-over-year, but last season, they played in the 11,026-seat spring training stadium George M. Steinbrenner Field after Tropicana Field was damaged by Hurricane Milton.

Now, the Rays are back home at 25,025-seat Tropicana Field, which is 127% larger than Steinbrenner Field. However, they are still pulling higher numbers than their last season at Tropicana.

In 2024, Tampa Bay averaged 16,515 fans per game. This year, the ballclub is up 4.3% to 17,225. That would still be the sixth-biggest increase across MLB in 2026.

The Rays finished fourth in the American League East in both 2024 and 2025. This season, they are leading the division with just a few weeks left to play.

Biggest MLB attendance gains, 2025-26

The next biggest jump in attendance is more natural.

The Chicago White Sox are up 36.4% from 2025, vaulting from 17,849 per game to 24,353. However, a new venue can’t explain the sharp rise.

Instead, the club has pulled a full-on rebound, going from last in the AL Central to leading the division this year. Plus, Japanese sensation Munetaka Murakami has given the city’s south side team a star power boost.

The team has also tapped into promotional nights to get fans into the ballpark — for instance, a Pope Hat giveaway drew a sellout crowd of 38,113.

On the other end of the spectrum sit the New York Mets, who turned MLB’s largest payroll into cellar dwellers in the National League East.

It’s worth noting that last season was a Citi Field record with a 36.7% increase from 2024. However, early on-field woes turned into season-long struggles and New York has averaged 33,819 fans per game in 2026, down from 39,316 last season.

And despite the dip, the Mets are performing better at the gate than they did in a 101-win 2022 season, when they averaged 31,663 fans per game.

Biggest MLB attendance drops, 2025-26

The other double-digit drops belong to the Kansas City Royals and the Houston Astros, who are down 11.1% and 10.4%, respectively.

Houston is on pace for its lowest winning percentage since 2020, although they are managing to lead the AL West.  

The Royals, meanwhile, reached the postseason in 2024 and averaged 21,590 fans per game the following season, their highest since 2017.

This year, Kansas City tied for the worst record in baseball at the All-Star break and has failed to do much since.

League-wide, MLB is averaging 29,524 fans per game, per a pull of Baseball-Reference.com data on Sept. 1.

That’s just about steady with 2024 and 2025 figures and is up 11.1% compared to 2022.

It’s also an improvement of 4.7% from the last pre-pandemic season of 2019.

MLB attendance per game since 2000

However, the league still hasn’t reached its all-time high of 32,696 fans per game set in 2007. MLB is also on trend to miss the 30,000 mark, something it has not hit since 2016.

There is a chance, though, for the league to break that barrier as we have over three weeks left in the season. And the Wild Card race is still up for grabs, with nine teams vying for the AL’s three spots and seven duking it out on the NL side.

Here’s the full list of attendance changes from 2025 to 2026 as recorded via Baseball-Reference.com on Sept. 1:

Can’t see the table? View here.

Methodology: Team by team attendance data comes from Baseball-Reference.com. The figures for 2026 are partial seasons through data obtained vis Baseball-Reference.com on Sept. 1. League attendance data since 2000 is also from Baseball-Reference.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: One MLB team increased attendance by almost 80%. But there's a catch.

Why Ben Simmons, Sacramento Kings are exactly what each other need

Ben Simmons needed a team, any NBA team, willing to give him one more chance.

The Sacramento Kings needed a player, any player, to fill out a 2026-27 roster that, until Sept. 4, had not added a free agent from outside the organization this offseason.

In that way, the Kings always made sense as the landing spot for Simmons' NBA comeback attempt. Only a team searching for answers would think the 2016 No. 1 pick can still provide value after sitting out last season and dabbling in professional fishing. Only a desperate veteran would volunteer to join the current salary cap woes and lack of direction the Kings are enduring under current owner Vivek Ranadivé.

Simmons signed with the Kings on Friday, Sept. 4, according to multiple reports. This will be his 10th NBA season, but only his eighth playing in games as injuries and contract issues cost him two full seasons.

Here's why Simmons could revive his NBA career in Sacramento and why it still might not work:

Ben Simmons contract details

Simmons is signing a one-year, $3.5 million contract with the Kings, according to ESPN.

How Ben Simmons fits with the Kings

The Kings were one of the worst teams in the NBA last season because of their awkward roster. Sacramento has an odd mix of expensive veterans and overlapping young players with not enough salary cap space or positive assets to maneuver much from their current situation. But the version of Simmons that played in Brooklyn could help the Kings because of his defensive versatility.

The Kings have front court players like Domantas Sabonis and Maxime Raynaud with defensive limitations who could, in theory, benefit from being paired with Simmons for stretches on the court. They also have personnel suited for the up tempo style that suits Simmons' point-forward tendencies. He can leverage his strengths as a ball-handler and transition playmaker in relief of 2026 first-round pick Darius Acuff Jr. because the Kings don't need Simmons to be a primary offensive option.

If Simmons returns as something resembling the player who was twice named to the NBA's all-defensive team, the 6-foot-10 forward would become a useful role player even if his lack of outside shooting is a liability.

Sacramento Kings roster update after Ben Simmons signing

  • G Zach LaVine
  • G Darius Acuff Jr.*
  • G Malik Monk
  • G Nique Clifford
  • G Daeqwon Plowden
  • G Emanuel Sharp*
  • G Adam Flagler**
  • F Keegan Murray
  • F DeAndre Hunter
  • F Precious Achiuwa
  • F Jonathan Mogbo
  • F Ben Simmons
  • F Alex Karaban*
  • C Domantas Sabonis
  • C Maxime Raynaud
  • C Dylan Cardwell

*2026 NBA Draft pick**2-way player

Ben Simmons injury history

Simmons' health has been an issue since he entered the NBA with the Philadelphia 76ers and sat out his first season with a foot injury. He also sat out the entire 2021-22 NBA campaign due to a back injury and contract dispute. The 2024-25 season was the only campaign since then in which Simmons appeared in more than 50 games, as back and knee injuries repeatedly limited his availability.

Why Ben Simmons' shooting remains a concern

Though Simmons twice averaged more than 16 points per game early in his career with the 76ers, he is a notoriously poor (and hesitant) shooter from outside the paint. He's just 5 for 36 over seven seasons from 3-point range and his reluctance to shoot the ball when teams back off him defensively became a problem during Philadelphia's postseason runs. He shot a career-worst 52% from the floor on a career-low 4.4 attempts per game during his most recent NBA season with the Nets and Los Angeles Clippers in 2024-25.

Ben Simmons stats

Simmons has career averages of 13.1 points, 7.4 rebounds and 7.2 assists per game over seven seasons. When he last played in the NBA over 51 combined games for the Nets and Los Angeles Clippers during the 2024-25 season, Simmons set career lows by averaging 5 points, 5.6 assists and 4.7 rebounds.

Simmons is a three-time NBA All-Star who won NBA Rookie of the Year in 2018 and earned third team all-NBA honors for the 2019-20 season.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why Ben Simmons, Sacramento Kings are exactly what each other need

The Pindown: Ranking the East

After a summer of crazy moves and unexpected turns across the NBA, the Pistons generally played it cool. But how do they stack up? The guys go spot by spot to rank the Eastern Conference, finding out where a lack of change has been misconstrued as a lack of improvement, or if the angst is legit! They also have a pity party for Clippers fans and their young players, and break down why Amen Thompson’s deal has no impact on Ausar Thompson’s potential deal.

We’ve got you covered for all this and more in this week’s episode!

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Red Sox vs. Orioles prediction: Odds, recent stats, trends, and best bets on September 4

The Red Sox (76-65) and the Orioles (69-72) continue their four-game series tonight at Oriole Park at Camden Yards following last night’s series-opening 6-5 win by the Sox.

 

Neither of these teams is winning the AL East but each is in the hunt for a Wild Card spot which makes this series crucial…especially for the Orioles. Boston sits comfortably in the second Wild Card spot (5.5 game lead) but Baltimore trails Cleveland for the final Wild Card spot by 1.5 games. Every loss down the stretch is magnified for Baltimore.

 

The storyline of last night’s game Adley Rutschman going yard twice in his first game back at Camden Yards since being traded to Boston at the Trade Deadline. Ironically, Rutschman got a standing ovation as he came to bat for the first time. Doubtful those cheers continued as the backstop delivered a smack to his former team in the top of the first. The Orioles answered on a Pete Alonso sacrifice fly in the home half of the first and Baltimore actually took the lead in the fourth inning when newly-acquired Luis Robert Jr. and Pete Alonso went back-to-back to put the Orioles ahead 3-1. Baltimore appeared in control behind starter Brandon Young, but Boston chipped away. Rutschman's second homer cut the deficit to 3-2 in the sixth, and an RBI single from Isiah Kiner-Falefa tied the game in the seventh. The decisive blow came in the eighth when Nick Sogard launched a two-run homer off Yennier Cano to break a 3-3 tie. Rookie star Roman Anthony added an insurance homer in the ninth, which proved important when Christian Encarnacion-Strand crushed a two-run homer off Aroldis Chapman in the bottom half. Chapman ultimately secured his 31st save as Boston escaped with the win.

 

Ranger Suárez (5-4, 3.64 ERA) takes the mound for Boston tonight. The southpaw will look to rebound from a dreadful outing in his last start. Last Sunday he was torched by the Yankees allowing six runs on nine hits over 5.1 innings. Shane Baz (5-14, 4.01 ERA) is expected to be on the bump for the Orioles. The righthander’s won-loss record is not appealing but the veteran has been solid the last few weeks. Over his last three starts, Baz has pitched 17.2 innings and allowed not allowed more than three runs in any of them. He faced the Red Sox on July 20and gave up four runs (one earned run) over six innings in a 6-5 loss.

 

Lets dive further into today’s game and find a sweat or two.

 

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

 

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

 

Game Details and How to Watch: Red Sox vs. Orioles

 

  • Date: Friday, September 4, 2026
  • Time: 7:05PM EST
  • Site: Oriole Park at Camden Yards
  • City: Baltimore, MD
  • Network/Streaming: MLB.TV, NESN, MASN

 

Peacock offers one of the most comprehensive live sports streaming lineups available today, bringing together the NFL, NBA, MLB, WNBA, Premier League, NCAA football, NCAA basketball, golf, motorsports, and major global sporting events in a single service.

 

The Latest Odds: Red Sox vs. Orioles

The latest odds as of Friday courtesy of DraftKings:

  • Moneyline: Boston Red Sox (-120), Baltimore Orioles (+100)
  • Spread: Red Sox -1.5 (+138), Orioles +1.5 (-167)
  • Total: 8.0 runs

 

Probable Starting Pitchers – Red Sox vs. Orioles for September 4

  • Red Sox: Ranger Suarez
    Season Totals: 123.2 IP, 5-4, 3.64 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 119K, 39 BB
  • Orioles: Shane Baz
    Season Totals: 157.0 IP, 5-14, 4.01 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 139K, 55 BB

Who’s Hot? Who’s Not! Red Sox vs. Orioles

  • Trevor Story has struck out 6 times in 12 career ABs against Shane Baz
  • The Orioles have lost 7 of Shane Baz’ last 8 starts
  • Pete Alonso is 3-21 including 7 Ks in his career against Ranger Suarez
  • Coby Mayo is 2-3 including 1 HR against Suarez
  • Ranger Suarez has not struck out more than 4 hitters in any of his last 6 starts and has reached 4 Ks in just 1 of the 6
  • Gunnar Henderson is 1-12 to open September
  • Jarren Duran is also 1-12 to open September

Top Betting Trends & Insights: Red Sox vs. Orioles

  • The Orioles are 72-69 on the Run Line this season
  • The Red Sox are 67-74 on the Run Line this season
  • The OVER has cashed 70 times in Baltimore’s 141 games this season (70-67-4)
  • The OVER has cashed 68 times in Boston’s 141 games this season (68-69-4)

 

Expert picks & predictions: Red Sox vs. Orioles for September 4

Rotoworld Bet Best Bet

 

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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

 

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

 

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for tonight’s game between the Orioles and the Red Sox:

  • Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Orioles on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Run Line.
  • Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total OVER 8.0

 

 

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MLB Lineup Report: CJ Abrams at second base, Luis Robert joins the Orioles

September has arrived, which means there are only a few lineup reports left in the 2026 regular season. While it can feel as if the fate of your season has already been determined, be sure to finish strong over these final three weekly lineup periods. In particular, pay close attention to any categories that could meaningfully affect your place in the standings, and adjust your roster accordingly.

Arizona Diamondbacks

Ketel Marte returned this week, serving as the DH in both of his starts while sitting on Wednesday. Ildemaro Vargas' playing time is in jeopardy if and when Marte moves back to second base. Lars Nootbaar is leading off against righties and sitting vs. lefties. Jordan Lawlar has started 11 of 16 since coming off the IL, all in center field.

Athletics

Henry Bolte has led off in every game since August 18. Lawrence Butler has started every game since July 29, taking advantage of all the season-ending injuries this lineup has endured. Zack Gelof is another everyday player hitting high in the order, splitting time between third base and left field.

Atlanta Braves

Austin Riley continues to start most every day but hasn't hit higher than seventh since July 24. Drake Baldwin came off the IL on June 16 and has only sat once since then. He's been mixing in plenty of DH starts lately, with Sean Murphy back healthy to share the load behind the plate.

Baltimore Orioles

Luis Robert Jr. has hit third and fourth in his two games since being claimed off waivers from the Mets. Samuel Basallo will of course have more fantasy value as a catcher in 2027, but he's up to 12 games (four starts) at first base too. Blaze Alexander is off the IL and mixing in throughout the infield, as neither Christian Encarnacion-Strand nor Coby Mayo has become a true everyday player.

Boston Red Sox

Roman Anthony has hit leadoff in all five games since coming off the IL, serving as the DH for four of those starts. Mickey Gasper has started four straight at first base with Willson Contreras sidelined. Trevor Story has hit eighth in his four starts at shortstop since returning from injury. Nick Sogard is consolidating playing time at second base.

Chicago Cubs

Ian Happ has sat against five straight lefties, platooning with Tyrone Taylor in left field. Pedro Ramírez has been banged up this week, but he's the one getting the most added playing time since Dansby Swanson hit the IL.

Chicago White Sox

Colson Montgomery has hit higher than sixth just once since August 13. Tristan Peters is an everyday player, while Brenton Doyle platoons with Sam Antonacci. Andrew Benintendi hits cleanup against RHP.

Cincinnati Reds

Héctor Rodríguez is the latest leadoff hitter against right-handers. Matt McLain has started every game since coming off the IL on July 30.

Cleveland Guardians

José Ramírez is back to playing every day after being eased in following his return from the hamate injury. As a result, Travis Bazzana, Angel Genao, and Brayan Rocchio have been sharing shortstop and second base. Chase DeLauter has hit second or third in every game he has started since May 3.

Colorado Rockies

Jake McCarthy has hit leadoff in every game since July 1. Cole Carrigg is up to 13 games (six starts) at shortstop. Connor Norby has hit second in three of their past four games, two of which were against lefties. Zac Veen's playing time is limited to games against right-handed pitching.

Detroit Tigers

Riley Greene has hit cleanup in each of his first two games off the IL. Dillon Dingler has been getting some extra days off throughout his second-half slump. Max Clark has started all but one game since debuting on July 31.

Houston Astros

Jose Altuve hasn't played in the outfield this season, so expect him to lose that eligibility heading into next year. Cam Smith's playing time against right-handers is decreasing.

Kansas City Royals

The Carter Jensen leadoff experiment continues, and he's been hot. Salvador Perez has mostly been a DH this year, but he'll qualify at catcher and first base in all formats next season. Jac Caglianone will have 1B and OF eligibility, which will only boost interest in him following some dominant stretches this summer.

Los Angeles Angels

Mike Trout is on pace to finish with his most plate appearances since at least 2019. Wade Meckler is batting first or third against all righties. Vaughn Grissom hits third or fourth against both righties and lefties. Christian Moore has started at second base in every game since being recalled on August 22.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Will Smith returned from the IL this week and hit fifth in each of his starts. Tommy Edman is splitting time between center field and second base, and Alek Thomas has been optioned back to Triple-A. Kyle Tucker continues to hit in the bottom half of the order.

Miami Marlins

Heriberto Hernández has hit inside the top three lineup spots over the past 10 days. Griffin Conine is in a strict platoon but bats high in the order vs. RHP. Agustín Ramírez has been close to a full-time DH since returning from Triple-A.

Milwaukee Brewers

While Jake Bauers is a full-time player at either right field or first base, there has been plenty of mixing and matching lately. Luis Lara, Garrett Mitchell, Sal Frelick, and Andrew Vaughn combine to fill out first base, right field, and center field, depending on where Bauers is playing. Cooper Pratt, Joey Ortiz, and David Hamilton split shortstop and third base between themselves.

Minnesota Twins

Walker Jenkins has started in center field and hit ninth in every game since debuting on August 28. Luke Keaschall has hit leadoff in every game since August 17. Royce Lewis is running out of time to add second base eligibility for next year. He remains at nine starts and hasn't played there since August 10.

New York Mets

Juan Soto has yet to play the field since coming off the IL due to his calf injury. That has shifted A.J. Ewing to the lower third of the order. The Orioles claiming Luis Robert Jr. is unlikely to open up meaningful playing time for any fantasy-relevant player.

New York Yankees

Heliot Ramos' playing time has cratered since Cody Bellinger came off the IL on August 23. Spencer Jones has started two of four against lefties since Bellinger came back and was added to the outfield mix. Luis García Jr. and Paul Goldschmidt continue to platoon at first base. José Caballero has been filling in at shortstop with George Lombard Jr. banged up this week.

Philadelphia Phillies

Kyle Schwarber is up to five starts at first base, which is meaningful for fantasy leagues with that low of an eligibility minimum.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Konnor Griffin is set to return from the IL on Friday. It'll be interesting to see where he hits. Spencer Horwitz has been leading off against RHP, while Jared Triolo and Nick Gonzales have split the duty against southpaws. Esmerlyn Valdez has only started against three of the past five righties they've faced.

San Diego Padres

Just when it appeared as if Fernando Tatis Jr. was winding down his time at second base, he's made consecutive starts at the position. He gained 2027 eligibility long ago, but it's interesting to think about whether he'll regain it for 2028 too. Twenty-year-old catcher Ethan Salas debuted on Wednesday, hitting sixth and starting behind the plate.

San Francisco Giants

Drew Gilbert has been leading off against RHP, while Jonah Cox does so versus LHP. Christian Koss has started every game at shortstop since Willy Adames hit the IL.

Seattle Mariners

Cal Raleigh has been hitting better lately and has moved up the order as a result, batting cleanup this week. Lazaro Montes debuted on Tuesday and, while it's a small sample, appears to be platooning with Taylor Ward. Dominic Canzone stayed in the lineup against the one lefty faced this week.

St. Louis Cardinals

Joshua Báez has sat against three of the past five righties they've faced. Thomas Saggese is hot entering a weekend at Coors Field, filling in at shortstop with both Masyn Winn and JJ Wetherholt sidelined.

Tampa Bay Rays

Yandy Díaz has yet to play the field this season, so he'll be UTIL-only heading into 2027. Victor Mesa Jr. returned from the IL this week. They continue to platoon at several positions outside of their core hitters.

Texas Rangers

Twelve of their past 19 games have been against left-handed starters, which has reduced Joc Pederson's playing time and increased Justin Foscue's. Ezequiel Duran has started every game since June 28. He's played every position other than catcher this season.

Toronto Blue Jays

Brett Bateman has remained the primary leadoff hitter since mid-August. Kazuma Okamoto (28) has twice as many homers as the next highest total on the team. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has yet to go yard at home this season.

Washington Nationals

CJ Abrams has made his first two starts at second base. He's unlikely to reach 20 games there before season's end, but 10 is within reach for leagues with that eligibility cutoff. Abimelec Ortiz has cooled considerably, but he's still getting plenty of starts in the two-hole against RHP. Andrés Chaparro has been mixing in starts at third base, occasionally spelling Brady House.

Emmet Sheehan, Joendry Vargas win monthly awards for August

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 23: Joendry Vargas #88 of the Los Angeles Dodgers runs to second base against the Los Angeles Angels in the seventh inning of a spring training game at Dodger Stadium on March 23, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Emmet Sheehan’s first outing of September will be with the Dodgers this weekend against the Washington Nationals. But that comes after a stellar August in Triple-A, and for his efforts on Thursday was named Pacific Coast League pitcher of the month.

Another Dodgers minor leaguer, Class-A Ontario infielder Joendry Vargas, was named California League player of the month for August.

Sheehan was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City on August 3, and pitched the rest of the month for the Comets. He was called up as a just-in-case arm for the Dodgers on August 18-19 in Coors Field, but did not pitch. After a brief relief appearance for Oklahoma City, Sheehan reeled off three excellent starts in a row, totaling 24 strikeouts and six walks with just one run allowed in 17 1/3 innings.

Sheehan also won PCL pitcher of the week for August 17-23.

After a slow first few months, Vargas started to come round offensively in the last week of June, then had a solid July. August was a breakout month for the 20-year-old, hitting a whopping .396/.417/.646 with a 159 wRC+, 11 doubles, three home runs, two triples 20 RBI, and 18 runs scored in 23 games. Vargas led the California League during August in hits (38), total bases (62), doubles, and slugging percentage.

Vargas has played mostly shortstop but has also seen time at second base and third base. That’s been the norm for an Ontario roster this year that included Emil Morales and Mairo Martinus before getting promoted, plus recent draft picks Aiden West, Caleb Johnson, and Kellon Lindsey, though the former first-rounder Lindsey has played mostly second base this season.

Vargas won Cal League player of the week from August 3-9.

MLB Expert Picks & Baseball Predictions Sept. 4

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The Braves and Phillies are tough to split with their aces taking the bump tonight... or are they?

See why our MLB expert picks like Atlanta to come out on top on Friday, Sept. 4, and much more.

MLB expert picks for today

PickProbability
Jon Metler Jon Metler: ATL ML50%
Neil Parker Neil Parker: CHC -1.544%
Joe Osborne Joe Osborne: MIL -1.549%
Dustin Saracini Dustin Saracini: KC/TOR o9.554%

Probabilities courtesy of Polymarket. For help understanding Polymarket probabilities, see our odds calculator.

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Jon Metler's expert pick: Braves moneyline

Price: 50¢ at Polymarket

This is about as good as it gets: two NL East rivals battling for the division, with Chris Sale and Cristopher Ssnchez taking the mound.

I'm not going to overthink this one. I'm backing Sale and the Braves, especially after Sale's dominant complete-game shutout against the Los Angeles Dodgers. He's in elite form right now, and this matchup sets up well for him.

The Phillies' offense relies heavily on production from three left-handed bats: Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper, and Luis Arraez. That makes it difficult for me to back Philadelphia at this price against a left-hander like Sale. Schwarber and Harper both look to drop the barrel and elevate pitches in the lower half of the strike zone, but Sale can counter that swing path with his sweeping slider.

The Braves are trading at 50% on Polymarket, but I make them closer to a 53% favorite in this spot.

  • Time: 6:40 p.m. ET
  • How to watch: BravesVision, NBCSP

Neil Parker's expert pick: Cubs -1.5

Price: 44¢ at Polymarket

The Cubs rank second in xwOBA and first is ISO across the past 30 days, so with Marlins starter Janson Junk sporting a ho-hum 4.28 xERA and 4.72 xFIP over his past seven starts, I’m anticipating the Chicago lineup pulling away on the scoreboard tonight.

Miami respectively checks in with a 27th-ranked xwOBA and 25th-ranked ISO during the same stretch, and the Marlins are 20th in wOBA against lefties for the season, after all.

Finally, while there have been a lot of peaks and valleys for Chicago southpaw Shota Imanaga, his 3.89 xERA and 3.82 xFIP across his past 11 starts also reinforce the edge on the mound for the Cubbies.

  • Time: 7:10 p.m. ET
  • How to watch: MARQ, Marlins.TV

Joe Osborne's expert pick: Brewers -1.5

Price: 49¢ at Polymarket

When the Brewers win, they tend to win big, with 11 of their last 12 victories coming by at least two runs.

Milwaukee is well positioned to tee off against Rhett Lowder, as its hitters own a combined .946 OPS against him. In two meetings this season, they smacked him around for nine total runs off 19 hits, and they rank fourth in OPS against righties over the past two weeks.

On the other side, Shane Drohan has had opposite results this season vs. Reds hitters, limiting them to two total runs across two starts.

With the Reds struggling against lefties and Milwaukee holding a sizeable bullpen advantage, the Brewers should be able to pull away

  • Time: 6:10 p.m. ET
  • How to watch: Brewers.TV, Reds.TV

Dustin Saracini's expert pick: Royals/Blue Jays Over 9.5

Price: 54¢ at Polymarket

Where has this Toronto Blue Jays offense been all year? They exploded for 17 runs across their last two games against the Cleveland Guardians and have a plus matchup against Daniel Lynch, who will be on another short leash tonight.

If the Jays can get to Lynch early, they should be able to eat the second-worst bullpen in the bigs alive (5.09 ERA).

On the other side, Jameson Taillon is making his first start back from injury after rocking a 11.88 ERA in July and 3.38 ERA in August. With a Jays bullpen that used four of its high-leverage arms yesterday afternoon, the Royals will do their part to get us across the line.

  • Time: 8:10 p.m. ET
  • How to watch: Royals.TV, SN

More MLB best bets for today

PickOdds
DET ML46%
Read analysis in our Tigers vs. Guardians predictions
ATL/PHI u6.548%
Read analysis in our Braves vs. Phillies predictions
MIL/CIN o9.551%
Read analysis in our Brewers vs. Reds predictions

Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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The Suns still have a rudder while the Clippers are lost at sea

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 01: Kris Dunn #8 of the Los Angeles Clippers drives to the basket against Dillon Brooks #3 of the Phoenix Suns during the second half at Mortgage Matchup Center on February 01, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images

With the Phoenix Suns’ first preseason game a little more than a month away, there hasn’t been much to talk about when it comes to the team lately. And that’s a good thing.

I’m a fan of no drama. I’d much rather operate silently in the background than constantly find myself at the forefront of the conversation. If you gave me the choice between being a ninja, a knight, or a pirate, I’m choosing ninja every time. They’re quiet. They get the job done. They don’t seek fanfare, and half the time you don’t even know they’re there. The Suns have operated more like pirates in the recent past. Loud moves. Swashbuckling around. Stumbling through the season. That’s not the way to be.

There is plenty of drama happening around the NBA, though, and much of it is coming at the expense of the Los Angeles Clippers, who have been penalized for salary cap circumvention. They’ve lost five first-round picks beginning in 2029, which is crippling for any franchise.

And as a Phoenix Suns fan, you can’t help but ask one simple question: Which situation would you rather be in, the Suns or the Clippers? To me, the answer is easy. I’d much rather be in the situation where the organization has a top-20 player, an established culture, draft assets even if they don’t fully control all of them, and plenty of young, exciting talent waiting in the wings

But Sam Quinn of CBS Sports sees it differently.

Some people are contrary simply for the sake of being contrary, and I think this is a horrible take. Saying the Suns are asset-poor in any real capacity feels like being contrarian for the sake of it.

The reason the Clippers are in a far worse position than Phoenix is that they are severely limited in their ability to build. Draft picks provide two different avenues for roster construction. The first is obvious. You use them after a bad season, add young talent, and hope your developmental program can turn those players into meaningful contributors. That’s what the Clippers are hoping for after trading Ivica Zubac to the Indiana Pacers and acquiring the fifth overall pick in last year’s draft. Keaton Wagler represents someone they hope can develop into a star. The problem is that it becomes much harder to build around that kind of player without future draft assets.

That leads to the second function of draft picks. They can be used in trades to add more talent and fortify the roster. We know that all too well in Phoenix, as the Suns gave up numerous picks in deals for Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal. The Clippers no longer have that flexibility because they don’t own first-round picks from 2029 through 2033. Meanwhile, the Suns, even if they don’t fully control all of their own picks in upcoming years, still possess first-round picks. They still have assets that can be included in trades, even if many of them are heavily swapped. There is a massive difference between having compromised draft capital and having none at all.

The Suns also have tradable assets. If they ever decided to move off Devin Booker, they would get a haul in return. Who on the Clippers is going to bring back that kind of value? Darius Garland? Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t be opposed to the Suns trading for him, but nobody is giving up four first-round picks for Garland. Booker could absolutely command that kind of return on the open market.

Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, Miles Bridges? All of those players could most likely bring back some combination of draft compensation or quality players in return. How much do you think the Clippers are getting for Brook Lopez or Derrick Jones Jr.?

The Clippers are trying to build around a young core, but the Suns have one too. The difference is that Phoenix has given itself multiple ways to continue building around that youth, while the Clippers have far fewer options because of the draft capital they no longer possess.

Then there’s the free agency component. You can make the argument that Los Angeles, by itself, is always going to attract talent. I’m not going to argue with you there. There are business opportunities and ventures outside of basketball that make the city appealing, although that kind of arrangement is what got the Clippers in trouble to begin with.

Culturally, though, I think Phoenix is in a far better place. This is an organization that, despite never winning a championship, has an owner who is engaged, inspired, and willing to do what it takes to win while operating within the rules. The Suns have the fifth-best winning percentage in NBA history. The Clippers? They’ve been a black hole since moving from Buffalo to San Diego and then from San Diego to Los Angeles. They’ve never reached the Finals and have historically been one of the league’s punching bags. They have the 28th winning percentage all-time. In short? The Los Angeles Clippers are the Arizona Cardinals of the NBA. So yeah, I think the advantage goes to Phoenix.

It’s silly that I’m even sitting here defending why the Suns are in a better situation than the Clippers. It feels like a ridiculous exercise. But if that’s what Sam Quinn of CBS Sports believes, then feel free to believe it. To me, it puts his take into one of two categories. Either he wrote it to generate clicks, in which case, congratulations, it worked. Or he genuinely believes it. And if he genuinely believes the Clippers are in a better position than the Suns, then I honestly don’t trust his perception of basketball.

Maybe the Suns aren’t sitting on a treasure chest of assets. Nobody is arguing that. But there’s a massive difference between having limitations and having your future confiscated. Phoenix has Booker, tradable contracts, young talent, first-round picks, and an organizational culture that finally appears stable. The Clippers have fewer avenues available to fix whatever comes next. So call me biased. Call me a Suns homer. That’s fine. But if I’m choosing which ship I want to be on moving forward, I’m taking the one that still has a rudder.

This Week in Mets Quotes: Soto on importance of returning this season, McLean on his sweeper

New York Mets starting pitcher Nolan McLean (26) gestures after retiring the side in the fifth inning against the Miami Marlins at Citi Field.

Your 2026 New York Mets:I plan to keep going until my worst year is over.

“It was the first time that I was struggling like that, but I never give up. I was always trying to find a way to feel better, to pitch better. I knew what I could do, and I was feeling good physically too and healthy, but I couldn’t make an adjustment. The good thing is that now I’m different, I feel different and I plan to keep going until my worst year is over.” -Freddy Peralta [New York Daily News]

Your 2026 New York Mets:Not all positive.

“What do I think about my season? I think it’s been up and down. I’ve struggled to find real consistency, I would say. Which, I don’t know, that’s just part of what comes with the job. It’s hard for me to find consistency. I’ll pitch and then fall out of rhythm, [have a] bad outing, get back into my rhythm. It’s just kind of been all over the place. I’ve had really good streaks. I’ve had, I’m not going to say really bad streaks, but I’ve had bad games — like three or four [fucking] terrible games. But yeah, I’d say mostly it’s positive. Not all positive.”” -Devin Williams [MLB]

Your 2026 New York Mets:Not going to get too hung up thinking that I’m the world’s worst pitcher.

“I’m not going to get too hung up thinking that I’m the world’s worst pitcher last week and the world’s best one this week. It’s what I need to do to continue to be good.” -Robert Stock [New York Post]

Your 2026 New York Mets: Probably got too much plate.

“[Pintaro] probably got too much of the plate.” -Andy Green [MLB]

With the above out of the way, we’ve still got one more month of Mets baseball; so let’s enjoy some happier storylines you might’ve missed while understandably watching the US Open and getting ready for the upcoming football/Knicks season.

Journeymen/Rookies get to live their dream of playing in the big leagues:

Congratulations to Nick Morabito on collecting his first (and second) career hit. I remember being at a 2024 Brooklyn Cyclones game and [arrogantly] saying to my wife his ceiling is probably ‘a cup of coffee’ in the majors, and I’m happy to root for him to try to surpass that.

“It’s really cool. I’m glad that I was able to do all that today, and it was fun. It was a lot of fun.” -Nick Morabito [MLB]

Nolan McLean starts continue to be must-watch games:

Also, any quotes/articles with McLean are must read as McLean gives great insight into how certain modern starters think and use information about their craft. [It was tempting to put in every quote from Jared Greenspan’s article, so do yourself a favor and give it a read.]

“It’s a little tricky whenever your pitch doesn’t move like you’re used to. That’s the part I’ve struggled most with this year: the sweeper shape.” -Nolan McLean [Mets]

“I’m not getting the shape that I wanted this year. Even with the same type of metrics, I’m just not able to produce the same shape. There’s been times where I’ve shown it, but I haven’t been able to clip that pitch quite as much. It’s the constant evolution of, ‘I don’t want to dig myself in a hole and keep throwing it when I don’t really feel like I have it.’” -Nolan McLean [Mets]

“It’s kind of something I’m known for, but it’s also been the pitch I’ve given up the most damage on as well, which makes it a risk-reward thing.” -Nolan McLean [Mets]

“Everything’s screaming that it should be the same pitches. I’m just not getting the same shape.” -Nolan McLean [Mets]

“I think that’s the importance of trying to constantly develop your arsenal. If you don’t have a sweeper one game, you might have to rely heavily on a curveball or a changeup. And if I’m not working on those in the offseason, how am I supposed to have confidence in them?” -Nolan McLean [Mets

“Ideally, you want all six pitches and to go out there and dominate, but you never really have that. A lot of times, you’re working with three pitches, and you have to go out there and figure out what those are pretty early and ride them until you can.” -Nolan McLean [Mets]

We get to continue our Weekly Bo Bichette Update:

This week with some veteran-level quotes from rookies in support of Bo.

“I think just one day I kind of let it all go and started playing better. I don’t necessarily think I found me for a long time after that. But I was still able to come here and compete and put up numbers, which I was not able to do at the beginning.” -Bo Bichette [SNY]

“You spend a good part of the season wondering why we’re not playing as well, wondering why I’m not playing as well, having a lot of different things in your head. On top of that, you’re feeling you want to show your new teammates how good you are and live up to the contract and all that. In the simplest way I can put it, I think in a lot of ways I just kind of let go.” -Bo Bichette [SNY]

“Bo is one of the guys who took me under his wing a little bit and made me feel unbelievably comfortable. He’s been a great resource for me, even now [as he is slumping]; he’s been helping me, talking me through things, trying to keep my head on straight.” -AJ Ewing [SNY]

“Obviously, we all want him to stay. At the end of the day, it’s his choice, his career. Whatever he chooses, I’ll wish him the best. But we obviously want him to stay.” -Carson Benge [SNY]

We get insight into how much Juan Soto loves baseball and his teammates

“It’s really frustrating to be down and not being able to help your team … to not perform out there, have fun with the boys. That keeps me motivated to be out there again.” -Juan Soto [The Athletic]

“That’s not overstating it at all. It’s sick. It’s like a warrior mentality. A lot of guys have that. It’s basically [Juan Soto] saying, ‘I want to be great.’ I’ve seen him do his rehab every day. If he is feeling good and wants to come back, that’s sick. Everyone here definitely appreciates the work he puts in and him wanting to come back this year.” -Sean Manaea [The Athletic]

“It’s really frustrating at the time [taking the ball off his shin] — everything went through my mind. Definitely, I tried to stay positive, think the best way possible to get out of it. Little by little, I was getting better. I just said, fuck it, I am going to try to push through it, not take too long. I gotta be out there.” -Juan Soto [The Athletic]

“Loves the game,” was how Green described Soto. “Enjoys his teammates. Wants to be a part of winning baseball for the rest of the year.” -Andy Green [The Athletic]

…and insight that there are still more important things in life than baseball.

I think Andy Green is a good guy who cares about his family.

“[When considering if he’d rather continue as manager or go back to the front office] The family consideration is real. We’re all trying to do the best we can balancing career and family. My twins have one year left in high school. I want to be present as much as possible like any dad would.” -Andy Green [The Athletic]

/OpenAI prompt/ Make the statement “I think Andy Green is a good guy who cares about his family” more professional and appropriate for C-Suite presentation.

“I think it’s laudable and consistent with who [Andy Green has] been during his time here. He’s genuine and real about what fulfillment means for him.” -David Stearns [The Athletic]

Why Extending Artturi Lehkonen Won’t Be Easy for the Avalanche

Extending Artturi Lehkonen won't be an easy task for the Colorado Avalanche.

Last month, we at The Hockey News speculated about whether Lehkonen, who was instrumental in helping the Avalanche win the Stanley Cup in 2022, could be forced to leave the team in free agency at the conclusion of the upcoming season.

We cited a few factors, including his age, injury history and style of play, which requires an enormous physical commitment from a relatively undersized player.

That was before Cale Makar signed a record-breaking eight-year, $163.2 million extension that will pay him an average annual value of $20.4 million beginning with the 2027-28 season. We predicted that Makar and his agent, Bartlett Hockey, would come in under that number. Well, we were wrong. And, in hindsight, we probably should have expected Makar to push for a higher number based on two things: He's a generational player, and the six-year, $54 million extension he previously signed was a massive discount for someone of his caliber.

President of hockey operations and general manager Joe Sakic, per Colorado Hockey Now's Aarif Dean, appeared on Altitude Sports Radio on Monday and said extending Lehkonen has become more of a moving target as the Avalanche approach the start of the season.

“We’ll continue talking with Artturi, his representatives, but it’s one of those things that we start the season and see where that goes,” he said.

ASR subsequently provided its own analysis the following day.

“Artturi Lehkonen's gonna be really difficult to get under the fold.”

That could prove to be an accurate statement.

Think about what Lehkonen has meant to this organization. He's one of the more clutch playoff performers in recent NHL history. His goal sent the Montreal Canadiens to the Stanley Cup Final in 2021. The following season, his overtime goal in Game 4 of the Western Conference Final sent the Avalanche to the Stanley Cup Final. He then scored the game-winning goal in Game 6 that clinched the team's third championship in franchise history. More recently, his performance in the Olympics also featured a game-clinching goal.

Say what you want about his injury history, but when he's healthy and on the ice, Lehkonen is always in the mix. He deserves to get what he wants. And if that number is too much for the Avalanche at the beginning, they'll have to get creative, whether that's signing more college free agents, finding free agents willing to take a pay cut, adding more of those gritty depth forwards or finding another defenseman.

The good news is that the Avalanche have a history of doing exactly that and are in the process of getting back to that again. Fabian Lysell is in Colorado on a cheap contract. T.J. Hughes has the potential to become a really good player in the system. Matthew DiMarsico, whom the Avalanche signed late last season out of Penn State University, has a blistering release.

My take: It's possible to bring Lehkonen back, but it isn't going to be easy. However, Martin Necas signed his eight-year, $92 million extension a little over three weeks into the regular season last year. So if the Avalanche don't get a deal done right away, it's no big deal. But no two situations are the same, and not every player has the same wants and needs.

We'll see what happens.

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Athletics vs Mariners Prediction, Picks & Odds for Today's MLB Game

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The Seattle Mariners continue their playoff push against the Athletics at T-Mobile Park on Friday, Sept. 4.

First pitch is set for 10:10 p.m. ET, and my top Athletics vs. Mariners predictions and MLB picks call for a low-scoring game. 

Who will win Athletics vs Mariners today: Mariners moneyline (68%)

For help understanding probabilities, see our odds calculator.

Kade Morris has struggled to a 10.60 FIP and 2.85 WHIP against left-handed batters in 2026. Tonight, the Seattle Mariners are likely to have seven lefties in their lineup against Morris.

Behind Morris, the Athletics’ bullpen isn’t in great shape after using Hogan Harris, Luis Medina, and Scott Blewett twice each in the last three days. Chris Roycroft threw 39 pitches yesterday, too, which means he’s unlikely to be available here.

The A's offense has been underwhelming against right-handed pitching over the last 30 days, ranking 16th in wRC+.

Seattle has the better offense, the better starting pitcher, and a more rested arm barn, so they should be able to take care of business at home here. Play to 70%.

Covers COVERS INTEL: The Athletics' bullpen ranks dead-last in ERA in 2026.

Athletics vs Mariners Over/Under pick: Under 7.5 (56%)

Logan Gilbert owns a 4.54 FIP at T-Mobile Park in 2026, but much of his struggles have been due to an inability to keep the ball in the yard.

Cooler temperatures in Seattle this evening should help mitigate that issue. The Athletics offense is a good matchup for Gilbert, too, ranking only 14th in ISO and 19th in home runs against right-handed pitching since the beginning of August.

If the bullpens for the Athletics and Mariners can avoid a late-inning meltdown, runs are likely to be at a premium. Play to 60%.

Athletics vs Mariners home run prediction: Cal Raleigh (21%)

Cal Raleigh leads all of baseball with a 32.1% barrel rate against right-handed pitching during the last 30 days (min. 20 plate appearances). Raleigh didn’t catch a barrel yesterday, but both of his balls in play were 95+ mph off the bat.

Morris has allowed a 37.2% fly-ball rate against left-handed hitters this season. There is a good chance we see Raleigh leave the yard this evening.

Play to 24%.

Athletics vs Mariners weather

T-Mobile Park has a retractable roof, but the design of the stadium preserves an open-air environment. That means the outside weather still has an impact on the playing field for home games. Cooler temperatures forecasted for Friday in Seattle slightly favor pitching.

Athletics vs Mariners odds

  • Moneyline: Athletics 34% | Mariners 67%
  • Run line: Athletics +1.5 | Mariners -1.5
  • Over/Under: Over 7.5 | Under 7.5

Athletics vs Mariners trend

The Athletics have only hit the F5 moneyline in 15 of their last 50 games (-9.70 Units / -19% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Athletics vs. Mariners.

How to watch Athletics vs Mariners and game info

LocationT-Mobile Park, Seattle, Wash.
DateFriday, Sept. 4, 2026
First pitch10:10 p.m. ET
TVNBC Sports California, Mariners.TV
Athletics starting pitcherKade Morris
(0-1, 9.82 ERA)
Mariners starting pitcherLogan Gilbert
(11-8, 3.42 ERA)

Athletics vs Mariners latest injuries

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.

Did Canadiens’ Hughes Miss The Boat?

There hasn’t been much action on the trade market of late in the NHL, but on Tuesday night, the Nashville Predators sent forward Luke Evangelista to the New Jersey Devils for a conditional Colorado Avalanche first-round pick in 2028 and their own second-round pick in 2028.

Last season, Evangelista put up 56 points in 81 games, and unsurprisingly, some are wondering whether the Montreal Canadiens missed the boat by not acquiring the 24-year-old right-shot right winger. Of course, Evangelista is a promising young player, but he’s not what the Canadiens need right now

The Anniversary Of A Big Trade
How The Canadiens Fared In The Athletic’s Player Tiers 2026-27
Canadiens: High Praise For Demidov From Great Defenseman

He’s 6-foot and 183 pounds and had a grand total of 21 hits last season. The Canadiens have got plenty of skill and talent up front. What they lack is a talented player who can bring physicality to their top six, a second-line center, perhaps more grit in the bottom six as well, and an experienced right-shot defenseman. Evangelista does not fit any of those bills.

The Canadiens front office made it clear in one of its last media availabilities: they are done acquiring talent just to see if it could work. The Canadiens are no longer in a simple asset accumulation stage; their rebuild has progressed. They are pleased with what they have put together, and now they need to acquire the missing pieces, those that fit the needs they have identified.

Yes, the Canadiens would have had the draft capital needed to pry Evangelista away from Nashville, but it wouldn’t have made sense to use their assets to acquire him. It’s clear that Hughes has been working the phones a lot this offseason, trying to strike a big deal, and he hasn’t given up hope. That draft capital could be instrumental in the Habs striking a major deal, one that would bring a higher-profile player to Montreal. There’s no guarantee that it will happen, but saving those assets for a bigger deal just makes sense.


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