The Community Shield isn’t always a sign of things to come, but City’s form in their defeat to Arsenal is concerning in the wake of Pep Guardiola’s departure
There are caveats. It was only the Community Shield – and no side has gone on to win the league after lifting the Community Shield since 2018. It was against the league champions, whose pre-season has involved far less strenuous travel than their own. By the time the season really gets going, there will be greater clarity in central midfield, with Rodri set to complete his move to Barcelona imminently. But this was a startlingly bad opening for Enzo Maresca at Manchester City.
Succeeding a manager of Pep Guardiola’s stature is never easy, as numerous clubs have found. But it’s not just Guardiola’s stature, the sense that whoever follows him stands in his shadow. It’s that his style of play is so idiosyncratic that the transition process inevitably becomes more difficult. Even though Maresca was Guardiola’s assistant at City in 2022-23, and his football is Guardiola-inspired, it is not identical, not least because Guardiola was always evolving. Even allowing for all that, though, it was remarkable how poorly City defended in their 3-0 defeat by Arsenal on Sunday.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - MAY 10: Mikal Bridges #25 of the New York Knicks and Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers wrestle for a loose ball during the second quarter in Game Four of the Second Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena on May 10, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 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 Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The New York Knicks’ full 2026 preseason schedule has emerged after X account New York Basketball (kudos!) put together other franchises’games, giving us our first look at the reigning champs’ five-game tune-up before the start of their title defense.
The complete slate will run from Oct. 5 through Oct. 15 and feature four different opponents, three games at Madison Square Garden, and two on the road — one of them not in the USA of A.
New York will open preseason play Monday, Oct. 5, with a trip to Philadelphia (of course) before returning home for games against two very exciting and promising teams in Washington and Minnesota. The Knicks will then finish with a home-and-home against Toronto on Oct. 13 and 15.
The final matchup was initially listed by the Raptors with a 7 p.m. ET tipoff, but NBA New York subsequently clarified that the Oct. 15 game at MSG will begin at 7:30 p.m., as corrected by the Knicks.
Philadelphia 76ers: The preseason opener might also feature the most intriguing opponent on the schedule, although we all know there won’t be any NYK vs. LBJ on Oct. 5, right? Philadelphia added LeBron James and Jaylen Brown during the offseason, putting them alongside Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe and perennially hurt Joel Embiid. On paper, that makes the Sixers quite the first test—even if maybe none of those five play.
Washington Wizards: New York gets its first preseason appearance at Madison Square Garden against Washington on Oct. 8. The Wizards have only lost D’Angelo Russell (if you still cared about him) while adding Deandre Ayton, Khris Middleton, and mostly AJ Dybantsa to their squad. Ever-hated Trae Young is still around, and the Wiz Kiz are my underdog to make the ECF, so I’m highly intrigued!
Minnesota Timberwolves: Minnesota visits MSG on Oct. 12, providing another meeting between two teams that went deep into last season’s playoffs. For the Knicks, it will also be their final preseason game before playing on consecutive nights north of the border. Will we get at least a glimpse of the new LaMelo Ball-Anthony Edwards backcourt? We hope!
Toronto Raptors (x2): We don’t know which sort of team the Knicks will face here. Will Kawhi Leonard play? Will he even be a member of the Raptors by the time we get to this game? Will RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley face their former team? Will Brandon Ingram or won’t he? Too many questions for which only Pablo Torre has the answers.
Knicks’ 2026 Full Preseason Schedule
Oct. 5 — at 76ers — 7 p.m. ET Oct. 8 — vs. Wizards — 7:30 p.m. ET Oct. 12 — vs. Timberwolves — 7:30 p.m. ET Oct. 13 — at Raptors — 7 p.m. ET Oct. 15 — vs. Raptors — 7:30 p.m. ET
What do you make of this, if anything at all? Are you already looking forward to anything in particular? Do you expect any spicy matchup to happen during these meaningless, early-to-mid-October games? Let us know in the comments section below!
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 13: Trevor Story #10 of the Boston Red Sox tosses a ball to a fan between innings during a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Fenway Park on May 13, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jaiden Tripi/Getty Images) | Getty Images
One thing you may notice reading Sunday’s Minor Lines is that offense was aplenty, but the pitching was pretty lackluster. In most cases, it’s not much of a cause for concern. But in the WooSox’s loss to Buffalo (Blue Jays AAA) in the series finale, it may have altered a trajectory a little bit.
Let me explain: John Holobetz has been serviceable across two levels this season in addition to working his way up the organization in 2025. The 24-year-old makes his bread and butter in the top end of the strike zone with a 94 MPH heater that has some room for development, but the righty was pitching well enough that it was feasible he could become an option down the stretch and develop the pitch while in the Majors, as it’s clear he has good control of that pitch and a reliable repertoire. With Patrick Sandoval struggling in the bigs, it looked possible that he could be called on to help out at some point this season.
On Sunday, Holobetz gave up six runs on six hits in just eight outs. His ERA stands at almost 6 in Worcester, albeit in an extremely limited sample size. But we’ve seen this movie a few times, folks; I don’t want to see a guy debuting while struggling to keep runners off the basepaths in Triple-A, even against a talented Buffalo lineup. One does not have to roam far mentally to wonder if Anthony Eyansson would be seeing some time in Worcester by now had he not been dealt at the trade deadline as part of the Adley Rutschman deal, but one would also take some respite in the fact that Craig Breslow has been incredibly good at scouting pitchers in his time with the Red Sox organization thus far and that another Eyansson may not be far behind. Is it Holobetz, whom the team acquired for Quinn Priester in 2025? Almost certainly not in the same way; they’re not the same caliber of talent, won’t be used the same way, and don’t have the same strengths. But, if Sandoval continues to struggle, the Sox will need to call on someone down the stretch.
Also, to those wondering why shortstop wasn’t addressed during the busy trade deadline the club had, the likely reason if not the biggest benefactor of that had his first action since May on Sunday. He went 1-2 with a double. In this floundering lineup, at his best, Trevor Story is someone who can add some pop. But Story can be streaky as well, so here’s hoping September 2026 Story can be similar to end of 2025 Story – a guy who the team counted on to get a big hit or at least be a sound fielder.
While the WooSox took some time to drum up some offense on a rehabbing Spencer Arrighetti, who the Blue Jays acquired for Daulton Varsho, a home run by a raking Mikey Romero (at least lately) and a very late shot by Jason Delay should have sealed the deal for Worcester, but instead they were left scrambling to overcome an early deficit given up by Holobetz and Devin Sweet. But, it’s better that type of performance happens in Worcester than in Boston, er, Pittsburgh this weekend.
Jack Winnay’s seventeenth homer of 2026 and sixth in Double-A. One other single early in the game. Two more hits by a slumping Will Turner and Henry Godbout, just the infielder’s second since his promotion last week. There was not a ton of offense Sunday, but the team made the most of drawing five walks in the finale against Binghamton (Mets AA) and plating those walks, as they went 3-for-8 with runners in scoring position. Sadly, though, this was a bullpen game, Reidis Sena didn’t make it out of the first before giving up a home run, Morgan McSweeney allowed four runs and as many hits, and the Sea Dogs’ lack of later offense came back to bite them as the RumblePonies broke a 6-6 tie in the eighth and stayed on top.
Jose Bello at least made it through four innings in Delmarva (Orioles A) but he let two home runs out of the park and, stop me if you’ve heard this before, left Salem playing catchup earlier than desired. Kleyvar Salazar put the game within striking distance with his tenth home run of 2026 in the seventh inning, but that hit was the only one with runners on the RidgeYaks achieved all afternoon, and that puncher’s chance become very slim as the game grew longer.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - OCTOBER 02: A closeup view of an official Rawlings Major League Baseball prior to Game Three of the American League Wildcard Series between the Detroit Tigers and the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on October 02, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
2026 MLB Playoffs Tiebreakers: The American League Wild Card race is a free-for-all right now, particularly as it relates to the third and final seed.
The Texas Rangers, Toronto Blue Jays, Detroit Tigers, Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Guardians and Minnesota Twins are all within a game or so of the final Wild Card spot. The Seattle Mariners, who Fangraphs projects as having the best winning percentage in the American League the rest of the way, are just a few games back.
The Houston Astros are in first place in the American League West, up by two games on the Rangers and fourgames on the Mariners, so the A.L. West is still in play, which puts Houston in among the potential Wild Card vie-ees.
The Chicago White Sox are currently in first place, up by 5.5 games in the American League Central, but are arguably playing over their heads and could fade, putting them in the Wild Card mix and Detroit, Cleveland and Minnesota in the hunt for the American League Central.
Given all that, it seems like a good time to review the tiebreaker rules for the playoffs, and where things stand for the Rangers in regards to those tiebreakers. Yes, its certainly possible that the Rangers fall apart down the stretch and are just playing out the string the final week. Its also certainly possibly (though, I think its fair to say, less likely) the Rangers go on a heater and are in a solid place in terms of the playoffs come the final week, or weekend, of the season, and thus we won’t have to worry about tiebreakers because Texas is safe.
So yeah, this could all be moot. But its a Monday off day in the second half of August, so let’s look at it.
First as a reminder, we no longer have Game 163s when teams are tied for a playoff spot. No winner-take-all technically-regular-season-but-effectively-a-playoff +1s after the final weekend. If there’s a tie at the end of the year, we go to the tiebreaker system.
If there’s a tie between two teams, the team with the best head-to-head record advances.
If the head-to-head record is a tie, then the team with the best record in games among division opponents advances. That would theoretically mean that the Rangers, playing in the weak A.L. West, would have an advantage if they were tied with an A.L. East team, since the East has the teams with the three best records in the A.L. right now. However, the Rangers have been ass against A.L. West teams this year, so that doesn’t really help them.
If both teams have the same intradivision record, then whichever team has the best record against American League* teams post-All Star Break advances.
* Because we are talking about the American League playoffs. If we were dealing with the National League playoffs, it would be the National League playoffs.
If both teams have the same post-ASB record against the American League, then you go to each team’s last game against an A.L. opponent before the All Star Break. If one team won and the other team lost, the team that won advanced. If both teams won their last game against an A.L. opponent pre-ASB, or both teams lost, you go to the game before that, and if necessary keep repeating until you get to where one team won and the other team lost.
The Rangers beat the Astros in the final game before the All Star Break, incidentally, so they have that going for them, on the off chance that particular tiebreaker comes into play.
If three teams are tied, and they have identical records against each other, then you use the above tiebreaking system, beginning with intradivision record, except that you don’t use an additional game if the additional game was between two of the teams.
If three teams are tied, and they do not all have the same records against each other, then if one team won the season series against each of the other two teams, that team advances.
If no team won the season series against the other two teams, then whichever team had the best overall winning percentage against the other two teams advances.
If two of the teams are tied for the best winning percentage, the third team is out, and the two remaining teams apply the two-team tiebreaker methodology listed above.
If all the teams have the same winning percentage, then the system outlined above when all three teams have the same record against each other is applied.
If four teams tie, then the same system as with three teams is used, except that, if two or three teams of the four teams are tied for the best record after a step, then the other team(s) are dropped, and you shift to the two- or three-team tiebreaker method.
If your brain hasn’t been broken by all that, let’s look at where the Rangers stand in terms of tiebreakers against their potential opponents:
Against Houston:
The Rangers lost the season series against Houston, 4-9. If the Rangers are in a two-way tie with Houston, Houston advances.
Against Seattle:
The Rangers have clinched the season series with the Mariners, being up 7-3 with three games in Seattle to go. If the Rangers are in a two-way tie with Seattle, the Rangers advance.
However, Seattle has clinched the season series against the Astros, 9-2, with two games in Seattle to go.
So if there’s a three-way tie for the American League West, if the Rangers and Astros both sweep Seattle, the Rangers would have the best record in the games amongst the three teams (14-12 for Texas, 12-14 for Seattle, 13-13 for Houston), and would advance.
Against Detroit:
The Rangers lost the season series to the Tigers, 2-4. If the Rangers are in a two-way tie with Detroit, Detroit advances.
Against Minnesota:
The Rangers are 0-3 against the Twins this season, and play their final three games of the season in Minnesota. Thus, the Rangers would lose any tiebreaker against the Twins unless they were three games back of Minnesota heading into the final weekend, and then swept the Twins. That would mean the season series would be tied 3-3, and we’d go to intra-divisional record.
Against Cleveland:
The Rangers won the season series against Cleveland, 4-2. If the Rangers are in a two-way tie with Cleveland, the Rangers advance.
Against Toronto:
The Rangers have clinched the season series against Toronto, being up 4-0 with three games in Texas in late September to go. If the Rangers are in a two-way tie with Toronto, the Rangers advance.
Against Baltimore:
The Rangers won the season series against Baltimore, 4-2. If the Rangers are in a two-way tie with Baltimore, the Rangers advance.
Against the ChiSox:
The Rangers are trailing in the season series with the White Sox, 1-2. They have three games in Chicago against the White Sox next week. They need to sweep to win the season series, and go 2-1 to split the season series.
Boston, the Yankees, and the Rays are far enough ahead that the chances of them ending up in a tiebreaker with the Rangers is slight. Still, in the interest of being thorough, we’ll talk about them, as well.
Against Boston:
The Rangers are trailing in the season series with the Red Sox, 1-2. They have three games against Boston in Arlington in mid-September. They need to sweep to win the season series, and go 2-1 to split the season series.
Against the Yankees:
The Rangers lost the season series to the Yankees, 2-4. If the Rangers are in a two-way tie with the Yankees, the Yankees advance.
AgainstTampa:
The Rangers are trailing in the season series with the Rays, 1-2. They have four games against Tampa in Arlington in early-September. They need to win at least 3 of 4 to win the season series against Tampa. Otherwise, Tampa will win the season series.
What a wonderful show we have for you this week, not only did we have the faboulously talented Stefan Caray, but we also witnessed the return of the GREAT Scott Plaza! Gabe and I were there too. Kidding aside, this episode featured a couple of conversational elements some readers had been asking for, there is discourse and disagreement, and there is a lot more of a conversational flow rather than a direct interview style. Yes, its an hour long, but none of us noticed the length of time until about 45 minutes into the episode, and we hope you find yourself just as engaged!
Stefan, of course, is the son of the Cardinals lead broadcaster Chip Caray, but also has spent years earning his stripes in Amarillo and is ready for whatever the future holds. He will be on the broadcast during the next homestand when the Cardinals take on the Baltimore Orioles.
This weeks show, we talk about the unforgettable Baez debut, Alec Burleson, Blaze Jordan vs Nolan Gorman, and we finish the show with a conversation centered around Jordan Walker and what another hot stretch could mean for the Cardinals playoff push down the stretch.
I apologize for no transcript again this week, I was up well past midnight last night editing this episode and by that point, in order to function properly the next day I had to sacrifice the transcript again. If anyone knows of any transcript editing tools that are cheap/free and are reliable, please share them with me, Id love to continue providing one, It is just an extensive project on top of the already extensive process that comes along with the scheduling, prep, recording, and editing process that already takes place. Thanks in advance!
DYERSVILLE, IA - AUGUST 13: Aaron Nola #27 of the Philadelphia Phillies pitches during the MLB Field of Dreams game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Minnesota Twins at MLB Field at Field of Dreams on Thursday, August 13, 2026 in Dyersville, Iowa. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Coming out of the corn and playing the Twins may have been a salve the Phillies needed after looking like they would rather have been anywhere else that St. Louis this past week.
Three up
Alec Bohm – Vegetables are a good thing to eat. As a father of younger children, I know the pain of getting them to eat vegetables, coming up with all kinds of creative ways to make sure they get their nutrition. I myself prefer my vegetables raw, not particularly caring for them to be cooked, but I’d imagine that’s the best way to eat them anyway. Whilst in Iowa, the Phillies were surrounded by corn. Maybe that surrounding did something to Bohm as he hit .550/.571/.900, buoyed by his five hit game Saturday night. Listen, whatever it takes, man.
Aaron Nola – Listen. Nola has been pretty good of late. The expectations placed on his game have changed dramatically over the years as we have had to watch him adjust to this portion of his career. His start in Iowa where he allowed one run over five innings is about all we can ask of him at this point. Should he continue to do this through the rest of his contract – five to six innings each time, keeping the team in the game, maybe mixing in a few stellar outings – that deal may not turn out so bad after all. It’s a big ask.
Zack Wheeler – There are times when the ace has a clunker and this week was it. Wheeler’s start in St. Louis wasn’t the one we would have expected, landing him amongst the shattered ruins of bad weeks, but a bounceback start at home is likely imminent. It would have been nice of him to have a better start, but he didn’t.
J.T. Realmuto – An unsightly one hit over the week means there are triple slash lines that might be considered NSFW. Might be time to start asking that question again about sitting him more often, especially in these dog days of the baseball schedule.
Baseball – I get that money is a thing that MLB craves from wherever they can get it. Any kind of money they can get for whatever they can market and sell, they are going to chase. But to place the Field of Dreams game on Netflix, where a lot of people couldn’t watch it? Silly.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - MAY 8: Trendon Watford #12 of the Philadelphia 76ers dribbles the ball during the game against the New York Knicks during Round Two Game Three of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 8, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 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 2026 NBAE (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Free agent forward Trendon Watford has signed a one-year deal with the New Orleans Pelicans worth $2.9 million, per reports.
Free agent F Trendon Watford has agreed to a one-year, $2.9 million deal with the New Orleans Pelicans, sources tell ESPN. Watford considered multiple options but for New Orleans serves as a productive two-way get late into the offseason after a year in Philadelphia where he… pic.twitter.com/F8ecDrfLei
The former LSU Tiger was most recently with the Philadelphia 76ers, after previously spending two seasons with both the Portland Trail Blazers and Brooklyn Nets.
The Birmingham native immediately made an impact at LSU, averaging 13.6 points and 7.2 rebounds per game as a freshman in 2019 and earning SEC All-Freshman Team honors.
As a sophomore, Watford averaged 16.3 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. He scored a career-high 30 points in LSU’s SEC Tournament championship game loss to Alabama and earned First-Team All-SEC honors from the Associated Press and Second-Team honors from the coaches. He declared for the 2021 NBA Draft following the season.
After going undrafted, Watford signed a two-way contract with the Portland Trail Blazers in August 2021, which was converted to a standard contract in February 2022. He scored a career-high 27 points against Washington that March. In the 2022 NBA Summer League, Watford led Portland to the championship with 19 points, seven rebounds, and three steals, earning Championship Game MVP honors and a spot on the All-Summer League Second Team.
In July 2025, Watford joined the 76ers on a two-year contract worth $5.3 million. He recorded the first triple-double of his NBA career on November 8, finishing with 20 points, 17 rebounds, and 10 assists in Philadelphia’s 130-120 win over the Toronto Raptors.
The 25-year-old will now head to New Orleans, where he will look to help the Pelicans turn things around after finishing the 2025-26 season with a 26-56 record, 11th in the Western Conference.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 11: Mason Barnett #63 of the Athletics pitches against the Tampa Bay Rays in the top of the first inning at Sutter Health Park on August 11, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to another week A’s fans!
The recent homestand went so-so as the A’s first got swept by the Rays before winning a series against the Rangers. Considering Texas is in our division if we were going to win a series it’s good we won the divisional matchup.
Now the club is back on the road and set for their last road four-game series of the season. Kansas City is up first and the A’s have an excellent chance to win back-to-back series for the first time since June. At 51-74 the Royals are way out of the playoff picture and just a couple games ahead of the A’s. If the Green & Gold can come away with a 3-1 series win, they’d leapfrog them for third-worst record in the AL. The goal this year needs to be to not finish last in either the division, the league, and the entire sport. We got four very winnable games coming up and the club needs to show up. Rookie right-hander Mason Barnett starts things off tonight for us. Time to rack up some wins!
At first glance I thought “ok but why Hernaiz?” And then I looked into it and saw he was literally the only position player on the 40-man not injured or already in the big leagues https://t.co/z2YJnXo4Z5
WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - MARCH 19, 2026: Anthony Huezo #47 of the Houston Astros bats during the fourth inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the Miami Marlins at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on March 19, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Another day of minor league baseball is in the books. See the results below. Check out the previous day’s recap here.
AAA: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (63-56) lost 12-5 (BOX SCORE)
Weiss started for Sugar Land but struggled allowing 5 runs over 1.2 innings. He was relieved by McLoughlin who allowed 2 runs. The offense got on the board in the 4th scoring 5 runs on a Brooks 2 run single and Biggio 3 run triple. The pen struggled though allowing another five runs as the Express extended their lead. The Sugar Land offense was unable to score again as they fell 12-5.
Alimber Santa, RHP: 1.0 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
Michael Knorr, RHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (54-60) won 5-2 (BOX SCORE)
Hicks got the start for the Hooks and went 4 innings allowing 2 runs. The offense got on the board in the 4th inning on a Schiavone 2 run home run. In the 5th inning, Austin connected on a 3 run home run to give the Hooks the lead. The bullpen was great tossing 5 scoreless innings as the Hooks won 5-2.
James Hicks, RHP: 4.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 K
Alex Santos II, RHP: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K (WIN)
Jose Guedez, RHP: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
Nic Swanson, RHP: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K (SAVE)
A+: Asheville Tourists (39-73) won 16-14 (BOX SCORE)
Howard got the start for Asheville and went 4 innings allowing 4 runs. The Asheville offense got on the board in the 2nd inning on a Batista 2 run double. They got another in the 4th inning on a Daudet RBI double. The bullpen would struggle as the Emperors took a 12-3 lead. Asheville rallied for 5 runs in the 7th inning on a Newman 2 run home run, Salas RBI single, Walker RBI triple and Huezo RBI double. They got 2 runs in the 8th on an error and Walker RBI single and in the 9th, Newman tied the game with a 2 out 2 run double. The game went to extras and in the 10th, the Emperors scored 2 runs. In the bottom of the 10th, the offense rallied again on a Walker sac fly, Moss RBI single and Huezo walk-off 2 run home run as Asheville won 16-14.
Grayson Saunier, RHP: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K (WIN)
A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (57-53) lost 11-2 (BOX SCORE)
The Woodpeckers got on the board in the first inning on a Tryon RBI double. Pichardo got the start but struggled allowing 6 runs over 4 innings of work. The bullpen struggled too as they allowed another five runs. The offense got one back in the 6th inning on a Fielder sac fly but that was it as the Woodpeckers fell 11-2.
The Chicago White Sox have run into a lot of trouble against good teams, posting an underwhelming 18-27 record against those over .500, which describes their crosstown rivals, the Chicago Cubs.
My White Sox vs. Cubs predictions and MLB picks expect those struggles to continue against one of the league's best offenses on Monday, Aug. 17.
Who will win White Sox vs Cubs today: Chicago Cubs (-170)
Luis Castillo has not had a good season, and things have looked especially bleak when the competition level goes up.
The veteran righty has posted a 6.75 ERA and allowed 2.57 HR/9 over six starts against Top-10 opponents in OBP vs. right-handed pitching.
The Chicago Cubs sit fifth on the season and sixth over the last 30 games. They will be tough for Castillo to slow down.
White Sox vs Cubs Over/Under pick: Over 8.5 (+109)
Power is the easiest path to bulk production, and we should see plenty of it in this game.
Castillo has posted a much higher ERA on the road while allowing 1.98 HR/9. That’s noteworthy, as he has only made one home start away from the friendly confines of T-Mobile Park.
The Cubs are seventh in total homers vs. righties, and conditions make for an 11% HR boost at Wrigley today.
Imanaga has allowed 1.83 HR/9 this season and will have to contend with a White Sox offense slotting fourth in ISO vs. lefties.
Play to -115.
White Sox vs Cubs home run prediction: Pete Crow-Armstrong (+275)
Castillo has given up a ton of power to left-handed bats, allowing a .232 ISO and close to two homers per nine innings.
The splits work in PCA’s favor, as does the pitch mix. Castillo predominantly uses the fastball, slider, and changeup vs. lefties.
PCA has a .274 ISO against those three pitches against RHP. Add in the favorable park factors, and this is another good spot to back the NL MVP contender.
Take it to +260.
Todd Cordell's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 81-73, -8.55 units
Over/Under bets: 82-66-6, +6.09 units
White Sox vs Cubs weather
The forecast calls for temperatures in the 70s with winds blowing west. Slight boost to the bats.
White Sox vs Cubs odds
Moneyline: White Sox +145 | Cubs -170
Run line: White Sox +1.5 (-145) | Cubs -1.5 (+125)
Over/Under: Over 8.0 (-115) | Under 8.0 (-105)
White Sox vs Cubs trend
The Cubs have won 33 of their last 50 games (+11.65 units, 18% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for White Sox vs. Cubs.
How to watch White Sox vs Cubs and game info
Location
Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL
Date
Monday, August 17, 2026
First pitch
8:05 p.m. ET
TV
CHSN, MARQ
White Sox starting pitcher
Luis Castillo (4-9, 4.96 ERA)
Cubs starting pitcher
Shota Imanaga (8-9, 3.74 ERA)
White Sox vs Cubs latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Carolina Hurricanes forward Logan Stankoven had his day with the Stanley Cup on Sunday, bringing the Cup home to family and friends in Kamloops, B.C.
Stankoven was a huge part of the Canes’ championship run this spring, and if you ask the average Sens fan, many would suggest he should have been the Conn Smythe Trophy winner.
Steve Warne and Gregg Kennedy discussJake Sanderson's standing among top defensemen in the league.
That’s because Stankoven was an absolute Sens slayer in the first round of the playoffs, scoring a goal in every game of the series. And if you’ll recall, this was a series where goals were hard to come by... for both teams.
Take away Carolina’s two empty-netters and an overtime winner, and the Hurricanes scored just eight regulation goals in the entire four-game series.
Stankoven scored half of them. And set up another.
The series would have looked very different without Stankoven, and seeing him out and about and enjoying his big day with the Cup made it hard not to think back to that series.
Jun 20, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Hurricanes center Logan Stankoven (22) holds up the Stanley Cup Trophy during the Stanley Cup championship parade and rally at Raleigh. Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images
Despite the Sens' loss, Game 2 remains one of the most entertaining games I’ve seen in years, and one of the craziest overtime games in Senators history.
That game and its double OT had it all.
There was the Sens comeback from a two-goal deficit, an apparent overtime winner that wasn't, an overtime penalty shot, some unreal saves at both ends, a couple of Senators ringing shots off the post/crossbar, and finally, a double-overtime winner from the same guy who had just missed that OT penalty shot.
If you've forgotten how crazy that night in Raleigh was, it's worth another look.
The Canes had won Game 1 and seemed well on their way to taking a commanding 2-0 series lead to Ottawa after Stankoven (naturally) and Sebastian Aho gave the Hurricanes a 2-0 lead in Game 2.
But the Senators didn't go quietly.
Drake Batherson and Dylan Cozens scored in the second period to tie the game, while Linus Ullmark was playing out of his mind at the other end.
Ullmark stopped 43 shots on the night, including a terrific glove save on a Taylor Hall one-timer in the second period and another huge stop on Jordan Staal in the dying seconds of regulation. And he had a bunch more in OT, including a penalty shot save.
So it was off to overtime, and that's when things got weird... and unbelievably exciting.
With 2:42 remaining in the first overtime, Mark Jankowski appeared to end it. Jankowski jumped on a loose rebound and beat Ullmark, sending the Hurricanes pouring off the bench and the crowd in Raleigh into celebration.
Game over? Not so much.
After an offside review and a missed penalty shot, the Sens came back from the dead twice in Game 2 without the clock moving a single second.
Officials reviewed the play and determined Carolina had been offside entering the Ottawa zone, so the goal was wiped out and the Senators had new life.
But the review created another problem for them.
Before the puck had gone into the net, Warren Foegele had hooked Martinook on his way to the net, and the delayed penalty was actually going to be a penalty shot. So while the Hurricanes lost their apparent game-winning goal, Martinook skated up to the puck all alone at centre ice
Once again, Carolina had a chance to end it. Once again, they didn't.
Ullmark stopped Martinook on what was the NHL's first overtime penalty shot in a playoff game since 2020.
And the game continued.
The Senators had already had two unreal chances in tight during the first overtime from Brady Tkachuk and Tim Stützle.
Tkachuk got a nice feed out front from Drake Batherson and his shot barely clipped the top of Frederik Andersen’s right pad. Another quarter-inch higher and the puck was in.
On Stützle’s chance, he outwaited Andersen, slid it past that same right pad and hit the goalpost.
In the second overtime, Michael Amadio got another glorious chance in tight. His shot clipped the top of Andersen’s left shoulder and fluttered toward the net.
ESPN’s John Buccigross screamed, “He scores!” For a split second, it looked like he had.
Instead, the puck gently glanced off the crossbar and stayed out.
If the Sens get a bounce on any of those plays, we're probably remembering Game 2 as one of the great playoff wins in Senators history.
Instead, Carolina finally put the matter to rest.
With fatigue clearly setting in, Brady Tkachuk meekly turned the puck over at the far blue line, and as Carolina quickly transitioned back the other way, it set off a series of unfortunate events.
On the one hand, you had tired forwards either scrambling around or puck-watching. And on defence, Jordan Staal was allowed to stand directly in front of Ullmark, and no one touched him, let alone tried to move him. You could almost feel the death blow approaching.
With the Canes whipping the puck around at will, Martinook found wide open ice in the slot between Stutzle and Batherson and ripped a great shot past Ullmark, who was still being screened by Staal.
After 93 minutes and 53 seconds of incredible hockey, the game was over.
The Senators have played plenty of bigger playoff games over the years. But it's hard to think of many that were crazier or more entertaining than that one.
And seeing Stankoven zipping around Kamloops with the Stanley Cup on Sunday was a pretty good reminder of it.
The National Hockey League released its list of the Top 10 NHL Goalies on Sunday night. Of course, some of the best net-minders in league history are at the top of the list, and there is plenty of depth at this position across the league.
Goalies as a whole are better than ever. It’s as hard to score a goal as it’s ever been, and a lot of it has to do with how good these men are. Without good goaltending at precisely the right time, a team cannot win when it counts.
In the same breath, some goalies can vary from year to year. A guy could be in the mix for the Vezina Trophy one year and struggle hard the next. His team will likely reflect those results too. It can be random, but most of the guys on this list are elite every season.
The Chicago Blackhawks have an outstanding goaltender in Spencer Knight. They have some good young goalies in the system, but the trade to acquire Knight gave the rebuild some juice because he is a young player (25) who is already great at the NHL level.
It would have been reasonable for him to come in the second half of the top-10, but he was snubbed.
Introducing NHL Network's Top 10 Goalies Right Now!
Knight is going to finish higher than those in the top seven for a while, but he has played just as well, if not better, than the rest on a much worse team.
With the Blackhawks, who have been one of the worst defensive teams during his tenure, Knight has made them a much more formidable squad.
During the 2025-26 season, his first full year in Chicago, he posted a record of 19-25-11 but managed to have numbers near his career average as he had a 2.82 goals-against average and .902 save percentage.
Those aren't top-flight numbers, but they are great for a guy facing 30+ shots every single night, and sometimes much more than that.
Knight's numbers also started to fall off a bit after the trade deadline, when the team traded away a few of their top defensive players, including Nick Foligno, Jason Dickinson, and Connor Murphy.
With a good team in front of him, he is an outstanding goalie. In Knight's final 23 games with the Florida Panthers, the 2024-25 season before being traded, he was 12-8-1 with a .907 save percentage and a 2.40 goals-against average.
Now, Knight has to work hard to get himself back into consideration for that list. It is going to be a challenge, with the Blackhawks scheduled to be in front of him again, but they have improved a bit.
Nobody questions Knight's ability to be a starting goalie in the NHL anymore. It's just a matter of how good he can become and whether or not he is on a team that will allow him to take that next step.
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Larne defender Dan Bent has played in two European competitions this summer and now faces a former team in a Conference League tie that could earn his club vital funds
Premier League footballers are gearing up for the start of the season, but some of their fellow professionals in smaller leagues across Europe have been going all summer – even those who play a winter campaign. Some played the biggest games of their lives when the rest of us were watching the World Cup. The Champions League qualifiers began when the World Cup was at the last-16 stage, with some clubs already knocked out of Europe by the time England were beaten by Argentina in Atlanta.
Larne, the champions of Northern Ireland, began their European crusade on the day Argentina beat Egypt in the World Cup last-16, Dan Bent’s penalty in the second leg a week later helping them overcome Tre Fiori of San Marino in the Champions League. Larne’s reward was a meeting with former European champions Red Star Belgrade. They were beaten 9-0 on aggregate by the Serbian giants, but it is an experience Bent will treasure for ever.
The latest Buss family dispute emerged Monday following a report that the family will sell its remaining stake in the Los Angeles Lakers to new majority owners Bob Iger and Josh Kushner.
The move to sell off the remaining 17.8% ownership stake, reported Monday morning by ESPN, would mark the end of the Buss family era with the 17-time NBA championship franchise.
In a statement reported by ESPN, the Buss family said. “We have decided as a family to sell the remaining Buss Family Trust shares to the Bob Iger group as part of the ongoing transaction. We love the Lakers, Laker fans and will continue to support Los Angeles; but it is time to use this opportunity to move on and exit gracefully while we still can.”
The sale would mean Jeanie Buss would no longer be the team’s governor, which requires a qualifying 15% ownership stake in a franchise. She has been team governor since 2013, following the death of her father Jerry Buss.
But later Monday, CNBC reported that Jeanie Buss is opposing the potential sale of her family’s stake, citing a letter addressed to law firms representing Jeanie Buss’s siblings. The letter said Jeanie Buss has not agreed to sell the team and a vote suggesting the family is selling “would be and is void,” CNBC reported.
Attorney Adam Streisand argued in the letter that Jeanie Buss remains the controlling shareholder, CNBC reported.
The siblings have been in frequent conflict since their father’s death. Jeanie Buss fired Jim Buss from his job as the Lakers’ head of basketball operations in 2017. A week later, she filed a lawsuit against her brothers during an attempt by Jim and Johnny to oust Jeanie from her role as the Lakers’ controlling owner.
Iger is the former CEO of the Walt Disney Co. Kushner is the younger brother of Jared Kushner, who is married to President Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka. They confirmed last week that they had reached an agreement to purchase the Lakers for a record $12.5 billion.
The deal was announced about 10 months after Dodgers owner Mark Walter purchased a majority stake in the team from the Buss family for $10 billion.
ESPN reported that a majority of the Buss siblings, Jeanie, Jim, Johnny, Janie, Joey and Jesse, voted to sell off the family’s remaining stake in the team. According to the ESPN report, Jeanie Buss’ agreement under the sale to Walter would have kept her as governor of the franchise through 2030.
The team sale must still go before the NBA Board of Governors for approval. The board’s next meeting is Sept. 15-16 in New York.
Jerry Buss bought the Lakers in 1979 for $67.5 million. The deal included the NHL’s Kings and The Forum in Inglewood.
Following his death in 2013, Lakers ownership passed to his children, with Jeanie Buss serving as team governor ever since.
Under the Buss family, the Lakers captured 11 NBA championships, the last coming during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 18: Owner James Dolan looks on during the New York Knicks Championship ticker tape parade and victory rally celebrating winning the 2026 NBA Finals on June 18, 2026 in New York City. The New York Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs in five games to win their first NBA Championship in 53 years. (Photo by Angelina Katsanis/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For most of their history, the Knicks and Rangers have been cozy bedfellows, with a shared owner, arena, training facility, and the same balance sheet. Now James Dolan is making moves to break them up.
MSG Sports currently expects to complete the spin-off by the end of October 2026. There can be no assurance that the proposed transaction will be completed in the manner described above, or at all. Completion of the transaction remains subject to various conditions, including any required league approval, receipt of a tax opinion from counsel and Company board approval.
MSG Sports first announced in February that it was exploring a separation. The new filing lays out how the businesses would actually be divided, with the company targeting completion by the end of October. If completed, MSG Sports would become MSG Knickerbockers Corp., containing the New York Knicks and Westchester Knicks. A new publicly traded MSG Rangers Corp. would contain the Rangers, Hartford Wolf Pack, and MSG Training Center in Greenburgh.
Dolan is expected to remain executive chairman and CEO of both companies. Existing MSG Sports shareholders would receive proportional shares in the new Rangers company, leaving investors with stakes in two separate businesses instead of one containing both teams. The key difference is that investors could value and invest in the Knicks and Rangers independently. The timing of this is no surprise: the proposed separation comes on the heels of the Knicks winning their first championship in 53 years and producing record business results.
In July, Dolan’s 32-year-old son, Quentin Dolan, stepped into day-to-day operational control of the New York Rangers as the team’s new President, Chief Operating Officer, and Alternate Governor. Under the new hierarchy, Rangers General Manager Chris Drury continues to oversee hockey operations while reporting directly to Quentin, who will also retain his role heading the organization’s sports science and analytics department. The move allows Dolan to step back from hands-on oversight of the Rangers while maintaining direct control over the Knicks, aligning with the corporate effort to divide the two franchises into distinct business entities.
MSG Sports reported $278.7 million in fiscal fourth-quarter revenue, up 37% from a year earlier, and nearly $1.154 billion for the full fiscal year. The Knicks generated approximately $182 million in playoff-related revenue during their championship run, compared with $115.2 million the previous postseason, despite playing nine home playoff games in both years. Average playoff revenue reached a company-record $20.2 million per home game, with record playoff ticket and merchandise sales. Even the MTA got a boost! The Knicks’ historic championship run drove staggering transit surges across their network, setting multi-year post-pandemic ridership records at 34th St–Penn Station and pushing single-day subway travel past 4.3 million trips. Expanded subway and commuter rail services accommodated over one million fans during the June 18 ticker-tape parade.
The $12.5 billion sale of the Lakers last week was just another reminder of how valuable NBA franchises have become. MSG Sports shares have also roughly doubled over the past year. Separating the teams gives the Knicks their own corporate identity and stock price, while investors would no longer have to determine how much of MSG Sports’ value comes from basketball and how much comes from hockey.
As noted above, the MSG Training Center in Greenburgh, which the Knicks and Rangers both use, would belong to MSG Rangers Corp. That doesn’t necessarily mean the Knicks would need a new practice facility; the Rangers company could play landlord while the ‘Bockers continued using it through some sort of agreement. There is a similar arrangement at Madison Square Garden already. MSG Sports owns the teams, while the arena is operated by the separately traded Madison Square Garden Entertainment.
In a nutshell, the split gives investors the ability to evaluate the Knicks as a standalone business right when the ‘Bocker business is booming. If everything goes according to plan, by the end of October the Knicks will have their own, publicly traded corporate home: MSG Knickerbockers Corp. Try putting that on a jersey.
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