CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 24: Brandon Nimmo #24 of the Texas Rangers celebrates his catch at the wall with Evan Carter #32 in the first inning against the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field on August 24, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Zoe Davis/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Rangers 11, White Sox 2
That was a long game.
And a lot happened in it.
And the Rangers won.
Not only did the Rangers win, but they got back to .500.
And not only did the Rangers get back to .500, they took sole possession of first place in the American League West, moving a half-game up on the Astros, who did not play.
Kumar Rocker had a kinda fascinating game. He didn’t seem to have it going on early, allowing a hit in the first and what would have been a home run, had Brandon Nimmo not made a great leaping catch to bring the ball back, and a single, a homer, and another single in the second. In the third, he allowed an infield single to start things on a hard hit ball that Jake Burger couldn’t handle, along with a pair of walks sandwiching a groundout.
The Rangers were up 5-2 at that point, but with the bases loaded, one out, and Rocker looking shaky, that lead seemed tenuous. Rocker seemed destined to get the hook before too long.
Two strikeouts by Rocker got him out of the jam, the start of ten straight batters he retired before walking Chase Meidroth with two outs in the sixth, the last batter he faced.
Robby Ahlstrom and Jordan Montgomery took it from there, retiring all ten batters they faced.
So in all, the Rangers pitchers didn’t allow a hit over the final 21 outs they recorded, and allowed just one baserunner over the final 20 outs.
The bats, meanwhile, put up a season-high 11 runs in the game.
Rangers got on via the hit (14 of them). They got on via the walk (8 of those). They got on via the hit by pitch (two of them).
One of the HBPs was Elias Diaz, who was hit by Jose Urquidy on a 3-2 pitch in the third, and there was some talking that then went on, including, apparently, yelling from the Rangers bench.
Joc Pederson, who had tried to challenge a called third strike the previous inning, was told he had done so too late, got ejected a few batters later, supposedly for banging bats.
I remember Pederson, last year, discussing the addition of new hitting coach Bret Boone, said that he liked to talk sticks. Apparently he likes to make them talk, too.
The Rangers scored in every inning except the fourth and seventh, though they didn’t put up more than two runs in any inning, which seems kinda odd.
Corey Seager was 3 for 4 with a pair of doubles and an intentional walk before being lifted late for Nicky Lopez.
Since coming off the injured list the first time, back in early June, Seager has slashed .308/.393/.533.
Wyatt Langford drew a walk and had a pair of hits, including a homer with two outs in the ninth that led White Sox manager Will Venable to bring in old friend Luisangel to get the final out.
Jake Burger had a pair of hits, including a homer! And walked twice!
Cody Freeman had a pair of hits!
Ezequiel Duran had a pair of hits and walked!
In fact, every Ranger starter had a hit except for Joc, who only had two plate appearances due to being thrown out of the game. Pederson did draw a walk to start the game, though, and scored the Rangers’ first run.
It was a fulfilling game, the time that makes you feel all warm inside.
And it was a good way to start a road trip.
Kumar Rocker hit 95.7 mph with his fastball, averaging 94.3 mph, and 96.3 mph on his sinker, averaging 93.9 mph. Robby Ahlstrom touched 96.4 mph with his fastball. Jordan Montgomery’s sinker reached 92.6 mph.
Jake Burger had a 108.3 mph double and a 108.2 mph home run. Brandon Nimmo had a 107.8 mph groundout. Corey Seager had a 106.9 mph double. Justin Foscue had a 105.0 mph double. Ezequiel Duran had a 104.2 mph double. Wyatt Langford had a 103.0 mph home run.
Onward, hopefully in a way that retains first place.
I usually like to wait a day to digest bigger news stories. It pays to take a little bit of extra time to make sure all of the emotional baggage has cleared. Dana Brown officially failed as a general manager. However, professional sports is a failure business. Most general managers and managers are hired to eventually be fired. We can use the officially approved phrase “mutually agreed to a parting of ways,” but we know that it is a firing.
I like to break up a general manager’s job into three equal parts. The first part is the easiest one to track: what moves did the general manager actually make? Were they good moves? Obviously, those are loaded questions. As we have stated before, there is a difference between whether a move made sense at the time and whether it ended up working out. The second category is whether certain objectives were met. In other words, what moves did the general manager fail to make? Finally, you have scouting and player development. Let’s start with the first one.
What moves did he make?
Recency bias is a thing. When you look at the bulk of moves in 2026, they haven’t worked out. Obviously, the span of time may make us look at these moves differently. There were five major moves this season and none of them have worked out to date. The trade for Mike Burrows and the signing of Tatsuya Imai have both flopped so far. We might look at those differently next year and beyond, but he simply didn’t have the time for those moves to work out.
The Mauricio Dubon and Jesus Sanchez deals also did not work out. Joey Loperfido has not been a positive influence for the most part because he is languishing in Sugar Land. Should he be there? That’s a different question entirely. Nick Allen has been okay in comparison to his career norms, but he has not been Dubon. Obviously, both deals freed up some money, but that ends up spilling us into the second category. Finally, we have the Daulton Varsho trade. We are nearly a month in and the results aren’t pretty.
In spite of these problems, I would simply point out that most of these acquisitions made more sense at the time then what they ended up being. Maybe that is bad luck. Maybe it is something else. The Kyle Tucker trade was a positive mark on his record. Trading for Justin Verlander and Yusei Kikuchi were also generally positive. Christian Walker might be a wash depending on your perspective, but we can debate that one on a different day.
The most significant negative is probably the extension given to Cristian Javier. I for one will not blame him for that one as that is something most of us likely would have done at the time. So, for the most part I tend to give him a passing grade in this area. Every general manager will have misses. The question is whether you have more hits than misses and he seems to be batting about .500 there.
What did he fail to do?
When Brown was signed on we were told he was good at two things. He would be good at scouting and development and he would ink up our controllable players to team friendly deals. Four years later we have one extension and it was a bad one. Would have signing Jeremy Pena, Hunter Brown, Cam Smith, Yainer Diaz, or Bryan Abreu been good moves? Obviously, we would need to see the deals and evaluate those on a case by case basis. The fact that he accomplished virtually none of that is damning.
Two trade deadlines in a row this team came in with acute hitting and pitching needs and two years they really didn’t address the pitching and the hitting adds were questionable. We can hear the excuses now because they sound eerily familiar. This is where only Jim Crane and company can answer the nagging question. How much authority did Brown have to make deals? Of course, it will be a nagging question moving forward.
Two years in a row this team had one of the worst outfields in baseball. Three years in a row he has been hunting a lefty bat like Captain Ahab has been hunting his white whale. Granted, those don’t grow on trees, but it falls under the column of things he failed to do. The last two points here involve Framber Valdez and the previously mentioned Dubon and Sanchez deals. Why wasn’t Valdez dealt at the same time as Tucker? Imagine what two or three additional players could have done for the present situation.
Finally, you get the inane utterances of “we’re not done” following the Dubon and Sanchez deals. Yes you were. You did nothing of significance with the financial savings. The trade of a franchise icon netted you Varsho. Call me underwhelmed. Again, we don’t know how much autonomy Brown had to make deals, but he clearly isn’t a good chess player. A good chess player would have deals in mind before dealing Dubon and Sanchez. You wouldn’t make the move simply hoping something would come available. In this regard, Brown was playing checkers while everyone else was playing chess.
Scouting and player development
Even this is more complicated than it sounds. You can split into two halves. Scouting is the acquisition of players while player development covers what you do once you get them. None of these factors are cut and dried and a lot of this is conjecture/projection. What could have Cam Smith done with a year in the minors? If this were his rookie season would he be better? Worse? The same? it is impossible to answer because life is not a choose your own adventure book, but most people believe he would have been better off with another season in the minors.
The same could be true of guys like Zach Cole, Brice Mathews, and others that have been promoted fairly quickly. Are the quick promotions in their best interest? This is where both questions intersect into one. The Brown years were characterized with a lot of toolsy players that also have a ton of swing and miss in their game. Can proper development coach that out of a player or is that who they are?
It is one thing to announce or pronounce failure. It is another to start probing why the failure is occurring. This is where Crane and the other decision makers have to look more closely at what is being done. Is it a player selection problem or a coaching/development problem? Simply based on success at the big league level and prospect rankings, this has to be marked down as failure.
Final thoughts
Brown was frustrating at times, but that was more based on his public comments that sounded like the utterings of a used car salesman. He did not do much to actively torpedo the franchise. He was not a buffoon on the level of Spec Richardson or with the inane reasoning of an Ed Wade. He was a middling executive that simply didn’t do enough to thread the needle that Crane and company asked him to. There is the kind of sports hate where you hate someone with the heat of 10,000 suns. Then, there is sport irritation. That is the category Brown lives in. Most of us wish him success somewhere, but that will not be here.
As for Crane, he needs to do some soul-searching. Simply handing over the keys to a Jeff Luhnow type is probably a no go. However, a puppet general manager is probably a no go as well. That means he must thread the needle to find a guy that views the baseball business the same way that he does but is also willing to incorporate a little more science into the operation. It’s a tough ask, but every problem also presents an opportunity.
Aug 24, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager (5) hits a two-run double against the Chicago White Sox during the third inning at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Good morning.
Evan Grant writes that Monday’s blowout victory for the Texas Rangers signified that perhaps Corey Seager is back.
Kennedi Landry writes that the win in Chicago could have turned out differently if Brandon Nimmo hadn’t committed home run larceny.
Grant writes that the Rangers didn’t make much use of an easy portion of their schedule, which turns more difficult in the season’s final month.
Landry writes about Joc Pederson getting the boot from last night’s game because terrible home plate ump Chris Guccione thought the Texas DH was joking when calling for an ABS challenge on a strike three call that the ump got wrong.
Grant writes that Pederson is in the midst of his longest slump of the season, potentially because the Rangers have seen more left-handers of late and unfortunately will continue to do so.
What more does Mark Scheifele have to do to crack the NHL's top 10 centres? Apparently, putting together the first 100-plus point season of his career isn't quite enough.
The NHL Network unveiled its annual ranking of the league's top 20 centres this week, with the Winnipeg Jets star checking in at No. 11 heading into the 2026-27 season.
The ranking is, in fact an improvement from his No. 14 placing from just one year ago, but after the season Scheifele put together in 2025-26, there is certainly an argument that the longtime Jet remains underrated.
Photo by James Carey Lauder/USA Today
Scheifele recorded 36 goals and a career-high 67 assists for 103 points last season, reaching triple digits for the first time in his 15-year NHL career. That wasn't simply just a career year by Scheifele's standards. His 103 points actually ranked fifth among all NHL players - regardless of position. Yet when the NHL Network ranked the game's best players at his position, Scheifele couldn't crack the top 10.
And no, he did not make the Canadian national team that played in the Milano Cortina Olympic Winter Games. Having 10 centres ranked higher than him just adds to what has already been a challenging offseason.
Jack Hughes landed immediately ahead of Scheifele at No. 10, while Nick Suzuki, Auston Matthews, Sidney Crosby and Jack Eichel occupied spots six through nine.
There's obviously no shortage of elite talent in that group, and ranking players is certainly subjective. But Scheifele's continued placement outside the league's upper tier is becoming increasingly difficult to justify based on production alone.
He has scored at least 20 goals in 11 consecutive seasons and has reached the 30-goal mark seven times. Last season, at 32 years old, he took his offensive game to another level. Scheifele also continued rewriting Winnipeg's record book along the way, further cementing himself as one of the greatest players in franchise history.
Perhaps some of the perception surrounding Scheifele stems from playing his entire career in Winnipeg, away from many of the NHL's largest markets. Perhaps it's the abundance of superstar centres around the league.
Whatever the reason, Scheifele has quietly continued producing at a level that stacks up against virtually anyone at his position. Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon and Leon Draisaitl occupying spots near the top of a list like this is hardly debatable. But once the conversation moves beyond that group, Scheifele deserves to be firmly involved.
Instead, even after a 103-point season, he's still looking in from the outside.
BALTIMORE, MD - AUGUST 21: Jackson Holliday #7 of the Baltimore Orioles poses for a photo with a custom bat prior to the game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on Friday, August 21, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Alyssa Piazza/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
With 31 games left to go in the season, the Orioles are in a weird spot. After the Guardians win last night, Baltimore finds itself 2.5 games back of the final AL Wild Card spot with just over a month of baseball left to play. It’s far from an insurmountable deficit; the O’s have nine games left against the Guardians and Blue Jays—two teams they’re competing with for the third Wild Card berth—as well as six upcoming games against the bottom-dwelling A’s and Rockies.
The problem the Orioles have faced all year is consistency. Despite going 24-20 since the beginning of July, the O’s have only actually occupied the last Wild Card spot for a couple of days after their recent series in Tropicana Field. And even though that last playoff spot is currently occupied by a team that’s only .500, common sense says someone will eventually get to 81+ wins and claim a berth in October. If the O’s want to do that, they’ll need to get back to .500 for the first time since they were 15-15 on April 30th.
To find some level of consistency, the O’s will need some more offense from players not named Pete Alonso. Since July 1st, Baltimore has the 7th-best ERA in baseball (3.71), just behind fellow playoff contenders, the Guardians. The bats have often been Baltimore’s biggest problem, with the O’s ranking 20th in the majors at 4.23 runs/game since the beginning of July. You only have to watch one Shane Baz start to know that this sometimes-potent offense has a bad tendency of disappearing.
So if the Orioles are going to go through an offensive revival over the last 31 games of the season, they’ll need some of their previously hot bats to reignite. With that in mind, here are three players who the Orioles need to wake up if they’re going to make the postseason
Jackson Holliday
Holliday was a revelation for the Orioles’ offense in July. The 22-year-old was an on-base machine for Baltimore last month, posting an OBP of .500 to go along with a .368 average and a .421 slugging. It finally felt like the former No. 1 overall was putting it all together and becoming the type of hitter at the majors that we saw all throughout the minors.
Once the calendar turned to August, though, Holliday has seemingly turtled up and stopped being the offensive force the Orioles were relying on. In 21 games this month, the 2B is slashing .165/.221/.266 with more strikeouts (19) than base hits (13). It’s no coincidence that while the infielder was on a hot streak, the O’s went 15-8 in July. Since his downturn, Baltimore has fallen to 9-12 in August.
That regression could just be the latest episode in the mercurial career of Holliday, or it could be the 22-year-old struggling to adjust to a more prominent role in the lineup. Since August 7th, Holliday has hit 3rd or higher in the lineup and has been the Orioles’ leadoff hitter each of their last six games. His July clearly earned Craig Albernaz’s trust and you’d expect he’ll continue to hit in the leadoff spot for the rest of the season. If the offense is going to get back on track, its leadoff hitter needs to lead by example.
Christian Encarnacion-Strand
CES joined the Orioles thanks to the injury to Blaze Alexander and at first looked like an unlikely shot in the arm for an offense that had lost its second-best player. In his first nine games after joining the Orioles on July 18th, Encarnacion-Strand went 11-for-34 (.324) with three homers and 11 RBIs. That hot start to his Orioles’ career had many willing to hand him the starting 3B job for the rest of the stretch run.
Since then, the former Red has come back down to earth. His August triple slash is a measly .177/.224/.355 while posting 21 strikeouts in 62 ABs (33.9%). CES has consistently been a lefty masher, with a .286 average and 1.016 OPS against southpaws this season. However, against right-handers, the 26-year-0ld only has a .197 average and .563 OPS. Those are the same drastic splits we see with Coby Mayo, except Mayo is actually producing in August, with an OPS this month that is nearly 300 points higher than Encarnacion-Strand’s number.
With Mayo hitting, Samuel Basallo back in the fold and Alexander’s return supposedly on the horizon, CES has a lot of pressure on him. He has the pressure of not only trying to play his part in the playoff run, but also the pressure of keeping his roster spot.
Tyler O’Neill or Leody Taveras
Colton Cowser and Dylan Beavers have cemented themselves as the offensive leaders of this Orioles outfield—Cowser via his all-around good play and Beavers through his clutch hits. Albernaz has three other outfielders to complete the trio (O’Neill, Taveras or Christian Franklin), but if someone is going to break out, you’d expect it to be TON or Taveras.
We’ve seen O’Neill more recently prove what he can provide this offense. Last month, TON looked like the best version we’ve seen in black and orange (albeit in only 42 ABs). The oft-injured outfielder delivered five home runs while posting a 1.009 OPS. This month, O’Neill has continued to get more playing time and has given us a handful of web gems, but a diminished offensive output. The biggest drop is in his slugging percentage, which has gone from .691 in July to .404 this month.
Taveras offers almost an opposite profile to O’Neill; a player who mixes some small ball with a balanced approach that contrasts with O’Neill’s power-heavy game. After struggling mightily in June and July, we’ve seen Taveras turn it around a little in this month, with a .674 OPS in 63 ABs. If Taveras can become a secondary table setter at the bottom of the Orioles lineup, he can give Baltimore the offensive depth it needs to stay in the playoff race until the end.
It may have been a few days, but most Phillies fans are still buzzing about the dramatic come from behind win that the team authored on Sunday afternoon. After looking utterly lifeless for 8 innings, the team scored 6 runs with two outs in the ninth inning, capped off by Kyle Schwarber’s mammoth two-run, walk-off homer, the first walk off home run for the Phillies since June 9th, 2023, also off the bat of Kyle Schwarber.
You’ve probably watched it 1,000 times by now, but why not make it 1,001?
What makes the comeback even more remarkable is that the Phillies were not only down to their final out, they were down to their final strike three times before Bryan De La Cruz tied the game with a single following Edmundo Sosa’s three run double. Even Schwarber started his at-bat 0-2 before launching the game winning homer over the batter’s eye.
Let our own Schmenkman illustrate just how rare something like this is:
It was truly one of the most improbable comebacks in recent memory, certainly for the Phillies. Baseball has a way of creating these types of moments, especially for a team that is having everything go well for them at a given time. Yes, it was just a regular season game at the end of August, but the sheer dramatics of the moment will make sure that it goes down as a vividly remembered random Sunday afternoon in August.
Of course, the Phillies don’t have exclusive license for dramatic comebacks. So, what’s the craziest comeback you’ve ever seen in a baseball game? Was it Sunday afternoon? Or was it some other Phillies win from yesteryear? Or did it not involve the Phillies at all?
After a struggle of a series in Seattle that involved two crushing walk-off defeats, wasn’t that better?
Kevin Gausman threw seven outstanding shutout innings and the Cubs got a pair of homers, one of which was a monster shot by Michael Conforto, and opened the series on a high note with a 7-0 shutout of the Diamondbacks.
After a scoreless first inning, the Cubs got on the board in the second. Ian Happ singled with one out, and one out later scored on this triple by Pedro Ramirez [VIDEO].
Gausman, meanwhile, was mowing down D-backs hitters. He allowed a leadoff single to Tim Tawa in the third, then picked him off [VIDEO].
Corbin Carroll walked off Gausman in the fourth and stole two bases, but Gausman got out of that inning with a ground ball to first.
The Cubs extended their lead to 2-0 in the fifth. Conforto led off with a double and two outs later scored on this double by Seiya Suzuki [VIDEO].
Then the Cubs blew the game open in the fifth — all after the first two hitters were routine outs.
The back-to-back homers by Michael Conforto and Carson Kelly were the sixth pair by Cubs batters this season.
Half of those have come in the past eight days: Pete Crow-Armstrong and Seiya Suzuki last Monday, Alex Bregman and Michael Busch on Saturday, then Conforto and Kelly. They had done it once before, July 8 at Baltimore.
The Cubs have gone back-to-back 412 times since 1876, including 393 since 1901 and 182 since 2000.
The Cubs put two more on the board in the seventh. With one out, Michael Busch walked and Alex Bregman singled.
Gausman allowed three hits. By Game Score (76) that matched his best outing of the year, a one-hit start vs. the Yankees back in June. But he allowed a run then, the only hit was a solo homer by Jasson Dominguez. In this one, only one D-backs runner got past first base against Gausman. This is the guy the Cubs thought they had traded for. Hopefully he sticks around the rest of the year.
More on Gausman’s night from John:
Kevin Gausman gave up no runs on three hits in 7.0 innings.
The last Cub to pitch at least that many innings, with no runs and no more than three hits, was Justin Steele, with 7.0 and three hit at home vs. the Rangers on April 7, 2025. He walked two, one more than Gausman.
Kyle Hendricks gave up two hits and walked two in 7.1 vs. the Reds on Sept. 28, 2024, and Shota Imanaga pitched 7.0 no-hit innings with two walks vs. the Pirates on Sept. 4, 2024. Both of those games were at Wrigley Field. So was the last with one walk, by Jameson Taillon, who gave up three hits on Sept. 2, 2024, two days before Imanaga’s start.
Ryan Zeferjahn was given the eighth, a good spot for him in a low-leverage situation, and he came through with a 1-2-3 inning on just 10 pitches. Hopefully that’s a good confidence-builder.
Caleb Thielbar, another reliever who’s struggled, took the ninth. He did allow a couple of hits, but completed the shutout, in part helped by this sliding catch by Happ [VIDEO].
A bit of history was made with the shutout. From John:
This was just the Cubs’ second shutout in 97 games at Arizona since the Diamondbacks began play in 1998. The first was by 4-0 on Aug. 24, 2002. Last night’s game was the Cubs’ 74th game there since that one.
Solid win all the way around. Timely hitting, home runs, excellent pitching.
The Cubs crept to within 5.5 games of the Brewers in the NL Central. They also gained a game on the Phillies, who lost to the Mariners, and are now three games up on Philadelphia for the top wild-card spot.
The Cubs go for the series win Tuesday evening at Chase Field. Clay Holmes will start for the Cubs and Brandon Pfaadt will go for Arizona. Game time is again 8:40 p.m. CT (for folks in ET and CT, this is the Cubs’ last late-night game of 2026!) and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network.
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, PA - AUGUST 23: Ha-Seong Kim #7 of the Atlanta Braves signs autographs during the visit to the Little League International Complex on Sunday, August 23, 2026 in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Hailey Leonard/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
This question is funny because the Braves could start Ha-Seong Kim as soon as tonight, for all we know. But, for the sake of discussion…
Jim Jarvis has been optioned back down to Triple-A. Jarvis had start 29 of the team’s 34 games against right-handed starters since being recalled. Mauricio Dubon was the starter in all the other recent games, other than a lone Kim start on August 7. On top of that, the Braves’ division lead is 3.5 games, and their divisional odds are about 3-in-4… but their playoff odds are close to unity. So, whether the Braves feel they can afford to try Kim kind of depends on which of those numbers they care about more.
Kim has pretty much some of the worst stats we’ve seen by a Brave in any accumulation of time, with -1.2 fWAR in just 85 PAs. Dubon is at 1.7 fWAR in 500 PAs. Dubon’s batting line (.312 wOBA, .306 xwOBA) is an improvement over his career line (.294 wOBA, .290 xwOBA) but not a career high; he had a very similar line in 2023 in Houston, which is the only other time he’s crossed the 450 PA mark. That said, Dubon has a worse .280ish xwOBA (or worse) in his last seven, 14, and 30 days. To work backwards and get to a point where his seasonal line looks decent, you have to go back to June, where he was having a great time while the rest of the team careened on the edge of the abyss. (Dubon from June 1-forward: .321 wOBA, .309 xwOBA; Dubon from July 1-forward: .292 wOBA, .278 xwOBA.)
So, basically, Dubon isn’t lighting the world on fire, but Kim was doing exactly that but in a bad way, which is what caused his playing time to essentially disappear. Will he get any back, start-wise with Jarvis gone?
SAN ANTONIO, TX - APRIL 10: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs shoots the ball during the game against the Dallas Mavericks on April 10, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. 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 (Photos by Brandon Todd/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
62 wins is a high bar to clear. The San Antonio Spurs needed to win 30 of their last 34 games to get over 60 wins last season to secure the second-best record in the NBA. After losing the NBA Finals, the expectations are higher for the 2026-27 Spurs. The basketball world expects San Antonio to hover around 60 wins and get back to at least the Western Conference Finals. The question is, will they be able to improve upon such a great season?
Currently, FanDuel has the Spurs win total over/under at 60.5 games. If San Antonio pulls off another 60+ win season, it would be the first time the franchise has done it since winning 67 games in the 2015-16 season and then 61 games in the 2016-17 season. The last team to win 60 games in back-to-back seasons was the Oklahoma City Thunder (2024-25 and 2025-26) and should be in line to win about 60 games again this season.
The Spurs have done something that’s typically needed to win 60 games: added a lot of depth. They’ve retained their core while signing veteran wing Tobias Harris, and drafted first-round big men Tarris Reed Jr., who is likely to be ready to play this season, and Jayden Quaintance, who may not suit up this year. With some injury luck, this is a team that is primed to win a lot of games in a weakened Western Conference.
But will they have enough to win more than 62 games next year? Answer that question in the poll below, and we will be back with the results later this week!
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Spurs fans and fans across the country.
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, PENNSYLVANIA - AUGUST 23: Raisel Iglesias #26 of the Atlanta Braves celebrates with Mauricio Dubón #14 after a 4-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers at Bowman Field on August 23, 2026 in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The week ahead does not begin any easier for the Atlanta Braves, who will welcome the Dodgers for three games starting tonight. Bryce Elder will be on the mound, and the Braves badly need to get a series win. That will be much easier said than done.
MLB News
Braves sent Jim Jarvis to the minors and officially brought up Brewer Hicklen back to the majors. Hicklen was already with the team due to be being the extra guy from the Little League Classic.
BRONX, NY - AUGUST 12: Will Warren #29 of the New York Yankees pitches during the game against the Seattle Mariners on August 12, 2026 at Yankee Stadium in the Borough of the Bronx, New York. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
It was a tumultuous weekend for the Yankees. Cody Bellinger returned Sunday, providing a much-needed jolt to a lineup that’s been anemic in his and Aaron Judge’s absences. But Giancarlo Stanton suffered a setback that could end his season (and, with it, perhaps his tenure in pinstripes). And Ryan Weathers, who had posted a 2.27 ERA in seven starts since the All-Star break, landed on the shelf with a forearm strain.
Amid the injury news, the Yankees quietly went on a heater, winning six of their last seven while taking series against two AL East foes, Baltimore and Toronto. This week, they’ll be hosting the Astros, a sub-.500 team that just fired GM Dana Brown after dropping six of their last eight despite still tying for first place in a tight AL West. Let’s take a look at the likely starting pitching matchups for this midweek set.
Tuesday: Will Warren vs. Ethan Pecko(7:05 pm ET)
Just over a week ago, it looked like Will Warren was about to lose his rotation spot, bouncing either to the bullpen or the minors upon Carlos Rodón’s return. Now, with Max Fried and Weathers on the IL, he’s the Yankees’ No. 4 starter. After a strong start to the year he’s struggled, going 1-1 with a 6.08 ERA since the All-Star break and turning in just one quality start since the end of May. Last time out, he needed 90 pitches to get through four innings of work in Baltimore, allowing six baserunners and two runs.
He’s lined up to face Ethan Pecko. The right-hander will be pitching on his 24th birthday, six days after making his MLB debut against the Angels in which he allowed two runs in 3.2 innings. He featured a four-seamer and a sinker in that start, mixing in four complementary pitches. Pecko was 4-6 with a 4.94 ERA in 17 outings (15 starts) at Triple-A before getting the call.
Wednesday: TBDvs. Peter Lambert (7:05 pm ET)
With their rotation thrown into flux by recent injuries, the Yankees are yet to announce their probable starter for Wednesday. After optioning Brendan Beck down to Triple-A Monday, their only minor-league option on the 40-man roster is Elmer Rodríguez. Rodríguez, who has made four spot starts for the Yankees this season, last pitched on August 18th and would be on plenty of rest to start if called upon. Another option would be a bullpen game, with Ryan Yarbrough the likeliest option to provide multiple innings behind an opener.
The Astros are slated to hand the ball to Peter Lambert. After making 74 appearances for the Rockies between 2019-2024, Lambert spent last year rebuilding his arsenal with the Yakult Swallows of the NPB. The Astros took a flier on him this offseason and he’s been a real find, posting a sturdy 3.68 ERA and 113 ERA+ through 22 starts, helping stabilize a rotation that’s struggled with both health and performance. Lambert’s strong numbers on the season are despite his getting torched last time out, allowing nine runs in 3.2 innings to the Angels in what was easily his worst start of the year.
Thursday: Gerrit Cole vs. Hayden Wesneski (7:05 pm ET)
Gerrit Cole will make his 17th start of the season Thursday. After a layoff of a year and a half due to a UCL injury, he hasn’t missed a beat, posting a 3.11 ERA and striking out 100 in 92.2 innings. The 35-year-old held Baltimore to one run in six innings his last time out en route to his seventh win of the year.
The Astros will turn to Hayden Wesneski in the series finale. Like Cole, the former Yankee farmhand is recently recovered from Tommy John surgery. Wesneski is 3-1 with a 4.23 ERA in his first five starts back. He was particularly dominant in his last outing, keeping the A’s off the board through five innings while permitting a single hit (and three walks) in an eventual victory.
May 9, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; New York Mets pitcher Nolan McLean (26) throws water on left fielder Carson Benge (3) before a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Meet the Mets
The Mets were off on Monday after dropping two of three in Chicago. Their reward for a return home will be a showdown with the best team in baseball, the 81-50 Brewers.
Tim Britton examined whether Carson Benge or Nolan McLean have a case for NL Rookie of the Year on This Week in Mets.
Anthony DiComo argued that Benge indeed belongs in the NL Rookie of the Year discussion.
Mike Vaccaro wrote that the shine coming off McLean early in the year only solidified his importance to the team.
Nate Lavender talked about his current opportunity with the Mets.
Peter Sblendorio looked at how ex-Mets prospects Brandon Sproat and Jett Williams are doing with the Brewers after being traded there during the offseason.
Around the National League East
It’s the little things that Ronald Acuña Jr. does, as well as his smile, that makes him a fan favorite.
Paul Casella identified the ten best moments from the Phillies’ remarkable run.
The Phillies saw their nine-game winning streak end with a 9-2 loss to the Mariners. Wheeler took the mound in search of his first win since July 12, but a five-run first and four home runs derailed those efforts as his troubling trends continued.
The Nationals put up 13 runs in the final four innings to bludgeon the Rockies 13-3, as the Nationals’ bats woke up after scoring just six runs in their previous four games and being no-hit through four innings. The outburst coincided with CJ Abrams’ return to the lineup.
The Marlins allowed a run in the eighth and two in the ninth to lose 4-2 to the Red Sox. Pete Fairbanks exited with an apparent injury for Miami after facing just one batter in the ninth inning.
The Marlins did get some positive injury news as they reinstated Kyle Stowers from the injured list following a left hamstring strain.
Around Major League Baseball
The Brewers took down the Dodgers at the top of the MLB Power Rankings ahead of their visit to Queens.
Rob Manfred assured fans that they want to play baseball in 2027.
The Astros and GM Dana Brown mutually agreed to part ways, even with Houston in first place in the historically-weak AL West. The team released a statement about the decision.
Sam Dykstra looked at the ten best farm systems by outfield prospects.
It’s never too early to start thinking about the Arizona Fall League, and now you can with a look at the teams and schedule.
Edwin Díaz understands that he has not done his job this season as he prepares for a new role for the Dodgers.
The Rangers pounded the White Sox 11-2. In the victory, old friend Brandon Nimmo went to the apex of his leap to rob a home run. Joc Pederson, meanwhile, was ejected from the dugout in the second inning of the game.
The majority of Boston’s runs in their 4-2 against Miami came courtesy of the bottom of their lineup.
Cal Raleigh homered three times in Seattle’s win last night, becoming just the second Mariners’ catcher (along with his current manager Dan Wilson) to accomplish the feat while with the franchise.
The Rays beat the Tigers 4-1 as Drew Rasmussen made it seven straight winning starts.
The Guardians doubled up the Angels 4-2 for their fifth straight victory.
The Cubs blanked the Diamondbacks 7-0 as Kevin Gausman spun a scoreless gem for Chicago.
The Pirates outlasted the Padres 3-2 in 12 innings.
The Twins withstood a furious ninth inning rally by the Athletics to win 9-6.
Los Angeles, CA - August 11, 2026: Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tyler Glasnow sits in the dugout before an MLB game against the Kansas City Royals at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026 in Los Angeles, CA. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Even though the Los Angeles Dodgers have the second-best record in baseball, this summer has seemed like a slog to get through. It hasn’t quite felt like the big bully of a team other fans and talking heads like to complain about.
At least from the rotation part, the band is (almost) finally getting back together. On Tuesday, Tyler Glasnow will rejoin the rotation after being on the IL for over 3 months dealing with back issues. The Dodgers have been without their entire original starting rotation for all of the summer, and now, they also have Tarik Skubal.
Shohei Ohtani is slated to return on September 1st.
Doug Padilla of the OC Register covers the state of the Dodgers rotation going into the playoffs.
“We feel good about it,” Manager Dave Roberts said in the most understated of ways. “I’m excited to see Tyler back. I know he has missed competing, worked hard to get healthy, got his pitch count up and is now finally ready to participate. It’s going to be a fun series against the Braves. It will be good to get Tyler back in the mix.”
With Glasnow, and soon Ohtani returning, there will need to be some shuffling of the rotation. Justin Wrobleski went on the IL last week, and Eric Lauer has been moved to the bullpen.
When Ohtani returns, they are going to slow play him as they have done in the past. The team is moving Lauer to a “piggyback” role, and he will most likely be following Ohtani as the hope is to have Ohtani back to five innings by time the playoffs roll around.
Overall, it’s an exciting time for those who enjoy watching their team at full strength. Not just for the fans, but for the players themselves.
“Glasnow on Tuesday and then Sho’s working his way back,” Snell said. “I mean, yeah, it’s going to be a lot of good competition within the starting rotation. I’m really excited about it.
“Being able to watch some of the best pitchers in the game and learn from them – their mentality, the way they attack – having those conversations are very big. I’m definitely grateful to be on the same team but a lot to learn.”
MEXICO CITY, MX - NOVEMBER 1: Jaime Jaquez Jr. #11 of the Miami Heat poses for a photo during practice and media availability as part of 2024 NBA Mexico Games on November 1, 2024 in Mexico City, Mexico at Arena Ciudad de Mexico. 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 2024 NBAE (Photo by Kenny Giarla/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Welcome to Volume III of our “Choose Your Own Adventure” starter series, where we explore the Milwaukee Bucks’ options at each position. Read along, make your choice, and share your pick in the comments—if you dare!
We’ve covered the point and shooting guard too, now it’s time for the wing—at small forward, start who? Awkward rhyme aside, the question is valid and just perhaps the most difficult one. After all, the Bucks don’t have a single player on their roster who was a full-time starter at the three last year. No, AJ Green does should not count, that much has proven itself (sorry, AJ—I still love ya!).
To find out who does count as a potential starter, go on to OPTION 1.
1. The not so sixth man: Jaime Jaquez Jr.
Oxymoronically, last year’s runner-up in Sixth Man of the Year voting, Jaime Jaquez Jr., likely has first dibs on the starting spot. A Jack of all trades, master of none, Jaquez fits as a starter because of his complementary skills.
First, he’s terrific in a playmaking role (4.7 APG, 24% assist percentage), which bodes well for pairing with natural born scorers—and likely starting backcourt—Ryan Rollins and Tyler Herro, who are both effective playmakers for others but not first-rate distributors, not to mention bigs Myles Turner and Kel’el Ware, who both rely on others to set them up (87.3% and 76.2% of their made field goals were assisted, respectively).
Second, he thrives in the paint. With shooters likely all around in the starting lineup, someone has to collapse the defence—and there’s a massive, Giannis-sized hole to fill in that regard. While Jaquez can’t do that alone, he did lead the Heat in points in the paint last season (9.9 per game), a number that’s more than two points higher than any non-Giannis Buck (Kevin Porter Jr. ranked second for the Bucks last year at 7.6 per game).
If you need an action hero, Juan Wick is your guy. If not, go on to OPTION 2.
2. The trade deadline darling: Ousmane Dieng
Prior to the offseason, Ousmane Dieng was the young piece the Bucks were hitching their wagon to. Okay, maybe that’s hyperbole, but at the very least he was an intriguing option who, down the stretch, showed promise of something more. He twice hit five threes in a game, twice dished out double-digit assists, and thrice collected double-digit rebounds. At his best—think his showings against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, and even the Phoenix Suns—Dieng showcased a versatility not too dissimilar to Jaquez.
In his first 17 games as a Buck, Dieng shot 43% from downtown (on 4.4 attempts per game). In his last 13 games, he averaged 5.5 APG as a primary playmaker. Against the Rockets, he dominated in downhill action as a pick and roll ballhandler, getting into and finishing in the paint. Against the Suns, he guarded down, playing the type of wing defence that wins in the postseason, locking up perennial All-Star Devin Booker. In all, Dieng can do it all, but so far it’s mostly been in snippets. Is he ready to take the next step?
If you want your Ous to really be loose, choose Dieng. If not, run to OPTION 3.
3. The force-feed me neophyte: Nate Ament
Ament is still super early in his narrative arc, so it’s highly unlikely he starts this season, let alone from the jump. But that doesn’t mean he couldn’t—or shouldn’t. For one, Ament has the size height no one else can offer at the position. At 6’10” he towers over Jaquez, let alone the guys below him on this list. In fact, he’s the equal fourth-tallest Buck, shorter than only Kel’el Ware, Myles Turner, and Bogoljub Markovic. This height and length—his wingspan is 7-foot—makes him an ideal cog in a Taylor Jenkins machine that figures to get after it defensively. But it will also prove useful on the offensive end too, whether that’s by getting to (and hopefully finishing at) the rim, or by augmenting the horizontal spacing his shooting provides with vertical spacing too (i.e., it’s harder to close out on taller shooters).
Of course, the real argument for Ament as a starter is to try and accelerate his development; forget the narrative exposition, begin in medias res. In addition to force-feeding him calories in the kitchen and weights in the gym, force-feeding him minutes on the court is pivotal if he has any chance at becoming the player his potential teases. Plus, as a starter he’d be better insulated by the best the Bucks have to offer, enabling him to focus on a narrowed set of responsibilities. Think of it as a JOB start—that’s Johnny O’Bryant for those who forgot—only on steroids (not literally).
If starting Ament doesn’traise your eyebrows, choose him. If it does, turn to OPTION 4.
4. The too small small forwards: Tyler Herro, Brayden Burries, or Gary Trent Jr.
Natural threes aside, there is the potential the Bucks roll with the dreaded three-guard lineup. “Why!?” you may be asking screaming. Well, unlike last year, when the Bucks simply didn’t have enough options to play a traditional small forward, this year it comes down to math: too many quality guards and not enough minutes to go around. So, in the event that all the guards remain on the roster and show out in training camp, Jenkins might have his hand forced.
As I wrote in the shooting guard chapter of this series, Tyler Herro played a not-so-insignificant 20% of his minutes at small forward last season. And in lineups that featured Bam Adebayo, Andrew Wiggins, Herro, Norman Powell, and Davion Mitchell, where Herro was the nominal three—Powell recorded just 4% of his playing time at small forward; Mitchell had 0%—the Heat achieved a net rating of +5.2.
Should Herro remain in the backcourt, Brayden Burries could even slot in as a small-ball three. Yes, he’s short for the position, but at 215 lbs he’s already heavier than every non-big on the roster (besides Jaquez)—and, for that matter, Nate Ament and Bogoljub Markovic, too. Built like a brick sh*thouse, Burries is certainly strong enough to guard up and this would be the easiest way to solve his minutes paradox while still playing the veteran guards (or even Kasparas Jakučionis).
Before I close, Gary Trent Jr. could fill this spot too (yes, you read that right). After all, he played 61% of his minutes at small forward last season and 47% the year prior. And, yes, I am aware of all the free throw rate and rebounding graphics going around that highlight the ineptitude of such lineups. Still, Trent is back for a the foreseeable future and who knows what else that handshake meant he can be a positively impactful player. Can’t he?
QUICK! Make a decision,or you’ll be trapped in small forward purgatory! Choose Herro, Burries, or Trent if your name is Doc and/or you’re a sucker for a three-guard lineup. Otherwise, pull a rabbit out of your hat and tell us who it is in the comments.
PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 11: Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Rutger McGroarty (2) looks on during the first period in the NHL game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Washington Capitals on April 11, 2026, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Rutger McGroarty, last season’s top prospect in the Pensburgh rankings, slips back to No. 4 in the 2026 rankings after playing 24 games with the Penguins last season.
McGroarty is still looking to find solid footing in the NHL despite an extended call-up with the Penguins last winter.
He missed training camp due to an upper-body injury and began the season rehabbing before starting out the campaign with Wilkes/Barre-Scranton.
The winger was called up to the NHL from Dec. 1 to Jan. 3, a span over which he posted three points (two goals, one assist) in 16 games while averaging 12:13 per game with minimal time on special teams.
This first stint in the NHL ended with a concussion diagnosis, after which McGroarty was reassigned to Wilkes/Barre.
McGroarty played four AHL games after recovering from his concussion. He was called back up to the NHL on Jan. 29 and played another four games with the Penguins before the NHL split for the Olympic break.
He got his third recall of the season once the Penguins had already clinched a playoff spot in late March, scoring his third goal of the season in a regular season finale loss to the St. Louis Blues.
In part due to his usage, McGroarty wasn’t always an impact player in the NHL.
The same couldn’t be said for his work in the AHL last season. McGroarty celebrated his return to the WBS lineup at the beginning of the season by racking up four goals in his first four games back from injury in November.
McGroarty put together a point-per-game AHL campaign before playing a key role in helping Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on a run to the Eastern Conference Final.
— Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) June 4, 2026
McGroarty told Inside AHL Hockey’s Tony Androckitis after the season he saw the 2025-26 campaign as “a year of learning.”
“I think that, being between two teams, kind of having a few different roles helped me a lot mentally… going through those growing pains of going up and down, playing well here, maybe playing well there and not producing,” McGroarty said in June.
McGroarty is currently signed through next season before he is set to hit restricted free agency ahead of his age-23 campaign in 2027.
Especially in the wake of Ville Koivunen’s eight-year extension earlier this offseason, will McGroarty be able to earn himself the increased NHL playing time that could give him a better shot at making an impact with the Penguins?
One skill that’s gotten in the way of McGroarty making a full-time NHL jump before now is his skating, an area in which Kyle Dubas said in May he has seen improvement.
“He’s put in a lot of work. I think it’s evident when watching the games, for me, anyway,” Dubas said about McGroarty in May. “Especially without the puck on the forecheck, able to generate much more speed, pressure the opponents. I think that’s the type of game he’s going to have to play.”
Dubas continued, “I think, with Rutger, he’s proven to be an excellent penalty killer, excellent netfront power-play guy with Wilkes/Barre. The skating has always been the thing with him, and he’s put in the work, and improved on it.
“So we expect next year that he’ll have every opportunity to earn a spot here. How high in the lineup that is will be up to him, and earning a spot at large will be up to him.”
The Penguins’ forward depth and McGroarty’s contract could make this close to a make-or-break year for the 22-year-old winger.
He’ll be looking to earn a roster spot, and potentially some special teams playing time, out of training camp this fall. That will start with him staying in good health that allows him to stay with the team for the entirety of training camp next month.
