The NBA issued stiff penalties for the Los Angeles Clippers, team owner Steve Ballmer and their former star forward Kawhi Leonard on Wednesday, Sept. 2, after an 11-month investigation found they violated salary cap circumvention rules.
The league levied fines of $30 million for the Clippers and $700,000 fine for Leonard, who denied any knowledge of wrongdoing but said he will accept the penalties.
Additionally, the NBA suspended Ballmer from all league activities for the next year; team president of business operations Gillian Zucker for one year without pay; and president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank for six months without pay.
"I am deeply disappointed by the flagrant violations of our rules and by the Clippers’ institutional and leadership failures that led to this misconduct," NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in statement. "The severity of the penalties reflects the seriousness of the violations."
The Clippers denied the league's findings, calling it "a biased investigation" and said they would challenge the findings and punishments.
Here's what the Clippers' draft pick situation looks like for the foreseeable future.
Clippers first-round picks
The Clippers will forfeit five first-round draft picks in the coming years.
Which draft picks did Clippers lose?
The Clippers lost their first-round picks in 2029, 2030, 2031, 2032 and 2033.
Can the Clippers draft in 2027?
Technically, yes, via a pick swap. The Oklahoma City Thunder have the right to swap with the Clippers if LA's draft position, based on record and lottery results, is more favorable than either OKC's slot or Denver's pick, which is top-five protected.
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - Aug 30: Tampa Bay Rays Infielder Junior Caminero (13) hits a home run and celebrates during the regular season game between the San Diego Padres and the Tampa Bay Rays on August 30, 2026, at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, FL. (Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
CLEVELAND, OH - AUGUST 30: The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum on August 30, 2017 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Duane Prokop/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Game two with the Guardians. It almost has to be better than game one.
The Jays are saying that Jameson Taillon will start Friday’s game against the Royals
Looking at that picture, I used to think I’d like to see the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but it interests me less now. And I’m not crossing that border for three more years. But I think there are other things I need to see before that particular Hall of Fame.
The year Covid hit, I had planned to go to Kansas City, to watch the Jays play there and to see the Negro League Baseball Hall of Fame. That’s higher up on the list. And I’d like to visit Nashville one day. And there are some places in Texas I’d like to visit.
WASHINGTON — Bat met ball in the top of the seventh inning, the latter flying out of the ballpark at 104 mph and soon, Ronald Acuña Jr. was flapping his arms and getting saluted in return by Atlanta Braves coaches and teammates, having witnessed another superlative from their now 28-year-old superstar.
“It’s freakish talent,” says Braves manager Walt Weiss. “And so he's capable of doing unbelievable things.”
In this case, on a rainy Wednesday, Sept 2 at Nationals Park, Acuña became the quickest player to reach 200 stolen bases and 200 homers, hitting the mark in just 904 career games, 25 sooner than Alfonso Soriano.
For a guy who debuted at 20 to reach a “fastest to” plateau at 28 seems momentarily incongruous. Yet that simply speaks to the adversity Acuña has faced after the sheen of his instant stardom wore off.
A pair of torn ACLs, one on each leg, essentially robbed him of two seasons, including the Braves’ run to the 2021 World Series championship. This season, a hamstring strain sent him twice to the injured list, and Weiss saw fit to bench him to “slow the game down” when he struggled returning from his second IL stint.
Those struggles seemed far away Wednesday.
Acuña singled, swiped second - his 20th steal in 29 tries this year - and scored in the sixth inning. An inning later, he clobbered a first-pitch 95 mph sinker up in the zone from Nationals reliever Max Kranick 379 feet into the Nationals bullpen for a 6-0 lead.
Two hundred to pair with his 225 steals.
In this era of liberal stolen-base rules, Acuña tops several superlative lists. But this one might be most significant - it implies longevity while also speaking to his precocious talent.
“I know how much I worked to be here, with my teammates, and I also, for me, wanted to be in that list with Alfonso Soriano and the superstars,” Acuña said after the Braves completed the rain-delayed 9-0 victory, increasing their NL East lead to four games over the Phillies ahead of their four-game weekend series in Philadelphia.
“Injuries are part of the game, though. So I need to keep continuing working hard, play hard, no matter what happened, help my team win a lot of games, so (we) make the playoffs this year.”
Acuña won’t be in the hunt for his second NL MVP award this season. Limited to 86 games, he’s posted a .243 average and .761 OPS, with 14 homers.
That’s OK. The Braves have taken control of the NL East without his very best. Now, they can really use his game-breaking ability as the stakes get higher.
“I love, I love, playing against Philly,“ says Acuña. “This weekend, it's like a playoff game, so let's see what happens in Philadelphia.”
Perhaps something spectacular, once again, from the Braves’ superstar whose career is gaining ever-richer context.
“Yeah, anytime you're first, or even top 50 on any list in this game, it's amazing,” says Weiss. “You think about the history of this game, and the people who played it, but, yeah, we know Ronald's talent, man.“
PITTSBURGH, PA - SEPTEMBER 01: A general view of PNC Park prior to the game between the San Francisco Giants and the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday, September 1, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rayni Shiring/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The San Francisco Giants continue this three-game road series against the Pittsburgh Pirates this afternoon.
Taking the mound for the Giants will be right-hander Landen Roupp, who enters today’s game with a 4.25 ERA, 3.74 FIP, with 133 strikeouts to 66 walks in 139.2 innings pitched. His last start was in the Giants’ 6-1 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks last Thursday, in which he allowed one run on four hits with three strikeouts and two walks in five innings.
He’ll be facing off against Pirates right-hander Bubba Chandler, who enters today’s game with a 4.26 ERA, 4.09 FIP, with 117 strikeouts to 68 walks in 131 innings pitched. His last start was in the Pirates’ 3-0 loss to the San Diego Padres last Wednesday, in which he allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits with three strikeouts and two walks in five and two thirds innings.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - SEPTEMBER 02: Andrew Painter #24 of the Philadelphia Phillies delivers a first inning pitch against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on September 02, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The final game of a lengthy road trip is always a tricky proposition. Having already secured a winning record on their nine-game western swing, it was easy to envision the Phillies going through the motions in anticipation of boarding their flight back to Philadelphia.
Sure enough, the offense was silent against a bullpen game by the Diamondbacks. But it almost didn’t matter because rookie starting pitcher Andrew Painter delivered a gem, pitching seven shutout innings. Unfortunately, one mistake by reliever Jonathan Bowlan was enough to send the Phillies to a 1-0 loss.
Since his return from the minors, the first inning has given Painter some trouble. But after allowing a single to start the game, Painter got the next three hitters in the frame out…and pretty much just about every other hitter he faced after that.
From the second to the sixth, the Diamondbacks had one runner reach base, and that came via Bryson Stott error in the fourth. The Diamondbacks finally recorded their second hit of the game with one out in the seventh, but Painter rebounded to get the next two batters to finish his day.
Andrew Painter today:
7 IP 2 H 0 R 0 BB 6 K 93 pitches (68 strikes) Max velo 98.7 mph 13 swing & misses pic.twitter.com/MdpjRtid7M
Painter’s performance was perhaps more impressive because his offense did absolutely nothing at the plate. Facing an array of relief pitchers, they managed just three hits on the day – two of them by Bryan De La Cruz, who was the only player to get as far as second base. Bryce Harper had the other hit and walked twice to extend his on-base streak to 35, but the rest of the team had a collective 0-fer at the plate.
The Diamondbacks must have been ecstatic to see Painter leave the game. Jonathan Bowlan came in for the eighth and was greeted warmly by James McCann.
It was a disappointing if not unexpected end to an otherwise successful road trip. They’ll fly home and have an off day on Thursday before starting a four-game series against the Braves that may very well decide which team wins the National League East. Painter won’t pitch in that series, but hopefully his veteran rotation mates can duplicate his effort.
Earlier in the week, the Chicago Blackhawks announced their roster for the 2026 Prospect Showcase. This event will take place at Blackhawks Ice Arena in Chicago, and it will feature three practices, two morning skates, and two games against the St. Louis Blues prospects.
Once again, the Blackhawks are bringing an above-average amount of talent to an event like this. Not every one of Chicago's top prospects is attending, but there is enough to consider it a highly competitive group.
Of the players showing up to this showcase, these five are the ones who will have extra attention on them for different reasons:
Sacha Boisvert - FWD
Sacha Boisvert was a first-round pick (18th overall) in the 2024 NHL Draft. Naturally, that will place excitement on him because there is a certain expectation that comes with selections like that during a rebuilding phase.
Boisvert, after finishing his NCAA career, signed with the Blackhawks at the end of last season for a handful of games. He didn't play every game after signing, but there is clear upside in his game. There is a lot more development ahead of him, but he is a player to watch out for above most at this Prospect Challenge.
Marek Vanacker - FWD
Marek Vanacker was also a first-round pick in the same draft as Boisvert. The Blackhawks made him the 27th overall pick that year. This is another forward that the Blackhawks are hoping will play a role on one of their four lines in the future, if not used in a trade. In the upcoming games against the Blues, Vanacker will make an impact on one of the top two lines.
Ryan Roobroeck - FWD
Ryan Roobroeck is the only player on this list who isn't signed. Unless he is uncuttable in camp and the preseason, he will return to Major Junior hockey in 2026-27 to play for the Guelph Storm of the OHL.
Roobroeck, a second-round pick (35th overall) in the 2026 NHL Draft, has a fresh feel to him as a prospect. Of all the players drafted by Chicago in 2026, Roobroeck will get the most attention at this event. It will be interesting to see how he is used compared to some of the older forwards in attendance.
AJ Spellacy - FWD
AJ Spellacy may not be the most skilled or flashy player of the bunch, but he has an argument for being the most "NHL-ready". Spellacy plays a hard-nosed game and is always going full steam ahead.
Spellacy's play style makes him a perfect third forward on a line to complement skill guys. He wins puck battles, hits hard, and isn't afraid to go to the front of the net. His tenacity will allow him to score goals at every level he reaches in hockey.
This is also a player with a clutch gene. When things matter the most, you can expect Spellacy to make a difference.
Adam Gajan -G
Spencer Knight is the organization's number one goalie; Arvid Soderblom is going to be the backup for another year, and Drew Commesso is waiting in the wings. Still, you can never have too much goaltending depth. Adam Gajan is going to be a part of that moving forward.
Gajan was one of the NCAA's best goaltenders last year, and he even found a way onto Team Slovakia's roster at the Winter Olympic Games in Milano Cortina. He was the third stringer in the end, but he may be the future of the position for that country.
It will be an AHL start for Gajan in his pro career, which is the case for most goaltenders in NHL history. If he gets a look in a Blackhawks uniform this year, it would only be because of multiple injuries, but that is likely not something he will experience until next year or beyond.
As far as the showcase, he is the best non-skater attending for Chicago. Jason Schaubel, the other goalie on the roster, will likely split the net with Gajan when it comes to the games. Schaubel was with the Kitchener Rangers en route to a Memorial Cup victory earlier this year.
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LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 24: Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, left, looks on at his new players Paul George and Kawhi Leonard, right, during a press conference at the Green Meadows Recreation Center in Los Angeles on Wednesday, July 24, 2019. George and Leonard were introduced to the media and fans as the newest members of the Clippers. (Photo by Scott Varley/MediaNews Group/Daily Breeze via Getty Images) | MediaNews Group via Getty Images
Count me among the cynics who thought that Steve Ballmer was simply too rich, too friendly with NBA commissioner Adam Silver, and had too many lawyers to face serious punishment for his team’s blatant attempts to circumvent the salary cap with a series of shady endorsement deals for Kawhi Leonard. The punishment Silver and the NBA handed down Wednesday is serious indeed.
BREAKING: The NBA has ruled on the Los Angeles Clippers in for salary cap circumvention investigations on Kawhi Leonard after yearlong probe — stripping the franchise of 5 first-round picks, issuing a $30 million fine to owner Steve Ballmer and suspensions for Ballmer, Lawrence… pic.twitter.com/JCV5bI88BE
It’s a huge penalty for the Clippers, who will forfeit their first-round picks from 2029 to 2033. That’s almost as much as they gave up to get Paul George! The Clippers’ 2027 and 2028 firsts are already encumbered by trades, so they’ll lose the next five, leaving them with only the Indiana Pacers’ pick in 2029 and the Toronto Raptors’ draft picks in 2031 and 2033.
Leonard’s own punishment was only a $700K fine, so presumably the Raptors will no longer object to completing their earlier deal for The Claw, and he can move on to no-show deals with Tim Horton’s, Canada Dry, and Molson’s.
The NBA’s nearly year-long investigation “found a pattern of misconduct and multiple significant rules violations by the Clippers organization.” Those violations included:
● Affirmatively initiating off-court income opportunities between Mr. Leonard and four companies doing business with the team: Aspiration Partners, Boingo Wireless, Daktronics, and Lockton Insurance;
● Facilitating endorsement agreements between these companies and Mr. Leonard;
● Inducing the companies to enter into these agreements by offering them business from the team;
● Paying personal expenses on behalf of Mr. Leonard and his representatives; and
● Failing to report improper solicitations for off-court income opportunities made on Mr. Leonard’s behalf through his then-business manager, Dennis Robertson.
Ballmer and the Clippers had loudly proclaimed their innocence as to any wrongdoing in Leonard’s $28M endorsement deal with Aspiration, the now-defunct tree-planting/climate credits company that was a big Clippers sponsor. That deal apparently didn’t require Leonard to do anything to reap tens of millions, whether it was to post about the company or plant one single tree, and it was never announced publicly, which seems contrary to the idea of celebrity endorsements.
Journalist Pablo Torre has been all over the story since it began, also pointing out the questionable endorsement deal Leonard had with Daktronics, a scoreboard manufacturer that didn’t have any other celebrity endorsements — since they make gigantic scoreboard displays. The NBA’s investigation, conducted by the law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, also found previously unreported illegal deals with Boingo Wireless and Lockton Insurance worth $18M in total.
Yes, Kawhi wasn’t doing ads for them either, and none of them was reported publicly. The three companies became paid consultants for the Clippers at the same time as they reached endorsement deals with Leonard, with two of them receiving immediate payments of $10M in “consulting fees.” Why they needed consultation with Boingo Wireless remains unexplained.
Not only did the Clippers have to forfeit five first-round picks, the same punishment given to the Minnesota Timberwolves a quarter century ago for making an illegal secret deal with Joe Smith, Ballmer and the Clippers head of business operations, Gillian Zucker, are suspended for a year. President of basketball operations Lawrence Frank was suspended for six months. Zucker and Frank’s suspensions are unpaid, but Ballmer will surely be able to find them some endorsement opportunities to make up for the lost income.
Now the Clippers are rebuilding around an uninspiring young core of Darius Garland, Brandon Ingram, and No. 5 pick Keaton Wagler, but precious little else. It’s an open question whether head coach Ty Lue will want to hang around, though he’s reportedly signed for three more seasons. The Clippers will also have to motivate themselves without the NBA’s most enthusiastic and sweatiest owner sitting courtside, relying instead on THE WALL, a Clipper-fans-only section behind one basket that honestly might have trouble filling its seats.
Who are the big winners? Adam Silver, who stood up to the richest owner in the league and came down with an old-school punishment worthy of David Stern, if not Kennesaw Mountain Landis himself. There’s Pablo Torre, who led the way on the story and was vindicated tremendously by the league’s ruling. There’s the Raptors, who get Leonard without his contract being encumbered. And there’s Leonard himself, who seems to have escaped cheaply by only drawing a $700K fine for taking what may have been tens of millionsof dollars.
Who are the losers? Steve Ballmer is the biggest one. We’d say the Clippers, but this is just one in a series of embarrassments that have defined the franchise since it moved out of Buffalo. Clippers fans don’t expect good things.
Mark Cuban, one of the most vocal Ballmer defenders, has to be considered a loser, as do Ramona Shelburne, Don Van Natta, and Baxter Holmes of ESPN, who confidently reported that the NBA had nothing on the Clippers just two weeks ago. Shelburne also hosted a softball interview with Ballmer a year ago on ESPN that was embarrassing at the time and even more so in hindsight.
Steve Ballmer:
"Pablo's podcast I don't know anything about the court documents on this. I haven't seen them and I don't know. The speculation is what it is. They conned me. I made an investment in these guys" https://t.co/5HqOZF5z9Apic.twitter.com/iqI1kYMZHL
The investigators called Ballmer’s statements during that interview that the Clippers “weren’t involved” in Leonard’s Aspiration deal “inaccurate (at best) with respect to Mr. Ballmer and clearly false with respect to Ms. Zucker.”
Who did not take the L? The Clippers, who continue to deny any wrongdoing and threaten to sic their lawyers on the NBA.
Statement from the Clippers: We vehemently reject the NBA's findings, which are the result of a heavily biased investigation seeking to justify a predetermined narrative rather than facts and evidence. What the league told us privately differs from what it announced today… https://t.co/HDgzD45qC3
Do we know why the NBA is biased against the Clippers? We’re sure the Clippers will explain, just like they’ll provide a reasonable explanation for team sponsors secretly giving millions of dollars to the superstar to do nothing as they’re also receiving massive consulting fees from the team.
The evidence is more damning than anyone realized, and the punishment is worse than anyone expected. Maybe not all billionaires believe that they can do whatever they want, but the billionaire who owns the Clippers clearly did. For the Warriors, their richest division rival has been seriously weakened.
Ultimately, Adam Silver was Steph Curry in this investigation, and Steve Ballmer was Chris Paul.
Kawhi Leonard joined the LA Clippers in 2019 [Getty Images]
The LA Clippers have been fined $30m (£22.2m) by the NBA for violating salary rules in order to funnel millions of dollars to star player Kawhi Leonard.
The fine - the largest in the league's history - comes after the NBA report said Leonard pressured the Clippers into "obtaining off-court income opportunities [and] successfully obtaining those opportunities".
The investigation was opened in September 2025 when podcast journalist Pablo Torre reported that a $28m (£20.8m) endorsement contract between Leonard and Aspiration Fund Adviser LLC could have broken league rules.
The Clippers will also have to forfeit five first-round draft picks between 2029 and 2033, while owner Steve Ballmer has been suspended from all league and team activities for 12 months for his role in matters involving Leonard's sponsorship contracts.
Two-time NBA champion Leonard has been fined $700,000 (£520,000) by the league.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver said he was "deeply disappointed" by the Clippers' "flagrant violations" of the rules and said the "severity of the penalties reflects the seriousness of the violations".
Clippers president of business operations Gillian Zucker has been suspended for one year without pay for providing "misleading statements to investigators".
The NBA said its month-long investigation "found a pattern of misconduct and multiple significant rules violations by the Clippers organisation, a prior offender of the salary-cap circumvention rules".
Following the ruling, Leonard, 35, said he "accepts full responsibility" for his actions and "regrets the distraction this situation has caused the fans and my family".
"I entered into my contract with the Clippers as well as the agreements in question in good faith, fully committed to fulfilling my obligations and with no knowledge of any intent on anyone's part to circumvent the salary cap," he wrote on Instagram.
The two-time NBA Finals MVP joined the Clippers in 2019 and spent seven years with the franchise before leaving this year.
The NBA said the "organisation and personnel" of the Clippers will be subject to a compliance and monitoring programme overseen by the league for five years.
Clippers to appeal against 'witch hunt' fine
The Clippers said they would appeal against the decision "through every avenue available".
"We vehemently reject the NBA's findings, which are the result of a heavily biased investigation seeking to justify a predetermined narrative rather than facts and evidence," read a Clippers statement.
"What the league told us privately differs from what it announced today publicly, and they have not held themselves close to the standard commissioner Silver set at the start of this investigation to ensure [its] fairness and accuracy."
Leonard is now expected to complete his move to Toronto Raptors, which was on hold until the investigation was completed.
Ballmer's attorney David Kelley said in a statement - released by the Clippers, according to ESPN - that suggested the team and his client has been subject of a "witch hunt" and the punishments were a "gross injustice".
"Mr Ballmer's reputation has been irreparably damaged as he now finds himself embroiled not only in this heavily biased investigation, but in civil litigation, the Aspiration bankruptcy proceeding, and more," Kelley said.
WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 02: Nasim Nuñez #26 of the Washington Nationals bats during the game between the Atlanta Braves and the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on Wednesday, September 2, 2026 in Washington, District of Columbia. (Photo by Alyssa McDaniel/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
In the last game of a 16 day run where they played every day, the Nats did not have any juice. They came out flat before the rain delay and that continued when play resumed. However, given the context, it was a performance I can live with in a 162 game season.
This was still a successful home stand. After leaking oil for most of August, the Nats had a solid 6-4 run at home. Things reached rock bottom after they got humbled in a 13-1 defeat against the Rockies. However, after Blake Butera called out the team’s effort, they responded. They won 3 out of 4 against the Marlins and last night’s win over the Braves was one of my favorites of the season.
Today was a different story though. Even though James Wood was back, it just felt like a punt game from the beginning. Between the pitching plan and the lack of offense, they never felt in the game. It was Wood who got the first hit of the game in the 6th inning. This was just a sleepy performance.
James Wood might be the only reason the Nats don’t get no hit today
Brad Lord actually did his part, firing 3.1 strong innings before a lengthy rain delay. After play resumed, Riley Cornelio got out of a bases loaded jam. That could have been the spark to ignite the Nats, but they just did not have it today. On the broadcast, they said that the Nats played 39 games in 41 days. With an off day and such a dramatic win last night, coming out flat was honestly understandable.
This game was pretty uneventful outside of a couple 3-run homers for the Braves and Max Kranick getting lit up like a Christmas tree. I want to circle back to last night though. That was one of the best wins the organization has had in some time.
I put it like that because the group accomplished a lot in that win. With their 67th win of the year, the Nats exceeded their win total from 2025. Heading into the season, there was real doubt about whether that would happen following the losses of MacKenzie Gore, Jose A. Ferrer and Josh Bell.
However, they got it done with plenty of time to spare. That is due in large part to the impressive hitting infrastructure the new front office has put in place. Even in September, the Nats are still second in baseball in runs scored and have some real distance between themselves and third. The pitching development has been hit or miss, but it feels like almost every hitter in the organization has improved.
We saw that on display last night with Yohandy Morales. The 24 year old looked right at home in his MLB debut. He had three hits on the night, with his first being a home run which was an amazing moment. There are not a ton of massive names in this lineup, but everyone they bring up seems to be at least showing some promise offensively.
Yohandy Morales waited a long time for this night. Dominated at AAA all year but couldn’t get the big league call. Blocked by Jorbit Vivas and Jose Tena and others. Finally benefitted from roster expansion today.
There have been some players who have taken massive leaps, while others are taking slow but steady strides. Some players like Curtis Mead immediately took to the new coaching and broke out right away. For others such as Luis Garcia Jr. and Andres Chaparro, it took a couple months for things to click, but when it did, the impact was loud.
Brady House is another fun example. He showed he was better than last year at the plate right away, but still needed to make big improvements. House actually had to go to the minor leagues to do that. Since being recalled, he has looked a lot better on both sides of the ball. He has a second half OPS of .755. As a whole, his OPS has gone from .574 last year to .710 this year in a nearly identical sample.
While Dylan Crews has not taken the leap most were hoping for, he also had a big moment this home stand. One thing that dogged the Nationals all year long was late inning offense. Crews finally gave the boys their first walk off all season. It was a big moment for him and the team.
Crews has slumped since that moment, which is honestly on brand for how his career has gone. However, I do think the walk off still gave him extra confidence that could be helpful down the line.
It was ugly today, but this was honestly one of my favorite home stands of the year. The team looked pretty dead coming into it, but came out with more life. This season could have gone totally off the rails, but this home stand helped the Nats stabilize.
They finally have an off day now before going on a west coast trip. The boys better bring more energy this weekend because the Dodgers are no easy challenge. It is time for the Nats to finish strong and build momentum into next season. This home stand helped that goal tremendously.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto is on the bump tonight, so I'm riding with him as part of our Cardinals vs. Dodgers predictions.
The Los Angeles Dodgers are massive 70-cent favorites at Polymarket, and we'll be focused on the run line to squeeze out some extra value as a result.
Let’s dive into my MLB picks for Wednesday, Sept. 2.
Who will win Cardinals vs Dodgers today: Dodgers -1.5 (51%)
For help understanding probabilities, see our odds calculator.
When Yoshinobu Yamamoto is on the mound, it's tough to find an edge elsewhere. Yamamoto allowed just seven earned runs across 32 1/3 innings pitched in August (1.95 ERA), and is in a good spot against the St. Louis Cardinals, a team that owns a .176 average against him.
Yamamoto is having another fantastic season, with opponents rocking just a .213 xBA and .340 xSLG against him this year. He'll silence the bats, and with many questions surrounding who will be on the mound for the Cardinals, I'll give the benefit of the doubt to the Los Angeles Dodgers' offense.
COVERS INTEL: With the lowest walk rate of his career (5.9%), the Cardinals are going to have to earn it tonight. Expect Yamamoto to go deep against the team ranked 22nd in wRC+.
Cardinals vs Dodgers Over/Under pick: Under 7.5 (47%)
The Cardinals have yet to announce their starter, but while I think the Dodgers will do enough to cover, their offense has struggled recently. The Under has covered in four of their last five games, and that trend should continue with Yamamoto on the mound tonight.
St. Louis is also one of the best Under teams in baseball, hitting at a 54.2% clip this season.
Cardinals vs Dodgers home run prediction: Pick (16%)
At this price, Jordan Walker is the best bet on the board tonight. Walker owns the highest xSLG (.486) of his career and has an .821 OPS against righties.
Mistakes may be few and far between from Yamamoto tonight, but if there's one guy in the Cardinals' lineup that will capitalize, it's Walker.
Dustin Saracini's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 7-9, -0.99 units
Over/Under bets: 7-8, -1.55 units
Cardinals vs Dodgers weather
It's a perfect night for baseball in Los Angeles, with temperatures of 79 degrees Fahrenheit accompanying sunny skies.
Cardinals vs Dodgers odds
Moneyline: Cardinals 31% | Dodgers 70%
Run line: Cardinals +1.5 (50%) | Dodgers -1.5 (51%)
Over/Under: Over 7.5 (54%) | Under 7.5 (47%)
Cardinals vs Dodgers trend
The Dodgers are 6-0 in Yamamoto's last six starts vs. NL Central teams. Find more MLB betting trends for Cardinals vs. Dodgers.
How to watch Cardinals vs Dodgers and game info
Location
Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, CA
Date
Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026
First pitch
10:10 p.m. ET
TV
Cardinals.TV, SNLA
Cardinals starting pitcher
TBD
Dodgers starting pitcher
Yoshinobu Yamamoto (12-8, 2.56 ERA)
Cardinals vs Dodgers 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.
The NBA came down hard on the Los Angeles Clippers for violating salary cap circumvention rules.
The league announced significant penalties and fines for the Clippers organization, owner Steve Ballmer, former star Kawhi Leonard and other team executives in relation to their role in the scandal after releasing the findings of an 11-month independent investigation.
A law firm commissioned by the NBA determined the Clippers facilitated alleged "no-show" endorsement deals for Leonard with at least four different companies following an initial "Pablo Torre Reports" investigation into Leonard's dealings with the Clippers and team sponsor, Aspiration Partners. The investigation also revealed the Clippers, who are considered a repeat offender by the NBA, broke rules by paying for personal expenses on behalf of Leonard and his representatives in a manner not allowed under NBA rules.
Commissioner Adam Silver is not taking the matter lightly, saying in a statement, "the severity of the penalties reflects the seriousness of the violations." The Clippers have vehemently denied the allegations and responded Wednesday that they will continue to challenge the findings from the league's investigation.
Here's a breakdown of the punishment handed out by the NBA to the Los Angeles Clippers, Kawhi Leonard, owner Steve Ballmer and more after an investigation into the team's violations of the league's salary-cap circumvention rules:
The Clippers forfeited five first-round draft picks, one in each of the 2029, 2030, 2031, 2032 and 2033 NBA Drafts.
The Clippers were fined $30 million.
The Clippers organization and personnel are subject to a compliance and monitoring program overseen by the NBA league office for five years.
Clippers President of Basketball Operations Lawrence Frank is suspended without pay for six months for his involvement with arranging the impermissible endorsement deals and approving impermissible expenses incurred by Leonard and his family.
Clippers President of Business Operations Gillian Zucker is suspended without pay for one year for being "primarily and directly culpable for the impermissible endorsement arrangements and for providing false and misleading statements to investigators."
What penalties did Steve Balmer receive?
Clippers owner Steve Ballmer is suspended from all league and team activities for one year for knowingly seeking to help Leonard obtain off-court income opportunities, for approving a business deal that he knew was a precondition for Aspiration to enter into an endorsement agreement with Mr. Leonard, and for his failure to create conditions under which his organization abided by the NBA’s circumvention rules.
What penalties did Kawhi Leonard receive?
Leonard received a $700,000 fine.
Leonard's former associate, Dennis Robertson, is banned for five years "from conducting business or otherwise engaging with NBA teams and their affiliates on behalf of or with respect to any player, employee, or other league or team personnel."
The NBA handed down sweeping penalties to Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, team executives, the team and Kawhi Leonard following an investigation. (Getty Images)
Here is the NBA’s investigation into allegations the Los Angeles Clippers circumvented the league’s Collective Bargaining Agreement.
The NBA handed down sweeping penalties to Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, team executives, the team and Kawhi Leonard following an investigation. The Clippers said in a statement that they “vehemently reject the NBA’s findings” and vowed to challenge them.
The Clippers' statement came soon after the NBA announced significant punishments for the team, owner Steve Ballmer and Leonard following an 11-month investigation. Here's how the Clippers responded to being fined $30 million and forced to forfeit five first-round draft picks.
What Clippers said about punishment from NBA
"We vehemently reject the NBA's findings, which are the result of a heavily biased investigation seeking to justify a predetermined narrative rather than facts and evidence," the statement read. "What the league told us privately differs from what it announced today publicly, and they have not held themselves close to the standard Commissioner Silver set at the start of this investigation to ensure it's fairness and accuracy.
"For the past year, we cooperated fully and in good faith and we will now fight just as hard to demonstrate our innocence. We intend to vigorously challenge these findings and penalties through every avenue available to us and look forward to an ethical and impartial arbitration process."
What are Clippers fines, punishments?
The Clippers are being fined a staggering $30 million, and the team will forfeit five first-round picks in the 2029, 2030, 2031, 2032 and 2033 NBA drafts. Leonard has been fined $700,000, payable to the NBA, and the league is also suspending Ballmer from all league activities for one year.
According to the release, the NBA and National Basketball Players Association, "have entered into an agreement confirming these penalties are final and binding on all parties."
This comes after a recent ESPN report indicated that the league's investigation had found no evidence linking Ballmer to the alleged scheme. The NBA pushed back against that report, citing "significant inaccuracies."
Kawhi Leonard statement on Clippers punishments
“Integrity and respect for this game are fundamental to who I am. I accept full responsibility for lapses in judgment by people within my inner circle and regret the distraction this situation has caused the fans and my family," the statement read via ESPN's Shams Charania.
"I entered into my contract with the Clippers as well as the agreements in question in good faith, fully committed to fulfilling my obligations and with no knowledge of any intent on anyone's part to circumvent the salary cap. For 15 years, my priority has been giving everything to my family, the game, and those I share the court with. As I return to Toronto, I am focused on what I can control, closing this chapter, and moving forward with a clean slate."
ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - AUGUST 28: Jared Jones #17 of the Pittsburgh Pirates delivers a pitch against the St. Louis Cardinals in the first inning at Busch Stadium on August 28, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) | Getty Images
San Francisco Giants vs. Pittsburgh Pirates, September 2, 2026, 6:40 p.m. ET
The Pittsburgh Pirates are in the middle of a three-game set inside PNC Park against the San Francisco Giants.
On the mound for the Giants is Landen Roupp (8-13, 4.25 ERA), who is making his 27th start of the season. Roupp last pitched against the Arizona Diamondbacks at home on August 27, going five innings and giving up four hits and one earned run in a 6-1 victory. With the win, he snapped a six-game losing streak. Roupp pitched against the Pirates earlier in the season, giving up three hits and one earned run in a 13-3 loss back in May.
Jared Jones is getting the ball for the Pirates, where he hopes to bounce back after a tough losing streak of his own. In his last start against the St. Louis Cardinals on August 28, he went 4.2 innings, giving up seven hits and three earned runs in a 4-1 loss. The Pirates last won a game in which Jones pitched on July 18 against the Cleveland Guardians. Since then, they have dropped seven in a row when he takes the mound.
Perhaps September will bring some hope for Jones, but they will have to earn it against the Giants.
Location: PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA
Broadcast: KDKA AM/FM, Sportsnet Pittsburgh
Pitching Matchup: Landen Roupp (8-13, 4.25 ERA) vs. Jared Jones (2-6, 4.83 ERA)
BD community, this is your game thread against the San Francisco Giants. Chime off in the comments section below.
COVERS INTEL: With the lowest walk rate of his career (5.9%), the Cardinals are going to have to earn it tonight. Expect Yamamoto to go deep against the team ranked 
