Columbus Clippers Travis Bazzana (12) throws the ball to first base during home opener at Huntington Park on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in Columbus, Ohio. | Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Columbus Clippers offense erupted for 15 runs on 16 hits and eight walks Tuesday in an absolute beatdown of Somerset. Leading the charge was top infield prospect Angel Genao, who blasted two home runs (both over 100 mph exit velocity) while going 2-for-5 with a walk in the victory.
Also homering was Ralphy Velazquez, who has been heating up of late. Velazquez went 3-for-5 with his eight homer at Triple-A.
Kahlil Watson was perfect at the plate, going 4-for-4 with a double while George Valera went 2-for-5 with a home run and a walk and the newly-acquired Blake Perkins tripled. Coopre Ingle went 2-for-5 with a double and a walk.
Starting pitcher Austin Peterson allowed four runs (one earned) on five hits with three strikeouts and no walks in 6.0 innings.
Ryan Webb allowed one run and Hunter Stanley allowed two runs in their lone innings of work while Daniel Espino pitched a perfect inning with two strikeouts.
It wasnât just Columbus that had a huge day offensively on Tuesday. Akron also went off with 17 runs on 13 hits and 11 walks.
Leading the charge was Nolan Schubart, who went 4-for-6 with a double. Maick Collado also had a huge game, going 4-for-6 with a double and four RBIs. Ryan Cesarini went 2-for-3 with a double, two walks and a stolen base and Bennett Thompson went 1-for-4 with a walk, a hit by pitch and a stolen base.
Aaron Walton reached base safely four times, walking three times and getting hit by a pitch while Jaison Chourio doubled and had three RBIs.
Starting pitcher Rafe Schlesinger was rock solid, allowing two runs on six hits in 6.0 innings with six strikeouts and four walks.
Jack Jasiack and Adam Tulloch both pitched a scoreless inning of relief.
A late rally from Lake County fell just short on Tuesday.
Welbyn Francisca had the lone multi-hit game, going 2-for-5 with a pair of doubles. Cannon Peebles also had an excellent game, going 1-for-2 with a home run and two walks.
Jonah Advincula tripled, Garrett Howe went 1-for-3 with a walk and both Esteban Gonzalez and Luis De La Cruz doubled, with Gonzalez stealing a base.
Starting pitcher Ben Livelyâs rehab continued with two runs allowed on four hits in 2.2 innings with three strikeouts and a walk.
Will McCausland piggybacked with Lively, allowing five runs on six hits in 5.1 innings while striking out three and walking one.
Riley Nelson went 1-for-2 with a double and two walks to lead the way for Hill City offensively. Jonathan Martinez went 2-for-4 with two doubles while Johan Rodriguez homered and Alejandro Blasco tripled.
Starting pitcher Aden Major allowed two runs on four hits in 5.2 innings with five strikeouts and one walk.
Luis Torres followed by allowing four runs in 1.1 innings to take the loss. Aaron Savary impressed in 2.0 innings of perfect relief with three strikeouts.
The New York Yankees picked up a shutout victory Tuesday night, and they're -150 favorites to take today's rubber match.
With St. Louis spiralling offensively, my Cardinals vs. Yankees predictions see value in backing the home team to pick up another low-scoring win.
Let's break it all down with my MLB picks on Wednesday, Aug. 5.
Who will win Cardinals vs Yankees today: New York Yankees (-155)
Will Warren's indicators (3.58 xFIP, 4.06 SIERA) suggest he has pitched better than his results (6.05 ERA) over the last month, and this is a good spot for the tide to turn.
The power has also come at a high cost in terms of strikeouts, with no team punching out at a higher clip the past month.
I see a ton of value on this Under, and would bet it to -130.
Todd Cordell's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 70-63, -7.20 units
Over/Under bets: 73-54-4, +10.24 units
Cardinals vs Yankees weather
The forecast calls for temperatures hovering around 80, with winds blowing West. Small bump to the bats.
Cardinals vs Yankees odds
Moneyline: Cardinals +135 | Yankees -155
Run line: Cardinals +1.5 (-150) | Yankees -1.5 (+130)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-120) | Under 8.5 (+100)
Cardinals vs Yankees trend
New York has hit the Game Total Under in 25 of the last 40 games (+8.70 units, 20% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Cardinals vs. Yankees.
How to watch Cardinals vs Yankees and game info
Location
Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
Date
Wednesday, August 5, 2026
First pitch
7:05 p.m. ET
TV
Prime Video
Cardinals starting pitcher
Andre Pallante (11-6, 3.72 ERA)
Yankees starting pitcher
Will Warren (8-5, 4.14 ERA)
Cardinals vs Yankees 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.
In theory, winning the 2026 NBA championship should have lifted all possible pressure off this Knicks team. The daunting expectations have been replaced with incredible achievement, and no member of that roster will have to worry about employment prospects or paying for a drink in New York ever again.
But life moves on, and unfortunately the hope of maintaining this championship roster can be outgunned by the realities of the NBAâs salary cap restraints. The Knicks faced this firsthand as they watched Mitchell Robinson leave for the Boston Celtics.
Theyâll now have to negotiate some team-friendly extensions, primarily for Karl-Anthony Towns, but also Miles McBride, the two-way backup guard who has competed on one of the best bang-for-your-buck deals in the league these past few seasons. He became extension-eligible last December, and has until the end of this upcoming season on June 30, 2027 to ink a new deal before hitting unrestricted free agency.
So despite the victory lap this team intends to go on, the stakes are higher than ever for McBride. He secured an NBA career with his previous three-year, $13 million extension, but now heâll be looking to secure his future as an already-established player in a contract year.
When McBride first joined the Knicks, he was a defensive specialist who saw little playing time under head coach Tom Thibodeau. Every time he saw an NBA court, his impressive shooting from college, the G-League, and the practice gym wouldnât translate.
That all changed when New York traded for OG Anunoby, crippling their guard depth in the process and pushing McBride into a more consistent reserve role. Suddenly, he was able to find some rhythm playing real minutes and getting open looks from his star teammates.
LeonRose got McBride's extension as soon as the trade hit, making a small bet on his ability to step up and cashing out huge. McBride finished the season averaging 8.3 points in 19.5 minutes per game and shooting 41 percent from three, while still bringing that hounding defensive presence.
His next two seasons continued the trend up as his minutes and counting stats climbed. Last season was a career-high 12 points per game, with him attempting 6.6 threes per contest at a 41.3 percent clip.
New York Knicks guard Miles McBride (2) reacts against the Philadelphia 76ers in the first quarter during game four of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena / Kyle Ross - Imagn Images
McBride quickly boasted the most team-friendly contract in the league -- a legitimate bench contributor and fill-in starter at the price of a late first-rounder. There were still some question marks, though.
His rim pressure is a non-threat to defenses, largely because he doesnât have a strong enough handle to create any. He isnât on the tail end of his career at the age of 25, but many hoped for more of a developmental jump these past few seasons that never came.
McBrideâs a staunch on-ball defender of guards and can even switch on wings, but doesnât force a great deal of turnovers or make a huge impact on help defense. This caps his ability short of being a playoff starter for a team.
Speaking of the postseason, though reliable, these flaws definitely stuck out, especially late in the 2026 run when he McBride made limited contributions. Despite this, should he enter 2027 free agency, McBride would have a number of suitors, likely at prices that the Knicks wouldnât be able to match.
On the flip side, the Knicks are developing his replacements. Tyler Kolek is no high-level defender, but heâs proven himself a capable guard in big moments.
New York also traded for and re-signed Jose Alvarado, and drafted two interesting pieces in Tyler Nickel and Jack Kayil. Landry Shamet is returning, giving New York a host of guards who could eventually supplant McBride, lending them leverage in negotiations.
Getting this settled before the season at a price the Knicks could bear while maintaining this roster looks like a pipe dream at this point. This makes 2026-27 a major prove-it year for McBride, who New York could weigh trading over losing outright.
The thrill of the championship may last decades, but the realities of trying to win another one wonât allow the team that luxury. The Knicks have some big decisions to make, and McBride has a massive season ahead of him if he wants to earn his worth.
More than a month into NHL free agency, many of the biggest names have already found new homes. Yet, several familiar faces from the Winnipeg Jets remain on the open market as August begins, including a trio of players who once played key roles in the organization's past and present.
Leading the way is former second overall pick Patrik Laine, who remains one of the most intriguing free agents available, despite appearing in just five games last season before a core muscle injury ended his campaign.
Photo by Stephen Brashear/USA Today
And as pointed out by Puck Media, thanks to an injury-related provision in the NHL's Collective Bargaining Agreement, the 28-year-old winger is eligible to sign a one-year, performance bonus-laden contract, potentially giving cap-strapped contenders a low-risk opportunity to add a player who at one point of his career was one of the league's most gifted goal scorers.
Another recognizable name still searching for work is Evander Kane, the former Atlanta Thrashers first-round pick, who spent the first five-plus seasons of his NHL career with the franchise before it relocated to Winnipeg. Beleaguered every time he returns to Winnipeg, Kane has faced a number of injuries as of late. Now 35, Kane does continue to offer size, physicality and proven playoff experience, which could serve as an asset for teams needing that extra punch.
On the blueline, Logan Stanley also remains unsigned after being dealt by the Jets to the Buffalo Sabres ahead of last season's trade deadline. The towering 6-foot-7 defenceman has played parts of six NHL seasons and, at 28 years old, could still draw interest from clubs looking for depth on the left side.
Just six months ago, certain 'insiders' had Stanley's value marked north of $25 million.
While those three headline the list, they aren't the only former Jets still awaiting their next opportunity. Veteran forwards Tanner Pearson and Gustav Nyquist also entered August without NHL contracts after finishing last season in Winnipeg.
Elsewhere, the list of former Jets from last season has continued to shrink. Defenceman Colin Miller has opted to continue his career overseas, while Winnipeg native and former Jet Jonathan Toews officially announced his retirement, closing the book on a remarkable NHL career.
Training camp is set to begin next month - will any of Laine, Kane or Stanley have a contract by that point?
SAN ANTONIO, TX - APRIL 28: Keldon Johnson #3 of the San Antonio Spurs poses for a photo after being awarded the 2025-26 Kia NBA Sixth Man of the Year award before the game against the Portland Trail Blazers during Round One Game Five of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 28, 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 Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Welcome to Pounding the Rockâs 2025-26 player reviews! The series will look at the players who finished the season with the San Antonio Spurs on guaranteed contracts and who played consequential minutes and/or a vital role (so no two-way players because we hardly saw them this year, no players who were traded away, and none of the deep bench centers, since they were both irrelevant and are now all gone).
If I really wanted to, I could probably copy-paste Keldon Johnsonâs 2024-25 Player Review almost verbatim here, with only a few positive tweaks, and no one would be the wiser. Of course, I respect my fellow Pounders too much to do that, but it would not be that far off. Not only did KJ repeat last season by doing everything that was asked of him off the bench, but he actually improved on his few areas of weakness on his way to winning Sixth Man of the Year, beating out Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Tim Hardaway Jr. while becoming just the second Spur to win the award, along with Manu Ginobili.
He surpassed his own Spurs record from last year for points off the bench with 1,081 points in the regular season, in large part thanks to being an iron man by appearing in all 82 games, as well an improved three-point shot. Not counting his rookie season â in which he only appeared in 17 games and broke out in the bubble â this was his second-best season from beyond the arc, where he hit 36.6%, up from 31.8% last season on a similar number of attempts. His overall FG% of 51.9 was a career-best (again, outside his rookie season), as was his finishing from 3-10 ft out at 53.6%, showing an improved ability to adjust when he couldnât quite get all the way to the rim.
And of course, thereâs his leadership. Beyond being the longest-tenured player on the team and the heart and soul of the locker room with his contagious energy and sense of humor, he was also their emotional leader on the court. Finally, one of the biggest needs for the Spurs coming into this season if they wanted to take another leap was get better in the non-Wemby minutes. Of course, itâs impossible to expect the bench to maintain the same level, but simply not falling off a cliff when he rested was all that was needed, and the second unit did more than enough of that under Keldonâs guidance â although here comes the caveat again: in the regular season.
Like Luke Kornet and every other bench player not named Dylan Harper, Johnsonâs production plummeted in the playoffs. He went from a net positive in the regular season to a negative one, with his numbers dipping to 7.7 points and 3.3 rebounds per game while shooting just over 40% from the floor in 18 minutes per game. About the only thing he did well enough was maintain 36% shooting from three, but on fewer attempts. He had some stretches where he came up huge, like that all-important Game 7 in OKC, where he scored 8 of his 11 points in the first four minutes of the 4th quarter as the Spurs built a cushion that would be vital for holding on down the stretch, but the Finals were especially rough, where he only averaged 4.4 points per game.
Obviously, itâs not fair to blame losing the championship entirely on one player â if weâre being brutally honest, it was the stars who bungled the final minutes, which is where the games were lost â but Johnson is among those whose image suffered a bit from the sour ending. However, we still have to pull back and remember the bigger picture of the entire season, which was a massive success and far exceeded expectations. They donât get the second seed and make the Finals without depth and leadership, and the Sixth Man of the Year brought both in spades.
Looking ahead
Itâs probably safe to say that Keldon is officially in his prime and therefore is who he is as a player at this point: a hardnosed bulldog who uses his strength to force is way to the basket and get rebounds. He added (recovered?) a level to his game by being enough of a threat from three that defenses had to respect his shot, which in turn opened driving lanes, but he could still be more consistent in that area.
Now comes the hard part that I donât even want to discuss because I always have that favorite role player who epitomizes everything the Spurs are about. Before, it was Derrick White, and since it has been KJ. That being said, despite being a Keldon Stan, I can see the big picture. He has one year left on his contract, and while heâs already on a good deal, his next one may have to be even more team-friendly if he wants to remain a Spur after next season â if he isnât used as a trade chip first.
My guess would be based on the offseason, the Spurs want to run back the same team next season and go for the championship again, so barring something going awry or a need for change, I donât see a big trade during the season. But next summer might be a different story. I want Keldon to be a Spur for life, and Iâm sure he does too, but he may need to take a discount to make it happen. Thatâs the new reality with the current CBA and ever-shrinking âmiddle classâ of the NBA, especially for contenders who have to pay their stars then fill out with cheaper contracts. That moment of reckoning is coming for the Spurs.
In the meantime, the best thing Keldon can do is keep being himself, continue to show his importance to the club, and a make his goal for next season to be a bigger factor in the playoffs. After that, the chips will fall where they may.
Top performance
January 7 vs. Los Angeles Lakers: 27 points, 6 rebounds, 11-13 FG, 2-3 from three
I chose to go with KJâs best regular season performance instead of playoffs to help show why he won Sixth Man of the Year, which was determined before the postseason. It was actually hard to pick one since he had several big performances off the bench (of course), but weâll also give a shoutout to his best playoff performance, which was Game 5 vs. the Timberwolves, where he had 21 points, 2 rebounds and 2 steals as part of a full team blowout.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - AUGUST 04: Philadelphia 76ers President of Operations Mike Gansey throws out the ceremonial first pitch before prior to the game between the Washington Nationals and the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on Tuesday, August 4, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Derik Hamilton/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Itâs been a busy summer for Philadelphia 76ers president of basketball operations Mike Gansey. From arriving in Philly just a few months ago, to trading for Jaylen Brown and then LeBron James, heâs had a whirlwind start in the City of Brotherly Love.
It continued this week with Gansey making the rounds with the other local sports teams, stopping by an Eagles practice earlier in the week and throwing out the ceremonial first pitch at the Phillies game on Tuesday evening, after which he stopped by the broadcast booth with Tom McCarthy and John Kruk.
The topics were what you would imagine, as the broadcasters picked Ganseyâs brain on the major headlines of the offseason. (And yes, they were sure to poke fun at him for jinxing Jesus Luzardoâs no-hitter the last time he appeared on the broadcast.)
Gansey fielded questions on luring LeBron to Philly, the impact of the Brown trade and more, providing some insight into what really went down this summer behind the scenes.
Check out some of his answers below!
Gansey on the entire organization being involved in trying to convince LeBron to choose Philly
Mike Gansey on Phillies broadcast on luring LeBron James to Philly
"The Jaylen Brown trade, if that doesn't happen I don't think we get that.
Our players did a great job. Tyrese, Joel, Nick [Nurse], our ownership, everyone tried to talk to him and sell him on Philly." pic.twitter.com/KUdb3mCIHj
âIt was a month-long process, almost. I think obviously, being able to get him⌠the Jaylen Brown trade, if that doesnât happen I donât think we get that. Weâre excited. I always thought weâd be in the mix there just because we had a team that could really contend with him, and obviously his relationship with some of our players. Our players did a great job. Tyrese, Joel, Nick [Nurse], our ownershipâeveryone tried to talk to him and sell him on Philly and obviously he picked us and weâre super excited.â
Gansey on the Jaylen Brown trade being what opened the door to seriously going after LeBron
Mike Gansey talking about how getting Jaylen Brown opened the door for LeBron
"I called Rich [Paul] right away and said 'hey, we got Jaylen, is there a chance LeBron wants to come to us?' 'This changes some things'.
â[After the Jaylen Brown trade] I called Rich [Paul] right away and said âhey, we got Jaylen, is there a chance Lebron wants to come to us?â and obviously they said, you know, âyeah, this changes some thingsâ. So they talked about it and then the whole process of three weeks or whatever it was, they were doing all their due diligence with LeBron, talking to all our players, other teams, their representation. It was a long process but yeah, we donât get LeBron without Jaylen, thatâs for sure.â
Gansey on what Jaylen Brown brings to the table
Mike Gansey on Phillies broadcast talking Jaylen Brown
"He's just a winner. He's a two-way player. He brings toughness, he can go get a bucket, he's been in big games, he's been the Finals MVP.
[The Celtics] had a surprise year and he carried them. He can carry a team or fit⌠pic.twitter.com/sneHAxJIIH
â[Brown] is just a winner. Heâs got the most wins int he NBA since he came in the league, playoffs and regular season. Heâs a two-way player. He brings toughness, he can go get a bucket, heâs been in big games, heâs been the Finals MVP. He can play a lot of different roles.
âAnd look what he did this year in Boston. Jayson Tatum was out most of the year and they had a surprise year, and he carried them. So he can carry a team or he can fit in. Thatâs where itâs interesting with our team with the group weâve built now that any given night anyone can step up and be the guy.â
âHeâs intense, heâs focused, he just wants to win. Talking to him a bunch since we acquired him, thatâs his main focus, âI want to win.â He wants to get another championship and thatâs all really his focus, which is exciting.â
Gansey on LeBron James
Mike Gansey on Phillies broadcast talking LeBron James
"I don't think Philly knows what they're getting, because he's special. Our games are going to be â every game he plays in it's just like a different atmosphere that you can't replicate." pic.twitter.com/m6otLT27wL
âHaving the chance to work with him in Cleveland those four years, went to four Finals, won a championship for the city of Clevelandâjust being around him everyday, heâs incredible. All his stuff on the court is impressive but itâs more impressive off the court, the stuff heâs done in the community and just the family man he is.
âI donât think Philly knows what theyâre getting, because heâs special. Our games are going to beâevery game he plays in itâs just like a different atmosphere that you canât replicate.â
Gansey on what ultimately pulled LeBron to Philadelphia
Mike Gansey talks what pulled LeBron to Philly
"I think the reason why he came is Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, Jaylen Brown, VJ Edgecombe. Our ownership's incredible. Nick Nurse.
Then obviously the fanbase. The fans are hungry here. They're passionate. They love their sports." pic.twitter.com/s2ffBAwAej
âMaybe thereâs some comfort level because weâve worked together ⌠but I think the reason why he came is Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, Jaylen Brown, VJ Edgecombe. Our ownershipâs incredible. Bob Myers. Nick Nurse. So I think just top to bottom the alignment in our organization probably sold it.
âAnd then obviously the fanbase. The fans are hungry here. Theyâre passionate. Just being here two monthsâthey love their sports.â
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - MAY 18: Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves during an All Access practice on May 18, 2025 at the Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx Courts at Mayo Clinic Square in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 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 2025 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
For most of last month, being a Timberwolves fan meant refreshing your browser and waiting for a grown man in Los Angeles to decide whether Minneapolis was worth his last two winters. We talked ourselves, out loud and in public, into the idea that a four-time MVP was going to pick the coldest market in the league for his farewell tour because the roster fit was kind of perfect.
Then LeBron signed with Philadelphia, and that was that.
So hereâs what August looks like for Minnesota. No introductory press conference. No jersey number announcement. Instead, the thing that actually moved the needle this week was a clip out of the practice facility: Anthony Edwards on one end, LaMelo Ball on the other, and Olivia Miles getting shots up on the court next door.
â Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) August 4, 2026
I know how that reads. July workout footage is the screensaver of the sports calendar. It fills the screen when nothing is actually running. Every team in the league posts the same video of the same guy draining the same catch-and-shoot threes over the same assistant coachâs outstretched hand, and it means precisely nothing in November.
Fine. All true. Now look at the clip again anyway.
Here is the entire history of this franchise, compressed: the talent gets grown here and cashes out somewhere warmer. The issue was never that nobody good played here. The wound is that the good ones treated Minnesota as a place you pass through on your way to becoming who you were going to be. The building emptied out every summer for as long as anyone around here can remember.
So when a guard the Wolves surrendered an unprotected 2033 first and three pick swaps to acquire spends the dead middle of his offseason getting shots up in Minneapolis, at a time of year when nobody is required to be anywhere, that does not land as filler to me. He could have spent July anywhere on the planet.
They didnât have to talk him into the room. He was already in the room.
Strip the sentiment out and the basketball case stands on its own. For the past two seasons, every conversation about this team dead-ended at the same complaint: Anthony Edwards needed help. Not because the coaching failed him, but because the roster left him no choice. With Mike Conley aging into a smaller role, Minnesota never found a second guard who could reliably run the offense. The results was that the whole operation funneled through Ant. By January of last season he was getting double-teamed on nearly 20 percent of his possessions, one of the highest rates in the league, and he still put up 28.8 a night and dragged a 49-33 team into the Western Conference Semifinals before San Antonio ended it in six.
Thatâs the ceiling of one man doing two jobs. LaMelo is the second job walking through the door. A 25-year-old lead guard who bends a defense before Edwards ever touches the ball is the difference between Ant hunting and Ant getting hunted. The upside is a top-tier backcourt in the sport and a shot at the first Finals trip in franchise history. The downside is real too, and Iâm not going to pretend otherwise. LaMeloâs injury history is the whole reason this was a gamble, and the roster is still one legitimate forward short of making defensive sense. Nothing about a July gym changes the odds on it.
But it does tell you the bet is bought in.
And then thereâs the third figure in the frame. Olivia Miles, on the next court over, doing the same thing everyone else in the building was doing. The picture, taken plainly, is a Minneapolis practice facility in July with high-level basketball players in it, on purpose, at a time of year when this building used to be where people had packed up their lockers.
Yes, this is just a video. Itâs the offseason. The power forward hole is unsolved, and the games that count are still a hundred-plus days out. But Iâve watched this franchise for a long time, and I know the shape of its disappointments by heart. The shape of this one isnât one of them. The talent didnât leave. The talent didnât have to be begged. The talent flew back early and turned the lights on itself.
We spent all summer waiting for a name to walk through the door.
One of the commenters on the Daulton Varsho lab asked if I would do a lab on Trevor Larnach. Usually, I donât pay much attention to what hasnât been done, but multiple reports have now indicated that a deal was in place to send Bryan Abreu to the Twins in exchange for Larnach. According to all of those sources, Jim Crane nixed the deal. Before I dive into numbers, we should probably look at the differences between the two deals.
Everyone has opined about the Varsho deal. The primary criticism is that you traded away a pitcher with years of control (can become a free agent following the 2029 season) for a player with no control beyond this season. However, Arrighetti had minimal present value. He was 7-5 with a 4.60 ERA, but virtually all of those wins came in a brilliant first month that saw him win the Pitcher of the Month Award. He was not currently in the Astros rotation and some would argue that he wouldnât likely rejoin it unless there were major injuries. So, this was a classic get something now for someone that could help in the future kind of deal.
As much as I have enjoyed covering performance in spurts lately, the overall numbers on Arrighetti tell a story. He is 15-23 with a 4.66 ERA. He had a really good month in 2024 and a really good month this season. Take those two months away and he is a 5.00 ERA pitcher. Naturally, the Blue Jays are thinking but what if he can become THAT pitcher again? The deal makes sense for them because they arenât going anywhere this season anyway, so why not trade for a lottery ticket?
The Larnach trade is different because you would have traded a pitcher that has an ERA near 2.00 since May 1st. Abreu is useful to you right now and certainly has been lately. The fact that the trade was vetoed by ownership means one of two things (both can be true at the same time). First, Jim Crane has little confidence in Dana Brown, so he is micromanaging him through the end of his contract. Secondly, Crane might actually be interested in re-signing Abreu and that wouldnât happen if he is dealt.
Both of those statements deserves some additional focus, but I will save that for another piece. In this piece, we will look at what Brown was thinking and whether there was some upside there. Larnach has only been a regular for three seasons, so we will go back three years instead of five like we did for Varsho. However, we are looking at the same numbers as yesterdayâs piece except I will jettison bases per out for now.
AVG
OBP
SLG
OPS
xAVG
xOBP
xSLG
xOPS
2024
.259
.338
.434
.772
.251
.330
.462
.792
2025
.250
.323
.404
.727
.247
.320
.399
.719
2026
.286
.373
.459
.832
.262
.347
.412
.759
I seriously doubt that Jim Crane or his buddy Jeff Bagwell are crunching Statcast numbers in their spare time. However. there is an axiom here that even traditionalists can follow. When a player is having a career year, they are rarely ever really THAT good. Things are just coming together and there is always the possibility that they will stop at any moment.
The current average OPS in MLB is around .720. That means that Larnach has largely been an above average big league hitter over the last three seasons even if you look just at the Statcast numbers. We can call the Varsho deal a something for currently nothing deal and feel somewhat good about it if we couch it in those terms. However, Varsho is not a middle of the order hitter no matter how badly Joe Espada wants to call him one. Larnach would be a lot closer to what they were looking for and he has another season of control left beyond this season.
Chase
Swing%
Contact%
Hardhit%
2024
25.6
44.1
74.1
45.1
2025
27.5
44.5
73.0
45.6
2026
27.3
42.8
75.4
35.3
Again, I seriously doubt Crane and Bagwell are looking at THESE numbers, but I could be wrong. The hard hit percentage in particular is troubling. 40 percent is the league average, so he has been better than average until this season. The fact that he has better overall numbers in spite of making softer contact jumps off the page. However, the rest of the numbers are music to my ears.
Keep in mind that the average chase rate is 30 percent. The average swing rate is also higher than what he is currently doing as well (46-48 percent). So, he is a patient hitter and my little sabermetric heart loves those kinds of hitters. The contact rates are a little below league average (76-78 percent) but they are not drastically low. Essentially this guy has the profile of an above average major league hitter. Having that in the outfield sure would look nice.
However, as we saw with Varsho, fielding is a concern and one of the reasons why Varsho was considered a plus. Larnach could charitably be called a corner bat, but he is listed as a left fielder and designated hitter. We already have a designated hitter, so he would be the left fielder everyday. How does he look according to the defensive metrics?
DRS
OAA
FRV
2024
0
+2
0
2025
-5
-4
-7
2026
-7
-5
-3
Yikes. This looks even worse when you include the defensive innings. A standard everyday player plays about 1200 defensive innings over the course of a full season. Larnach had 429, 441, and 629 so far this season. So, any average fan with a calculator on their phone could prorate those numbers over the course of a full seasonâs worth of innings. It isnât a pretty sight.
Now, certainly Dana Brown could look at the short porch in Daikan Park and talk himself into saying it is an easier left field to play than for most ballparks. That makes some sense. You could even talk yourself into the idea that you needed that bat and were willing to stomach the glove. I did not include BWAR or FWAR in the Varsho piece, but it is fair to point out that Larnach has been worth 2.1 FWAR this season. Thatâs nothing to sneeze at.
Abreu has been worth 0.5, but there are tons of analysts out there that would say that WAR does not do a good job of capturing relief pitcherâs contributions. It is hard to account for leverage and he definitely would be given more leverage from here until the end of the season. However, it is also not hard to see what Dana Brown was thinking. Those of us that have been critical of him should take this deal into account when evaluating his baseball acumen. After all, he reached an agreement according to multiple sources. Ownership simply vetoed the deal. We will have to explore that angle down the road.
The St. Louis Cardinals (56-58) and New York Yankees (64-50) meet tonight in the rubber game of their three-game series at Yankee Stadium. After being smacked 13-7 in Monday's opener, the norm returned for the Yankees â elite starting pitching and just enough offense â as the Bronx Bombers blanked the Cardinals 2-0.
The story of the game was the major-league debut of highly regarded Yankees prospect George Lombard Jr. The 21-year-old shortstop delivered the defining moment of the night in the fifth inning when he launched a solo home run into the left-field seats off Cardinalsâ starter Hunter Dobbins. The blast was Lombard's first major-league hit and made him the first Yankees shortstop ever to homer in his MLB debut. New York's other run came on a second-inning home run by Jazz Chisholm Jr. That was enough for left-hander Ryan Weathers who delivered one of his best outings of the season. He worked six scoreless innings, allowed just four hits, struck out six, and did not issue a walk. It was the Yankees American League-leading 12th shutout of the season.
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St. Louis is expected to start right-hander Andre Pallante (11-6, 3.72 ERA) tonight while the Yankees plan to send Will Warren (8-5, 4.14 ERA) to the bump. Warren blanked the Cubs at Wrigley last Friday over 6.2 innings. Pallanteâs last start was also against the Cubs. The righthander allowed two runs over 6.1 innings.
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Lets dive into tonightâs matchup and find a sweat or two.
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Weâve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game Details and How to Watch: Cardinals vs. Yankees
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Date:Â Wednesday, August 5, 2026
Time:Â 7:05PM EST
Site: Yankee Stadium
City:Â New York, NY
Network/Streaming: MLB.TV, Cardinals.TV, Prime Video
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Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
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The Latest Odds: Cardinals vs. Yankees â August 5
The latest odds as of Wednesday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: St. Louis Cardinals (+137), New York Yankees (-146)
Starting Pitchers and their Stats: Cardinals vs. Yankees for August 5
Cardinals: Andre Pallante Season Totals: 118.2 IP, 11-6, 3.72 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 86K, 34 BB
Yankees: Will Warren Season Totals: 108.2 IP, 8-5, 4.14 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, 109K, 36 BB
Whoâs Hot? Whoâs Not! Cardinals vs. Yankees
Ben Rice is 0-11 in August and 1 for his last 18
Jazz Chisholm Jr. homered last night to snap an 0-12 streak the previous 3 games
Alec Burleson is 2-4 in his career against Will Warren
Trent Grisham is 3-9 in this series
JJ Wetherholt is 1-13 over his last 4 games
Masyn Winn is 2-14 in August
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Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
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Top Betting Trends & Insights: Cardinals vs. Yankees
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The Cardinals are 61-53 on the Run Line this season
The Yankees are 54-60 on the Run Line this season
The OVER has cashed an MLB-worst 44 times in games involving the Cardinals this season (44-64-6)
The OVER has cashed 49 times in games involving the Yankees this season (49-61-4)
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Expert picks & predictions: Cardinals vs. Yankees
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
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Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
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Here are the best bets our model is projecting for tonightâs game between the Cardinals and the Yankees:
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Moneyline:Â Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
Spread:Â Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Yankees on the Run Line.
Total:Â Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total UNDER 8.5.
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CLEVELAND, OH - AUGUST 04: New York Mets catcher Luis Torrens (13) rounds the bases after hitting a 3-run home run during the second inning of the Major League Baseball interleague game between the New York Mets and Cleveland Guardians on August 4, 2026, at Progressive Field in Cleveland, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Meet the Mets
The new-look Mets defeated the Cleveland Guardians 6-2. Luis Torrens had a tremendous game, going 3-for-3 with a home run and a walk, driving in four of the Mets six runs.
It might take some time before anyone can know how David Stearnsâ deadline moves worked out, but he stuck to his guns in his vision.
While some of the prospects the Mets traded for might become part of a future Mets team, others could be used in trade packages on the not-too-distant future.
The Mets arenât done trading, theyâre simply on hold until they can resume this offseason.
Clay Holmes was nearly traded to the Diamondbacks, before troubling medical records put a stop to the potential deal.
New Mets prospect Sammy Stafura grew up a die-hard Mets fan, rooting for David Wright and Ruben Tejada in his home less than 40 minutes from Citi Field.
Sammy Stafura has declared his undying dedication to his new organization, giving the Mets a prospect willing to do anything to help them.
Robert Stock will be making his start in the next turn of the rotation, with Kodai Senga being turned into a one-inning leverage reliever.
Will Sammon reflected on the Mets trade deadline and the conversations and thoughts that shaped their decisions.
Around the National League East
The Phillies won a 5-0 shutout of the Nationals. Jesus Luzardo had a fantastic outing, going eight scoreless innings giving up four hits and two walks while striking out seven.
The Braves got the better of the Marlins with a 4-2 win. Austin Riley drove in two of the Bravesâ four runs with a two-run home run in the seventh inning.
Around Major League Baseball
The Adley Rutschman deal illustrated two teams with opposite approaches, one constantly worried about the future that may never come and another chasing present glory.
The Yankees, after a disappointing trade deadline, have played the final card in their hand, promoting top prospect George Lombard Jr.
The 1973 New York Mets reached their worst record of the season, falling 12 games under .500, ahead of an eventual NLCS win and World Series appearance.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - JULY 06: JosĂŠ Caballero #72 of the New York Yankees celebrates with Ryan McMahon #19 and Jazz Chisholm Jr. #13 after hitting a three-run home run off n the fifth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on July 06, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Yankees offense might be hanging on by their fingernails, but thanks to immaculate starting pitching, they come away from the road trip they just completed winning six of ten. Theyâve scored two or fewer runs in each of the last four games in Chicago yet still snuck out of Wrigley with a series win. All of their offense in the rubber game boiled down to consecutive ABs in the third, Ryan McMahon and JosĂŠ Caballero winning the game with a pair of swings.
We join McMahon to lead off the third, expectations already low after Cubs starter Colin Rea struck out five of the first six Yankees he faced. McMahon has seen his playing time taper off in recent weeks as the Yankees have faced a host of left-handed pitchers, so what looked like the stirrings of an uptick in production at the plate in June were swiftly halted in their tracks.
Rea typically attacks lefty hitters with four-seamers and changeups, and thatâs exactly the course of action he chooses against McMahon, starting with this first-pitch four-seamer at 94.
Iâll be honest, I have no idea what McMahon is looking for here. This fastball exits Reaâs hand aimed right down the middle and only fades a bit toward the outer half, but McMahon takes it all the way for called strike one. One of the many things contributing to the Yankees lineupâs struggles has been this tendency to take very hittable pitches early in the count. Not only is that likely the best pitch youâre going to get in a given AB, but it effectively gifts the pitcher count leverage without having to do to much as the Yankees give a strike away.
After earning a called strike with the heater on the outer half, a logical followup pitch would be to tunnel a changeup along a similar aiming point before it fades down and away trying to get McMahon to chase.
Rea yanks this changeup into the zone and this time McMahon does swing at the meatball, lining it to right at 111 mph for a leadoff single.
Hereâs the full AB:
Next up is Caballero. He was something of a revelation out of the gate, starting the season with league-average offense, league-leading defense at short, and typically elite base running. But Caballero like much of the Yankees offense fell into a deep slump in June and July, mustering an anemic 71 wRC+ with worsening defense in the those two months. As such, expectations are yet again not high that he can do something of note in this spot.
Rea tends to have a different approach against righties â instead of four-seamers, changeups, and curveballs, he tends to go sinker, sweeper, slider against same-handed batters. Indeed, the first pitch Caballero sees is a 93 mph sinker.
This is a really disciplined take from Caballero. This sinker looks like a strike for most of its path toward home, only ducking out of the strike zone down and in during the final 15 feet before reaching the batter.
Curiously, Rea opts for a four-seamer for his 1-0 pitch to Caballero. On one hand, it makes sense given Caballero has performed a lot worse against the four-seamer than the sinker. On the other, Caballero has chased pretty much every sweeper and slider out of the zone in recent weeks, so I was expecting a breaker rather than a heater in this spot.
Rea leaves this 94 mph four-seamer up and out over the plate and Caballero jumps all over it, crushing it 408 feet to left-center to open the scoring, 2-0. You can tell Caballero is sitting dead red and he certainly doesnât miss it.
Hereâs the full AB:
Iâm not going to make any declarations that this pair of ABs from McMahon and Caballero are at all indicative of some sort of turnaround in form for either player. However, both are illustrative of something Iâd like to see more from pretty much the entire Yankees lineup. I mentioned earlier how detrimental it was for Yankees hitters to be so passive against hittable first-pitch fastballs. Another thing that has really limited their production has been an inability to punish mistake pitches when they do swing, the Yankees seemingly fouling off a disproportionate number of meatballs over the summer. Both McMahon and Caballero made sure to punish the two mistakes that Rea offered up, and it resulted in them winning the game.
The coming weeks could be a time of upheaval for McMahon and Caballero. Even with Anthony Volpe and Max Schuemann optioned to Triple-A, the infield is pretty crowded right now. Luis GarcĂa Jr. seems most likely to just play first and DH, though he has seen plenty of time at the keystone if the Yankees decide to go down that road at all (Aaron Boone seemed to indicate that this was unlikely). Monday nightâs call-up for Yankees top overall prospect George Lombard Jr. means that Caballeroâs days starting at short are numbered. And Amed Rosarioâs presence still cuts into McMahonâs time at third as well. Itâs not a bad thing to have options, and the possibility of moving McMahon and Caballero to the bench gives the Yankees flexibility to use the former as a late-inning defensive substitution and Caballero as the super utility player he was initially envisioned to be.
âMy provisional suspension is lifted and Iâll âbe back soonâ
British Boxing confirm news but gave no details
Joseph Parker, the former heavyweight world champion, â said on Wednesday he had been cleared to fight â again after failing â a âdope test last October. The 34-year-old New Zealander, â who held the WBO title from 2016 to 2018, had denied â taking a prohibited substance but ârisked a two-year âban.
He failed âthe voluntary test on the day âhe fought and lost to Britainâs Fabio Wardley. Reports at the time indicated that he had tested positive for traces of cocaine.
The Wigan prop only took up the sport in her 20s when she moved north to work for the Home Office but now hopes to play at the World Cup
There was something old-school about the England womenâs team that beat France 38-4 in Toulouse last week. With eight players from Wigan, five from Leeds and three from St Helens, it looked like a Great Britain side of the early 2000s. But among the Wigan contingent was a player with a story that feels very 2026: Mary Coleman, a prop from Kent who works for the Home Office, has a first-class degree in psychological and behavioural sciences from Cambridge University, and had not heard of Wigan â or played rugby league â until she was in her early 20s.
âI didnât grow up in a rugby household,â says Coleman. âI didnât really know anything about rugby until I was in sixth form. My school was setting up a girlâs union side and I said to my boyfriend at the time: âMaybe Iâll give it a go.â He said: âDonât be silly, thatâs not your thing.â When we broke up, my 16-year-old brain wondered: âHow am I going to get my boyfriend back? Iâll give rugby a go.â My first session was a contact session and I immediately fell in love with someone encouraging me to run at someone as hard as I could.â
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - AUGUST 04: Grant Holmes #66 of the Atlanta Braves pitches in the first inning against the Miami Marlins at Truist Park on August 04, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Atlanta Braves kicked off the series against the Miami Marlins with a 4-2 win on Tuesday evening. Despite some drama in the later innings, Grant Holmes made the start and pitched a gem. He tossed six scoreless innings, striking out five and giving up a base on balls.
The Marlins outhit the Atlanta offense, but fortunately, the Braves were able to hold on and get their sixth straight win. The series continues tonight at 7:15 ET.
Atlanta lost a piece of history, as a magnolia from Ponce de Leon Park fell in a storm.
MLB News:
Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing has been diagnosed with a partial UCL tear. He will continue to hit but has been shut down from throwing.
The Washington Nationals placed outfielder James Wood on the 10-day injured list with an oblique strain. The strain was described as âsubtleâ and âmild.â
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 04: Tarik Skubal #29 of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches against the Chicago Cubs during the third inning at Wrigley Field on August 04, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The entire baseball world turned their collective heads towards the city of Chicago on Tuesday, as the Dodgers debuted their shiniest new addition.
Tarik Skubal took the mound for the first time in Dodger blue after being dealt from the Detroit Tigers late Saturday night. While Skubal finished with a quality startâ six innings, two earned runs, six strikeoutsâ the offense could only provide him with one run of support as the Cubs handed the reigning two-time AL Cy Young award winner a tough defeat.
The Chicago crowd gave Skubal a resounding chorus of boos and heckles, and the left-hander admitted that pitching at Wrigley Field put him in a playoff atmosphere, per Sonja Chen of MLB.com.
âGoing in and competing, I donât expect anything else,â Skubal said of the hostile atmosphere. âAs far as environments, Iâve pitched in plenty of them. I havenât actually made a home start in the postseason. Theyâve all been on the road. Iâve pitched in pretty good environments, and Iâd say thatâs up there with any of those postseason starts.â
The Dodgersâ offense has fell into a slumber during the teamâs five-game losing streak, and it was ever apparent on Tuesday as they could only tack on one run against Javier Assad and company. That lone run belonged to a home run by Kyle Tucker, and he has managed to put up good numbers back at Wrigley Field. He has done that while receiving unfavorable treatment from his former fanbase, leaving him feeling blindsided, per Jack Harris of the California Post.
âI donât know,â he said when asked of the hostilities afterward. âI tried my hardest last year. I tried playing through a hand fracture and calf thing, just trying to get back for the playoffs for them, trying to do what I could to help out the team.â
Mookie Betts is in the midst of a summer slump, as the shortstop is now slashing just .196/.211/.321 with two home runs and five RBI over his last 15 games, striking out eight times compared to just one walk. Betts recounted his recent struggles at the plate with Kirsten Watson of SportsNet LA following Tuesdayâs loss to the Cubs.
âJust a rut⌠I just know I need to be better⌠Iâm gonna have to help the team at some point; itâs been too long.â
COVERS INTEL:
