José Urquidy will make his first MLB start since September 2023. | Getty Images
In a tale of two weak divisions, the White Sox will get another look at the Rangers, this time in Chicago. The Rangers are tied with the Astros atop the American League West. Neither team has a winning record (.496) in the AL West, and any meaningful baseball in October will likely be short-lived.
José Urquidy, who saw the Rangers often during his time with the Astros, will face a team he’s not only familiar with but also fairly good against: 5-0 with a 2.82 ERA vs. Texas in his career. The lineup tonight is similar to Sunday’s, just with a new pitcher. Tristan Peters is back and seems to be busting out of his slump after yesterday’s walk-off homer to win the series against the Mets.
Kumar Rocker will take the mound for the visiting team this evening. Rocker, who is 4-10 with a 4.46 ERA, for lack of a better word, avoided getting rocked in his last outing, giving up six hits and two earned runs over five innings. The Rangers, however, went on to lose 6-0in the game. We’ll also see our old friend Jake Burger tonight at first base.
First pitch is at 6:40 p.m., and it will be available on CHSN and ESPN Chicago 1000.
In an unexpected turn of events, San Jose Sharks goaltending development coach and scout Ryan Miller participated in the Colorado Avalanche's alumni game on Sunday, despite never playing for the Avalanche.
The Avalanche touted Miller as a "special guest" on social media, however the story behind how he ended up participating has not been confirmed:
Miller, 46, had a playing career that spanned across 18 seasons at the NHL level. The majority of his 796 career games were spent with the Buffalo Sabres, the organization that drafted him 138th overall in 1999. He also had stints with the St. Louis Blues, the Vancouver Canucks, and one of the Sharks' in-state rivals, the Anaheim Ducks.
At one point, Miller was the winningest American goaltender in NHL history with 391 career victories, but he has since been passed by long-time Los Angeles Kings netminder Jonathan Quick who retired with 410 wins.
Since retiring as a player at the end of the 2020-21, Miller took a few seasons off before spending the last three seasons with the Sharks organization acting as both the goaltending development coach and as a goaltending scout.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - AUGUST 21: Michael Toglia #48 of the Cincinnati Reds is helped off the field after making a diving catch against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning of the MLB game at Chase Field on August 21, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Michael Toglia dove for a ball in left field over the weekend in Arizona while playing a position he really had no business playing. He’s a 1B by trade, albeit one with a bit of right field experience, but his time in the opposite corner of the grass came in part by necessity after option after option on the Cincinnati Reds roster simply couldn’t stick around long enough to perform.
The dive dislocated his shoulder, unfortunately. Yesterday the Reds placed him on the injured list (while recalling Ivan Johnson), and today Charlie Goldsmith relayed words from Terry Francona that Toglia will head for shoulder surgery to repair the problem.
Terry Francona said Toglia will have shoulder surgery.
Given how little time there is left in the 2026 season, that almost certainly means his time this season is done. And given that he’s arbitration-eligible for the first time this winter (with all signs pointing towards him being a non-tender candidate), his time as player for the Reds might well be over, too.
The list of corner outfielders/infielders the Reds have cycled through so far this year is borderline ridiculous. Toglia, Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Rece Hinds, and Spencer Steer are all done as options for the Reds this year – two due to being DFA’d, two due to season-ending injury. Noelvi Marte failed so spectacularly that he not only got optioned in favor of keeping Toglia, but he wasn’t even the player recalled when Toglia got hurt. TJ Friedl has totally flamed out, Blake Dunn needed elbow surgery, and Will Benson is buried on the depth chart at AAA after being designated for assignment and going unclaimed.
Now, this.
Something’s clearly in the water in north-central Kentucky, and it’s not something that’s letting the Reds get lucky with any AAAA players this season.
Aug 23, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers left fielder Wyatt Langford (36) follows through on his double against the Los Angeles Angels during the fifth inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jim Cowsert-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Was the maximum contract extension the Wizards gave Trae Young a smart bet? | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Sometimes Past Me annoys Present Me. Today is one of those times.
Past Me promised a statistical doppelgänger article about Trae Young. Present Me looked at the numbers and wants to write about Something Else. But…well…crap, a promise is a promise.
The first challenge is that Young didn’t play much last season. Just 10 games for the Atlanta Hawks and five for the Wizards. He totaled 384 minutes, which isn’t enough to say much of anything. Except, bright side: his on-court performance this past season was pretty similar to his 2024-25. And his 2023-24, for that matter.
<p>Trae Young’s historical comps have something in common, and that could be a problem.</p><br> | Getty Images
So, I used Young’s 2024-25 numbers in the statistical doppelgänger machine to find statistical comparisons. For the record, I tried using Young’s 2025-26 age with his 2024-25 stats, and it made no difference in his comps. I tried adding in his 2025-26 play, and it made basically no difference.
Why am I grumpy? Because the comps are giving me the same message they did when I did a similar analysis when John Wall was about to sign his maximum contract extension, which is basically the same message I delivered using an entirely different process when Young signed his extension earlier this summer.
The TLDR is that every way I look at things, I keep coming back to the same conclusion: the Young extension is a mistake. It has a high chance of ending up a blunder. Probably not as high as getting into a land war in Asia, but…I think it’s going to be one of the worst contracts in the NBA, if it isn’t already.
What makes this even more annoying is that I like Young. I’ve enjoyed watching him play, even when he grifted free throws so much the league literally changed the rules to make him stop. And by the way, new rules or not, Young’s free throw attempts per possession barely changed. Either he found new ways to grift, or he’s actually a pain in the butt to defend. (It’s the latter.)
Liking Young and appreciating his offensive game doesn’t replace analysis of his overall impact on the game. His defense has been a problem. His overall production has drooped the past few seasons. Still good, but not at the level of the mustache-twirling villain who tortured the New York Knicks. His old team was willing to trade him for the worst team in the NBA’s discards.
And the Wizards gave him the max. Despite there not being anyone else interested in paying close to that much.
Okay, enough with all that.
This is the fourth installment in the annual ritual of running players through the Statistical Doppelgänger Machine to see which player seasons are most like the reference player. The Machine uses 14 categories, which include per possession box score stats, playing time, and age. Factors like size and position are not included, but players tend to get comparisons similar in both.
So far this summer, we’ve looked at Alex Sarr, Bilal Coulibaly, and Kyshawn George.
To the doppelgängers:
Deron Williams | 2011-12 | New Jersey Nets | Age: 27 — Williams was a major problem for opponents. From age 23 to 25 he had three straight seasons with a PPA of 167 or higher. The year he got traded, he rated over 150. This was his first full season with the Nets, and it was bad by his standards. He bounced back for a 151 PPA at age 28 and then declined fast. By age 30, he was basically average…and he dropped more from there.
Michael Adams | 1990-91 | Denver Nuggets | Age: 28 — This comp works for me — small guard, unorthodox and herky-jerky, shot tons of threes, didn’t defend. This was Adams’ best season (161 PPA). He returned to Washington the following season…and declined. He was decent at 29 and 30 (131 and 123 PPAs) and average by 31. He hung on for a couple more years as a seldom-used reserve with the Charlotte Hornets.
John Wall | 2016-17 | Washington Wizards | Age: 26 — My mental math on this is Young is kinda like Wall plus shooting, minus the strength, athleticism, and defense. This was Wall’s best season. Then, as predicted by analysis I did back in 2017, his performance dropped precipitously as he encountered a series of major injuries. He was out of the league after his age 32 season.
John Wall | 2017-18 | Washington Wizards | Age: 27 — YOU SEE WHY I’M ANNOYED? The Machine is saying the Wizards of today have just committed long-term to a player very much like the John Wall who got hurt and got worse…right after signing an expensive long-term contract!
Kemba Walker | 2017-18 | Charlotte Hornets | Age: 27 — Another small guard who was really good. Walker’s prime went from a 172 PPA at age 25 to a 166 at 29. Not bad. Except, after being an iron man in previous seasons, he started getting hurt at 29 — a pattern that persisted to the end of his playing career at 32.
There’s a trend here — quick guards who peaked early and declined quick. Guards who changed teams and got worse. Guards who started getting hurt and couldn’t stay healthy.
There are a few more hopeful comps further down the list. Names like Damian Lillard (though Lillard did eventually change teams and get worse), or Tim Hardaway who changed teams, did decline, but stayed fairly productive to age 34 — though with some injury issues after age 31.
The point here is one I’ve been making for years — smaller guards tend not to age well. As their quickness wanes, so does their production. And their health becomes an increasing issue as they approach and pass 30. When I’ve discussed this topic with coaches and executives around the league, I often hear variations on the idea that the “old” analysis of career trajectories isn’t applicable because guys take better care of themselves.
And maybe that’s true. It could be that it’ll be borne out in the data when we look back in 2036.
I’d still rather not have the Wizards staking a maximum contract on that idea.
SAN FRANCISCO — The Giants, after getting swept by the Red Sox in an emotional and deflating three-game series in Boston, snapped a four-game losing streak with an improbable win against Chase Burns and the Cincinnati Reds on Monday.
But manager Tony Vitello began his postgame press conference with concern and sorrow after Carson Whisenhunt exited the game early with elbow pain.
“Well, anytime a guy comes out of the game, you’re concerned,” Vitello said after San Francisco’s 5-0 win. “And also your heart goes out for him because you want to see him fall through with the outing. But more importantly, you just want to see guys stay healthy. But he’s got discomfort. Obviously, he’s pitching on the elbow area. So he’ll get it looked at tomorrow and see what it says.”
Whisenhunt will get an MRI on Tuesday morning.
Carson Whisenhunt was removed from the game after appearing to sustain an injury pic.twitter.com/HC1lU46CAL
The timing couldn’t be worse for the lefty, but that’s on brand with the luck the Giants have had with injuries all year.
Whisehunt has struggled this season, and he entered Monday’s game with a 7.03 ERA following last week’s outing against the Cleveland Guardians in which he allowed seven runs (six earned) on nine hits with one strikeout and two walks in four innings.
But he, at least in a small sample size, was tossing his best stuff against the Reds on Monday through the third inning before he felt something was off in his final two pitches.
“I felt great,” Whisenhunt said postgame. “It’s honestly probably the best I felt all year. Just mechanical, good shapes, velo, everything just felt really good today until the last two pitches.”
Whisenhunt added that he’s never felt this type of pain before, and it’s “a very different feeling” than the elbow sprain he suffered in 2023.
The 25-year-old had his elbow wrapped as he spoke to the media postgame.
Another thing he wore was cautious optimism on his face, as he smiled through the pain during the four-minute media scrum. Asked where his personal level of concern was awaiting the MRI Tuesday, Whisenhunt will leave that up to the medical experts.
“Um, trying not to think about it, honestly,” he said. “But [I’ve] never really felt anything like this. I don’t really know kind of where to be at with it. So just kind of play it by ear and get the MRI tomorrow, and then go from there. I think all the work we’ve been putting in lately has probably been the biggest contributor, like working on mechanical stuff, pitch shapes, just kind of everything all together, but just not overthinking it.
“Honestly, just kind of letting it happen. But just kind of go from there, and obviously not an ideal situation, but just see what happens from here.”
Whisenhunt felt as comfortable as he has been all year with his two- and four-seam fastball, and, as opposed to his past couple of starts, faced little command issues.
“Yeah, I mean, as far as how he was throwing the ball, I think it would have been consensus from the dugout that he was throwing the ball as well as he had,” Vitello said. “No command issues whatsoever till the ninth hitter, and even that was a competitive at-bat. So he was in the zone a ton, too. I think, in order for his slider to continue to improve, he’s got to throw it more, which he’s been doing. But you judge it off how do the misses look, and I thought the misses looked really good there.
“And then same for every pitcher: your best pitch needs to be effective, and his changeup was really, really good. I thought he was doing well. His delivery and his tempo in his delivery can get a little rushed at times; that’s where I’ve been coming from with my adrenaline theory, like when he’s fired up in the first couple innings, in particular. His tempo on almost every pitch was awesome.”
Monday’s outing continued a rollercoaster season for Whisenhunt, but in a different way.
The only way he can explain it sums up how the year has gone for the rest of the Giants.
“I’d say probably in the same boat of a weird year,” Whisenhunt said. “Just very back and forth. But I mean, physically, I felt great all year. It just kind of, to me, came out of nowhere. But just being able to be consistent in the weight room and doing my stuff in the training room every day that I need to, just to be able to go out there, but obviously, not trying to have an injury. But [it’s] part of the game.
“So just kind of see where we’re at after the MRI, and hopefully it’s nothing, just a pinched nerve or something like that. But we’ll see.”
Whisenhunt finished his media session and went to hang out near his teammates in the clubhouse. At one point, he even sat down at the table toward the back end of the room and watched his teammates play cards. He was all smiles and appeared to be in good spirits.
Hope has let the Giants down a lot lately, and we’ll have to wait and see if it’s on Whisenhunt’s side the rest of the season.
SACRAMENTO, CA - AUGUST 12: Drew Rasmussen #57 of the Tampa Bay Rays pitches during the game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Athletics at Sutter Health Park on Wednesday, August 12, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Jacob Soriano/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Aug 23, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Detroit Tigers third baseman Hao-Yu Lee (50) celebrates in the dugout after scoring against the Kansas City Royals during the fifth inning at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Detroit Tigers (61-69) vs. Tampa Bay Rays (77-53)
Time/Place: 6:40 p.m., Comerica Park SB Nation Site:DRaysBay Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network Pitching Matchup: LHP Framber Valdez (8-8, 4.35 ERA) vs. RHP Drew Rasmussen (13-5, 3.01 ERA)
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, PENNSYLVANIA - AUGUST 23: Mauricio Dubón #14 of the Atlanta Braves takes a photo with fans prior to the game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Bowman Field on August 23, 2026 in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Atlanta Braves are on a much-needed off day after taking a very tough trip across the midwest and getting put through the ringer by a trio of Central Division teams. The showdowns aren’t over, though, as the Braves will have to welcome the Dodgers into town for three games starting on Tuesday night.
For now, it’s time to go a night without Braves baseball before they embark on nine-straight days that’ll take them into September. What does the future hold? Hopefully enough wins to help carry the Braves across the finish line for the Divisional title and into the Postseason but we’ve got to cross that bridge before we get to it. Hopefully the offense can get back going soon, though!
What am I watching?
The Cubs and the Diamondbacks could be a potential Postseason preview, so that’s probably the most interesting game on the schedule tonight as far as October ramifications go. Meanwhile, Phillies games have once again gone past simply being hate-watches and they’ve gone back into the territory of being legitimate scoreboard watching. Philadelphia is on a West Coast swing starting tonight, as they’ll be facing the Mariners for three games before getting the Angels this weekend and then taking on the Diamondbacks this time next week. Maybe they’ll trip up heading out West like the Braves usually do? I don’t care man, someone please beat them.
CINCINNATI, OHIO - AUGUST 19: Chase Burns #26 of the Cincinnati Reds pitches during the game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Great American Ball Park on August 19, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We simply do not know how the Cincinnati Reds are going to manage ace Chase Burns as he nears an arbitrary innings limit this season. What we do know, though, is that they’re almost 100% certain to have one, and that it’s rapidly approaching soon.
Burns is sitting on 136.0 IP so far during this breakout season of his, a good bit out in front of the 109.1 IP he logged across all levels last year. That’s on the back of a 100.0 IP season the year prior with Wake Forest, and as the Reds slip further and further into the standings abyss after dismal losses akin to the one from yesterday in Arizona, the reality is that they aren’t going to run him into the ground in an already-lost season.
Burns gets the ball tonight as the Reds begin their series against the San Francisco Giants on the west coast, so you’ll need to put on a pot of coffee and stay up late to catch him. However, there’s a very real likelihood that he’s on the mound for only two or three more turns this season, so forfeiting the chance to see a true ace at work becomes infinitely more important than a) sleep or b) any serious conversations you plan on having before 10 AM tomorrow morning.
First pitch this evening is set for a cozy 9:45 PM ET.
TORONTO, ON - AUGUST 12: Ranger Suarez #55 of the Boston Red Sox pitches during a game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on August 12, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Last week at this time, the Diamondbacks hadn’t yet posted their lineup because Ketel Marte was MIA. Today the Red Sox are in MIA, facing former Cy Young winner Sandy Alcantara and an uncharacteristically competent Marlins team at 6:40 p.m. Ranger Suarez is on the hill for the Sox, with Andruw Monasterio getting the day off as the Sox look to continue rolling after destroying the hapless Giants:
Here are da fish:
Go Sox. Enjoy these quiet days while they last. The real stuff gonna start as soon as that Labor Day grill fires up.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - AUGUST 22: Daylen Lile #4 of the Washington Nationals reacts to striking out in the third inning against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot park on August 22, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by JC Ruiz/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Nats just finished up a brutal 1-8 road trip. Now they are back home and face a beatable opponent in the Rockies. However, with how they have played lately, there is no such thing as an easy win. This four game set will be a good test for the battered and bruised Nats.
CJ Abrams is back, but he is only able to DH today. It is still a huge boost for this team. He is leading off and Daylen Lile will be moved down to the 4 spot. Brady House is back at third and Keibert Ruiz is behind the plate. It is Cade day, as the red hot Nats ace takes the mound.
The Rockies have a lefty heavy lineup with only two true righties in Connor Norby and Ezequiel Tovar. This Rockies team has some firepower at the top of the order with Jake McCarthy, Mickey Moniak and TJ Rumfield having productive years. Ryan Feltner will be on the mound for Colorado.
If there was ever a time to get back on track, it would be tonight. You have Cavalli on the mound against a Rockies team who struggles on the road. Hopefully the Nats can make the end of this season at least somewhat watchable. Follow along in the comments down below and let’s go Nats!
The Miami Heat made its signing of legendary guard Klay Thompson official on Monday. However, Thompson is still busy arguing with fans about his Golden State Warriors legacy.
Over the weekend, the “Swishlist Podcast” posted an Instagram clip where its hosts argued whether Thompson or Ray Allen had the better all-time resumé.
Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors circa 2019. The legendary guard has signed with Miami Heat. Getty Images
Thompson then replied to this comment by writing, “You do realize I was the 2nd leading scorer on two championship teams without KD? You want me to go to a bad team and put up empty stats, that’s easy buddy.”
Essentially, Thompson is shutting down the idea that his playoff success was owed to opposing defenses, giving Steph Curry and Kevin Durant more attention. He then references being the leading scorer in the 2016 postseason because Durant was still with Oklahoma City Thunder at the time, making that aspect of the argument moot.
It’s unclear why Thompson felt compelled to write what he did about going to a “bad team” and putting up “empty stats,” as that wasn’t part of the argument being made. He’s definitely not calling the Warriors a bad team, either in their current form or those championship-winning squads from eras past.
“You do realize I was the 2nd leading scorer on two championship teams without KD?” Thompson hit back in the comments section. USA TODAY Sports
It’s rare to see Thompson engage with online trolls, which made him doing so amid signing with the Heat even more intriguing.
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Simon Nemec hasn't forgotten what happened in New Jersey.
The former second-overall pick spent years waiting for the opportunity to prove he could become the star defenseman the Devils envisioned when they drafted him. Instead, he found himself on the outside of a crowded blue line, fighting for ice time and ultimately being shipped out of town before he ever received the role he believed he deserved.
Now, Nemec has a new team, a new contract and a chance to turn the Calgary Flames into the vehicle for his revenge.
"I just want to prove to everyone that New Jersey wasn't right," Nemec told The Hockey News' David Alter.
For Nemec, this is no longer simply about a fresh start.
It's about making the Devils regret the day they decided they could live without him.
The 22-year-old arrives in Calgary carrying the weight of enormous expectations, but also with a rare opportunity to finally establish himself as the type of defenseman many believed he could become when New Jersey selected him second overall in the 2022 NHL Draft.
The Flames are betting heavily that opportunity was exactly what Nemec needed.
Calgary acquired Nemec and forward Maxim Tsyplakov from the Devils in June in exchange for two conditional first-round picks, a second-round selection and defense prospect Etienne Morin. The Flames then doubled down on their belief in the young defenseman, signing him to a five-year contract worth $7.25 million annually.
That is a significant investment in a player who has yet to fully establish himself at the NHL level.
But Calgary isn't paying for what Nemec has already accomplished. The Flames are paying for what they believe he is about to become.
Nemec showed flashes of that potential last season, setting career highs with 11 goals and 26 points in 68 games. Yet his development in New Jersey was complicated by a crowded defense corps and limited opportunities to take on the offensive responsibilities typically afforded to a player with his pedigree.
For a former No. 2 overall pick, being asked to wait his turn can be frustrating. For Nemec, it eventually became impossible to ignore.
"I think I couldn't play my best hockey," Nemec said. "I wasn't given the opportunity that I want, and at the end of the day, they decided it's best for me - and for them - to get traded. And I'm happy with that."
The move may ultimately prove beneficial for everyone involved.
But Nemec clearly has no intention of quietly moving on from New Jersey.
He believes there is more to his game than the Devils ever had the chance—or willingness—to see.
In Calgary, he could finally get the opportunity to prove it.
The Flames offer a considerably different landscape for Nemec. Instead of competing for offensive responsibilities behind established names, he enters an organization that has made a substantial long-term commitment to him and appears prepared to give him every opportunity to become a central piece of its future.
That could include a larger role on the power play, more responsibility at even strength and the type of consistent minutes Nemec believes were missing during his time with the Devils.
The opportunity is there.
Now comes the part Nemec has been waiting for: making New Jersey regret letting him go.
"I feel like they need a player like me," Nemec said. "I can play a lot of minutes there. I can be part of the future there and be one of the leaders of the team."
Those are ambitious words from a 22-year-old still looking to establish himself.
But Nemec is entering Calgary with something more dangerous than confidence.
He has a score to settle.
The Devils made their decision. They determined that moving the former second-overall pick was in their best interest.
Nemec now has five years in Calgary to convince them they were wrong.
.”
