Astros and GM Dana Brown mutually agree to part ways

HOUSTON — General manager Dana Brown and the Houston Astros mutually have agreed to part ways, the team announced, when it was tied for first place in the AL West.

Brown’s contract was set to expire at the end of the season. Senior adviser Jeff Bagwell and assistant general managers Charles Cook, Gavin Dickey and Connor Huff will take over Brown’s responsibilities while team owner Jim Crane will oversee baseball operations during the transition.

The move comes after the Astros went 3-6 on a homestand that ended to fall into a tie with the Texas Rangers for the AL West lead.

Brown had been the team’s general manager since January 2023.

“Over the past four seasons, Dana has helped our organization win two division titles and has led our baseball front office through key scouting, draft and development efforts,” Crane said in a statement. “On behalf of the Astros, I want to thank him for his commitment, energy, and contributions to our organization. We wish he and his family the best.”

Brown came to Houston after four seasons as vice president of scouting for the Atlanta Braves to replace James Click, who was not given a new contract and left the Astros just days after they won the 2022 World Series.

“I want to thank Jim Crane for the opportunity to serve in my first role as an MLB General Manager,” Brown said. “The Astros organization and the fans have welcomed me and my family, and I am grateful to have called Houston home for the past four seasons. I wish the organization well and I look forward to the future as I continue my 36-plus years in professional baseball.”

Chicago Cubs update: Pete Crow-Armstrong, David Peterson, Aaron Civale

The Cubs were involved in four walk-off games of the six they played against the White Sox and Mariners over the past week.

Unfortunately, since the latter series was on the road, the Cubs won only two of those four walk-offs.

And even though they went just 3-3 on the week, they scored 39 runs in the six games — though the last five of those were off Mariners position players. Nevertheless, they count just the same.

Here’s who was hot and not for the Cubs over the past week.

Three up

Pete Crow-Armstrong does it all

PCA led off a game with a first-pitch home run. PCA walked off a game with a home run. And that was the same game! [VIDEO]

Overall for the week, the Cubs center fielder batted .375/.483/1.083 (9-for-24) with two doubles, five home runs, eight RBI, six runs scored, five walks and two stolen bases. That might just be enough to win him another NL Player of the Week award. He’s now up to 8.1 bWAR (8.7 fWAR).

David Peterson continues to shine

Peterson, temporarily moved to the bullpen when Edward Cabrera temporarily returned to the rotation, threw a key 1.1 scoreless innings last Monday against the White Sox, then returned to starting and threw six innings against the Mariners Saturday, allowing two runs and striking out eight [VIDEO].

Since his disastrous start against the Cardinals July 3, Peterson has a 2.20 ERA and 1.195 WHIP in eight games (seven starts) covering 41 innings. Even including that awful Cardinals game, he’s got a 3.93 ERA and 1.311 WHIP in 10 games (nine starts) with the Cubs.

Aaron Civale has quietly been very good with the Cubs

Civale kept Sunday’s game in order with four one-hit innings until the Cubs bats turned it into a blowout. He also kept last Wednesday’s game against the White Sox close with 1.1 scoreless innings, though the Cubs ultimately could not come back and win that one.

He has a 1.80 ERA and 1.050 WHIP (2.84 FIP) in nine games for the Cubs covering 20 innings, with five walks and 18 strikeouts. He also threw well in five games for the Cubs last September.

If Civale would agree to come back to the Cubs in 2027 in this role, I think he’d be quite good at it.

Hat tip to Ian Happ, who went 6-for-20 with two home runs over the six games. If this is the start of one of Happ’s hot streaks, it’s coming at a very good time.

And another H/T for Alex Bregman: .360/.414/.760 (9-for-25) with three home runs in the six games. Bregman’s season OPS is up to .767.

Three down

Where’s the Kevin Gausman the Cubs traded for?

In three starts for the Cubs, Gausman has one good start, one mediocre outing and one bad one. This past week was the mediocre game, seven hits and three runs in 4.1 innings, with 86 pitches thrown.

He’s going to start tonight against the Diamondbacks. Hoping for better things.

Back to the drawing board for Ryan Zeferjahn

In his two appearances for the Cubs in these six games, Zeferjahn blew a save against the White Sox (in the game PCA won with his 10th-inning walk-off homer) and gave up the game-winning hit to Leo Rivas of the Mariners Friday.

Zeferjahn has talent, but… maybe the Cubs will have to wait until 2027 to make the best use of it.

The entire American League is killing the Cubs

The Cubs are 54-32 (.628) against NL teams and 21-24 in interleague play.

The Brewers are 54-35 (.607) against NL teams and 27-15 in interleague play.

Thus the entire difference between the Cubs and Brewers can be accounted for in their record vs. American League teams. The Cubs are the only National League team currently in a postseason position to not have a winning record in interleague contests.

Perhaps fortunately for the Cubs, they have just one series left vs. an AL team, the last three games of the regular season at Fenway Park against the Red Sox. The Brewers have two — they will host the Rangers this weekend, then play at Baltimore Sept. 18-19-20.

MLB Player Props & Best Bets for Today, Aug. 24

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Happy Monday! Let's kick this week off on a high note!

Join me as I break down three of my favorite MLB player propsfor Monday, Aug. 24, including why I expect Parker Messick to shove this evening in Los Angeles.

Best MLB player props today

Player PickOdds
Guardians Parker MessickOver 6.5 strikeouts-158
Twins Kody ClemensOver 1.5 total bases+115
Rockies Ryan FeltnerUnder 3.5 strikeouts+110

Parker Messick Over 6.5 Strikeouts (-158)

The obsession continues with backing Cleveland Guardians left-hander Parker Messick, but he keeps finding himself in shove spots. Tonight, he draws one of baseball's most swing-happy lineups, the Los Angeles Angels.

Messick has been on an absolute tear over his last three starts, posting a 32% strikeout rate. Over his last five outings, he sports a 29% strikeout rate, with 30% of his pitches ending in either a swinging strike or called strike and a near-70% first-pitch strike rate.

The very aggressive southpaw faces an Angels lineup that features eight hitters with at least a 21.7% strikeout rate, including four who strike out 32.8% of the time or more. Overall, the team has a 25.5% strikeout rate against left-handed pitchers. On top of that, they also own a 74% contact rate and 31.5% O-Swing rate.

If you are not in the juice-paying business, take this up to 7.5 for plus money. The near 5-to-1 price for 10 strikeouts is pretty intriguing as well.

  • Time: 9:38 p.m. ET
  • Where to watch: CLEG, ABTV

Kody Clemens Over 1.5 Total Bases (+115)

Oh no, a lefty-on-lefty matchup! Stop crying.

Minnesota Twins first baseman — and son of "The Rocket" — Kody Clemens is in a great spot against Athletics southpaw Jeffrey Springs in Sacramento.

Clemens has a .596 xSLG and a 29.6% ground-ball rate, while generating a 52% hard-hit rate and nearly 15% barrel rate over his last 10 games. Over his last 30 plate appearances against left-handed pitching, the 30-year-old has a .300 BA, .500 SLG and .800 OPS.

Springs has struggled against left-handed hitters, with a 9.82 ERA and 7.16 xFIP while allowing 2.46 HR/9 in his 60 most recent left-on-left matchups. Those lefties have a .285 xBA, .449 xSLG, and .279 ISO.

At +115 for two bases, this is a great price for a guy who is more than capable of a big game. Take this down to +105.

  • Time: 9:40 p.m. ET
  • Where to watch: MNNT, NBCSCA

Ryan Feltner Under 3.5 Strikeouts (+110)

Colorado Rockies right-hander Ryan Feltner owns the worst average strikeout rate at Batters-Box for today's slate.

Today marks his 27th game with a poorly rated strikeout rate. In the previous 26, he stayed under 3.5 strikeouts 50% of the time. He has also stayed under this prop in eight of his last 10 poorly rated strikeout rates.

Feltner has a much higher strikeout rate on the road, at 15.20% this year. However, in his last three outings, his strikeout rate is below 10%.

The Washington Nationals have only two bats above a 20% strikeout rate in their last 30 at-bats against a right-handed pitcher.

Unders are always sweaty, but snagging this at plus money will make up for it.

  • Time: 6:45 p.m. ET
  • Where to watch: COLR, NATS
Colby Marchio's 2026 Transparency Record
  • Prop picks: 428-843, -14.7 units

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.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Anaheim Ducks Leo Carlsson Ranked as NHL Network's 14th-Best Center Right Now

On Sunday, Aug. 23, the NHL Network announced their list of “Top 20 Centers Right Now” and ranked Anaheim Ducks franchise center Leo Carlsson at 14th. Previously this summer, NHL Network ranked Carlsson’s teammate Cutter Gauthier as the NHL’s 19th best winger and teammate Jackson LaCombe as the NHL’s 17th best defenseman.

At 14th, Carlsson’s ranking sandwiches him between Nico Hischier of the New Jersey Devils at 15th and Tim Stutzle of the Ottawa Senators at 13th. Atop the list sat Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, Macklin Celebrini, Leon Draisaitl, and Aleksander Barkov at 1-5, respectively. Interestingly, Connor Bedard (1st overall in 2023), who was selected one spot ahead of Carlsson (2nd in ’23) in the same draft class and was seen as a borderline “generational talent” at the time, came in behind Carlsson, at 16th.

Joel Quenneville's Future with the Anaheim Ducks, Enters 2026-27 Season on Expiring Contract

Who Will Be The Next Anaheim Ducks Captain?

The 2025-26 season was Carlsson’s (21) third in the NHL, a season where he and the Ducks enjoyed a breakout performance from their franchise player, as he tallied 67 points (29-38=67) in 70 regular season games and added 11 (4-7=11) in 12 playoff games through the Ducks’ run to the second round of the 2026 NHL Playoffs.

The story of the offseason occurred when the foundation of the NHL (and the Ducks’ cap sheet) was shaken on July 3, as the Philadelphia Flyers signed then-RFA Carlsson to a five-year offer sheet that carried a whopping $18 million AAV, the highest in NHL history. The Ducks matched the Flyers’ offer sheet, and Carlsson will remain in Anaheim for the foreseeable future.

Though the OS likely gave the Ducks pause and may have forced them to hesitate, Anaheim ultimately concluded that keeping Carlsson, even at a potential overpay, was their priority over the extra cap space, a cleaner cap sheet, and four extra compensatory first-round picks.

After long last, the Ducks emerged from one of the NHL’s longest rebuilds by qualifying for the 2026 Playoffs. Despite missing 12 games and playing through a difficult and rare thigh injury, Carlsson was the team’s top-performing forward. From a zoomed-out perspective, players of Carlsson’s talent and makeup are rare, can typically only be acquired at the Draft, and represent the very reason franchises embark on rebuilds. Rebuilds often even come and go without a team drafting a player of Carlsson’s ilk.

Equipped with a rapidly growing skill set, highlighted by a combination of speed, size, and skill, Carlsson is a high-danger chance-generating machine. Though not technically near a perfect skater, his output is undeniable, as he intelligently finds ways to pick up pucks or place himself in lanes where he catches passes at full speed and drives opposing defenders on their heels to open lanes for himself or teammates at will.

This past season, he added some change-of-pace layers to his attacks where he can cut back and better utilize the open ice he single-handedly creates. The encouraging factor for the Ducks when evaluating Carlsson is that he seems to be just scratching the surface of his potential on both ends of the ice.

Public draft evaluations in 2023 pegged Carlsson as a two-way, responsible, tactical center. The reality is the exact opposite. He’s already proven to be one of the NHL’s most dynamic young talents, operating at a high rate of speed and at his best when attacking downhill. Compared to fellow European talents like Anze Kopitar and Aleksander Barkov at the time of his draft, he’s more akin to Nathan MacKinnon in terms of his on-ice style and impact.

Moving forward, areas of needed growth for Carlsson are those Barkov/Kopitar/Bergeron-esque defensive habits, as well as higher efficiency when driving cycle sequences. Carlsson has the capability to win any number of small-area battles and turn defense into quick-strike offense while possessing the size and strength to cleverly protect pucks and fend off defenders in the tight areas of the ice.

With Carlsson now earning more than the Ducks had likely anticipated, for them to become a successful perenial Stnaley Cup contender in the near future, as is their stated long-term goal, they’ll have to operate with a top-heavy roster and cap sheet. Carlsson may not quite play to the level of an $18 million center in his first year (or even in the first couple) of his contract, but Anaheim will increasingly rely on him to lead the team’s young core and become the franchise icon and superstar player he’s now paid to be.

As was always the case, now just more prominent a sentiment, the Ducks will go as far as Carlsson, flanked by a core of Jackson LaCombe, Cutter Gauthier, Lukas Dostal, and Beckett Sennecke, can take them.

Anaheim Ducks Jackson LaCombe Ranked as NHL Network's 17th-Best Defenseman Right Now

Anaheim Ducks Cutter Gauthier Ranked as NHL Network's 19th-Best Winger Right Now

Could Cutter Gauthier Shift to Center for the 2026-27 Season?

Young Anaheim Ducks Players Who Could "Graduate" into Impactful NHL Roles in 2026-27

Rangers vs White Sox Prediction, Picks & Odds for Today's MLB Game

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With Jose Urquidy coming off a dominant outing, the Chicago White Sox enter tonight's matchup against the Texas Rangers as -126 favorites at Rate Field.  First pitch is scheduled for 7:40 p.m. ET. 

My Rangers vs White Sox predictions have full confidence in Chicago here as it faces the shaky Kumar Rocker. 

Read more in my MLB picks for Monday, August 24. 

Who will win Rangers vs White Sox today: White Sox (-126)

The Texas Rangers hand Kumar Rocker the baseball this evening, and he is not exactly consistent. The right-hander owns a 5.28 FIP across his last two starts while allowing 5.40 BB/9, putting himself in trouble too often.

The Chicago White Sox are showing real promise at the dish, carrying a .209 ISO and 117 wRC+ over their last 13 contests.

Jose Urquidy just came over in a trade, and after a rough debut, he tossed six scoreless innings last week. He was more of a reliever before arriving in Chicago, but the White Sox bullpen profile is promising with a 3.37 FIP over its last 38 1/3 frames.

Chicago has the cleaner full-game profile, and I would take this up to -150. 

Covers COVERS INTEL: Rocker has allowed 1.80 HR/9 across his last five appearances, compared to 1.26 HR/9 overall this season. His homer issues are dangerous against a flourishing Chicago lineup. 

Rangers vs White Sox Over/Under pick: Under 8.5 (-121)

Chicago’s offense may be swinging it well, but the same cannot be said for Texas. The Rangers have a horrible 77 wRC+ across the last week, and the White Sox bullpen has been solid lately.

Rocker may give up some runs amid his command and homer issues, but Texas’ relief corps can help keep the damage in check once he exits. The Rangers’ bullpen owns a 3.19 FIP over its last 19 2/3 innings of work.

With Texas struggling badly at the dish, this points to a lower-scoring contest where Chicago does most of the damage.

Play this pick up to -140.

Rangers vs White Sox home run prediction: Miguel Vargas (+414)

Miguel Vargas has been a consistent power outlet for the White Sox all season. While he has only gone deep once in his previous seven contests, the underlying metrics suggest he could punish Rocker or potentially a Texas reliever.

The slugger owns a 52.9% hard-hit rate and 17.6% barrel rate over the last week while putting 47.1% of his contact in the air. Rocker’s HR problems are evident, and he has also allowed a 45% fly-ball rate over the last month.

The Rangers’ pen is not as vulnerable to the long ball, but it has given up a 15.2% barrel rate over the last week, which hints at some danger.

Play this pick to +300.

Quinn Allen's 2026 Transparency Record
  • ML/RL bets: 56-66, -18.11 units
  • Over/Under bets:  68-51, +7.91 units

Rangers vs White Sox weather

Weather at Rate Field looks cool and clean tonight, with partly cloudy skies and temperatures falling from 71 F to around 68 F. Winds are light around 6–7 mph, and rain chances sit at 0% throughout the game window. Conditions should be neutral overall, with no delay concern.

Rangers vs White Sox odds

  • Moneyline: Rangers +114 | White Sox -126
  • Run line: Rangers +1.5 (-186) | White Sox -1.5 (+158)
  • Over/Under: Over 8.5 (+105) | Under 8.5 (-121)

Rangers vs White Sox trend

The Chicago White Sox have hit the moneyline in 32 of their last 50 games at home (+14.15 Units / 25% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Rangers vs. White Sox.

How to watch Rangers vs White Sox and game info

LocationRate Field, Chicago, IL
DateMonday, August 24, 2026
First pitch7:40 p.m. ET
TVRSN, CHSN
Rangers starting pitcherKumar Rocker
(4-10, 4.46 ERA)
White Sox starting pitcherJose Urquidy
(1-1, 5.06 ERA)

Rangers vs White Sox 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.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Dodgers Week 22: A sweeping success

Aug 21, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Tommy Edman (25) celebrates with first baseman Kike Hernandez (8) and third baseman Max Muncy (13) after hitting a walk-off single in the 10th inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

What a difference a week makes, 168 little hours. After a particularly deflating home series loss the Milwaukee Brewers, the Dodgers haven’t lost since. They took care of business by sweeping a pair of bad teams in the Colorado Rockies and Pittsburgh Pirates.

The Dodgers are back to within a game of the Brewers for the top seed in the National League, and Los Angeles now has a four-game lead on the NL East-leading Braves, with a three-game series in Atlanta next up.

Batter of the week

Max Muncy homered twice and drove in seven runs, putting up a tidy 1.312 OPS.

Honorable mention to Shohei Ohtani, who homered three times and stole two bases, and to Alek Thomas, who was called up to fill in for an injured Andy Pages and has an RBI single in both games with the Dodgers thus far.

Pitcher of the week

Blake Snell allowed one run in his two starts, and has provided more rotation stability with three six-inning starts in three tries since returning from the injured list.

Honorable mention to Tarik Skubal’s best start with the Dodgers to date, and to Yoshinobu Yamamoto with another nine-strikeout start on Friday.

Week 22 results

6-0 record
37 runs scored (6.17 per game)
22 runs allowed (3.67 per game)
.721 pythagorean win percentage

Year to date

80-51 record
653 runs scored (4.98 per game)
502 runs allowed (3.83 per game)
.612 pythagorean win percentage (81-50)

Miscellany

Thirty in threes: On Tuesday at Coors Field in Denver, Shohei Ohtani hit his third home run of the series against the Rockies and his 30th of the season. Coupled with his 54 home runs in 2024 and 55 homers in 2025, Ohtani has at least 30 home runs in all three years with the Dodgers, and six seasons in a row going back to 2021. Ohtani is the seventh Dodger to hit at least 30 home runs three years in a row, and the first since Gary Sheffield from 1999-2001.

Walking the pLAnk: The Dodgers beat the Pirates in all three games over the weekend, continuing a trend. Dodger Stadium has been mostly nightmare fuel for the Pirates for a decade. The Dodgers are 23-5 (.821) against the Pirates in Los Angeles since 2017, with six sweeps and eight series wins at home against the Pirates in nine tries.

Transactions

Tuesday: After struggling for three weeks in his returned from one IL stint, Edwin Díaz landed back on the injured list with neck inflammation. Emmet Sheehan returned to the Dodgers, now in a relief role.

Wednesday: Right-hander Brock Stewart returned to the bullpen after missing three weeks with shoulder discomfort. Jonathan Hernández was designated for assignment for a third time this season.

Friday: The dance continued for Hernández, who cleared waivers and was sent outright to Oklahoma City.

Friday: Another fresh arm came up in the form of Paul Gervase, and Sheehan was optioned back to Oklahoma City after not pitching in his two games active.

Saturday: A 100-mph fastball broke the left hand of Andy Pages, who will miss at least four weeks. Up came Alek Thomas to fill in the bulk of innings in center field.

Game results

PlayerPARH2BHRRBIBA/OBP/SLG
Muncy2357227.389/.478/.833
K. Hernández822013.286/375/.714
Ohtani2986035.261/.414/.652
Freeman2849304.375/.393/.500
Pages1735102.333/.412/.400
Edman2235201.278/.409/.389
Betts2836116.240/.321/.400
Feduccia1522101.167/.333/.250
Thomas702002.286/.286/.286
Tucker2745103.200/.259/.240
T. Hernández2534102.167/.200/.292
Rortvedt901000.111/.111/.111
Call100000.000/.000/.000
Rojas500000.000/.000/.000
Totals244375412736.254/.336/.418
PitcherRecordIPHRBBKERAWHIP
Snell2-012416110.750.833
Yamamoto0-06.352192.840.947
Sasaki0-0572163.601.600
Skubal1-07531113.860.857
Lauer1-0564167.201.400
Henriquez0-03.700060.000.000
Stewart0-02.700040.000.000
Dreyer0-02.300250.000.857
Scott0-0, 3 Sv3.321022.700.600
Phillips1-03.341252.701.800
Vesia0-0313236.001.000
Hurt1-01.333320313.502.250
Díaz0-01430027.004.000
Totals6-056412216713.381.018

Previous reviewsWeek 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 | Week 9 | Week 10 | Week 11Week 12 | Week 13 | no reviews for Weeks 14-15 | Week 16 | Week 17 | Week 18 | Week 19 | Week 20 | Week 21

Up next

After a brief weekend at home, the Dodgers are back on the road to run the Doyle Alexander gauntlet, hitting the road to face the Atlanta Braves and Detroit Tigers. Tarik Skubal lines up to pitch against his old team on Friday night at Comerica Park. Tyler Glasnow is back off he injured list on Tuesday, and Shohei Ohtani will likely pitch an inning to start Sunday in Detroit if all goes well with his bullpen session in Atlanta.

Mon, 8/24Tue, 8/25Wed, 8/26Thu, 8/27Fri, 8/28Sat, 8/29Sun, 8/30
at Bravesat Bravesat Bravesat Tigersat Tigersat Tigers
4:154:154:153:4010:1010:40
GlasnowSasakiYamamotoSkubalSnellOhtani
ElderSmith-ShawverSale*MonteroTBAValdez*
SNLA/TBSSNLASNLA/FS1SNLASNLASNLA

Phillies vs. Mariners prediction: Odds, recent stats, trends, and best bets for August 24

Winners of nine straight, the Philadelphia Phillies (73-58) take the show on the road tonight in Seattle against the Mariners (62-69). The Phillies arrive in Seattle having climbed to within three games of Atlanta in the NL East. The Mariners are just 6-4 in their last ten games but that’s good enough to keep them realistically in the playoff chase as they sit three games behind the Astros and the Rangers in the AL West and that same three games behind the Rangers for the final Wild Card spot.

 

Philadelphia completed a sweep of St. Louis yesterday with a 6-4 victory, rallying in the bottom of the ninth to extend their winning streak to nine games. Kyle Schwarber capped the comeback with his 39th home run to send the home crowd home happy. Seattle lost 19-2 to the Cubs yesterday but it was not even their most lopsided loss of the last week as they were still smarting from a 22-0 loss in Milwaukee last Tuesday. Mariners’ C Jhonny Pereda and 3B Weston Wilson pitched a portion of the eighth inning and the entire ninth inning respectively. Overall, though, the weekend was a success as the Mariners did take two of three from the Cubs.

 

Tonight’s pitching matchup features two of the best in the American League as Zack Wheeler (10-4, 2.92 ERA)takes on Logan Gilbert (10-7, 3.35 ERA). The righthanders each possess a WHIP of just 1.01. While the overall numbers are elite, Wheeler’s stats of late are less consistent. He has allowed ten earned runs across 4 starts (17.1 innings) in August. Gilbert has been better. Over his last four starts the veteran has pitched allowed eight runs over a total of 24.2 innings.

 

Lets dive into tonight’s matchup and find a sweat or two.

 

We’ve 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.

 

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

 

Game Details and How to Watch: Phillies vs. Mariners

 

  • Date: Monday, August 23, 2026
  • Time: 9:40PM EST
  • Site: T-Mobile Park
  • City: Seattle, WA
  • Network/Streaming: MLB.TV, NBC Sports Philadelphia, Mariners.TV

 

Peacock offers one of the most comprehensive live sports streaming lineups available today, bringing together the NFL, NBA, MLB, WNBA, Premier League, NCAA football, NCAA basketball, golf, motorsports, and major global sporting events in a single service.
 

The Latest Odds: Phillies vs. Mariners

The latest odds as of Monday courtesy of DraftKings:

  • Moneyline: Philadelphia Phillies (-108), Seattle Mariners (+101)
  • Spread: Phillies -1.5 (+158), Mariners +1.5 (-193)
  • Total: 6.5 runs

 

Probable Starting Pitchers and their Stats: Phillies vs. Mariners for August 24

  • Phillies: Zack Wheeler
    Season Totals: 120.1 IP, 10-4, 2.92 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 144K, 33 BB
  • Mariners: Logan Gilbert
    Season Totals: 150.1 IP, 10-7, 3.35 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 157K, 37 BB

Who’s Hot? Who’s Not! Phillies vs. Mariners

  • Randy Arozarena is just 1-13 (.077) including 7 Ks against Zack Wheeler in his career
  • Luis Arraez is 2-12 but has hit 1 HR in his career against Logan Gilbert in his career
  • Kyle Schwarber is 4-14 (.286) with 1 HR against Gilbert
  • Bryce Harper is 3-6 against Gilbert
  • Trea Turner was 2-13 over the weekend against St. Louis
  • Brandon Marsh has hit safely in 4 of his last 5 games (6-15)
  • Julio Rodriguez was 1-13 against the Cubs this past weekend
  • Rodrigez is 2-26 over the last 2 series
  • Cal Raleigh is riding a 3-game hitting streak (3-11)

 

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!

 

Top Betting Trends & Insights: Phillies vs. Mariners

 

  • The Mariners are an MLB-worst 49-82 on the Run Line this season
  • The Phillies are 54-77 on the Run Line this season
  • The OVER has cashed 67 times in Mariners’ 131 games this season (67-57-7)
  • The OVER has cashed 60 times in the Phillies’ 131 games this season (60-63-8)

 

Expert picks & predictions: Phillies vs. Mariners

Rotoworld Bet Best Bet

 

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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.

 

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.

 

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s game between the Phillies and the Mariners:

  • Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Mariners on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Run Line.
  • Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total OVER 6.5.

 

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Unsung hero of the White Sox? Walk-off whiz Tristan Peters

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 23: Tristan Peters #29 of the Chicago White Sox celebrates a walk-off home run with his teammates during a game against the New York Mets in the ninth inning at Rate Field on August 23, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois.
Tristan Peters has had a dream season — and has been a dream for the White Sox in center field in 2026. | (Photo by Isaac Wasserman/Getty Images)

The Chicago White Sox have been the most fun team to watch in Major League Baseball this season, with their 11th walk-off win of the season on Sunday afternoon thanks to a Tristan Peters solo homer in the bottom of the ninth.  It also helped move Chicago’s record to 27-19 in one run games.  

This was also the 21st White Sox comeback win, defined by games where they either were tied, or down by up to three runs, heading into the seventh inning or later before rallying. It shows how resilient this young White Sox team has been throughout this season, with eight different players providing walk-off hits, including both Peters and Edgar Quero as the only ones to do so multiple times.

They have three players in the heart of their lineup in Munetaka Murakami, Miguel Vargas and Colson Montgomery who will all have 30+ home runs by the end of the season.  It is not any of them, but Tristan Peters, who with his walk-off home run on Sunday became the only player on the White Sox to have three walk-off hits, and two of them walk-off home runs.

Peters began his walk-off magic months ago, finishing off the home opener with a GWRBI single in the 10th inning:

Peters has been one of the most unsung players of this Sox team this year, in July also becoming one of only four players this year to hit for the cycle, and just the seventh player in franchise history to do so.

Of all the surprising players to emerge this season for the White Sox, Peters has to be one of the most wholesome surprises.  As the one-time Savannah Bananas player (who also used his old Savannah Bananas bat for Players’ Weekend), Peters has the unique distinction of being their only player to make a jump to the majors. And Peters hasn’t just made the majors, but went to the All-Star Game as a rookie! 

It was impossible to think that a year ago — or even months ago — Peters of all players would be a key piece, starring in center field, as the While Sox make a postseason push.

The Hockey News Sunday Recap: Columbus Blue Jackets

NEWS & NOTES

Blue Jackets Have Potential PTO Target In Ex-Blackhawks DefenderBlue Jackets Have Potential PTO Target In Ex-Blackhawks DefenderThe Blue Jackets should take a gamble on this defenseman.

If the Blue Jackets are open to adding a player on a PTO, it would not be surprising if it is a defenseman. The Blue Jackets' blueline could use more depth, and there are still some interesting UFAs left on the market.

One UFA who could make sense for the Blue Jackets to take a look at on a PTO is veteran defenseman Matt Grzelcyk. 

Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell To Get Big Honor From Alma MaterBlue Jackets GM Don Waddell To Get Big Honor From Alma MaterNorthern Michigan University, where <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/columbus-blue-jackets">Columbus Blue Jackets</a> GM Don Waddell played his college hockey for four years, has announced that it will honor Waddell in October.&nbsp;

On October 2nd, NMU will, for the first time in program history, retire players' jersey numbers and raise banners to commemorate Waddell and two others.  

Waddell wore jersey #4 for NMU from 1976 to 1980. Waddell totaled 138 points in 120 games. He was also the team's captain during his junior year. 

Former Blue Jackets Defenseman Is Best Free Agent Blueliner LeftFormer Blue Jackets Defenseman Is Best Free Agent Blueliner LeftWill this former Blue Jackets defenseman land a contract soon?

It is a little surprising that Blankenburg has still not been signed at this point in the summer. The former Blue Jackets defenseman just had the best season of his NHL career so far. In 61 games split between the Nashville Predators and Colorado Avalanche, he set new career highs with eight goals, 16 assists, and 24 points. 

NHL 27 Rankings Released, And The Results For The Blue Jackets Are PuzzlingNHL 27 Rankings Released, And The Results For The Blue Jackets Are PuzzlingNHL 27 has released its rankings&nbsp;for the 26-27 season, and a few <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/columbus-blue-jackets">Columbus Blue Jackets</a> are listed.&nbsp;

#6 - Zach Werenski - 95 Overall

#68 - Kirill Marchenko - 89 Overall

#137 - Adam Fantilli - 86 Overall

#163 - Jet Greaves - 86 Overall

BREAKING NEWS: Elvis Merzlikins Has Shoulder SurgeryBREAKING NEWS: Elvis Merzlikins Has Shoulder SurgeryThe Columbus Blue Jackets have announced that goalie Elvis Merzlikins has undergone shoulder surgery on Monday.&nbsp;

“Elvis informed us a few weeks ago that he was experiencing some discomfort in his shoulder during his offseason workouts,” said Waddell. “Following an MRI, it was determined that surgery was the best course of action. He’ll be evaluated again in a few weeks, at which time we’ll have a clearer idea on when he will be back on the ice.”

Blue Jackets' U23 Pipeline Ranked As NHL's 13th-BestBlue Jackets' U23 Pipeline Ranked As NHL's 13th-Best<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7459237/2026/08/18/columbus-blue-jackets-nhl-prospects-rankings-2026/">The Athletic's Corey Pronman recently ranked</a> each NHL team's U23 pipeline. The Columbus Blue Jackets were among the top half of NHL teams ranked by Pronman, as they were given the No. 13 spot.&nbsp;

The Athletic's Corey Pronman recently ranked each NHL team's U23 pipeline. The Columbus Blue Jackets were among the top half of NHL teams ranked by Pronman, as they were given the No. 13 spot. 

The Hockey News Magazine Predicts 26-27 Metro Standings, And Blue Jackets Fans Won't Be HappyThe Hockey News Magazine Predicts 26-27 Metro Standings, And Blue Jackets Fans Won't Be HappyThe <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/columbus-blue-jackets">Columbus Blue Jackets</a>&nbsp;have had an interesting summer, to say the least. From player drama with Zach Werenski and Kirill Marchenko to franchise drama with the releases of radio caller Bob McElligott and team reporter Jeff Svoboda, it hasn't been a fun summer for people who follow the team.&nbsp;

Where do you think the CBJ will finish this season?

OPENING NIGHT COUNTDOWNS

45 Days Until Opening Night: The History Of Jersey #4545 Days Until Opening Night: The History Of Jersey #45The Columbus Blue Jackets have 45 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today, we look at the history of jersey #45.&nbsp;

The Town of Yarmouth declared July 13, 2013, as Jody Shelley Day, and honoured Shelley by renaming Cottage Street as Jody Shelley Drive, and also renumbering the Mariners Centre, the local winter sports facility, as 45 Jody Shelley Drive, after his jersey number. 

44 Days Until Opening Night: The History Of Jersey #4444 Days Until Opening Night: The History Of Jersey #44The Columbus Blue Jackets have 44 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today we look at the history of jersey #44.&nbsp;

Klesla made his NHL debut in 2000 before he was sent back to Junior. He would come up in the next season and be there full-time. He would then go on to play in 515 games for the Jackets over the course of 10 seasons. On February 28, 2011, he was traded to the Phoenix Coyotes and played the next four years. 

43 Days Until Opening Night: The History Of Jersey #4343 Days Until Opening Night: The History Of Jersey #43The Columbus Blue Jackets have 43 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today, we look at the history of jersey #43.&nbsp;

Jan Čaloun - 2001 - Drafted by the San Jose Sharks in 1992.

Čaloun played 11 games for the CBJ during its inaugural season, scoring three points. After his 11 games in Columbus, he would return to Europe and retire in 2010. He moved into coaching after his playing days, and currently coaches ESC Dresden U17 in Germany. 

42 Days Until Opening Night: The History Of Jersey #4242 Days Until Opening Night: The History Of Jersey #42The Columbus Blue Jackets have 42 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today, we look at the history of jersey #42.&nbsp;

Kevyn Adams - 2000-01 - Adams was drafted 25th overall in the 1993 NHL Draft by the Boston Bruins. 

Adams was drafted by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2000 NHL expansion draft. He would Adams would score 22 points in 66 games with the Blue Jackets before being traded at the trade deadline to the Florida Panthers alongside a 4th-round pick in the 2001 NHL entry draft in exchange for Ray Whitney and future considerations.  

41 Days Until Opening Night: The History Of Jersey #4141 Days Until Opening Night: The History Of Jersey #41The Columbus Blue Jackets have 41 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today, we look at the history of jersey #41.&nbsp;

Ben Simon - 2005-06 - Simon was drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 1997 NHL Draft. 

Simon, a native of Shaker Heights, Ohio, played 13 games for Columbus during the 2005-06 season. He totaled zero points. He left for Europe and played one season in the EIHL in England. He retired in 2011. 

40 Days Until Opening Night: The History Of Jersey #4040 Days Until Opening Night: The History Of Jersey #40The Columbus Blue Jackets have 40 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today, we look at the history of jersey #40. No active players currently wear the #40.&nbsp;

Bill Bowler - 2000-01 - Bowler was undrafted out of Toronto, CA. 

Bowler played a total of 9 games for the Jackets during their inaugural season and had two points. He spent most of that year with the Syracuse Crunch and totaled 79 points in 72 games. In 2002, he spent one season in Germany before retiring.

39 Days Until Opening Night: The History Of Jersey #3939 Days Until Opening Night: The History Of Jersey #39The Columbus Blue Jackets have 39 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today, we look at the history of jersey #39.&nbsp;

Mike Pandolfo - 2003-04 - Pandolfo was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in the 3rd round of the 1998 NHL Draft. 

Pandolfo was traded to the Blue Jackets at the 2002 NHL Draft. He played in three games for Columbus during the 03-04 season and had zero points. He spent most of his time with Columbus playing for the Syracuse Crunch.  He retired after the 2007–08 season. 

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VJ Edgecombe good with potentially reduced role in Philadelphia, 'I just want to win'

Usually, when a player has an impressive rookie year, he gets a larger role in the offense for his sophomore season. Not VJ Edgecombe. The 76ers rookie averaged 16 points a game and was third in Rookie of the Year voting, but he's going to see his role get squeezed this season with the additions of Jaylen Brown and LeBron James.

Edgecombe is good with that, he told Chris Hine of The Philadelphia Inquirer (hat tip Hoops Rumors) over the weekend at his youth basketball camp.

"I just want to win. I'm going to still be aggressive, still be myself. If that comes with less shots or more shots, who knows. I don't know how the course of the game is going to go. I'm just excited to play alongside my teammates. I think we have a chance to do something really special...

"I'm totally excited. It's such a blessing. I'm going into year two playing alongside my favorite player ever (LeBron)... That's the main thing for me, just learning, getting to know them. They're all great persons. Down to earth, not acting super big-time like they are, but they're really a bunch of humble men. I'm just glad to be around them."

It's going to take Nick Nurse and his staff the first month of the season, give or take, to find the rotation and rhythm he likes with this team, which will be complicated by Joel Embiid's availability on any given night. Don't be surprised if this feels like LeBron joining the Heat, who started 9-8 his first season as everyone adjusted to their new roles. That Heat team went on to win 58 games and reach the NBA Finals, and Philly would take that outcome.

Edgecombe is going to be a big part of figuring all that out, and he might get staggered to play more with a second unit where he can get more touches and more freedom in the offense.

While his stats might take a hit, what matters is that Edgecombe's game and efficiency keep improving. What he wants is a chance to win and win big, and Philadelphia has that.

The Latest On Cale Makar's Future With The Avalanche

There doesn't appear to be much panic inside the Colorado Avalanche organization when it comes to Cale Makar's next contract.

In fact, if Joe Sakic's latest comments are any indication, the Avalanche are expecting to have their franchise defenseman signed and locked in before the puck drops on the 2026-27 season.

Sakic offered his most confident update yet on Sunday while speaking before taking the ice in the University of Denver alumni game at Magness Arena.

“We continue talking,” Sakic told reporters. “I'm pretty confident that he'll be signed before the season starts.”

For Avalanche fans, that might be the most encouraging update yet surrounding the biggest piece of unfinished business facing the organization.

Makar is entering the final season of the six-year contract he signed with Colorado in 2021, carrying a $9 million salary-cap hit. He became eligible to sign an extension on July 1, and while an agreement has yet to be announced, Sakic made it clear that negotiations continue to move in the right direction.

There also doesn't appear to be much concern from either side.

Sakic said the conversations have been productive, and that once the two sides reach an agreement, it will be announced. He also expressed hope that a deal can be finalized before training camp.

If the Avalanche can get Makar signed before the middle of September, Colorado would still be able to offer the superstar defenseman the maximum eight-year term. Once the NHL's new contract rules take effect, the longest deal available would drop to seven years.

For a player like Makar, an extra year is hardly insignificant.

The 27-year-old has established himself as one of the defining players of his generation and arguably the most valuable defenseman in hockey. Since arriving in the NHL full-time during the 2019-20 season, Makar has put together a résumé that already includes a Stanley Cup, Conn Smythe Trophy, two Norris Trophies and six All-Star selections.

He has also been named a Norris finalist in each of the last six seasons.

And the production has been equally remarkable.

Through 470 NHL games, Makar has recorded 507 points — a staggering total for a defenseman and another reminder that Colorado isn’t simply negotiating with a good player entering his prime. It’s negotiating with one of the most productive defensemen the NHL has ever seen at this stage of his career. For comparison, Quinn Hughes — a Norris Trophy winner, Olympic gold medalist and one of the league’s premier defensemen — has recorded 485 points through 507 games. Makar has reached 500 points in 37 fewer games, underscoring just how rare his offensive production has been.

And the market for elite defensemen is only getting more expensive. Bo Byram, while not generally viewed in the same tier as Makar, Hughes or the NHL’s other elite No. 1 defensemen, recently landed a six-year, $75 million extension from the Chicago Blackhawks. Meanwhile, Erik Karlsson is set to lead all NHL defensemen with an $11.5 million cap hit next season. The numbers make one thing clear: If Colorado wants to keep Makar long term, the Avalanche are going to have to pay at the very top of the market.

Makar's next deal could push the market even further or perhaps the Avalanche are cooking up a team-friendly deal. 

Colorado has quietly created more room to maneuver as it prepares for Makar's next contract Between moving Valeri Nichushkin, Ross Colton and Jack Drury, the Avalanche have cleared significant salary from the books, giving the front office additional flexibility as negotiations continue with their franchise player.

And while the exact numbers remain unknown, Sakic has never sounded particularly worried about where these negotiations are headed.

At the Avalanche's end-of-season press conference, which was also attended by Josh Kroenke, Sakic was asked about Makar's future and made his intentions crystal clear.

He said Makar would finish his career in Denver.

Sunday's comments suggest that confidence hasn't changed. But as we've reported at The Hockey News, these massive, long-term extensions don't come together overnight. Negotiations take time, so until the deal is officially done, it's probably best to take everything you hear — and everything you feel — with a grain of salt.

The Avalanche still have work to do, and until Makar's signature is officially on the contract, there will be questions about the numbers, the term and exactly how Colorado will structure the deal.

But Sakic's message was clear.

The conversations are continuing. Both sides appear comfortable with where things stand.

And if the Avalanche president and general manager is right, one of the most important contracts in franchise history could be taken care of before Colorado opens another season with Stanley Cup expectations.

Image

Braves at Brewers series recap: At least they left with something?

WILLIAMSPORT, PA - AUGUST 23: Michael Harris II #23 of the Atlanta Braves looks on during the 2026 Little League Classic presented by New York Life between the Atlanta Braves and the Milwaukee Brewers at Journey Bank Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field on Sunday, August 23, 2026 in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

The seven-day, four-city, three-team road trip ended up nearly turning into a nightmare journey — one where it essentially came down to Sunday’s Little League Classic for the Atlanta Braves to at least salvage something from their series against the Milwaukee Brewers — and also for the whole trip as well. With the Phillies suddenly heating up like crazy and closing a huge amount of ground in a relatively short amount of time, the onus was on Atlanta to break out of their slump and make something happen — particularly at the plate.

We’ll have to see if the offense can carry what they did on Sunday into their next homestand but for now, it’s time to take a look at how this series against the Brewers went. It was always going to be tough considering that the Brewers are currently the pace-setters in baseball right now and it definitely ended up being difficult for Atlanta. How difficult was it? Let’s look and see.


Friday, August 21

Brewers 2, Braves 1

The Chris Sale vs. Jacob Misiorowski pitching matchup lived up to all of the hype, which is to say that runs were always going to be at a premium and sure enough, it was tough sledding for Atlanta at the plate. This was one of those cases where it really didn’t matter if the Braves were slumping or not, this was always going to be a tough assignment against The Miz.

Sure enough, Atlanta couldn’t really muster up much of anything against The Miz, as they only had two runners in scoring position where he was on the mound. Misiorowski finished with six scoreless innings (despite four hit sand two walks) and he left the game with the lead after Milwaukee pushed two runs across the plate back in the third inning. Chris Sale gave it another solid effort with just those two runs allowed across six innings but Milwaukee was able to make something happen with the eight hits that they picked up off of him and that proved to be the difference in this one.

The only run for Atlanta came in the eighth inning, which continued a worrying trend of Atlanta expending an incredible amount of effort in any given rally just to end up with one run at the end of it. Mike Yastrzemski led off with a walk against Antonio Senzatela and then a couple of two-out singles saw the Braves get on the board after Michael Harris II pushed across a run with an RBI single. Ozzie Albies then walked to load up the bases and the right guy came up to the plate in the form of Mauricio Dubón. Dubón’s stats with two men on and runners in scoring position have been truly eye-popping so far this season but unfortunately, he was unable to make any two-out magic happen in this situation and then Atlanta went down quietly for yet another loss during this road trip.

Saturday, August 22

Brewers 4, Braves 1

In a moment of brief brilliance, the Braves actually came out swinging in the first inning and actually took a lead for once! Indeed, Michael Harris II’s RBI double off of Brewers starter Logan Henderson brought home Drake Baldwin and there was maybe a glimmer of hope that Atlanta’s lineup could actually do some damage for the first time in what felt like a long time.

Instead, that was as good as it got for Atlanta as the offense proceeded to flail about for the rest of the game. With the Braves continuing to struggle mightily at the plate, this one came down to the third inning — particularly, a 12-pitch battle between Jake Bauers and Martín Pérez with two outs on the board and the game tied at one run apiece. Pérez got out to a 1-2 count after three pitches and then Bauers proceeded to foul off seen straight pitches before he finally got a fastball in the zone to feast upon. 413 feet later, the Brewers had a 3-1 lead (which started after a leadoff error, mind you) and after they added on a sacrifice fly in the fourth inning, that three-run lead for Milwaukee may as well have been 30.

For the third time in six games, the Braves were held to just one run and for the fifth time in six games on this road trip, the Braves were domed to defeat.

Sunday, August 23

Braves 4, Brewers 2

The two teams switched venues for the Little League Classic in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Hopefully, the idyllic views and fun atmosphere helped to affect a bit of a much-needed vibe shift for Atlanta’s lineup, which was struggling mightily heading into this one. The good news is that the Braves did score runs again and managed to actually keep it going somewhat consistently across the game but at the same time, it was also another case of the Braves needing both a ton of energy and a ton of luck in order to put runs on the board.

The first run was plated by Mauricio Dubón in the second inning, which is when he hit a deep fly ball that just about stayed fair for a ground-rule double in order to bring home Ozzie Albies. Jake Bauers tied it up with an RBI single of his own in the third inning but then the Braves responded in the fourth inning to reclaim the lead.

Again, it took a ton of effort and a lot of work for Atlanta to get this run across the board, despite Drake Baldwin leading off the fourth with a double and Lane Thomas joining him with a single. Following two rough at-bats, Sean Murphy came up to the plate and seemingly made it three rough at-bats in a row. Instead, David Hamilton slipped on the grass while trying to field it from third base and just like that, Atlanta was back in the lead thanks to the lucky break. The sixth inning saw the Braves add onto that lead in similar fashion — a one-out walk and single put ducks on the pond but a seemingly-innocuous grounder from Money Mike sure looked like another scoring opportunity would be wasted. Instead, it was Andrew Vaughn’s turn for a defensive gaffe and as a result of his error, another run scored for Atlanta. It’s lucky but that’s baseball!

Fortunately, the insurance run that the Braves added on after their lead was cut to one following the bottom of the eighth inning didn’t require much luck at all. in fact, it was something that we haven’t seen from the Braves for a few days: A home run! Money Mike deposited one into the night sky in Williamsport for a huge insurance run in the top of the ninth.

While this was going on, Raisel Iglesias was in the midst of a four-out save attempt. As usual whenever Iglesias has to deal with a leadoff runner, things got extremely scary — especially when William Contreras (who had tormented the Braves for this entire series) hit a deep fly ball to center with two men on. Michael Harris II scampered all the way out there to make the catch and then Mauricio Dubón helped turn an impressive double play in order to ensure that the Braves would at least return home with something from this tough series against the Brewers.


So yeah, that was a tough week! It was exacerbated by the fact that the Philadelphia Phillies apparently decided once they were 9.5 games down in the standings to never ever lose again — especially so on Sunday when they somehow managed to turn a 4-0 deficit with two outs (and two strikes, mind you) against the Cardinals into an astonishing 6-4 victory. As such, due to Philadelphia’s rapid ascent and an ill-timed downturn from Atlanta, the Braves are once again having to deal with a green blob in red pinstripes breathing down their necks — right before September begins and they have to play each other seven times. Great.

Anyways, if you had told me before last week’s road trip started that Atlanta would only end up simply avoiding a sweep against the Brewers, I would’ve taken it. As of right now, I’m still thrilled that they didn’t get swept — but that’s only because things got off to such a terrible start when Atlanta’s offensive struggles essentially doomed them to a sweep at the hands of the Twins to start this road trip. The Braves needed to at least salvage a win against Milwaukee if only to sort of stave off the impending sense of doom that has come from the aforementioned downturn in Atlanta’s fortunes and the upturn in Philadelphia’s fortunes.

They managed to do so but now it’s time to figure out if the offense can come back to life at some point. The pitching staff came up huge throughout this entire road trip and if there’s an solace that you can take from this road trip, it’s the fact that none of these games were blowouts and that’s largely down to the Braves continuing to pitch really well as a staff. Tyler Mahle’s performance during the Little League Classic was very solid and it’s hard to lay the blame at anybody who was throwing a baseball from a mound during this week.

Instead, the offense has to recover if this team is going to get back on track. Sure, they’re still in first place but with a tough schedule staring them down for the rest of the season, the lineup has to get back on track. It’ll definitely be tough with the Dodgers coming to town to start this week’s homestand but hey, as a blond man who wore a bunch of fancy robes used to say, “To be The Man, you gotta beat The Man,” and that’s what Atlanta’s going to have to do if they want to get back on track. The toughest road trip of the season ended up being very tough and now the Braves have no choice but to figure out a way how to bounce back.

Rays vs Tigers Prediction, Picks & Odds for Today's MLB Game

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The Tampa Bay Rays are priced as a -137 moneyline favorite for tonight's series opener at Comerica Park against the Detroit Tigers, with first pitch scheduled for 6:40 p.m. ET. 

Behind the very consistent Drew Rasmussen, my Rays vs. Tigers predictions back Tampa to win this contest. 

Read more in my MLB picks for Monday, August 24. 

Who will win Rays vs Tigers today: Rays (-137)

The Tampa Bay Rays send Drew Rasmussen to the hill, and while he has given up more runs than usual lately, the underlying numbers are still solid. The right-hander owns a 3.98 FIP over his previous two outings and a 2.41 xERA over the last month.

During that span, Rasmussen has held opponents to a 28.6% hard-hit rate and 2.9% barrel rate. He also faces a Detroit Tigers lineup with just an 87 wRC+ over its last six games.

As for Framber Valdez, he is in poor form. The left-hander has surrendered 7.15 BB/9 across his last two starts while allowing a 51.4% hard-hit rate and posting a 5.47 FIP. 

Tampa Bay has the edge.

Play up to -150.

Covers COVERS INTEL: The Rays have an 111 wRC+ across their last 13 games, a tad higher than their season average of 105 wRC+. They're in good enough offensive form to punish the struggling Valdez. 

Rays vs Tigers Over/Under pick: Over 7.5 runs (-112)

It’s a modest 7.5 total, and the Over has value given the possibility of late-game runs. Both of these bullpens are extremely vulnerable right now.

Detroit’s relief corps has a 5.48 FIP across the last week while allowing an alarming 2.49 HR/9. Tampa Bay’s pen isn’t much better, compiling a 5.16 FIP during that same span while giving up 2.00 HR/9.

Even if Rasmussen deals as I expect, Detroit has a real opportunity to score late. As for Tampa Bay, Valdez’s command issues and the Tigers’ shaky bullpen give the Rays a clear path to tack on runs.

Play this pick up to -140.

Rays vs Tigers home run prediction: Kevin McGonigle (+510)

Kevin McGonigle is an intriguing home run option tonight because he's putting the ball in the air. The youngster has two bombs in his last six games with a ridiculous 69.6% fly-ball rate during that span.

Additionally, McGonigle owns a 47.8% hard-hit rate and 17.4% barrel rate over the last week. While Rasmussen does not give up many homers, the Rays’ pen, as previously discussed, is struggling to keep opponents in the ballpark.

With McGonigle hot and consistently lifting the ball, he has a path to punish a mistake.

Quinn Allen's 2026 Transparency Record
  • ML/RL bets: 56-66, -18.11 units
  • Over/Under bets: 68-51, +7.91 units

Rays vs Tigers weather

Weather at Comerica Park looks pretty clean tonight, with partly cloudy skies and temperatures sitting in the mid-70s before dipping to around 73°F by 9 p.m. ET. Winds are moderate early, around 10–12 mph, before easing later, and rain chances are extremely low. Overall, conditions look playable with minimal delay risk.

Rays vs Tigers odds

  • Moneyline: Rays -137 | Tigers +124
  • Run line: Rays -1.5 (+129) | Tigers +1.5 (-142)
  • Over/Under: Over 7.5 (-112)| Under 7.5 (-103)

Rays vs Tigers trend

The Tampa Bay Rays have hit the Moneyline in 13 of their last 16 away games (+10.15 Units / 47% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Rays vs. Tigers.

How to watch Rays vs Tigers and game info

LocationComerica Park, Detroit, MI
DateMonday, August 24, 2026
First pitch6:40 p.m. ET
TVFS1
Rays starting pitcherDrew Rasmussen
(13-5, 3.01 ERA)
Tigers starting pitcherFramber Valdez
(8-8, 4.35 ERA)

Rays vs Tigers latest injuries

Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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Colorado Rockies prospect rankings, mid-season 2026: numbers 3 to 1

SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - MARCH 21: Ethan Holliday #2 of the Colorado Rockies covers second base during the third inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on March 21, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Bernacchi/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images

In the process of Purple Row Prospects (PuRPs) voting, there were two names that stood above the rest — Colorado’s first rounders in 2024 and 2025, plus a sleeper international free agent breakout. Ultimately, Holliday took 15 of the 29 qualifying first place votes to earn the number one PuRP designation. So who are these top three prospects? Read on!

For each player on the PuRPs list, I’ll include a link to individual stats and contract status (via Baseball-Reference), PuRPs voting stats, a note on the 2026 season to date, and a scouting report from a national prospect writer where possible. I’ll also include where I put each player on my personal ballot. All ages are as of the date the article is posted.

3. Roldy Brito (791 points, 29 ballots) — Preseason Ranking: 11 — High Ballot 1 (1); Mode Ballot 3

How did he enter the organization?

2024 International Free Agent, Dominican Republic

Why did he make the PuRPs list?

Brito was easily the breakout prospect in the Rockies system in 2025 and he made another leap onto top 100 lists in 2026. The 19-year-old 5’11” Dominican switch-hitting up-the-middle defender (he played both second base and center field frequently in 2025 and 2026, plus some shortstop in 2024) was a member of Colorado’s 2024 international signing class (which included fellow PuRPs Ashly Andujar and Cristian Arguelles), but his $420k bonus was only the fifth-highest among those signing with the Rockies that year. Two and a half years later, the speedy Brito has reached the highest on the minor league ladder all the way up to High-A Spokane.

After signing, Brito spent 2024 with the Dominican Summer League team, where his .254/.360/.314 line with 24/27 steals (89 wRC+) frankly didn’t stand out much. The Rockies saw enough though to bring Brito stateside to the Arizona Complex League team in 2025, where he was 1.6 years younger than league average. Brito rose to the challenge, hitting a scalding .368/.445/.555 with three homers and 22/29 steals in 209 plate appearances, good for a 159 wRC+. Brito was second in the league in OPS and hits, 3rd in slugging, batting average, and steals, 4th in runs, and he was sixth in OBP and doubles. For that performance, Brito took home MVP honors for the ACL.

That impressive performance led the Rockies to jump Brito up to Low-A Fresno after the ACL season ended in late July, where he was 3.2 years younger than league average. Brito didn’t miss a beat in his full-season debut. In 33 games with Fresno, Brito hit .375/.442/.463 with a homer, a triple, seven doubles and 13 steals in 156 plate appearances, which was good for a 156 wRC+.

Brito didn’t face many lefties and therefore didn’t hit right-handed that often, but in 56 PA from that side in 2025 he posted a 1.129 OPS (his OPS was .927 hitting from the left side). He struck out in 17% of Low-A plate appearances while walking in 9% of them, while his speed led to a ridiculous .459 BABIP. In the field, Brito played 36 games at second base (ten errors, eight in the ACL) and 41 in center field (two errors with six outfield assists).

Purple Row’s own Evan Lang chronicled Brito’s magical 2025 throughout the season in the weekly Pebble Reports and got a chance to interview Brito as he entered fall instructs in October. Brito was named the 2025 Rockies minor league player of the year in March.

In 2026, Brito returned to Fresno, where he was two years younger than average, for a longer look. In 378 plate appearances, Brito continued to play well, hitting .327/.390/.506 with eight homers among his 36 extra-base hits along with 18 steals, walking in 8% of PA and striking out in 17% of them. That equates to a 127 wRC+ and got Brito named (along with fellow PuRP Charlie Condon) to the prestigious Futures Game at the All-Star Break, going 0-for-2 during the game.

Brendan Gawlowski of FanGraphs noted this about Brito’s Futures Game experience:

Brito is a high-motor player. He turned in the best home-to-first time of the day (I had him at 4.03, while Statcast had 4.09, which lines up better than it sounds) and was a busy presence during outfield work. He also unsuccessfully tried to execute a delayed steal. He was another guy with an impressive BP, as he lined one ball off the facade and in general showed that, even though he isn’t huge, he has plenty of juice.

After the Futures Game, Brito got promoted to High-A Spokane, where he is 3.5 years younger than league average. The step up in competition has led to dampened production in 113 plate appearances so far, as Brito has produced a .305/.333/.424 line with two homers and eight doubles, along with 20 steals in 21 attempts. Brito has walked less in Spokane (4% of PA) while striking out more (24%), one of the reasons he’s currently running an 89 wRC+ at the level.

To be clear though, a teenager playing in High-A is a feat in and of itself. After all, only 10 of his 501 plate appearances so far have come against younger pitching. On the year, Brito has been much stronger hitting lefty (.932 OPS) than right-handed (.649 OPS) in a smaller sample size. Defensively this year, Brito has played more in center field than second base. He has committed six errors each at second base and center field while adding four outfield assists.

Here are some of Brito’s 2026 highlights.

Here’s some video of Brito from his stint with Fresno late last season, including some slo-mo looks at swings from both sides of the plate:

Here’s another slo-mo view of his swing from the ACL:

What do the scouts say?

FanGraphs had Brito 99th on their top 100 before the season began and last month updated his ranking to 48th overall in their “Potential Five Tool Players” group. That ranked third in the system as a 50 FV player, highlighted by a 60 future grade on his speed, arm, and defense, along with 55 future raw power (emphasis mine):

Brito is my favorite player in the minors, a talented, versatile, and projectable spark plug on both sides of the ball. Every generation has a super utility player or two who produce enough to warrant a 50 FV grade (or higher) even absent a consistent defensive home: Chone Figgins, Ben Zobrist, Tommy Edman, etc. It’s early in his career, but if you had to pick a single minor leaguer to follow in those footsteps, you might choose Brito. He’s a switch-hitter with projectable power, 70 speed, and already a nuanced feel for two middle-of-the-diamond positions. He crushed the complex last summer and then hit .375/.442/.463 in 33 games following a promotion to Low-A Fresno.

Brito is a medium-framed plus athlete, twitchy with deceptive strength. At the plate, he has a lovely trigger on both sides and is a line drive shooter to all fields. He’s a threat to do everything. He’ll flash the short game, he’ll fake bunt and swing, he can take a walk, he’ll shorten up with two strikes, he can drive a ball to the gap — if variety is your thing, this is your guy. There is some risk in his approach, and not just with respect to his swing decisions, which are aggressive. On his best swings, Brito incorporates his lower half well and is direct to the ball. His swing can get pushy, though, and particularly from the left side, he’ll pull off the plate, almost like a softball player already thinking of beating out a groundball. There’s some swing-and-miss to his game, and he hasn’t yet translated his raw power into over-the-fence damage. For better and worse, he’s a very aggressive hitter, and he’ll need to dial it back a little, particularly with two strikes.

Defensively, Brito projects above average in center field and at second base. His jumps in center are good, and while he’s still learning the finer points of the job, he looks like he’ll have the speed and tracking skills to be good out there. He’s also shown solid instincts and range at the keystone: In one standout sequence, he raced far to his right on a chopper up the middle, backhanded a short hop, and flipped accurately behind his back to second. He’s also got a very quick transfer and enough arm strength to at least think about whether he could play short as well.

This is an aggressive valuation. There are markers in the data — a 74% contact rate, 47% chase with two strikes, an unsustainable BABIP that is obviously floating his topline production in a way that won’t translate like this to the higher levels — that justify skepticism, and we wouldn’t argue with evaluators inclined to pump the brakes a little bit. But while every 18-year-old has warts, few can do as many things as well as Brito can. This is an absurdly well-rounded collection of tools, and he already has a few skills to go with them. Brito projects as an everyday guy in some capacity, and has several ways to be useful in a reserve role if the bat falls a little short of projection.

MLB Pipeline ranks Brito 55th overall as a 55 FV player with a 60 run and 55 hit grade:

A 5-foot-11 switch-hitter, Brito is impressive from both sides of the plate, consistently hitting the ball hard. There’s sneaky pop and he helps himself by keeping the swing-and-miss in check, though he will have to learn to cut down on the chase out of the zone as he advances. He has a strong sense of where his contact point should be, but he can occasionally get a bit jumpy at the dish. The next step in his hitting development will be for him to not get too quick into his front side, which could be exploited by pitchers at higher levels who are better at getting hitters to chase.

A plus runner who can steal bags, Brito was signed as a middle infielder and the plan is for him to still get reps on the dirt at second base. But the Rockies felt he looked more comfortable roaming around in center field, where his plus athleticism is an asset. He took people by surprise in 2025, and then largely cleared the expectation bar that had been raised after his stateside debut.

Keith Law of the Athletic ranked Brito third on his Rockies system list in February and slotted Brito just outside his top 100 overall prospects list at that time:

Brito led the Arizona Complex League in batting average last year by one point over the Dodgers’ Ching-Hsien Ko, finishing second in OBP and third in slugging. He then moved up to Low A and hit .375/.442/.463 in 33 games. Those numbers are a little misleading about his hit tool; he’s at least a 70 runner who legged out some ground-ball hits, and likes to bunt for hits as well, picking up 29 points of average in Low A just from bunt singles.

He’s a switch-hitter who can hit from both sides, with maybe a touch more bat speed right-handed, and he’s gotten much stronger already since he signed so that he can impact the ball and maybe come into average power. He played mostly second base with some shortstop in the DSL in 2024, after which the Rockies tried him in center field, giving him almost equal time in center and at the keystone in 2025. He gets mixed reviews at both positions, although he’s 18 and doesn’t have a ton of experience at either spot. If he keeps raking like this in his return to Low A this year, and even shows he can play average defense at one of those two positions, he’ll be in the top 100 a year from now.

Baseball America ranked Brito fifth in the system before the season and listed him as the starting second baseman on the 2029 Rockies while calling him the best athlete in the system (also, the best hit tool and base-running skill):

Brito shows above-average bat-to-ball skills and power with the ability to consistently find the barrel. … There are some red flags in Brito’s profile, however, including subpar angles and a swing-happy approach prone to expanding the zone. Despite this, Brito had very good expected outcomes this season due to his combination of contact and power.

When’s he going to get to the Rockies and how good will he be once he’s there?

Brito has consolidated his 2025 breakout with a showing that has gotten him noticed across the minor leagues. Brito clearly has a strong enough hit tool for lower minors pitching and provides speed and flexibility with his up the middle defense, though a star ceiling is less obvious. He’s got great numbers and now has the scouting reports to match, which is why I ranked him fourth on my list as a 50 FV player. He will probably begin 2027 back in Spokane with another mid-season promotion a possibility.

2. Charlie Condon (825 points, 29 ballots) — Preseason Ranking: 1 — High Ballot 1 (10); Mode Ballot 2

How did he enter the organization?

2024 First Round, University of Georgia

Why did he make the PuRPs list?

Condon received a MLB record-tying $9.25 million bonus (at the time) as the third-overall pick in the 2024 draft (about $180k over slot) because of his huge offensive ceiling. The 23-year-old righty, who has split his time defensively between first base and right field this year, can translate his immense power into games, he hits for average, and has rare defensive ability for his size.

Condon was a one-man wrecking crew in 2024 for Georgia, as the 6’6”, 216-pound hitter smashed 37 homers — a record in the NCAA’s “BBCOR” bats era — and won the prestigious Golden Spikes award as the top amateur baseball player in the country. Given that success, it’s hard to believe that Condon (who played first, third, and all three outfield positions for Georgia) not only went undrafted as a high schooler but also was a walk-on who redshirted in 2022. Once he got in the lineup though, he was an immediate success, swatting 25 homers in 2023 and 37 of them in 2024 en route to a cartoonish .433/.556/1.009 batting line that season.

The Rockies assigned Condon straight to High-A Spokane, as befits a player many tabbed to move very quickly through the system. Unfortunately, Condon was downright bad for Spokane, hitting an anemic .180/.248/.270 (48 wRC+) with 34 strikeouts compared with four walks in 109 plate appearances while dealing with a bruised thumb. Condon did have six extra-base hits, including a homer, and four stolen bases (which is more than his entire collegiate total in two years at Georgia). That performance soured many on Condon, but he still entered 2025 on many top 100 lists.

The 2025 season didn’t get off to a good start for Condon, who suffered a non-displaced left wrist fracture in his very first minor league spring training game. The injury kept Condon out until mid-May (after a nine-game rehab stint with the complex league team) when the Rockies sent Condon back to Spokane. Condon was much more successful in his return engagement, hitting .312/.431/.420 in 167 plate appearances across 35 games with three homers and six doubles (134 wRC+). The Rockies promoted Condon to Double-A Hartford on July 1st, where he was 1.5 years younger than league average — and not long after, Condon was selected to the MLB Futures Game (he started at first base and went 0-for-3).

In 237 plate appearances with Hartford, Condon had a .235/.342/.465 batting line with 11 homers among his 21 extra-base hits, which equated to an impressive 132 wRC+. There were still warts on the profile — Condon struck out in 28% of his plate appearances in Double-A (walking in 11%) and he seemingly slid down the defensive spectrum from a third baseman/outfielder to primarily a first baseman. Fans expecting the monstrous power Condon showed at Georgia no doubt expect more too, but at the end of the day a 132 wRC+ in Condon’s initial exposure to Double-A was pretty encouraging.

Condon finished the season in the Arizona Fall League to replace some of the at-bats he lost with his delayed start to the year. Against a less polished set of pitchers, Condon feasted with a .337/.439/.434 line in 98 plate appearances, including a homer, two triples, and a double. He was also named as a Fall Star.

This spring, Condon received a big league spring training invite, where the Rockies played Condon in the outfield corners as well to lean into his defensive versatility and he discussed some of his goals with Purple Row’s Sam Bradfield.

Condon was assigned to Triple-A Albuquerque after spring training, where he has stayed all year. In the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, Condon’s power stroke has returned. Condon has hit .268/.386/.511 with 22 homers among his 48 extra-base-hits, all while dropping his strikeout rate by three points year over year (to 25%) and increasing his walk rate by three points (to 13%), which equates to a 113 wRC+ in the PCL.

Condon was again named to the Futures Game (along with Brito), where he was 0-for-2 with a strikeout. Here’s what Gawlowski of FanGraphs wrote about Condon after the game:

Condon’s age and recent barrage of long balls in Albuquerque made him feel a little overqualified for the game. He took one of the day’s most impressive BPs, lining several balls into the seats and a couple very far out to left. After battling injuries in the early part of his pro career, he looks fully healthy and ready for the next adventure.

Condon didn’t win the player of the month award in June (that went to fellow PuRP Zac Veen), but his .337/.462/.814 line with ten homers in that month had to have been in serious contention. Condon has faded since that hot June, hitting for a .766 OPS in July and a .629 OPS so far in August with just four homers over those two months as he has faced an older pitcher over 97% of the time. In the field, Condon has played a nearly even amount of games at first base (four errors) and right field (one error, six outfield assists), a position Condon hadn’t played since college.

Here’s some looks at Condon during the Arizona Fall League last year (including an absolute bomb of a grand slam at the 2:15 mark):

Here are some of Condon’s 2026 highlights.

What do the scouts say?

Multiple outlets ranked Condon atop their 2024 draft rankings and some of them still have Condon in their top 100.

FanGraphs ranked Condon 67th overall as a 50 FV player before the season and updated that to 41st overall last month (in the “Corner Mashers” group of players. That ranked first in the system (after ranking him fourth among draft prospects in 2024), with 70 raw power and 60 future game power grades to go along with a 60 arm:

[Condon] was considered by many the top prospect in [the 2024] draft, and when he fell to the third overall pick, Colorado seemed a perfect match of offensive upside and future park.

It may still prove to be. Eric was (and remains) skeptical of Condon even while he was riding roughshod over the SEC, and his first year-and-a-half of pro at-bats have only validated pre-draft concerns about a grooved bat path and trouble recognizing spin. You can wave away a rough pro debut, as post-draft cameos are kind of awkward, and he was battling through a bone spur in his finger at the time anyway. But even as a wrist fracture last spring complicates the evaluation of his 2025 performance, it’s becoming fair to wonder how much pop Condon will bring into games.

There’s little doubt about his raw impact. Condon is a big guy with plus bat speed and a powerful swing that produces data commensurate with the visual evaluation. His 90th-percentile exit velocity was nearly 106 mph last year and his max was over 112, both of which are plus. He also had a 44% hard-hit rate and a 13 degree average launch angle that looks, well, like a match for a guy who bashed 60 homers in college. Still, he only homered 14 times in 99 games while running a 131 wRC+ across High- and Double-A, which are both fine in the aggregate, but underwhelming for a player with this skill set. This coincided with a move to first base — perhaps just to protect the wrist, perhaps not. We’ll see what Colorado’s new regime decides to do here, because Condon has played elsewhere and looked like a perfectly fine corner outfielder as a pro.

Ultimately, the power potential here is too great to ignore despite everything else. There’s enough noise and hand injuries lurking to think that there’s some small chance of a big breakout coming, but even if there’s not, Condon projects as a 2-3 WAR player with 35-plus homer potential, even if he’s flawed elsewhere.

Keith Law of the Athletic had Condon as the number one player in the draft, then ranked Condon 46th on his top 100 (number two in the system) before the season:

Condon has electric bat speed and hammers fastballs, showing at least 70 power in college, but he moved his hands back up in 2025 after dropping them in his draft year, and I think that’s one of the reasons he’s not reacting to breaking pitches or changeups that well. (There are, unfortunately, rumors that while he was at Georgia, the Dogs were stealing signs, so their hitters might have known what was coming.) He did bounce back a little in the AFL, reaching 111.6 mph and showing better swing decisions, although the pitching out there was not close to what he saw nightly in Double A.

Condon is a good enough athlete to handle an outfield corner, though the Rockies played him primarily at first base last year, as it’s a position of real need for them and he has experience on the dirt at third base. He has 30-plus homer upside, easily, and the patience and zone awareness to be a valuable hitter even if he hits .240-.250. The new regime in Denver should have a clear plan for helping him get back to the hitter he was in 2024 when he was the No. 3 pick in the draft.

MLB Pipeline (who had him second among draft prospects) ranks Condon 58th overall as a 55 FV player (third in the system) with a 55 grade on his power, hit, and arm tools:

The 6-foot-6 right-handed hitter still uses the largely upright stance, bent at the knees, lower hands and simple mechanics that brought him so much success at Georgia, but until this season, it had been without the same impact. With the Bulldogs, he showed he could hit the ball out of the park to all fields with plenty of bat speed and leverage. While he’s continued to draw walks, his overall approach has suffered as a pro, though some strides against softer stuff in 2026 and a better overall approach helped him get to his raw power more.

In college, Condon played all over the outfield (where his arm plays well) and at third base, but since joining the Rockies, it had been almost all first with a little corner outfield mixed in and a lot more right field with Albuquerque in ’26. The corner-infield spot is his most likely home long-term, which puts more pressure on the power to show up. The Rockies, for their part, aren’t as concerned, thinking that his all-around hitting is coming around and the pop will continue to follow.

When’s he going to get to the Rockies and how good will he be once he’s there?

Multiple scouts have drawn comparisons between Condon and Kris Bryant. While, of course, Bryant’s tough tenure with the Rockies (just over two more years!) have left a sour taste in the mind of fans, he deservedly won the Rookie of the Year and NL MVP awards in his first two years as a big leaguer and has been an All-Star four times. Condon has the kind of offensive potential and defensive utility that could make him a star in the league for several years (especially if he is able to get his power into games), so he deservedly ranks in this range in the PuRPs poll — he was number three on my list as a 50 FV player.

Condon’s 2026 results haven’t been problem-free (strikeouts and his fade down the stretch), but I’m encouraged by the right-field defensive utility and that he’s getting that raw power into games more often. Condon is likely ready to be a big league contributor, but he doesn’t need to be added to the 40 man roster this offseason. Given the looming labor strife portended soon, any players on the 40-man roster would be ineligible to play games next season in the event of a work stoppage, so the Rockies are undoubtedly weighing that consideration.

1. Ethan Holliday (847 points, 29 ballots) — Preseason Ranking: 2 — High Ballot 1 (15); Mode Ballot 1

How did he enter the organization?

2025 First Round, Stillwater HS (OK)

Why did he make the PuRPs list?

Ethan Holliday is a name that has been well-known to Rockies fans for a long time, if only from the connection to his father, Rockies great Matt — not to mention his brother, 2022 number one overall pick Jackson. Those connections made it extremely likely the Rockies would call Ethan’s name on draft day if he were available at pick number four, but the 6’4”, 19-year-old lefty-hitting shortstop from Oklahoma is much more than just a famous name.

Holliday was the number four pick and received a high school draftee record $9 million signing bonus because he has plus raw power that should translate into games and good pitch selection while playing a premium defensive position very well. Scouts are concerned that Holliday’s size might limit his range at shortstop in the long-term as well as the swing-and-miss in Holliday’s game that accompanies his long, powerful swing.

Scouts are also concerned that Holliday wasn’t more of an elite performer in the summer showcase circuit where many highly regarded prospects travel to play each other. In high school though, Holliday was monster, producing a cartoonish 2.038 OPS, with 19 homers and 64 RBI. He was named the Gatorade Oklahoma Baseball Player of the Year and Baseball America’s High School Player of the Year. In both of those awards, he beat out number one overall pick and fellow Oklahoma prep shortstop Eli Willits.

After signing in 2025, Holliday was assigned to Low-A Fresno, where he was 3.2 years younger than league average. In 84 plate appearances (all against older pitchers), Holliday hit .239/.357/.380 with two homers and four doubles (an above average 108 wRC+) with four errors in 17 games at shortstop. It’s a small sample size, but Holliday struck out in a worrying 39% of his plate appearances, though he did also walk in 14% of them. Skyler Timmins of Purple Row broke down Holliday’s professional debut season last September, and Sam Bradfield caught up with him during spring training.

This year, Holliday headed back to Fresno, where he is still two years younger than league average. Holliday served as the primary shortstop there and was hitting very well through 33 games when he suffered a stress fracture in his left foot that necessitated surgery that knocked him out for the rest of the season in late May. In 152 plate appearances, Holliday hit .262/.395/.557 with nine homers among his 15 extra-base hits, equaling a 136 wRC+.

Holliday walked in over 15% of plate appearances while striking out in about 28% of them — a high number but down quite a bit from 2025, and he has still yet to face a pitcher younger than him as a professional. Holliday was heating up too, hitting for a 1.083 OPS and six homers in May. He feasted on right-handed pitching, producing a 1.054 OPS against them with six of his nine homers (he had a .745 OPS against lefties). On defense, Holliday committed eight errors in 32 games at shortstop.

Here’s some pre-draft video of Holliday at a Perfect Game showcase last year with looks at him taking grounders and batting practice:

Here are some of Holliday’s 2026 highlights, including some slick defensive plays.

What do the scouts say?

MLB Pipeline ranked Holliday as their top draft prospect and currently lists him atop the system and 25th overall as a 55 FV player with a 65 power grade and a 50 or better on the other tools:

Holliday might have as much raw and usable power as anyone from the class of ‘25. When at his best, the 6-foot-4 left-handed hitter can get to it without a ton of effort. He already has strength, bat speed and leverage in his swing while continuing to add physicality to his frame. Worries about swing-and-miss cropped up when he was on the summer showcase circuit, and he expanded the zone too much, and there were a lot of whiffs during his brief pro debut, but he has the chance to be a solid all-around hitter with big home run totals. 

A shortstop in high school like his brother, Holliday is agile for his size with average speed. His arm works from the position, and he has decent actions, but he’s unlikely going to be able to stay there because of his range. A move to third base would make the most sense, where his power-hitting profile should fit well.

Keith Law of the Athletic (who ranked Holliday atop his draft rankings) put Holliday first in the system and 39th overall in MLB before the season and recently bumped him up to 37th overall:

Holliday was the No. 4 pick in the 2025 draft and probably the most famous name selected, thanks to his dad, his brother Jackson and years of hype around Ethan’s easy power and potential to be more of an impact hitter than Jackson. He’s a shortstop now, with really good hands and a plus arm, but he has no chance to stay there given his size and lack of lateral range, with third base the best-case scenario and right field a realistic outcome.

As a hitter, he has plenty of bat speed and the raw power is probably a 70, but last spring, he seemed to be trying too hard to launch the ball to his pull side, so his front side was flying open and he had a hole on the outer third as a result. Holliday struggled mightily in his pro debut, as the Rockies sent him to Low A and he struck out 33 times in 84 PA (39.3 percent), even having trouble against good fastballs and looking stiffer and slower in the box. While that doesn’t undo everything he did before the draft, it’s very concerning for someone picked that high, and at the very least, he’s going to need more time to develop than the typical high school hitter taken in the top few picks of any draft class. He knows the strike zone well, and even in that stint in Low A didn’t chase pitches out of the zone excessively (25 percent overall, 16 percent on pitches well out of the zone), consistent with what he showed as an amateur.

I had Holliday ranked at the top of the 2025 draft class, which was a weak one at its uppermost echelon, based on the 30-homer upside and good instincts all around, but the near-universal sentiment after his pro debut is that he’s a much higher-risk prospect than it seemed a year ago.

FanGraphs ranked Holliday 47th overall as a 50 FV player before the season after slotting him as number two among draft prospects, then listed him 45th overall in their “Helium Group” last month. Holliday ranks second in the system with a 70 future raw power grade, a 60 future game power and arm grade, and a 55 grade on his pitch selection:

In a draft light on high-upside position players, Holliday was perhaps the singular exception. He’s been tooled up since his days as an underclassman at Stillwater High, when crosscheckers coming in to see his brother Jackson left almost more impressed with the freshman manning the hot corner. Colorado, understandably desperate for a franchise player, selected Holliday fourth overall and paid him $9 million to sign, the highest bonus in last year’s draft.

Holliday’s physicality stands out immediately. Four inches taller and a few dozen pounds of muscle bigger than his brother, Ethan has the strength and the build of a player in his mid-20s. He’s no stiff either, a fluid mover who looked great defensively this spring, and may even have a chance to stay at short. He has a fast bat and there’s loft in the path, which feeds the immense power projection listed above. He even shows a little feel for manipulating the bat head and using the whole field.

But while Holliday hammers the ball when he does connect, it’s the lack of contact that looks most worrisome here. His numbers weren’t particularly good on the showcase circuit, and anybody who hoped that a cameo at Low-A would render that moot will have to keep waiting. Holliday’s .239/.357/.380 line in 18 games at Fresno is more than fine on its own, but 33 strikeouts in 84 plate appearances suggests that there’s a long path ahead. Speaking of long paths: Holliday’s bat travels a considerable distance from the time his hands get going. He has a long and deep load with a hand loop, and then long levers on top of that. Once he starts, there’s real venom in the swing, but right now pitchers are throwing pedestrian velo right past him.

Holliday will likely need to make an adjustment, either to the length of his path or to his load; in his current form, he just looks too vulnerable to velocity. The bet here is that Holliday finds a way to make it work. He’s so strong and talented in other ways in the box that we’re in on him as a potential star, even with the red flags lurking. Consider this grade more of a reflection on his upside than our conviction in his likelihood to reach it.

Kiley McDaniel of ESPN.com (who ranked Holliday second among draft prospects) rated Holliday in January as a 50 FV player, 66th overall in MLB and tops in the system.

Type: A polarizing player who could be an All-Star or not hit much at all

Some teams/scouts/readers didn’t look past Ethan Holliday’s solid glove, 65-grade power, pretty swing, and last name and penciled him in at No. 1 on their board. Other teams told me his profile “terrified” them and didn’t have him in the mix for their picks in the top 10.

With the amount of information we have on every top draftee and the similarity of most teams’ analytical models, this isn’t common at all. I wrote about this multiple times and more in depth, but the short version is Holliday didn’t hit well in the summer against top pitching then fixed a swing flaw but didn’t face good pitching after it. Teams don’t like having to take performance against good pitching on faith while some others are fine if the other pieces of the puzzle are present.

After signing, Holliday posted a 39% strikeout rate in 18 games, which is a small sample but also is what the analytical teams would tell you is the risk of ignoring his summer performance. If Holliday follows the path he did last year, he’ll dial in his mechanics to adjust for velocity at this new level — this is something Braves star Austin Riley once told me he had to do at each level of the minors — and hit in 2026 like he did in 2025, but the velocity he faces will be much better than high school ball in Oklahoma. As such, Holliday could either be a top-10 prospect in the sport or not in the top 200 quite easily at this time next year.

Holliday was up to number 27 overall and a 55 FV grade earlier this month for McDaniel.

When’s he going to get to the Rockies and how good will he be once he’s there?

Holliday has a superstar ceiling, combining raw power, strike zone control, and defense at a premium position (he’s probably going to end up as a long-term starter at third base, but he can still play shortstop). That defensive utility combined with the offensive upside is the reason I ranked Holliday atop my personal list as a 55 Future Value player.

Much is expected of Holliday by fans and scouts — let’s see if he can pass the trials to come as he ascends the minor league ladder. Now that 2026 first rounder and fellow PuRP Tyler Bell has entered the system, Holliday will need to fight more for shortstop reps if they find themselves at the same level, which is possible in 2027 at High-A. I expect Holliday to push his way up the system quickly, especially if he can adjust to polished upper minors pitching.

Thanks to everyone who has read along with me through this PuRPs series! Check back soon for a complete list with full voting results for the mid-season 2026 Purple Row Prospect list and then my view on the state of the system.


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Today in Jays History: Three Jays Picked Off In One Inning

CANADA - MAY 06: Baseball: Baltimore Orioles Cal Ripken Jr, (8) in action vs Toronto Blue Jays Jesse Barfield (23), Toronto, CAN 1/1/1983--5/6/1983 (Photo by Jerry Wachter/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) (SetNumber: X28431)

43 Years Ago

This game stands out vividly in my memory—and I’m certain everyone who watched it remembers it just as well.

Orioles left-handed reliever Tippy Martinez famously picked off three Blue Jays in the top of the tenth inning.

There was a bit of backstory. The Jays were up 3-1 in the bottom of the ninth. The Jays scored a run in the third on a Garth Iorg sac fly. In the fifth, Lloyd Moseby scored on an error by Orioles’ third baseman Todd Cruz. And, in the top of the eighth, Barry Bonnell scored on a Buck Martinez sac fly.

As the bottom of the ninth began, starter Jim Clancy was still on the mound. These days, a starting pitcher going that deep into a game feels almost mythical. Clancy started 34 games that year, completed 11, and pitched 223 innings. He retired the first batter, then allowed a bunt single to John Shelby. Pinch hitter Gary Roenicke struck out, and Lenn Sakata walked, putting the tying run on base.

Bobby Cox brought in lefty reliever Dave Geisel. That season, the team lacked a true shutdown closer. Randy Moffitt led with 10 saves, and three other pitchers recorded between five and nine. Geisel finished with five saves. Having a reliable closer would have made a difference that year.

The Orioles pinch-hit for their catcher, Joe Nolan, with Benny Ayala. Ayala, a bat-first player without a true position, had struggled in 1983, hitting just .221/.287/.404 with four home runs. The move was surprising—Nolan had already pinch-hit for starting catcher Rick Dempsey, leaving the team without a backup. But with two outs and down by two runs, manager Joe Altobelli gambled on Ayala’s right-handed bat against a lefty. These days, no manager would risk removing their last catcher for a pinch-hitter.

Ayala singled, Shelby scored, and the tying run advanced to second. Left-handed hitter Al Bumbry followed, singling home the tying run. Geisel was then replaced by Joey McLaughlin, who finally ended the inning.

So, heading into the tenth inning, the Orioles found themselves without a catcher. Lenn Sakata, who had an 11-year career and had never played the position before—or since—was pressed into service behind the plate.

Cliff Johnson led the top of the tenth with a home run off Orioles reliever Tim Stoddard. We were up 4-3. Barry Bonnell followed with a single. Out goes Stoddard, and in comes lefty Tippy Martinez.

Martinez was known for his excellent pickoff move to first, but the Jays were eager to run on Sakata. Before Martinez even delivered a pitch, Bonnell broke for second. Martinez threw to first, then an easy toss to second caught Bonnell in a rundown. Out. Pick-off, caught stealing.

Dave Collins drew a walk—he had 31 steals that season. Before Martinez even threw a second pitch to Willie Upshaw, he picked Collins off first base.

Upshaw singled—he’d already stolen a base in the game, but with ten steals and seven times caught that season, he was hardly a sure thing. In hindsight, we would have preferred he stayed put. From the dugout, Bobby Cox bellowed, “Don’t take a leadoff! Keep a foot on first base!” and even threatened to fire the first base coach if Upshaw got picked off. Predictably, Upshaw was picked off moments later.

In the bottom half, Cal Ripken and Lenn Sakata both homered, delivering the Orioles an improbable victory. The defeat dropped the Jays to 70-56, fourth place and 2.5 games behind the division-leading Brewers. The Orioles improved to 70-52, just half a game out of first. Had the Jays held on, there would have been a three-way tie for second. The race was tight: the Yankees sat in fifth at 68-56. We ultimately finished fourth at 89-73, nine games behind the Orioles—who went on to win the World Series that year.

1983 was our first season as a legitimate contender. The year before, we’d gone 78-84, so this was an 11-game improvement. Our first playoff appearance would come two years later, in 1985.

Buck Martinez talks about the inning here: