Orioles news: O’s within one game of WC after walkoff

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - AUGUST 22: Dylan Beavers #12 of the Baltimore Orioles is doused with gatorade by Colton Cowser #17 after driving in the game winning run with a double in the tenth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on August 22, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Good morning, Camden Chatters.

I never thought I’d be saying this, but I wish the Orioles could play every game against the Tampa Bay Rays.

The Birds’ inexplicable dominance against the American League’s best team continued last night with a dramatic, come-from-behind, 3-2 walkoff victory in 10 innings. The Orioles, given up for dead after being shut out into the eighth, put on a thrilling display for the Camden Yards crowd thanks to Samuel Basallo’s pinch-hit game-tying homer and Dylan Beavers’ pinch-hit walkoff double, besting a stunned Rays team yet again. Check out all the lovely details in Alex Church’s recap.

The Orioles are now 8-4 against the Rays this year and eight games under .500 against everyone else. Conversely, the Rays, 4-8 against the Orioles this season, are 27 games over .500 against everyone else. It defies explanation, but that’s baseball, I suppose.

At a time of the season where every game takes on extra importance, this was one of the Orioles’ best wins of the year. Besides the obvious off-the-bench heroics of Basallo and Beavers, there were plenty of other O’s stalwarts on this night. Tyler O’Neill made up for a poor offensive showing by flashing the leather in right field, making a cannon of a throw to cut down at a runner at third and then making two outstanding catches in the ninth, the second one robbing the Rays of a would-be go-ahead hit.

Brandon Young struggled with his command but battled to work 5.2 solid innings, and the O’s improved to 17-5 in his starts. The bullpen was dominant, with scoreless outings both from high-leverage guys — Andrew Kittredge and a resurgent Rico Garcia — and from lesser known names like Josh Walker and Alex Hoppe. Pete Alonso had two hits on his bobblehead day to extend his career-best hit streak to 14 games.

Even much-maligned manager Craig Albernaz deserves credit for striking gold with his in-game tactics. I was silently screaming when he decided not to pinch-hit for the soft underbelly of the lineup in the seventh inning, and then when he did pinch-hit in the eighth for Coby Mayo, who’d been scalding the ball. But it worked out brilliantly. Basallo, batting for Mayo, delivered the tying homer, and Albernaz unleashed Beavers against Bryan Baker in the 10th with delightful results.

Don’t look now, but thanks to their win and the Rangers’ loss, the Orioles are just one game back for the third wild card spot — albeit with the Blue Jays, Twins, and Guardians also ahead of them, and now Seattle only a game behind the Birds. This race of mediocre teams is going to go right down to the wire if none of them can bust out of their mediocrity. The Orioles are helping their own cause with exciting wins against a top-quality opponent like the Rays, but they’ll need to avoid stumbling into the quicksand that inevitably seems to trap them every time they start to build a little momentum.

Today, the Orioles play the Rays for the final time this season. I’m gonna miss them. The perpetually unlucky Shane Baz will take the mound against his former team, with Nick Martinez going for the Rays. Can the O’s do what they failed to do last week and complete the series sweep? If the Orioles can pull out a victory and a few other games break the right way, the Birds could find themselves back in a tie for a postseason spot by the end of the day.

Links

Orioles’ Shane Baz has 13 losses, but that doesn’t tell the whole story – BaltimoreBaseball.com

Shane Baz’s 2026 season is example #1,000 of why pitcher win-loss records are pretty much meaningless.

The pop has arrived: At Chesapeake, Aron Estrada is youngest ever to hit 20 HRs – Steve Melewski

I, for one, am more than ready to jump aboard the Aron Estrada bandwagon. Join us, won’t you?

Orioles ride outstanding defense and 2 big pinch hits to comeback win over Rays – The Baltimore Banner

I love this picture so much. Of course Pete would be right in the middle of the celebration.

Orioles birthdays and history

Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! You probably played for the Orioles at some point, because there have been nine (9!) players in O’s history who were born on Aug. 23. The most prominent of the bunch is Orioles Hall of Famer Mike Boddicker, who turns 69. Boddicker, a sixth round pick in 1978, spent his first nine MLB seasons with the Birds, finishing fifth in the AL Rookie of the Year vote in 1983, when he helped the O’s to their third World Series championship. Boddicker was a 20-game winner and All-Star the following year, and finished his Orioles career with a 79-73 record and a 3.73 ERA. The O’s traded him to the Red Sox in 1988 for Brady Anderson and Curt Schilling, a deal that turned out quite well.

The many other former Orioles born on Aug. 23 include right-hander Denny Bautista (46); infielders Alejando Freire (52), Casey Blake (53), and Jeff Manto (62); catcher Raúl Casanova (54); and the late righty Ed Barnowski (b. 1943, d. 2017), lefty John Morris (b. 1941, d. 2025), and Hall of Fame third baseman George Kell (b. 1922, d. 2009), who was Brooks Robinson’s mentor when he broke into the bigs in the 1950s.

On this date in 1958, the Orioles claimed knuckleballer Hoyt Wilhelm off waivers from Cleveland. A former relief ace for the New York Giants, Wilhelm was a 35-year-old journeyman by the time the O’s got him, but he revitalized his career in Baltimore. In four full seasons with the Orioles, Wilhelm made the All-Star team three times and won the ERA title in 1959, and he went on to pitch for another decade in the majors until age 49. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1985.

Random Orioles game of the day

On Aug. 23, 1992, the O’s lost to the Oakland Athletics, 7-3, in Baltimore. With 45,479 in attendance for the inaugural year of Oriole Park at Camden Yards, the Birds trailed by just one until the top of the seventh, when the A’s rallied for four runs and six hits against starter Ben McDonald and two relievers. José Canseco drove in four runs, and future Oriole Harold Baines tagged McDonald for a solo homer. Athletics starter Mike Moore came within one out of a complete game before the O’s rallied in the ninth, prompting Oakland to call on Hall of Fame closer Dennis Eckersley to get the last out. With the loss, the second-place Orioles remained three games back of the AL East-leading Blue Jays.

Little League World Series bracket scores, schedules and times today

Sunday marks another fine day at the Little League World Series. It also welcomes the big leaguers, as the MLB Little League Classic caps off the day's action.

It will be an early start from Williamsport as the winner's bracket continues play with Nevada taking on Washington at 9 a.m. ET on ESPN. It starts a full day of coverage across ESPN, with the 1 p.m. game between Iowa and New Jersey getting the limelight on ABC.

Sunday also marks MLB's time to shine, as the Atlanta Braves take on the Milwaukee Brewers in a clash of two of the league's best playing at Historic Bowman Field.

USA TODAY Sports will have live coverage with updates, scores and highlights from all of Sunday's Little League World Series action.

How to watch 2026 Little League World Series

Here is the full Little League World Series schedule for Aug. 23 and how to watch all the games.

Watch LLWS games with Fubo

All times Eastern and accurate as of Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026, at 7:06 p.m.

  • 9 a.m. - Nevada at Washington (United States) - ESPN
  • 11 a.m. - Mexico at Nicaragua (International) - ESPN
  • 1 p.m. - Iowa at New Jersey (United States) - ABC
  • 2 p.m. - South Korea at Curaçao (International) - ESPN
  • 7:10 p.m. - Milwaukee Brewers at Atlanta Braves (MLB Little League Classic) - ESPN

Watch LLWS games with Fubo

Little League World Series schedule, bracket

For a full bracket, visit this link here.

  • Location : Williamsport, Pennsylvania
  • Dates : Aug. 19-30
  • TV : ESPN | ESPN2 | ABC
  • Stream : ESPN+

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Little League World Series bracket scores, schedules and times today

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Today on Pinstripe Alley – 8/23/26

BRONX, NY - AUGUST 22: Ryan Weathers #40 of the New York Yankees leaves the game with an injury during the fourth inning of the game against the Toronto Blue Jays on August 22, 2026 at Yankee Stadium in the Borough of the Bronx, New York. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Good news: Cody Bellinger is back today! Bad news: The Yankees’ winning streak was snapped, Ryan Weathers left with forearm tightness, and Giancarlo Stanton might be officially toast. So… 1-for-4? But call some of those non-hit ABs tough ones, like a double play with the bases loaded.

Today on the site, Scott will have the live report from the past couple days of Cody Bellinger’s rehab assignment at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, I’ll have the Rivalry Roundup, Jonathan will pay tribute to the first-ever DH for his 78th birthday, and John will have the weekly Social Media Spotlight.

Today’s Matchup:

New York Yankees vs. Toronto Blue Jays

Time: 1:35 p.m. EST

TV: YES Network, Sportsnet, TVA Sports

Venue: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY

Questions/Prompts:

1. On a scale of 1-10, how confident are you that Max Fried is back in the rotation by the first week of September? (He started throwing again yesterday.) And same question, but with Clarke Schmidt in the bullpen, post-Tommy John rehab? Let’s say “by mid-September” for Clarke.

2. Without going purely by record (it’s a minor morass at the bottom), who do you think has been the worst team in baseball in 2026?

Yankees news: Cody Bellinger returns; other injury updates less promising

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 12: Giancarlo Stanton #27 of the New York Yankees looks on in the dugout during the third inning against the Seattle Mariners at Yankee Stadium on August 12, 2026 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) | Getty Images

MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: Cody Bellinger is slated to return from the IL today. The outfielder had a short rehab stint at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre as he recovered from a Grade 2 left hamstring strain that’s kept him off the field since late July. “I’ve been wanting to get back for a while,” Bellinger said. “You always want to be realistic, and for me, I want to come back and stay. You don’t want to make anything worse. I’m itching to get back, but I’ve got to continue to play it safe and make sure I’m 100 percent ready.” In his second year with New York, Bellinger was an All-Star this season and figures to fortify an outfield that’s also been without Aaron Judge in right.

New York Post | Andrew Crane: Giancarlo Stanton strained his left calf earlier this week, calling into question whether he’ll be able to return this season, Aaron Boone revealed Saturday. The DH was working back from multiple strains to his right calf when he fell while running the bases, leading to a moderate strain in his left. “We’re at a point in the calendar where it gets challenging,” said Boone, acknowledging the reality that Stanton’s return this season is in jeopardy. Big G has appeared in only 24 games this season, adding to the struggles to stay on the field that have plagued his Yankees tenure.

(As a related aside, you should read Josh’s editorial, “Giancarlo Stanton and outrunning the sunset.” It’s quite good.)

MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: In other injury news, Ryan Weathers exited his start Saturday in the fourth inning with left forearm discomfort. He’s scheduled for imaging on Sunday. In his first season in the Bronx, the left-hander had been a strong contributor to the rotation, including during a recent stretch in which he posted a 1.94 ERA in his last seven starts. For more on Weathers’ departure and some musings on short- and long-term implications, check out Andrew’s breaking news post.

The Athletic | Brendan Kuty: ($) There was a world where Bellinger’s return could have cost Spencer Jones his roster spot. The rookie outfielder has been playing well of late, though, going 12-for-41 with two homers and four stolen bases in his last 12 games.“(He’s) certainly proved that he can play up here,” said Boone. “I think there’s a lot more in the tank for him to continue to go and learn, but he’s showing the ability to do that, and that’s been really encouraging.”

With Ryan McMahon hitting the IL Friday, the Yankees ultimately choose to send down his replacement, Max Scheumann, instead, at minimum giving them a left-handed platoon option in Jones to pair with the struggling Heliot Ramos. The Schuemann demotion was made official after the game on Saturday.

Teófimo López outpoints Rolly Romero to win title in third weight class

  • López wins majority decision to claim WBA crown

  • Romero brands judges’ verdict a ‘robbery’

  • New champion adds to previous 135lb, 140lb belts

Teófimo López became a three-division world champion on Saturday night, winning a 12-round majority decision over Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero to claim the WBA welterweight title at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

López prevailed by scores of 115-113 and 116-112, while the third judge saw the fight even at 114-114. Romero, making the first defense of his title won against Ryan Garcia 15 months ago, disputed the result in the immediate aftermath.

Continue reading...

Mitchell Starc rips through Bangladesh – again – as Australia dominate ‘fast-forward’ second Test

Mitchell Starc has rocked the Bangladesh batting order for the second time in as many days in Mackay to secure Australia victory by an innings and 51 runs in the second Test.

For the third time in the last seven matches, a Test in Australia has finished inside two days after Starc and captain Pat Cummins (3-10) ripped through Bangladesh, who batted poorly.

Continue reading...

Cody Bellinger set to return to Yankees’ lineup

An image collage containing 1 images, Image 1 shows Cody Bellinger (left), who is set to be activated by the Yankees on Sunday, talks with Max Fried during the Bombers' 4-3 loss to the Blue Jays on Aug. 23, 2026 at the Stadium

On a dark afternoon for the Yankees, who revealed Giancarlo Stanton had again strained a calf and then watched Ryan Weathers exit with injury in the fourth inning, there were Cody Bellinger and Max Fried silver linings.

Bellinger is set to be activated Sunday, and Fried’s return to the mound went well.

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First Bellinger: The left fielder survived two rehab games, including playing six innings in the outfield for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Friday, and said his hamstring was tested on a few plays and passed each.

“For me, come in, help the team win as much as I can and play my best ball,” Bellinger said before the Yankees lost, 4-3, to the Blue Jays in The Bronx on Saturday.

After four weeks sidelined, Bellinger will return to a club that has been changed by the trade deadline and Spencer Jones’ emergence as a useful player. The Yankees have been playing Heliot Ramos — a righty hitter brought in to do damage against lefties — most days in left and the lefty-hitting Jones most days in right.

It is possible that the two become a right field platoon tandem until and if Aaron Judge returns, though manager Aaron Boone did not want to tip his hand regarding right field.

“Wait and see,” Boone said before the team officially optioned utilityman Max Schuemann to the minors, which ensures Jones — who might have been on the bubble — will remain in the majors.

Fried, meanwhile, threw a bullpen session before the game for the first time since hitting the injured list with a recurrence of his elbow bone bruise. Fried threw 26 pitches, and his whole repertoire, and said he felt encouraged by his afternoon.

“Hopefully we’re moving in a good direction there,” Boone said of Fried, “and we’ll see what’s next if that’s a live [batting practice] or another side.”

Cody Bellinger (left), who is set to be activated by the Yankees on Sunday, talks with Max Fried during the Bombers’ 4-3 loss to the Blue Jays on Aug. 23, 2026 at the Stadium. Jason Szenes for New York Post
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Already a major piece, the lefty’s importance probably grew as Weathers left the loss with forearm discomfort and was sent for tests.


Judge’s rehab is going “well,” Boone said, and the team’s captain remains hitting. He graduated Friday to tee-and-toss and has not yet faced machine or live pitching.

There are no definitive updates regarding Judge, who has said he will return this season from his fractured rib.

“He’s throwing, running, lifting,” Boone said. “He seems to be in a good place and moving. For him now, it’s about just getting the body built up.”


Luis García Jr.’s two-run shot in the eighth inning was his career-high 26th homer of the season and third as a Yankee. 

Andy Pages injury creates huge hole in Dodgers lineup: Who will fill it?

The Los Angeles Dodgers will have to regroup after seeing their talented roster lose another key player to injury.

Center fielder Andy Pages suffered a left hand fracture after he took a 100.2 mph sinker, thrown by Pittsburgh Pirates right-handed pitcher Bubba Chandler in the third inning Friday night, to his hand.

Manager Dave Roberts announced after the Dodgers’ 5-4 win against the Pirates on Aug. 21 that Pages' injury was "not season-ending," but he expects the first-time All-Star to be out 4-5 weeks.

Pages is considered the team’s top defensive player, leading the team in Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) and outfield assists.

Offensively, Pages has produced 80 RBI, 21 home runs and 72 runs this season.

The Dodgers will have to explore options that will not only help the team defensively but also provide another solid bat in the lineup.

Dodgers call up Alek Thomas

The Dodgers called up speedy outfielder Alek Thomas as a replacement for Pages.

“It felt good,” Thomas said before the game about being called up. “It’s been a little while, so I’m super blessed to be back and happy to help the team in any shape or form.”

Thomas recorded his first hit for the Dodgers and produced an RBI, bringing in Kyle Tucker to help make it a 3-2 game against the Pirates on Saturday, Aug. 22.

The Dodgers acquired Thomas in a trade for Jose Requena back on May 12. Thomas had an .855 OPS with the Oklahoma City Comets, the Dodgers' Triple-A affiliate.

If the Dodgers need to explore other options within their own farm system, Josue De Paula could always be considered.

The 21-year-old outfielder is viewed as the Dodgers' top-ranked minor league prospect. He's among the Texas League leaders in batting average (.314), OPS (.969) and RBI (95) this season.

He also has 24 home runs.

When does Will Smith return?

The Dodgers are expected to add another veteran bat to the lineup soon with the return of catcher Will Smith.

He participated in batting practice on Saturday against Shohei Ohtani.

Smith was dealing with an inflamed disc in his neck that’s kept him out of action since June 5.

Smith is expected to be activated from the injured list during the first week of September. He is not expected to join the team for its upcoming road trip against the Atlanta Braves and Detroit Tigers. 

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Andy Pages injury creates huge hole in Dodgers lineup: Who will fill it?

Mets’ Luis Robert Jr. belts two homers in win over his ex-team

An image collage containing 1 images, Image 1 shows Luis Robert Jr. belts a homer in the the third inning, the first of his two dingers, of the Mets' 10-5 win over the White Sox on Aug. 23, 2026 in Chicago

CHICAGO — Luis Robert Jr.’s visit to his old stomping ground undoubtedly will be remembered as a highlight of his season.

Saturday night, the veteran outfielder blasted two homers against his former team to help the Mets beat the White Sox 10-5.

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Robert heard boos from the home crowd after hitting both homers.

“It feels good to hit homers against any team at home,” Robert said through an interpreter. “But I will say it felt good to hit the home runs here, just because it was a stadium I played so many games over my career.”

Robert, who spent seven seasons with the White Sox, hit a two-run homer in the third that gave the Mets a 4-1 lead. He also delivered a solo blast in the seventh.

Overall, the Mets hit five homers.

“[Friday] it felt a little weird here and a little strange,” Robert said. “Today, it was pretty normal.”

Luis Robert Jr. belts a homer in the the third inning, the first of his two dingers, of the Mets’ 10-5 win over the White Sox on Aug. 23, 2026 in Chicago. AP

Francisco Alvarezsnapped an 0-for-14 with a single in his first at-bat, but his frustration level has mounted lately in inverse proportion to his OPS.

The Mets catcher had an outburst on Friday after a strikeout, returning to the dugout and snapping his bat in half. Alvarez finished 0-for-4 with three strikeouts.

“The frustration was from [Friday], because it only matters the day we played,” Alvarez said before the game. “What happened before is in the past. It’s more about the day.”

Alvarez began play 8-for-52 (.154) in August with an anemic .536 OPS. He had strikeouts in 25 of those at-bats.

“He’s incredibly passionate — he wants to be great for the team,” interim manager Andy Green said of Alvarez’s emotional display. “He wants to be great because he puts a lot of work in.”

Green said Alvarez’s issue simply hasn’t just been chasing pitches outside the strike zone.

“I think chase usually shows up after you have missed your pitch,” Green said. “He’s had some pitches to hit but he hasn’t necessarily squared up. When that happens he’s found himself outside of the strike zone.”

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Mark Vientos, who began a minor league rehab assignment as the DH on Friday for Double-A Binghamton, will see action at first base and third base before returning to the Mets, according to Green. Vientos is rehabbing a right-hand fracture that has kept him sidelined since July 10.

Jo Adell Powers Guardians Over Rockies In Game 2

DENVER, CO - AUGUST 22: Cleveland Guardians right fielder Jo Adell (7) celebrates his run scored in the sixth inning during a game between the Cleveland Guardians and the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on August 22, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Jo Adell has been everything the Guardians were hoping for and more. His mammoth 3 run HR tonight completely changed the game. He also singled and scored in the 6th inning from a Patrick Bailey single, so he was involved in all four of the Guardians runs tonight. He is now slashing .243/.323/.526 in 16 games as a Guardian. If we are able to get back into this playoff race, Jo Adell will be a huge part of it.

It’s also noteworthy that we have seen Angel Genao start two games in a row at SS, considering the season that Brayan Rocchio has had. Rocchio has had a rought stretch offensively as of late, but he has still been one of the best SS defenders in the MLB this season. As long as Rocchio is healthy I imagine he will be in the lineup tomorrow.

The Guardians will go for the sweep tomorrow at 3:10 pm ET. It will be Foster Griffin vs Tomoyuki Sugano.

Diamondbacks 5, Cincy 11: Never a Chance

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - AUGUST 22: Manager Torey Lovullo #17 takes the ball from starting pitcher Michael Soroka #34 of the Arizona Diamondbacks for a pitching change during the fourth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Chase Field on August 22, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images

On paper, anyway, Michael Soroka was the better starting pitcher than Reds starter Rhett Lowder. Especially after the beatdown we put on Cincinnati last night, it seemed like pretty good odds that we’re stomp the Reds again. Sadly, however, that was not the case. Soroka sucked tonight, Lowder was good until he wasn’t so much, but by then the Diamondback were already in a hole that, despite some sporadic efforts by the offense, we couldn’t climb our way out of. Especially because the hole kept getting deeper.

In fact, it started to feel, at least to me, like it might be a foregone conclusion before we’d even gotten our offense involved. Elly De La Cruz lined a very hard-hit double into the right field corner to lead off the game, and one out later was driven home by a very hard-hit JJ Bleday grounder that got past Tim Tawa at first and rolled into the right field corner for another double. That was the only damage at first, it that was the start of the hole. 1-0 Cincinnati

Soroka managed to put up a zero in the second, though in some respects it was an even harder inning for him, and one that inspired even less confidence. There was a two-out hit-by-pitch. Then there was a ten-pitch at bat by the guy in the Red’s nine hole that ended in a walk. Soroka had thrown 18 pitches in the first, and he needed 22 more to get through the second, and he really looked like he had no idea where his pitches were going to land once he let them go.

The third inning was another bad one, as Sal Stewart blooped a single just behind second base to lead off the frame. JJ Bleday struck again, seeing six pitches before sending the seventh out to that notch in the wall just to the right of straightaway center field for an RBI triple. A fly ball to center scored him, and after an eight-pitch walk, Soroka finally got the final two outs. Two more runs in, though, and 27 more pitches thrown, putting him at 67 for the night. 3-0 Cincinnati

The top of the fourth sucked even more, thanks to a seven-pitch walk to kick things off, and then two one-out singles, the second of which brought another run home. That earned Soroka the hook with 84 pitches thrown total, and ten outs recorded. Zack Littell came out with his mop, and surrendered a sac fly and two walks as he worked to get the Reds back out onto the field. 6-0 Cincinnati

So, yeah. That’s the margin of victory right there. Meanwhile, we’d only managed a leadoff Lars Nootbaar double and a Tim Tawa bloop single against Lowder, who cruised easily through his first three innings of work. We managed to get to him a bit with two outs in the bottom of the fourth, thanks to Nolan Arenado sending his 21st home run of the year just over the left field fence. 6-1 Cincy

Didn’t really matter, though, as Littell gave the run back on a two-out De La Cruz to right in the top of the fifth. 7-1 Cincy

Andf so it proceeded from there. Ildemaro scored off a leadoff walk in the bottom of the fifth, thanks to some hits behind him, to close the gap to 7-2, but Littell gave the run back in the top of the sixth on a solo shot that completed JJ Bleday’s cycle and made it 8-2. Arenado reached on catcher’s interference to leadoff the bottom of the sixth, and crossed the plate again thanks to a Tim Tawa homer over the fence in left center, making things 8-4, but Littell gave back both runs in the top of the seventh to bring it to 10-4.

About this time, folks started dropping into the Gameday Thread to excoriate Torey Lovullo for having given up the game when we were only down by six and leaving Littell in there, etc, etc, and while I suppose I can sort of see the argument if I squint, the sad fact is that, even with the offense we were able to muster in the later innings, we still didn’t manage to score enough runs to surpass that initial 6-0 deficit that Soroka’s work created. Torey did pull Littell for Dennis Santana to start the eighth, though, and aside from giving up a leadoff solo home run to Matt McLain to bring things to 11-4, he did his job. We got another run off of the Reds’ bullpen in the bottom half, thanks to a couple of walks and a two-out Ryan Waldschmidt RBI single, but that simply gave us the last scoring in the game. 11-5 Cincinnati

Loss Probability Added, courtesy of Fangraphs

Paragons: None
Antihero:Zack Littell (3 2/3 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 3 HR, 2 BB, 1 K, -12% WPA)
Reprobate: Michael Soroka (3 1/3 IP, 6 H, 6 ER, 3 BB, 3 K, -24% WPA)

Tonight’s GDT was a ghost town for the vast majority of the game, for good or ill, with us eventually limping to 153 comments at time of writing. I certainly hope that the folks who didn’t drop by found something better and more pleasant to do with their time. To be honest, I would likely have gone off to prune some thornbushes or practice body-blocking some cacti or perhaps exfoliating with a belt sander had I not been contractually obligated to sit through the whole nine innings. But I’m a professional, damnit. Precious few comments turned Sedona Red, but there is one hands-down winner that appeared from onedotfove at a point in the game where a turnaround still seemed like it might be possible:

Hope is always the better choice, so thank you for that. On the upside, Cabriel Moreno did manage to extend his hitting strreak with a one-out double in the bottom of the ninth, so while the huge comeback didn’t happen, there was a positive or two.

So, assuming you have a paid Peacock account, I hope you can join us for the rubber match tomorrow as we try to win the series against these pesky Reds. Andrew Abbott goes for them, Mitch Bratt goes for us, first pitch is scheduled for 1:15pm AZ time, and JustRonn will be your guest recapper. Come and keep him company if you can, and root us on as we try for a needed series win.

As always, thanks for reading, and as always, go Diamondbacks!

Mets Notes: Luis Robert Jr. shines against former team, Carson Benge displays toughness after collision

After the Mets' 10-5 win over the White Sox on Saturday night, interim manager Andy Green and the players broke down the 16-hit, five-HR performance...


It was so nice, he had to do it twice

Playing against his former team for the first time this weekend, Luis Robert Jr. made his presence felt on Saturday night. The outfielder blasted two of the team's five home runs, recording his first multi-homer game with New York, and said it was rewarding to do it in a place he played for six seasons.

"You know it feels good to hit home runs against any team to be honest with you," Robert said via an interpreter. "But I will say it did feel good to hit the home runs here just because it was a stadium that I played so many games in, especially my whole career."

Green said he was "really happy" to see Robert have a performance like he did, adding that "he deserves" it after working his way back from a long injury and rough season.

"Luis, I mean, the oppo home run is just so special from him," Green said. "Hardly anybody in baseball hits a ball that hard the other way the way he does that so well. And then obviously he turned on the last one and crushed it, so those are great swings."

He added: "He's just having great at-bats, he's put in a lot of work. He's been grinding really hard. It's fun to see somebody have success that works that hard."

Robert has only played in 51 games this year, as he was placed on the IL on April 27 and didn't return until July 20. Since coming back, the 29-year-old has struggled, but hopes Saturday's game will help get him back on track for the rest of the year.

"I feel good, I feel a lot better compared to where I was in the beginning when I first came back," Robert said. "But I think now, it’s just you got to continue to work, you got to continue to try to be as consistent as possible. I think that’s going to be the key for the rest of the season."

Carson Benge feeling 'pretty good' 

Right fielder Carson Benge had a brief scare in the bottom of the third inning, as he crashed hard into the chain link fence and the ball popped out of his glove and over the wall for a HR.

The 23-year-old toughed it out to stay in the game and made up for it later in the fifth inning, launching a towering solo home run to go up 5-3. He finished 3-for-5 on the night and joked that getting the win helps make up for the collision.

"Pretty good, pretty good. After a win, that always makes it feel better," Benge said.

He added on the play: "I saw it hit, I didn't get the best read on it, can't always be perfect. Went back on it fast toward the wall. And then kind of caught it in my glove, and then it popped out as I hit that fence."

"First thing, I checked my glove and I saw it wasn't in there, so I was kind of mad at that. After the adrenaline kind of wore off there quickly, I knew I was OK."

Benge then explained why he wanted to keep playing after getting checked out by the trainers, and was proud he could get the run back for the team with the homer.

"I like playing the game," Benge said. "I don't want to be taken out for anything unless it's anything too serious. Being able to get back in there and kind of take away the one I let up is good."

Christian Scott hoping 'to learn from' tough outing

Scott had a tough outing Saturday night, allowing four runs on five hits over just 4.2 IP. His night ended after loading the bases in the fifth inning with two outs, and wishes he could have some of those at-bats back.

"Just didn’t really have it today,” Scott said. "Especially with the offspeed stuff, didn’t really locate the zone well. Thought the bullpen did a really good job coming in there and cleaning it up and obviously going the rest of the game. Thought the offense played really well.

"Just put us in a tough spot, especially after getting a lot of runs early. Wish I had a couple of those at-bats back. Bullpen did a great job, good to get the win."

Overall, Scott threw 94 pitches against Chicago and said he'll be able to use it as a learning experience, especially the fifth inning.

"Obviously hit a guy first pitch and then walk a guy, obviously want those at-bats back," Scott said. "Just had to battle after that. Didn't think I was locating my sweeper very well or my cutter very well. Something to learn from for sure, just grind it out."

Braves News: Danger zone, another loss, more

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - AUGUST 22: Mauricio Dubón #14 of the Atlanta Braves is forced out at second base as Cooper Pratt #12 of the Milwaukee Brewers turns a double play in the fourth inning at American Family Field on August 22, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images

While the Braves are perhaps not quite yet in a precarious position, they have put themselves in a position to be in a precarious position with their play over the last two weeks or so, facing down the barrel of another game against the Brewers and then a series against the Dodgers. Their division lead is down to 3.0 games and they have a 6.5 game cushion in the wild-card that is still strong, but no longer feels insurmountable. With six games remaining against the Phillies, the division title very much still hangs in the balance of these last 5 weeks of the season. While this team has found ways to win games, sometimes convincingly for stretches this season, the roster has never really had the feel of a dominant team after all of the pitching injuries early on and the continuing underperformance of their offensive talent. It would be a real shame for this team to squander what was such a commanding division lead to land in or even outside of the wild-card. If this season ends without a division title and/or some quality postseason performances, it could spur some serious changes this offseason.

Braves News

The Braves lost another to the Brewers, as the offense continues to flounder.

MLB News

Dodgers’ Tyler Glasnow is expected to make his return from injury on Tuesday against the Braves, as he threw 77 pitches in his final rehab outing.

Andy Pages is expected to miss around a month for the Dodgers, after fracturing his hand via a Bubba Chandler fastball.

One of baseball’s top pitching prospects, Kade Anderson made his debut for the Mariners in what was a mixed performance overall.

Brandon Woodruff is trying to return to pitching for the Brewers this season, after previously expecting to be out for the year.

Top-20 Penguins' Prospects 2026, No. 4: Injury-Riddled Season May Have Set Back Winger, But There's Still Much To Like

It's officially another season, another prospects ranking for the Pittsburgh Penguins. 

In years past, this has been a bit easier of an exercise, as there used to be a more clear-cut line between prospects with NHL upside and longshots. However, because of the work that general manager and president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas and his staff have put in during the last several years, the line is blurring a whole lot more - and there is a substantially higher volume of talent in the system. 

This time around, making a top-20 list was challenging. So, a few criteria were put into place: To make our list, prospects must be under the age of 26 and have played less than 50 NHL games. This excludes names such as Ben Kindel, Filip Hallander, Oliver Okuliar, and Alexander Alexeyev.

At No. 5, we sang the praises of right wing Mikhail Ilyin, whose high-level smarts, vision, and playmaking ability are perfect complements in a future top-six role. For No. 4, we give some love to a prospect who many are down on but who still has more to give.


No. 4: RW Rutger McGroarty

As mentioned, some are down on the 22-year-old McGroarty, which is a bit understandable to an extent. After a nice NHL showing at the end of the 2024-25 season before injury ended his campaign prematurely, he registered just three goals and six points in 24 NHL games this season and couldn't contribute with enough consistency.

It is worth considering that an injury over the summer last year caused McGroarty to miss the entirety of training camp as well as the first month and a half of the season, which almost certainly set him back a bit. He came out of the gate after his injury and earned an NHL call-up after just five games, but his right-away performance didn't take away from the fact that he did miss that time.

Yes, McGroarty's injury history is also a slight concern at this point. But, if he can remain healthy this season, there's a good chance he could make the jump - and, perhaps, actually stick this time.

Top-20 Penguins' Prospects 2026, No. 7: Winger Must Prove Himself Worthy Of Organizational CommitmentTop-20 Penguins' Prospects 2026, No. 7: Winger Must Prove Himself Worthy Of Organizational CommitmentIt's officially another season, another prospects ranking for the&nbsp;<a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins.</a>&nbsp;

Like Ville Koivunen - who is at a similar point in his development - McGroarty has shown flashes at the NHL level while dominating the AHL up to now. He had 10 goals and 34 points in 30 AHL games with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) Penguins in 2025-26, and he also tied for second in team scoring during the Calder Cup Playoffs with four goals and nine points in 15 games. 

The one thing with McGroarty that seems pretty certain is that he is going to be an NHL player. He has a translatable toolset, and he has worked very hard to improve a major area of weakness in the form of skating over the last two years. He still needs to improve in that department, but he's putting in the work. 

Other than that, though, he has an intriguing and impressive all-around toolset. McGroarty is someone who can put the puck in the back of the net, and he also has translatable NHL playmaking skills and keen awareness in all three zones. He's an excellent penalty-killer, he's effective in a distribution role on the power play, he makes the right reads off the rush and when creating and executing in the offensive zone, and he is also willing to go to work in the battle areas along the wall and at the net-front, areas in which he thrives.

And, let's not forget that he can snipe the puck, too. McGroarty's shot is a dangerous weapon when he has the time and space to set himself up in the scoring areas of the ice. Sniping aside, he has a nice set of hands down low and can stickhandle in some pretty tight spaces. 

He is also a notoriously physical, pain-in-your-behind kind of player, as you'll find him creating a chance one second and hitting the daylight out of someone the next. And his leadership and locker room intangibles hold a lot of water. He's very self-aware and willing to put in the work to improve on the margins, and that shows in how his game has evolved at the AHL level over the last two seasons with the organization.

“Especially without the puck and on the forecheck, he's able to generate much more speed and pressure opponents,” Dubas said during his end-of-season press conference. “That’s the game he’s going to have to play [at the NHL level].”

A 14th overall pick in 2022, the Penguins knew who they were trading for in August of 2024. They still very much believe that McGroarty, like Koivunen, can be a key piece of their future and that they both still have more to show.

And the organization is challenging them both to show more next season.

"I think [their seasons were] good overall," WBS assistant general manager Amanda Kessel said. "I think that they both have more in them, but at the same time, they were in big roles in the AHL, which isn't an easy league playing against older, bigger, stronger men. So, I think it was a good year for them. I believe in both of them a lot as players and think they have more to give."

Top-20 Penguins' Prospects 2026, No. 5: Crafty, High-IQ Winger Continues To Climb Ranks Top-20 Penguins' Prospects 2026, No. 5: Crafty, High-IQ Winger Continues To Climb Ranks Next up on our 2026 THN Top-20 Penguins' Prospects list is an intelligent, playmaking winger who climbed from 12 on last year's list all the way to the top-five this year.

It's hard to say what McGroarty's 2026-27 season will look like, as the Penguins - as we have said time and time again - have loaded up on the forward front, making McGroarty's path to full-time NHL minutes a bit more complicated. But the momentum he gained during the AHL season last year - momentum that carried over into the playoffs - should be a good springboard for McGroarty to reach even greater heights this season. 

At the end of the day, if he can't earn a spot out of camp, he's going to be one of the team's first call-ups. McGroarty still has a ceiling as a top-six winger, even if his more realistic projection is somewhere in the middle-six.

But, make no mistake: This guy is going to be an NHL player, and he's going to be effective in whatever role he eventually finds himself in. Few players in the system have a higher floor than McGroarty does, and if he can build on what he accomplished last season and, most importantly, stay healthy, expect him to take pretty significant steps this season.

Top-20 Penguins' Prospects 2026, No. 6: Scoring Winger's Dominant NCAA Season Only The BeginningTop-20 Penguins' Prospects 2026, No. 6: Scoring Winger's Dominant NCAA Season Only The BeginningNext up on our 2026 THN Top-20 Penguins' Prospects list is a sniping winger who, if he can build out a more all-around game and continue to score goals at a torrid pace, could be a long-term top-six solution for the Penguins in the future.

The list so far:

Honorable mentions

- No. 20: D Chase Pietila

- No. 19: C Kale Dach

- No. 18: LW/C Ryan Miller

- No. 17: C Zam Plante

- No. 16: G Joel Blomqvist

- No. 15:C Markus Ruck

- No. 14:LW Tanner Howe

- No. 13:D Finn Harding

- No. 12:RW Avery Hayes

- No. 11:D Tomas Galvas

- No. 10:C Tristan Broz

- No. 9:RW Liam Ruck

- No. 8:D Owen Pickering

- No. 7:RW Ville Koivunen

- No. 6:LW/C Will Horcoff

- No. 5:RW Mikhail Ilyin

- No. 4: RW Rutger McGroarty

Is Penguins' Center Ben Kindel The Most Underrated Young Player In Hockey?Is Penguins' Center Ben Kindel The Most Underrated Young Player In Hockey?Kindel, who played the vast majority of his rookie season as a center at age 18, is one of the most consistently overlooked young players in the NHL.

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Is Penguins' Center Ben Kindel The Most Underrated Young Player In Hockey?

Given that we are in the dog days of August, there is a whole lot of discussion regarding prospects and the best up-and-coming players in the NHL, as there is not much else to talk about right now. 

Last week, The Athletic's Corey Pronman released both prospect pool rankings and a ranking of the best players under the age of 23. The highest-ranked Pittsburgh Penguins' young player was winger Rutger McGroarty at 80, but one of the biggest surprises on the list was center Ben Kindel being ranked 92nd on the list in Tier 6, which he deems a "middle of the lineup player."

On this list, 46 players above Kindel have not yet played an NHL game. Meanwhile, Kindel spent the vast majority of the season as an 18-year-old - he didn't turn 19 until Apr. 19 - holding down the third-line center position, playing solid two-way hockey, contributing on the power play, recording 17 goals and 35 points in 77 games, and showing off his hockey IQ and higher-ceiling puck distribution and playmaking skills. He also showed off a pretty nasty shot on several occasions, too. 

Unfortunately, this isn't the first time Kindel has been overlooked. When the Penguins selected him 11th overall in 2025, many thought it was a reach. He was not designated by most as a legitimate candidate to make the NHL team out of training camp as a young 18-year-old, either, but he did. He was not expected to last beyond his nine-game NHL trial run, but he did because his body of work in those nine games was impressive and transcended his age.

During the season, he was rarely talked about in national circles despite being one of three newly drafted players to stick in the NHL beyond nine games - the others being New York Islanders star defenseman Matthew Schaefer and San Jose Sharks rising star center Michael Misa. After the season concluded, most still weren't talking about Kindel even though he ended up with a few Calder Trophy votes. 

Pronman wrote that Kindel profiles more as "a long-term third-liner, but he could be a top-six winger."

Top-20 Penguins' Prospects 2026, No. 6: Scoring Winger's Dominant NCAA Season Only The BeginningTop-20 Penguins' Prospects 2026, No. 6: Scoring Winger's Dominant NCAA Season Only The BeginningNext up on our 2026 THN Top-20 Penguins' Prospects list is a sniping winger who, if he can build out a more all-around game and continue to score goals at a torrid pace, could be a long-term top-six solution for the Penguins in the future.

But anyone with eyes who watched Kindel all season - and, particularly, kept tabs on his work at the center position - would probably come out with a different outlook.

For starters, Kindel won 43.6 percent of his draws last season, which isn't a bad number for a rookie. For perspective, Penguins' captain and NHL legend Sidney Crosby had a 45.5 win percentage in the dot during his rookie season. He also, almost immediately, flashed keen two-way awareness and used the middle of the ice comfortably, something that doesn't happen right away for most rookie centers. 

He was trusted enough by the coaching staff to man the third-line center position for the entire 2025-26 season - aside from a few games as second-line center and a handful on Crosby's wing - even though the Penguins had different options for that role at different times throughout the season. Kindel showed on many occasions his offensive upside, showcasing shootout prowess, being a one-time weapon on the power play, acting as an effective playmaker down low, and exposing the soft areas of the ice. He also won a fair amount of puck battles and added on size throughout the season. 

In other words, it seems many are underestimating and underscoring Kindel's NHL ceiling as a center and as a player in general. He may not ever be a first-line center, but to suggest his ceiling was, essentially, already met during his rookie season at age 18 borders on preposterous. 

Kindel will continue to progress and grow, and so will his two-way game. Maybe he could have a higher ceiling on the wing, but his maturity as a center at this stage already suggests that being a career third-liner is a low bar to set for him. 

In fact, there is a good chance that Kindel may just be the most underrated young player in the NHL. While others in his class - and many in this year's class - are already being showered with praise and projected as crucial parts of their respective organization's future, Kindel remains in the background, just as he had in his draft year, just as he had during last year's training camp, and just as he had over the course of the season.

2026-27 Pittsburgh Penguins Player Projections: Ben Kindel2026-27 Pittsburgh Penguins Player Projections: Ben KindelBen Kindel had an amazing rookie season. What's in store for him in 2026-27?

Even if he's not a superstar, Kindel very well could be an All-Star caliber player in a few years, and he's the most untouchable young player in a Penguins' organization that has seen a nice pool of young players and prospects come into the fold over the last three years. His body of work speaks for itself so far, and the way he consistently outperforms expectations should almost, in turn, be an expectation until the day that he doesn't.

And, maybe a few years from now, Kindel's name won't be neglected and forgotten when the league's best young players are recognized. 

Top-20 Penguins' Prospects 2026, No. 7: Winger Must Prove Himself Worthy Of Organizational CommitmentTop-20 Penguins' Prospects 2026, No. 7: Winger Must Prove Himself Worthy Of Organizational CommitmentIt's officially another season, another prospects ranking for the&nbsp;<a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins.</a>&nbsp;

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