It's not an overstatement to say Cam Schlittler has been untouchable on the road this season.
He has a mouth-watering matchup against a putrid offense tonight, making New York an appealing target with my Yankees vs. Angels predictions and MLB picks for Wednesday, Sept. 2.
Who will win Yankees vs Angels today: New York Yankees (61%)
For help understanding probabilities, see our odds calculator.
The Los Angeles Angelsslot 28th in wOBA and 29th in K% against right-handed pitching the past month, and now they draw Cam Schlittler.
Schlittler ranks in the 98th percentile in Pitching Run Value and 94th percentile in K% this season. He also owns a remarkably strong 1.14 ERA over 15 starts away from Yankee Stadium.
You’d be hard pressed to find a worse matchup for the Angels to get going offensively.
The New York Yankees are ninth in xwOBA vs. southpaws on the year and seventh over the last month. They’re more likely to support their starter.
Yankees vs Angels Over/Under pick: Under 6.5 (49%)
This total is very low and yet I still see value on the Under.
Schlittler has allowed two runs or fewer in 14 of his 15 road starts while chewing up 6.2 innings per game. He has been as good as anybody in the majors, and a miserably cold Angels offense is unlikely to change that.
Reid Detmers owns a 2.84 ERA in pitcher-friendly conditions. The Angels have an excellent bullpen behind him, with only three ‘pens posting a better xERA over the last month.
This strikes me as a 4-2 type of game. I’d play the Under to 51%.
Yankees vs Angels home run prediction: Ben Rice (19%)
Ben Rice hits for real power against pitchers of both handedness, making him a real threat no matter who is in the game.
Detmers attacks righties with a steady diet of fastballs and sliders. That sets up well for Rice, who has generated a .388 ISO and 17.8% barrel rate against those two pitches – both of which are elite outputs.
Todd Cordell's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 96-88, -11.76 units
Over/Under bets: 94-84-6, -2.02 units
Yankees vs Angels weather
Temperatures are expected in the low 70s with slight wind blowing out. Neutral impact on offense.
Yankees vs Angels odds
Moneyline: Yankees 61% | Angels 40%
Run line: Yankees -1.5 (47%) | Angels +1.5 (55%)
Over/Under: Over 6.5 (56%) | Under 6.5 (45%)
Yankees vs Angels trend
Los Angeles has hit the Game Total Under in 33 of their last 45 games (+20.60 units, 41% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Yankees vs. Angels.
How to watch Yankees vs Angels and game info
Location
Angel Stadium, Los Angeles, CA
Date
Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026
First pitch
9:38 p.m. ET
TV
YES, ABTV
Yankees starting pitcher
Cam Schlittler (12-6, 2.09 ERA)
Angels starting pitcher
Reid Detmers (4-8, 3.54 ERA)
Yankees vs Angels latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
In the 2026 off-season, the St. Louis Blues made several additions to their roster, highlighted by young forwards Mason McTavish and Connor McMichael.
But the Blues made another move at the 2026 NHL draft that has flown a bit under the radar. The Blues dealt a pair of third-round picks to the Toronto Maple Leafs to acquire veteran right-handed defenseman Brandon Carlo.
Carlo struggled during his time with the Maple Leafs, who paid a premium price to acquire him from the Boston Bruins at the 2024-25 trade deadline. He was brought in to be a shutdown defenseman and add physicality to their blueline, but it never worked out.
Carlo was recently a guest on the Cam & Strick Podcast, where he discussed some of his mishaps in Toronto.
“It was tough at times,” Carlo admitted. “Obviously, I don't think that we had as great of a year. I had some injuries, I wasn't at my best... didn't work out the way that I would have hoped, but overall, I like to try and focus on the positive.”
Carlo went on to discuss elements he enjoyed while playing in Toronto, including former Blues coach Craig Berube and teammates like Jake McCabe, Morgan Rielly, and Auston Matthews. Carlo believes playing in Toronto has helped him develop a thicker skin. Now a veteran on a team filled with youngsters, Carlo will have this experience in Toronto to look back on.
Now 29 years old, Carlo is playing for his third NHL team. Upon skating in eight games, Carlo will have played 700 NHL games. The Blues won't need Carlo to average over 20 minutes a night, but they'll need him to be a positive presence who plays a safe game.
“I had talked to my agent a little bit and knew that it could be a possibility,” Carlo said of the move. “Contract-wise, going into the last year and things like that. I'm really excited about the timing. It kind of gives our family some time to figure out the logistics and just come in with a group and start the year.”
Carlo enters the final season of a six-year, $4.1 million AAV contract. Whether Carlo is a one-year rental or signs another deal with the Blues is undetermined. Colton Parayko, another right-handed defenseman, will have three years left on his deal, and Logan Mailloux will hopefully be a top-four option for the Blues. With prospects like Adam Jiricek looking to join the big club in the next few seasons, Carlo could be seen as a stopgap until Jiricek does.
Ultimately, the Blues' success this year and Carlo's play will determine his future with the organization.
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It's Dylan Cease bump day, so you know we have to ride with the ace in our Blue Jays vs. Guardians prediction.
The Toronto Blue Jays are -130 betting favorites at BET99, and our best play of the day centers around the Cy Young Award candidate. Can he limit the Cleveland Guardians' bats and tie the series?
Let’s dive into my MLB picks for Wednesday, Sept. 2.
Blue Jays vs Guardians predictions
Blue Jays vs Guardians best bet: Dylan Cease Under 4.5 Hits (-120)
Dylan Cease has coughed up more than four hits just once in over a month and is in a prime position to limit the Cleveland Guardians' bats tonight.
Across 114 plate appearances, the Guardians own just a .388 xSLG against him — hard contact from this lineup comes rarely when the Cy Young odds candidate is on the bump, which puts us in a good spot to fly Under the number.
With a hard-hit rate (32.3%) in the 88th percentile among qualified pitchers, don't expect much good contact from Cleveland's bats tonight.
COVERS INTEL: Cease's opponents own a .185 xBA or worse against his four-seamer, slider, and changeup, the three pitches he throws the most.
Blue Jays vs Guardians same-game parlay (SGP)
I don't put this lightly: in the broader scope of the Wild-Card race, this is a must-win game for the Blue Jays. They have their ace on the mound, they dropped Game 1, and are now 2.5 games back of the final spot, which currently belongs to Cleveland.
Elsewhere, Alejandro Kirk has been one of baseball's hottest hitters, owning a .898 OPS since the All-Star break. Let's win our third SGP in four days, shall we?
Blue Jays vs Guardians SGP
Dylan Cease Under 4.5 hits
Toronto Blue Jays moneyline
Alejandro Kirk 2+ hits + runs + RBI
Alberta: Sports betting is now live!
Regulated Alberta sports betting has officially launched, allowing sportsbooks to operate under provincial oversight.
You can sign up and join BET99 — one of the best Alberta betting apps — now to get in on the Blue Jays action!
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Blue Jays vs Guardians home run pick: Kazuma Okamoto (+380)
Kazuma Okamoto is always a good bet to go yard on any given night. He's already registered a dinger against Joey Cantillo, and owns a .860 OPS against lefties this season. I'll fire him up against a pitcher rocking a 38.8% hard-hit rate.
2026 Transparency Record
Best bets: 9-10, +1.53 units
SGPs: 4-15, -0.26 units
Blue Jays vs Guardians odds
Moneyline: Toronto (-130) | Cleveland (+110)
Run line: Toronto -1.5 (+135)| Cleveland +1.5 (-160)
Over/Under: Over 7 (-120) | Under 7 (+100)
Blue Jays vs Guardians trend
The Blue Jays are 9-0 in their last nine games after scoring two runs or less in their previous game. Find more MLB betting trends for Blue Jays vs. Guardians.
How to watch Blue Jays vs Guardians and game info
Location
Progressive Field, Cleveland, Ohio
Date
Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026
First pitch
6:40 p.m. ET
TV
CleGuardians.TV, SN
Blue Jays starting pitcher
Dylan Cease (9-5, 2.34 ERA)
Guardians starting pitcher
Joey Cantillo (9-7, 3.70 ERA)
Blue Jays vs Guardians latest injuries
Blue Jays vs Guardians weather
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.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - SEPTEMBER 01: Ketel Marte #4 of the Arizona Diamondbacks prepares his equipment in the dugout before the MLB game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Chase Field on September 01, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Diamondbacks News
Phillies Win Series, Separation from Diamondbacks It seems Corbin Carroll’s back is giving him issues, something that is going to need to be addressed in a hurry if the Diamondbacks are going to retain a playoff berth.
Diamondbacks Jockey with Padres, Marlins for Wild Card It would certainly behoove the Diamondbacks to get back to some winning ways sooner rather than later, especially with the Padres and Snakes facing off over the final three games of the regular season.
Corbin Burnes Return Still on Hold Fans will have to wait at least another week before there is a chance of Corbin Burnes returning to the roster. The Diamondbacks could help things along if they could get back to winning. At this point, the pressure to allow Burnes to return is going to be directly proportional to whether or not the Diamondbacks are still contending.
Injury Updates Corbin Burnes needs to build up a bit more. Ryne Nelson and Zac Gallen remain on the comeback trail.
Playoff Contenders’ Remaining Strength of Schedule The Diamondbacks are fortunate to be fifth out of seven in the National League. Unfortunately, the Padres are sixth and the Dodgers, who don’t matter at this stage, are seventh.
Stan Kroenke to Buy Angels The sports mogul owner of the Los Angeles Rams, Arsenal FC, the Denver Nuggets, and the Colorado Avalanche is buying controlling interest in the Los Angeles Angels for a reported $4 Billion.
Yes, Preseason Projections Still Matter The relevant question then becomes how much a few months of performance should change what we thought about a player in March. And as it turns out, it’s less than the folks who find projections frustrating might think.
SAINT PAUL, Minn. - Minnesota Wild fans now know how much it will cost to stream the team's games during the 2026-27 season.
The Wild announced Wednesday that they have reached a multi-year local streaming agreement with Prime Video, which will become the exclusive streaming distributor of Wild games within the team's local broadcast territory.
Fans can purchase a Wild subscription through Prime Video for $19.99 per month or $99.99 annually. The subscription will be available to all Amazon customers.
Prime Video will stream all Wild regular-season games that are not exclusively nationally televised, as well as the team's locally produced First Round Stanley Cup Playoff games.
“We are thrilled to announce a new streaming relationship with Prime Video,” Wild Chief Revenue Officer and Executive Vice President Mitch Helgerson said in a release. “This agreement ensures our fans will have a seamless way to watch every local Minnesota Wild broadcast this season.”
The streaming announcement comes alongside another significant change to how Wild games will be broadcast this season.
Minnesota is launching Wild+, a team-owned and operated multimedia network that will serve as the official television home of the Wild.
Wild+ will produce every regular-season game that isn't selected for exclusive national distribution by the NHL's national broadcast partners, including ABC, ESPN, ESPN+/Hulu and TNT.
Fans will have multiple ways to access Wild+ broadcasts, including Prime Video, cable, satellite and over-the-air television. The Wild said specific channel locations and additional availability information will be announced before the start of the regular season.
The broadcast crew will remain familiar to Wild fans.
Anthony LaPanta will continue as the team's play-by-play announcer alongside lead analyst Ryan Carter, while Kevin Gorg will serve as rink-side reporter. Katie Storm and Wes Walz will be the primary hosts of the Wild's pregame and postgame coverage.
Former Wild goaltender Alex Stalock and longtime Minnesota hockey figure Lou Nanne will also serve as analysts for select games.
The Prime Video agreement is part of a larger multi-year partnership with the NHL that also includes the Carolina Hurricanes, Anaheim Ducks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Dallas Stars and St. Louis Blues.
“We’re excited to build upon our strong relationship with the NHL and provide fans with more ways to connect with the local teams they love,” Charlie Neiman, Head of Sports Partnerships at Prime Video, said in a release.
For Wild fans outside of the team's local broadcast territory, games will remain available through NHL Center Ice and NHL Power Play on the ESPN App.
The Wild said additional subscription information and Wild+ channel details will be announced before the beginning of the regular season.
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ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Blues have a new television home.
The franchise and the NHL announced on Wednesday a multi-year agreement with Prime Video to serve as the exclusive local market streaming provider for the team beginning with the 2026-27 season.
With the addition of the Blues, Prime Video now offers local coverage for more than 10 NHL teams.
"Our desire to maximize accessibility and ensure long-term consistency for where our fans will find our first team-owned streaming service led us to Prime Video and we are excited to launch in the coming weeks,” Blues executive vice president, chief revenue and marketing officer Steve Chapman said in a team release. “Prime Video has a proven track record as a first-stop destination for sports broadcasts and their deep presence across the NHL will be a major asset for our broadcasts and our fans.”
“We’re excited to build upon our strong relationship with the NHL and provide fans with more ways to connect with the local teams they love,” said Charlie Neiman, head of sports partnerships, Prime Video, in a statement. “We have firmly established Prime Video as a primary destination for sports and look forward to helping these teams broaden the reach and accessibility of their live games.”
"Fans want an easy way to find and follow their favorite teams, and this agreement with Prime Video gives Clubs the flexibility to meet that demand as the market evolves," David Proper, NHL chief media officer and senior executive vice president said in a statement. "Amazon has been a terrific partner to the NHL, and we're excited to expand our relationship as Prime Video grows its NHL offerings. Together, we're creating new opportunities for Clubs to reach fans and delivering a premium, accessible regional viewing experience."
For fans within the Blues’ regional broadcast territory, coverage of the team’s games will be offered as a subscription for all Amazon customers. The Blues will announce the launch date for those subscriptions in the coming weeks at the price of $19.99 per month or $99.99 annually. If you already have Amazon Prime, you must still sign up for a Blues-specific subscription.
The Blues previously announced a collaboration with the NHL on game production that leverages the NHL’s centralized production group for studio and show programming, premium game production, advanced graphics and replay capabilities, and technical and engineering support. While bringing experienced production staff in-house to directly produce all locally televised games from St. Louis with oversight from the NHL, the Blues existing internal teams are managing sales, marketing, and distribution of the television broadcasts across the team’s five-state territory.
Other key points include:
* Having an Amazon Prime membership is not required to stream Blues games in-market through Prime Video, only a free Amazon registration is needed to subscribe.
* The team is getting closer to finalizing all cable, satellite and over-the-air broadcast agreements to ensure Blues fans in our regional territory are able to watch games similarly to how they had watched them in the past.
* Those details, along with the name of the Blues' team-owned multimedia platform, channel locations, talent lineup and more will be announced before the start of the regular season, which opens Oct. 2 against the Stars in Dallas.
Featuring enhanced graphics packages and the high-quality production value Blues fans have come to expect, the partnership with the NHL is currently slated to produce 73 local television games this season, including every regular season game other than the 11 nationally televised by NHL exclusive broadcast partners ABC, ESPN, ESPN+/Hulu and TNT. Fans that don’t live in the Blues local broadcast territory can continue to watch Blues games live via NHL Center Ice on DirecTV and NHL Power Play on the ESPN App.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
The minor premiers face Hawthorn with the gap between first and fourth on the AFL ladder having noticeably narrowed over the past decade
For three decades, the AFL’s minor premiers received the McClelland Trophy. Now they get squeaky bum syndrome. Prior to the introduction of the pre-finals bye in 2016, there was a nine-year stretch where the minor premiers beat the fourth-placed team in the qualifying final. The average winning margin in those games was 45 points.
The bye saw a marked shift, however. In 2016, GWS bashed and bludgeoned the top-placed Swans at ANZ Stadium. Three years later, Collingwood jumped ladder leaders Geelong. They nearly did it again in 2022, narrowly going down in one of the great finals of the modern era. The top-placed Pies only just scraped through against Melbourne the following year, in a game remembered for Brayden Maynard’s high blow that ended Angus Brayshaw’s career. In 2024, the fourth-placed Giants lost to Sydney after being five goals up in the second half. And last year, Collingwood rolled into Adelaide like a band of hired assassins and beat the top-placed Crows.
The Ferraro name will be a familiar one around Winnipeg this season.
Just two months after the Winnipeg Jets added defenceman Mario Ferraro on the opening day of free agency, another Ferraro is headed to Winnipeg. This time in the broadcast booth.
Landon Ferraro has joined TSN as the new colour analyst for regional Jets broadcasts, replacing Kevin Sawyer alongside play-by-play voice Dan Robertson and reporter Danielle Bain.
Photo by Jerome Miron/USA Today
Despite sharing a last name and arriving in Winnipeg during the same offseason, Landon and Mario Ferraro are not related.
Landon does, however, come from a rather recognizable hockey family. His father is former Brandon Wheat Kings star-turned-NHLer, and now longtime broadcaster Ray Ferraro, who has established himself as one of the most recognizable analysts in the game.
The younger Ferraro now follows his father's path into the broadcast booth after spending the past two seasons covering the Vancouver Canucks with Sportsnet.
Ferraro's move to Winnipeg comes following Sawyer's departure after more than a decade covering the Jets. Sawyer joined TSN's regional broadcasts in 2014 and worked alongside Dennis Beyak and, more recently, Robertson.
Sawyer is moving west, where he will join Sportsnet's Calgary Flames broadcast team for the 2026-27 season.
Ferraro, meanwhile, brings both playing and broadcasting experience to his new role. The 35-year-old was selected 32nd overall by the Detroit Red Wings in the 2009 NHL Draft and went on to appear in 77 NHL games with Detroit, the Boston Bruins and Minnesota Wild.
He also played 354 games in the American Hockey League, winning the Calder Cup with the Grand Rapids Griffins in 2013, before eventually taking his career overseas. Ferraro spent five seasons playing in Germany before retiring from professional hockey following the 2022-23 campaign.
Since hanging up his skates, Ferraro has quickly carved out a role for himself in broadcasting. He spent the past two seasons as an analyst on Canucks broadcasts with Sportsnet and also gained experience calling Abbotsford Canucks games during the team's 2025 Calder Cup run. Now, his broadcasting career will bring him to Winnipeg.
Interestingly, Landon won't even be the first member of his family to call Jets games on TSN. Ray previously worked select Winnipeg broadcasts alongside Beyak during the 2017-18 season. Nearly a decade later, his son will take on the role full-time.
The addition also puts another Ferraro alongside a Jets organization that already welcomed Mario Ferraro this summer.
Mario signed a three-year, $12-million contract with Winnipeg on July 1 after spending the first seven seasons of his NHL career with the San Jose Sharks.
One Ferraro will now patrol the Jets' blueline, while the other will be tasked with breaking down the action from between the benches.
PHOENIX, AZ - SEPTEMBER 01: Bryce Harper #3 of the Philadelphia Phillies bats in the first inning during the game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on Tuesday, September 1, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Zach Gardner/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
After a dominating 8-1 win over the Diamondbacks last night, the Phillies have won 15 of their last 17 games and are in search of their fifth series sweep of three or more games in their last six series. They are currently the top wild card team and suddenly just three games behind the Braves in the NL East.
They capped a 21-7 August by starting 1-0 in September and are the hottest team in baseball.
All of this has coincided with a 34-game on-base streak by Bryce Harper, who reached base in all five of his plate appearances last night (4-for-4 with a walk). Over that stretch he is hitting .345 with a .494 on-base percentage and a .588 slugging percentage, good for an OPS of 1.082.
There is a direct correlation between Harper’s hot streak and the Phillies’ run of success since the start of August.
It is not happening by accident.
While Kyle Schwarber has had a quiet time of it over that same stretch, hitting .222 with a .344 OBP, a .444 SLG and an OPS of .788. He’s had some very big home runs during that time, but Harper’s game-to-game consistency has been the true difference-maker for an improved offensive attack.
Make no mistake, the Phils’ pitching staff is the biggest reason for this 28-game stretch of insane baseball. Since they emerged from the Iowa corn in the Field of Dreams Game on August 13, they’ve posted 2.65 team ERA that is 2nd-best in MLB (San Diego). Their 10.00 K/9 are also 2nd (Los Angeles Dodgers), with an 18.5 K-BB% that is 2nd-best as well (Dodgers).
The starters’ 3.01 ERA is 5th-best and, hold onto your hats, but the much-maligned bullpen’s 1.93 ERA is the very best in baseball during this 28-game run. So, as always, the Phillies’ success is largely led by pitching.
But it should not be lost on anyone that Harper is playing at the kind of level Dave Dombrowski questioned he’d be able to reach again last off-season. I was among those questioning whether Harper had this kind of ability left in him, too. His numbers compared to last year are markedly improved.
Harper leads the NL in walks, has already surpassed last year’s WAR totals, and his .901 OPS currently ranks 6th among all qualified MLB hitters (Yordan Alvarez, Pete Crow-Armstrong, James Wood, Shohei Ohtani, Junior Caminero). He is one of just seven players with an OPS over .900. His .844 OPS a season ago ranked 22nd.
That is the difference between very good and “elite.”
For the first time in what feels like forever, Harper doesn’t appear to be pressing. He doesn’t appear to feel like he needs to do it all. Perhaps the mental aspect of adding a player like Luis Arraez into the lineup behind him has been just as important as Arraez’ actual production, which has been solid in and of itself.
Harper appears more relaxed, not chasing the five-run homer. He’s been particularly hot on this west coast road trip through Seattle, Anaheim and now Arizona, hitting .483 (15-for-31) out west.
Bryce Harper in August:⁰.333/.496/.573 (194 wRC+)
Most times on base (63) in a month since Aaron Judge in April 2025 (64)
Harper’s OBP is 2nd in the National League, he’s 7th in slugging, and 5th in wRC+.
And let it not be lost on the consumer that Harper is doing all this while switching from first base to right field, a position he has not played since the first half of 2022. His defense has not been an issue, and one could say the overall defense of the team has actually improved since Bryson Stott went to third base, Arraez arrived to play second and Alec Bohm went to first. So much for the hand-wringing!
Keep in mind, this is Bryce Harper’s FIFTEENTH year in the Majors. 15!!! At 33 years old, he’s putting together the type of season prime Mike Schmidt would be proud of. He’s already matched last year’s home run total (27), and is likely to find himself as an MVP finalist along with Crow-Armstrong and Ohtani if he keeps this up.
So yes, Harper is once again elite. And as a direct consequence, the Phillies are the hottest team in baseball and steaming upward in the standings as the calendar flips to September.
Ah, yes. That time of the year when you can start to feel the sands of time running out. We root so hard hoping that the series of moves they make from somewhere around November 1 through somewhere around September 1 have built and prepared a team to win a championship. In fairness, 29 of 30 teams fall short of that goal every year. Some of the teams will be rewarded some pretty fun, though still sometimes agonizing, consolation prizes. Depending on just how long you’ve been a Cub fan, you’ve had a whole variety of flavors of consolation prizes. Every decade or so, the rug pull is pretty harsh and leaves some scarring.
This one is probably not one of those, unless this team really pulls together in October unexpectedly. This one should probably feel like getting to the end of Game of Thrones. You really enjoyed the trip. At times, you could really see what they were trying to pull together, the majesty of it all and the intricate storylines being woven together. But by the end, you realized that the artist didn’t know how to satisfyingly finish the painting.
You can certainly feel it. I certainly don’t think it is crazy to think it. If you could somehow pick through the carnage of what feels like hundreds of injuries and have enough guys healthy and effective at the right time that they had enough talent to win it all. Not better than the Dodgers, but good enough to hang with them and capitalize if they aren’t on top of their game when it matters. I’m not and I wouldn’t take anything away from this Brewers team. They are ruthlessly efficient and do so many things right. That’s one excellent team. If their pitching could get really hot, they could win.
So you can feel it coming. You don’t know exactly how or when it will end. When things are going good, this team makes me think about the 2015 Cubs. An ascending team that hadn’t put it all together. I think at this point, that’s the best possible future for this group. That this is the team coming together. That some good percentage of this team comes back and runs it back and wins it all next year. You know, if they come back and play baseball after a work stoppage.
But I think for this year, this team is going to most echo to 2008. A very good team, built to crush the regular season and powered by a hyper-dynamic offense. I’ve said this so many times. The regular season, particularly in the modern game, is won with depth. You need an army to get you through 162 and healthy and geared up to win three or four series to win a championship. But you win in the postseason on the backs of guys who can turn in superstar performances.
The 2016 roster had so many role players. If you listened to the Lovable Reunion, you heard them talk about how every player, every coach, so many front office members had a role to play in getting them to the end. But along the way, you had heroic performances by Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, Ben Zobrist, Jon Lester, Jake Arrieta, Kyle Hendricks and Aroldis Chapman. There were a lot of guys who could just win a game. Or change a whole series. Who are your 2026 Cubs that have that ability? After Pete Crow-Armstrong, maybe Alex Bregman, maybe Clay Holmes. 2026 Kevin Gausman is a supporting piece. Same as Michael Busch.
We’ve seen it all year. Get out of whack? This team pounds you into oblivion. Execute your plan? Yeah, it’s probably not going to be great. The Brewer bullpen just fire hosed the Cub lineup in this game. Meanwhile, rather than putting out the fire, the Cub bullpen was throwing accelerant on it. Matthew Boyd was pretty good, but as soon as he faltered, the Brewers feasted on a bunch of mediocre Cub relievers. This pitching staff is a lot of not ready for prime time players.
85 runs in the last 10 games and the team is 4-6. That says so much about everything. And not that I’m advocating for holding back your offense, but the Cubs played right into the hand of the Brewers and blew that first game out and didn’t force them to use actual relievers to finish the game after they’d gotten a little knocked around over the weekend.
There was a bright, shining moment after the trade deadline where I was in the afterglow of a flurry of moves that did make this team better. But the afterglow has faded and the post euphoria clarity is setting in. At the end of the day, all of the smoke and mirrors billow away and this is the same flawed team it has been all year long.
The countdown to Wait Til Next Year is well under way. The only question is exactly when the clock strikes zero.
Three Positives:
Tyrone Taylor stayed hot. He had a two-run double and also scored a run before being lifted from the game.
Matt Shaw had a double and drew a walk.
Matthew Boyd probably deserved better than a line of 5.1 innings, three runs allowed. He left with two on base and both ended up scoring. It was a difficult night to
pitch
Game 139, September 1: Brewers 9, Cubs 4 (78-61)
Reminder: Heroes and Goats are determined by WPA scores and are in no way subjective.
THREE HEROES:
Superhero: Tyrone Taylor (.139). 1-2, 2B, 2 RBI, R
Hero: Michael Busch (.091). 1-4
Sidekick: Nico Hoerner (.088). 1-4, R
THREE GOATS:
Billy Goat: Daniel Palencia (-.396). 0.2 IP, 4 BF, 2 H, 2 R, BK (L 2-2)
Goat: Ryan Zeferjahn (-.113). 0.2 IP, 4 BF, 2 H, 2 R, K
Kid: Pete Crow-Armstrong (-.109). 0-4
WPA Play of the Game: Christian Yelich’s two-run homer in the sixth gave the Brewers the lead and they never looked back. (.243)
Cubs Play of the Game: Tyrone Taylor’s two-run double in the fourth gave the Cubs their first two runs. (.169)
Cubs Player of the Game:
Game 138 Winner: Clay Holmes received 51 of 86 votes.
Rizzo Award Standings: (Top 5/Bottom 5)
The award is named for Anthony Rizzo, who finished first in this category three of the first four years it was in existence and four times overall. He also recorded the highest season total ever at +65.5. The point scale is three points for a Superhero down to negative three points for a Billy Goat.
Up Next: Game three of the four-game series. In the larger picture, the team is 2-3 to start their 13 games in 13 days. David Peterson (7-7, 5.11) starts for the Cubs. He’s 2-0 with a 2.88 ERA over his last seven games (six starts). Last time out, he allowed two runs in five innings against the Reds.
The Brewers will start ace Jacob Misiorowski (14-5, 1.73). He’s 4-1 with a 2.03 over his last seven and has won his last three starts, allowing three runs over 18 innings. Two starts against the Cubs this year, 12 innings, one run. 16 strikeouts and five walks.
The Miz is without question one of the premier starters in the game today. It is hard to have any optimism at all about this one.
WEST PALM BEACH, FLA - FEBRUARY 16: Houston Astros manager Joe Espada, left, talks while he walks alongside general manager Dana Brown during workouts for pitchers and catchers at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches, Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025, in West Palm Beach, Fl. (Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)
While making the rounds on his post-firing tour, former Astros GM Dana Brown has only good things to say about the team’s current manager Joe Espada on the Foul Territory podcast:
Former Astros GM Dana Brown has nothing but positive things to say about Joe Espada, with whom he shared a great relationship.
The most important aspect of this was that Brown stated Espada was both liked and respected by the players.
Whether that proves to be enough for Espada to hang on to his job after the season is yet to be determined, but it does offer some insight as to perhaps why team owner Jim Crane decided to keep Espada on while letting Brown go before the season ended.
While fans can be frustrated by the team’s inconsistency, injuries and roster construction (as well as the fact there are too many players on the roster who perhaps shouldn’t be) are more to blame for that than the manager.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 30: Sal Stewart #27 of the Cincinnati Reds rounds the bases after hitting a home run against the Chicago Cubs during the seventh inning at Wrigley Field on August 30, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Reds fans and fans across the country.
Stat-heads know the familiar feeling of opening up player pages at Baseball Reference and seeing numbers leaning right, boldfaced and italicized.
It means a player is currently leading not just his own league, but all of Major League Baseball in a particular category.
Flipping open the page of Cincinnati Reds rookie Sal Stewart lends you that opportunity. He has played in all 139 games in which the Reds have participated so far in 2026, his rookie year, and that’s obviously the most anyone could have played. His 105 runs batted in also sit atop the MLB leaderboard – 105, I should have said.
En route to a 3+WAR season on the backs of a 127 OPS+ (and rising), Sal is putting together the kind of rookie campaign that may very well lead to him winning the National League Rookie of the Year honors. He’s already popped 30 homers, and while that RBI total is currently leading all of Major League Baseball, it has also already eclipsed the previous record for runs batted in by a Cincinnati Reds rookie.
Plain and simple, he’s having a truly remarkable season. The question is, though, where it ranks among the great rookie seasons in Cincinnati Reds history.
Jonathan India took home the award back in 2021 as a member of the Reds. Scott Williamson’s bulldog 1999 season earned him one, too. Chris Sabo, Pat Zachry, Johnny Bench, Tommy Helms, Pete Rose, and Frank Robinson similarly earned the award, with Frank’s 38 homers back in 1956 the benchmark total in that category that Sal will still try to clear before season’s end.
And those are just the guys who won the award as rookies. Lest we forget Joey Votto’s deserving rookie season in 2008 when he posted a 125 OPS+ with 24 homers only to finish 2nd.
This week’s MLB Reacts question is almost a litmus test for the way we evaluate big leaguers these days. As mentioned in the latest rundown of rookies in the running for the award at MLB.com, each and every rookie who has swatted at least 30 homers and driven in at least 100 runs since the award was founded has won it in that season, placing the kind of special value on those stats moreso than, say, defensive runs saved and overall WAR. So, if you’re of the opinion (much like baseball arbitration metrics) that dingers and ribbies just mean more, you may well fall on the side of saying that Sal is having one of the best – if not the best – rookie seasons in Cincinnati Reds history.
The Tampa Bay Rays have pummeled teams at home all season long, posting a remarkably strong 47-24 record at Tropicana Field.
Facing a pitcher set to throw his first major-league innings of the season, my Mets vs. Rays predictions and MLB picks are banking on more of the same in today's series finale, with Tampa a significant home favorite on Wednesday, Sept. 2.
Who will win Mets vs Rays today: Tampa Bay Rays (60%)
For help understanding probabilities, see our odds calculator.
The Tampa Bay Rays have a clear pitching advantage this afternoon.
Griffin Jax held opponents to just one run in four of his last five starts before missing a month with an elbow injury, and posted a strong .264 xwOBA overhis past six.
New York Mets right-hander Justin Hagenmanrecorded a 4.44 xFIP and 1.93 HR/9 over three minor-league starts during his ramp-up. He will have a difficult time jumping on a moving train against a Rays team that puts a ton of pressure on opposing arms with elite contact skills.
The first two games of this series featured eight runs or fewer, and I see another low-scoring game in the cards today.
Despite their recent improvements, the Mets are 27th in OPS vs. righties this season. Jax has sliced and diced the eight Bottom-10 opponents he has faced, posting a sparkling 2.17 ERA.
The Rays rank 24th in barrel percentage and 28th in hard-hit rate against right-handed pitching over the last month. They’re not producing much power, making it difficult to string together huge innings.
Play to 57%.
Mets vs Rays home run prediction: Junior Caminero (23%)
Junior Caminero hits lefties and righties well, but he has produced more power vs. the latter, with a .262 ISO.
Hagenman relied primarily on cutters, sliders, and sinkers when pitching in the majors last season. Caminero has a strong track record facing those pitches, recording an ISO of .225 or higher against each of them.
He enters play riding a 15-game hitting streak and is clearly seeing the ball very well. I want to ride the hot hand.
Todd Cordell's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 96-88, -11.76 units
Over/Under bets: 94-84-6, -2.02 units
Mets vs Rays weather
This game will be played indoors.
Mets vs Rays odds
Moneyline: Mets 41% | Rays 60%
Run line: Mets +1.5 (60%) | Rays -1.5 (42%)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (47%) | Under 8.5 (55%)
Mets vs Rays trend
Tampa Bay has hit the moneyline in 27 of their last 40 games (+8.75 units, 15% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Mets vs. Rays.
How to watch Mets vs Rays and game info
Location
Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, FL
Date
Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026
First pitch
6:40 p.m. ET
TV
SNY, Rays.TV
Mets starting pitcher
Justin Hagenman (2025: 0-1, 4.56 ERA)
Rays starting pitcher
Griffin Jax (6-9, 3.63 ERA)
Mets vs Rays 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.
When the Atlanta Braves swept the Dodgers it resulted in them having the most wins against teams above .500 in MLB, but they have since lost two games to sub .500 teams. The lineup has been one of the main reasons why there has been this rollercoaster of losing games that the Braves should win.
On the season, only eight teams have scored more runs than the Braves, but since the All-Star break, only seven teams have scored fewer runs. The pitching has been keeping the Braves afloat, and that needs to change. The Nationals have one of the worst pitching staffs in MLB this season, so hopefully the offense can get the spark they need.
Over the past two weeks Michael Harris has been on fire with a 200 wRC+, with Sean Murphy not being far behind with a 181 and Drake Baldwin with a 126. Other than Ha-Seong Kim doing well in his very limited action of five games, everyone else has been struggling. To be fair, they did play the Dodgers for three of those games, but they also played the Rockies in that span as well.
Speaking of Kim, he does have a 135 wRC+ since he started getting some playing time, so the question of if he would get the start, especially after gong 3-3 last night, was definitely there. Players like Austin Riley could sure use a night off, so it would have made sense for Mauricio Dubón to fall back into his super utility role.
Brian Snitker was very predictable with his lineups. Walt Weiss is quite the opposite. He is obviously trying to shake things up to see what works, so it always makes it fascinating to wait and see what the lineup will be. Not many people had Mauricio Dubón ever hitting cleanup on their bingo card, for example.
Walt Weiss opted to let Dubón be the player to get some rest today. The other two decisions of note are that with Dubón resting it was a no brainer to put Kim back in the lineup after his solid performance last night, and Weiss also decided to play the hot hand and move Sean Murphy up to hitting sixth.
It looks odd at first having Albies hit cleanup against a righty, but he does own a .929 OPS against Lord, plus Lord is likely only an opener so the traditional making a lineup based on the SP is not as important.
The Nationals have scored the second most runs behind the Cubs this season. They have faded a little losing tow of their best bats to trades or injuries to scoring the eighth most since the trade deadline.
James Wood also returns to the lineup for the Nationals, giving them a huge boost.
Holmes needs to keep an eye out for Dylan Crews and James Wood. Both a HR against him in six at-bats, although their average is only .167. Daylen Lile has been his nemesis with two HRs off of him in only four at-bats.
The key today is to score early and score often to get to the bullpen and stave off an offense that has not slowed down much as the season has progessed.
The Chicago Blackhawks have one current restricted free agent: Ethan Del Mastro. Once that gets taken care of, everyone on their active roster will be set for the 2026-27 season.
With that said, 11 of them are going to enter the year on an expiring deal. It will be 12 if Del Mastro's contract is only a one-year deal.
This does not include Ryan Ellis, who the Blackhawks have on their cap, but he is on long-term injured reserve and won't play again. His $6.25 million will come off the books at the end of the season.
Of the players on the team who will need new contracts ahead of 2027-28, 5 are unrestricted. The other 6 are restricted free agents who will negotiate with Chicago.
RFAs
Sam Rinzel
Sam Rinzel has a lot on the line in 2026-27. If he defines himself as a clear top-four defenseman, he will be paid as such as an RFA next summer.
Artyom Levshunov
The same can be said about Artyom Levshunov. If he proves that he is going to be a consistent top-four defender for Chicago, he is going to get a decent extension. As a former second overall pick with tremendous talent, he has a lot on the line.
Wyatt Kaiser
Wyatt Kaiser signed his contract around this time last year. Now, he will have to face the fate of an RFA again after this upcoming season. He has proven he deserves quality minutes in the NHL, and it won't be difficult to allow him a raise when the time comes.
Ryan Greene
Who is Ryan Greene as a player? In college, he was a captain who could play center or wing, playing a strong two-way game while contributing offensively at a respectable pace. In the NHL, it was more of the same. There were games he'd be the fourth-line center and others where he was a winger on Connor Bedard's line.
As you'd expect, more offense came as a member of the top line. Greene showed the ability to be a double-digit goal scorer in year one of his NHL career. Could he eventually be a consistent 20-goal man? This upcoming season, ahead of becoming an RFA, he will help determine what his next contract looks like based on the steps he takes as a player.
Oliver Moore
Oliver Moore, with an offensive boost in production, should earn himself a nice contract with the Blackhawks. He has already mostly shown worthy of long-term commitment. He can play on the first line or fourth line, can play center or wing, is the fastest player on the team, kills penalties exceptionally well, and brings a great vibrancy to the locker room.
Landon Slaggert
This upcoming season may be difficult for Landon Slaggert. The Blackhawks have a surplus of forwards, and he could be one of the men watching from the press box more often than not. That was already the case in 2025-26, and this year likely won't be much different.
There is still a path for Slaggert to play in the NHL; it just may not come with the Chicago Blackhawks. The best thing he can do as an RFA is commit to whatever plan the team has for him, play well when he is tapped on the shoulder, and prepare for his next opportunity.
UFAs
Arvid Soderblom
Arvid Soderblom has to play well in 2026-27, or he will lose his job to Drew Commesso. Commesso's first year of a two-year deal is two-way, so he can play with the Rockford IceHogs, but the Blackhawks will use whoever gives them the best chance to win.
Like Slaggert, Soderblom could be auditioning for a role with another team in 2026-27, but he will be free to sign with whoever he wants come July.
Ian Cole
Ian Cole signed a one year deal with the Blackhawks in free agency. If he plays well, they may consider trying to bring him back, but Cole is mostly on a year-by-year basis at this point in his respectable career.
Andrew Mangiapane
Andrew Mangiapane was brought in as a cap dump by the Edmonton Oilers. He played a few games for the Blackhawks following his acquisition, but he is not in the future plans of the team. He will play at times in 2026-27, but won't be a lineup mainstay unless they have more injuries than they can handle.
Jordan Greenway
Jordan Greenway came to the Chicago Blackhawks in the Bowen Byram trade. He has been hurt a lot in recent years, so his availability in Chicago is in question. When he's healthy, he should draw in on the fourth line several times, but his NHL future is cloudy as a pending UFA.
Teuvo Teravainen
Teuvo Teravainen is a good player. He has been for a long time. In 2025-26, however, his role started to decrease, and his offensive production came down quite a bit. It is unlikely that his future beyond this season is with the Chicago Blackhawks.
As a pending UFA, he wants to have a good year so he can earn a decent contract with whoever decides they want to add him to their roster next summer.
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COVERS INTEL:The Angels sit last with a .294 OBP over the last month. Their inability to generate traffic will make it painfully tough to score on Schlittler.
