Milltown vs. Sayreville in the District 10 Little League baseball final on Monday, July 8, 2019. Little League baseball | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co
The Little League World Series is taking place in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, with the championship to be played this Sunday. Long before many of us became Royals fans, most of us were probably Little Leaguers ourselves. For many of us, this was the extent of our baseball careers. It may have been when you had your greatest athletic achievement. You may have met your best friend on your team. Or maybe it was a miserable experience!
Experiences differ, but there are some common features to Little League. Uniforms emblazoned with corporate logos of local businesses. Orange slices after games. The big kid that seems three years too old to be in the league.
With the Little League World Series in full swing, on this Royals off day, I thought I’d ask about something a little more nostalgic – what do you remember about playing Little League?
I played in Blue Springs at Pink Hill Park and Blue Springs Park. I came to baseball a bit late at age 10, and its hard to catch onto a team at that point, so my dad coached me and a team of cast-offs. We won one game in 16 tries. The next year I caught on with another team (no, my dad did not designate me for assignment). We won one game in 16 tries. TCBY was our sponsor. They had The Country’s Best Yogurt, but also The City’s Worst Baseball Team.
But being on a terrible team meant that I got a lot of playing time, particularly at pitcher and catcher. And I got pretty good! Eventually I got picked up by a decent team (Stone Container!) and we would beat every team in the league except the travel teams, who would beat our brains in.
I was once one out away from throwing an no-hitter when a kid reached on a bunt single (we did not have the unwritten rules back then). That was the apex of my athletic achievement! It was all downhill from there when I got to high school and realized everyone could hit my curveball. But the memories of playing as a kid will last a lifetime.
Tell us about your team, your coaches, your teammates, your field, and, most importantly, the stories you still remember decades later. Any teammates you remember? Did you play against anyone that went on to notoriety (I once looked up at the opposing third base coach’s box and saw John Wathan, who had been fired as Royals manager the year before). Who sponsored your uniforms? Were there any amazing moments? Sage advice from coaches?
Aleksander Barkov doesn't need to play games for the hockey world to see his importance.
The NHL Network released its top 20 centers rankings on Sunday night, with the Florida Panthers captain ranking fifth. This ranking comes in spite of the 30-year-old missing every game of the 2025-26 season with an ACL and MCL injury.
While the lack of game action to base Barkov's ranking on is difficult, Barkov deserves grace as he has been one of the most consistent two-way centers in the NHL for the past decade.
"Although Barkov missed the entire 2025-26 season because of injury, he has been one of the best all-around players in the game for a decade," said the NHL Network in its press release. "He scored at least 20 goals and 50 points for 10 straight seasons (2015-25) and has won at least 53 percent of his face-offs for eight straight. Barkov had 71 points (20 goals, 51 assists) in 67 games in 2024-25 to captain the Panthers to their second straight Stanley Cup title; he had 44 points (14 goals, 30 assists) in 47 playoff games during the Panthers' back-to-back runs. Florida's all-time points leader (782), he has also won the Selke Trophy (best defensive forward) three times including each of the past two seasons he has played."
Sam Bennett was one of the final centers to make the rankings last year, but after a season dealing with some nagging injuries, Bennett missed the cut. Anton Lundell was also left off the list, but with some of the heavy hitters making the list, it wasn't surprising to see either of these players omitted.
Barkov will have to prove once again that he deserves this spot in the rankings next year. Coming off his injury won't be an easy task, but Barkov has all the tools to bounce back without any issue.
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SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 16: Klay Thompson #31 of the Dallas Mavericks reacts after making a basket against the Sacramento Kings during the first half of the NBA play-in tournament game at Golden 1 Center on April 16, 2025 in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Miami Heat needed shooting. It’s hard to do better than Klay Thompson.
The Heat signed Thompson seconds after he was bought out from the Dallas Mavericks on Friday afternoon. Miami landed him on a team-friendly two-year, $11.5 million deal with a team option on the second season, according to insider Keith Smith. Thompson figures to compete with Tim Hardaway Jr. for the starting shooting guard spot this season, and should be a real rotation piece for a team that hopes to contend in the Eastern Conference.
Thompson is still one of the best three-point shooters in the NBA. He attempted 16.6 three-pointers per 100 possessions last season, which was only topped by Steph Curry and LaMelo Ball. He knocked them down at a 38.8% clip, which is still well above league-average. Thompson isn’t the defender he once was, but he graded out much better on that end than Hardaway Jr. did last season. Klay was a 55th percentile defender in Dallas last year according to EPM, while Hardaway Jr. finished in the sixth percentile in the same metric. Thompson’s one-year defensive true shooting impact was +1.2 according to RAPM, while Hardaway’s was -0.3.
This seems like a great fit on paper. Miami made the biggest swing of the offseason by landing Giannis Antetokounmpo from the Milwaukee Bucks. Giannis might have more downhill rim gravity than any player in the league. There’s really only one way to stop his rumbles to the basket, and that’s by building a wall with multiple defenders. Antetokounmpo has become a good enough passer to kick out in those situations and find teammates. Thompson is a hell of a release valve beyond the arc when Giannis is seeing multiple bodies inside.
Heat fans are already championing this signing as their version of getting Ray Allen back in 2013. All Allen did the next season was hit one of the most iconic shots in NBA history. No pressure, Klay. While I can’t fault Heat fans for getting excited, I tend to think that is way, way too optimistic. Thompson’s fit in Miami feels better on paper than it will be in reality.
Ultimately, I don’t think adding Thompson moves the needle for the Heat all that much.
You don’t fix NBA spacing simply by adding shooters. You fix it by adding shooting to spots on the floor where it didn’t already exist. The Heat were already going to be getting shooting from the two-guard spot whether it’s Hardaway Jr. or Thompson or rookie Ryan Conwell taking those minutes. The reason the Heat’s spacing will likely be poor is because of the pairing between Giannis and Bam Adebayo in the front court, two players defenses will gladly ignore on the perimeter when it really matters.
A shooting leap from Davion Mitchell would help fix the Heat’s spacing. His percentage looks great after making 39.5% of his threes last year. The problem is that he only took 5.3 threes per 100 possessions, making him the 13th highest-volume three-point shooter on a Heat roster last year that finished No. 18 in three-point rate. Pelle Larsson taking a shooting leap would improve the Heat’s spacing. He only made 32.3% of his threes on 4.8 attempts from deep per 100 possessions last year. Andrew Wiggins was better — 41.4% from three on 7.5 threes per 100 — but his shooting volume will have to rise this year too even if it means sacrificing some accuracy.
I just don’t think Miami’s shooting will scare anyone when the game slows down in the playoffs. Giannis will still be seeing multiple bodies in the paint, and unless Bam is ripping seven threes like he did in his 83-point game against the Wizards last season, defenses will be happy to ignore him on the perimeter as a fake floor spacer.
There was a time when Thompson was so devastating as a movement shooter that his very presence could unlock elite spacing. He’s not there anymore. The biggest issue with Thompson is he can’t dribble at all anymore, and that makes him one of the worst two-point scorers in the NBA.
Thompson made 41.8% of his two-pointers last year. The worst qualified two-point scorer in the league last season was Bub Carrington, who made 44.3% of his twos. You can find a few full-time players who were less efficient than Thompson from two-point range last year — Jamal Shead, Sion James, Patrick Williams, Mike Conley Jr., Jordan Hawkins, and Gabe Vincent among players who played at least 50 games last season — but not many. At this point, all opposing defenses have to do is run Klay off the three-point line and he immediately becomes a non-threat.
When Klay is run off the arc, he also tends to turn the ball over a lot. He’s had a passing turnover rate of 16% or greater for each of the last four years. That’s real bad. His 16% passing turnover rate last season ranked in the 19th percentile for all players. He adds no value in the possession game with his rebounding, either, and he’s not causing any havoc on defense these days. He ranked in the first percentile of deflections per 100 possessions, and the fourth percentile of forced turnovers per 100 possessions. Thompson can still execute the assignment to some extent defensively, but he’s not going help you get out in transition or get you any extra possessions.
It’s also kind of shocking that Klay has been below league average in true shooting for every season since 2019 — when he suffered a devastating torn ACL in the NBA Finals and then a torn Achilles while rehabbing. The fact that Thompson is even still in the NBA at age-36 is pretty miraculous, but there’s a reason he’s a buy out guy.
I feel like Hardaway Jr. will be a better fit for the Heat than Klay despite his defensive limitations because he’s a more dynamic offensive player while still being an elite outside shooter. The best case scenario for Miami is that Pelle Larsson or Myron Gardner or Dru Smith or Conwell develops enough to eventually grab those minutes, because they are more well-rounded players than either Klay or THJ.
I don’t mean to pour cold water on this for Heat fans, I just still think the Heat have a lot of problems heading into this season. The main reason for optimism is that no one develops diamonds in the rough better than Erik Spoelstra and Pat Riley. I’d bet Miami has one or two more key contributors by the end of the year than they do right now, because Spo will coach them up. For now, it feels like the Heat are a play-in team even with Klay Thompson.
Boston, MA - May 14: Boston Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story strikes out in the eighth inning. The Boston Red Sox played the Philadelphia Phillies at Fenway Park on May 14, 2026. (Photo by Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
Wth the way the depth guys like Andruw Monesterio and Nick Sogard are raking this season in the Majors, there is nothing about the way Trevor Story and Isaiah Kiner-Falefa are hitting in Syracuse (Mets AAA) that makes me want them anywhere near a Major League roster. I know… small sample size. But, when a guy lauded as an addition to this roster puts in at-bats like the following, it makes me shudder. What was he doing swinging at that first pitch?
As a whole, the WooSox didn’t have it figured out at the plate. They got just two hits on the afternoon. One was from Franklin Arias. One was from Mikey Romero, who’s been playing third base with Story and IKF rehabbing. The WooSox were actually only down by 1 run late thanks to a scoreless 5 innings by certified Iron Man mop-up guy Raymond Burgos, but old friend Dom Smith took Seth Martinez deep in the 7th, and that essentially was all she wrote with this offensive slumber on Sunday.
The Sea Dogs also didn’t really have it at the plate in the finale against Reading (Phillies AA) but put up a good fight up via a pair of home runs in the second inning courtesy of Miguel Bleis (his 13th) and Henry Godbout. That fight lasted about five innings and then this game got out of striking distance in a hurry. This one was mercifully cut short in the seventh by a storm passing through the Maine coast. Roman Anthony was left without a hit on the afternoon, going 0-for-3 with a strikeout.
The bottom of the line-up each came through with a hit off Winston-Salem (White Sox High-A) pitching, including a returning Nazzan Zanetello; the former 2nd round draft pick is now batting in the nine-spot and back in the Greenville infield, and got his third home run with an electric “gone” call.
Nazzan Zanetello goes Apartment Hunting!
The Boston Red Sox prospect has three home runs and 10 RBI in High-A this season. pic.twitter.com/dIAwX1if3N
This was a three-run shot, sure, and the Drive led for a lot of this game, but the Dash got to the Greenville staff for ten runs in the seventh, a frame that saw fourteen Dash batters take the plate and shifted the Drive’s losing percentage from 15% to 98%.
Wilson (Brewers A) took Salem for a ride in a game that had some good, but much more of the bad and the ugly. The RidgeYaks allowed twenty-seven total bases and thirteen walks on the night. Salem had three extra-base hits of their own, but – stop me if you’ve heard this before today – it was really no match for the gruesome night the team had on the mound.
The Kansas City Royals just completed a perfect homestand, the fourth in franchise history, by sweeping the Detroit Tigers and extending their winning streak to eight games, the longest active streak in the AL. Jacob Milham and Jeremy Greco break down why this stretch felt different and whether it means anything for the faintest of postseason hopes.
The offense was the story all weekend. Kansas City posted a .915 team OPS, a .312 batting average, and 6.7 runs per game across the Athletics and Tigers series, with contributions coming from nearly every spot in the order. Kyle Isbel, Vinnie Pasquantino, Salvador Perez, Nick Loftin, Carter Jensen, and John Rave all factored in, and Rave’s weekend in particular stands out with a homer, two stolen bases, and five RBI. Salvador Perez even stole a base for the first time in five years, giving the clubhouse and fanbase one of the more memorable moments of the season.
Pasquantino’s swing quality has looked significantly better since returning from injury, and Jacob and Jeremy dig into the bat speed, attack angle, and max exit velocity trends behind the improvement. Jac Caglianone was scratched with ankle soreness, a move both hosts view as precautionary given the timing of an off day and the stretch ahead. The bullpen remains a real concern, particularly after Sunday’s game unraveled once Daniel Lynch IV exited, and the closer carousel involving Nate Pearson, Steven Cruz, and Craig Kimbrel adds another layer of uncertainty heading into the final stretch.
The minor league system continues to build momentum, with strong outings from Hunter Owen, production from Ben North, and Carson Roccaforte’s promotion all worth watching. The episode closes with a stadium financing update after Mayor Quinton Lucas suggested the Royals’ plan may still head to a public vote.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - AUGUST 19: Bryce Harper #3 of the Philadelphia Phillies celebrates with Luis Arraez #4 against the Miami Marlins at Citizens Bank Park on August 19, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Which players does one choose when the entire team doesn’t lose a game all week? It doesn’t just mean those who had good weeks. It also applies to those that had a rough stretch as well as there weren’t many.
It was just a really good stretch of baseball.
Three up
Luis Arraez – It’s kind of impressive what adding a hitter like Arraez can do for a lineup. Since his trade from the Giants, he has injected some new kind of life into the lineup that has really changed this season. A moribund offense prior, they all seem to have taken what he does at the plate and adapted it for themselves. There will be talk of giving him an extension once the season is over and there is some fairness to thinking that might be a good idea, but let’s just enjoy these two months remaining before getting into all that.
Bryce Harper – Harper’s stated desire to have somewhere between 140-150 walks on the season might have sounded foolish at the time, but it sure seems like he is going for it now. His OBP of .500 for the month of August has given the Phillies a boost. His getting on base (and more importantly, the production behind him) have paced the offense these last few games.
Andrew Painter – There have been multiple stories written since Saturday about how good Painter actually was in his start, but it’s the stuff modeling gurus that really turned out. Check anyoneyou want on social media and they’ll all pretty much agree – it was the best his stuff has looked this year both from the naked eye and from a data point of view.
Three down
Jonathan Bowlan – The trade that the team made this offseason to get Bowlan from the Royals in exchange for Matt Strahm truly could not have gone better. Bowlan has been excellent for the Phillies, discovering some zip on his fastball, executing a truly dominant slider and elevating himself to being one of the team’s trusted setup men. As for Strahm, all of the things that he was defying in Philadelphia (giving up home runs, lack of strikeout stuff) all caught up to him in Kansas City, leading to a disastrous season in which he found himself DFAed. Even as Bowlan struggled a bit this week (maybe he’s getting a little tired this late in the year), it’s hard to find this season anything but an unmitigated success.
Jesus Luzardo – Listen, I’m grasping at straws here. His last start this week wasn’t all that great, but he’s been awesome this year and was due a clunker.
Bryson Stott – You can’t have everyone clicking on offense at the same time. Pretty sure there is some kind of baseball law against that. This week, it was Stott’s turn to struggle, going 2 for 22 on the week, then having the rumbly tumblies on Sunday while Kyle Schwarber was walking the Cardinals off the field.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 12: Kevin Alvarez #17 of the Houston Astros runs home in the seventh inning during the 2026 MLB All-Star Futures Game at Citizens Bank Park on July 12, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Houston Astros/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Another day of minor league baseball is in the books. See the results below. Check out the previous day’s recap here.
AAA: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (66-59) lost 1-0 (BOX SCORE)
Mayer started for Sugar Land and pitched really well tossing 5.1 scoreless innings with 7 strikeouts. The pen pitched well as the game went to extras and in the 10th, the Comets got a run to take the lead. The Sugar Land offense was unable to get anything going as they fell 1-0 in the series finale.
Note: Mayer has 112 K over 83.1 innings this season.
Christian Roa, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
Roddery Munoz, RHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
Michael Knorr, RHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (57-63) won 3-1 (BOX SCORE)
The Hooks got on the board in the first inning on a Bush RBI single. Hicks started for the Hooks and went 5 innings allowing 1 run while striking out 5. The game stayed tied until the 8th inning with Thomas connected on a 2 run home run. The pen was great tossing 4 scoreless innings as they closed out the 3-1 win.
A+: Asheville Tourists (41-77) lost 12-1 (BOX SCORE)
Howard started for Asheville and went 5.1 innings allowing 3 runs, 1 earned, while striking out 7 batters. Asheville got on the board in the 6th scoring a run on an error. The pen struggled allowing 9 runs over the final two innings and the offense was unable to score again as Asheville fell 12-1.
Note: Howard has 77 K over 88 innings this season.
Ardines got the start and tossed 4 innings allowing 2 runs while striking out 5. The offense got on the board in the 4th on a Piasecki 2 run single. In the 5th, the offense added 2 more runs on a Hughes bases loaded hit by pitch and a De Leon steal of home. The offense got 2 more runs in the 7th inning on a Hughes RBI double and Nowak RBI single. Carrera tossed 3 scoreless innings as he closed out the 6-2 win.
Note: Ardines has 74 K in 64.1 innings this season.
The Woodpeckers got the scoring started in the first inning on a Cauro sac fly. Weber started for the Woodpeckers and pitched well allowing 1 run over 4 innings while striking out 5. In the 4th inning, Alvarez connected on a solo home run. The offense would break it open a bit in the 6th inning scoring 4 runs on a Hughes solo home run, run on a wild pitch and a Soto 2 run double. The bullpen pitched well tossing 3 scoreless innings as they closed out the
PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 13: Fabian Lysell #23 of the Boston Bruins skates during the game against the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG PAINTS Arena on April 13, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
The Top 25 Under 25 is a collaboration by Mile High Hockey staff members. Seven writers have ranked players under the age of 25 in the Colorado Avalanche organization as of September 1, 2026. Now, we’ll count down each of the 25 players ranked.
The acquisition of right wing Fabian Lysell by the Avalanche earlier this summer raised some eyebrows. The twenty-three year old right wing was acquired on June 27th in exchange for Ivan Ivan, and signed a one-year, two-way contract on July 13th worth $850K in the NHL and $190K at the minor league level. Oddly enough, this is the exact same contract Ivan signed in Boston.
Originally a first-round selection at 21st overall by the Boston Bruins, Lysell set career highs in games played (57) and goals (17) with the Providence Bruins this past season, good for fifth in goal scoring on the team. Providence finished with the best record in the AHL this past season (sound familiar?), earning a first-round bye. Lysell, however, was scratched for the first three divisional playoff games against the Springfield Thunderbirds as he was recovering from a concussion. He was inserted into the lineup for Game Four, which Providence lost by a 1-0 decision in overtime and ended their Calder Cup playoff run.
Lysell did get a taste of action at the NHL level during the 2024-2025 season. He played twelve (12) games with Boston, and scored his first NHL goal on April 13, 2025; his goal stood as the game-winner in Boston’s 4-1 victory over Pittsburgh. Lysell had an assist in consecutive games against New Jersey (one on April 08 and another on April 15, respectively) before being sent back to Providence.
Lysell leaves Providence ranked eighth all-time in points (163), which shows he is more than capable at producing at the AHL level. However, comments from Boston Bruins General Manager Don Sweeney seemed to indicate that the Bruins felt Lysell may not have displayed the consistency that merited a long-term call-up throughout his tenure with the organization.
Don Sweeney on why it didn’t work out with Fabian Lysell: “He hasn't fully grasped at the NHL level what it probably requires to play each and every night. He took ownership of that today. We took ownership that, could we have done more and better in supporting him? Probably.” pic.twitter.com/h0n5H9WVsn
Sweeney’s words may concern Avs fans a bit, given head coach Jared Bednar’s long-standing emphasis on attention to detail and consistency. Lysell will have to work extra hard to shed this label and set himself apart from other would-be options within Bednar’s bottom six this year. He might get a bit of a longer leash as he adapts to the Avs systems, but unless he can demonstrate consistent effort and “playing the right way” during limited ice time, he may be AHL bound for the season, save for a possible call-up in the event of injuries.
Another layer of intrigue is the transactional cost of trading Ivan in acquiring Lysell. The undrafted Ivan defied the odds in the 2024-2025 season, scoring five (5) goals and three (3) assists for eight (8) points in forty (40) games with the Avs before being sent down to Loveland. Last season, a much healthier NHL lineup limited Ivan to nine (9) regular season appearances, where he recorded one (1) assist. However, Ivan posted respectable numbers with the Eagles last year, where he scored eleven (11) goals and fifteen (15) assists for twenty-six (26) points across sixty-six (66) regular season games. Ivan also scored three (3) goals and twelve (12) assists for fifteen (15) points across twelve (12) playoff games during the Eagles’ playoff run. Lysell had better regular season numbers, but replacing Ivan’s playoff numbers may present a formidable challenge.
As Lysell begins his Colorado tenure, he will have to show consistency game in and game out to be on Bednar’s radar for a call-up, and even then, he’ll have to be borderline flawless in whatever ice time he may have to make a positive impression. If the former first-round pick can’t crack the Avs bottom six, but can translate some of his regular season offense into postseason production in Loveland, both he and the Eagles will benefit.
Most of us here on staff ranked Lysell between 10-14 in our rankings, with a few outliers: Ezra was the most optimistic, ranking him at 4, while Jess had him at 21. As I mentioned in my write-up on Domenick Fensore awhile back, Lysell will contribute in Loveland, but serving in an NHL-level capacity just may be out of reach.
Let us know what you think of this prospect in the comments!
AUSTIN, TX - APRIL 19: Infielder Justin LeBron #1 of the Alabama Crimson Tide hits a single during the SEC baseball game between Texas Longhorns and Alabama Crimson Tide on April 19, 2026, at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin, TX. (Photo by David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Cincinnati Reds used the 18th overall pick of the 2026 Major League Baseball draft on shortstop Justin Lebron from the University of Alabama, and the early returns from his selection sure do look promising.
The Reds brass assigned Lebron to High-A Dayton of the Midwest League in lieu of sticking him in the hitting abyss that is the Florida State League with Daytona, and the newest Dragon has hit the ground sprinting. He had a 2-hit debut nearly two weeks ago, and he’s somehow managed to get even hotter ever since.
Through 11 games and 49 plate appearances, Lebron is hitting a robust .333/.388/.733 (1.121 OPS), with much of that coming via a power outburst that has seen him sock 5 homers already. That has helped the overall Dragons surge to 153 homers for the season already – a new franchise record.
Lebron, who struggled more than most anyone expected against Southeastern Conference pitching during his final campaign in Tuscaloosa, once again looks completely locked in. His most recent dinger came on an inside heater in a 2-strike count, one he turned on with his patented quick hands and elite bat speed to pull over the wall in left field.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - JULY 22: Andrew Vaughn #28 of the Milwaukee Brewers hits a single against the New York Mets in the second inning at American Family Field on July 22, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Milwaukee Brewers are set to face the Mets in New York this week, as the Crew looks to continue their winning ways. The Brewers, at 81-50 this season, sit firmly atop the NL Central after winning each of their last three series against the Dodgers, Mariners, and Braves. The Mets, at 59-72, sit at the bottom of the NL East with the sixth-worst record in baseball. They’ve actually been a bit better the last couple of weeks, with a 6-3 record against the Nationals, Padres, and White Sox.
Milwaukee’s lone position player on the IL is outfielder Sal Frelick, who is expected to return for this road trip. However, the team suffered a pair of injuries in Sunday’s Little League Classic, as outfielder Garrett Mitchell exited after being hit by a pitch with what was categorized as a right forearm contusion, and first baseman Jake Bauers, who has been playing with a toe fracture this season, fouled a ball off his leg/foot, though he remained in the game. It’s unclear if either player will miss more time, but overall, not the worst news on that front. On the mound, the Brewers are without Brandon Woodruff (potentially back before the end of the year after not needing surgery), JoJo Romero (late August), Abner Uribe (could be activated on Wednesday), Rob Zastryzny (TBD), Joel Kuhnel (late August), Brian Fitzpatrick (out for season), Quinn Priester (out for season), and Angel Zerpa (out for season).
The Mets are without first baseman Mark Vientos (on rehab assignment), outfielder Juan Soto (September), and infielder Jorge Polanco (out for season). Old friend Devin Williams is on the injured list with a shoulder strain that will keep him out until at least September. Fellow pitchers Cionel Pérez (September), Justin Hagenman (TBD), Tylor Megill (out for season), and Reed Garrett (out for season) are also out.
Jake Bauers leads the Brewer offense with 23 homers, 19 doubles, and 75 RBIs this season, as he’s slashing .273/.382/.503 in the best season of his career. Jackson Chourio, Brice Turang, William Contreras, Joey Ortiz, and Andrew Vaughn are among the other key contributors in recent weeks, while veteran Christian Yelich continues to suffer from the bad-luck bug. Gary Sánchez, Garrett Mitchell, David Hamilton, Cooper Pratt, and Luis Lara are also in the regular mix, with Jonathan Ornelas serving as some infield depth. As a team, the Brewers are hitting .254/.337/.396 (.733 OPS ranks seventh), with 120 homers (last), 650 runs scored (fifth), and 129 steals (third).
With Soto out, Carson Benge, Bo Bichette, Marcus Semien, Francisco Lindor, and Francisco Alvarez lead New York’s offense. Benge has 16 homers, 17 doubles, 53 RBIs, and 19 steals in what has been a solid season overall, while Bichette, Semien, and Lindor are all have down years by their standards. Jared Young, A.J. Ewing, Luis Robert Jr., and Brett Baty are also in the regular mix, with Christopher Morel, Luis Torrens, Eric Wagaman, and Cristian Pache rounding things out. As a team, the Mets are hitting .236/.307/.391 (.698 OPS ranks 26th), with 161 homers (ninth), 546 runs scored (23rd), and 68 steals (tied for 21st).
Aaron Ashby’s 61 appearances pace the Brewer bullpen, as he has a 3.33 ERA and 102 strikeouts over 73 innings this year. Trevor Megill has had the closer role on lock over the past few months, with a 2.34 ERA and 24 saves in 26 opportunities, and Uribe’s expected return will be a welcome site for the backend of the bullpen. Grant Anderson, Chad Patrick, and DL Hall also fit in the regular rotation of bullpen arms, with Antonio Senzatela and Bryse Wilson rounding the group out. The Brewers, who have been rolling with a six-man rotation for the last several weeks, may also add a new name to that group — likely either Robert Gasser or Shane Drohan — in the next week or so. As a staff, the Brewers have a 3.42 team ERA (second), including a 3.48 starter ERA (fourth) and a 3.33 bullpen ERA (third). They’ve struck out 1,269 batters (second) over 1,171 1/3 innings.
With Williams injured, Kodai Senga, who started his career as a solid starter, has taken over the closer role, going 4-for-4 in that role. While Senga’s 7.79 season ERA looks terrible, he’s been much better of late, with a 2.45 ERA in eight August appearances (7 1/3 innings). Austin Warren (4.30 ERA), Daniel Duarte (1.17 ERA), and Jefry Yan (4.26 ERA) have also been in high-leverage roles since the team unloaded most of their bullpen at the deadline. Chayce McDermott (5.40 ERA over 3 1/3 IP), Nate Lavender (0.00 over 7 2/3 IP), Dedniel Núñez (7.36 ERA over 7 1/3 IP), and Jonathan Pintaro (4.05 ERA over 20 IP) round things out. As a staff, the Mets have a 4.07 team ERA (12th), including a 4.37 starter ERA (19th) and a 3.71 bullpen ERA (sixth). They’ve struck out 1,183 batters (sixth) over 1,165 2/3 innings.
Probable Pitchers
Tuesday, August 25 @ 6:10 p.m.: LHP Kyle Harrison (10-3, 2.84 ERA, 3.23 FIP) vs. LHP Zac Thornton (3-4, 3.04 ERA, 4.09 FIP)
Harrison, who has a 2.84 ERA and 3.23 FIP with 122 strikeouts over 98 1/3 innings this season, bounced back from a rough outing in San Diego to go five shutout frames against the Mariners on Tuesday, allowing two hits and two walks while striking out eight in Milwaukee’s 22-0 blowout victory. Harrison’s only appearance against the Mets came while with the Giants in 2024, when he got roughed up for five runs (four earned) on six hits and two walks, striking out six over five frames.
Thornton, 24, has turned in a solid rookie season with New York, making nine starts with a 3.04 ERA, 4.09 FIP, and 36 strikeouts across 50 1/3 innings. The left-hander went five innings in his last outing, taking the loss as he allowed three runs on six hits and a walk, striking out seven. Thornton picked up a win against Milwaukee in July, going six scoreless innings on three hits and a walk, striking out two.
Wednesday, August 26 @ 6:10 p.m.: RHP Dustin May (6-8, 4.57 ERA, 3.36 FIP) vs. RHP Robert Stock (0-2, 5.40 ERA, 4.10 FIP)
May has now made three starts in a Brewer uniform, and while the first two appearances were very good (13 total innings, three earned runs, 11 strikeouts), he got roughed up in a major way against the Mariners on Wednesday, allowing seven runs on seven hits and a pair of walks, striking out one over just two innings in Milwaukee’s 7-5 loss. May has four appearances (three starts) against the Mets in his career, with a 3.38 ERA and 14 strikeouts over 18 2/3 innings. That includes six scoreless frames with six strikeouts in a win while with the Cardinals in June.
Stock, 36, is a former second-round pick who spent some time with the Brewers organization back in 2023 (also appearing for Team Israel in the World Baseball Classic that year). After debuting in 2018 with the Padres, he appeared with the Red Sox, Cubs, and Mets for brief stints through 2021 before spending some time overseas. He then made a pair of appearances with Boston last year before returning to the Mets this year. He’s made four starts thus far, with a 5.40 ERA, 4.10 FIP, and 19 strikeouts over 16 2/3 innings, though eight of the 10 earned runs he allowed came in a 9-0 loss to the Pirates in early August. Stock made two appearances (one start) against the Brewers in 2018 with the Padres and 2021 with the Mets, totaling five innings with two runs allowed and six strikeouts.
Thursday, August 27 @ 6:10 p.m.: RHP Jacob Misiorowski (13-5, 1.68 ERA, 2.14 FIP) vs. LHP Sean Manaea (4-5, 4.31 ERA, 4.53 FIP)
Misiorowski continues to shine, with a 13-5 record, 1.68 ERA, and 2.14 FIP with 216 strikeouts over 145 innings this season. The big right-hander worked six scoreless innings against the Braves on Friday afternoon, allowing four hits and two walks while striking out six in a 2-1 win. Miz has made two starts against the Mets, going 0-1 with six runs allowed (five earned) over 7 2/3 innings, striking out eight, though he went four innings with just an unearned run and six strikeouts in a no-decision in July.
Manaea, 34, is in his 11th MLB season with his fourth team. He’s made 27 appearances (13 starts) this season, with a 4.31 ERA, 4.53 FIP, and 117 strikeouts over 117 innings. The left-hander allowed four runs on five hits and two walks, striking out four over six frames in a no-decision against the White Sox his last time out. Manaea has made six career appearances (five starts) against Milwaukee, with a 6.00 ERA and 29 strikeouts across 27 frames.
How to Watch & Listen
Tuesday, August 25: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Wednesday, August 26: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Thursday, August 27: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Prediction
The Mets have had a truly dismal season, and the Brewers will be coming off a well-deserved off day to begin this series. Give me the Crew to win two of three once again.
Two scuffling teams meet in Motown tonight looking to break out of their respective funks when the Rays (77-53) take the field at Comerica Park against the Tigers (61-69). Tampa Bay continues to lead the AL East but their six-game lead has been cut in half as they have won just three of their last ten games. Detroit’s burst north in the AL Central standings following the Taryk Skubal trade was short lived as they have lost five in a row to fall to 3.5 back in the Wild Card chase and seven games back of the division-leading White Sox.
Tampa Bay hands the ball Drew Rasmussen (13-5, 3.01 ERA), one of the American League's most dominant starters. The righthander will be looking to bounce back from a rough outing against Toronto last Wednesday when he allowed five earned runs over five innings. Prior to that start, Rasmussen had been exceptional his previous five starts throwing 30 innings and allowing just four runners to cross home plate. Overall this season, Rasmussen has been more effective on the road than at home. His ERA is a sparkling 2.79 away from Tropicana Field
Detroit counters with veteran left-hander Framber Valdez (8-8, 4.35 ERA). Like the Tigers, Valdez has been beat up of late allowing eight earned runs in his last 11.1 innings across his last two starts. Prior to that, the southpaw had given up just four earned runs over his previous three starts (19 innings).
This is the fourth meeting of the season between these clubs. Detroit has won each of the first three games.
Lets dive into tonight’s matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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The Latest Odds: Rays vs. Tigers
The latest odds as of Monday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Tampa Bay Rays (-130), Detroit Tigers (+121)
Spread: Rays -1.5 (+123), Tigers +1.5 (-149)
Total: 7.5 runs
Probable Starting Pitchers and their Stats: Rays vs. Tigers for August 24
Javy Baez is 1-6 with 3 strikeouts in his career against Drew Rasmussen
Yandy Diaz is 3-12 with 5 BBs in his career against Framber Valdez
Cedric Mullins has gone yard once in 5 ABs in his career against Valdez
Kevin McGonigle was 4-12 with 1 HR and 4 RBIs over the weekend in Kansas City
Spencer Torkelson does not have a hit in his last 8GP (0-21)
Chandler Simpson is riding a 14-game hitting streak (24-59)
Yandy Diaz was 3-13 over the weekend at Baltimore
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top Betting Trends & Insights: Rays vs. Tigers
The Tigers are 65-65 on the Run Line this season
The Rays are 72-58 on the Run Line this season
The OVER has cashed 59 times in Tampa Bay’s 130 games this season (59-66-5)
The OVER has cashed 57 times in Detroit’s 130 games this season (57-67-6)
Expert picks & predictions: Rays vs. Tigers
Rotoworld Bet Best Bet
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for tonight’s game between the Rays and the Tigers:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Rays on the Run Line.
Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total OVER 7.5
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Aug 20, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers center fielder Garrett Mitchell (5) reacts after hitting a solo home run in the eighth inning against the Seattle Mariners at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Last Week’s Results
Tuesday: Brewers 22, Mariners 0
Wednesday: Mariners 7, Brewers 5
Thursday: Brewers 7, Mariners 4
Friday: Brewers 2, Braves 1
Saturday: Brewers 4, Braves 1
Sunday: Braves 4, Brewers 2
Division Standings
Brewers 81-50
Cubs 75-56 (6 GB)
Cardinals 66-66 (15.5 GB)
Pirates 63-69 (18.5 GB)
Reds 62-69 (19 GB)
Last Week
Brewers: 4-2
Cubs: 3-3
Cardinals: 3-5
Pirates: 2-4
Reds: 3-5
Top Pitching Performance of the Week
It was a good week for the Brewer pitching staff: six different pitchers threw at least three innings without allowing a run, which included scoreless starts from Jacob Misiorowski and Kyle Harrison and a nice six-inning, one-run outing from Logan Henderson. But let’s put a little shine on DL Hall. Over three appearances out of the Brewer bullpen, Hall didn’t allow an earned run, and allowed an inherited runner to score on Sunday only when Andrew Vaughn misplayed a weak ground ball that should’ve been the third out. In 5 1/3 innings, Hall struck out seven, walked two, and didn’t allow a hit.
Top Hitting Performance of the Week
When a team scores 22 runs in one game, there are going to be some candidates here, but let’s highlight Garrett Mitchell. He only came to the plate 13 times this week, but in those 13 plate appearances Mitchell was 8-for-12 with a walk, a homer, two doubles, and three RBIs, giving him a not-too-shabby .667/.714/1.083 batting line for the week.
Let’s also highlight Luis Lara, who hit his first pro homer (who cares if it was against a position player) and had a clutch RBI triple on Sunday; David Hamilton, who was 5-for-12 with a homer and a double; William Contreras, who led the team with 10 hits in 21 at-bats this week; and Jake Bauers, the only Brewer to homer multiple times this week.
Injury Notes & Roster Moves
Speaking of Mitchell, he had to leave Sunday’s game after being hit on the forearm/wrist by a pitch. The official word was “right forearm contusion” and x-rays were negative, so it doesn’t sound like it’s anything serious.
Cooper Pratt completed his short stint on the injured list and was activated Wednesday. He replaced Brandon Lockridge on the roster, who was optioned to Triple-A Nashville.
Jihwan Bae, who was designated for assignment when the Brewers signed Jonathan Ornelas, was outrighted to Triple-A Nashville.
Bo Naylor very briefly made his “debut” with the Brewers on Sunday, when the team was allowed a 27th man for the “special event” Little League Classic. He did not play.
Sal Frelick continues to get at-bats at Triple-A; according to manager Pat Murphy, he is likely to be activated for the series with the Mets from Tuesday-Thursday this week.
In a shocker, news came out that Brandon Woodruff, in a major twist, does not need another surgery on his shoulder, and he’ll even begin a throwing program this week that could, conceivably, make him available to pitch before the season ends. Unlikely, but possible.
JoJo Romero, one of the Brewers’ deadline pickups, threw live batting practice on Friday and could start a rehab assignment this week.
Abner Uribe threw a bullpen on Tuesday and could be on track to rejoin the Brewers on Wednesday, when his minimum IL stint is reached.
The surging Philadelphia Phillies have won nine consecutive games and are -115 favorites to reach double digits tonight.
With a more in-form offense and an ace-caliber arm on the mound, my Phillies vs. Mariners predictions and MLB picks believe the value lies with the road team on Aug. 24.
Who will win Phillies vs Mariners today: Phillies (-115)
The Seattle Mariners own a putrid .259 wOBA vs. righties at home over the past month, ranking dead last in the majors.
Phillies vs Mariners Over/Under pick: Under 6.5 (+100)
The Mariners have faced eight arms who profile similarly to Wheeler, including Chase Burns, Cam Schlittler, and Dylan Cease. They scored five earned runs against the eight starters fitting the criteria.
They’ve had a miserable time going up in class against ace-caliber pitchers, and that should continue against Wheeler tonight.
Philadelphia has not hit for anywhere close to the same level of power on the road, besting only the Royals in OPS.
Gilbert should be able to limit the home runs in pitcher-friendly conditions, and that will help avoid bulk scoring.
Bet the Under to -113.
Phillies vs Mariners home run prediction: Bryce Harper (+475)
Gilbert combines to throw the fastball and slider more than 60% of the time against left-handed hitters. That sets up well for Bryce Harper, who hits those pitches extremely well.
Harper is sporting a ridiculous .552 ISO against right-handed fastballs, and he’s no slouch facing sliders (.382 wOBA, .229 ISO).
Nobody on the Phillies comes close to Harper’s outputs vs. that combination, making him an appealing buy at +475.
Bet to +450.
Todd Cordell's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 88-80, -10.15 units
Over/Under bets: 86-76-6, -1.13 units
Phillies vs Mariners weather
Temperatures are expected to sit in the low 70s with winds blowing southeast. Favorable pitching conditions.
Phillies vs Mariners odds
Moneyline: Phillies -115 | Mariners -105
Run line: Phillies -1.5 (+160) | Mariners +1.5 (+190)
Over/Under: Over 6.5 (-120) | Under 6.5 (+100)
Phillies vs Mariners trend
Philadelphia has cashed the game total Under in 30 of their last 50 away games (+10.35 units, 19% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Phillies vs. Mariners.
How to watch Phillies vs Mariners and game info
Location
T-Mobile Park, Seattle, WA
Date
Monday, August 24, 2026
First pitch
9:40 p.m. ET
TV
NBCSP,Mariners.TV
Phillies starting pitcher
Zack Wheeler (10-4, 2.92 ERA)
Mariners starting pitcher
Logan Gilbert (10-7, 3.35 ERA)
Phillies vs Mariners 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.
Carse replaced in squad for second Test by Sonny Baker
Brydon Carse has been stood down from England’s squad for the second Test against Pakistan this week while the footage of him in police handcuffs outside a bar in Derby city centre is investigated by the sport’s disciplinary body.
Carse was filmed by a member of the public while he was detained briefly on suspicion of “being drunk and disorderly” outside Molly Malone’s Irish Tavern in the early hours of Sunday morning. The 31-year-old fast bowler had been celebrating victory against Derbyshire in the County Championship with his Durham teammates.
Hey, I did say in my Up Next for this game that I liked the pitching matchup. I think I probably envisioned a stronger performance from Shōta Imanaga. I’ll hat tip Aaron Civale for his performance in this one, saving a lot of bullpen and also being very effective. I understand and respect that he’ll seek out an opportunity to continue starting somewhere next year. That’s surely the right move, but if he ever wanted to embrace a swing man role for the Cubs organization, I’d welcome it.
I always love when I can physically feel my opinion on something changing as I’m watching a game. For so many years, I was so much about the sanctity of 162 games and for trying to make as many of those games be complete games as possible. Part of the experience of baseball are the milestones, be it single season or career. And also, they let an extended stretch of history be marred by steroids. Numbers were shattered. Hitting records fell to the way side. Players extended their careers and put up historic numbers.
Now in this new era, starters throw a continually dwindling number of innings. The roster shuffle has dozens of players in and out of roster spots. There appears to be an increase of the incidence of what I’ll call soft injured list time. A kind of soft fraud type of manipulating roster limits and trying to save bullets for the postseason. More and more every pitch is a max effort pitch and so almost all counting pitching stats are drifting towards unbreakable.
With this era of max effort, it is clearly a waste of precious ammunition to have a guy throwing batting practice fastballs while they run out the game. Well, at least having an ordinary pitcher do so. Now, we see a larger and larger number of position players pitching. And, they also don’t want those guys getting hurt, so we aren’t seeing guys who were pitchers at some point earlier in their career throwing some reasonable effort pitches at 60-75 miles per hour. Nope, we’re seeing the kind of pitches you’d see thrown to your seven-year-old child’s team seeing live pitching for the first time.
This has now contorted to the point where Carson Kelly was called on to throw an inning of relief, rather than tax anyone to try to protect a 17-run lead. I don’t think before the last year or two I could remember a position player getting action on a team winning by a large margin.
Just like that, I wouldn’t be disappointed if a team were allowed to throw up the white flag and put an end to the game. I don’t think there is an urgent need to do so or anything, but I have no need to ever see these late-inning situations where there is nothing vaguely competitive happening. I certainly don’t think ending a game early is any more of an abomination than the ghost runner in extra innings.
While on the one hand, customers pay to see a whole game, also you do sometimes end one due to weather. Also, if I’d paid to see this game, I’d have probably left no later than middle of the eighth when it was clear there was nothing competitive left to happen.
For me, I find it unfortunate. The Cubs are trying to prepare themselves to try to make a deep run in the playoffs. You could feel the Mariners pulling back in the middle inning of this game and there were some pretty poor attempts at fielding that contributed to the lopsided score.
Yawn. At least it was another win. The Cubs have posted an amazing number of these one-sided games. With the outburst, the Cubs ended the night with the most runs scored in baseball, nosing ahead of the Nationals who have played one more game. They’ve also sneaked into the OPS lead for all of baseball. This has been a really special group this year. It would have been terrific if they had a healthy pitching staff. Hopefully they can pull a respectable group together from this scrap heap to try to make a playoff run.
Three Positives:
Ian Happ had the big blow of the game, a grand slam. He had two hits, a walk, drove in five and scored two. Season line now at .218/.327/.420 (109 wRC+)
Pedro Ramirez did take advantage of silly baseball, but I’ll still hat tip three hits, three runs and five driven in. He did most of that damage in silly ball.
Pete Crow-Armstrong had two hits and a walk. Stole a base, hit another homer. Drove in three and scored two. When all is said and done this is going to be the greatest season in the history of baseball’s oldest team. For all of the things the Cubs haven’t been through the years, they still have some really magnificent baseball seasons in their history and he appears headed to blow past all of them.
Game 131, August 23: Cubs 19, Mariners 2 (75-56)
Reminder: Heroes and Goats are determined by WPA scores and are in no way subjective.
Hero: Aaron Civale (.256). 4 IP, 13 BF, H, 2 K (W 1-0)
Sidekick: Michael Conforto (.096). 1-2, HR, RBI, R
THREE GOATS:
Billy Goat: Shōta Imanaga (-.229). 2 IP, 14 BF, 5 H, 2 BB, 2 R (1 ER), 4 K
Goat: Nico Hoerner (-.066). 1-4, DP
Kid: Carson Kelly (-.047). 1-5, RBI, R, DP
NOTE: Carson Kelly’s WPA is solely reflective of his batting and does not include his pitching. 23 of the 96 “events” in this game scored .000 WPA, including all of those while Kelly was pitching. The first of those was Seiya Suzuki’s single in the eighth. Ian Happ’s bases-loaded walk a few batters later was the last one that scored any WPA.
WPA Play of the Game: Ian Happ’s grand slam in the third inning. (.390)
Mariners Play of the Game: Josh Naylor batted with a runner on first and no outs in the third inning, the Mariners down three. He singled, ending the day of Imanaga. (.065)
Cubs Player of the Game:
Game 130 Winner: Tyrone Taylor 16-14 over Alex Bregman (37 total votes). Apologies for not listing David Peterson, who was a valid choice.
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.
Pete Crow-Armstrong +28
Alex Bregman +25
Trent Thornton +13.5
Carson Kelly +12.5
Javier Assad +12
Seiya Suzuki -11
Edward Cabrera -12.5
Jameson Taillon -13
Dansby Swanson -17
Caleb Thielbar -18.5
Scoreboard Watching: Phillies win (two back of Cubs). Marlins win (eight back). Dodgers win (five up). Padres win (four back). Diamondbacks win (six back). Braves win (one up) over Brewers (six up). So the Cubs gain one back on Milwaukee to end the week. One impressive weekend for the top half of the NL. Only the Cubs and Braves lost their series and the Braves lost theirs in Milwaukee (and Williamsport).
Up Next: On to Arizona to face the Diamondbacks who I noted are six back. They are fourth in the Wild Card chase, two out of the last spot. They’ve split their last 10 games and have a +9 run differential. This one is a battle of two guys who most of us expect to be better. Kevin Gausman (6-11, 4.58) makes his fourth Cub start. He’s failed to escape the fifth in his last two. He actually beat the D-backs as a Blue Jay back in April. He allowed two runs on seven hits and a walk over six innings.
Merrill Kelly (8-11, 5.37) starts for Arizona. The eighth round pick of the Rays in 2010 (251st overall) is 1-3 with a 5.35 over his last seven, so he’s been pretty consistently bad. He’s allowed six earned runs in each of his last two starts and he hasn’t finished six innings since July 9. The Cubs beat him back in May, putting up six earned runs on eight hits and three walks in 4.1 innings. Michael Busch had two hits, including a triple, drove in four and walked in that one.
Diamondbacks relievers have thrown the fourth fewest innings and in turn have the least number of strikeouts. But even if you look at K/9, they are still 27th out of 30. They are 22nd out of 30 in WHIP. So this isn’t a great bullpen. That said, despite the low number of innings (and moderate number of wins), their bullpen is tied for the 11th most holds. They can be beat late, but are no pushover.
Let’s make it two straight wins against a pitcher having a rough year.
COVERS INTEL:
