Game #134: Twins at Athletics Game Thread

Athletics starting pitcher J.T. Ginn (35) delivers a pitch in the first inning between the Athletics and Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati on Tuesday, August 4, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co

The A’s won the middle game of their three-game set against the Twins last night. Now they have a chance at a series win, which would be their fourth series win this month after not winning one in July. And with a win and some help tonight the A’s can break their tie with the LA Angels for the worst record in the American League. That should be plenty of motivation for the guys tonight in front of the hometown Sacramento crowd.

Taking the ball and looking to get that series dub tonight is J.T. Ginn. The right-hander has been consistently solid for the club but we’re in uncharted territory for him the rest of the way. Every pitch, every out, and every inning is a new career-high for the 26-year-old, who is in his first full season as a big league starter. He’ll carry a 3.60 ERA into tonight’s contest against the Twins, who he’ll be facing off against for the first time this season.

Here’s the lineup Mark Kotsay is going with this evening in the series finale:

With a lefty on the mound for the Twins the A’s are stacking up on right-handed hitters in tonight’s starting lineup, with the lone exception being right fielder Lawrence Butler, whose batting third tonight.

Minnesota meanwhile is sending left-hander Connor Prielipp in this one. The southpaw is in his rookie campaign after making his big league debut earlier this season. Considered one of their better pithing prospects, Prielipp has mostly held his own facing big league hitters for the first time, though he’s run into a rough spot of late. He’s allowed eight and six runs over his past two starts, respectively, so the A’s are getting him at the right time.

And the Twins’ starting nine tonight:

Series win! Say it with me! Series win! Let’s go A’s!

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Game 134: Minnesota Twins at Athletics

Fists up for the playoffs! | Jacob Soriano / MLB Photos via Getty Images

First Pitch: 8:05 PM
TV: Twins.TV
Radio: TIBN, WCCO 830, The Wolf 102.9 FM, Audacy App
Know Yo’ Foe:Athletics Nation

How to do it?
Pushing through it,
August plummeting.
A little wet in the feet
In the Cali heat
Instead of steady summiting.

Though down, not out
— but it’s getting dire —
So light a fire in their bottom.
There are twenty-eight games
To improve their play:
Hit a groove, and they’ll make it to autumn.

Tonight in Sacramento,
Get rambunctious — rampant praise’ll grow!

Yes, a pair have been split,
But don’t chuck it and quit:
The Twins may just pick up the series
And they can get out of Sutter
As rather astuter:
How to execute game-winning theories.

They’re sending Prielipp to start;
Has he fallen apart?
His stats have been quickly ballooning.
(Right.)
Could he return to form,
Or the offense get warm?
How else will the fanbase be swooning?

And in the standings, you’ll find
They’re just behind
A trio of contenders.
Better race up the pace
Or get egg on the face,
The ultimate non-spenders offenders.

But here in Sacramento,
Get rambunctious — rampant praise’ll grow!

So when they’re playing tonight (-night),
Please be a delight (-light)
And get back to playoff contention.
It’s more fun when the Twins
Are out stacking up wins
In remarkably steady ascension.

Yes, here in Sacramento,
Get rambunctious — rampant praise’ll grow!
(Hit it, hit it!)
Tonight in Sacramento,
Get rambunctious — rampant praise’ll grow!

So, come up to the plate—
We none of us can wait
And watch aquiver
In antici

pation.
Just start up the game,
And get wilder, not tame:
We long for thrilled applause
And jubilation!

Jonathan Kuminga reportedly agrees to join Minnesota on a two-year, $13 million deal

In the end, Jonathan Kuminga was willing to take less money per year to get back on the market sooner rather than take a longer contract with more guaranteed money.

After intense recruiting from Anthony Edwards and others, Kuminga has agreed to join the Timberwolves on a two-year, $13 million contract, a story broken by Shams Charania of ESPN. Kuminga stepped into the taxpayer mid-level exception the Timberwolves still had available.

This is a recruiting coup for the Timberwolves, who put on a full-court press in the last month, Charania reported. That included Edwards and other players, as well as team president Tim Connelly, who reportedly had a four-hour meeting with him. Kuminga is expected to step into the starting lineup at the three next to LaMelo Ball, Edwards, Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert.

The Lakers had been pursuing Kuminga to become a starter next to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, and they were trying to work out a sign-and-trade with Atlanta, but that would have required Kuminga to sign at least a three-year contract instead of the two in Minnesota. Plus, the Lakers and Hawks struggled to come close to a trade that worked for both sides for a variety of reasons (such as the Hawks wanting picks but not taking on players).

Kuminga did not find as robust a market for his services as he expected this summer. Atlanta chose not to pick up his $24.3 million team option, and Kuminga initially hoped for a deal in the ballpark, or at least north of $15 million. Eventually, it became about the shorter contract and the opportunity to play on a team with big expectations and to prove his value in that setting that lured him to Minnesota.

Kuminga started last season with Golden State, where he had been in and out of Steve Kerr's doghouse for years, then was traded to Atlanta at the deadline. While he had a couple of big games with the Hawks, he averaged 12.3 points and 5.3 rebounds a game for them, mostly coming off the bench, and he shot 34.6% from beyond the arc.

Minnesota's starting five is stacked with talent — and three guys who work better with the ball in their hands rather than working off it. Kerr's issues with Kuminga largely came down to fitting into the Warriors' ball-movement, egalitarian system. Minnesota's coach Chris Finch is going to have work to do to find a balance that keeps everyone happy — which could mean Kuminga leading the second unit at points — but gives the team the best chance to win. It may take some time at the start of the season to find that rhythm.

With Kuminga in the starting five, this is an offensively stacked Minnesota roster.

Gaslamp Ball Reacts Survey: Who has been most impressive this season?

WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 31: Ty France #25 of the San Diego Padres celebrates his RBI double against the Washington Nationals during the seventh inning at Nationals Park on May 31, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Jess Rapfogel/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 Padres fans and fans across the country.

It has been a season of opportunity for some of the players on the San Diego Padres roster. Some of those players have taken full advantage of their opportunity and that could result in more playing time, higher expectations or in some cases more money.


Ty France

France signed with the Padres in the offseason on a minor league deal. He was promised nothing but an opportunity to make the team and the Gold Glove Award winner did that out of Spring Training. There was a time where he and Gavin Sheets and Nick Castellanos were all expected to share time at first base and France was thought to possibly be the odd man out. His play turned not only allowed him to outlast Castellanos on the San Diego roster, but it also cemented him into the No. 4 hole in the lineup. France has performed on defense and has provided production at the plate. He has 344 at-bats with 99 hits, 18 of which were home runs, for a .288 average. France also has 56 RBI, 44 runs scored and has even stolen a base.

Luis Campusano

Campusano finally got some regular playing time under new Padres manager Craig Stammen. The catcher finally had a manager who was going to allow him to play free and play often without the fear of being sent back to the minors the first time he hit a slump or failed to block a ball in the dirt. Campusano has responded with a solid season in which he has amassed 143 at-bats with 41 hits, five home runs, 23 RBI and 18 runs scored. He holds a .287 average on the season and has been able to catch and serve as the designated hitter throughout the season.

Walker Buehler

Buehler, like France, was only promised an opportunity. He got more of a chance than he thought when Joe Musgrove was unable to be ready to return to the mound following Tommy John surgery and Nick PIvetta went down with arm issues early in the season. Randy Vasquez started the season strong but quickly faded. Buehler has had some duds this season, but overall, he has been a consistent starter for a team that was limited to Michael King in terms of pitchers who could take the mound and instill confidence in the team and the fanbase. Buehler has appeared in and started 26 games in 2026. He has a record of 8-6 with a 4.63 ERA. He has thrown 126.1 innings and has 108 strikeouts over that span. He is 3-1 in his last seven games with a 2.89 ERA and has only gotten better as the regular season winds down.

Bradgley Rodriguez

Rodriguez is a rookie reliever who flashed at the end of the 2025 season. He started this season with the big-league club and was even sent to the minors for a short period to give him a break due to his level off usage early in the season. Rodriguez has slowly climbed his way toward the top end of the bullpen arms and after finding himself involved in more high-leverage innings, an argument could be made he is the best arm in the ‘pen behind Mason Miller and Adrian Morejon. Rodriguez has appeared in 55 games, throwing 60.0 innings. He has started four games as an opener and saved two as a closer. He has a record of 3-2 with a 1.95 ERA and 65 strikeouts.


All four of these players have been impressive and each is deserving of recognition for their respective contributions to the success of the Padres to this point in the 2026 season. Gaslamp Ball would like to know who the Friar Faithful thinks has been the most impressive this season. Results will be posted later in the week.

Brought to you by FanDuel Sportsbook, the official sportsbook partner of SB Nation.

Jeanie Buss calls for ‘devious’ siblings to ‘be held in contempt’ in court filing amid Lakers sale drama

The Buss family’s conflict over ownership of the Lakers has become a legal battle. 

Jeanie Buss, the franchise’s governor, filed a petition in Los Angeles Superior Court this week, looking to block her siblings’ attempted sale of their minority ownership stake of the franchise. 

Jeanie Buss and her siblings are embroiled in off-court drama involving the Lakers. Getty Images

Five of the Buss siblings who are part of the Buss family trust — Jim, Johnny, Janie, Joey and Jesse Buss — voted to sell the rest of the family’s 17.8% ownership stake of the Lakers to soon-to-be majority owners Josh Kushner and Bob Iger.

Johnny Buss and most of his siblings want to sell their share of the Lakers. Getty Images

Kushner and Iger agreed to purchase the majority shares of the Lakers from Mark Walter for a valuation of $12.5 billion, less than a year after Walter bought the Lakers from the Buss family at a valuation of $10 billion. 

Jeanie Buss called her siblings’ behavior “devious” in the petition, obtained by the California Post on Wednesday, which stated Jeanie was “blinded” by the attempted sale and that the family’s statement provided to ESPN last week was “knowingly false: Jeanie never agreed to any sale, was never consulted, and was never even informed.”

A court hearing is scheduled for Nov. 5, according to the 97-page petition.

“Jeanie thought she had put all of her siblings’ scheming and manipulations behind her in 2017,” the petition stated. “Sadly, that was not the case — and Jeanie must respectfully request relief from this Court a second time.”

The petition includes five orders:

  1. Instructing trustees to comply with 2017 court order; 
  2. Declaring purported trustee resolution void;
  3. Surcharging and removing co-trustees Joey H. Buss and Janie M. Buss for breach of fiduciary duty;
  4. Holding Joey H. Buss and Janie M. Buss in contempt of court; 
  5. Holding James, Johnny and Jesse Buss in contempt and liable for aiding and abetting.
Jim Buss and most of his siblings want to sell their share of the Lakers. MediaNews Group via Getty Images

Jeanie Buss, the third-oldest child of the late Dr. Jerry Buss, first made it clear she opposed her siblings’ vote to sell the family’s share of the Lakers, according to a letter from her lawyer, Adam Streisand, which was obtained by The Post, arguing her siblings can’t legally execute a sale without her approval and that any vote of the Buss family selling would be “void.”

To remain the Lakers governor, Jeanie or the Buss family would need to maintain control of at least 15% of the franchise, per NBA rules.

She has been team’s governor since 2013 after Jerry’s death.

When Walter purchased the majority ownership of the Lakers from the Buss family, the league announced that Buss would remain the team’s governor for at least five years (through 2030).

Iger told The Post last week he and Kushner intended to honor the agreement made between Walter and Buss

Streisand’s original letter to lawyers for the other siblings demanded that they retract the announcement of the proposed sale, insisting that rules of the family trust and a 2017 court ruling make clear that Jeanie Buss will remain a controlling owner of the team for life.

Jeanie Buss argued her attempting to stop her siblings’ sale of the Lakers, which would prevent her from continuing as the franchise’s governor, is not only a way to “enforce her parents’ intent” but also “protect the strategic decision by the trustees less than a year ago to sell a portion of the team and retain an interest sufficient to maintain control and to benefit from the continuously skyrocketing value.”

The petition also states that other minority owners support Jeanie Buss staying as governor.

“[Patrick] Soon-Shiong and [Ed] Roski [Jr.] have made the determination, as has Jeanie, that the value of Lakers stock will continue to increase over the value of the stock in the current proposed offer for the purchase by a group led by Bob Iger and Joshua Kushner of Lakers stock owned by Mark Walter,” the petition states. “And, for that reason, they have no intent to sell their Lakers stock at this time.

“They also believe that Jeanie is the right person to continue as the Controlling Owner and NBA Governor of the Lakers to help preserve and continue to grow the value of their Lakers stock investments.”

The sale from Walter to Kushner and Iger isn’t expected to be impacted by the Buss family’s litigation.

Bryce Miller: available out of bullpen on Wednesday

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - AUGUST 23: Manager Dan Wilson #6 takes Bryce Miller #50 of the Seattle Mariners out of the game during the fifth inning against the Chicago Cubs at T-Mobile Park on August 23, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Mariners haven’t yet committed to whether or not they’ll stick with the six-man rotation, go back to the piggyback, or move a starter either to the bullpen or the IL, but there was a glimmer of a clue during Wednesday’s 6-0 loss to the Phillies.

Sharp-eyed viewers might have noticed a quick shot of Miller walking out to the ‘pen with Muñoz late in Wednesday’s game. The explanation that was given is that the Mariners were thin on bullpen coverage, and today is Miller’s day to throw a side session, so instead of having him throw pregame and be unavailable, they pushed his bullpen to postgame so he would be available as an emergency option if needed. That decision was made pregame, per Miller, before Woo struggled through his first two innings and wound up having a shortened outing.

“They just said that Woo is coming off injury and the bullpen’s thin,” said Miller postgame, who didn’t appear in the game but instead threw his regularly-scheduled bullpen postgame before the team departed for Toronto. “So if Woo comes out of the game early, it’d be better to throw the bullpen afterwards, and that way I’m available rather than to throw a bullpen before the game and then be for sure unavailable.”

Miller said he was initially somewhat confused by the directive, because Woo had told Miller he was feeling fine – a statement Woo doubled down on postgame after allowing six runs over four innings to the Phillies, blaming his struggles on “too much throwing, not enough pitching.”

“But I think it’s more of a precautionary thing in case something happens,” said Miller.

Woo did manage to reverse course over his next two inning, giving the team four innings and limiting the damage to the initial six runs, with five left to be covered by the bullpen. With Philly stacking lefties in their lineup, the leverage side of the Mariners bullpen – Eduard Bazardo and the two lefties, Jose Ferrer and Gabe Speier – were able to cover the next three innings without incident, and Carlos Vargas, still getting in work after missing all season with a lat injury, pitched a solid scoreless two final innings, rendering the need for Miller’s assistance moot – and delaying any widespread speculation about a potential move to the bullpen.

“If something would have happened and I would have needed to get us through today, then that’s fine. I do what I need to. I feel good today, so yeah.”

But that doesn’t mean Miller is happy about it. He does have a background in relieving in college, but notes that it’s been five or six years since he did it regularly, aside from the postseason last year.

“You always think ahead and try to figure out what’s going on. But as far as I know, as far as it’s been communicated to me, we’re just bullpen low, and the uncertainty with how Woo was going to feel was the main thing. And if something had happened in warmups with him, or if something happened in the first inning and we have to cover eight or nine innings, the bullpen’s not in a great spot for that. So I think, as far as I was told, that’s what today was.”

He also deflected a question about how his stuff might play in a bullpen role.

“The fastball is always good, so if I had a shorter outing, then that would probably be the main focus, to let it rip. But I’m not really thinking about that right now. As far as I know, I’m scheduled to start coming up.“

The Mariners have not yet announced their starters for the Toronto series.

Braves claim RHP Ricky Vanasco off waivers, option him to Gwinnett

DETROIT, MI - MAY 28: Ricky Vanasco #70 of the Detroit Tigers looks on from the dugout during the game against the Los Angeles Angels at Comerica Park on May 28, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. The Angels defeated the Tigers 7-1. (Photo by Mark Cunningham/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

The Atlanta Braves have claimed right-handed pitcher Ricky Vanasco off waivers from the Detroit Tigers and have optioned him to Triple-A Gwinnett. The Tigers designated him for assignment when they signed former Braves reliever Tyler Kinley.

Vanasco, 27, made his MLB debut in 2024 with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The former Texas Rangers draft pick in 2017 made two appearances each with the Dodgers and Tigers in 2024 and pitched in five games for the Tigers this season, which is the extent of his MLB career to-date.

Although his big league appearances this season were less then inspiring, he’s shown a propensity for striking out matters this season at Triple-A with 59 strikeouts in 46.1 innings.

He is a no-risk addition for the organization that adds depth with the Stripers with roster set to expand, slightly, on September 1.

Mariners drop regularly scheduled blowout, 6-0

Aug 26, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Bryan Woo (22) reacts after surrendering a three-run home run to Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber (12, background) during the second inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Going into Wednesday afternoon, the Mariners were hoping to really turn the screws on the Astros and Rangers atop the division by sweeping a formidable National League opponent. As it turned out, this wasn’t to be; the Mariners dropped the series finale to the Phillies.

The Phillies jumped out to an early lead in the top of the first. Kyle Schwarber laced a ground-rule double to the gap in the left center to lead off the game. Even though Bryan Woo was able to strike out a couple of hitters in the frame, he left an elevated fastball over the plate to Bryce Harper, which was deposited over the wall in left-center, just out of the reach of Julio Rodríguez’s glove, to put the Phillies up 2-0.

Unfortunately for Woo and the Mariners, the first inning was only the precursor for things to come. The Phils came out firing again in the top of the second, putting the first two hitters on base to begin the inning. A single on a ground ball through the right side by Justin Crawford tacked on another run, and Kyle Schwarber broke the game wide open by punishing a fastball over the heart of the plate for his league-leading 40th homer of the year. Before even coming up to bat a second time, the Mariners trailed 6-0.

Woo’s stuff could’ve been worse, which is a positive with all eyes on his health after missing his last start with shoulder discomfort. Despite the damage dealt, he still struck out five and generated 10 whiffs while topping out at 99 mph in four innings of work. He said that the fastball almost felt too good that he became predictable.

“I think just second inning was just got a little too fastball heavy,” Woo said. “I think on days like this, where the fastball does have life and feels good, obviously you want to keep going back to it, but you got to pitch as well, especially with a lineup like that, with veteran hitters that are, you know, they’re smart. They’re not just going up there with without a plan. Like they know what they’re trying to do, and yeah, I just feel like it was too much throwing, not enough pitching. I actually feel physically like as the game wore on, you know, pitch counts builds, I felt better.”

As I sort of alluded to in the preview, the Mariners didn’t roll out their best lineup. Several regular starters (Cole Young, Josh Naylor and Dominic Canzone) all got days off. This isn’t a knock on the management — with a series win already banked and a lefty on the mound, Wednesday was probably as good a time as any to give some days off and load up the lineup with righties. However, the offensive output went about how you might expect. The M’s went without a hit for the first four innings, with Jhonny Pereda notching the team’s first of only two for the entire day with a two-out single in the fifth.

Phillies starter Jesús Luzardo was on his game, striking out nine and allowing only the one hit over seven innings. Even when the Mariners made decent contact off of him, the Phillies infield was there to flash the leather. Multiple “should-be” hits with expected batting averages above .500 were turned into groundouts. Rodríguez also put a charge into a ball in the first inning for one of the Mariners’ hardest-hit balls of the day, but Harper was there to put it away up against the wall in right field.

The remainder of the game was rather uneventful, to be completely honest. One of the more notable things to happen wasn’t within the run of play. Prior to the fifth inning, Bryce Miller joined Andrés Muñoz as he made his way out to the bullpen. Dan Wilson was quick to downplay this development postgame, saying that it was specific to today in case they didn’t have enough coverage in the bullpen.

“It might have been something that would have worked out, but you know obviously didn’t need to do that today,” Wilson said. The Mariners have lost each of Miller’s last eight starts.

Ugly loss aside, the Mariners took back-to-back series on the homestand over a couple of difficult opponents. They’ll get a day off Thursday as they head to Toronto for a three-game set starting Friday. Here’s to hoping they can continue to isolate bad baseball to as few individual days as possible.

Jonathan Kuminga signing with Timberwolves: What deal means

One of the final pieces of the NBA offseason has fallen into place.

Free agent forward Jonathan Kuminga has agreed to a two-year contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves worth $12.4 million, his agent told ESPN. The second season is a player option.

In late June, the Hawks declined Kuminga’s $24.3 million team option, making him a free agent. The Lakers had been linked to Kuminga this offseason, but their cap situation made acquiring him complicated − though they did offer Kuminga a three-year deal worth more than $12 million per season, according to ESPN.

With the Timberwolves, Kuminga gets the chance to start alongside Anthony Edwards and newly-acquired guard LaMelo Ball, providing another scoring and slashing threat. An increased role had been a priority for Kuminga, who had started just 24 games across the last two seasons.

The deal represents a chance for Kuminga to bet on himself, with a potential opportunity to hit the open market next offseason, when teams are expected to have an influx of salary cap space to spend. For that to happen, Kuminga would need to decline his player option for 2027-28 and become an unrestricted free agent. Should Kuminga play well this season in Minnesota, it could set him up for a more lucrative, long-term deal.

Kuminga, 23, is set to enter his sixth year in the league, but is nonetheless very young despite his experience in the NBA.

In fact, Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg — the No. 11 overall selection in the 2026 NBA Draft playing for Kuminga’s old team — is actually six days older than Kuminga.

The weakness in Kuminga’s game is his perimeter shooting — he converted just 33.3% of his 3-point attempts last season — and defense. The Timberwolves will need to mask some of those defensive deficiencies, but they are well equipped to do so with stoppers like forward Jaden McDaniels and center Rudy Gobert.

The Timberwolves had been missing a forward after they traded Julius Randle to the Brooklyn Nets in late June. Kuminga, who is 6-foot-7, appears poised to inherit that spot.

Across 36 games last season, Kuminga averaged 12.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jonathan Kuminga signing with Timberwolves: What deal means

Reds roar back for 10-9 win over Giants with 7-run 9th inning

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - AUGUST 22: Héctor Rodríguez #43 of the Cincinnati Reds reacts after hitting his first career home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the seventh inning at Chase Field on August 22, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The moribund Cincinnati Reds looked just that for most of their three-game series by the San Francisco Bay. They entered play on Wednesday afternoon having scored just a lone run through the first two games of the series, that coming late on Tuesday in the form of a solo Sal Stewart homer.

Not even moving Hector Rodriguez to the leadoff spot could seemingly spark enough of a turnaround, even though he’d homered earlier on Wednesday. The problem this time was that starter Nick Lodolo and the bullpen arms who backed him had struggled mightily themselves, and the Reds found themselves in a 9-3 hole heading into the Top of the 9th.

It was Rodriguez who got that party started, too, even if he did so with a noted ‘rally killer.’ Of course, when the rally killer comes off the bat at 115 mph and lands in McCovey Cove, the one run may well have been a bit more magnified to the bats behind him that suddenly saw the ball go in the basket for once.

The Reds later loaded the bases for the struggling Eugenio Suarez, who un-struggled the bases clear with a monster grand slam into the wind that brought the Reds to within 9-8.

The Reds later kept the pressure on with some noted small ball that featured an infield single, an error by the defense, and even a Matt McLain bunt single. Jose Trevino then leveled the score with a sac fly before Tyler Stephenson smoked a liner into LF to drive in the game’s final run and give Cincinnati a 10-9 lead that Emilio Pagan made good.

Quite the way to finish an otherwise dismal road trip. We’ll see if the Reds have what it takes to a) channel this momentum and b) capitalize on a lineup shuffle that maybe, just maybe will get Hector hot and put some more runs on the board going into the meat of their schedule.

3 Utah Mammoth Prospects Who Could Break Out In 2026-27

The Utah Mammoth have a lot of young talent coming, but three prospects in particular could make the biggest jump toward the NHL this season.

Tij Iginla

If there is one Mammoth prospect who enters the season with real momentum, it is Iginla.

The 20-year-old winger put together a monster 2025-26 season with the Kelowna Rockets, scoring 41 goals and 49 assists for 90 points in only 48 games. He was named to the WHL Western Conference First All-Star Team and finished as a finalist for the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy, awarded to the league’s top player.

Iginla is the son of NHL legend Jarome Iginla. Credit: Matt Krohn - Imagn Images
Iginla is the son of NHL legend Jarome Iginla. Credit: Matt Krohn - Imagn Images

That kind of production is hard to overlook, especially after Iginla lost much of the previous season to injury.

Utah selected him sixth overall in the 2024 NHL Draft, and his latest season offered a reminder of why the Mammoth invested such a high pick in him. Iginla also showed well internationally, recording eight points in seven games for Canada at the 2026 World Junior Championship.

Now, the next step is obvious.

Iginla has a chance to push for an NHL job, and another strong season could make that decision increasingly difficult for Utah.

Sebastian Cossa

Cossa has already spent years hearing about his potential. Now he gets a fresh chance to show what he can actually do with it.

Utah acquired the 23-year-old goaltender from the Detroit Red Wings during the 2026 NHL Draft, giving the former 15th overall pick a new organization to work with.

There is plenty to like about Cossa's résumé.

Before turning pro, he helped the Edmonton Oil Kings win the 2022 WHL championship and finished his junior career with a 71-16-4-3 record, a 2.12 goals-against average, a .921 save percentage and 14 shutouts.

His AHL career has been strong, too. Cossa owns a 70-33-19 record with a 2.46 GAA and .911 save percentage since turning pro in 2022-23.

He has only appeared in one NHL game, but Cossa made the most of it. He stopped 12 shots after entering in relief against Buffalo on Dec. 9, 2024, helping Detroit eventually win in a shootout. Once viewed as a cornerstone of the Red Wings’ goaltending pipeline, Cossa’s unexpected departure brought that chapter to an abrupt end and raised plenty of eyebrows around the league.

Now, Utah gets to find out whether the former first-round pick can turn that untapped potential into something tangible. At 6-foot-6, Cossa certainly looks the part of an NHL goaltender. The next challenge is proving he can play like one consistently.

Max Psenicka

Psenicka is the youngest of the three and probably the biggest long-term project, but there is plenty to work with.

The 19-year-old defenseman stands 6-foot-5 and weighs 194 pounds, giving Utah an imposing presence on the blue line. More importantly, he began showing some offensive upside during his first full season with the Portland Winterhawks.

Psenicka, far left, talks things over with now-former teammates Ian Cole and JJ Peterka. Credit: Isaiah J. Downing - Imagn Images
Psenicka, far left, talks things over with now-former teammates Ian Cole and JJ Peterka. Credit: Isaiah J. Downing - Imagn Images

Psenicka finished 2025-26 with eight goals and 22 assists for 30 points in 53 games. He also represented Czechia at the World Junior Championship, picking up three points in seven games as the country won a silver medal.

The Mammoth selected him 46th overall in the 2025 NHL Draft and signed him to a three-year entry-level contract in July.

Psenicka is expected to return to Portland this season, where another year of development could be valuable. He does not need to rush.

For now, Utah can afford to let him grow into his frame, round out his game and see just how much offense he can eventually bring from the back end.

If he takes another step, Psenicka could become a very interesting piece of the Mammoth blue line. 

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Jeanie Buss seeks court help keeping her family's share of the Lakers

Lakers governor Jeanie Buss appears at a marketing event on Sept. 20, 2021.
Lakers governor Jeanie Buss is seeking a court's help in retaining her family's minority share of the team. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Jeanie Buss is taking her siblings to court. Again.

Attorneys representing the Lakers’ controlling governor filed a petition in Los Angeles Superior Court on Wednesday to block her five siblings from trying to sell the family’s remaining 17.82% of the NBA franchise the Buss family has owned since 1979.

Jeanie contends that her siblings should abide by a 2017 court order that mandated the family’s co-trustees to “take all actions reasonably available to ensure that Jeanie is appointed and remains as the NBA controlling owner of the Lakers.” The 2017 legal battle installed Jeanie’s younger siblings, Janie and Joey, as her fellow co-trustees, two roles that were previously held by her older brothers Jim and Johnny, who were ousted after a failed attempt to wrestle control away from Jeanie.

The 97-page petition accuses Janie, Joey and the other siblings Jim, Johnny and Jesse of “devious behavior” for not including Jeanie in discussions to sell the family’s last stakes in the team earlier this month. While the other siblings elected to sell soon after Bob Iger and Joshua Kushner agreed to a record-breaking transaction with Mark Walter and released a statement attributed to the Buss family, Jeanie “never agreed to any sale, was never consulted and was never even informed,” the petition states.

Read more:Inside the Buss family's long, painful history of sibling rivalries running the Lakers

“Jeanie thought she had put all of her siblings’ scheming and manipulations behind her in 2017,” the petition reads. “Sadly, that was not the case — and Jeanie must respectfully request relief from this Court a second time.”

Among five points on the petition, Jeanie hopes to declare her siblings’ votes to sell the team void, remove Janie and Joey as co-trustees for “breach of fiduciary duty” and hold both in contempt of court and hold Jim, Johnny and Jesse in contempt and liable for “aiding and abetting.”

Jeanie, the third-oldest child of former Lakers owner Jerry Buss, was hand-picked by the family patriarch to oversee his prized investment that grew from a $67.5-million purchase into a $12.5-billion world-renowned brand. Iger, the former Disney chief executive, and Kushner, founder of a venture capital firm, bought a majority stake of the Lakers from Walter earlier this month at a record valuation, and reports of five of the Buss siblings’ plans to sell their ownership stake in the team came days later.

To remain on the NBA board of governors, Jeanie would need to own at least 15% of the team. She was to stay in the leadership role for at least the next four seasons after the Buss family relinquished control of the team to Walter in 2025.

That unique aspect of the 2025 sale “demonstrated the co-trustees could fulfill their duties under the trust — and honor Dr. Buss’s intent — while also delivering extraordinary financial returns to the beneficiaries,” the petition states.

Jeanie contends that not only is her latest fight to maintain her governor role a way to “enforce of her parents’ intent,” but the petition says Jeanie also believes remaining the governor can “protect the strategic decision by the trustees less than a year ago to sell a portion of the team and retain an interest sufficient to maintain control and to benefit from the continuously skyrocketing value.”

Read more:Jeanie Buss contests family sale of Lakers ownership stake to Bob Iger, Joshua Kushner

Since Jerry Buss built the Lakers into the NBA’s most glamorous franchise during four decades of stewardship, the team will now have a third controlling owner in as many years. Walter, who previously owned a minority stake in the team, took majority control in 2025 when the team was valued at $10 billion. His reign was short-lived; he shockingly sold his shares of the team to Iger and Kushner for a 25% profit 14 months after Walter’s purchase offer was accepted by the Buss family trust.

The sale from Walter to Iger and Kushner is not expected to be affected by the Buss family’s legal proceedings, according to a source close to the matter but not authorized to speak publicly.

The petition adds that Lakers minority owners Patrick Soon-Shiong, who owns the Los Angeles Times and said he plans to hold onto his 4% stake in the Lakers, and real estate developer Ed Roski Jr. believe Jeanie is “the right person to continue as controlling owner and NBA governor of the Lakers to help preserve and continue to grow the value of the Lakers stock investments.”

The Lakers functioned as a family-run business for decades under the Buss family. Each child held different roles, but Jeanie is now the only one left at the organization. Jim and Johnny were ousted in 2017. Janie, Joey and Jesse were all fired soon after Walter’s sale was approved in November. Joey was the chief executive of the G League affiliate South Bay Lakers and Jesse was the Lakers’ director of scouting. Janie led the organization’s charity efforts. ESPN reported that Jim and Johnny had returned to roles with the team and were among those fired in November.

After Jeanie and her legal team announced their intention to contest the siblings’ attempt to sell, the five other siblings released a statement saying they were “united” in their decision and intended to “move forward thoughtfully, respectfully and through appropriate process.”

Read more:Why have private equity firms taken an interest in buying professional sports teams?

“The Los Angeles Lakers have never been just a basketball team,” the statement released Aug. 18 continued. “They have been one of the greatest privileges of our lives. Our focus has always been on what we believe is best for the Lakers, the fans who have supported this franchise for generations and the greater Los Angeles community.”

A court hearing to review the request is scheduled for Nov. 5, according to the petition. The Lakers will be two weeks into their season at the time.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Former Warriors wing Jonathan Kuminga signs with Timberwolves

Golden State Warriors Jonathan Kuminga guards Minnesota Timberwolves Anthony Edwards
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - MAY 14: Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves brings the ball up court during the game against the Golden State Warriors during Round 2 Game 5 of the 2025 NBA Playoffs on May 14, 2025 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE(Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The Minnesota Timberwolves have agreed to a two-year, $13 million deal with free agent wing Jonathan Kuminga, according to a report by ESPN’s Shams Charania. They will use the taxpayer mid-level exception for the signing, which does mean they will likely trade Donte DiVincenzo or Josh Green or waive-and-stretch Green to create the space they need below the second apron.

Kuminga’s free agency has lingered into the late summer for the second consecutive offseason, and he has ultimately settled for a somewhat underwhelming deal. Per the report, Kuminga will be the Wolves starting power forward alongside LaMelo Ball, Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, and Rudy Gobert.

Selected by the Warriors with the seventh-overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, Kuminga was a favorite of Golden State’s front office, especially team chairman Joe Lacob. Kuminga’s tenure with the team had plenty of highs and lows. As a rookie, Kuminga was a solid member of the Dubs rotation, including some highlight-filled postseason performances in Golden State’s path to the 2021-22 championship. However, as Dub Nation is well aware, the Warriors were never able to marry Kuminga’s development with the team’s short-term goals to build a contender around Steph Curry. A combination of injuries, an inconsistent three-point shot, and erratic effort on defense and rebounding kept Kuminga from becoming a trusted member of head coach Steve Kerr’s rotation.

Kuminga and the Warriors contemplated sign-and-trades last offseason when he was a restricted free agent, but while the Phoenix Suns and Sacramento Kings made him offers that included more that $60 million in guarantees, neither team offered the Warriors enough to make a trade. Without a team willing to make him an offer sheet, Kuminga was forced to re-sign a one-year, $23.8 million deal with a team option.

The Warriors finally ended Kuminga’s tenure prior to the trade deadline, dealing him to the Atlanta Hawks for Kristaps Porzingis. Injuries limited both players with their new teams. Porzingis averaged 16.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.1 blocks, and 0.6 steals in 23.7 minutes per game on 43.3%/31.1%/84.4% shooting across 15 games with the Warriors. He ultimately re-signed a two-year, $40 million deal which has just $23 million guaranteed.

Kuminga, on the other hand, averaged 12.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.1 assists on 47.6%/34.6%/70.2% shooting in 16 regular-season games with the Hawks (22.1 minutes per game). Despite some playoff highlights, Kuminga’s team option was declined by Atlanta who ultimately let him depart in free agency for nothing.

Kuminga will not join arguably the most volatile starting lineup in the league. Edwards is the lone bonafide star on a largely remade roster. Rudy Gobert and Jaden McDaniels return as defensive anchors with McDaniels hoping to build on some explosive playoff performances. However, the Wolves traded two key contributors (Naz Reid and Julius Randle), replacing them with Ball, an All-Star caliber player hampered by injuries and questions about his late-game decisionmaking and defensive effort, and Kuminga an even more unproven piece. Minnesota may be the most high-risk/high-reward team in the Western Conference.

Minor League roundup, August 25: Dalton Wentz with a grand introduction

Dalton Wentz swinging at a pitch in college.
KNOXVILLE, TN - MAY 31: Wake Forest Demon Deacons infielder Dalton Wentz (1) hits the ball during the NCAA Division I Regional Tournament baseball game between the Wake Forest Demon Deacons and the Miami (OH) RedHawks on May 31, 2025, at Lindsey Nelson Stadium in Knoxville, TN. (Photo by Bryan Lynn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

For the final time this year, five of the San Francisco Giants Minor League Baseball affiliates were in action on Tuesday. Let’s jump straight into it.

Link to the 2026 McCovey Chronicles Community Prospect List (CPL)

All listed positions in the roundup are the position played in that particular game.


News

A trio of pitchers are headed to AAA Sacramento from AA Richmond: RHPs Trystan Vrieling, R.J. Dabovich, and Darien Smith.

In less happy news, High-A Eugene RHP Ramon Marquez was placed on the 7-Day IL. Fingers crossed that it’s nothing bad. Richmond shortstop Gavin Kilen (No. 7 CPL) was also placed on the IL, while Low-A San Jose RHP Sam Knowlton was released.


AAA Sacramento (72-52)

Sacramento River Cats beat the Reno Aces (D-Backs) 12-3
Box score

The Giants have a lot of outfielders, and it’s going to create a thorny situation this offseason. Even having traded Heliot Ramos, San Francisco has 7 outfielders on the 40-man roster, and that doesn’t even count Casey Schmitt, who might have pole position for the opening day left field spot.

That number figures to grow in the offseason, too. Bo Davidson (No. 4 CPL) will need to be protected from the Rule 5 Draft and, if he doesn’t debut before then, it sure looks like Scott Bandura will need to be as well.

Bandura, a 7th-round pick in 2023, continued his assault on the league on Tuesday, hitting a nearly-perfect 4-5 with a triple, a walk, a stolen base, and 4 runs batted in.

On the one hand, that’s an absurd day. On the other hand, it’s kind of just the norm with Bandura these days. It was the 12th time this month that he’s had a multi-hit game. It was the 4th game in a row in which he had multiple hits and at least 1 extra-base knock. It gave him a 6-game hitting streak, during which time he’s gone 16-27 with 6 extra-base hits, 2 walks, and 0 strikeouts. It’s given him a 2nd consecutive month with an OPS that begins with a 1.

Let’s run the splits once more on his run in AAA following an early-season promotion:

First 34 games: 31-129, 1 home run, 2 triples, 7 doubles, 8 walks, 28 strikeouts
Next 45 games: 71-181, 7 home runs, 1 triple, 14 doubles, 31 walks, 25 strikeouts

That all adds up to an .896 OPS and a 135 wRC+. Add in the 21 stolen bases (in just 22 attempts) and the solid defense, and that’s a player who will absolutely need to be protected from the Rule 5 Draft … and possibly should be playing ahead of some of the other players on the MLB roster right now. The Giants have already had 4 outfielders make their Major League debuts this season … could that number soon be 5? It sure feels like the lefty has mastered the level.

Were he Rule 5 eligible, we might also be talking about an upcoming debut for third baseman Parks Harber (No. 17 CPL), who has seamlessly handled the transition to AAA. Unlike Davidson and Bandura, who had slow starts and then caught absolute fire, Harber has been more steady, for better and for worse. He’s been extremely solid his entire time in AAA, without ever really struggling too much or going on an absolute heater. There’s a lot to be said for consistency when that consistency is well above average!

Harber had himself a lovely Tuesday, hitting 3-4 with a double, a sacrifice fly, a walk, and a strikeout. He’s now at an .894 OPS and a 133 wRC+ with Sacramento, and through 32 games he’s really been a remarkably balanced offensive package. He’s hitting for average (.313), hitting for power (.180 iso), drawing walks (11.8% rate), and limiting strikeouts (21.7% rate). With him not being Rule 5 eligible and an impending lockout, I’d guess that he stays in Sacramento for the rest of the year.

As for Davidson, he had a very rare hitless day, going 0-4 with a strikeout, but he did draw 2 walks.

Designated hitter Eddys Leonard had an awesome day, hitting 2-2 with a double and 3 walks. He’s no longer on the 40-man roster, so we probably won’t see him back in the Majors, but good to see him putting up nice numbers.

A fairly nondescript pitching performance in a bullpen game. The exciting news was that MLB LHP Matt Gage made his 2nd rehab appearance, and retired all 3 batters he faced, with a strikeout. The fact that Gage has returned to the mound this season at all is a big win, and it looks like we’ll see him back in the Majors soon, too.

RHP Christian Alvarado got stretched to 3 innings of relief and handled them brilliantly, giving up 2 hits, 0 walks, and 0 runs, with 2 strikeouts. The 31-year old has been an excellent story and is settling in to his 1st AAA experience. He could be a factor in the MLB bullpen in 2027.

AA Richmond (71-48)

Richmond Flying Squirrels beat the Portland Sea Dogs (Red Sox) 8-7
Box score

The home run surge continues for first baseman Sabin Ceballos (No. 43 CPL). The just-turned 24-year old, who was a 3rd-round pick by the Braves in 2023 before being shipped to San Francisco in the Jorge Soler deal, went 1-3 in this game, with a walk, a stolen base, a strikeout, and, critically, a solo home run.

A year after Ceballos saw his power shockingly evaporate, the Oregon Duck has tapped back into it in a big way. Last year, Ceballos spent the entire season with Richmond and hit just 6 home runs. This year? He’s already at 16, despite only having 27 more plate appearances.

That power surge is exciting and encouraging but, unfortunately, it’s not really leading to a good overall line, even though the righty draws a ton of walks, too. He has just a .741 OPS on the year which, thanks to the Eastern League’s improved offense this year, is good for just a 104 wRC+, only 2 points over last season’s. Ceballos continues to run an extremely bizarre low-strikeout, low-average profile. Despite striking out just 18.8% of the time, he has a meager .220 batting average, and those numbers were similar last year (17.4% and .232, respectively). That strikeout rate is 21st out of 121 EL hitters with at least 200 plate appearances this year … but the batting average is 95th. Very odd.

Richmond is currently lacking in top prospects, since outfielder Dakota Jordan (No. 5 CPL) and shortstop Gavin Kilen (No. 7 CPL) are both on the IL. So it was up to center fielder Trevor Cohen (No. 15 CPL) to hold it down for the big namers, and hold it down he did. Cohen, last year’s 3rd-round pick, reached base in all 4 of his plate appearances, as he bopped 2 singles and drew 2 walks.

Cohen has been scuffling a bit following a hot start to AA. Over his last 12 games, he’s 9-49 with no home runs, 1 triple, 1 double, 7 walks, and 7 strikeouts. It’s still been a very strong debut at the level, given that this is his 1st full season of pro ball, and that he’s playing excellent outfield defense with 14 stolen bases in 22 AA games. He has a .735 OPS and a 98 wRC+, though those numbers will likely come up given his 118 wRC+ with High-A Eugene.

Fairly uninteresting pitching performance. RHP Trystan Vrieling had another fine-but-not-particularly-good start, as he gave up 2 baserunners per inning, allowing 7 hits (including a home run), 3 walks, and 2 runs in 5 innings, with 5 strikeouts. That’s just kind of been the year for Vrieling, who has been consistently mediocre. In 23 starts this year, the 2022 3rd-rounder (by the Yankees), Vrieling has given up 4 or more earned runs just 5 times, but has a 4.23 ERA and a 5.03 FIP, with just 8.3 strikeouts per 9 innings and 5.3 walks. Just not a ton to be excited about, unfortunately.

Another scoreless outing from LHP Jack Choate (No. 37 CPL), who retired all 3 batters he faced. It was Choate’s 3rd straight game without allowing a hit, and he’s really been strong this year save for one awful game in early July. Walks are the big issue for the funky southpaw right now, as he’s given up 5.9 per 9 innings. The 11.2 strikeouts, however, have helped lead to a 3.05 ERA and a 3.92 FIP.

High-A Eugene (73-47)

Eugene Emeralds beat the Everett AquaSox (Mariners) 10-4
Box score

There were two big stories from two exciting young talents, one on each side of the ball.

In the batter’s box it was second baseman Dalton Wentz, who left the yard for the first time in his young career. Not only that, but he did it in grand fashion … the switch-hitter went 1-3 with 2 walks and a strikeout on the day, and smashed a glorious grand slam in the 1st inning.

Needless to say, that’s a swing that Wentz will never, ever forget! It’s been a slightly slow start for Wentz, which is understandable given that he went straight from college to High-A, with a few months in there to accumulate some rust. The 16th-rounder, who was given a 4th-round sized bonus, is 6-21 through 5 career games, with 2 extra-base hits, 2 walks, and 7 strikeouts. There’s a lot in his bat worth being excited about, though, as that swing is evidence of!

The other excitement came on the mound, courtesy of LHP Jacob Bresnahan (No. 11 CPL). It was one of Bresnahan’s worst games in a while from a run suppression standpoint, as he gave up 4 earned runs. But that certainly doesn’t tell the whole story, as the 21-year old southpaw was otherwise dominant, giving up less than a baserunner per inning (4 hits and 1 walk in 6 frames) while striking out 10 batters. 10!

It was a doubly encouraging start because of how well Bresnahan settled into place. He let the 1st 3 baserunners he faced reach base, and then gave up a 1-out grand slam. And then that was that. He faced 15 more batters and retired 14 of them. He couldn’t be touched.

The grand slam allowed was notable, however, and not just because it put runs on Bresnahan’s sterling ERA, which sits at 2.92 (his FIP is lagging at 4.28). Bresnahan gave up just 2 home runs last year in Low-A, in 93 innings. This year? He’s at 13 already, in just 98.2 frames.

But the good news? Those home runs are really the only bad news. Bresnahan is striking out 10.8 batters per 9 innings, only walking 3.5, and, perhaps most impressively, allowing opponents to hit just .183 against. That’s the 2nd year running that Bresnahan is keep opposing hitters on the interstate! Mighty impressive.

Those were the stars, but there were some other nice performances. Left fielder Walker Martin went 3-4 with a walk, 2 stolen bases, and a strikeout; the 22-year old lefty has a .739 OPS, a 93 wRC+, and 18 stolen bases in 21 attempts. Shortstop Jhonny Level (No. 3 CPL) went 2-5 with a stolen base, a caught stealing, and a strikeout; the 19-year old switch-hitter is rocking an .867 OPS and a 128 wRC+, with 13 stolen bases in 19 attempts. And third baseman Hayden Jatczak hit 2-4 with a walk, a stolen base, 3 runs batted in, and an error; the 25-year old righty has a .685 OPS and an 88 wRC+ through 25 games at the level, with 3 stolen bases in as many attempts.

Low-A San Jose (71-50)

San Jose Giants beat the Visalia Rawhide (D-Backs) 6-5
Box score

An exciting game for the Baby Giants, who used a 4-run rally in the bottom of the 9th to turn a 5-2 deficit into a walk-off win. It was certainly a case of letting the other team grant you a gift, as the inning featured a walk, a hit batter, and 3 wild pitchers … the final of which allowed center fielder Peyton Bonds to score the go-home-happy run.

While it was a tremendously exciting end to the game, it wasn’t a very exciting game from an individual performance standpoint. The offense was mild-mannered, with no extra-base knocks on the day. Bonds had another multi-hit game, though, as he went 2-5 with a strikeout and 2 runs batted in. Barry’s nephew, taken in the 3rd round in July’s draft, went 0-4 in his pro debut, but has gone 2-5 in both games since. A slower transition for second baseman Luke Nixon, the team’s 5th-round pick, who went 1-4 with a strikeout and his 1st career stolen base. Nixon is 1-10 with 3 walks and 5 strikeouts, but hey, he’s got an average now!

Another really nice game for left fielder Broedy Poppell, who went 2-3 with a walk, a strikeout, and a stolen base. It’s been a tough season for last year’s 13th-rounder, but he’s been red hot lately: in his last 7 games, Poppell has hit 12-23 with 7 extra-base hits and 7 walks, bringing his OPS up to .782 and his wRC+ to 100, with 15 stolen bases in as many attempts (impressive success rate!). Right fielder Tanner Mally, July’s 17th-round pick, continues to look comfortable, as he went 1-3 with 1 walk, 2 hit by pitches, 2 stolen bases, and a strikeout. Through 15 games, Mally has a .972 OPS, a 158 wRC+, and 4 stolen bases in as many attempts.

RHP Trey Seeley had a pretty strong day on the mound, cruising through 6 innings while allowing just 3 hits, 1 walk, and 2 runs, with 5 strikeouts, though he gave up a home run. A 14th-round pick out of Hope International a year ago, Seeley has been pretty strong lately, after a slow start to his career. But, despite that, one of the funnier stats in the system took a step forward with this game, as Seeley did a good job limiting hits, but did give up a home run. That has been the season for him, and the numbers are truly shocking: Seeley has given up 42 hits this year with the Baby Giants, and 14 of them have left the park. Add in the home run he allowed in 9 innings in the Complex League, and Seeley has given up 15 big flies this year, which is 4th-most in the entire system. The 48.2 innings pitched? 40th. And that’s how you end up with a 6.84 ERA and a 7.46 FIP across the 2 levels.

Dominican Summer League Black

DSL Giants Black lost to the DSL Padres Gold 8-3
Box score

And with that, the DSL season is over. The Giants Orange team didn’t make the playoffs and, after a nice run, the Giants Black team was eliminated.

It was not for lack of effort by their starting pitcher, RHP Santiago Guerrero. The 19-year old from Mexico capped off an intriguing debut season with a dominant showing, striking out 7 batters in 5 shutout innings, while allowing just 1 hit and 1 walk. What a spectacular game! You don’t see pitching performances like that in the DSL very frequently.

Guerrero, who ended the regular season strong, finished the season (which doesn’t include his pair of postseason starts) with a 3.34 ERA but a 6.04 FIP. Including the postseason, he struck out 49 batters in 43 innings … but walked 38. There was a lot to love, but a lot to work on in his 2nd season.

Right fielder Vinicius Dos Santos had a pinch hit home run, which was notable since it was just his 2nd career home run in 3 seasons. Center fielder Djean Macares went 2-4 with a walk and 2 stolen bases. The 18-year old from Aruba finished his 2nd season with an .828 OPS, a 121 wRC+, 26 stolen bases, and a 9.7% strikeout rate … my guess would be that this was his final game in the DSL.


Home run tracker

16 — Sabin Ceballos — [AA]
2 — Vinicius Dos Santos — [DSL]
1 — Dalton Wentz — [High-A]


Wednesday schedule

Sacramento: 6:35 p.m. PT at Reno (SP: TBD)
Richmond: 4:05 p.m. PT vs. Portland (SP: Yunior Marte)
Eugene: 7:05 p.m. PT at Everett (SP: Henry Lalane)
San Jose: 6:30 p.m. PT vs. Visalia (SP: Argenis Cayama)

Reminder that almost all MiLB games can be viewed on MLB TV

St. Louis Cardinals vs Baltimore Orioles Game Discussion Wednesday Night

ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - JULY 23: Michael McGreevy #36 of the St. Louis Cardinals delivers a pitch against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the first inning at Busch Stadium on July 23, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) | Getty Images

It’s game 2 of the St. Louis Cardinals playing host to the Baltimore Orioles Wednesday night. Michael McGreevy gets the start for the Cardinals while the Orioles will send Kyle Bradish to the mound. First pitch is scheduled for 6:45pm central time at Busch Stadium while the game broadcast is available via Cardinals.tv.

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