Aug 26, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays right fielder Nathan Lukes (38) gets doused with a sport drink after a win over the Kansas City Royals at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Royals 0 Blue Jays 3
I don’t like bullpen days, but teams are very successful on bullpen days. And the Jays have been especially successful on bullpen days.
I don’t like them because we go through so many pitchers. It messes up the pen for the next few days. Today we used seven pitchers. Seven:
Spencer Miles pitched the first two innings, giving up two hits with one strikeout. He had a bit of a tough start to it, I was worried he wouldn’t get out of the first for a bit there, but he was just terrific.
Brendon Little got the first two outs of the third inning, giving out two walks, one intentional (I was ok with it, considering it was Bobby Witt and a single and a strikeout.
Chad Dallas came in with 2 out and bases loaded and got Sal Perez to strikeout. He would pitch 2.1 more innings, without giving up a base runner, and getting 4 strikeouts. Amazing job.
Mason Fluharty came in with one out in the sixth. He got out of that inning, and got the first out of the seventh.
Paul Sewald came in with one out and got a fly out and a line out.
Tyler Rogers started the eighth. He got the first two outs, but gave up a single and a second singled that went right thru Vlad’s legs. 102 mph, so there wasn’t much time for reaction. I remember doing a physics problem in high school about Bobby Hull (yes I’m old) shooting at 100 mph, if the goalie had a reaction time of .5 of a second how far out would Hull have to be for the goalie to move before the puck went by him. It was slightly beyond the blue line. But athletes have better reaction times than that.
Louis Varland came in with the tying run at the plate and got Jac Caglianone to ground out. In the ninth, he got two outs, then gave up a double and a single, before striking out Isaac Collins to end the game. No stress.
On offense, well, all the offense was a fourth inning home run by Nathan Lukes, with George Springer (single) and Jesús Sánchez (single) on base. Nathan wanted out forgiveness for yesterday and he got it. 390 feet to right center.
We only had 6 hits and 1 walk, but it was enough. Sánchez had two hits. Kirk, Okamoto (with a walk), Clement and Giménez had 0 fors.
Jays of the Day: Lukes (0.21 WPA), Dallas (0.21) and Sánchez (0.12). Let’s give honourable mention to Varland.
Other Award: Okamoto (-0.10).
Lukes didn’t seem to want the water poured on him after the game.
Tomorrow we have game three with the Royals. It is another 7:00 Eastern game. Noah Cameron (8-8, 4.02) takes time away from building the Ark. Spencer Arrighetti (7-6, 4.73) starts for the Jays. I think we should call him Pirate Spaghetti.
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - JUNE 29: Matthew Mayich celebrates after being selected 170th overall pick by the St. Louis Blues during the 2023 Upper Deck NHL Draft at Bridgestone Arena on June 29, 2023 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
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TEMPE, Ariz. — An Arizona State hockey player and St. Louis Blues draft pick remained hospitalized Wednesday after collapsing during an offseason workout.
Defenseman Matthew Mayich collapsed during an outdoor workout last Thursday with what paramedics called a “heat-related illness.”
Arizona State is investigating the incident.
“The entire Blues organization is keeping Matthew Mayich close to our hearts as we pray for his comfort and recovery while he continues to undergo medical treatment in Arizona,” Doug Armstrong, Blues president of hockey operations, said in a statement. “His agent has kept us informed about Matthew’s medical status over the last week and we extend our deepest support to his family, friends and teammates during this difficult time.”
The Blues drafted Mayich in the sixth round of the 2023 NHL draft but he never signed an entry-level contract. The Stoney Creek, Ontario, native played four seasons with the Ottawa 67’s of the Ontario Hockey League before playing at Clarkson University last season.
Mayich transferred to Arizona State for the upcoming season.
The number 36 has seen a lot of players come and go over the course of the San Jose Sharks' relatively short history. There have been eight different people to wear it during their time in the Bay Area, but today we'll take a look at one of the most recent: Kaapo Kahkonen.
Kahkonen's professional hockey journey began overseas, as he spent a few seasons in his native Finland's Liiga after being selected in the fourth round of the 2014 NHL Draft by the Minnesota Wild. He made the move to North America during the 2018-19 season and joined the Wild's American Hockey League affiliate, the Iowa Wild. The following season, he established himself as a reliable backup behind Cam Talbot, but when the Wild brought in another veteran netminder, Marc-Andre Fleury, toward the end of the 2021-22 season, they traded Kahkonen to San Jose.
Kahkonen had a strong start in the Bay Area, registering a .916 save percentage and 2.86 goals-against average despite a 2-6-1 record in his 11-game stint to close out the 2021-22 season.
The following season, his numbers took a nosedive as he had a career-worst .883 save percentage and a 3.85 goals-against average. That trend continued the following season, which would become his last in San Jose. Ahead of the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline, the Sharks sent Kahkonen to the New Jersey Devils, where he finished the season.
Since departing the Sharks organization, Kahkonen has spent time with the Devils, Colorado Avalanche, Winnipeg Jets, Florida Panthers, and Montreal Canadiens organizations, although most of it has been spent in the AHL. He's set to return to the Canadiens' affiliate, the Laval Rocket, this coming season.
The Golden State Warriors won't leave any shadow of a doubt that they want their franchise leader Stephen Curry to finish his career in the Bay Area.
Curry officially becomes extension-eligible on Saturday, Aug. 29 and sign a deal that takes him into the twilight of his career. That's been the dialogue.
General manager Mike Dunleavy publicly expressed that Curry playing with the Warriors until he hangs up the jersey has always been the message in their conversations.
"That's always been sort of what we discussed, and I think that's you know tracking quite well," Dunleavy told reporters earlier this month. "Obviously, he's eligible for an extension coming up at the end of this month, and you know we'll talk through all that stuff and can't speak on it much right now."
Both sides are expected to "engage with a mutual desire to keep Curry with the Warriors for the entirety of his career," according to ESPN's Anthony Slater.
Curry, 38, is on a one-year veteran extension contract that he signed last August that pays him $62.5 million in the 2026-27 season, according to Spotrac.
The Warriors have rounded out their roster with their two remaining spots after signing veteran forward Georges Niang and fifth-year backup guard Brandon Williams to a Golden State nucleus that returned many of its players from the previous season.
With five weeks to go until training camp and a roster now completely filled, the next thing is securing Curry's legacy remains with the Warriors. A task, which has been reassured by the team, will indeed happen.
"I'm pretty confident Steph will finish his career here," Dunleavy said.
Aug 26, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (27) puts the home run jacket onto right fielder Nathan Lukes (38) after his three run home run against the Kansas City Royals during the fourth inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Kansas City had only a few opportunities to score and did not manage to cash in on any of them while the Blue Jays got one ball over the wall. It was enough to get a 3-0 victory and tie the series. The Royals 9-game win streak is at an end.
The Toronto bullpen took over tonight due to Shane Bieber’s move to the IL. They seemed to have the Royals’ number no matter which arm ran out there. The only real threat Kansas City could muster in the early part of the game was in the third when Tyler Tobert led off with a single followed by a Carter Jensen walk to get some runners set up for Bobby Witt. A double steal moved the runners to 2nd and 3rd, which allowed the Blue Jays an open base to intentionally walk Witt and load the bases. Was it a mistake to steal and take the bat out of Bobby’s hands? Possibly. Jac Caglianone and Salvador Perez both struck out to strand all three.
Toronto was not putting tons of pressure on Randy Dobnak either. He had one base runner per inning until the fourth when the Jays managed to land the first blow of the game. George Springer leadoff with a single up the middle, which was followed by a broken bat bloop from Jesus Sanchez. Dobnak got an out and looked like he might get out of the situation, but Nathan Lukes got ahold of one and drove a 3-run homer to right. It was the second and final time they had runners in scoring position for the night, so it was a solid night of Royals pitching. A little bad luck plus a misplaced changeup did them in.
Dobnak managed to stay in there for the quality start finishing with a line of 6IP, 6H, BB, 5K, 3ER. He continues to give the Royals solid outings and has been a fantastic pickup on the cheap.
In the 8th inning, Carter Jensen finally got KC a hit after 16 consecutive batters failed to reach base after the bases loaded situation in the 3rd. If you are mad at me for a relatively light word count on this writeup, that is why. Bobby kept the two-out rally going and moved Jensen to third with a hard shot that took a weird hop right past Vlad Gurrero Jr. That brought in Louis Varland for a four out save. He has been one of the best relievers in baseball this season racking up almost 70 innings already with a sparkling ERA and peripherals to match. He retired Cags on one pitch to end the threat and then would return to try and finish the job in the 9th.
Meanwhile, Mason Black had a clean 7th after taking over for Dobnak and stayed in there for the 8th, which was another perfect inning. It was the first time Black entered the game and did not give up a run since June 7th!
Varland took care of Sal and Vinnie to start the ninth and bring the game down to the last out. Nick Loftin had other ideas. He hit a ball to the right center gap to get the Royals another scoring opportunity. John Rave almost scored him by singling up the middle, but Andres Giminez cut it off before it could get into center setting up first and third and bringing the tying run to the plate in the form of Isaac Collins. That is where it ended with Collins striking out to bring an end to the game and the win streak.
The Royals and Blue Jays will decide the series in Canada tomorrow when Noah Cameron takes on Spencer Arrighetti.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - AUGUST 26: Sonny Gray #54 of the Boston Red Sox delivers during the first inning against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot park on August 26, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Red Sox took care of business by securing the series win in Miami Tuesday night. As a result, Boston kept Adley Rutschman and Willson Contreras off their feet Wednesday night as the Marlins, still in the NL Wild Card race, salvaged the finale with a 4-0 final. While the four errors on the night are mildly concerning after a few straight games of them, that should get cleaned up. The focus shifts to big weekend plans in New York.
Here’s three takeaways from Wednesday night’s loss.
CEDDANNE ALMOST MADE THIS HAPPEN
While the defensive chaos of this play should not be celebrated, how on earth did Rafaela almost make this a remarkable play at the plate?
SONNY STILL SOLID Sonny Gray took the mound in search of his 17th win of the season. He pitched well, he just didn’t have the (or any) necessary run support required to get there.
Gray surrendered just two earned runs on seven hits while striking out five Marlins in five innings. That’s more than good enough to win, but ultimately (and no harm in doing so) the Red Sox punted to get revved up for the weekend in The Bronx.
BE READY FOR THE BRONX
The Red Sox will trot out Patrick Sandoval, Jake Bennett and Ranger Suarez against the Yankees, who pushed Cam Schiltler back to throw against Boston. The Red Sox are still TBD for the nightcap of Saturday’s doubleheader.
Starting Wednesday, the Red Sox trailed the Yankees by just 1 1/2 games for the top Wild Card spot. This weekend’s four-game set should go a long way in determining who could eventually host a potential first-round rematch entering October.
Mike Breen might have been a little too starstruck when he was in the Mets locker room during the halcyon days of 1986.
Breen, the avid Mets fan and Knicks play-by-play announcer on MSG Network, joined the SNY booth in the middle innings of Wednesday’s game against the Brewers and told the tale of how Keith Hernandez made him nervous.
Breen explained on the broadcast that he was working with WNBC radio during the ’86 playoff run. And even though Hernandez was known as a great quote and a favorite of the media, Breen was still, as an early career journalist, intimidated.
Mike Breen says he tried to interview Keith during the 1986 playoffs when he was a reporter for WNBC radio:
Mike Breen (r) is interviewed by former Major League Baseball player Todd Zeile before the game between the Brewers and the Mets at Citi Field on Aug. 26, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
“I called you Mr. Hernandez, which I realize was a mistake at the time,” Breen told Hernandez and Gary Cohen, who shared a few laughs over the retelling.
“I tried to ask a question, and you wouldn’t answer the question, but the writers were glad because they didn’t want the radio reporters there,” Breen continued. “I couldn’t tell you how intimidated I was, first off, because I was standing in front of Keith Hernandez. … You were a great quote back then, writers loved you. But I was 25, probably looked 17, and I was scared.”
Breen also revealed during the Mets’ World Series Game 6 against the Red Sox, he was also in the Red Sox radio booth as most of the Shea Stadium press areas were swarmed with members of the media.
As Mookie Wilson’s grounder went through Bill Buckner’s legs in the bottom of the 10th inning, Breen said he “lost any professional conduct” and the Sox announcers were “not happy” as he jumped up and down.
Keith Hernandez (17) celebrates after the Mets’ win over the Red Sox in Game 7 of the World Series at Shea Stadium on Oct. 27, 1986. Sports Illustrated via Getty Ima
“I can’t believe I’m sitting here. I’m like a kid in a candy store,” Breen said. “You guys have no idea how fun this has been for me tonight. I got to meet Sean Manaea, who I’m such a big fan of. I got to meet Zac Thornton, who I’m so impressed with. This is a big deal — I was on the field!”
Mets third baseman Bo Bichette exited Wednesday's game against the Milwaukee Brewers in the top of the fifth inning with a left foot contusion, the team announced.
Bichette, New York's No. 3 hitter, was 0-for-1 with a walk at the plate before getting replaced by Christopher Morel in the lineup. Morel entered the game playing left field while Brett Baty moved from LF to 3B.
After the game, interim manager Andy Green spoke about Bichette's health:
"I think [he’s] fine. He’s got a contusion on his ankle from the foul ball. X-rays were negative," he said. "We’ll see where he’s at when he wakes up in the morning, you never really know how it is until the next day but we’re hoping he’s fine."
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - JUNE 02: Serge Ibaka #9 of the Oklahoma City Thunder reacts in the third quarter while taking on the San Antonio Spurs in Game Four of the Western Conference Finals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at Chesapeake Energy Arena on June 2, 2012 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. 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 Brett Deering/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We are deep into the doldrums of the NBA off season with over a month to go until training camp. To fill in the gap, we have enjoyed doing bracket-style tournaments over the years, and this year, we will be determining who the biggest Spurs villain of all time is. With the help of you and our staff, we have created four categories of eight for a total of 32 participants. Readers will vote for the biggest villain in a poll, and the winner of each match-up will advance to the next round, with the eventual winner crowned as the Biggest Spurs Villain of all time. Here are the four categories:
Spurs Killers — players who have ruined playoff series and/or made devastating shots or plays that will haunt our minds for all eternity. (Note: this is not necessarily superstars who gave everyone trouble all the time, but a few are included for specific events.)
Former Spurs — players who once played for the Spurs but became villains either because of betrayal, trash talk, they hate on the Spurs, etc.
Dirty Players — players who committed dirty plays against the Spurs, injured (or attempted to injure) a Spur or altered a playoff match-up, and we will never forgive them.
Spurs Haters — a more open category that can include players as well as coaches, owners, etc. from outside the organization who openly and publicly trashed the Spurs for various reasons.
Today, we are starting with Round 1 of Spurs Killers. Without further ado, let’s get voting!
1. Derek Fisher vs. 8. Chris Paul
These two need no introduction. First we have Derek Fisher, who across multiple teams and playoff series gave the Spurs plenty of trouble. Most infamously was the still-controversial 0.4 shot in ‘04, which came right after a huge shot by Tim Duncan to take the lead with 0.4 second left, and won the crucial Game 5 of the Western Conference Semi-finals for the Lakers and eventually the series, ending the Spurs’ chance of a repeat and giving them a series loss to the Lakers in three out of the last four years. To this day, questions linger if the clock started on time, and there was even a 0.4 rule created that stated it is physically impossible to get a jump shot off in less than 0.4 sec, and anything less means a player can only tip the ball.
But that isn’t all Fisher has done. There was also the Spurs’ 2008 loss to the Lakers in the Conference Finals, which again ended their chance at the elusive repeat. A big argument can be made that he fouled Brent Barry on the game-winning attempt of Game 4, which sent the series back to LA with the Spurs down 3-1. And of course, he was a pest in their 2012 Conference Finals loss to the Thunder, although the biggest pest of that series is also on this list.
Then there’s Chris Paul, who was always a thorn in the Spurs’ side and constantly battled with Tony Parker for the title of top PG in the West, if not the league. His lower seed is aided by the fact that the Spurs usually still had his number (despite a grueling seven-game series victory over the Hornets in 2008) and being a Spur himself just a season ago, but he still had his moment in Game 7 of the first round of 2015, hitting a prayer over Duncan to win the series and again spoil the Spurs’ chance at a repeat. (I see a theme developing here…)
4. Serge Ibaka vs. 5. Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby
These two could probably be seeded either way, but that’s what voting is for. (Personally, I’m still a bit more bothered by 2012 than 2026; perhaps it’s a case of “running out of time” vs. “we’re just getting started”.) In the fourth seed, we have the aforementioned Spurs killer of 2012. They had been on a historic 20-game winning streak, including the last 10 games of the regular season and first 10 of the playoffs before hitting a brick wall against the Thunder in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals.
A big part of that was the play of prime Serge Ibaka, whose athleticism proved to be their kryptonite. (The Thunder even chose him over James Harden in free agency after this series, in case anyone forgot.) The Spurs just couldn’t do anything right the rest of the series, flaming out in spectacular fashion. They would later run into the same Thunder team in the 2014 WCF and face a similar scenario of going 2-2 in the first four games. This time they pulled it out in Games 5 and 6, but Ibaka missed the first two games and was then limited by a calf strain.
As for the fifth seed, I struggled whether to go with one player or the 2026 Knicks in general (they were just a bad matchup), but it was these two in particular who sank the Spurs (beyond their own mistakes). Brunson didn’t have a great shooting series overall but always came up clutch in their fourth-quarter comebacks, and Anunoby handed the Spurs the devastating blow in Game 4 by tipping in Brunson’s missed three just before the buzzer, capping off a 33-point night and handing the Spurs the biggest blown lead in Finals history of 29 points.
2. Ray Allen vs. 7. Dirk Nowitzki
Again, no introduction needed. “The Shot” by Ray Allen in Game 6 of the 2013 Finals remains one of the most iconic plays in Finals history and the one that haunts my mind the most. The Spurs had that championship all but clinched, Heat fans were leaving the arena, and staff was setting up for the trophy ceremony before a couple of Spurs blunders (players and coaching) combined with this devastating shot off an offensive rebound sent the game to overtime and the Spurs too stunned to recover. At least it led to The Redemption of 2014.
As for Nowitzki, he wasn’t a Spurs killer all the time since they had Tim Duncan to counter him, but there certainly were some epic playoff match-ups between the rival Spurs and Mavs. 2003 could have gone differently if Dirk was healthy, and both teams traded blows in 2009 and 2010, with the lower seed upsetting the upper in each case. The Mavs also gave the Spurs a good wakeup call in 2014, but his real killer moment came in 2006. Maybe it was more the Spurs’ fault (hence the lower seed), but in Game 7 of the second round, with the Spurs up by three late, Manu Ginobili made the mistake of fouling Nowitzki on a two-point attempt. He converted the three-point play, and the Mavs went on to win the series in overtime, AGAIN costing the Spurs a chance to repeat.
3. Hakeem Olajuwon vs. 6. Zach Randolph
We’re looking back a little further to 1995 for the first one, when the 6th-seeded (but defending champion) Houston Rockets, led by Hakeem Olajuwon, spoiled the Spurs’ only real shot at a title pre-Tim Duncan. Feeling snubbed by David Robinson winning MVP, The Dream dominated and out-performed The Admiral in a WCF upset, averaging 35.3 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game compared to Robinson’s 23.8 points and 11.3 rebounds. Even though he won two championships with Duncan a few years later, it remains a stain on David’s legacy that he never won one on his own.
Finally, we have the Spurs’ biggest playoff upset of all time, when they lost as the top seed to the 8th-seeded Memphis Grizzlies in Round 1 in 2011. It’s another case of we could just say “2011 Grizzlies”, but Randolph was the real killer, with his physical play in the low post exposing a size mismatch that the already-injured Spurs struggled to contain. (Reminder: Manu was their best player that year but was playing through a broken elbow.) On the upside, it forced a few changes: Duncan realized he needed to transform his body to keep up, and the Spurs realized they needed more size and defense, leading Gregg Popovich to move away from DeJuan Blair to Tiago Splitter (albeit too late for this series) and the draft-night trade for Kawhi Leonard.
Nelson had two coaching stints with the Warriors (1988-1995 and 2006-2010) and had 422 regular-season victories with the franchise.
During his Golden State tenure, the Warriors reached the playoffs six times and made it to the Western Conference finals three times.
Prior to coaching Golden State, Nelson had a successful tenure with the Bucks, leading Milwaukee to a 540-344 record from November 1976 to May 1987.
In 2010, Nelson became the NBA’s all-time winningest coach and eventually fell to second on that list in 2022, when Gregg Popovich surpassed him. Nelson had 1,335 regular-season victories, and Popovich had 1,390.
Former Golden State Warriors head coach Don Nelson to be honored by the team in 2026 NBA season. Getty Images
Although Nelson never won an NBA Finals, one of his most iconic moments as a coach came in 2007 when he sparked his Golden State team with “We believe.” The Warriors eliminated a 67-win Mavericks team from the playoffs and became the first eighth-seeded team to eliminate a top-seeded team in a seven-game playoff series.
The game differential of the Warriors over the Mavericks went on to become the largest by a team to do so in a playoff series.
Nelson’s final major contribution to the Warriors came in 2009, when he laid the foundation for the franchise’s dynasty.
Golden State Warriors, Steph Curry during an NBA game against the New York Knicks. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
At the time, it was viewed as a “long shot,” but the Warriors selected Steph Curry with the seventh overall pick of the 2009 NBA Draft based on Nelson’s recommendation. The franchise went on to win four NBA titles in 2015, 2018, 2018 and 2022 behind the game’s greatest shooter.
Roki Sasaki exited the fourth inning of his start against the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday, Aug. 26 with Los Angeles Dodgers training staff attending to a blister on his right middle finger as he walked off the mound.
Sasaki was having a solid outing as he gave up just one earned run through his first three innings of work, but things started to unravel in the fourth inning. Ozzie Albies got on board with a leadoff walk and immediately stole second. He then moved over to third on a single from Mike Yastrzemski before scoring on a sac fly from Austin Riley. On the next at-bat, Sasaki left a second-pitch slider over the outer part of the plate for Sean Murphy, who lined it into center field for a double.
With runners on third and second and just one out, trainers went out to the mound with pitching coach Mark Prior to take a look at Sasaki before ultimately deciding to pull the 24-year-old right-hander from the game.
The Dodgers later confirmed that Sasaki was removed with a blister in his middle finger on his throwing hand. The Braves immediately capitalized on having two runners in scoring position after Teoscar Hernández misplayed a line drive from Drake Baldwin in left field as he crashed into the wall. Both runners came in to score to give Atlanta a 4-3 lead.
Roki Sasaki injury update
After the Dodgers' 6-5 walk-off loss, manager Dave Roberts told reporters that Sasaki would be heading to the injured list.
"It was a pretty good blister. It just came out of nowhere," Roberts said. "It's going to be an IL. I think that there's just no way we can avoid it given the severity of the blister."
Roki Sasaki leaves the game against the Atlanta Braves during the fourth inning Wednesday. (Erik S. Lesser / Associated Press)
The gathering on the Truist Park mound kept growing. At first, Dodgers right-hander Roki Sasaki was visited by pitching coach Mark Prior and catcher Hunter Feduccia, with the help of interpreter Will Ireton. Then, Prior summoned head athletic trainer Thomas Albert. Then, they called out manager Dave Roberts, who eventually made the pitching change.
The group had been examining the middle finger on Sasaki’s right hand. And the Dodgers later announced Sasaki had exited their 6-5 loss to the Braves in the fourth inning with a blister on that finger.
That might explain why Sasaki, who was charged with four runs and six hits in 3 ⅓ innings, didn’t look as sharp Wednesday against the Braves as he had been in the rest of his impressive second-half stretch. Sasaki entered the day with a 2.19 ERA in six starts since the All-Star break.
His efficiency Wednesday wavered, and he exited after 66 pitches. After Sasaki gave up a solo home run to Matt Olson in the first inning, the outing began to devolve in the fourth.
Sasaki walked Ozzie Albies to open the inning. Then he surrendered a single to Mike Yastrzemski, a sacrifice fly to Austin Riley and a double to Sean Murphy. Then Prior came out to check on him.
Right-handed reliever Edgardo Henriquez replaced Sasaki, inheriting two baserunners. Both scored when Dodgers left fielder Teoscar Hernández overran Drake Baldwin’s deep fly ball down the line, for a go-ahead double.
The Dodgers (80-53) never led again. Though they tied the score in the seventh, they squandered a bases-loaded opportunity the next inning. And in the ninth, closer Tanner Scott, the fifth Dodgers reliever to take the mound, surrendered a walk-off single to pinch-hitter Ha-Seong Kim.
Regardless of whether the blister will affect Sasaki’s next start, the 24-year-old right-hander is in an interesting position about a month away from the playoffs.
Barring an unexpected extended absence, Sasaki will remain an important part of the Dodgers’ rotation in the final month of the season. But as things stand in that starting group, there doesn’t appear to be room for him in the postseason rotation.
While the Dodgers have carried a six-man rotation for much of the regular season, it’s down to five since the Dodgers put left-hander Justin Wrobleski on the IL a week and a half ago and later moved lefty Eric Lauer to the bullpen in a multi-inning role. But in the playoffs, they only need four starters.
The next four days will provide a preview, with right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Thursday in the series finale against the Braves), left-hander Tarik Skubal (making his Detroit return Friday), lefty Blake Snell (Saturday), and likely some combination of two-way star Shohei Ohtani and/or Tyler Glasnow (Sunday) all lined up.
Ozzie Albies steals second base as Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts leaps for the ball in the fourth inning Wednesday. (Erik S. Lesser / Associated Press)
That fourth and final playoff rotation spot will be the one to follow as the season winds down.
Ohtani is scheduled to throw a bullpen session Friday in Detroit, Roberts said, after which the Dodgers will finalize his schedule for the rest of the weekend.
“Right now, I don’t think anyone knows how any day looks until he throws that bullpen on Friday,” Roberts said before the game Wednesday.
Ohtani returning to pitching Sunday is still in play, Roberts confirmed. And Glasnow is also lined up for Sunday.
When Ohtani returns to the mound, it will be in a super-opener role, as he continues to build up. And if he and Glasnow piggyback on Sunday, it’ll be a preview of a possible postseason setup.
If Ohtani is able to build up to a full starter’s load — pitching Sunday rather than Tuesday would give him the chance to make up to five starts before the end of the regular season — the Dodgers could have a more difficult decision at the back end of their rotation.
So, with five pitchers already penciled in for four postseason rotation spots, Sasaki is in line to pitch out of the bullpen in the postseason, along with Wrobleski, a 2026 All-Star who is expected to take on a relief role as soon as he returns from the injured list.
Exactly what that will look like for Sasaki is unclear. And because the Dodgers need him in the rotation down the stretch, even late-September games aren’t guaranteed to provide hints.
Last postseason, Sasaki served as the Dodgers’ closer, a role he could thrive in again. But this year, as Edwin Díaz has struggled in the 16 appearances he’s made between IL stints, Scott has stayed healthy, unlike last year, and earned Roberts’ trust in save situations.
Before sorting out all of that, Sasaki has to get through this blister issue.
On Tuesday night, Fulmer was at LaGuardia Airport, waiting through a layover and ready to travel to Worcester to meet up with the Yankees’ Triple-A team.
He had just signed with the Yankees, who all of a sudden had holes to fill in their injury-riddled bullpen.
And before he got on his connecting flight, the Yankees called him and told him to leave the airport and come join the big league team in New York, rather than head to the minors.
It’s the latest stop on what seems like a never-ending tour around the league for Fulmer — one that he’d like to now result in a more permanent home.
“Just trying to figure out what teams want,” Fulmer said. “This will be my seventh organization in the last two years, unfortunately. I’ve been around the whole country just trying to find a place to stick.”
Fulmer, the 2016 Rookie of the Year and 2017 All-Star with the Tigers, has already been released by the Giants and Angels this season.
Mets fans will remember him as a former top prospect whom the team memorably traded to the Tigers in exchange for Yoenis Céspedes at the 2015 deadline.
The Yankees signed Michael Fulmer. Getty Images
Céspedes helped carry the Mets to the World Series that year, while Fulmer turned into a solid starter for the Tigers.
“Being a visiting player, you’re playing the Yankees — everybody dreams of it, everybody dreams to play in Yankee Stadium,” Fulmer said. “It’s good to be on this side of it.”
But after undergoing his second Tommy John surgery, which forced him to miss the entire 2024 season, he has been unable to stick anywhere the past two years.
He made three appearances with the Angels this year, tossing 3 ²/₃ scoreless innings. He’s recorded a 2.93 ERA across 43 innings in Triple-A this year.
“I’m excited to get him here,” Boone said. “Obviously, it’s a guy that’s got a lot of experience, had a lot of success in the big leagues, has been through a lot on the injury front. … He’s a guy that’s had a good season and is throwing the ball well and hopefully he can come here and grab a role. There’s opportunity there.”
That opportunity, and some promising results this year despite being released, has Fulmer staving off retirement thoughts.
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“I told [my wife] I couldn’t live with myself feeling this healthy and throwing the ball this well, to give up quite yet,” Fulmer said. “Hope it’s an opportunity for something in the long run.”
Michael Fulmer was at LaGuardia Airport on Tuesday night, waiting through a layover and ready to travel to Worcester to meet up with the Yankees’ Triple-A team.
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Before he got on his connecting flight, the Yankees called him and told him to leave the airport and come join the big league team in New York, rather than head to the minors.
It’s the latest stop on what seems like a never-ending tour around the league for Fulmer — one that he’d like to now result in a more permanent home.
“Just trying to figure out what teams want,” Fulmer said before the game against the Astros on Wednesday night in The Bronx. “This will be my seventh organization in the last two years, unfortunately. I’ve been around the whole country just trying to find a place to stick.”
The Yankees placed Fernando Cruz on the injured list Wednesday with right elbow discomfort amid a few rough outings for their previously reliable reliever. It created an opening for Fulmer to immediately be activated and have a bullpen role in which he can potentially make this more than a short-term destination.
Fulmer, the 2016 Rookie of the Year and an All-Star in 2017 with the Tigers, has already been released by the Giants and Angels this season. Mets fans will remember him as a former top prospect whom the team memorably dealt to the Tigers in exchange for Yoenis Cespedes at the 2015 trade deadline. Cespedes helped carry the Mets to the World Series that year, while Fulmer turned into a solid starter for the Tigers.
“Being a visiting player, you’re playing the Yankees — everybody dreams of it, everybody dreams to play in Yankee Stadium,” Fulmer said. “It’s good to be on this side of it.”
But after undergoing his second Tommy John surgery, which forced him to miss the entire 2024 season, he has been unable to stick anywhere the past two years. He made three appearances with the Angels this year, tossing 3 ²/₃ scoreless innings. He’s recorded a 2.93 ERA across 43 innings in Triple-A this year.
“I’m excited to get him here,” manager Aaron Boone said. “Obviously, it’s a guy that’s got a lot of experience, had a lot of success in the big leagues, has been through a lot on the injury front. … He’s a guy that’s had a good season and is throwing the ball well and hopefully he can come here and grab a role. There’s opportunity there.”
That opportunity, and some promising results this year despite being released, have Fulmer staving off retirement thoughts.
“I told [my wife] I couldn’t live with myself feeling this healthy and throwing the ball this well to give up quite yet,” Fulmer said. “Hope it’s an opportunity for something in the long run.”
Eeli Tolvanen remains without a contract, but the former Seattle Kraken winger apparently isn't short on options.
More than seven weeks into free agency, Tolvanen is still waiting to find his next NHL home. According to Pacific North Hockey's Rob Simpson, Tolvanen's camp has been in contact with multiple teams about a potential deal, although nothing has progressed far enough to put pen to paper.
One team that doesn't appear to be in the mix is Seattle, where he's spent the last three seasons.
The Kraken moved on this offseason, adding forwards Mackie Samoskevich and Curtis Douglas while also likely expecting more from RFA winger Jacob Melanson. Melanson brings a physical element Seattle could use after Tolvanen averaged 211 hits per season over the past three years.
The Hockey News has also heard some rumblings connecting Tolvanen to the Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks and even the Montreal Canadiens. There appears to be interest, but with training camps only a few weeks away, the fact that Tolvanen remains unsigned isn't exactly an encouraging sign.
The 27-year-old reached the 30-point mark in each of his three seasons with the Kraken, but his production dipped last season, when he finished with 12 goals and 36 points in 78 games. His 24 assists, however, were just one shy of the career high he established the previous season. So perhaps there's something we don't know.
And it wasn't long ago that Tolvanen looked like a particularly valuable middle-six piece. He scored 23 goals in 2024-25 and has shown he can provide offense while bringing a willingness to play a physical game despite being a little undersized.
That combination should still make him an appealing option for teams looking to round out their lineup.
A one-year deal could make more sense for Tolvanen. He would get another opportunity to prove himself, potentially rebuild his offensive numbers and return to the market next summer with more leverage.
For now, the former Kraken remains unsigned, and his window to land the kind of contract he was hoping for is closing rapidly.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - AUGUST 26: Roki Sasaki #11 of the Los Angeles Dodgers is pulled from the game due to an injury during the fourth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on August 26, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Roki Sasaki was forced to exit Wednesday’s game against the Atlanta Braves in the bottom of the fourth inning due to a blister to his right middle finger, the Dodgers announced.
Roki Sasaki left tonight’s game with a blister in his middle finger.
Sasaki had completed three innings of one-run ball against Atlanta before allowing three baserunners and a sacrifice fly to cut the Dodgers lead down to one run. The final hitter Sasaki faced was catcher Sean Murphy, who doubled to right field before Mark Prior and Will Ireton paid Sasaki a mound visit. Thomas Albert was called out of the Dodger dugout to examine Sasaki, and the right-hander was pulled after 66 pitches over 3 1/3 innings. He was later charged for four earned runs after a double from Drake Baldwin.
Wednesday was the shortest outing for Sasaski since the All-Star break, and the four runs charged to him were the most of any of his seven second half starts. Sasaki now has a 3.05 ERA since his start against the New York Yankees on July 17, while his season ERA now sits at 4.60 over 23 starts.
