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On The Horizon: Cubs vs. Mariners series preview

SEATTLE — Yes, I’ve made the trip to the Pacific Northwest for this three-game series. If you’re going to the games check BCB social media later, I’ll post my seat location.

The Mariners made the ALCS last year and came within an agonizing Game 7 of making their first World Series.

Now they’re struggling to stay near .500.

Also of interest, especially with all the rain in Chicago this summer: The Cubs’ next six games will be indoors, in Seattle and Arizona.

For more on the Mariners, here’s Kate Preusser, manager of our SB Nation Mariners site Lookout Landing.

There are a lot of bad Mariners seasons to compare it to, and obviously recency bias is a thing, but it’s hard to think of a worse season from a Mariners fan perspective. After advancing further in the playoffs than ever before last season, the Mariners — and their fans — came in to 2026 with understandably high expectations. The team had what most fans considered a solid off-season, as well, replacing Jorge Polanco and Eugenio Suarez with Brendan Donovan, coming to terms on a long-term deal with trade deadline acquisition and immediate fan favorite Josh Naylor, and adding depth to the bullpen. These improvements, along with a young core, strong farm system, and weakened AL West, made the Mariners early pre-season favorites for a repeat run into the postseason.

Instead, everything that could go wrong, has. Donovan has missed most of the year after re-injuring the same injury that kept him out last year. That and injuries to J.P. Crawford forced the promotion of top prospect Colt Emerson before he had significant seasoning at Triple-A, and the young shortstop struggled, eventually being returned to Triple-A last week (in happier news, so far his replacement, utilityman and unheralded minor leaguer Brock Rodden has been doing quite well). Injuries have been a bugaboo on the season – there isn’t a member of the starting lineup that hasn’t missed time with some injuries, including Cal Raleigh, going on the IL for the first time in his career. Raleigh has cratered a year after being runner-up for AL MVP, and the suspicion around Seattle is the oblique injury that held him out early in the season still isn’t quite right. Naylor, who’s been dealing with a wrist injury, also hasn’t been able to repeat his sterling start in Seattle. although his bat has heated up lately. The only member of the starting lineup who’s been consistently available and productive has been second baseman Cole Young, whose breakout season has been one of the only positive aspects of the 2026 season, along with a career year from Randy Arozarena, who will be a free agent at the end of the season.

The injury bug carries over to the pitching, as well; setup man Matt Brash has missed all of the season, straining an already-thinned bullpen, and even spring training standout Cooper Criswell has been out of action for months. Carlos Vargas, another late-inning arm, has also been on the IL all season. By contrast, the rotation has been healthy with the exception of Bryce Miller, whose return caused some difficulties with a six-man rotation/piggyback setup until the team dealt Luis Castillo at the trade deadline. But none of the starters, except  Logan Gilbert — and maybe Emerson Hancock, in the midst of a breakout year of his own after years of struggle — have been as strong and consistent as they have been in seasons past. They’ve looked pretty pedestrian at times this year, and that combined with the offensive struggles have made this season a very difficult watch for Mariners fans. Top prospect Kade Anderson remains waiting in the wings to help out when needed, but that probably won’t happen unless one of the starters goes down with an injury.

The biggest issue that’s plagued the Mariners is their inability to put together a consistent nine innings. The offense will score a pile of runs and the pitching will give up even more; a starter will have a solid outing only to have the bullpen blow it, or get no run support from the offense; the offense will score early and then not at all again. It’s been a disjointed mess to watch, and this late in the season, most fans have given up hope of a miraculous comeback, even with a truly dreadful AL West.

Fun facts

This series will be the Cubs’ last of the season in the Pacific Time Zone. Their next, at Phoenix, will be their last in the Mountain Time Zone (though since Arizona does not observe Daylight Saving time, Phoenix and Seattle are both on the same time during the baseball season). Six of their final nine series will be in the Central Time Zone and three in the Eastern Time Zone.
…..
The Cubs are 18-10 against the Mariners, for a winning percentage of .643. They have had more success against only two American League teams: .667 vs. the Athletics (18-9) and .679 vs. the Orioles (19-9). The Cubs are 9-5 at Seattle, the same as at home. That .643 also is third best vs. an AL team, after .786 at Baltimore (11-3) and .833 at Oakland and Sacramento (10-2).
…..
In their last trip to the Pacific Northwest, in April 2024, the Cubs lost the first game, 4-2, but won the next two, 4-1 and 3-2. They are 4-1 in series at Seattle, with the only loss by two games to one in 2010. The Cubs won both games played there in 2019.

(Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)

Probable pitching matchups

Friday: Matthew Boyd, LHP (8-2, 4.02 ERA, 1.235 WHIP, 4.64 FIP) vs. Emerson Hancock, RHP (7-7, 3.30 ERA, 1.109 WHIP, 3.72 FIP)

Saturday: David Peterson, LHP (4-1, 4.06 ERA, 1.353 WHIP, 4.26 FIP in nine games with Cubs; 7-7, 5.29 ERA, 1.531 WHIP, 4.00 FIP in 25 games overall) vs. Kade Anderson, LHP (MLB debut)

Anderson is the Mariners’ top prospect and MLB Pipeline’s No. 5 overall prospect and has dominated Double-A hitters in 18 starts in his first professional season.

Sunday: Shōta Imanaga, LHP (8-9, 3.77 ERA, 1.088 WHIP, 4.54 FIP) vs. Bryan Woo, RHP (9-8, 4.10 ERA, 1.084 WHIP, 3.30 FIP)

Times & TV channels

Friday: 9:10 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network, MLB Network (outside the Cubs and Mariners market territories)

Saturday: 6:15 p.m. CT, Fox-TV (regional — coverage map). A reminder that if you subscribe to MLB.TV or MLB Extra Innings, you can watch this game via those services even if it’s not on the Fox affiliate in your market. In the Chicago local market this game will be on WPWR-Ch. 50 because WFLD-Ch. 32, Fox-TV’s primary channel, is carrying the Bears preseason game.

Sunday: 3:10 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network

Prediction

As noted above, the Mariners have struggled this year. The Cubs are 13-6 on the road since the beginning of July. All of this should add up to another series win, two of three.

Up next

The Cubs travel to Phoenix for a three-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks beginning Monday evening.

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Klay Thompson gets Mavericks buyout, expected to join Heat: report

One of the greatest shooters of all time seemingly won’t be available for long.

The Dallas Mavericks and guard Klay Thompson agreed to a buyout Friday, Aug. 21 for the final year of his contract, worth $17.5 million. And though Thompson still has to go through the waivers process, he’s expected to sign with the Miami Heat, if not claimed, according to ESPN.

ESPN reported the deal would be two years for $13 million, with a player option in the second season..

A person with direct knowledge of the matter confirmed to USA TODAY Sports that Miami is a very attractive option for Thompson and one of his top choices. The person spoke under the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly comment on Thompson’s thinking.

Thompson, 36, is a five-time All-Star and four-time NBA champion known for his precision and accuracy as a perimeter shooter. With Miami, he brings much-needed shooting to a roster that underwent an overhaul after the June acquisition of star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo.

While the Heat are set to roll out a stout defensive team, perimeter shooting had been one of the clear weaknesses, and Thompson fills that need. Given that Antetokounmpo is a player who commands enormous defensive attention, a shooter like Thompson should presumably have ample space to operate if opposing teams send double-teams and extra pressure toward Antetokounmpo.

After Masai Ujiri took over the Mavericks, the franchise fired former coach Jason Kidd and replaced him with Dusty May, the former Michigan Wolverines coach fresh off of an NCAA championship. Dallas is undergoing a youth movement built around Rookie of the Year forward Cooper Flagg.

“Klay is one of the great players and competitors of this generation, and we are grateful for everything he brought to the Mavericks organization,” Ujiri said Friday in a statement. “We have tremendous respect for Klay and all that he has accomplished throughout his career, and we wish him nothing but the best moving forward.”

Thompson, whose contract was set to expire at the end of the 2026-27 season, didn’t fit that timeline, so the franchise opted to move on after it could not find a trade partner.

Thompson rose to fame during his 11 seasons with the Golden State Warriors, when he was paired alongside Stephen Curry to form the “Splash Brothers,” the most prolific shooting duo in NBA history.

Thompson averaged 11.7 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists last season across 69 appearances. He converted 38.3% of his 3-point attempts.

Klay Thompson buyout winners

Giannis Antetokounmpo

He’s at his best with the ball in his hands, going coast-to-coast in transition, where he can either attack the rim or kick out to open players once defenders crash in on him. If Thompson joins the Heat, Antetokounmpo suddenly has a pair of knockdown perimeter shooters, alongside fellow guard Tim Hardaway Jr.

The flip side is that opposing teams won’t be able to afford to leave Thompson and Hardaway so wide open; that should only improve spacing and clear up gaps for Antetokounmpo to attack.

Klay Thompson

He gets the best of both worlds; at 36, he’s able to depart a rebuilding team that wasn’t set to compete for championships and can join a contender. He also gets the chance — assuming he clears waivers, which is very likely given any claiming team would need to pick up his $17.5 million salary — to pick his preferred destination while recouping a portion of his salary for 2026-27.

And in Miami, which has a number of premier defenders on the roster, there’s more than enough low-post help that can mask Thompson’s weaknesses on defense.

Klay Thompson buyout losers

Los Angeles Lakers

Thompson is from Los Angeles and the other team that was seemingly in the running for his services was the Lakers. Though Los Angeles is clearly building around Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves, both of whom are excellent shooters in their own right, the Lakers could certainly still use another consistent knock-down threat along the perimeter.

The feud with Heat reserve Myron Gardner

Back in November, during a Mavericks game at Miami, Thompson got into a bit of a dustup with reserve Heat forward Myron Gardner, who had repeatedly chirped at Thompson throughout the game. After the game ended, Heat assistant Caron Butler made Gardner go over to Thompson to clear the air. That apparently squashed the beef, but now the two will share a locker room.

Miami Heat roster

Although the proposed Thompson addition would be a significant get for the Heat, at 36 years old, Thompson is unlikely to serve as a starter. Rather, he’s more likely to provide a shooting and scoring spark off the bench, with a possible increase in minutes late in close games. With that said, here’s a look at the Heat’s projected lineup if Thompson signs in Miami:

Miami Heat starting lineup

PG: Davion MitchellSG: Tim Hardaway Jr.SF: Andrew WigginsPF: Giannis AntetokounmpoC: Bam Adebayo

Miami Heat bench

F: Bobby PortisG: Klay ThompsonG: Pelle LarssonG: Dru SmithF: Nikola JovićG: Ryan Conwell (rookie)G: Simone FontecchioG: Tre DonaldsonF: Myron GardnerC: Vladislav Goldin

Klay Thompson age

Klay Thompson was born Feb. 8, 1990, making him 36 years old. It also means he will turn 37 just before the All-Star break, which begins Feb. 19, 2027.

Klay Thompson stats

In 69 games for the Mavericks last season, Thompson averaged 11.7 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists. He converted 38.3% of his 3-point attempts.

He is a 40.9% career 3-point shooter, having made 2,899 attempts from beyond the arc, fourth-most all-time behind Stephen Curry (4,248), James Harden (3,390) and Ray Allen (2,973).

Klay Thompson contract

Buyouts are when a player and his team negotiate to terminate a player’s contract earlier than its initial expiration date. Typically the player and his agent will agree to receive a portion of his salary for the exchange of giving the team financial flexibility. This happens most often with rebuilding teams like the Mavericks and veteran players like Thompson.

Thompson’s salary for the 2026-27 season was set to be $17.5 million. He will still need to clear waivers; if a team scoops him before the 48-hour deadline, then that team will be on the hook for Thompson’s salary. Otherwise, he will become an unrestricted free agent.

Per ESPN, the contract Thompson intends to sign with the Heat is a two-year deal worth $13 million, with the final year being a player option.

Dallas Mavericks roster

Here is a projection for what the Mavericks roster will look like next season

Dallas Mavericks starting lineup

PG: Kyrie IrvingSG: Max ChristieSF: Cooper FlaggPF: P.J. WashingtonC: Derek Lively II

Dallas Mavericks bench

F: Naji MarshallG: Zaccharie RisacherF: Santi AldamaG: Marcus SasserF: Morez Johnson Jr. (rookie)F: Caleb MartinC: Daniel GaffordG: Sergio de Larrea (rookie)C: Moussa Cisse

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Klay Thompson gets Mavericks buyout, expected to join Heat: report

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Braves vs Brewers chat and discussion: Chris Sale vs Jacob Misiorowski

The Atlanta Braves are taking on the team with MLB’s best record, best pitcher on the planet, and best bullpen since the start of August all in the same game as they travel to Milwaukee to face the Brewers.

This is a pitching matchup for lovers of rubber matches to drool over. One of the best pitchers of this generation in Chris Sale will be facing off against the current best pitcher on the planet in Jacob Misiorowski. Even without looking at the names, as 2.16 ERA (Sale) against a 1.75 ERA (Misiorowski) this late into the season is an intriguing game to watch.

The Braves will need to crack the Miz code if they want to start this tough schedule stretch with a bang. Get your popcorn ready and follow along in the comments.

Lineup

Preview

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Twins vs Padres Prediction, Picks & Odds for Today's MLB Game

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Interleague action heads to Southern California tonight, and our Twins vs Padres prediction breaks down where to find the best betting value at Petco Park.

Let’s dive into my MLB picks for August 21, and fatten that wallet before the weekend.

Who will win Twins vs Padres today: Padres Moneyline (-121)

The San Diego Padres hold a clear edge in this matchup against Minnesota Twins starter Connor Prielipp, who's struggled with command away from home, carrying an elevated 6.15 ERA on the road.

Expect the Padres to capitalize on Prielipp's control issues early — he's walked 10 batters over his last three starts — build a lead, and turn the game over to their 28th-ranked bullpen to lock down the victory.

Covers COVERS INTEL: San Diego is 8-3 in its last 11 home games against American League opponents, while Minnesota is 13-26 against National League opponents this year.

Twins vs Padres Over/Under pick: Over 8.5 runs (+105)

Petco Park may have a reputation as a pitcher's paradise, but this 7.5-run total is slightly too low with Prielipp on the mound.

Prielipp's 41.1 hard-hit percentage leaves plenty of room for San Diego to put up multi-run frames, while the Twins' lineup features enough middle-of-the-order power to scrape together runs against Randy Vasquez.

Expect both lineups to generate scoring opportunities and push this total past the line.

Twins vs Padres home run prediction: Manny Machado (+474)

Manny Machado continues to be a power threat when facing southpaws at Petco Park (.416 SLG).

Prielipp has surrendered high barrel rates to right-handed hitters all season, making Machado a prime candidate to lift one over the fence. 

The value on Machado clearing the outfield wall tonight is too good to pass up, let's ride with him as one of our best bets.

Dustin Saracini's 2026 Transparency Record
  • ML/RL bets: 4-8, -2.78 units
  • Over/Under bets: 5-7, -2.75 units

Twins vs Padres weather

It's a perfect night for baseball in San Diego tonight, with temperatures sitting at 78 degrees Fahrenheit prior to first pitch. 

Twins vs Padres odds

  • Moneyline: Minnesota (+113) | San Diego (-121)
  • Run line: Minnesota +1.5 (-178) | San Diego -1.5 (+170)
  • Over/Under: Over 8.5 (+105) | Under 8.5 (-113)

Twins vs Padres trend

The Over is 7-0-2 in Prielipp's last nine starts as an underdog. Find more MLB betting trends for Twins vs Padres.

How to watch Twins vs Padres and game info

LocationPetco Park, San Diego, CA
DateFriday, Aug. 21, 2026
First pitch9:40 p.m. ET
TVPadres.TV, Twins.TV
Twins starting pitcherConnor Prielipp
(3-6, 5.34 ERA)
Padres starting pitcherRandy Vasquez
(8-6, 4.30 ERA)

Twins vs Padres latest injuries

Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

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Mavericks buy out Klay Thompson — and he’s already got a new home

Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson goes up for a shot between New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns and New York Knicks guard Josh Hart.
Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson goes up for a shot between New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns and New York Knicks guard Josh Hart during the second quarter at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post)

Klay Thompson’s tenure with the Mavericks has ended — and he’s expected to join an Eastern Conference contender.

Thompson and the Mavericks agreed to a buyout agreement, the team announced Friday, and one of the greatest 3-point shooters in NBA history is expected to sign a two-year, $13 million deal with the Heat — who won the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes back in June — after clearing waivers, according to ESPN.

His stint in Dallas concluded after two seasons, and Thompson had one year remaining on his three-year, $50 million deal from back in 2024.

Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson goes up for a shot between New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns and New York Knicks guard Josh Hart during the second quarter at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, March 25, 2025. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

“Klay is one of the great players and competitors of his generation, and we are grateful for everything he brought to the Mavericks organization,” Mavericks president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri said in a release. “We have tremendous respect for Klay and all that he has accomplished throughout his career, and we wish him nothing but the best moving forward.”

Thompson, a five-time All-Star four-time champion while playing alongside Stephen Curry with the Warriors, joined the Mavericks ahead of the 2024-25 campaign as part of a sign-and-trade.

He struggled while averaging just 11.7 points per game last year, shot 38.3% from behind the arc and mostly settled into a role as a Dallas reserve — only starting eight games.

It marked a stark difference — for both role and production — from when he averaged 21.9 points per game and shot 41.2% from 3 during the 2022-23 campaign with Golden State.

Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors drives past D’Angelo Russell of the Los Angeles Lakers during Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals on Wednesday, May 10, 2023, at Chase Center in San Francisco, California. Getty Images

But once he signs with the Heat, he’ll instantly join another contender serving as one of the Knicks’ most daunting obstacles in their quest to repeat and have a chance to carve out a sizable role again.

Miami landed Antetokounmpo from the Bucks in exchange for three first-round picks, a pick swap, a second-rounder, Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Kasparas Jakucionis.

NBA insider Marc Stein reported in July that the Heat were interested in pairing Thompson with both Antetokounmpo and center Bam Adebayo.

And while he’s not the same star he once was with Golden State, Thompson has still made the fourth-most 3-pointers in NBA history — passing Damian Lillard during a January game and now sits just 74 behind Ray Allen for the third-most in league history.

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Marc Lore selling majority stake in Timberwolves, Lynx to Marc Stad

For the second time in nine days, an NBA owner’s stake in their franchise has been flipped after a period of brief control.

Marc Lore is selling his majority stake in the Minnesota Timberwolves and the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx to businessman Marc Stad, making Stad the controlling owner of the franchise. This comes just 14 months after Lore bought the Timberwolves alongside former Major League Baseball star Alex Rodriguez.

Lore will retain a minority stake in the franchise, and Rodriguez will also increase his minority shares in the Timberwolves with the transaction. Stad had been a minority investor in the team.

According to ESPN, the transaction was agreed to with a $4.5 billion valuation.

“We have been working together for years with a shared goal of building the Timberwolves and Lynx into the best organization in basketball on and off the floor,” Stad, Rodriguez and Lore said Friday, Aug. 21 in a joint statement. “Our priority is and always will be championships. Our new agreement, pending league approval, is an evolution of the partnership we have built together and strengthening of our commitment to our team and our culture.”

Stad is the founder of a California investment management firm, Dragoneer Investment Group.

According to ESPN, Lore opted to reduce his exposure and involvement in the Timberwolves and Lynx as his company, the Wonder Group, plans to make a push for an initial public offering.

This also follows a new trend of owners flipping their investment in a very short period to net a significant profit.

On Aug. 12, Los Angeles Dodgers co-owner and TWG Global CEO Mark Walter agreed to sell his shares of the Los Angeles Lakers to businessman Joshua Kushner and former Disney CEO Robert Iger at a record $12.5 billion valuation. This was just 10 months after Walter’s purchase of the Lakers had been approved at a valuation of $10 billion, generating a 25% return on his investment in his short tenure.

The Lore and Rodriguez purchase of the Timberwolves was unanimously approved in June 2025, at a valuation of $1.5 billion. Given that Lore sold his stake at the $4.5 billion valuation — which ranks fourth-most in NBA history — Lore stands to make a massive 200% return on his investment in just 14 months.

“One of the great joys I’ve had in my career is spending the last few years helping build the Timberwolves and Lynx with my friend and partner Marc Lore. I’m very excited to announce that this incredible journey reaches a new level today,” Rodriguez said on Friday, Aug. 21 in a statement posted on social media.

“Marc and Elisa Stad, who have been our partners and friends since we bought the teams, will be increasing their investment and joining me as Co-Chairman. I will also be increasing my investment and spending even more time with the teams as Co-Chairman, Governor of the Lynx, and alternate Governor of the Timberwolves, pending league approval.”

The NBA will hold its annual fall board of governors meeting in September in New York, when the transaction might be put up for a vote of approval.

“While Marc Lore will be reducing his role and ownership to focus on his business, he remains an investor and a key part of our partnership,” Rodriguez continued. “I could not be more energized about this evolution and what we’re all going to do together for the Twin Cities.”

The Timberwolves have been a consistent threat in the Western Conference playoffs, though they have failed to break through to the NBA Finals. The team underwent a minor overhaul this offseason after it traded away Julius Randle and Naz Reid in separate deals that returned former Hornets guard LaMelo Ball. The move is meant to provide some offensive relief for star guard Anthony Edwards, who has become one of the more dynamic scorers in the NBA.

The Lynx currently have the best record in the WNBA at 30-7, which is four games clear of the next closest team, the Golden State Valkyries. Minnesota has been one of the more consistent franchises in the WNBA, having won four championships from 2011-17.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Marc Lore selling majority stake in Timberwolves, Lynx to Marc Stad

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Mavericks buy-out Klay Thompson

INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 07: Klay Thompson #31 of the Dallas Mavericks looks on during the first quarter of an NBA game against the Los Angeles Clippers at Intuit Dome on April 07, 2026 in Inglewood, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Dallas Mavericks are buying out veteran guard Klay Thompson, the team announced Friday afternoon. Thompson will become a free agent, and reportedly sign with the Miami Heat.

This was a long-rumored scenario, especially when it became clear the Mavericks were moving in a new direction around Cooper Flagg when ownership hired Masai Ujiri and Mike Schmitz to run the basketball operations, fired Jason Kidd and hired college coach Dusty May.

Thompson played two seasons in Dallas, and they were far from the memorable experiences that Mavericks fans envisioned when it felt like a coup the Mavericks signed him in the first place away from the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers in 2024. Dallas was fresh off an NBA Finals loss to the Celtics that featured multiple role players failing to knock down shots or properly space the floor around Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.

Enter Thompson: statistically the second-greatest three point shooter of all time, someone with championship experience to help Doncic and the Mavericks get over the hump. We all know what happened next, and the team Thompson signed up for was very much not that team after the trade of Doncic last February.

Despite it all, Thompson was a good soldier. We didn’t hear too many whiffs of discontent from Dallas media, and Thompson took on the role of veteran leader as the Mavericks cycled through various young players in the last two seasons due to the Doncic trade and injuries. Thompson never played a playoff game with the Mavericks, that’s a damn shame. But it was fun to see him continue to light it up regularly.

Thompson wasn’t his old self after the two major leg injuries, but he still provided the shooting and spacing the Mavericks desperately needed. Thompson shot 38.7 percent on threes in his two seasons with the Mavericks on 7.7 three point attempts per game. At times he was the entire floor gravity for a Mavericks team that was injured and cramped with inconsistent shooters.

Mavericks fans might lament Thompson being let go for nothing, but it’s the right call: Dallas is fully rebuilding around Flagg, and it’ll be hard to give younger guys more burn if all the veterans hang around the roster. Obviously there needs to be a balance, and teams need adults in the room, but the Mavericks have adults in large supply — moving on and freeing up some of the wing logjam will only help Dallas get a better picture of their roster and evaluate it as time moves on.

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Padres drop winnable road series; turn home in need of bounce-back

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 19: Xander Bogaerts #2 of the San Diego Padres doubles during the fifth inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field on August 19, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images

It was a tough series all around for the San Diego Padres. They fell to the New York Mets in the rubber match after Michael King pitched one of the best games of his season, giving up just two runs and working into the seventh inning. Instead, the Friars came up short, scoring just two runs in the finale. They scored just three total between their two losses.

That’s to be expected, though. There are always dips in offense. No one truly expected the Padres’ otherworldly second-half surge to continue all the way to the World Series. But it’s about how you come out of those dips in production that defines what kind of team you are. Hopefully, that will be on full display as the Friars take on the Minnesota Twins back in Petco Park.

Taking the mound

Connor Prielipp (MIN) v. Randy Vásquez (SD)

It’s been an up-and-down rookie campaign for Prielipp. The young left-hander has filled out the Twins’ rotation and has done a decent job of it. The lefty owns a 5.34 ERA through 17 starts this season. Prielipp has been consistent in that, posting an ERA over 5.00 in his last seven games and his last 15 games.

Those splits suggest that he won’t be a difficult opponent for the Padres to face. However, San Diego really struggled to score runs in their series against the Mets. If they can’t bounce back from that tonight, it might quickly become a tough weekend for the Friar Faithful back in Petco Park.

The Padres will likely employ an opener and deploy Vásquez in bulk relief. It’s a similar strategy to how they’ve utilized him in his last few outings. That’s seemed to work well. Vásquez owns a 3.00 ERA across his last seven starts despite a middling 4.30 ERA on the season.

Vásquez gave up four runs in his last start against the Cleveland Guardians. Prior to that, he had only given up a combined five runs in six previous starts. That’s good for a 2.05 ERA during that stretch. If Vásquez can rediscover that form tonight, it would make it abundantly easier for the Friars to win the series opener over Minnesota.

Batter up!

Despite a meager offensive showing during their series in New York, the Padres still have one of the best offenses in baseball down the stretch. Not to mention the fact that Fernando Tatis Jr. seems to have found his groove alongside Jackson Merrill. Should those two keep pace alongside Ty France and Manny Machado, it will be hard to stop this ball club.

  1. Fernando Tatis Jr., RF
  2. Jake Cronenworth, 2B
  3. Manny Machado, 3B
  4. Ty France, 1B
  5. Jackson Merrill, CF
  6. Gavin Sheets, DH
  7. Luis Rengifo, LF
  8. Freddy Fermin, C
  9. Sung-Mun Song, SS

Shortstop Xander Bogaerts exited the series finale in New York with an apparent injury. The Padres have assured that he is alright and that it was a precaution, but Bogaerts seems due for a rest day nonetheless. It’s possible that Song takes over for him at short for the day before he comes back in Game 2.

Relief corps

It’s quite impossible to say just how important King is to this Padres team. Despite the fact that San Diego lost the series finale, they did so on the backs of an absolute gem. King twirled 6 2/3 innings, surrendering just two runs to the Mets. After that, Jeremiah Estrada entered and immediately gave up two more runs. Those would end up being the difference in the eventual, 4-2, loss. Yuki Matsui relieved Estrada and finished out the game.

Regardless of the loss, King’s performance leaves the bullpen fresh for the series against Minnesota. That would have likely been the case either way (the team had a rest day on Thursday), but it gives them even more time to readjust. Griffin Canning, Kyle Hart, Mason Miller, Adrian Morejon, Wandy Peralta and Bradgley Rodriguez are all options for the Friars to turn to.

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A’s roster moves: Wilson to IL, Stefanic & Morris recalled, Rashi optioned

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 14: Jacob Wilson #5 of the Athletics is checked on by a trainer after being hit by a pitch during the bottom of the first inning against the Texas Rangers at Sutter Health Park on August 14, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Scott Marshall/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The A’s made several roster moves on Friday afternoon before kicking off their weekend series in Houston, starting by placing young shortstop Jacob Wilson on the 10-day IL among other roster moves:

Wilson’s IL placement wasn’t the only move but it was the biggest. The second-year infielder has battled shoulder issues since mid-May when he dislocated it diving for an infield single against the Orioles. He managed to work his way back to the team but a thumb injury and this continued shoulder soreness helped contribute to an injury-marred sophomore campaign for Wilson. He just hasn’t been the same guy who thrilled us all last year.

The 24-year-old will end his season with a .266/.298/.388 slash line with just seven long balls. That’s a major step down from his AL ROTY runner-up campaign last year but that shoulder injury could be a major part of the blame. Before his injury he was hitting .292/.311/.398 but post-All Star Break he’d hit just .229/.260/.385. There’s no official word on if he’s going to have surgery on that shoulder this offseason but if he is then the sooner the better. If the A’s are going to bounce back next year they’ll need Wilson in top form.

That wasn’t the only roster move today. Taking Wilson’s immediate spot on the active roster will be fellow infielder Michael Stefanic. This’ll be his second stint with the big league club this year after a very brief stint back in May when he played in two games and went 2-for-5. Capable of playing second, third, and left, he’s spent the majority of the year in Triple-A with the Aviators where he’s hit .296/.405/.414 with six home runs. Considering he’ll be 31 next year he’s mostly a depth piece at this point but maybe he can play his way into the backup infielder mix next year with a big showing down the stretch.

On the pitching side of things the A’s are swapping out one right-hander with another. Recent acquisition Taylor Rashi is heading back down to the minor leagues while prospect Kade Morris gets his second call up to the big leagues. Rashi only made it into one game for the A’s, pitching two innings and allowing one run against the Royals. He’ll head back to Triple-A and look to work his way back up for another crack in the big leagues. Morris meanwhile gets another chance at the majors. His first stint way back in June did not yield positive results and he’s only just returning from his own IL stint, but the A’s don’t have much to lose getting another look at a well-regarded prospect like Morris. Expect to see him out of the bullpen sometime in Houston, where he made his big league debut but got pummeled by the Astros for nine runs.

And the obvious of course: Nick Kurtz’s season is officially over with him being placed on the 60-day IL. The news was previously announced but this makes things official. We’ll see him next Spring.

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Former Canadiens Player To Have Number Retired Overseas

Saku Koivu has made his mark on the Montreal Canadiens’ history, but he hasn’t done enough to see his number 11 go up to the rafters. Still, he did enough for TPS Turku in Finland for the SM-Liiga team to announce that it will retire his number on October 24.

Koivu was playing for TPS Turku when the Canadiens drafted him in 1993. In his first season with the Finnish side, he put up only 10 points in 47 games, but his progression in year two was spectacular. In the 1993-94 campaign, fresh off being drafted, he put up 53 points in 47 games before making another formidable jump in his final year with 74 points in 45 games.

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He made the jump to the NHL at the start of the 1995-96 season and immediately made an impact with the Canadiens, putting up 45 points in 82 games in his rookie season. When the NHL lost a season to a lockout in 2004-05, Koivu headed back home and skated in 20 games for TP Turku, scoring 16 points.

In 13 seasons with the Habs, Koivu put up a total of 641 points in 792 games before joining the Anaheim Ducks as a free agent in the 2009 offseason. That summer, then Montreal GM Bob Gainey decided to give the Habs a facelift ahead of their centennial year, bringing in Scott Gomez, Mike Cammalleri, and Brian Gionta, to name a few.

More than the points he put up, though, Koivu will always be remembered in Montreal for his courage in the face of adversity. Six years into his NHL career, he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and after winning that battle, he returned to the ice on April 9, 2002 and was given an ovation for the ages by the Canadiens faithful.

You can see Koivu learn about his number retirement in a TPS Turku social media post, and even if you don’t speak Finnish, it’s easy to see how much the decision meant to the former Canadiens captain. The former Hab may have more good news in the future if son Aatos Koivu, who was drafted 70th overall by the Canadiens at the 2024 draft, makes the NHL.

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Former Vancouver Canucks Around The World: AHL Western Conference

Former members of the Vancouver Canucks will take the spotlight in this off-season article series. From those skating with new NHL teams heading into the 2026–27 season to those who are now playing for international clubs, these featured players have skated in at least one game at the NHL level as a member of the Canucks. 

Today’s segment will take a look at the former Canucks that are expected to play in the AHL’s Western Conference during the 2026–27 season. 

As it stands, 20 ex-Canucks are projected to be playing in the AHL for the 2026–27 season. The Central and Pacific Divisions are each expected to have four ex-Canucks in them. 

Central Division

Grand Rapids Griffins: 

Sheldon Dries: Skated in 74 games for Vancouver from 2021–22 to 2022–23 but played the bulk of his time with Abbotsford. Set a new franchise-high in goals scored for Abbotsford with 65. Signed with the Detroit Red Wings in 2024 and has remained a part of the Red Wings organization since.  

Texas Stars: 

Kyle Burroughs: Signed with Vancouver in 2021 and played in 42 games through his first year with the Canucks. Skated in 48 games with Vancouver in 2022–23, signing with the San Jose Sharks in free-agency the season after. Signed a one-year contract with the Dallas Stars for the 2026–27 season.  

Manitoba Moose: 

Ashton Sautner: First joined the Canucks organization via the Utica Comets in 2015–16. Made his NHL debut for Vancouver on March 25, 2018, and skated in a grand total of 23 NHL games for the Canucks throughout his tenure. Departed from the organization via free agency in 2022, signing a deal with the Winnipeg Jets.  

Rockford IceHogs: 

Derrick Pouliot: Traded to the Canucks from the Pittsburgh Penguins in October of 2017. Skated in 133 games with the Canucks through 2017 to 2019 before departing in free-agency, signing with the St. Louis Blues. Acquired by the Chicago Blackhawks via trade with the New York Rangers. 

Mar 14, 2023; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Kyle Burroughs (44) blocks a shot as Dallas Stars forward Wyatt Johnston (53) watches in the second period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 14, 2023; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Kyle Burroughs (44) blocks a shot as Dallas Stars forward Wyatt Johnston (53) watches in the second period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports

Pacific Division 

Bakersfield Condors: 

Riley Stillman: Sent to Vancouver via trade for Jason Dickinson in 2022. Played in 32 games for the Canucks during the 2022–23 season before quickly being traded to the Buffalo Sabres. Skated with the Carolina Hurricanes, Chicago Wolves, and Edmonton Oilers before ending up in Bakersfield.  

Ontario Reign: 

Lane Pederson: Acquired via trade with the Hurricanes in 2022–23. Split time with Vancouver and Abbotsford, skating in 11 and 18 games respectively, putting up an impressive 24 points in his time with the AHL Canucks. Claimed off waivers by the Columbus Blue Jackets in January of 2023. Signed with the Los Angeles Kings during the 2026 free-agency period. 

Colorado Eagles: 

Christian Wolanin: Signed with the Canucks in 2022 and put together a career-high AHL season shortly after with 55 points in 49 games with Abbotsford. Played in 16 games with Vancouver in 2022–23 and spent the rest of his time with the organization in the AHL. Won the Calder Cup in 2025 before heading to the Providence Bruins. Signed a one-year deal with the Colorado Avalanche in 2026. 

Jayson Megna: Joined Vancouver via free-agency in 2016, playing in 59 games with the Canucks through the 2016–17 and 2017–18 seasons. Signed with the Capitals in 2018 before heading to Colorado for four seasons. Spent time with the Anaheim Ducks and Boston Bruins organizations before returning to the Eagles in 2024–25 and being named captain. 

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The Beaten and Bruised Nationals Finish Up Their Road Trip With A Series in Miami

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - AUGUST 19: Andrés Chaparro #87 of the Washington Nationals looks on after hitting a three-run home run against the Texas Rangers during the seventh inning at Globe Life Field on August 19, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Nationals wrapped up a frustrating series in Texas with a 2-0 loss Thursday night, managing just one hit against Jacob deGrom and three Rangers relievers. DeGrom struck out 10 over six innings and recorded his 2,000th career strikeout, while Brady House collected the Nats’ only hit. Andrew Alvarez allowed one run over five innings, but the Nationals could not generate any offense without James Wood and CJ Abrams, who missed the game with a sprained ankle. Washington dropped two of three against Texas, was shut out in both losses, and has now lost five of its last six games to fall to 61-68.

The Nationals will continue their road trip with a three-game series against the 64-64 Miami Marlins, who return home after being swept by the Phillies. Miami had won three consecutive series against the Angels, Pirates, and Reds before its momentum stalled in Philadelphia, where the Marlins scored just one run in Wednesday’s 4-1 finale. Javier Sanoja provided the lone highlight with three hits and a solo home run, while Sandy Alcantara allowed three runs over six innings. The Marlins are 38-25 at home this season and have won five of their six meetings against the Nats.

Game One – Friday, 7:10 PM ET

WSH: RHP Brad Lord (5-2, 4.04 ERA)
MIA: RHP Ryan Gusto (0-3, 4.70 ERA)

Lord struggled in his most recent appearance against the Mets, allowing two runs and walking four while recording just two outs. Gusto allowed four runs, two earned, and struck out six over 4⅔ innings against the Reds in his last start.

Game Two – Saturday, 4:10 PM ET

WSH: RHP Jake Irvin (2-7, 5.80 ERA)
MIA: RHP Eury Pérez (6-9, 3.23 ERA)

Irvin allowed four runs and struck out six over six innings against the Mets on Sunday. Pérez delivered six scoreless innings against Cincinnati in his last outing and enters Saturday with a 15-inning scoreless streak.

Game Three – Sunday, 1:40 PM ET

WSH: LHP Jackson Kent (0-1, 9.39 ERA)
MIA: RHP Janson Junk (6-8, 4.37 ERA)

Kent allowed five runs on eight hits over 3⅔ innings against the Rangers on Tuesday, striking out three and walking three. Junk surrendered two runs over five innings against the Phillies on Monday and has posted a 3.21 ERA across three August starts.

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SB Nation Reacts results: D’Antoni Defeats Adelman

SPRINGFIELD,MA - AUGUST 15: Joey Crawford and Mike D'Antoni talk during the 2026 Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony on August 15, 2026 at Symphony Hall in Springfield, Massachusetts. 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 2026 NBAE (Photo by Chris Marion/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

First we must start with the image. All the best photos of NBA Hall of Fame coach Mike D’antoni feature him with a mustache. I would call this a Mike D’Antoni Mustache Mandate. With that out of the way, we can discuss these results.

Mike D’Antoni has defeated Rick Adelman by a fairly wide margin. I wouldn’t call it a D’Antoni voter mandate, but it’s close to one. I think this is a fair result for two reasons.

One, the Houston Rockets best ever season in terms of wins, 65, came under MDA’s coaching. Adelman’s best season only saw the Rockets notch 55 wins. That’s good for a tie (with D’Antoni) for 4th highest regular season wins by the Rockets (57 is 2nd under Rudy T, 56th is 3rd, under Kevin McHale). A ten win margin is pretty significant, but you might look to post season performance as your standard. Again, MDA wins, with his teams reaching the NBA Western Conference Finals in a series most of us (and MDA in a recent interview) remember painfully. If you are going by titles, well, it’s Rudy T and no one else.

Do you want to wager on NBA win totals? Is such wagering legal where you are? Can you afford a small flutter? Well, you can bet on win totals for the upcoming season here, in that case.

Two, I’d pick MDA because he utterly changed how NBA basketball is played. Rick Adelman was an excellent coach, with a deep well of NBA stratagems in his bag. So excellent he, too, is in the NBA Hall of Fame. His motion offense could be a wonder when it was working well, and it was a good offense for getting more out of limited players.

MDA did something else. He broke the NBA paradigm of fixed positions, and inside, post dominant, play. Even if Mike D’Antoni didn’t win an NBA teams that bear his imprint (particularly the Warriors with MDA disciple Steve Kerr) have wib quite a few. The “No Jump Shooting, Small Ball, Team Can Win A Title” mantra is long dead. I’ve always thought of MDA as the basketball equivalent of Earl Weaver.

Earl Weaver was a Baltimore Orioles manager long ago when the Baltimore Orioles fairly regularly won World Series. Weaver essentially intuited almost all of the basic, original, conclusions of the baseball analytics movement. (Bunts waste outs, getting on base, with power in the lineup, is key, etc). We know he did this because he wrote a book about it

MDA did much the same. Early shot clock offense is generally more successful. Higher pace leads to more points. Three is more than two, and there’s no law that says you can’t shoot a lot of threes. The offensive advantages of a lot of smaller players on the court are quite often superior to the other advantages provided by bigger players. You don’t necessarily need the center under the basket, or need a center at all. Pulling a center away from the basket, on offense, provides more space to attack the paint. Pulling defenses away from the paint doesn’t necessarily make long range shooting harder, but it does make defending the paint harder. Scoring is best either at the rim, from three point range, or at the free throw line.

You can see all of these ideas start to bloom with his Seven Seconds or Less Phoenix Suns (perhaps the team most beloved of all time by neutral fans, unless it’s the Showtime Lakers). The ideas bore fruit with the Houston Rockets, and James Harden, a player who could push MDA theories to what seemed at the time, extremes. (Those vaunted offenses would only count as middling at best today. That’s how much the MDA Way has taken over the NBA.)

Some of these ideas have been countered, as all innovations in competitive endeavors are countered, but that doesn’t mean they were wrong.

So to me, Adelman was excellent as a coach, but Mike D’Antoni was a visionary, and that’s a fair result.

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Orioles vs. Rays prediction: Odds, recent stats, trends, and best bets for August 21

The first-place Tampa Bay Rays (76-51) open a crucial AL East series in Baltimore against the Orioles (61-67) tonight. With just five wins in their last ten games, the Rays have seen the Yankees cut into their lead in the division while the Orioles have dropped a full two games behind the Twins in the chase for the final Wild Card spot as the result of being swept by those same Yankees earlier this week.

 

The Rays dropped two of three earlier this week against the Blue Jays. The usually stingy Tampa pitching staff allowed 21 runs over the three games. As mentioned earlier, the Orioles are also looking to bounce back this weekend. The Yankees’ hurlers held the O’s to five runs in the series. These teams met last weekend in St. Petersburg with the Orioles taking three of the four games.

 

Freddy Peralta (5-10, 5.27 ERA) takes the ball for Tampa Bay tonight. After a brutal first start with the Rays (7 Earned Runs over 3.2 Innings), Peralta has been solid allowing three runs over six innings against the Athletics on August 10 followed by a stingy but short effort against these Orioles last Sunday in which he surrendered two runs over 4.2 innings. Trevor Rogers (8-8, 4.15 ERA) gets the start for Baltimore. He was on the winning end last Sunday against the Rays allowing just two runs over six innings. In 16 innings this month the southpaw has allowed six earned runs. Since June 1, Rogers has started 13 games and allowed more than two runs just twice – four earned runs July 29 at Detroit and three earned runs June 9 against the Mariners.

 

Lets dive further into tonight’s game and find a sweat or two.

 

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

 

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Game Details and How to Watch: Rays vs. Orioles

 

  • Date: Friday, August 21, 2026
  • Time: 7:15PM EST
  • Site: Oriole Park at Camden Yards
  • City: Baltimore, MD
  • Network/Streaming: Apple TV

 

 

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The Latest Odds: Rays vs. Orioles

The latest odds as of Friday courtesy of DraftKings:

  • Moneyline: Tampa Bay Rays (+111), Baltimore Orioles (-119)
  • Spread: Tampa Bay Rays +1.5 (-198), Baltimore Orioles -1.5 (+162)
  • Total: 8.0 runs

 

Probable Starting Pitchers – Orioles vs. Rays for August 21

  • Orioles: Trevor Rogers
    Season Totals: 125.2 IP, 8-8, 4.15 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 108K, 35 BB
  • Rays: Freddy Peralta
    Season Totals: 128.0 IP, 5-10, 5.27 ERA, 1.48 WHIP, 123K, 53 BB

 

Who’s Hot? Who’s Not! Rays vs. Orioles

  • Yandy Diaz is 7-13 in his career against Trevor Rogers
  • Ryan Vilade is 4-4 including 1 HR against Rogers
  • Junior Caminero is 3-10 against Rogers
  • Colton Cowser is 2-5 including 1 HR against Freddy Peralta in his career
  • Tyler O’Neill is 4-16 against Rogers but has struck out 7 times in those 16 ABs
  • Trevor Rogers has struck out at least 6 opposing hitters in 5 of his last 6 starts

 

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

 

Top Betting Trends & Insights: Rays vs. Orioles

  • The O’s are 66-62 on the Run Line this season
  • The Rays are 71-56 on the Run Line this season
  • The OVER has cashed 64 times in Baltimore’s 128 games this season (64-60-4)
  • The OVER has cashed 58 times in Tampa’s 127 games this season (58-64-5)

 

Expert picks & predictions: Rays vs. Orioles

Rotoworld Bet Best Bet

 

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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

 

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

 

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s game between the Orioles and the Rays:

 

  • Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Orioles on the Run Line.
  • Total: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Game Total OVER 7.5

 

 

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