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Despite selling at the deadline, battling key injuries for months, and treading water all season long, the Orioles find themselves in sole possession of a playoff spot with less than a quarter of the schedule left to play. It has been an unlikely about face that has seen the O’s beat up on the AL’s best team and take advantage of a dip in form for just about every other team in the mix for the final wild card spot.

The Orioles have been one of the sport’s bigger disappointments to this point. They came into the season with aspirations of a deep playoff run after making several aggressive moves over the winter. But maintaining momentum has proven difficult. Their offense hasn’t been the juggernaut they hoped it would be, and several key injuries have cut into the depth they had built up. All of that has kept the O’s on the outside of the playoff picture for much of the summer, but that all changed over the weekend.

This recent improvement has perked up the ears of a fan base that had (understandably) written the team off a long time ago. Now, instead of begrudgingly turning our sporting attention towards football and the fall, we can lock back into baseball for a few weeks longer, at least. Can this team give us intriguing baseball heading into September? What about October? They have as good of a case to make as any of the AL’s many other mid-tier teams.

Their best hitters are producing

It’s not that the lineup has been “bad” this season, but they haven’t been nearly as good as they were supposed to be. The plan was for this to be a borderline Top 5 unit. Instead, they have fallen somewhere between 10th and 15th in MLB in most categories. Much of the blame for that underperformance goes to the team’s best hitters failing to reach their career averages. But there has been some improvement in that department recently.

Pete Alonso is leading the way with his 218 wRC+, four home runs and a .660 slugging percentage this month. Tyler O’Neill, signed prior to the 2025 season to be a mid-lineup threat, is having his best stretch as an Oriole, collecting a 163 wRC+ in August. Colton Cowser is still striking out a bunch, but he is balancing it with power (.633 slugging, three home runs in August). And, of course, there’s Gunnar Henderson.

Henderson was supposed to be an MVP candidate, in the conversation as the league’s top shortstop. It just hasn’t happened for him this season. That won’t matter as much if he can keep swinging the bat like the has the last two weeks. Since August 1, Henderson owns a 141 wRC+ and it deserves to be even higher. His .227 batting average and .409 slugging percentage are well below his .333 expected batting average and .610 expected slugging. The process for Henderson is solid right now. The results will follow.

Reinforcements are on the way

While it’s great that some of the highest paid and familiar players are carrying the offensive load right now, in order for the Orioles to maintain their hold on a playoff spot they are are going to need some help. Giving regular at-bats to Christian Franklin, Yohel Pozo, and Jeremiah Jackson probably won’t get it done.

Fortunately, the injury news in Birdland has been positive this week.

Samuel Basallo, nursing right shoulder inflammation since July 20, began a rehab assignment with Norfolk on Sunday. He went 1-for-4 with a double. It’s likely that he will need a few more days to knock the rust off before he returns to the Orioles everyday lineup. Getting his bat back into the catching mix will be a big boost over his current replacements. Pozo has good top line numbers (.286/.313/.500), but is playing well above his peripherals (.231 xBA, .308 xSLG). Carlos Narváez has provided good defense but nothing at the plate (.103/.161/.103) since joining.

Blaze Alexander, who has been out since July 13 with a hand fracture, took batting practice and fielding work over the weekend. He is expected to begin a rehab assignment sometime this week. Prior to his injury, Alexander was the Orioles hottest hitter. He had a .807 OPS on the season, which was weight down by a particularly poor April. From May 1 through his injury, Alexander was hitting .365/.414/.528 and had begun to take over the everyday job at third base, though he had spent time all over the field. His eventual return will allow Craig Albernaz to mix and match his lineup while greatly improving the team’s depth.

This is the most capable Orioles rotation in a long time

Mike Elias vowed that he would add a “frontline” starter this past offseason. The starter he identified to fill that void was Shane Baz, who the Orioles traded for from the Rays and then inked to a five-year extension through the 2030 season. Elias took some heat for it at the time since Baz wasn’t exactly a proven big league arm, though his talent was undeniable. Well, nearly five months into the 2026 season it is looking like a decent bit of business.

Baz has stayed healthy, made each of his starts, and leads the team with 139.1 innings pitched. FanGraphs credits him with 3.0 fWAR, which is also tops on the team and ranks 16th in MLB among starting pitchers. Baseball Reference is not as kind (1.5 bWAR). But no matter how you slice it, has been a positive influence on the team with his 103 ERA+ and 3.34 FIP.

Kyle Bradish, Trevor Rogers, and Brandon Young fill out the rest of the core quartet of the O’s rotation, and each of them have been above average arms for the team this year. Bradish, in his first full season after Tommy John surgery, has seen his strikeouts dip and walks rise but manages to compete each time out. Rogers’s season totals (4.15 ERA) obscure how good he has been since the start of June (13 starts, 77 innings, 2.45 ERA, 2.85 FIP). And Young may be the most dependable of the bunch. He has allowed more than three runs in a start just twice since May 1, and the Orioles are 14-3 in games he has pitched since then as well.

In times of turmoil for the offense, the rotation is what has kept the Orioles afloat. Since June 1, they have been worth 6.4 fWAR, the fourth-highest mark in the sport. Much of that comes from the 353.1 innings they have pitched, which is also fourth in MLB during that stretch. But there is quality (3.71 FIP, fourth in MLB) and depth that is hard to find elsewhere in the league.

The rest of the AL is simply bad

You can see the elements of a good team within these Orioles. But we also have 120+ games of data to suggest that these guys are, collectively, a middling club. That’s not an insult. It’s reality. And in this year’s American League it might be enough to make the playoffs anyway.

The Orioles are one of seven teams in the AL that is currently under .500 and within 2.5 games of the final wild card spot. All of them are flawed, and one of them is going to make the playoffs. Why not the Orioles?

The 563 runs the Orioles have scored is more than any other team in the AL East, and only two of the other teams (Twins, Tigers) in the mix for the final wild card spot have scored more. As discussed earlier, there is reason to think the lineup could be even more productive down the stretch.

The Orioles are the only one of the seven clubs in the middle of the AL that has a winning record (30-28) in games against teams above .500. Maybe that comes in handy this week with games against the Rays and Yankees on the docket.

Since July 1, the Orioles are 22-15, which is the fourth-best mark in the AL. The Tigers are the only team in the mix that has played better (23-15) from that date.

Long story short, while it has been an insanely frustrating season to follow up close, and there are clear holes on this roster that need to be cleaned up heading into 2027, there is also plenty of reason to think that these Orioles can squeeze their way into the playoffs this year.

Good morning.

Shawn McFarland ponders what to make of the Texas Rangers after an abysmal road trip against baseball’s worst teams.

MLB dot com’s Theo DeRosa writes about the Rangers falling in the finale against the Athletics to become the first visiting team to lose a series in Sacramento since April.

McFarland checks out why Jacob Latz has barely appeared in August and it’s mostly because the Rangers have been pretty bad in August.

McFarland writes about how, despite it all, the Rangers can still make the playoffs almost exclusively because the American League is historically awful.

And, MLB Pipeline has a midseason update to the farm system rankings and the Rangers have (just barely) escaped the bottom third!

Have a nice day!

The latest reports coming out all but acknowledge that Alex Cora is going to be the next manager of the Phillies once the season ends.

Alex Cora, who turned down the job when Thomson was fired, is expected to be the Phillies’ next manager barring a World Series berth or title.

Bob Nightengale has been known to get things wrong from time to time, but considering that Cora was asked to be the manager when Rob Thomson was fired, this feels like it’s about right. Knowing that, with all the smoke that is surrounding the situation, what Alex Cora probably being the next manager mean to you? Does it move any kind of needle for you? Could he possibly get more out of the roster than what Don Mattingly has done now or Rob Thomson did in the future?

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Each time there is a rainout for a Braves game, whether we were at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, Turner Field, or Truist Park, there was always someone complaining that they should have a dome. My response have always been the same. Domed stadiums add a prohibitive cost to an already expensive item. That cost is almost always shared with the surrounding community, whether they enjoy our sports team or not. To have a dome, you’re taking hundreds of millions of dollars from people that are trying to make ends meet just so 3-6 times a year we can watch a ballgame without rescheduling. And I feel okay with that stance.

However, that was considering rainouts and their cancellations. Right now, I want to talk about the heat. It was 96 degrees in Atlanta yesterday, with a heat index in the 105-110 range. A game was played yesterday that started at 1:30 pm local time. I caught the end of the game yesterday. There weren’t a lot of people in the stands for the finish. In this game, Matt Olson hit a three-run home run in the eighth to counter the game-tying homer by the Diamondbacks. The Braves survived the August Raisel Iglesias Experience for the win. And the response was… eh. But I get it.

I spent about three hours outside yesterday in my corner of Braves Country. It’s hot, fam. I get it that a nickname for the city is Hot ‘Lanta. But come on, it’s hot for 65-70 home dates a year. This isn’t some rare occurrence like a rainout, although we have seen more than a few rain delays and cancellations.

The level of heat does make the dome argument a little easier. It’s a near-year-round occurrence. Then you look at Tampa, Miami, Houston, Dallas, and Phoenix. These are all cities with roundabout the same weather concerns, that play baseball in domes. Well, Florida is its own weather (and everything else) animal, but it’s similar.

You can justify the heat argument, but I don’t know about the money angle. Truist Park, sans the lid, cost somewhere in the 622-672 million dollar range. Domes can add 40% of the cost of construction. We would end up going to the public with a tab of 260 million dollars minus whatever the Braves kick in.

For my experience, only about 20 percent of the park is guaranteed to be shaded for the entire game. For the rest, you can hang in the concourse or pay up for the seats with air conditioning. Some parks help ventilation that allows the park to breathe, but not Truist. Something about that park helps it hold in the heat. It probably has something to do with it being surrounded by acres of concrete and steel, which they can’t really control.

So do the Braves need a dome? I mean, no but still. Maybe we could have giant Big Fogg fans in the aisles? It’s hot, y’all.

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The Tampa Bay Rays and Baltimore Orioles wrap up a four-game set tonight, with the hosts sitting as a heavy -150 moneyline favorite behind left-hander Shane McClanahan.

But my Orioles vs Rays predictions are backing Baltimore to take the finale, with a reliable starter on the hill and its recent offensive surge proving to be key against McClanahan. 

Read more in my MLB picks for Monday, August 17. 

Who will win Orioles vs Rays today: Orioles (+140)

The Baltimore Orioles hand Brandon Young the ball tonight, and he has been reliable. The right-hander owns a respectable 3.76 FIP over his last five appearances while allowing just 0.92 HR/9 and a 35.6% hard-hit rate.

On the other side, Tampa Bay Rays starter Shane McClanahan has a 4.87 xERA over his previous three starts. While he has not allowed many homers, the left-hander has walked 4.85 hitters per nine innings, which is dangerous against a thriving Orioles offense with a 120 wRC+ over the last week.

McClanahan is making his first start since leaving his last outing on July 30 due to mid-back soreness.

Tampa Bay is also swinging it well, but Baltimore’s 103 wRC+ against lefties gives the Orioles an edge.

Play this down to +120.

COVERS INTEL: Young has also performed better on the road, posting a 3.44 FIP compared to a 4.35 mark at home. That gives Baltimore another edge as an underdog. 

Orioles vs Rays Over/Under pick: Over 7.5 (-112)

This total sits low at 7.5, and I’m targeting the Over with both lineups rolling. Baltimore’s wRC+ is well above average right now, and the Orioles also own a respectable .187 ISO over their last six contests.

Tampa Bay’s offense has been even hotter, posting a 134 wRC+ over the last week while slugging 10 home runs. Neither starter has been completely lights out, so this game could reach 4-5 runs before the bullpens enter.

There is more vulnerability late, too. The Rays’ relief corps owns a 5.18 FIP over its last 23.1 frames, while Baltimore’s bullpen has been better but not untouchable.

I’ll play the Over up to -130.

Orioles vs Rays home run prediction: Pete Alonso (+414)

Pete Alonso is showcasing his power lately. He has smacked two homers over his last six games while posting a .318 ISO during that span.

Alonso also owns a 68.4% hard-hit rate and 15.5% barrel rate over the last week. While McClanahan has limited homers lately, he is not completely untouchable, and the Rays’ bullpen gives Alonso another clear path. Tampa Bay’s relief corps has allowed 1.93 HR/9 over the last week, presenting an opportunity for Alonso to punish a mistake late.

I’ll play this pick down to +400.

Orioles vs Rays weather

Weather should be a non-factor for Orioles vs. Rays because Tropicana Field is indoors. Even if outdoor conditions are warm and mostly clear, the controlled environment removes wind, humidity, rain, and ball-carry concerns. There should be no delay risk or meaningful weather impact on scoring.

Orioles vs Rays odds

• Moneyline: Orioles +144 | Rays -150
• Run line: Orioles +1.5 (-150) | Rays -1.5 (+144)
• Over/Under: Over 7.5 (-108) | Under 7.5 (+104)

Orioles vs Rays trend

The Baltimore Orioles have hit the Team Total Over in 12 of their last 16 away games (+8.40 Units / 47% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Orioles vs. Rays.

How to watch Orioles vs Rays and game info

Orioles vs Rays latest injuries

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.

Today marks Dave Lemanczyk’s 76th birthday.

Dave was a starting pitcher for the Blue Jays during their inaugural season. He started the second game in franchise history, recording the team’s first-ever loss.

He was a solid pitcher, selected from the Detroit Tigers in the Expansion Draft. The draft itself was something of a sucker’s bet; expansion teams got to choose from players the established clubs didn’t want. While we did get Jim Clancy, Ernie Whitt, Rico Carty, and Pete Vuckovich (who would later win a Cy Young, though not as a Jay), most of our selections were cast-offs.

Lemanczyk enjoyed a strong year, setting career highs in wins, starts, and innings pitched. He threw 252 innings, completed 11 games, won 13, lost 16, and posted a 4.25 ERA, leading the team in victories.

Dave was our Opening Day starter in 1978, but he made only 20 starts, finishing with a 4-14 record and a 6.26 ERA. The heavy workload from the previous season had taken its toll on his arm.

He bounced back in 1979, tossing a one-hitter against the Rangers in April. At the All-Star break, he was 8-5 with a 3.15 ERA and earned a spot on the All-Star team. However, after the break, injuries hampered his performance, and he finished the season 8-10 with a 3.71 ERA in 20 starts.

The Jays traded him to the Angels midway through the 1980 season. He was released after the year and retired from Major League Baseball at age 30, finishing with a 37-63 record (often pitching for struggling teams), a 4.62 ERA over 185 games, and 103 starts.

After his playing days, Dave became a scout for the Yankees but left after a couple of years to spend more time with his family. He briefly worked as an agent before opening a baseball academy and providing private lessons.

I don’t remember much about him, except that he was a big guy—listed at 6’4”. He’s one of those players I wonder about: what kind of career might he have had if managers had been more careful with pitchers’ arms? He’s someone I’d love to talk to and hear firsthand what it was like pitching for an expansion team.

There is a story about Lemanczyk from the Tampa Bay Newspapers.

I thought this was interesting:

Things didn’t get any better as Lemanczyk had a couple of run-ins with rookie manager Roy Hartsfield early on, and into the season.

“He set up so many fines that were just stupid,” he said. “I was the first guy fined. I skipped a parade so I could follow up on a great deal on apartment rentals (near Dunedin). There were around 10 units available and nine players ended up going in on it. We paid something like $400 a month, which was a much better deal than in the hotels they wanted us to stay in.”

Happy birthday, Dave. Hope it’s a great one.

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Framber Valdez lines up against a Pittsburgh Pirates lineup that has looked lost against lefties all season. On the other side, Dillon Dingler brings big right-handed power into a soft matchup with Carmen Mlodzinski.

Valdez and his ground-ball game headline a national-TV matchup as the Detroit Tigers visit the Pirates tonight. Detroit sits as a slim -116 favorite, with first pitch set for 7:05 p.m. ET at PNC Park.

The pitching matchup shapes my Tigers vs. Pirates predictions and MLB picks, which back Detroit on the moneyline, lean Over the total, and target a Tigers slugger to go deep on Monday, Aug. 17.

Who will win Tigers vs Pirates today: Tigers moneyline (-116)

Framber Valdez draws a favorable matchup against a Pittsburgh Pirates lineup that has struggled badly against left-handed pitching, and the Detroit Tigers moneyline is a manageable price to back. Pittsburgh is a strong offense against right-handers (.725 OPS) but much weaker against southpaws (.695 OPS).

Valdez carries a 4.26 ERA, but he allowed two earned runs or fewer in three straight starts before his latest outing and recently tossed seven scoreless innings against Seattle. Pittsburgh counters with Carmen Mlodzinski, who owns a 3.79 ERA overall but has struggled to work deep, averaging only four innings per outing.

I’ll back the Tigers at close to a pick’em price, with Valdez holding a clear handedness edge and Mlodzinski unable to provide length.

I’d play Detroit to -125.

COVERS INTEL: The Pirates are just 10-26 in games started by left-handers and own a .689 OPS against southpaws, a glaring weakness with Valdez on the mound.

Tigers vs Pirates Over/Under pick: Over 8.5 (+105)

I’ll take the Over at plus money since neither starter has been reliable enough lately to lay juice on a low-scoring game.

Mlodzinski carries a 5.06 ERA over his last five appearances, including four runs in 2 1/3 innings against Miami and five in three innings against the Mets, and his short outings open an early path to a Pittsburgh bullpen that owns a 4.24 ERA.

Valdez gives Detroit the pitching edge, but he hasn’t been untouchable either, with a 4.97 ERA over his last five starts. Pittsburgh, meanwhile, enters hitting .262 over its last 10 games.

At 8.5 and +105, I’d rather bet on Mlodzinski’s recent struggles and offense developing on both sides than pay -116 on the Under.

I’d play the Over down to -105.

Tigers vs Pirates home run prediction: Dillon Dingler (+510)

Dillon Dingler has been Detroit’s most prolific home run hitter this season, and his matchup with Mlodzinski is a strong long shot. Dingler has hit 26 home runs, with 22 against right-handed pitching, and he’s batting .274 against RHP.

Mlodzinski’s four-seam fastball is the clear path to damage. Hitters are batting .324 and slugging .550 against the pitch, which carries a -5 Statcast run value and a 58.6% hard-hit rate. Dingler punishes four-seamers, slugging .554 against them with a +7 run value and a .599 expected slugging.

Dingler’s season-long power against righties and his ability to attack Mlodzinski’s weakest offering make this price worth a shot.

At +510, I’d play this to +450 for a quarter unit.

Tigers vs Pirates weather

PNC Park is a pitcher-friendly ballpark with a spacious outfield, and tonight’s forecast leans the same way on a mild Pittsburgh evening. Those conditions suit Valdez’s ground-ball game and reinforce the case for the Tigers moneyline.

Tigers vs Pirates odds

• Moneyline: Tigers -108 | Pirates +104
• Run line: Tigers -1.5 (+150) | Pirates +1.5 (-156)
• Over/Under: Over 8.5 (+113) | Under 8.5 (-117)

Tigers vs Pirates trend

The Over is 4-0 in Pirates' last 4 games as a home underdog, a run of high scoring that backs tonight’s Over 8.5. Find more MLB betting trends for Tigers vs. Pirates.

How to watch Tigers vs Pirates and game info

Tigers vs Pirates latest injuries

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.

Hickory starter Jesus Lafalaise threw six shutout innings, striking out six and walking three. Louis Marinar struck out two in a shutout inning. Michale Trausch allowed three runs in 1.1 IP, walking one.

Pablo Guerrero was 2 for 6 with a double. Paulino Santana and Marco Argudin each had a hit. Kaden Carpenter was 2 for 6 with a double. Dewar Tovar was 2 for 5 with a double and a walk. Curely Martha had a hit. Kolby Branch doubled.

Hickory box score

Hub City starter Enrique Segura allowed two runs in three innings, striking out six and walking three. J’Briell Easley struck out one in a scoreless inning. Owen Proksch allowed a solo homer in an inning of work, striking out one.

Casey Cook was 1 for 3 with a double, a walk and a stolen base. Paxton Kling homered. Marcos Torres doubled.

Hub City box score

For Frisco, Eric Loomis faced one batter and retired one batter. Leandro Lopez allowed two runs in two innings, striking out two and walking one.

Dylan Dreiling doubled. Yeison Morrobel was 3 for 4 with a pair of doubles and a stolen base. Rafe Perich doubled and walked. Ian Moller doubled.

Frisco box score

For Round Rock, Marc Church allowed a run in two innings, striking out six and walking one. Ben Peoples struck out one in a scoreless inning. Emiliano Teodo threw a scoreless inning. Wilian Bormie struck out one and walked one in a shutout inning.

Rehabbing Danny Jansen was 2 for 3 with a walk and caught seven innings. Cam Cauley had a hit and a stolen base. Alejandro Osuna was 2 for 4 with a homer and a walk. John Taylor had a double and a pair of walks. Logan O’Hoppe doubled.

Round Rock box score

The Mets open a three-game set with the San Diego Padres at Citi Field on Monday at 7:10 p.m. on SNY. 

Mets Notes

• Following Sunday's victory, the Mets have now won nine of their last 12 games
• Nolan McLean bounced back nicely his last time out, holding the Braves to just one run over six innings
• Jared Young is hitting .327 with 10 RBI and a .906 OPS over his last 15 games
• Padres starter Walker Buehler has a 4.88 ERA and 1.43 WHIP in 24 starts on the season

Today's Lineups

On Friday versus the Blue Jays, Aaron Boone was ejected for the 50th time in his managerial career. It’s fair to question if this feat or milestone is worth celebrating. Applying this situation to the real world, it would essentially be like getting to verbally abuse the health inspector as they walk through your restaurant with little repercussions. However, in the baseball world, choosing to take a stand and get tossed has long been viewed as a good way to “get the boys fired up” over the course of a long season.

Hitting number 50 places Boone in a tie for 25th all-time, albeit a far cry from Bobby Cox’s top mark of 162, and further builds on his tally as the Yankees all-time leader. Some of these ejections stand out more than others for their entertainment value. In the most American way possible, without condoning workplace bullying but still using it for my entertainment, I have selected the five most entertaining hooks of Boone’s managerial career.

5. The Phantom Menace (April 22, 2024)

In perhaps the most absurd ejection on Boone’s list, and maybe in baseball history, home plate umpire Hunter Wendelstedt threw Boone out just five pitches into the game after a weird hit by pitch and check swing question. The ejection caught everyone off guard as Boone was standing silently when the hook came. The actual chirping was coming from a fan sitting directly behind the Yankees dugout. Boone reacted in complete, animated bewilderment as this ejection had to stand despite his innocence.

4. The Rookie Goes Viral (August 31, 2018)

In his rookie year as manager, Boone established his penchant for theatrical flair, or getting his money’s worth if he was going to get sent to the showers early. After screaming at umpire Nic Lentz, Boone dropped into a catcher’s crouch behind home plate to show the umpire how he was being tricked by the catcher, further mocking the umpire’s strike zone. Boone’s cap made contact with Lentz’s during the tirade getting Boone a fine and a suspension.

3. The Mimicry of Laz Diaz (August 7, 2023)

After being tossed by veteran umpire Laz Diaz, Boone didn’t just yell and stomp; he went full send. He repeatedly showed Diaz an imitation of his strike-three punch-out and getting all up in his personal space. Boone then channeled his inner Bob Ross and traced lines in the dirt to give us all our first preview of what ABS tracking would look like.

2. The “Savages in the Box” Rant (July 18, 2019)

Furious over rookie umpire Brennan Miller’s strike zone, Boone charged out, clapped directly in the umpire’s face like Regina George at a lunch table, and then dropped the line on a hot mic that his hitters were “f-ing savages in that box.” Also, shout-out Brett Gardner, keep bangin’ Brett!

This remains Boone’s masterpiece and made a lot of people in the Yankee sphere some extra coin. Even more importantly, another generation of East Coasters were given the ability to freely use the “F” word in public as a quote.

1. Boone vs. Miller Round Two (May 19, 2026)

Seven years after their legendary first encounter, Boone and Miller squared off again. Tension mounted early when Miller, positioned at second base, called Anthony Volpe out on a stolen-base attempt. Boone challenged, but the ruling stood after a lengthy replay review. Boone slammed his chewing gum onto the ground and spent the next half-inning barking expletives from the top step of the dugout.

The chaos peaked in the seventh inning when Blue Jays outfielder Daulton Varsho made a diving catch that the Yankees suspected was trapped. Having already burned his lone replay challenge, Boone was entirely powerless to stop the third out. In a moment of pure, petty frustration, Boone looked out past the infield, locked eyes with Miller, and began shouting across the diamond.

Miller swiftly unleashed a massive hook, prompting Boone to sprint all the way out to second base for an explosive, nose-to-nose tirade. The sequel was personal. Old-school baseball theater.

Meet the Mets

Continuing their alarmingly-successful run in the aftermath of the trade deadline, the Mets sent the Nationals out of town with a three-game sweep.

Choose your recap: Amazin’ Avenue, Faith and Fear in Flushing, MLB.com, Newsday, New York Daily News, New York Post

In the back half of this lost season, the unsung heroes of these Mets are the relatively-unknown relievers, spearheaded by the undeniable Jefry Yan.

Once again, the Mets game ended with a pitch thrown by newly-minted certified relief ace Kodai Senga.

Sure, Howie Rose may be officially retiring from the broadcast booth at the end of the 2026 season, but that doesn’t mean he’s going to be gone for good.

With nothing left to play for in terms of postseason aspirations, it’s not the worst idea to give Ronny Mauricio another stretch in the big leagues.

Recently brought over in the Freddy Peralta deal, the Mets are promoting Émilien Pitre to Triple-A Syracuse after a couple hundred impressive plate appearances in Double-A.

Around the National League East

Down south, Matt Olson’s 36th home run of the season put the Braves ahead late against the Diamondbacks in what would ultimately become a 5-3 victory.

In the Braves’ minor league system, 40-year-old veteran Carlos Santana was granted his release after 104 adequate plate appearances and will seek another team to give him some major league time in the last weeks of the season.

A 0-0 game through seven innings, the Marlins scored seven times over their final six outs on their way to a 7-1 triumph over the Cincinnati Reds.

Another case of scoring seven runs, though not in as short a timeframe, the Phillies battered Minnesota once again in their 7-5 win against the Twins.

Around Major League Baseball

Slightly more than a week after penning his farewell letter to the world, Tommy John, of 288 wins and eponymous surgery fame, died at 83.

Pained and taken out of Sunday’s game after an awkward swing, the Chicago Cubs’ Dansby Swanson is heading to the injured list.

The cleats Joshua Baez used to club three home runs in his first three trips to the plate as a major leaguer are heading to Cooperstown. The only problem is that the cleats technically aren’t even his.

Not helping the situation for the floundering Dodgers, surprise All Star Justin Wrobleski has been placed on the injured list with the dreaded forearm inflammation.

Worried by an unfamiliar soreness, Nolan Arenado is heading for MRIs to determine what exactly is wrong with his trunk.

Apparently a big day for injuries and the injured list, the [CITY NOT FOUND] Athletics placed Tyler Soderstrom on the 15-day injured list with a hip impingement.

Passing the 40-inning plateau, Aroldis Chapman is now only an offseason physical examination away from being back with the Red Sox next season on a one-year contract for $13M.

This Date in Mets History

Happy 30th birthday to jumping Jefry Yan!

Welcome to week 21 of our 2026 NL Central Power Rankings — let’s rank some teams!

1. Milwaukee Brewers (77-48); 3-4 this week; 100.0% chance to make postseason (FanGraphs)

The Brewers held their own on the West Coast, as they followed up a three-game sweep at the hands of the Padres to win three of four against the Dodgers, keeping them five games ahead of the Cubs in the division.

Four players homered for Milwaukee this week, while Jake Bauers and Jackson Chourio tied for the team lead with eight hits apiece, including two doubles each. Joey Ortiz and Gary Sánchez both homered and had a double, with Ortiz leading the team with four RBIs. Andrew Vaughn added seven hits, including a double.

Logan Henderson turned in a pair of solid starts, totaling 13 1/3 innings with four runs allowed and a team-high 13 strikeouts. Jacob Misiorowski and Dustin May each had a quality start, as Miz went six innings with one run allowed and six strikeouts, and May went seven innings with one run allowed and six strikeouts. Grant Anderson, Aaron Ashby, Trevor Megill, and the now DFA’d Lyon Richardson combined for 8 1/3 scoreless innings for the bullpen, striking out five.

Milwaukee gets an off day on Monday before hosting the Mariners and Braves for three games each this week.

2. Chicago Cubs (72-53); 3-3 this week; 98.0% chance to make postseason

The Cubs, who were red hot entering this week, cooled off over the weekend. After winning the first two games in Washington against the Nationals, they dropped the series finale before dropping two of three against the Cardinals over the weekend.

Alex Bregman suddenly looks like the guy Chicago gave $175 million to, as he picked up four more homers as part of a six-hit, five-walk week. Pete Crow-Armstrong added a pair of homers, as did Seiya Suzuki, who also led the team with eight hits, including four doubles.

Clay Holmes had what was easily the best start of the week, earning the win as he went 6 2/3 scoreless frames with one hit and one walk, striking out three. Trent Thornton and Jacob Webb were the only bullpen arms to not allow a run (unless you count catcher Carson Kelly), totaling 4 1/3 innings as Webb also collected a pair of saves. Former Brewer Aaron Civale was also solid in two relief appearances, allowing one run and striking out five across 5 1/3 innings.

Chicago now faces their cross-city rival White Sox at Wrigley Field before an off day on Thursday. They’ll then visit the Mariners in Seattle over the weekend.

3. St. Louis Cardinals (63-61); 4-2 this week; 8.6% chance to make postseason

The Cardinals have had a nice month of August thus far, winning four consecutive series as they went 2-1 against both the Phillies and Cubs this week.

Joshua Báez had arguably the greatest MLB debut ever on Saturday, becoming the first player to ever homer three times in their debut. Alec Burleson had the best week overall for St. Louis, going 9-for-22 with two homers, three doubles, and 12 RBIs. Blaze Jordan, Jordan Walker, and Everson Pereira also homered.

Andre Pallante went six scoreless innings in his start, striking out a pair, while Kyle Leahy (five innings, one run, six strikeouts), Matthew Liberatore (5 1/3 innings, two runs, six strikeouts), Michael McGreevy (six innings, three runs (all unearned), six strikeouts), and Hunter Dobbins (two starts, 10 innings, five runs (three earned), 13 strikeouts) also had solid weeks in what was a great week for the rotation as a whole. Justin Bruihl, Luis Gastelum, Riley O’Brien, and Peter Strzelecki combined for 11 2/3 scoreless innings and 10 strikeouts out of the bullpen.

St. Louis now heads to Cincinnati to play five games in four days (including a makeup doubleheader on Monday) before three games against the Phillies in Philadelphia this weekend.

4. Cincinnati Reds (59-64); 3-3 this week; 0.2% chance to make postseason

The Reds turned in another .500 week, taking two of three from the White Sox in Chicago before dropping two of three to the Marlins at home.

Tyler Stephenson and Eugenio Suárez both slugged a pair of homers, with Ke’Bryan Hayes, Matt McLain, and Sal Stewart adding a homer apiece. Stewart also led the team with eight hits this week, with four RBIs and four runs scored.

Chase Burns continues to dominate, as he went seven scoreless frames, allowing four hits and no walks while striking out seven to pick up the win. Luis Mey went four scoreless innings across three relief appearances, Brock Burke went 2 2/3 scoreless innings, Pierce Johnson went 1 2/3 scoreless, and Emilio Pagán collected a pair of saves in his two appearances.

Cincinnati now hosts the Cardinals for five games in four days before visiting the Diamondbacks next weekend.

5. Pittsburgh Pirates (61-65); 3-3 this week; 3.7% chance to make postseason

The Pirates had a solid .500 week, dropping two of three to the Marlins in Miami but bouncing back to take two of three from the Red Sox in Pittsburgh.

Rafael Flores had a big week for Pittsburgh, with seven hits, including three homers, driving in eight. Jacob Gonzalez, Brandon Lowe, and Jared Triolo each homered, and Esmerlyn Valdez led the team with nine hits, including three doubles.

Braxton Ashcraft turned in a complete game, allowing one run on three hits and a walk, striking out 10. Bubba Chandler also earned a win with two runs allowed over five innings, while Paul Skenes took the loss with two runs allowed (one earned) over five innings. Wilber Dotel, Mason Montgomery, Yohan Ramírez, and Gregory Soto combined for 8 1/3 scoreless innings for the bullpen, striking out 11.

Pittsburgh now hosts the Tigers for three games before an off day on Thursday. They then head west to visit the Dodgers in Los Angeles.