Welcome to September, everyone, also known as the month when the New York Islanders and the NHL return. Not just the preseason, like in previous years, either.
The Islanders' season kicks off in 28 days, and with it, the Islanders will have some big decisions to make in the next four weeks.
The Islanders enter September with the biggest questions at training camp: the battle of the young, new crop of prospects led by Victor Eklund, looking to break through to the NHL, facing up against established veteran forwards.
Some, like Anthony Duclair and Pierre Engvall, are looking to reset their careers after the last two seasons were lost. For Duclair, that was injury-related in year one, then never received consistent opportunities under then-Head Coach Patrick Roy in year two.
Engvall failed to make the team out of training camp in 2024, but wound up having a decent depth season before suffering multiple injuries and then missing the entire 2025-26 season as a result.
The only addition to the Islanders' roster offensively between their last game of the season and the present date is Matias Macelli. The exits are headlined by Anders Lee, followed by Marc Gatcomb and Maxim Shabanov, all of whom played a lot of games throughout the season.
As a result, some fans have hoped for a potential PTO for some of the top remaining UFAs, including Eeli Tolvanen and Patrik Laine, to add even more competition up front.
However, the New York Rangers swooped in and landed Tolvanen Tuesday afternoon, signing the forward to a one-year deal worth $1.5 million.
Tolvanen, 27, posted 12 goals and 36 points last season with the Seattle Kraken. In 2024-25, Tolvanen wired home 23 goals, a career high.
Tolvanen boasts strong defensive analytics and could be a solid third-liner at a discount for the Rangers. His issues include poor puck control and a lack of overall offensive play driving compared to some peers.
Given where the Islanders are at this point in time, it just doesn't make sense to give out a guaranteed contract right now, not when they're trying to save spots for Eklund and the rest of the youth to push for roster spots.
The condition on the first rounder is solely what year the pick is in, not a matter of whether it remains a first.
Evangelista notched 12 goals and a career-high 56 points in 81 games with Nashville. He's got sparkling analytics, with people raving about his two-way ability.
The young forward can fit anywhere in New Jersey's top nine, and given their inconsistent wing play over the last 24 months, he can make a difference.
The cost of acquisition was beyond prohibitive for the Islanders, especially considering the style of play.
The Islanders are in no position to trade two premium draft picks for a player who would not be adding goals. The Islanders' version of this bet was Maccelli, who scored 14 goals and 39 points in 71 games, all while posting pretty strong analytics on a dismal Toronto squad.
For the Islanders, the only forward competition they may add ahead of training camp will likely come via PTOs, which allow the team to retain the flexibility they've built in for the youth to push hard this fall.
County Championship side Hampshire backed out of playing New Zealand fast bowler Scott Kuggeleijn in their four-day Division One clash with Warwickshire on Wednesday due to fan backlash.
What will Steph Curry’s forthcoming Warriors contract extension look like?
Pretty much whatever he wants it to.
It is no secret that the superstar and Golden State soon will come to terms on a lucrative contract extension before his 18th NBA season, but how will it be structured, with Curry turning 39 years old in March? ESPN’s Anthony Slater shared some insight into the Warriors’ discussions with Curry now that he is, as of Saturday, eligible to sign a maximum two-year, $136.7 million contract extension.
“They’re not like negotiating with Steph Curry right now,” Slater said on the latest episode of the “Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective” podcast. They are saying, ‘You can do this, you can do this, you can do this. If you want the one-year max, if you want the two-year max, if you want to wait, here’s your menu. Pick off your menu.”
Curry has made it known that he wants to finish his illustrious NBA career with Golden State, and in all likelihood he will.
“There’s no question I want to be here the rest of my career, and I’m pretty sure that’s going to happen,” Curry told NBC Sports Bay Area’s Dalton Johnson on Monday.
“The deal and the contract stuff will happen at the right time, and we’re not letting it be a distraction from our preparation for the season, and the fact that the team we’re coming back with has a lot of familiarity.”
Will Curry play for one more season? Two? Three? That remains to be seen, but it is safe to assume the 12-time All-Star is not going anywhere for the forseeable future.
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 31: (R-L) Trent Grisham #12, Spencer Jones #78 and Ben Rice #22 of the New York Yankees during fielding practice before the game against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on August 31, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Yankees are gearing up to welcome Aaron Judge back into the fold sometime soon, perhaps as soon as this current road trip is over. When he returns to the lineup, the team will at last have their Opening Day outfield of Judge, Cody Bellinger, and Trent Grisham all healthy again. However, while the team hasn’t had nearly as much of Judge as they’d like and Bellinger has also missed a decent chunk of time, they’ve gotten a good look at Grisham in 2026 and unfortunately the results haven’t been good.
Grisham’s offense has taken a significant hit compared to his breakout 2025, posting a 97 wRC+ that’s a full 30 points lower than last year’s mark while playing increasingly worse defense out in center field. His luck at the plate was rather unfortunate for the first month before a strong May and June brought him back in line, but after looking nonexistent in July it’s become more and more apparent that the decline he’s faced is closer to reality than the Yankees would like. The team didn’t have much choice but to continue running him out there as the outfield depth has been tested throughout the year, but now that they’re at full strength there’s one option they can make. The team can continue to run Grisham out there to close out the year, or they could lean on the power of one of their top prospects in Spencer Jones as he starts to figure things out at the major league level.
Jones’ first couple cups of coffee as a Yankee didn’t do much to inspire confidence that his swing could play in the majors yet, showcasing the massive holes that had been apparent down in the minors. He ran a strikeout rate north of 40 percent through June, but a major turnaround began when he was called back up at the end of July. He’s managed to pull back that strikeout rate a touch, still running a high 32 percent in August, and he’s provided a power boost to the lineup in the process. His defense is still awkward at best, but considering how Grisham looks covering balls out there nowadays I’d have a hard time saying Jones is worse.
It’s a tough choice for the Yankees to make, but their best lineup might just be with Jones penciled in rather than Grisham. There’s little else they can do to optimize their chances to win at this point — the infield has been brought up a level with George Lombard Jr. manning shortstop and Luis García Jr. at first base, Cody Bellinger has been one of the best left fielders in baseball and shouldn’t be messed with shifting him around, and Judge will play right field out of necessity but can’t give 100 percent on defense with his rib injury. They have the month of September to figure out which of the two outfielders can ride a hot streak into October, but the odds might favor Jones as he’s adapted his swing since his initial callup. Which one would you trust to start the lion’s share of games going forward? Let us know down below in the comments.
We’ve got a busy day ahead of us while we wait for the late night rubber match out on the West Coast. Peter gives a trio of Yankees the spotlight in his At-Bat of the Week, Andrew has the Rivalry Roundup featuring Freddy Peralta exacting some revenge on the Mets after a terrible first half with them, and Nick gives Monte Pearson his flowers on his birthday. Then in the afternoon we’ve got some division check-ins, with Sam, Jeremy, and John covering the NL East, Central, and West respectively.
Boston, MA - May 2: Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum looks on from the bench in the first quarter. The Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers played in the first round of the NBA Playoffs at TD Garden on May 2, 2026. (Photo by Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
The blog’s own Nik Land posed an important question on X that we’ll surely be talking about heavily throughout the next few weeks: what does the Celtics’ Opening Night starting 5 look like?
Does Payton Pritchard open on the bench? Is it Neemias Queta or Mitchell Robinson setting the tone in the frontcourt? Do one of Boston’s rising wings get an early crack at a starting role?
They’re all valid questions. But constants remain. Every lineup prediction will rightfully lock in Derrick White, Jayson Tatum and Paul George, and every lineup can be looked at under the lens of “how does this group help Tatum run the show?”
It also posed a different question for me: what do the rotations look when JT’s not on the floor?
That is a big question.
Tatum was eased in a bit with 32.6 minutes per game in his regular season return last year, his lowest per game average since 2018-19. In six postseason games, his minutes jumped back up to 36, the regular season norm for his prior five seasons.
It’s a smaller-scale issue to figure out now than it seemed a year ago, when Boston had to endure a Tatum-less existence with Jaylen Brown running the show with a roster built on unproven commodities.
Those guys are unproven no longer. With established depth and a few new pieces, the Celtics are able to put together an impressive combination of bench lineups to steady the ship — or even win their minutes — when Tatum sits.
With the help of Basketball Index’s Lineup Analyzer which uses stabilized lineup data and helps us compare lineups of various sample sizes (as well as some opinionated liberties), let’s look at three lineup combinations that could provide well-rounded, two-way impact even as Boston gives a breather to its star catalyst.
PHILADELPHIA, PA – APRIL 26: Ron Harper Jr. #13 of the Boston Celtics and Payton Pritchard #11 of the Boston Celtics celebrate during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers during Round One Game Four of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 26, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 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 Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Pritchard-Harper Jr.-Hauser-George-Robinson
Whether Payton Pritchard starts or not, the biggest expectation is that he’ll be a massive figure when Tatum’s off the floor.
From his days as a garbage time showman to his Sixth Man of the Year season, Pritchard has never shied away from an opportunity to run offense. He loves being the system’s linchpin, and in this case he certainly is, though he’s working within a 5-man combo that just seems like it can beat you in so many ways.
There’s the Pritchard-Robinson pick-and-roll, there’s the dribble-penetration kickout game to multiple marksmen, there’s PG-13 isolations. This feels close to the very best version of the Celtics when Tatum isn’t out there.
That 2-guard spot can go a few different ways outside of Ron Harper Jr. That could be Baylor Scheierman or Hugo Gonzalez surely, but RHJ was placed here because, along with his on and off-ball versatility next to Pritchard, his strength and 7 ‘1.25 wingspan gives this lineup a bit more help to defend on drives and paint touches.
Basketball Index’s predictive model certainly gives its flowers to the offensive upside of this lineup, though a 114.4 defensive rating would place them in the middle of the road (Golden State was 16th in the league in defensive rating with that same figure).
White-Gonzalez-Walsh-George-Robinson
This lineup would enter me into a defensive nirvana.
Just imagine the possibilities, imagine the frustration of a player on the other end. Guys angrily slamming the ball into the floor after a moving screen, hands thrown futilely into the air after a bad pass, that wide-eyed look of an off-ball teammate watching as not one, not two, but three Celtics collapse the paint and collectively send the ball into the stands.
Yeah, there’s no Tatum, but there are three guys that are houndingly effective screen navigators, one of which is the best shot-blocking guard currently playing the game.
There would be questions about the offensive logistics of this lineup, but the way I’m looking at it is how this becomes an opportunity for George to take the reins as a temporary top option.
George scored a respectable 1.03 PPP in isolation last year on 52.6% eFG. He was 11th in the NBA in isolation frequency. As a pick-and-roll ballhandler, he scored an even better 1.18 PPP on 61% eFG. Even at 36, even with his injury history, Paul George can still score at a high level.
With the ball likely finding his hands in this lineup, George would have a quality roller, a reliable off-ball threat in White and two guys in Gonzalez and Walsh that are good off-the-catch shooters, but are even better at cutting into space and crashing the glass.
It’s the defensive possibilities that sell me on a lineup like this, but it would also present the opportunity to see some vintage PG-13 scoring.
Like me, the lineup analyzer adores the defensive potential of this lineup, but surprisingly it’s even higher on the offense. That 125.54 offensive rating is the highest of the three lineups presented here, and it definitely would imply a shooting return to form for White and an even better George-ran offense than advertised.
Conley-Harper Jr.-Scheierman-Hauser-Queta
With three guys that can handle the ball and four that can effectively fire shots from deep, this feels like the kind of lineup that offers a ship-steadying hand in Mike Conley while also encouraging guys like Harper Jr. and Scheierman to take command as go-to creators.
The jury’s still out on what kind of role Conley will have in his 20th season. Chances are it’ll be slightly smaller than his career-low 18.4 minutes per game in Minnesota last year, but even as the 38-year-old guard’s career enters its swan song, I’m still fascinated by the things he offers even as his production has declined.
He’s a true table-setter, he hardly ever turns the ball over, and he’s one of the smartest pick-and-roll guards of his era. He just gets the ball to the right spots. There’s not a selfish bone in his body.
This lineup opens the door for RHJ to create off the dribble, something we saw significantly with the Maine Celtics before he took on more of a 3-and-D role in Boston. Scheierman looked more and more comfortable as a connector as his second season wore on, capitalizing on a bigger role thanks to his efforts defensively and on the glass.
It’s a lineup that’d rely on one big to clean up the glass, and it seems more offensive-minded than defensive, but I look at this as one of many opportunities to foster growth and confidence in Boston’s deep group of wings.
Guys like Conley, Hauser and Queta have pretty established identities, but there’s still a little more to discover about Harper Jr. and Scheierman’s ceilings and what they can do with more opportunity.
With multiple scoring threats, an elite offensive rebounder and some quality defensive pieces, the lineup analyzer seems to have a modest opinion on these five together.
What are the non-Tatum lineups that you want to see? Comment below and let us know.
The Pittsburgh Penguins unveiled the seasonlong promotional lineup during home games this season, featuring 22 unique theme nights for fans of all ages and interests.
The promotional schedule also includes two events celebrating significant moments in franchise history.
The Penguins will hold their second annual Hall of Fame Game on Nov. 14 against the Ottawa Senators. The team will induct its 2026 class into the Penguins Hall of Fame during a pregame ceremony.
On Jan. 31, the Penguins will celebrate the 10th anniversary of their 2017 Stanley Cup championship with another pregame ceremony. All fans in attendance will receive a commemorative championship ring.
Other theme nights throughout the season include:
80s Night: Nov. 3 vs. Vegas Golden Knights
Pittsburgh Night: Nov. 25 vs. Calgary Flames
“Star Wars” Night: Dec. 6 vs. San Jose Sharks
“Peanuts”Night: Dec. 17 vs. Los Angeles Kings
90s Night: Dec. 18 vs. Seattle Kraken
Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood Day: Jan. 3 vs. Edmonton Oilers
Casino Night: Jan. 21 vs. Anaheim Ducks
Y2K Night: March 9 vs. Ottawa Senators
Country Night: March 27 vs. Carolina Hurricanes
The Penguins will also celebrate the New Year on Jan. 1 when they host the Minnesota Wild. A Zambelli indoor fireworks show will follow the game.
The team will continue its “Drawn to the Game” series, with 11 games highlighting Pittsburgh’s heritage, culture and community, featuring artist-designed wearable items.
The Penguins will also bring back the popular Dollar Dog Games for all four regular-season home games on Monday.
Other ticket packages include an expanded college series featuring co-branded athletic rugby shirts and a bobblehead honoring longtime Penguins anthem singer Jeff Jimerson.
From October through December, fans can also purchase Item of the Month ticket packages for select games. Items will include an Oktoberfest stein, the popular Zamboni gravy boat and an Iceburgh nutcracker.
To view the full promotional schedule, click here.
The Penguins kick off their 2026-27 regular-season home schedule on Oct. 3 against the Montreal Canadiens at PPG Paints Arena.
Sep 1, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians second baseman Angel Genao (17) rounds the bases after hitting a pinch-hit, two-run home run during the seventh inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Guardians hitters hit 3 home runs, all with a man on base.
Stephen Vogt pushed all the right buttons.
It was exactly what this team needed to stay ahead in the WC race, and also what they will need if they make it to the postseason. Also the Orioles lost. So CLE has a 1.5 game cushion over them and the Rangers, with the Jays 2.5 back.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 27: Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry #30 brings the ball down court as he's guarded by Memphis Grizzlies' Jaren Jackson Jr. #8 in the first quarter of their NBA game at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Digital First Media/East Bay Times via Getty Images) | MediaNews Group via Getty Images
If the Golden State Warriors front office has specialized in anything over the last few seasons, it’s in coming oh-so-close to adding stars, whether in trades or free agency. Now another All-Star has joined the stunning roster of almost-Warriors.
Per @anthonyVslater, the Warriors were exploring a trade for Jaren Jackson Jr at the trade deadline before he ultimately went to Utah
Anthony Slater reported that the Warriors were “exploring a trade” for Jaren Jackson, Jr. at last year’s deadline, before the Memphis Grizzlies ultimately shipped the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year to the Utah Jazz for three first-round picks, two former first-round picks, Kyle “Slo Mo” Anderson and new Warrior Georges Niang, who didn’t actually take the floor for either team last season.
Could the Warriors have matched that offer? It’s possible, since three future Warriors firsts are probably better than picks from the Jazz and Los Angeles Lakers next season, and a Phoenix Suns first in 2031. Jackson made $35M last season, meaning a combination of Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield would have come close to matching his salary.
But the real question is whether this was a real possibility at all. The Warriors are notorious for talking about players they wanted, or almost got, or might get in the future. They’ve gone through this song and dance multiple times with LeBron James and Kevin Durant, not to mention other supposed targets like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Brandon Ingram, Lauri Markkanen, Kawhi Leonard, Meadowlark Lemon, and Air Bud.
Plenty of teams explore trades, because simply exploring a trade is easier than anything Dora the Explorer does. The Warriors are one of the few NBA teams who makes sure everyone knows they were totally seriously trying to make deals, you guys, OK? Someone or multiple someones in the front office believe it makes the Warriors look better to reveal that they failed at all their plans, as opposed to not having any serious ones to begin with.
Who knows how far their exploration went, but in the end, the Warriors couldn’t outmaneuver the Jazz or convince Jackson living in San Francisco is superior to Salt Lake City. Or even Atherton — Steph Curry is there to guard against middle-class homeowners.
Assuming Jackson was really a possibility at all, more than an “MDJ + JJJ” doodle in Mike Dunleavy Junior’s journal.
NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 29: Trent Grisham #12 of the New York Yankees is congratulated after scoring a run during game 2 of a doubleheader between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Saturday, August 29, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Michael Urakami/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Athletic | Chris Kirschner (unlocked): The Yankees took a calculated risk in offering Trent Grisham the $22 million qualifying offer last winter, and you could make a fair argument the gamble hasn’t paid off. Grish has been the worst center fielder in baseball by OAA and the slowest at the position as well. He’s looked considerably more vulnerable at the position in the past couple of months, and unlike last year when he was also not great defensively, his 128 wRC+ bat has dropped a full 30 points, making him a below-average hitter. With every run — scored or allowed — meaning something for the Yankees right now, it’s time to wonder if he’s the right player for the September stretch run.
New York Daily News | Gary Phillips: Speaking of outfielders, Spencer Jones. The Yankee rookie is starting to get his feet under him in the majors, with a 105 wRC+ on the season and some flashes of being an above-average player. This week’s series in Anaheim is something of a special moment for Jones, who was originally drafted by the Angels out of high school before going on to play college ball at Vanderbilt. Drafted in the 31st round in 2019, Jones was considered by the Angels org to have some two-way potential, but Vandy solidified the power profile into the player we know today.
New York Post | Greg Joyce: Speaking of outfielders, Aaron Judge! The Yankee captain seems as though he will skip a rehab assignment and could be ready to return to the lineup next week in the Bronx. What I said above about every run being meaningful goes double for the three-time MVP, as 75-80 percent of Judge is still better than most of the players you could possibly run out on a field…including arguably the team’s starting center fielder.
MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: Combining the need to save some bullpen arms, keep Max Fried on a calculated return from injury, and the fact he and Will Warren were lined up to pitch in the same game, Warren will likely act as a piggyback for the Yankee lefty Friday in San Diego. Piggybacking has long been rumored as the next stage of pitching strategy, and after Warren’s excellent start Sunday against the Red Sox, you have to be interested to see how it’ll turn out.
Lastly, we get an update on some bullpen depth decisions. Squeezed out of the active roster mix by the Yankees’ activation of Max Fried, recent Yankee relief addition Justin Topa will remain with the organization. He’s not one of the September “call-ups” — that would be erstwhile Royals reliever John Schreiber and the previously injured Ryan McMahon — but Topa is sticking around at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Justin Topa is staying with the #Yankees org on another minor league deal.
German scrapes home 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (7), 7-5, 6-4 in thriller
‘I think this is the longest first-round match I’ve played’
Alexander Zverev rallied just in time to avoid becoming the first men’s No 1 seed to lose in the first round of a grand slam tournament since 2003, edging Lorenzo Sonego 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (7), 7-5, 6-4 in a US Open match that ended in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
Zverev could not cash in on repeated chances to break Sonego’s serve for much of the night and was in danger of becoming the first top-seeded man to fall in his first match in a major tournament since Ivo Karlovic beat Lleyton Hewitt at Wimbledon in 2003.
The British transfer record was equalled and one club signed no fewer than 18 players in another hectic summer
Bringing in Christos Tzolis, Bruno Guimarães and Ezri Konsa was a strong start to the window but could Arsenal’s failure to sign a marquee attacker cost them in the long run? They began targeting Morgan Rogers before pivoting to Vinícius Júnior when the England forward went to Chelsea, only to end up disappointed when Vinícius signed a new deal with Real Madrid. Julián Alvarez made clear he had no intention of joining from Atlético Madrid in the final days of the window and Arsenal kept their powder dry despite sanctioning the exits of Gabriel Jesus to Barcelona and Ethan Nwaneri to Borussia Dortmund. Should Gabriel Martineilli complete his move to Al-Hilal as expected in the coming days – the Saudi Pro League window remains open – a few injuries could leave Arteta short. Ed Aarons
Taking on more responsibility as Sussex captain has helped revitalise the bowler’s career, but he cannot afford to take his foot off the gas
Last winter, Ollie Robinson and England were living separate lives on the same continent. To the cracking of crockery and gnashing of teeth, England played five Tests as Bazball imploded. Robinson meanwhile toddled off to play grade cricket for the University of Sydney with no thoughts of playing for England at all.
Eight months later, Robinson’s life has turned upside down. After being dropped in 2024 by England over his attitude to fitness and suspicions of malingering, he was suddenly in favour again. In his first Test back in June he galumphed in from the Nursery End at Lord’s and took three wickets in his first over, a nipped‑back lbw, a nipped‑back catch at short leg and then another lbw. Boy’s Own stuff. He finished with seven wickets in the Test, and an award for player of the match.
PITTSBURGH, PA - SEPTEMBER 01: Rafael Devers #16 of the San Francisco Giants celebrates hitting a three-run home run with Jonah Cox #53 in the second inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on September 1, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
One thing about aces is that while they’re usually the best card, in some rare games, they’re the lowest. That’s what happened Tuesday in Pittsburgh, when reigning Cy Young winner Paul Skenes faced off against three-time All-Star and one-time pitching WAR second-place finisher Logan Webb.
By the bottom of the third inning, Skenes had given up five runs and Webb was out of the game after giving up nine runs and failing to record an out. The result was a pitching-light game where the Giants produced two separate five-run innings and still lost, 13-12, on a walk-off error from Osleivis Basabe, on a play that started with a pretty nice stop from the out-of-position infielder. Like the final play itself, was some of the best and worst baseball you’ll ever see from both teams and the rare game that leaves both fanbases scarred and upset.
Should a baseball team have to walk it off in a game where they were up five runs in the 8th inning? Probably not, but that’s what happens when, on the second night in a row, a team failed to respect the bats of Turner Hill and Nate Furman. Hill went 4-for-5 with two runs scored and Furman delivered a game-tying two-run single in the 8th. Furman’s probably already worth what he cost in trade: The last 22 innings of Alex Cobb’s career.
It looked so promising early against Skenes, who has taken a step back in his third season but remains the Pirates’ ace. Osleivis Basabe battled through eight pitches to draw just his third walk of the season, equaling his total of hit-by-pitches. Drew Cavanaugh legged out an infield hit before Tony Vitello decided to get conservative for the apparent pitchers duel by bunting the runners to second and third.
It paid off when Christian Koss hit an RBI single, though Cavanaugh couldn’t repeat his speed demon effort to score from second. Clutch king Turner Hill knocked in Cavanugh with a single and Rafael Devers cleared the bases with his 31st home run of the season.
A 5-2 lead with Webb on the mound? The Giants were in business! Only Webb simply didn’t have his command, evidenced by drilling two hitters in a two-run 1st inning. The Giants got him out of the second inning with an impressive double play, but the 3rd inning was big trouble.
The Pirates hitters were scattering singles like an appreciative lunch buffet audience at the Gold Club. Webb gave up four straight hits, then issued two bases-loaded walks, which is really frowned upon. His night ended after perpetually-struggling former No. 1 pick Henry Davis hit Webb’s 33rd pitch — a 92 MPH fastball down the absolute middle of the plate — for a two-run single.
The improbably-named Braxton Roxby relieved Webb and immediately let Davis, who is no Drew Cavanaugh, steal second base easily. That meant Davis scored on Spencer Horowitz’s single. That was followed by a single from Brandon Lowe (4-for-6, three runs), the 9th straight Pirates hitter to reach base. Usually “batting around” doesn’t mean nine batters and zero outs but the 2026 Giants are a special team.
Roxby finally got an out on a fielder’s choice, then followed it up with a hit batsman and a two-run single from O’Neil Cruz (4-for-6, 4 RBI), who had two separate RBI singles in the 3rd. Final damage? 17 batters, nine hits, two walks, a HBP, a stolen base, and nine runs. It could have been worse, since the Pirates had the bases loaded when the inning finally ended.
But to their credit, the Giants did not cave. Cesar Perdomo, making his major-league debut, struck out four in four innings of relief and yielded only one run, on a Lowe home run.
Perdomo hadn’t pitched above A-ball this season, so this was a very impressive effort for the 24-year-old Venezuelan, who was promoted to the roster just hours before the game. He almost certainly didn’t think he’d be called upon in a Webb start, but he pitched admirably — there’s no shame in letting Lowe go deep for the 29th time this season.
The rookies came through once again. Jonah Cox, who also hadn’t played above A-ball before this season, went 2-for-5 with a walk and legged out an infield hit to get the Giants to 11-6 in the 6th. Cavanaugh, who had less than 200 plate appearances in AAA, went 3-for-5 with a two-run double. We think he’ll get a lower number than #61 next season.
Bryce Eldridge went 1-for-4, but walked twice to give him 49 BBs for the season, which is very encouraging for a 21-year-old. Furman has three hits in his last four at-bats and should get a chance at third base if his tiny body is able to make the long throw, or let Basabe (exceeded rookie limits in 2023) take the hot corner (apologies to all three Shay Whitcomb fans out there). And Braxton Roxby continues to break record for pitching statistics by a man named Roxby, though he has a ways to go to climb the ranks of Braxtons (there’s two other pitchers).
The Giants got to see their old friend Camilo Doval, who worked a scoreless 7th inning with two strikeouts. Thankfully, the Giants still have Parks Harber in the minors from that trade, restocking their reserves of players with extremely silly names.
In the climactic 9th inning, the Pirates were able to convert where the Giants simply couldn’t. Mason Montgomery hit a batter and gave up two hits, including a double from Cox, but got an early double play and induced Jung Hoo Lee (0-for-5 with a walk) to ground out to end the threat. Meanwhile, Carson Seymour gave up two hits, but got unlucky when Basabe couldn’t get Lowe on his final goundout.
It’s certainly better than losing in a blowout, and there were a lot of positives! Still, it was a game where even when the Giants roared back to tie, and Vitello pushed the right buttons, it still felt like they’d blow it. And they did, losing in a brand-new way than their previous 81 defeats.
The 2026 Giants may be bad, really bad. But they’ve still retained the ability to surprise their fans, even when it’s ultimately gut-wrenching. And that’s something.
When Alastair Clarkson was appointed coach of North Melbourne in August 2022, he was the largest figure in the sport. Ange Postecoglou had advised him to take on the most challenging role he could find. At that stage, the Roos were a puddle of a team. Jason Horne-Francis couldn’t get out of the place quickly enough.
At Clarkson’s first media conference, he spoke of a club that helped steer him on the right path after his brother had been killed in a car accident. The industry was pitiless, he said. But there were good people involved too, and the occasional moments of grace. His new president, the polar opposite of Jeff Kennett at Hawthorn, ran more than 100 programs supporting kids from non-English speaking backgrounds. The North Melbourne presidency, Dr Sonja Hood says, was her “weird job”. Kane Cornes described her as “uninspiring”. But she held her nerve, stared down the industry and got her man.
Dodgers right fielder Kyle Tucker can't reach a fifth-inning homer by Cardinals shortstop Thomas Saggese at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
The Dodgers’ August woes followed them into the first day of September.
Roster expansion, returning three players from the injured list, the mental relief of turning the calendar page — none of that gave the Dodgers the boost they needed against the Cardinals on Tuesday.
Instead, the Dodgers lost 13-8 to a team that entered the day 4 ½ games out of the last National League wild-card spot.
“I just think tonight we just got behind the eight ball,” manager Dave Roberts said.
During the Dodgers’ past seven series (following a high-scoring trip to Chicago), their rotation has recorded a top-five ERA (2.97) in the majors. But on Tuesday, left-hander Eric Lauer coughed up seven runs in three innings.
Dodgers second baseman Alex Freeland chases the ball as the Cardinals' Nathan Church hits an RBI in the third inning Tuesday at Dodger Stadium. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
It was a personal outlier as well in Lauer’s time with the Dodgers. Lauer had given up more than three runs in just two other outings since the Dodgers acquired him from the Blue Jays in mid-May, and Tuesday marked his shortest start.
“I felt good warming up, felt good in the bullpen, then got out there and kind of just lost it,” Lauer said. “And you know it’s one of those things where you try to make adjustments and you try to work on things between, and I think I might have been just tinkering a little too much in between and getting outside of myself. So I think really just focusing on what I do well and repeating that and not trying to get too fancy and getting back to the basics is really all I can do.”
The Dodgers had briefly moved Lauer from the rotation into the bullpen, but he reclaimed his starting role when right-hander Roki Sasaki landed on the IL last week with a blister on his right middle finger.
Lauer’s start Tuesday began to go downhill in the second inning when he gave up back-to-back solo homers to Ramón Urias and Thomas Saggese with two outs.
Those two runs could have been quickly forgotten if Lauer had gotten back on track. The next inning, however, he surrendered five runs as the Cardinals kept chipping away with five singles, a hit batter, a walk and a sacrifice fly.
The Dodgers struck back in the bottom half of the inning — but not exactly with authority.
Mookie Betts’ bases-clearing double was assisted by a Cardinals defensive miscue. Right fielder Jordan Walker and second baseman José Fermín both raced after Betts’ shallow fly. As Fermín dashed back, Walker slid to attempt the catch — and took out Fermín’s feet from under him.
The ball fell to the ground. With two outs, Dodgers baserunners were going on contact and all three crossed the plate before Cardinals first baseman Alec Burleson could retrieve the ball and throw it.
Betts’ bat stayed hot. And he contributed another RBI double in the fifth — this one smoked up the left-field line to drive in one run. But it didn’t do much to put a dent in the Cardinals’ lead.
The Cardinals continued to tack on against the Dodgers’ bullpen, powered by three more home runs, off right-hander Seth Halvorsen, lefty Alex Vesia and lefty Justin Wrobleski, fresh off the injured list.
Dodgers utility player Kiké Hernández pitches during the ninth inning of a blowout loss to the Cardinals at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
Catcher Will Smith, who the Dodgers also activated from the IL Tuesday, put the ball in the air in his first four at-bats and was finally rewarded in the seventh inning with an RBI double. He drove in another run in the ninth, grounding into a fielder’s choice with the bases loaded, as part of a three-run last-ditch rally.
“I think that there were some positives with the at-bats,” Roberts said. “I liked some of the swings. I like taking walks when given to us. I like being able to push and runs across.”
All four players who the Dodgers activated on Tuesday appeared in the game. In addition to Smith and Wrobleski, second baseman Alex Freeland (recalled from triple A) started the game, and Dalton Rushing (reinstated from the IL) struck out in his lone pinch-hit at-bat. Rushing will provide a left-handed bat off the bench until he’s graduated from his throwing program and built up on the defensive side.
The score was so lopsided by the ninth inning that utility player Kiké Hernández took the mound to finish the game — but without his signature pitching helmet.
