SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 07: Robbie Ray #38 of the San Diego Padres pitches against the Houston Astros during the second inning at Petco Park on August 07, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Padres fans and fans across the country.
The San Diego Padres fanbase has been through a lot this season. It started with early season reports that San Diego had the worst farm system in the MLB. That transitioned to an MLB offense that was ranked near the bottom of the league in every statistical category, a pitching rotation decimated by injury and a patchwork of arms that was unwatchable at times. Despite all of that, rookie manager Craig Stammen had his team playing well and at one point 11 games over .500. Talk at the time was that how the Padres were winning games was unsustainable. Then the crashed happened. San Diego hit the skids and had a losing streak that saw them fall below .500 as the team headed into the All-Star break.
Coming out of the break, the conversation among fans, Padres front office personnel and the baseball world turned toward what the team should do at the MLB Trade Deadline. The Padres had hoped to come out of the All-Star break and jump right into a winning streak that would compel San Diego president of baseball operations and general manager to buy at the deadline, or at the very least keep what was in place. Instead, the Padres dropped two games to the Kansas City Royals and three games to the Atlanta Braves and started their post-All-Star road trip 2-5 heading into a three-game series at Miami.
The Padres went on to sweep the Marlins and finished their road trip 5-5 and headed back to San Diego for a homestand against the Colorado Rockies and the San Francisco Giants. There was still no indication what the Padres would do at the deadline and with a two-game sweep of the Rockies and taking three out of four games against the Giants, Preller and his team became buyers. However, there was still talk San Diego could try to be a buyer and possibly sell some pieces to improve the poorly ranked farm system. By the time the deadline had come and passed, the Padres had acquired two of the top starters available and a utility player and kept the roster intact.
San Diego added starters Robbie Ray, who had just got the win for San Francisco when the two teams met, and Casey Mize and Gage Workman from the Detroit Tigers. It was good to see Preller address the rotation, which proved to be the most glaring need at the deadline, but he paid the price for adding two rental arms, further depleting his farm system. Some people were unhappy with the decision not to trade players in the final years of their contracts like Adrian Morejon or Ty France. Some were unhappy that players with options at the end of the year like Michael King were not traded. But throughout baseball Preller and the Padres were lauded for the work they did at the Trade Deadline.
The Padres Reacts Survey question from this week asked respondents to give their take on the deadline moves. There were multiple options to choose from, including “Great,” “Good,” “Fair,” “Poor,” and “Terrible.” The majority were right in the middle with no one getting too high and no one getting too low. After seeing the first two starts from Ray and Mize the responses might look different, but both players were out of routine and are expected to bounce back in their next outings. The Padres, Preller and the Friar Faithful all hope so or this could turn into one of the worst deadlines of Preller’s tenure.
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Crows key forward, 36, to call time on career after one last shot at flag
‘I have treated it like my last year for the past six years,’ he says
Adelaide great Taylor Walker says he doesn’t need a premiership to be fulfilled with his AFL career – but he sure would love one. The 36-year-old decided to retire at the end of the season when he woke in an emotional state at 3am last Wednesday.
“The closer I have got to the end, it has probably become a little bit more evident that it might be this year – but I have treated it like my last year for the past six years,” Walker told reporters on Monday.
New York Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. reacts after striking out in the ninth inning during a game against the Atlanta Braves on Sunday, August 9, 2026, at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, NY.
The Yankees keep waiting for Jazz Chisholm Jr. to take off.
With 44 games left in the season, it has yet to actually happen.
At a time when the Yankees are going through a brutal stretch offensively — including Sunday’s 2-1, 10-inning loss to the Braves — without Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger and Giancarlo Stanton, they could sorely use someone to spark the lineup. Chisholm has the skill set to make that happen, except he has not been able to put things together consistently all season, finishing Sunday batting .216 with a .691 OPS through 109 games.
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“I think all year, just struggling to really get dialed in,” manager Aaron Boone said. “He’s never had that real hot streak, which he’s certainly capable of. We’ve seen over the last couple years, where it’s two, three, four weeks of impactful damage, speed, getting on, things like that.”
Chisholm went 1-for-3 with a walk Sunday (while also committing a throwing error on a chopper-turned-infield-single that he could not cleanly grip out of his glove).
Though he is certainly not alone in his offensive struggles, the pending free agent is as capable as anyone on the Yankees of single-handedly changing a game.
He just has not been able to do it often enough.
New York Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. reacts after striking out in the ninth inning during a game against the Atlanta Braves on Sunday, August 9, 2026, at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, NY. Jason Szenes for the New York Post
“I’ve been feeling OK,” Chisholm said. “Hit it hard, get out. Sometimes not even making contact. But every day, going out there and grinding, trying to make things happen for the team.”
After throwing 48 pitches in 2 ²/₃ innings Saturday night in his first rehab start with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Carlos Rodón (left elbow inflammation) will likely make another this week before returning to the Yankees.
“I watched his outing this morning, thought he looked pretty good, thought he threw the ball pretty well,” Boone said. “So I would assume we’ll probably have another one for him at least.”
Cody Bellinger, now two weeks removed from suffering a Grade 2 left hamstring strain, has been running and hitting, though it is unclear if he could beat the four-to-six week timeline he was given.
“It seems like he’s doing pretty well, but until we get to that finish line …” Boone said.
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Clarke Schmidt, who experienced forearm cramping during his live bullpen session Tuesday, has played catch but has yet to throw a bullpen session since then.
“I think we’re good, but we got to get to that point where he’s back on the mound, which hopefully is the next couple days,” Boone said.
Giancarlo Stanton (right calf strain) did some more running in the outfield Sunday at what appeared to be a pretty good intensity, but he still did not run the bases.
Anthony Volpe got his first start at second base at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Saturday night and handled all three ground balls hit to him cleanly. He was back at shortstop Sunday as he gets eased into the new position that could be how he gets back to the big leagues, whether that is this year or next.
Chris Sale, apparently still annoyed at the balk called on him Saturday that scored the go-ahead run, was ejected before first pitch Sunday.
The Islanders don’t want to rush their prospects, and as underwhelming as this offseason was, they will head into training camp about a month from now with a depth chart Victor Eklund will need to earn his way up.
This probably did not play into the rationale for keeping around Ondrej Palat, Anthony Duclair and Pierre Engvall — if so, it was a very small piece of the puzzle. But it is a good situation for Eklund’s development.
The Islanders’ depth chart on the wings ensures a competitive training camp in which Eklund will not be given a spot by default. It is also highly likely that, if Eklund isn’t part of the roster Sept. 29 in Toronto, circumstances will conspire to get him a chance sooner rather than later.
This is not a redux of Matthew Schaefer, who walked into the NHL like he was armed with a machine gun against machetes. Almost nothing is. The 19-year-old Eklund, who played most of last season with Djurgårdens, his hometown SHL club, will occupy a similar role in the upcoming training camp as Cal Ritchie did a year ago.
Victor Eklund of the New York Islanders skates against the Carolina Hurricanes while playing in his first NHL game at UBS Arena on April 14, 2026, in Elmont, New York. Getty Images
Ritchie, recall, came into camp as the obvious 24th man on an eventual 23-man roster. He excelled throughout and made it obvious he would be in the NHL sooner rather than later before a minor injury spared the Islanders from making what would have been an incredibly tough, albeit inevitable, decision to send him to Bridgeport. He ultimately played one game in the AHL before being promoted, and spent the season with the Islanders.
Should Eklund follow a similar path, his 2026-27 season would be a rousing success.
“I think the question is not if he’s going to be able to play in the NHL. The question is how much can you get out from him to his maximum, if you know what I mean,” Michael Holmqvist, a Djurgårdens assistant coach and Eklund family friend, told The Post on Sunday, “because I think a lot of players can survive playing and doing the job, getting the pucks out, getting the pucks deep and stuff like that and be an energy guy. But I think there’s a lot more to Vic than just being that.
“So the question for me is, what’s the best thing for him to do right now? Is it to work himself into the NHL right away and trust the process, stuff like that? Or get more time practicing his offensive game. I think that’s the question for the Islanders.”
Eklund, along with Anton Frondell, Viggo Björck and fellow Islanders prospect Calle Odelius, has been practicing with Djurgårdens recently as SHL training camp has picked up. He’s put on a few pounds of muscle, and that will need to continue being a theme as he grows.
Victor Eklund (73) of the New York Islanders records his first NHL assist in his first game on a second-period goal by Bo Horvat (14) against the Carolina Hurricanes on April 14, 2026, at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York. For Horvat, the goal was his 300th in the NHL. Getty Images
Even with a wiry frame, 5-foot-11 and 170 pounds, he has a terrific reputation for winning puck battles and one-on-ones along the boards. There is some question whether he’ll need more muscle for it to translate to the NHL, but, Holmqvist said, he wondered the same when Eklund went from the Allsvenskan — Sweden’s second division — to the SHL, only for his compete level to keep shining through.
Eventually, that relentlessness could translate into Eklund being an effective net-front player, something the Islanders desperately need with Anders Lee’s exit. There is still, though, a long way to go.
“I talked about that three days ago with him,” Holmqvist said. “Because we talked about it last year to find that spot and that’s probably where he’s going to find most of his goals and points. So he’s aware of it, but he needs someone to be there every day and remind, remind, remind..”
What the finished product looks like is a question that won’t be answered this year. For an Islanders club in transition, that’s perfectly fine. They have the luxury of being able to cater to what’s best for their prospects. As for what that is?
“I think the next couple months will tell,” Holmqvist said.
It's officially another season, another prospects ranking for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
In years past, this has been a bit easier of an exercise, as there used to be a more clear-cut line between prospects with NHL upside and longshots. However, because of the work that general manager and president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas and his staff have put in during the last several years, the line is blurring a whole lot more - and there is a substantially higher volume of talent in the system.
This time around, making a top-20 list was challenging. So, a few criteria were put into place: To make our list, prospects must be under the age of 26 and have played less than 50 NHL games. This excludes names such as Ben Kindel, Filip Hallander, Oliver Okuliar, and Alexander Alexeyev.
At No. 16, we shed light on goaltender Joel Blomqvist, who is entering a critical season in his development and in his career. For No. 17, we spotlight a newly drafted center whose development situation is still several years removed from being "critical" - and who must explore who he is as a player separate from his twin brother.
Unless you've been living under a rock for the past two months, you're probably well-aware by now that the Penguins selected a set of identical twins in this year's draft.
The Rucks, Markus and Liam, are attached at the hip. They like the same things (aside from differing opinions on ketchup), have the same friends, travel together, and play hockey together - which, by the way, they're very, very good at.
Liam was selected first at 22nd overall, then came Markus in the second round at 39th overall. Both are committed to return to the Medicine Hat Tigers of the WHL for one more season before heading off to the University of North Dakota for the 2027-28 season, and they will likely continue to play together throughout that time.
But, today, it's Markus's turn on our list. And even if he is the de facto playmaker between the brothers, there is still a whole lot of untapped offensive potential there.
Even if Liam was selected first, it was actually Markus who led the WHL in scoring last season with 21 goals and 108 points in 68 games as, mostly, a 17-year-old. A cerebral, skilled passer and playmaker, Markus is largely a tactical distributor, and he's really, really good at it. He has the ability to thread seam passes through the tightest of spaces and excels off the rush and on the power play, using his vision to gain the upper hand on opponents.
But underrated is Markus's shot, which may not play quite as well as Liam's but is a weapon on its own. His release has a hint of deceptiveness, but he's typically the one to defer. If he can really start capitalizing on his own shot as opposed to deferring - especially when it comes to non-Liam linemates - he will be all the better for it.
The skating definitely has to improve if Markus is going to make it at the NHL level, and especially if he's going to make it as a center. And, like most young players, he has to add some weight as well. He isn't afraid to mix it up if need be, either.
It will also be interesting to see how he fares without Liam on his wing, as the twins are not guaranteed to have the same timing development-wise. Markus appears cerebral enough to be able to adapt to the wingers he's deployed with, which will be an important thing once they make the jump to professional hockey.
All in all, Markus may not have the ceiling that his brother does, and he has not yet shown elite goal-scoring ability. But Dubas and the Penguins love to collect players with high hockey IQs, and Markus is no exception. He may be several years out, but keep an eye on his development and whether or not he finds a way to elevate his goal-scoring and locate his shot a bit better.
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - FEBRUARY 26: Kevin Love #42 of the Utah Jazz in action during the first half of a game against the New Orleans Pelicans at Delta Center on February 26, 2026 in Salt Lake City, Utah. 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 Alex Goodlett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Last season, the Utah Jazz brought on Kevin Love as part of the John Collins three-team trade that helped continue the tank last season. Before the season started, it was rumored that Kevin Love might not be too interested in joining the Jazz once he got there. In fact, we’re almost exactly a year away from when it was rumored that Kevin Love wanted to be traded away from the Jazz. It’s probably good to take that into consideration with the latest rumors regarding Kevin Love from Dave McMenamin.
McMenamin mentions that Love’s agent has been in contact with the Sixers since the acquisition of LeBron James, but it would require the Sixers to drop a player from their roster, which is full.
McMenamin then mentions the connection between Kevin Love and the Jazz:
Though Love has interest in pairing with James to pursue a championship, he has maintained a strong relationship with Jazz coach Will Hardy, serving as a veteran voice with that young group, sources said. Utah, however, also has a full roster.
As McMenamin mentions, the Jazz also have a full roster. Just looking at the Jazz roster, to bring on Love they’d either have to make a trade, or waive someone. They just signed Mo Bamba to a two-year deal with a team option the second season. Would the Jazz want Kevin Love enough to waive Bamba and pay two third-string centers? Or would they be willing to make a trade? The players that aren’t trade-eligible are Bamba, Jaxson Hayes, Josh Okogie, and Jusuf Nurkic. It’s ironic that three of those players happen to be centers so waiving a player might be the necessity.
Personally, I think that Love is worth it. His leadership on the team would be valuable, and he did a lot to help the young players, especially Ace Bailey. With a top-tier rookie like Darryn Peterson joining the team, it might be worth bringing on Kevin Love. The fact that the Jazz are in contact means there is interest, we’ll see if something materializes.
PITTSBURGH — Robert Stock’s rough most recent performance likely won’t prevent him from remaining in the Mets rotation.
Interim manager Andy Green indicated Sunday that he was leaning toward sticking with Stock, who allowed eight earned runs over three innings against the Pirates the previous night. The right-hander was pitching for the Mets for the second time since undergoing surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome during spring training.
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“I think more than likely we’re anticipating him making his next start,” Green said before the Mets beat the Pirates 11-1 at PNC Park. “We’re still kind of being a little bit patient before fully committing to it.”
The Mets have Christian Scott, Nolan McLean and Zac Thornton aligned to face the Braves over the next three days. Thursday is a scheduled off-day, giving Green the option of skipping Stock’s rotation spot Friday. But Green said he would like to keep deploying five starters.
“I don’t think [skipping] is our best choice given the load a lot of the young guys have carried into their first full season in the big leagues,” Green said. “As much as we would like to get those guys back on the mound quickly, the extra day is good for them.”
New York Mets starting pitcher Robert Stock delivers a pitch against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first inning at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, August 8, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Stock, 36, allowed one earned run over five innings against the Marlins in his first start for the Mets.
Carson Benge returned to the lineup after missing Saturday’s game with a bone bruise in his left wrist. Benge finished 2-for-5 with an RBI, reaching base three times.
Jack Weisenburger pitched the final two innings scoreless in his major league debut and allowed one hit with two strikeouts. The right-hander was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse on Sunday to give the Mets a fresh arm — Xzavion Curry was optioned.
“He’s worked really hard to get here and anytime you see a debut and it goes well like that, it’s amazing to see,” Sean Manaea said.
Weisenburger became the eighth Mets player this season to debut in the major leagues, joining Benge, A.J. Ewing, Nick Morabito, Thornton, Matt Seelinger, Nate Lavender and Jefry Yan.
The Cincinnati Reds just got swept by a Washington Nationals club that was behind them on the periphery of the National League Wild Card standings at the outset of the series. It’s a Nats club that just spent the last two weeks selling off pieces of importance to other clubs as they prepped for the future, a club with clearly more intent on both short and long term determination to be comfortable in their own dealings than the Reds.
Cincinnati is now 5 games under .500, again. They are back in last place in the NL Central and 6.0 games out of the final Wild Card spot, again with 6 teams they’d need to leapfrog to get there with a miracle. And they are devoid of Hunter Greene, again, as he’s now out for the rest of 2026 (and likely all of 2027, too).
With any last ditch effort at postseason ball now completely in the crapper, here’s what Cincinnati Reds fans have to look forward to for the rest of the season.
Chase Burns hitting an innings limit and being shut down
The brightest of bright spots on the 2026 club has been Chase Burns, who has emerged fully as a legitimate ace and signed a long-term contract to be part of the club for a long, long time.
He’s going to hit an innings limit quite soon, though. And when he does, he’ll either be shifted to a sparingly-used reliever or shut down altogether.
Cool!
Zero top pitching prospects being called up
The Cincinnati Reds have no top pitching prospects, and certainly don’t have any in the upper minors who are knocking on the door to get late-season cameos.
So, don’t look forward to that!
Zero top hitting prospects being called-up
We’ve gotten Hector Rodriguez to the roster in the wake of Nathaniel Lowe being dealt away at the deadline, and that’s cool. He’ll hopefully play a whole lot more than Noelvi Marte and TJ Friedl for the remainder of the season, but you never know.
Edwin Arroyo and his .568 OPS will likely be back in September, but will he get a shot to play at all as the club continues to evaluate Matt McLain’s status for the fifth consecutive season?
Alfredo Duno is still at least a year away, and that’s all the Reds have atop their system at the moment. Peaks and valleys, amirite?!
Nick Krall crossing his fingers, arms, toes, legs, and eyes that Ke’Bryan Hayes figures out how to hit a lick
Krall made one of the most egregious mistakes in recent memory in taking Ke’Bryan Hayes (and the $36 million owed to him) off the ledger of the Pittsburgh Pirates a year ago, and the Reds still seem hell bent on letting him get as many PA as he can to show he’s a better hitter than literally any other professional baseball player on the planet even though he is not.
As they do their damnedest to prove that he’s not a sunk cost, expect to see Hayes in the lineup and at 3B more often than you’d like to smell your shoes for the rest of 2026.
Whether Christian Encarnacion-Strand will sock more homers for Baltimore than Hayes will for Cincinnati
CES already has 3 dingers and a 118 OPS+ for the O’s in just 16 games since being promoted to play 3B for them. Hayes, meanwhile, has somehow tripped into 4 dongs for the Reds over the course of his 2026 season.
Who ends up with more for their respective club while manning the hot corner?
Sal Stewart getting to a hundred arby-eyes
Sal Stewart is cool as hell on the baseball field and I love him for it. Hopefully he socks 35 dingers and drives in 120 runs and we all get to re-learn just what it’s like to have a certain sect of baseball fans talk about arby-eyes once more. Don’t you miss the days of that discourse?
Whether ownership decides to do something, anything to alter the miserable direction of the franchise
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - MAY 14: Brice Turang #2 of the Milwaukee Brewers celebrates after hitting an RBI double against the San Diego Padres during the second inning at American Family Field on May 14, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Milwaukee Brewers — fresh off a solid 5-2 homestand to push them to 74-44 on the season — are headed back to the West Coast after visiting the Giants and Angels last week. This time, they’ll face two slightly more formidable opponents in the Padres and Dodgers. First up is San Diego, currently in a fight for an NL Wild Card spot alongside the Phillies and D-backs (among several others). At 62-57, the Padres have turned things on in recent weeks to put themselves firmly into the playoff race.
The Brewers have lost several position players in recent days, as shortstop Cooper Pratt hit the IL on Sunday with a hamstring strain and Joey Ortiz is considered day-to-day with neck tightness. The team also lost prospect Jett Williams, who, in his first at-bat back from injury, re-injured his hand while swinging. Outfielder Sal Frelick is also out, though he’s on his way back as he began a rehab assignment over the weekend. Pitchers Joel Kuhnel (on rehab), JoJo Romero (mid- to late August), Rob Zastryzny (TBD), Brandon Woodruff (out for season), Brian Fitzpatrick (out for season), Quinn Priester (out for season), and Angel Zerpa (out for season) are all on the IL.
San Diego’s injured list currently includes pitchers Joe Musgrove (on rehab), Nick Pivetta (exited rehab outing last week), David Morgan (on rehab), Jason Adam (late August or early September), Lucas Giolito (late August), Bryan Hoeing (out for season), and Yu Darvish (considering retirement). Outfielders Ramón Laureano (likely out for season) and Samad Taylor (close to a rehab assignment) are also out, as well as utility man Miguel Andujar (late August).
Jake Bauers leads Milwaukee with 21 homers, though Jackson Chourio’s four-homer week has him closing in with 21 on the season. Brice Turang, William Contreras, Garrett Mitchell, Andrew Vaughn, Christian Yelich, Ortiz, Luis Lara, and David Hamilton round out the regulars, with Brandon Lockridge, Gary Sánchez, and new addition Jihwan Bae serving as depth. As a team, the Brewers are hitting .253/.337/.398 (.735 OPS ranks seventh), with 109 homers (last), 585 runs (fifth), and 117 steals (fourth).
Despite an ice-cold start offensively, the Padres have turned it around a bit offensively in recent weeks. Manny Machado, who’s hitting just .212 for the year, leads the team with 23 homers, good for a .420 slugging percentage. He’s followed by Jackson Merrill (18 homers), Ty France (16 homers), Gavin Sheets (15 homers), and Fernando Tatis Jr. (11 homers). Xander Bogaerts, Luis Campusano, Freddy Fermin, Jake Cronenworth, recent former Brewer Luis Rengifo round out the regulars, with Austin Hays, Jase Bowen, and Sung-Mun Song, providing depth. As a team, the Padres are hitting .236/.313/.382 (.695 OPS ranks 25th), with 124 homers (20th), 497 runs (22nd), and 119 steals (third).
Aaron Ashby leads the Brewers with 55 appearances and 13 wins this year, as he’s also turned in a solid-but-not-great 3.56 ERA. Abner Uribe (2.05 ERA) and Trevor Megill 92.58 ERA) are once again the anchors of the bullpen, while Chad Patrick (3.32 ERA) provides long relief. With a six-man rotation, the Brewer bullpen is rounded out by DL Hall (2.60 ERA), Antonio Senzatela (7.71 ERA), and recent addition Lyon Richardson (no appearances). As a staff, the Brewers have a 3.47 team ERA (second), including a 3.46 starter ERA (third) and a 3.49 bullpen ERA (fourth). They’ve struck out 1,156 batters (second) over 1,055 2/3 innings.
Closer Mason Miller (0.91 ERA, 29-for-30 in save opportunities) anchors San Diego’s bullpen, with Adrian Morejon (2.89 ERA) also starring. Wandy Peralta (3.45 ERA), Bradgley Rodriguez (2.21 ERA), Yuki Matsui (2.40 ERA), and Jeremiah Estrada (3.55 ERA) have also been solid, with Kyle Hart (4.18 ERA) and Griffin Canning (6.65 ERA) rounding things out. As a staff, the Padres have a 4.18 team ERA (17th), including a 4.69 starter ERA (27th) and a 3.68 bullpen ERA (fifth). They’ve struck out 956 batters (20th) over 1,041 innings.
Henderson has made 10 starts for Milwaukee in year No. 2, totaling 50 innings with a 2.70 ERA, 3.09 FIP, and 62 strikeouts. He’s coming off his third consecutive winning performance, as he went six innings on 83 pitches, allowing two runs on four hits and a walk while striking out eight. The right-hander has never pitched against San Diego.
Mize, the No. 1 overall pick by the Tigers back in 2018, was acquired by the Padres at the trade deadline. While he has a solid 3.40 ERA, 2.81 FIP, and 86 strikeouts across 90 innings this season, he got roughed up in his San Diego debut last week, allowing eight runs on nine hits and three walks over just 3 1/3 innings in a loss to the D-backs. Mize has made two starts against Milwaukee, with a 1-1 record, 3.18 ERA, and eight strikeouts over 11 1/3 innings. That includes a winning performance this year, as he went six frames with one run allowed and seven strikeouts.
Tuesday, August 11 @ 8:40 p.m.: LHP Kyle Harrison (9-2, 2.84 ERA, 2.90 FIP) vs. RHP Walker Buehler (6-5, 5.07 ERA, 4.37 FIP)
Harrison, who made his return from the IL last week, has made 18 starts for Milwaukee this season, totaling 88 2/3 innings with a 2.84 ERA, 2.90 FIP, and 111 strikeouts, good for second on the team behind Jacob Misiorowski’s 204. Harrison went five scoreless innings before being pulled due to calf cramps in his return from the IL, allowing just one hit and one walk while striking out 10 on 69 pitches. The left-hander has made four career starts against San Diego, with a 5.57 ERA and 20 strikeouts over 21 innings, though his best outing came as a Brewer back in May, when he went five scoreless innings with seven strikeouts to pick up the win.
Buehler, a former star with the Dodgers, has struggled since missing the entire 2023 season due to injury. He’s made 23 starts for San Diego this year, with a 5.07 ERA, 4.37 FIP, and 95 strikeouts across 108 1/3 innings pitched. The 32-year-old righty went four innings against Arizona his last time out, allowing one run on six hits and a walk while striking out three. Buehler has made three regular season appearances against Milwaukee in his career, all while with Los Angeles. In those games, he’s 1-1 with a 2.93 ERA and 21 strikeouts across 15 1/3 innings.
Wednesday, August 12 @ 3:10 p.m.: RHP Dustin May (6-7, 4.30 ERA, 3.26 FIP) vs. LHP Robbie Ray (10-7, 3.24 ERA, 4.49 FIP)
May, who was acquired at last week’s trade deadline from the Cardinals, has a 4.30 ERA, 3.26 FIP, and 111 strikeouts across 115 innings this season. He made his Brewer debut against the Pirates last week, spinning six innings with two runs allowed on three hits and three walks, striking out five en route to his first win in a Milwaukee uniform. The right-hander is a familiar foe of the Padres from his time with the Dodgers, as he’s made 15 appearances (12 starts) totaling 79 innings with a 3-5 record, 3.30 ERA, and 69 strikeouts. That includes two starts while with the Cardinals this season, totaling 15 innings with three runs allowed (two earned) and 16 strikeouts, including a complete game, one-hit, one-walk shutout in June.
Ray, another trade deadline acquisition (from the Giants), has also made one start since joining the Padres. He wet five innings, allowing four runs on seven hits and five walks, striking out two in a loss. The left-hander has 23 appearances (22 starts) this season, with a 3.24 ERA, 4.49 FIP, and 109 strikeouts over 127 2/3 innings, and he also has a league-worst 62 walks issued (he led the NL with 73 a year ago). Ray has made six starts against Milwaukee, with a 3-1 record, 2.62 ERA, and 42 strikeouts over 34 1/3 innings, including a pair of no-decisions while with San Francisco last year (10 innings, five earned runs, four strikeouts).
How to Watch & Listen
Monday, August 10: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Tuesday, August 11: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Wednesday, August 12: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Prediction
The Padres have played better in recent weeks, especially on offense, but the Brewers are still the better team. Give me Milwaukee to eke out two of three.
PITTSBURGH — Bo Bichette drew a fifth inning walk for his only plate appearance Sunday without a hit.
“We’ll give him one more,” interim manager Andy Green joked after the 11-1 victory over the Pirates at PNC Park. “He had five and I think he shouldn’t have walked and set his career high and gotten six hits.”
Bichette’s 5-for-5 performance with three RBIs led a lineup that has produced at a high level on this road trip, helping the Mets win five of six games.
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Bichette, who owns a mediocre .685 OPS — certainly not what the Mets envisioned when signing him to a three-year contract worth $126 million — has waited much of the season for a day like Sunday.
“It’s definitely not up to my standards, for sure,” Bichette said of his season. “I had two really bad months that I can’t take back, so right now I am just focused on being the best version of myself, finishing strong.”
Bichette’s first-inning single loaded the bases with nobody out, helping the Mets establish an early 2-0 lead. He singled again in the third and was on base when Luis Robert Jr. blasted a two-run homer. In the fourth, Bichette delivered a bases-loaded double that accounted for his three RBIs. Following his walk in the fifth, he concluded his day with a double and a single.
Bo Bichette of the New York Mets hits a single for his fifth hit of the game in the ninth inning during a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Getty Images
The Mets received a homer from Francisco Alvarez and three hits from Jared Young in winning a second straight series. Bichette had a key hit in Cleveland on Wednesday, when he stroked a go-ahead single in the 10th inning that stood as the margin of victory.
Bichette was asked about the team’s collective mindset following the Mets becoming sellers before last Monday’s trade deadline.
“I think the trade deadline was kind of a turn-the-page moment,” Bichette said. “It’s in everybody’s best interest to come out here and try to get better every day, try to win, become a better team, become better individuals. That is our focus.”
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Bichette has prided himself on his ability to make contact throughout his career, and Sunday’s performance underscored that aspect of his game.
“It’s always been part of my game, but I think you get in trouble when you chase them,” Bichette said. “But it’s something I look at for sure.”
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Fernando Tatis Jr. hit a go-ahead, three-run homer and pinch-hitter Austin Hays connected for a two-run shot in his first at-bat with San Diego as the Padres beat the AL West-leading Houston Astros 7-2 on Sunday.
Jackson Merrill and Gavin Sheets also went deep for the Padres, who took two of three in the series and remained one game out of a National League playoff spot.
Randy Vásquez and three relievers combined on a two-hitter to help the Padres to their 12th victory in 16 games.
Vásquez (8-6) pitched five solid innings, retiring his final 10 batters after allowing Daulton Varsho’s two-run homer with two outs in the second. It was Varsho’s eighth home run this season and first since being acquired from Toronto before the trade deadline last Monday.
The Padres began their comeback in the bottom of the inning when Merrill homered to straightaway center field off Cristian Javier (1-3). It was Merrill’s 18th.
Tatis hit a 421-foot drive to the third level of the Western Metal Supply Co. brick warehouse in the left-field corner with two outs in the fourth to give San Diego a 4-2 lead. It was his 11th.
Sheets greeted reliever AJ Blubaugh with a leadoff shot to right in the sixth. It was his 15th.
Hays, signed earlier in the day, batted for Sheets in the eighth and homered to left off Bryan King. It was his second.
Vásquez held the Astros to two hits with one strikeout and no walks.
Up next
Astros: RHP Hayden Wesneski (2-0, 2.84 ERA) is scheduled to start Monday night’s series opener at San Francisco, which will counter with RHP Blade Tidwell (0-0, 3.18).
Padres: RHP Casey Mize (4-7, 3.40 ERA) makes his first home start since being acquired from Detroit last Monday when he opposes Milwaukee RHP Logan Henderson (6-1, 2.70).
Manager Dave Roberts challenged his hitters to play up to their talent level, but what he got was more of the same, as LA was kept in check by Diamondbacks starter Eduardo Rodriguez.
The Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani had one hit in the three-game series against the host Diamondbacks. Getty Images
The Dodgers were limited to two runs and five hits over seven innings by Rodriguez, and they finished the game with six hits.
The two-time defending World Series champions scored seven runs in their three games in Arizona. They have averaged five runs per game, but that number has dropped to 3.2 over their last nine contests.
“I think this series it was very clear that we weren’t hitting the fastball, and we were exposing ourselves to the changeup with the secondary specifically,” Roberts said.
“Are the Royals going to exploit the fastball that we’re not hitting and the changeup below?” Roberts said. “I don’t know. But we have to make adjustments. I think, for me, that’s sort of what I see as a group — we’re just not making adjustments.”
Justin Wrobleski put the Dodgers in a 4-0 hole after two innings, but the bullpen kept them in the game. With the team down by two runs, Andy Pages led off the eighth inning with a single, only for Freddie Freeman to ground into a double play.
Diamondbacks reliever Kevin Ginkel celebrates after Arizona defeated the Dodgers on Sunday. Getty Images
The Dodgers have grounded into 99 double plays this season, the most in the majors.
“It’s baseball, ups and downs,” Freeman said. “We’re just going through it. No one’s worried here.”
Roberts shared his sentiments.
“We’ve still got a really good ballclub,” Roberts said. “There’s certainly [no] panic.”
That doesn’t mean there isn’t urgency.
Following his team’s 2-1, 10-inning win Saturday, Roberts demanded more offensive production.
“I think it’s hard to win when your margin for winning is a razor’s edge,” he said. “It’s not like guys aren’t trying, but it’s a tough way to pitch when you have to be perfect.
“We’re just better than this. As we always say, it’s not a try league. We gotta get it done.”
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 9: Daulton Varsho #18 of the Houston Astros hits a two-run home run against the San Diego Padres during the second inning at Petco Park on August 9, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Meg McLaughlin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Fernando Tatis is hot and the Padres are riding the wave. In a rubber match affair on Peacock, San Diego won by a final score of 7-2. The loss means that Houston still hasn’t claimed a series at Petco since 2015.
It took Tatis until May 30th to register his first home run of the season. However, after Sunday Night, he now has 11 for the year and has hit 3 home runs in his last 5 games. In the bottom of the fourth inning, Tatis would deposit a change up from Cristian Javier (L, 1-3) into the left field stands, putting the Padres ahead by a score of 4-2, and they’d never trail again. For the night, Javier would go five innings, allow 8 hits and 4 earned runs.
One bright spot in the loss was Daulton Varsho. Varsho entered Sunday night on a 2-18 skid since joining the club at last week’s deadline. He would launch his first home run as an Astro with a two out, two-run blast in the top of the 2nd inning.
The homer brought home Taylor Trammell. That was really the only costly mistake that pitcher Randy Vasquez (W, 8-6) would make. Vasquez was pulled after just 62 pitches over the course of 5 innings.
A pair of former White Sox would do damage in later innings. In the 6th, Gavin Sheets would launch a solo shot off of AJ Blubaugh. In the 8th, Austin Hays would connect on a 2-run dinger off Bryan King, which brought in Jase Bowen, making it 7-2. The Padres would hit 4 home runs on the night. All runs were scored via the long ball for the ballgame. San Diego would retire 22 straight Astros hitters.
In terms of the rotation, Manager Joe Espada indicated that the club for the next couple of weeks would “just kind of go day to day” Hayden Wesneski will open the Giants series at Oracle Park tomorrow night. First pitch is set for 8:45 CDT. Wesneski has won his first two outings since returning from Tommy John surgery.
Odds & Ends:
All three contests in San Diego were complete sellouts. Sunday’s crowd was announced at 40,160.
Christian Walker’s 11-game hitting streak has come to an end.
Even with the loss, the Astros still maintain their division lead as the Mariners and Rangers each lost on Sunday.
Stephen Curry, if you remember, was no sure thing.
Six teams passed on him in the draft.
There were questions about his size. About his playmaking ability. About his ankles.
Warriors coach Don Nelson (left) was instrumental in bringing Stephen Curry to Golden State. MediaNews Group via Getty Images
But he had one big, boisterous, influential fan: Don Nelson.
“One of the big reasons I was drafted by the Warriors was because of Don Nelson,” Curry said in a statement Sunday, remembering the life of the larger-than-life coach shortly after Nelson’s family announced his peaceful passing at the age of 86.
Nelson, the second-winningest coach in NBA history, spent only 11 of his 31 seasons with the Warriors but oversaw the two most memorable eras of basketball in the Bay Area before Curry’s arrival in the “Run TMC” and “We Believe” teams. Then, he spent retirement growing pot in Maui with Willie Nelson.
He was an iconoclast. Somebody Steve Kerr described as a “true innovator” for the fast-paced, small-ball style that was unorthodox at the time but now is commonplace.
But “Nellie ball” wasn’t the only way Nelson shaped the modern-day NBA.
He helped lay the foundation of the Warriors’ dynasty.
Before Kerr, before four championships and a glistening new arena, there was Curry.
And before Curry, there was a long-forsaken franchise with a fledgling ownership group and an aging coach about to be nudged into retirement that possessed the No. 7 pick in the 2009 draft.
Curry was considered such a longshot that he refused to set up a workout or take a meeting with Golden State’s front office. After all, the Warriors already had a star point guard, Monta Ellis. Curry has since said that he was all but certain he would be taken by the Knicks at No. 8.
Nelson, who died Sunday at age 86, helped lay the foundation for the Warriors’ dynasty. AP Photo/Kyle Phillips
Despite his soon-to-be-lame-duck status, Nelson was a figure of stability in a draft room that featured first-year general manager Larry Riley. It wouldn’t have been very much like him to do the conventional thing or to not have his voice be heard.
He urged the Warriors to take Curry with the No. 7 pick.
The rest, as they say, is history.
“The story is he never liked rookies,” Curry continued in the statement, “but from Day 1 he challenged me and gave me an opportunity to be my best self on the court. He taught me a lot during our one season together and I’ll never forget the night he became the winningest coach in NBA history in Minnesota. We were so happy for him.
“He had an immeasurable impact on the sport and will go down as one of the greatest minds in the history of the game. He’s a true icon and will be missed by the countless number of people he touched, including myself, during a legendary career.”
Curry would only go on to play one season for Nelson, and it would take another coaching change to unlock his full potential alongside Draymond Green and Klay Thompson under Kerr.
But ever since Nelson witnessed Curry in-person in the 2009 NIT at Saint Mary’s College, he knew he had something special on his hands.
“I was marveling at his skill from shooting and passing and ball handling,” the Hall of Fame coach recalled to ESPN.com in a 2021 interview. “I just thought he was a star. I never dreamed we were going to be able to get him.”
Curry caught Nelson’s attention during the 2009 NIT at Saint Mary’s College. Getty Images
Even before Curry had sunk a single NBA 3-pointer, Nelson took an interest in the shot that would go on to set a record with 4,248 and counting. The sharpshooter recalled a story from his rookie season on the “Mind the Game” podcast with LeBron James and Steve Nash.
“They were trying to get me in the weight room doing all these lifts and stuff. I’m shooting like trash in training camp, the first week, and [Nelson] walked in there and cussed out everybody in the room,” Curry said. “Like, ‘Y’all killing his shot! He’s lifting too much weight!’ I didn’t even know that was a concept. I just wanted to get stronger.”
In case there was any concern about revisionist history, Nelson went on the record about his view on Curry in a little-seen interview during a summer league game shortly after he was drafted.
“Well, I’m a big fan of his,” Nelson said. “I think he’s going to be a terrific player. He’s just starting.”
When Nelson retired, he was the NBA’s all-time leader in wins (only since surpassed by Gregg Popovich). And when Curry hangs them up, he will be considered the greatest shooter of all time.
Who knows how it all would have played out had Nelson not made speaking up for Curry one of the final acts in his legendary coaching career.
Billy Amick may not be among the most highly-regarded prospects the Mets acquired in their trade deadline sell-off, but he’s certainly already making a name for himself in the organization.
The power-hitting corner infield prospect has been on an absolute tear with Binghamton since coming over from the Twins as part of the A.J. Minter deal.
Amick launched a three-run shot in the bottom of the sixth on Sunday afternoon, helping the Rumble Ponies to a weekend series sweep and their seventh consecutive victory.
The youngster also drew a walk and stole his third base of the season.
Amick has now homered five times over his first seven games with the team, driving in 13 runs and racking up an impressive 1.387 OPS over that span.
Two of those home runs came in back-to-back innings on Thursday, giving him his fifth-career multi-homer game.
Amick has struck out 11 times through 24 AB's, but he's also hitting .333 and has reached at a .429 clip.
The 23-year-old slugger they call “Billy Barrels” is now up to 28 homers on the Double-A season, which puts him among the top-10 of all minor leaguers.
While he has some flaws to his game, there’s no denying Amick has some big-time pop.
It’ll be interesting to keep an eye on how that translates as he continues to progress through the system.
