On Thursday, new reports came out from Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman on a new episode of his podcast, 32 Thoughts. The NHL insider touched on many topics around the league, including the Detroit Red Wings and their contract situation with restricted free agent Simon Edvinsson.
Friedman started off by explaining that the situation is certainly unique, with Detroit currently without a general manager. But he noted that when it comes to new deals shaping the market for defensemen, it isn't just Cale Makar's massive eight-year, $163.2 million extension making waves.
The eight-year, $75.04 million extension recently signed by 20-year-old Vancouver Canucks defenseman Zeev Buium, carrying a $9.38 million annual cap hit, is also worth watching closely.
Friedman explained that Buium's contract could play a role in shaping negotiations for young defensemen like Edvinsson, and could see the former sixth-overall pick land a bigger deal than expected at the start of the summer.
Buium has just 76 career NHL games and 26 points on his resume, numbers that stack up closely against Edvinsson's 25 points in 72 games last season, giving Edvinsson's camp a fresh comparison point to lean on in negotiations, even with Detroit still searching for its next GM.
Reports have suggested that Edvinsson has remained committed to the Red Wings and has been waiting for the club's GM search to play out, with no interest in creating any drama. He's expected to join the Red Wings at training camp regardless of where those talks stand.
Edvinsson is coming off his second straight 25-plus point season and took on a bigger role a year ago, playing over 22 minutes a night and finishing at plus-12 on the season, matching his rating from his rookie campaign.
Missing ten games due to injury likely cost him a shot at reaching the 30-point mark for a second straight season, but there's no denying Edvinsson has flashed real upside at a young age, and the Red Wings would love to get a new deal worked out.
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Hockey is back, at long last, and the Anaheim Ducks will be holding their very brief 2026 rookie camp at the end of this week, followed by their participation in the 2026 Rookie Faceoff. The Rookie Faceoff will be hosted by the San Jose Sharks and feature six teams who will play a total of seven games. The Sharks and Ducks will be joined by rookies from the Colorado Avalanche, Los Angeles Kings, Utah Mammoth, and Vegas Golden Knights organizations.
The Ducks rookies will only be on the ice together on Friday at 10 am (open to the public, free of charge) before they’ll head to Northern California. They’ll play two games against rookies from the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday at 1 pm PST and the Los Angeles Kings on Sunday at 3 pm PST.
Rookie camp, along with training camp and preseason, will be compressed in 2026-27 and beyond, as the NHL shifts to an 84-game regular season schedule. Still, plenty of storylines remain as one evaluates the 13 forwards, 7 defensemen, and two goaltenders invited to the weekend-long rookie event ahead of a crucial 2026 training camp for the Anaheim Ducks.
Here are the three storylines that most stand out:
Top Picks: Ready or Rushing?
With the way the 2026 offseason played out for the Ducks (and will continue to play out), the Ducks will likely have to navigate a top-heavy depth chart and payroll as they attempt to advance into their true contending window. That means they’re going to have to rely on general manager Pat Verbeek signing useful veterans to bargain deals and young players to have significant impacts quickly.
Addressing the latter, the Ducks are going to have to enter the 2026-27 season with top-six forward Troy Terry on LTIR and having moved on from veteran forward Chris Kreider to fit in star forward Cutter Gauthier’s incoming AAV, leaving depth scoring a monumental question mark.
Anaheim’s top two prospects are Roger McQueen (10th overall in 2025) and Nikita Klepov (15th in ’26), and these camps could be an opportunity for either or both to make the Ducks’ opening night roster and begin contributing immediately.
McQueen’s ELC will kick in this season regardless of whether he plays with the San Diego Gulls or in Anaheim. He has an NHL-ready frame as well as NHL-ready skill and has developed pro habits while playing in the NCAA with Providence College in 2025-26. However, he hasn’t played much hockey (63 games between the WHL, NCAA, and AHL) in the last two calendar years, and despite a need at his position, inserting him into the NHL right away may ultimately hinder his offensive development, an area where his true potential lies and where he hasn’t had the freedom to explore of late.
When Klepov was drafted, Verbeek stated he may be on a “fast track” to the NHL. He was set to transition to the NCAA for the 2026-27 season, but the Ducks, instead, signed him to his ELC. He’ll now either play in the NHL or OHL this season. He led the OHL in scoring a year ago, so one may be inclined to believe he doesn’t have much to gain at that level anymore. However skilled, smart, and tenacious he is (and he is those things), he has some work to do to add to his 6-foot, 186-pound frame and learn how to translate what makes him a successful forward to the NHL level.
Swedish Forwards Make the Jump to North America
In the tier below McQueen and Klepov on the Ducks prospect rankings sits a trio of recently drafted Swedish forwards who are making the transition from the Swedish pro/junior hockey circuit to North America. Two are projected to play their first full seasons in the AHL with the San Diego Gulls, and one is expected to play in the OHL.
Lucas Pettersson (35th in ’24) and Herman Traff (91st in ’24) will play their D+3 seasons in the AHL after ending their 2025-26 campaigns by getting a taste of the level with the Gulls. They’ve each competed against men for the past two seasons and have developed pro-ready habits. Their next challenge will be to adjust to the size of the North American rinks and the stride-to-stride speed it produces.
As the Ducks transition to the next phase of their build, they’ll soon see the departures of another layer of veterans (Frank Vatrano, Mikael Granlund, Alex Killorn). Players like Pettersson and Traff will be counted on to hit the ground running in the next couple of years to stabilize the depth of the Ducks’ future forward group.
Marcus Nordmark (28th in ’26) is a supremely talented project winger the Ducks selected with their second first-round pick acquired from the St. Louis Blues in exchange for Mason McTavish on draft night. His areas of improvement include effort and consistency, both aspects he can address in the OHL while getting acclimated to a new culture and play style.
Nordmark wasn’t able to participate on the ice during Ducks development camp in July due to injury, so it will be the first opportunity for many in the Ducks’ coaching staff, development staff, and front office to see him play in person.
Future in Net
The Ducks rookie camp will feature two of the organization’s six goaltenders currently in North America and the two projected to receive the majority of the starts for the San Diego Gulls in the AHL: Tomas Suchanek and Damian Clara.
Clara (21) has the higher upside of the two and is the goaltender the Ducks have invested the most in since drafting John Gibson in 2011. This will be his first full season in North America since the Ducks drafted him in the second round three years ago (60th in ’23). He spent the three seasons since playing in the SHL, Liiga, and HockeyAllsvenskan.
Clara made a name for himself representing his native Italy at the 2026 Olympic Games, and despite his squad failing to win a game, he kept the team in front of him within striking distance against some of the best hockey countries in the world.
His athleticism is off the charts, but he will need to refine the intricacies of angling and managing a fast game from within the blue paint.
Suchanek (23) had a strong rookie season in the AHL in 2023-24, but missed the entire 2024-25 season with an injury and struggled mightily in 2025-26, splitting the year between the AHL and ECHL.
Both Ville Husso and Laurent Brosssoit will see their contracts expire after the upcoming season, and it seems that thereafter, the backup role behind Lukas Dostal will be up for grabs. A good rookie camp, followed by a good training camp, can give either Clara or Suchanek the early edge in that particular position battle.
ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 09: Lane Thomas #20 of the Atlanta Braves takes batting practice prior to the game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on Wednesday, September 9, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kathryn May/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Braves sure do love “hey, this guy might have reverse splits, let’s do something about it!” Or, maybe they don’t really love it, but this is at least twice in recent memory that they’ve taken someone who might have… neutral splits, and gone with more righty bats. It doesn’t make much sense to me, but there it is. Lane Thomas and Brewer Hicklen are in the lineup this afternoon, as well as Ha-Seong Kim, while Sean Murphy, Ozzie Albies, and Mike Yastrzemski ride the bench.
Let’s take a wide view of Nick Martinez and his stats.
For the 2026 season, Martinez has a .283 wOBA-against by lefties, and a .310 wOBA-against by righties. This persists when you look at inputs by those batters, with a 3.78 xERA from lefty batters and a 4.89 xERA by righty batters.
However, the actual pitching is way less clear cut: Martinez has a 3.96 FIP and 4.50 xFIP against lefties, and a 3.94 FIP and 4.45 xFIP against righties. He seems more platoon-neutral than anything else. Considering that Lane Thomas is himself worse against righties, I’m not a huge fan of this, but whatever.
If you take the arc of Martinez’ career, “platoon-neutral” also seems tempting as a conclusion. His wOBA-against is within .001 against lefties and righties, his xERA is marginally lower against lefties (4.19 to 4.39), and his FIP and xFIP have a marginal split in the expected direction (4.53 / 4.66 against lefties, 4.45 / 4.49 against righties). So, I wouldn’t do this, but the Braves are.
Meanwhile, the Rays are giving Martin Perez a few more righties to contend with, including Ryan Vilade and Nick Madrigal, though Chandler Simpson and Cedric Mullins remain in the lineup despite batting left-handed.
Let’s talk about batter-versus-pitcher, too, just for the sake of having something else to add here, even though it doesn’t really matter. Martin Perez has been around a while, but most of these Rays batters have not. Both Nick Martinez and most guys in the Braves’ lineup are veteran-ish.
Everyone but Hicklen and Drake Baldwin on the Braves side has faced Nick Martinez at least twice; Matt Olson leads the pack with 19 PAs and a pretty hefty .508 wOBA / .384 xwOBA. Austin Riley, Ronald Acuña Jr., and Mauricio Dubon have also done the business against Martinez in limited PAs. The collective line is a .351 wOBA and .336 xwOBA in 53 PAs.
For the Rays and Perez, it’s similar-ish: six of nine in their lineup have faced him. Yandy Diaz (.468 wOBA, .358 xwOBA) has 32 career PAs against Perez; Mullins has struggled with a .210-.220ish wOBA/xwOBA in 14 PAs. Collectively, it’s 64 PAs with a .364 wOBA / .316 xwOBA, so basically there’s a similar level of familiarity and performance in that sample by both of these teams against the scheduled starter.
It's another short Thursday slate for our MLB expert picks.
Two of our analysts are eyeing lines from the Texas Rangers-Seattle Mariners clash at T-Mobile Field this afternoon, while Josh Inglis is backing the Chicago White Sox to avoid a sweep at the hands of the Pittsburgh Pirates in the nightcap on Thursday, Sept. 10.
Probabilities courtesy of Polymarket. For help understanding Polymarket probabilities, see our odds calculator.
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Josh Inglis' expert pick: White Sox moneyline
Price: 51¢ at Polymarket
I got this at 51% and have the fair price closer to 54%.
The Chicago White Sox have already dropped both games of this series, and the threat of a sweep should provide plenty of motivation. There might be some interest in the Pittsburgh Pirates with White Sox rookie Hagen Smith making his first start, but he's been a nasty lefty out of the bullpen this year, with nine scoreless outings in 10 games and 23 Ks over 16 innings.
Jared Jones looks like a pitcher who struggles on visiting mounds, with a 4.0 BB/9 away from home compared to 2.6 at PNC Park. His road WHIP is also half a point higher.
I see this as a 50/50 game on a neutral field, and home-field advantage is worth at least another 2%, or 20 points, to me. The White Sox are fighting to hold onto the AL Central lead, while Pittsburgh has already secured the series and Chicago has one more chance to avoid the brooms.
Time: 7:40 p.m. ET
How to watch: SportsNet Pittsburgh, CHSN
Jon Metler's expert pick: Rangers moneyline
Price: 47¢ at Polymarket
The Texas Rangers are trading at 47%, and that's a number I'm buying because I price them closer to a 52% favorite. That's a sizable edge compared to what we typically see in this market.
That's exactly what Jacob deGrom's high-velocity fastball with late riding life at the letters can neutralize, turning those uppercut swings into routine popups or complete whiffs.
The Mariners will try to counter the right-handed deGrom by stacking their lineup with seven left-handed hitters, but that doesn't give them an advantage. DeGrom is equally tough on lefties as he is on righties, thanks to his ability to attack their hands with his fastball and use his back-foot slider to keep them off balance.
Joe Osborne's expert pick: Rangers at Mariners Over 6.5
Price: 51¢ at Polymarket
Such a low total isn’t warranted with the 2026 versions of these two starters.
Logan Gilbert owns a 4.45 home ERA and just surrendered seven earned runs and four homers to the A’s, and deGrom has a brutal 5.86 road ERA across 13 starts.
Neither lineup is imposing, but each is in respectable form. Seattle ranks fifth in wRC+ against righties over the last two weeks, while Texas sits second overall over the past week.
Add in two bullpens getting smacked around all September, and getting to seven runs shouldn’t be much of a struggle.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
The Seattle Mariners are a short home favorite over the Texas Rangers ahead of the 4:10 p.m. ET first pitch in their series finale at T-Mobile Park on Thursday, Sept. 10.
My top Rangers vs. Mariners predictions and MLB picks call for the Rangers to pull off the afternoon win while the total goes Over the number.
Who will win Rangers vs Mariners today: Rangers moneyline (46.5%)
For help understanding probabilities, see our odds calculator.
While there have been a handful of hiccups from Texas Rangers veteran Jacob deGrom, he’s still allowed two runs or fewer in 19 of his 27 starts. Perhaps even more encouraging, the 38-year-old righty’s 3.11 xFIP ranks ninth among104 starters with at least 100 innings.
Mariners righty Logan Gilbert has also started to slide late in the season with a ho-hum 4.10 xERA and 3.92 xFIP over his past six starts, and Seattle ranking 30th in bullpen xERA over the past 30 days only bolsters the case to back Texas.
As a result, I expect the Rangers to outscore the Mariners this afternoon and recommend the Texas moneyline to 50%.
Rangers vs Mariners Over/Under pick: Over 6.5 (51.2%)
This is an aggressively low total, and I’m still bullish on the Over 6.5 to 53.5%.
As highlighted, the Rangers are rolling at the dish, and the Mariners have scored eight times through the first two games of the series and have hit the Over in 15 of their last 22 games (+7.35 Units / 30% ROI). Texas has also cashed the Over in 11 of its past 15 games (+7.65 Units / 47% ROI).
Seattle isn’t the only team with struggling relievers, with Texas ranking 23rd in bullpen xERA over the past 30 days.
Rangers vs Mariners home run prediction: Wyatt Langford (16.7%)
Gilbert has surrendered 11 homers across his past seven starts with an unheard-of .403 ISO allowed to right-handed hitters. Rangers outfielder Wyatt Langford has hit 12 of his 16 homers against righties with a .210 ISO. He’s also faced Gilbert 21 times, so there’s a growing familiarity.
Neil Parker's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 56-30, +28.68 units
Over/Under bets: 29-28, -0.79 units
Rangers vs Mariners weather
The weather forecast calls for clear, sunny skies with warm afternoon temperatures peaking around 75 degrees, and a light 4-6 mph wind blowing out toward right-center field at T-Mobile Park.
Rangers vs Mariners odds
Moneyline: Rangers 47.6% | Mariners 56.5%
Run line: Rangers +1.5 (67.7%) | Mariners -1.5 (37%)
Over/Under: Over 6.5 (52.4%) | Under 6.5 (52.4%)
Rangers vs Mariners trend
The Rangers have hit the Over in 11 of their last 15 games (+7.65 Units / 47% ROI), and the Mariners have gone Over in 15 of 22 (+7.35 Units / 30% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Rangers vs. Mariners.
How to watch Rangers vs Mariners and game info
Location
T-Mobile Stadium, Seattle, WA
Date
Thursday, September 10, 2026
First pitch
4:10 p.m. ET
TV
Rangers Sports Network, Mariners.TV
Rangers starting pitcher
Jacob deGrom (10-9, 3.96 ERA)
Mariners starting pitcher
Logan Gilbert (11-9, 3.71 ERA)
Rangers vs Mariners latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
The Sharks will begin preparing for the 2026-27 NHL season shortly, hoping this is the year they return to the playoffs for the first time in eight seasons. And when training camp begins, they can go into it knowing they have rising star Macklin Celebrini locked in for the long haul.
Agreeing to a five-year, $94 million contract extension in July and earning over $18 million per season, Celebrini will become the NHL’s highest-paid player when the new contract kicks in next season. But despite receiving the recognition he deserves, coming off a 100-point campaign last season, the new contract still feels weird for the 20-year-old face of the franchise.
“I kind of still feels weird because that’s not really why I’m playing or anything like that,” Celebrini told The Hollywood Reporter’s Belmont Cameli. “It was a long negotiation and trying to just figure out what worked best for our young core and how special our group is and making sure everyone gets paid and where the cap is going. So kind of figuring out what makes the most sense and we landed on that.”
Celebrini was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft and immediately became the Sharks’ star player. Scoring 25 goals and 38 assists in 70 games in his debut campaign, finishing with 65 points, Celebrini was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team.
Celebrini broke out last season, highlighted by a dominant run for Team Canada at the 2026 Summer Olympics. Guiding Canada to the silver medal, he finished the tournament with five goals and five assists (10 points) through six games and was the leading scorer. For his efforts, he was named to the Olympic All-Star team.
The Sharks boast one of the NHL’s youngest rosters and to have their core player in Celebrini here for a long time is a major step in the right direction for a franchise that used to be a perennial playoff contender. The playoffs are the main goal for the franchise this season and as long as Celebrini is healthy and playing at a high level, the Sharks should be a team to watch all season long.
The Sharks open training camp on Sept. 17 before their first preseason game against the Anaheim Ducks on Sept. 20. From then on, it will be all about preparing for their regular season opener against two-time NHL champions Florida Panthers at home on Oct. 1.
KANSAS CITY, MO - SEPTEMBER 09: Michael Soroka #34 of the Arizona Diamondbacks pitches during the game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium on Wednesday, September 9, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Tanner Gatlin/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Recaps
[Dbacks.com] Gallen, Soroka return, but D-backs fall out of 3rd NL Wild Card spot – In Arizona’s 5-2 loss to the Royals in the series finale, Gallen worked the opening 3 1/3 innings. He wasn’t able to get through the fourth because a 10-pitch at-bat against Nick Loftin with one out lifted his pitch count to 68. Gallen gave up four hits and two runs (one earned), including a solo homer to Carter Jensen. Soroka took over for the fifth in his first relief appearance of the season. Soroka struck out Kyle Isbel to begin his outing, but then surrendered a single to Isaac Collins and a walk to Jensen before Bobby Witt Jr. snapped a 2-2 tie with a three-run homer that proved to be the game-winner.
[SI] The Good And Not So Good From Zac Gallen’s Return from Injury – Gallen’s four-seam fastball has been the hinge point of his issues for multiple seasons. It simply has not been an effective pitch since the early stages of 2024. Unfortunately, that was the case again Wednesday. Gallen shied away from his fastball after the third one he threw was hit 106.5 MPH (albeit for an out). He threw only nine out of 68 total pitches, tied with his sinker for the least-used offering on the night. The fastball’s velocity was also significantly down. This is not a major concern after a lengthy IL stint and an elbow injury. But Gallen’s four-seam averaged 91.2 MPH, which is 2.2 MPH down from his 93.4 yearly average.
[Arizona Sports] Diamondbacks’ Corbin Carroll to get MRI on Thursday – Manager Torey Lovullo told reporters on Tuesday that Carroll would likely need imaging after he was scratched from the lineup in Kansas City. Lovullo said Carroll would not play in their series finale on Wednesday against the Royals. Carroll said he suffered a back spasm last week during Arizona’s home series against the Philadelphia Phillies. He made 44 start starts before taking a seat on Monday, when he came off the bench late in the D-backs’ 5-4 win. The All-Star has gone through his ups and downs this season both in terms of performance and health. At the plate, Carroll was great through mid-June, suffered a miserable July and started to tick back up in August before a late-month slump.
[ProPublica] The Dominican Baseball Factory – On an evening in late 2021, in a pristine baseball complex in central Santo Domingo, a baby-faced 14-year-old outfielder in athletic gear named Belfi Rivera huddled in front of a computer screen. Next to him was John Carmona, who had been Belfi’s trainer and de facto caretaker since he was 11 years old. In a nearby office, Belfi’s parents stared anxiously at a separate computer. On the screen, calling into the Dominican Republic, were representatives of the Arizona Diamondbacks, there for a conversation that promised to shift forever the fortunes of Belfi and his parents. The team, they would soon learn, had agreed to pay Belfi $1.8 million after his 16th birthday. It was a deal Carmona had negotiated without consulting Belfi or his parents. It was also a handshake agreement that skirted Major League Baseball’s rules that bar teams from signing players younger than 16.
[SI] Derek Jeter’s Most Meaningful World Series Was the One He Lost – Twenty-five years later, the 2001 World Series—a series he lost—resonates more deeply with Jeter than most any career highlight. It was bigger than the team. Bigger than the title that slipped away. Bigger than baseball. “But, the interesting thing is even to this day, if I run into people, Yankee fans, New Yorkers, they’ll mention how great that World Series was—and no one mentions the fact that we lost. It’s really fascinating because Yankee fans are like no other. It’s, ‘You win a World Series or it’s a failure,’ which I 100% agree with. But in that particular World Series, no one I run into mentions the fact that we lost.”
[NBC Sports] Don’t expect Burnes to return to form in 2026 – James Schiano breaks down Diamondbacks pitcher Corbin Burnes’ season debut, pointing to his inefficiency and velocity while tempering expectations for a return to form this season.
[ESPN] Early MLB free agency intel: Skubal, Chisholm, Arraez, more – It’s anyone’s best guess as to how owners handle the free market. In the days leading up to the last lockout after the 2021 season, there was a flurry of big-money deals, including Corey Seager and Marcus Semien to Texas for $500 million combined; Javier Baez to Detroit for $140 million; Max Scherzer to the New York Mets for $130 million; Robbie Ray to Seattle for $115 million; and Kevin Gausman to Toronto for $110 million. Unlike last time, however, the owners today are seeking a system that would fundamentally change the game and its salaries. And without a sense of how previously signed contracts would work in a capped system, the reticence might be strong.
[MLB.com] Ohtani placed on injured list to rest left knee, right biceps injuries – “It was more just really huddling up and saying, ‘Hey, how are you going to feel on Friday? How are you going to feel on Saturday?'” Roberts said. “Talking to the doctors and training staff, there was not much certainty that he’d be in a much better place. With that, just taking it off the table seemed like the best course of action.” As a corresponding move, the Dodgers will call up MLB Pipeline’s No. 6 overall prospect, Josue De Paula, from Double-A Tulsa. De Paula will join the team on Friday in Miami. L.A. will need to add him to the 40-man roster ahead of his Major League debut.Roberts previously described placing Ohtani on the IL as a deterrent because the minimum-length IL stint for two-way players is 15 days. But after Ohtani did not show sufficient improvement over the past week, the Dodgers felt that he would be better served by taking a more extended stint to recover.
[ProPublica] The Rising Baseball Star, a Fatal Car Crash and the Fixer – Six years ago, Pittsburgh Pirates star prospect Oneil Cruz rear-ended a motorcycle, killing all three of its passengers and jeopardizing his career. Cruz’s parents brought in a fixer to pay off the victims’ families so they wouldn’t sue and wouldn’t demand that prosecutors pursue the case. In making the case go away, that fixer, Santo Caraballo, saved Cruz’s career and launched his own as one of the most powerful figures in Dominican baseball.
WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - MARCH 19, 2026: Walker Janek #6 of the Houston Astros bats during the fourth inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the Miami Marlins at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on March 19, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Another day of minor league baseball is in the books. See the results below.
AAA: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (71-68) lost 8-6 (BOX SCORE)
Sugar Land got on the board in the first inning on a Price 3 run home run. In the 2nd inning, Spence connected on a solo home run. Alexander start for Sugar Land but struggled allowing 6 runs over 3.2 innings. In the third, Dezenzo drove in a run on a groundout. Swanson pitched in relief and allowed 2 runs as the Comets extended their lead. The offense got another run in the 8th on a Delgado groundout but that was it as Sugar Land fell 8-6.
Nic Swanson, RHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
Christian Roa, RHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
Roddery Munoz, RHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (61-73) won 5-3 (BOX SCORE)
Shoemaker started for the Hooks and tossed 4 scoreless innings allowing just one hit. The offense got on the board in the 3rd inning scoring 4 runs on a Janek RBI double, Moss 2 run single and Holy RBI single. The pen allowed a few runs as the RockHounds made it close. The offense got an insurance run in the 9th on a Thomas sac fly and David tossed a scoreless 9th inning to close out the 5-3 win.
The New York Yankees beat the Colorado Rockies by multiple runs in the first two games of this series, and my Rockies vs. Yankees predictions expect more of the same in the finale.
New York's power should be front and center against Ryan Feltner, who bleeds home runs and will get no help from the favorable conditions at Yankee Stadium.
Let's break it all down with my MLB picks before first pitch at 7:05 p.m. ET.
Who will win Rockies vs Yankees today: Yankees -1.5 (58%)
For help understanding probabilities, see our odds calculator.
Ryan Feltner is one of the most hittable pitchers in the majors, ranking in the second percentile in xERA.
Pitching a healthy chunk of games at Coors Field hasn’t helped his cause but, unfortunately for Feltner, playing in warm weather at Yankee Stadium isn’t much better.
Feltner has posted a 5.91 ERA and allowed 1.86 HR/9 in hitter-friendly conditions. Things are unlikely to go well for him against a New York Yankees squad sitting third in ISO vs. right-handed pitching.
Max Fried should get a ton of run support, making the Yankees run line a buy up to 59%.
Rockies vs Yankees Over/Under pick: Over 8.5 (53%)
Feltner has allowed nearly two baserunners per inning over the last 30 days. He's giving up a ton of traffic, and the Yankees certainly have the power to cash in.
They sit fifth in homers against righties — and third at home — despite playing a ton of games without Aaron Judge. Luis Garcia Jr. is also still relatively new to the scene and adds to their pop.
The Colorado Rockies quietly rank eighth in road wOBA vs. southpaws the past two months, and could cause headaches for Fried.
Play to 55%.
Rockies vs Yankees home run prediction: Aaron Judge (32%)
Aaron Judge hasn’t left the park since returning from injury, and this is the perfect storm for that to happen. Hot weather and wind blowing out create a great environment for homers, with a 22% boost projected for this game.
Judge also shines against Feltner’s pitch mix. Isolating the three pitches he uses at least 20% of the time facing righties, Judge owns a .270 ISO and a remarkably high 21.3% barrel rate. All rise!
Todd Cordell's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 106-92, -7.4 units
Over/Under bets: 101-91-6, -2.61 units
Rockies vs Yankees weather
The bats will see a big boost with temperatures in the 80s and winds blowing out in an already hitter-friendly ballpark.
Rockies vs Yankees odds
Moneyline: Rockies 26% | Yankees 75%
Run line: Rockies +2.5 (55%) | Yankees -2.5 (45%)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (53%) | Under 8.5 (48%)
Rockies vs Yankees trend
The Yankees have covered the run line in 15 of their last 22 games for +11.15 units and a 42% ROI. Find more MLB betting trends for Rockies vs. Yankees.
How to watch Rockies vs Yankees and game info
Location
Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
Date
Thursday, September 10, 2026
First pitch
7:05 p.m. ET
TV
Rockies.TV, YES
Rockies starting pitcher
Ryan Feltner (5-9, 5.91 ERA)
Yankees starting pitcher
Max Fried (4-4, 2.73 ERA)
Rockies vs Yankees latest injuries
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Tyson Jost is getting another chance to keep his NHL career going, and it comes with a return to an organization he knows well.
The former Colorado Avalanche first-round pick has signed a Professional Tryout Agreement (PTO) with the Nashville Predators, putting himself in position to compete for a contract when Nashville opens training camp.
The move also reunites Jost with Chris MacFarland, who served as an assistant general manager with the Avalanche during Jost’s time in Colorado and now holds the title of general manager and president of hockey operations in Nashville.
It is another opportunity for a player whose NHL career has taken him through several organizations since the Avalanche called his name with the 10th overall pick in the 2016 NHL Draft.
Jost spent more than five seasons in Colorado and established himself as a regular contributor during a significant period in franchise history. He suited up for 321 games with the Avalanche, collecting 45 goals and 58 assists for 103 points before the organization moved him at the 2021-22 trade deadline.
That trade created a connection between Jost and the Avalanche’s eventual championship that remains somewhat unusual.
Colorado dealt Jost to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for Nico Sturm, leaving behind a team that was beginning to look like a legitimate Stanley Cup contender. A few months later, the Avalanche were lifting the Cup—and Sturm was right there with them.
Sturm became a useful part of Colorado’s bottom six during the postseason, appearing in 13 playoff games and recording four points. He provided the type of reliable depth that can become invaluable over a long playoff run, making the trade one that ultimately worked out well for the Avalanche.
Jost, meanwhile, continued his career elsewhere.
After his stint in Minnesota, he eventually moved on to the Buffalo Sabres and Carolina Hurricanes before landing back with Nashville. The Predators claimed him off waivers in October, giving the veteran forward another opportunity to establish himself in an NHL lineup.
He made the most of that opportunity last season, appearing in 69 games for Nashville and finishing with eight goals and eight assists.
Now, the Predators are giving him another shot to earn his way onto the roster.
Jost enters camp with considerable NHL experience on his résumé. He has played 564 regular-season games, recording 74 goals and 177 points. While his offensive production has never reached the level Colorado hoped for when it drafted him in the first round, he has carved out a career through his versatility, work ethic and willingness to play a supporting role.
Those qualities are now being put to the test once again.
A PTO does not guarantee Jost a place on Nashville’s opening-night roster. Instead, it gives him a platform to make an impression during camp and preseason action and potentially earn a contract before the regular season begins.
For a player who has already experienced the highs and uncertainty that come with an NHL career, it is another opportunity to control what happens next.
Jost’s connection to Colorado will always be tied to the 2016 draft and the years he spent developing into an NHL player. But his most interesting link to the Avalanche may be the trade that sent him away just months before the franchise won its third Stanley Cup.
Colorado ultimately got a championship contributor in return.
Jost got a fresh start.
Nearly five years later, he’s chasing another one.
Let’s state the obvious: Derrick White had a miserable shooting season last year. In fact, pick the meanest adjective you can think of, replace our word miserable, and it probably fairly describes White’s season-long shooting woes.
But lost in those shooting struggles — with White connecting on a grisly 32.7 percent of 8.3 3-pointers per game, and shooting a meager 39.4 percent from the floor overall — was that White still was an advanced metrics darling, finishing among the league’s elite in net rating despite his misfires. His defense remained top tier and he routinely impacted winning during his court time.
The shots just would not fall.
For Day 3 of our Ramp to Camp series, we asked our panel: What version of Derrick White will the Celtics get this season?
We suspect you’ll hear a lot of prognosticators talking about a potential “bounce-back year” for White. The reality is that it’s simply his shot that needs to rebound. White put up All-Star-caliber production in basically every other facet of the game. But, thrust into an elevated offensive role while Jayson Tatum rehabbed, it was hard to ignore the shooting splits.
White still finished third on the team in net rating with Boston outscoring opponents by 11.3 points per 100 possessions during his floor time. Among all NBA players that averaged at least 30 minutes per game last season, White ranked fourth in net rating, one spot ahead of Denver MVP candidate Nikola Jokic. The only three players ahead of him were the actual MVP in Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (plus-16.3), Detroit’s Cade Cunningham (plus-11.4), and San Antonio’s Devin Vassell (plus-11.4).
White, despite his shooting woes, ranked in the 95th percentile at his position while generating 29.6 points per game off scoring and assists. He averaged a career-best 1.3 blocks per game, earned a spot on the All-Defense first team, and was sixth in voting for Defensive Player of the Year.
Go find your favorite advanced metric acronym (there’s a lot out there nowadays) and it probably loved White’s season. DARKO had him as a +1.5 DPM (full daily plus minus), the same mark Jaylen Brown posted while finishing sixth in MVP voting. Dunks & Threes’ Estimated Plus-Minus had him at +4.4, which was the 14th best mark in the NBA (one spot behind Cunningham).
Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Derrick White’s defense remained elite last season despite the shooting struggles.
The good news for White is that a healthier Jayson Tatum ought to take a bunch of stress off White’s offensive creation and maybe jolt his shot quality this year. The bad news is that, with the departure of Brown, there will be lingering pressure to be a secondary scoring option. Maybe Paul George and Payton Pritchard can help alleviate some of that stress.
White turned 32 in July. He’ll cross 20,000 total NBA minutes played this season. He has to prove that the shooting funk wasn’t tied to age. If those shooting splits bounce back early in the season, there’s a good chance he could earn the All-Star nod that has somehow evaded him in recent years.
The Celtics need the confident White who punishes teams when they stray from him at the 3-point line. They need the White who ranked in the 97th percentile among guards while shooting 59.4 percent on all 2-point shots in 2024-25, and not the guy who dipped to the 36th percentile while shooting 48.7 percent on 2s last season.
If White finds his floater, the entire perception of his season completely changes.
Our guess is that his numbers perk back up and that a lot of the consternation dissipates. His bond with Tatum is well established. If Tatum can take much of the playmaking duties off White’s plate, it might free him up to thrive in more familiar ways.
The shot might bounce back, but White’s ability to impact winning has never wavered. That can’t change regardless of how he shoots the ball this season.
Jason Levine: Executive Producer, Content Integrations
We might not get the 2024 D-White but he’ll be better than last season. He was pegged as the No. 2 with Tatum out, and I think that’s asking too much. He needs to think the game like he normally does, and I think his shooting will be what we’re accustomed to with the lower level of pressure on his shoulders.
A 37-plus percent shooter from 3-point range and an All-Defensive team selection. The Celtics won’t be a real contender if he shoots as poorly as he did last season.
That’s hard to say. The Celtics would like to get a more comfortable Derrick White this year, because the team probably asked too much from him last year in Tatum’s absence. I simply believe they have a roster that needs him just as badly this year. Paul George is the wild card here. If the newcomer can be effective and available, White can easily slide into a role that suits him better. But those are some big ifs.
Josh Canu: Editor
I am unfortunately not as optimistic about Derrick White’s offense returning to its previous form. White is once again thrust into needing to be option No. 2 or 3 in the offense and we saw how that played out last season. Tatum should provide more open looks for shooters than Brown did, but I think White’s best days are behind him. He will still provide elite defense and solid playmaking, but I would feel better if he was more of a complementary piece than a focal point.
We should expect White to bounce back offensively after shooting a career-worst 39.4 percent from the floor and 32.7 percent from 3-point range. Tatum’s return and George’s presence will allow White to settle back into his catch-and-shoot role. Last season, White felt the need to carry the offense alongside Brown while Tatum was sidelined. In 2026-27, he should return to form as a dependable shooter while earning yet another All-Defensive nod.
PHOENIX, AZ - MARCH 21: Logan Wagner #23 of the Los Angeles Dodgers bats in the seventh inning during the game between the Chicago White Sox and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Camelback Ranch on Saturday, March 21, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Rob Leiter/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Two games and two wins, as the Comets and Drillers were the only teams in action on Wednesday.
Player of the Day
Logan Wagner hasn’t had the easiest of transitions to Double-A, which is to be expected given he began the year in rookie ball. However, in this particular game against the Naturals, he was as menacing a hitter as the Drillers had at the plate, with a pair of long shots.
Although Wagner had multiple displays of power this season prior to yesterday’s game, it was only his second multihomer performance of the season, taking his season total to 22 across three separate levels.
Triple-A Oklahoma City
What did Gavin Stone, Edwin Díaz, and Kris Bubic all have in common as the Comets outhit the Space Cowboys on their way to an 8-6 win? All three of them failed to complete a full inning; Stone was removed with two outs in the first after seeing his pitch count rise over 30 in an inning in which he allowed three runs. Díaz’s pitch count climbed over 20 to secure a pair of outs as he allowed multiple walks, and lastly, Kris Bubic came into the game just to finish off the third inning started by Díaz.
The lack of length from several Comets pitchers led to Jackson Ferris coming in early and completing six innings of work as the Comets rode the hot hand all the way to the end of this game. Ferris had the incredibly rare six-inning save, allowing fewer hits (2) and runs (1) than the pitchers for the game’s first three innings combined.
Scoring six of their eight runs in the first two innings, the Comets were aggressive early and didn’t require a lot of slugging to reach this impressive total. Their most important hit came in the second when Ryan Fitzgerald knocked a bases-clearing double to make it 6-4 and give OKC its first lead of the game. James Tibbs III led the team with three runs scored, twice walking and also recording a hit.
In his final game with the Drillers before joining the big league club on Friday, Josue De Paula showed why he is one of this game’s most promising prospects. The Dodgers’ number one prospect homered as part of a blowout win for the Drillers. It was his 27th long shot of the season and one of four for the Drillers against zero from their opponent.
While the batting average has taken a big hit for Logan Wagner in his second promotion of the season—this one to the Drillers—the third baseman had his best game at this new level, securing a pair of long balls, now with six in 29 games in Double-A.
Alex Walsh, Christian Suarez, and Jacob Kmatz did a fantastic job behind starter Aidan Foeller, each of them delivering two-plus scoreless frames to keep the Naturals from even scoring multiple runs. Foeller ran into some problems early on, allowing four of the Naturals’ five hits in just 2.1 innings, but kept the damage minimal, not that it mattered much with the offense scoring 10.
High-A Great Lakes
There was no game in High-A, as the Loons return to postseason action this Thursday, visiting the Dragons.
Class-A Ontario
The Tower Buzzers also had an off-day, with Game 2 of their Division Series against the Storm coming this Thursday.
Transactions
The Dodgers extended Gavin Stone’s rehab assignment with the Comets.
Wednesday’s scores
Oklahoma City 8, Sugar Land 6
NW Arkansas 1, Tulsa 10
No games scheduled
No games scheduled
Thursday’s schedule
4:05 p.m. PT: Great Lakes (Brooks Auger) at Dayton (Kyle McCoy) – Division Series (GL up 1-0)
4:35 p.m. PT: Oklahoma City (TBD) vs. Sugar Land (Brandon McPherson)
5:05 p.m. PT: Tulsa (TBD) at NW Arkansas (Grant Grambell)
6:05 p.m. PT: Ontario (TBD) at Lake Elsinore (Kruz Schoolcraft) – Division Series (ONT down 1-0)
AMARILLO, TX - AUGUST 13: Leo de Vries #12 of the Midland RockHounds bats during the game between the Midland RockHounds and the Amarillo Sod Poodles at Hodgetown on Thursday, August 13, 2026 in Amarillo, Texas. (Photo by Elisa Chavez/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
Hello folks! Happy Thursday to you all.
Yesterday, Kade Anderson got his first big league win in a 3-2 Mariners victory over the Rangers. You’ve got to enjoy the little things once you realize a season is lost. Perhaps we’ll see some more encouraging signs from the team in today’s series finale kicking off at 1:10pm PT.
The A’s received devastating news on top prospect Leo De Vries, who will undergo shoulder surgery which is expected to have an eight month recovery timeline.
A’s left-handed pitching prospect Jamie Arnold was diagnosed with facial fractures after being struck by a line drive during Tuesday’s game. He will not require surgery but there is no timetable for his return to baseball activity.
Marc Normandin at Baseball Prospectus gave the optimist’s case for us getting to enjoy baseball games in 2027. ($)
Kent Babb at ESPN wrote about how Mike Trout is passing the baton to Pirates superstar shortstop Konnor Griffin.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 9: Jonathan Aranda #8 of the Tampa Bay Rays reacts after scoring during the seventh inning against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on September 9, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Led by a George Lombard Jr. grand slam, a good Will Warren outing, and Aaron Judge’s first two hits since returning, the Yankees cruised past the Rockies on Wednesday night. It wasn’t a victory to remark on for too long considering the opposition, but it was exactly the type of game they needed as they try to make their way in the playoff race.
With the Yankees taking care of business, did any teams do them some favors to add onto the win? Let’s take a look back in today’s Rivalry Roundup.
Tampa Bay Rays (87-58) 7, Atlanta Braves (85-61) 2
The Rays timed yet another victory well, downing the Braves and preventing the Yankees from gaining a game in the AL East race.
Led by a Victor Mesa Jr. home run, the Rays struck early, putting up three runs in the second inning. Two frames later, they put up yet another three spot thanks to a combination of three hits, a walk, and a sacrifice fly. Those six runs proved to be plenty for the Rays.
That’s because Griffin Jax was very solid on the mound for Tampa Bay. He allowed just two hits in five innings, with the one run he allowed coming on a Drake Baldwin home run. Atlanta eventually got another run back as well, but the Braves managed just one baserunner over the final three innings as the Rays won fairly easily.
Other Games
Los Angeles Angels (56-90) 6, Boston Red Sox (80-67) 4: Homers from Zach Neto and Jose Siri allowed the Angels to put up a five spot in the third inning, carrying them past the Red Sox. The Angels jumped all over Red Sox starter Jake Bennett, picking up six runs on nine hits in 5.1 innings off him. For the rest of the game, Boston began to slowly chip away at their deficit. They brought the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the ninth, but it proved to be too late.
Pittsburgh Pirates (73-73) 4, Chicago White Sox (75-70) 2: After a tight contest, a three-run seventh inning from the Pirates, including two RBI from Konnor Griffin, helped Pittsburgh pull away and secure the win. That being said, all that was overshadowed by the benches clearing after a bit of some jawing following a double play turned by Pittsburgh. The White Sox were kept off the board for most of the game by a Pirates bullpen game, but did score a couple runs late to make things interesting, although not interesting enough.
Athletics (59-88) 2, Toronto Blue Jays (73-74) 0: The Blue Jays fell back under .500 as they were shutout at the hands of the lowly A’s. Starter Brady Basso threw four scoreless frames before the A’s bullpen finished things off, holding Toronto to no runs on six hits, as they left seven runners on base for the game.
Seattle Mariners (68-78) 3, Texas Rangers (72-74) 2: The Rangers dropped a winnable game in the AL west race as they managed just two runs against the Mariners. Seattle starter and highly rated recent callup Kade Anderson had his best game so far, holding Texas to one run in six innings, as the M’s offense did enough to squeak out the win.
Baltimore Orioles (71-76) 9, Cleveland Guardians (74-73) 5: The Orioles did most of their damage in an eight-run third inning that led to the Guardians failing to gain ground in the standings. Cleveland took a 2-0 lead in the first, but the O’s recorded eight hits, two walks, and a hit by pitch to take the lead and never look back.
Philadelphia Phillies (82-64) 11, Houston Astros (74-72) 7: Kyle Schwarber’s sixth inning grand slam proved to be the difference maker in a high-scoring game against the Astros. The teams traded runs early, with the Astros getting the better of that and holding a lead. However, the Phillies scored six runs in the sixth and held on from there.
The gang of kids in a scene from the film 'The Sandlot', 1993. (Photo by 20th Century-Fox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
When news broke over a week ago that Arte Moreno had reached an agreement to sell the Los Angeles Angels to Stan Kroenke, my buddy who lives in Mississippi texted me the—dare I say—iconic GIF from Angels in the Outfield:
That child actor is Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and he’s gone on to quite the acting career from starring in the sitcom 3rd Rock from the Sun to portraying Batman’s sidekick in The Dark Knight Rises, among many other credits. He’s a good actor.
The more I thought about it, the more I realized that the cast for Angels in the Outfield is stacked. I mean, you have JGL in one of his earliest roles, if not his first; then you have established movie stars at the time like Danny Glover and Christopher Lloyd; sitcom star Tony Danza; and future stars Adrien Brody and Matthew McConaughey.
And that’s not even it!
Does Angels in the Outfield boast the best movie cast of all the baseball movies? It’s off to a strong start, for sure. But I wanted to make sure, so I first listed all of the baseball movies I could think of, then narrowed it down to 11 of them. After that, I wrote down every actor I could think of from that movie before turning to IMDb to see if I missed anyone.
Today’s mission: decide which of these 11 baseball films, listed alphabetically, has the best cast, regardless of how good the movie actually is. Readers can vote at the end.
42
Released in 2013, this Jackie Robinson biopic boasts Marvel star Chadwick Boseman in the title role with Harrison Ford portraying Branch Rickey, the Dodgers GM who signed Robinson. That’s a heck of a 1-2 punch. The cast also includes Nicole Beharie, who’d go on to star in the television show Sleepy Hollow, as Rachel Robinson, plus two doctors from Grey’s Anatomy, the always underrated Hamish Linklater, Christopher Meloni as Leo Durocher, Lucas Black, Andre Holland, Alan Tudyk, John C. McGinley (aka Dr. Cox from Scrubs), and an actor with just an incredible last name, Brett Cullen.
Heck of a first entry. Let’s see if it can be topped.
A League of Their Own
Two titans of modern-day acting in the first two films: Harrison Ford vs Tom Hanks as Jimmy Dugan, the manager of the Rockford Peaches of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League during World War II. Accompanying Hanks: Geena Davis and Lori Petty as sisters who star for the Peaches; pop star Madonna; 47’s BFF Rosie O’Donnell; The Third Cusack; Jon Lovitz; famed director Garry Marshall as the owner/creator of the league; David Strathairn as his right-hand man; Bill Pillman as Davis’ character’s husband; and early TéaLeoni.
Angels in the Outfield
I went through a good chunk of these actors in the beginning, but to recap: Danny Glover, Christopher Lloyd, Tony Danza, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Adrien Brody, Matthew McConaughey. But joining them: Brenda Fricker, who just passed away and was famous for her role in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York; Jay O. Sanders; my father’s favorite cowboy actor, Ben Johnson, as the owner of the Angels; Neal McDonough; and Dermot Mulroney (not to be confused with Dylan McDermott).
Brewster’s Millions
I love this stupid movie. I have seen it entirely too many times. Richard Pryor stars as Montgomery Brewster, a minor-league pitcher who must spend $30 million in thirty days to inherit $300 million. I’m laughing as I write this because one of the tags for the movie on IMDB is “high-concept comedy.” Sure.
Anyway, starring alongside Pryor is the great John Candy, who plays Spike Nolan, his battery mate and best friend. Other actors include Lonette McKee, Mr. Law & Order himself, Jerry Orbach, Pat Hingle (who played Commissioner Gordon in the Batman movies from 1989 to 1997), and—get ready for this—RICK MORANIS!
One million points awarded.
Field of Dreams
This is probably the best movie on this list, but does it boast the best cast? It’s certainly a strong one with an in-his-prime Kevin Costner starring as an Iowa farmer who hears voices in his head that convince him to create a baseball field in his corn. Then some ghostly baseball players come out of the corn, one played by Ray Liotta, another by Art LaFleur (we’ll see him again), and one by Frank Whaley. Whaley’s character is also portrayed by the great Burt Lancaster in one of his final films. Newly minted scream queenAmy Madigan plays Costner’s wife while her real-life husband, Ed Harris, is The Voice.
Last but certainly not least, James Earl Jones portrays Terence Mann, an early foil to Costner’s Ray Kinsella who then helps solve the mysteries spoken by The Voice.
(Uncredited as fans at Fenway: Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, but they’re just extras here, so I’m not counting them.)
Brief interlude here to recognize two movies that feature baseball to a much smaller degree:
Bit of a cheat here as I’m considering all three of the Major League movies. The original’s cast is stacked with the likes of Tom Berenger, Charlie Sheen, and Wesley Snipes, but the first sequel brings in Omar Epps to replace Snipes while the second sequel—a very awful movie that you should at least watch once—stars that guy from Quantum Leap, a young Walton Goggins, and Ted McGinley of Married…with Children and Shrinking fame.
Corbin Bernsen is Roger Dorn in all three films while Dennis Haysbert also shows up in the trio. Rene Russo plays Berenger’s significant other in the first and then is barely in the second while Margaret Whitton excellently mocks Marge Schott. James Gammon, Chelcie Ross, David Keith, and everybody’s favorite announcer, Bob Uecker, also shine in these flicks.
Moneyball
Quality over quantity for Moneyball, which makes sense. Brad Pitt leads as Billy Beane, the general manager of the cheap Oakland Athletics. Jonah Hill co-stars as his right-hand man not named Paul DePodesta while the late Phllip Seymour Hoffman captures the disgruntled manager, Art Howe. Robin Wright, Chris Pratt, and Reed Diamond—shoutouts to Homicide: Life on the Street and The Shield, two of the best cop shows ever—also star. Arliss Howard plays Red Sox owner Johny Henry for one memorable scene. Howard will show up again later in this list.
The Natural
After two very strong candidates in Major League and Moneyball, we have The Natural, which may top both of them. Three Roberts lead the way: Redford as Roy Hobbs, Duvall as journalist Max Mercy, and Prosky as the majority owner known simply as The Judge. But that’s far from all: Glenn Close, Kim Basinger, and Barbara Hershey are also in the movie alongside the likes of Wilford Brimley, Joe Don Baker, Michael Madsen, and Richard Farnsworth.
Folks, I think we may have a new leader in the clubhouse.
Rookie of the Year
Daniel Stern directed this movie about a boy named Henry, played by Thomas Ian Nicholas, who breaks his arm, but when it heals, he can suddenly pitch as fast as Jacob Misiorowski. More believable than The Miz, Henry is a bullpen arm. Eddie Bracken, who plays the owner of the Cubs, has his son, played by Dan Hedaya, sign Henry. Amy Morton stars as Henry’s secretly ballplaying mother while Bruce Altman is truly slimy as her boyfriend.
Lest we forget, Gary Busey, always a wildcard, plays the team’s aging ace, Chet Steadman.
The Sandlot
Interesting candidate here as the main characters are all played by child actors who a) do an amazing job playing kids of a bygone era who love playing baseball during the summer and b) unlike Joseph Gordon-Levitt in Angels in the Outfield and Thomas Ian Nicholas of Rookie of the Year, didn’t do much afterward. Still, these kids are all brilliant.
Of the adult actors in the movie, Karen Allen plays, uh, Mom, who is the mother of the main character, Scotty Smalls. Denis Leary plays Bill, Smalls’ stepdad. Art LaFleur makes the list for the second time, this time as the specter of Babe Ruth. Arliss Howard, also in Moneyball, plays an adult version of Smalls, now a broadcaster for the Dodgers. And James Earl Jones makes his second appearance, this time as the owner of the misunderstood Hercules, the dog who loves to collect baseballs.
The Scout
Last and least, we have The Scout, which stars two of my favorite actors: Albert Brooks as a scout for the Yankees who finds an incredible, Shohei Ohtani-esque baseball talent portrayed by Brendan Fraser. Also in this film: Diane Wiest, the subject of the joke of one of the best cold opens in recent sitcom history:
Those are the eleven contenders. I have to say, I think I’m going with…The Natural by a smidgen over A League of Their Own followed by Field of Dreams. I’m going with Moneyball and Angels in the Outfield to round out the top five.
But now it’s your turn to vote. Poll limited to six options, if it’s an option not listed, feel free to speak up in the comments!
COVERS INTEL: DeGrom ranking second in 
Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
