LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 4: Umpire Rob Drake #8 calls Nasim Nuñez #26 of the Washington Nationals out as he is tagged out by Max Muncy #13 of the Los Angeles Dodgers as he over slid the bag in the third inning at Dodger Stadium on September 4, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This season, Nasim Nunez has had the chance to prove he can be an everyday player. While he showed some promise at times in the summer, he has failed in that mission. For most of this season, his flaws have been brutally exposed as he has been overplayed. Nunez has skills, but this is not something that works in a full-time role.
It is tough to overstate just how bad Nasim Nunez has been offensively. On the season, his OPS is .534, which is over 50 points worse than the second worst qualified hitter. You can be an all-world baserunner and defender, but there are offensive thresholds you have to hit to be on an MLB field every day. Nunez is simply not hitting those.
When you look at his Baseball Savant page, it is very easy to identify the problems here. Nunez just is not strong enough to consistently make hard contact. His xwOBA, xSLG and barrel rate are all in the first percentile. There are actually ways to work around this, but Nunez either can’t or won’t do that.
Chandler Simpson has the same issues as Nunez, but he is hitting .308 this season. That is because he has gone all in on making contact and weaponizing his speed. Simpson only strikes out 8.2% of the time while Nunez strikes out over 20% of the time. Being like Chandler Simpson is the only way for Nunez to have offensive success. However, I just don’t think he has the bat to ball skills to do that.
The result of this is pretty disastrous. This season, Nunez has an insanely low 52 wRC+. That means he is about half as good as even an average hitter. It is rare to see a wRC+ that low for a guy with over 450 plate appearances because usually those sorts of bats don’t get this much rope.
People would counter that Nunez makes up for this on the bases and in the field. However, fWAR does not think so. Even while grading out as an elite baserunner and very good fielder, Nunez still has -0.2 fWAR. With his profile, you have to be an impressively bad hitter to compile negative WAR. That is exactly what he is doing though.
For all the talk about the value Nasim Nunez brings with the glove and his legs, it is not enough to make up for his abysmal bat. Sub-replacement level guy https://t.co/RXS9bM5qeA
It feels like the new regime has really bought into Nunez’s skillset. He is getting way more opportunities than he did with the old regime. They even moved CJ Abrams off of shortstop to get Nunez looks over there. Seaver King has been knocking on the door for a while, but Paul Toboni has decided to stick with Nunez.
With a slash line of .211/.289/.245, that faith is not being rewarded. Lately, Nunez has been as close to an automatic out as you get in the modern game. He is hitting .116 with a .302 OPS. Even old NL pitchers would be disappointed by those numbers. In his last 15 games, it has gotten even worse with an .095 average and .235 OPS. These numbers are just comically low.
With the offense having a tougher time post-deadline, you just cannot have this player in the lineup with any regularity. Whenever he comes up in a big spot, you are just conceding an out to the other team. That is what happened last night, with Nunez looking helpless at the dish.
Nasim Nunez's OPS is down to .536, lowest among all qualified MLB hitters by 55 points.
But Dylan Crews did "drive in" the go-ahead run when he took a curveball off his elbow with the bases loaded. Nats back on top, 5-4 in the 6th.
Nasim Nunez has a unique skillset, so I understand giving him some run in a rebuilding year. However, entering next season with Nunez as an Opening Day starter would be unacceptable. He has proven to be incapable at the plate and not starter quality.
You can keep him around as a defensive replacement and pinch runner. However, if he is a starter on the 2027 infield, the offseason would be a failure. Nunez has gotten his chance and has very clearly shown he cannot be an everyday player.
I can’t lie, part of me wondered if Andreeva would ever win a slam. Not because I doubted her talent, but because I feared that at some point in every major, she’d be out-hit by an opponent with a bigger but not necessarily better game. In the event, though, her preternatural grasp of the game is worth more than a few mph, the question no longer how but how many.
Word up and welcome to the US Open 2026 – day nine!
Mobile phones of players confiscated as part of inquiry
Nine fined during Pakistan’s recent tour of Caribbean
Pakistan have launched an investigation into “discipline and conduct” during their highly dysfunctional tour of England, with two players understood to have had their mobile phones confiscated as part of the probe.
A spokesperson for the Pakistan Cricket Board confirmed on Monday that an investigation is currently under way and while no individuals have been named, it follows the removal of seven players from their original touring party last week in response to going 2-0 down with one Test still to play.
Anaheim, CA - September 01: Life-long Angel fan George Sehremelis waves a flag after pulling up to the stadium, blasting Train's "Calling All Your Angels" on his stereo at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on Tuesday, September 1, 2026. Arte Moreno sold a controlling interest in the Angel franchise to Rams owner Stan Kroenke. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen/MediaNews Group/Orange County Register via Getty Images) | MediaNews Group via Getty Images
A sweep of the Baltimore Orioles was just what the medical team ordered for the Red Sox. The O’s had been hanging around the Wild Card for weeks – even through a selloff that included their starting catcher – while the Sox won 15 straight and 9 straight and put up an historic run since the end of June. A sweep for Baltimore would have put them solidly into the playoff picture, if still a bit outside of a playoff spot. But even lacking Willson Contreras and Ceddanne Rafaela, Boston came out on top.
Now at home, the Sox welcome the Angels for three games. They played the Angels to kick off winning 15 straight at the start of July, part of the 9-game, 3-series, road sweep on their way into the All Star Break.
Speaking of former Orioles. Grayson Rodriguez, who should have been their ace by now, will start for the Orioles Monday afternoon. That ERA over 6.00 looks promising but he was really pummeled early on. A 3.2 inning 7-run outing, another with 8 runs (7 earned) obscure that he hasn’t been quite that bad. Since giving up 11 runs over two starts in July he’s actually put up a 3.49 ERA / 3.85 FIP. Baltimore acquired him for Taylor Ward who they since traded to the Mariners for prospects. Health is a skill, but maybe they do wish they’d just stuck with their guy? Brayan Bello isn’t listed as the starter but he might be! Bello has lost some of his bullpen magic of late, but the Sox need to know what kind of pitcher he has become as they approach October. It’ll be interesting to see how long he’s even in a game. Bello threw 94 pitches on 8/29. Then given three days grace before tossing another 69. Pain. This time he’ll have four days of rest. It’s not too late, never too late for Bello to reclaim a rotation spot.
Why didn’t the Angels trade Reid Detmers? Who can say. But the 27-year-old southpaw is on a roll in what is something of a breakout season. Boston hit him hard back in July with 5 runs in 5.0 innings. He gave up 5 runs to the Rangers the next time out but since then has an ERA/FIP of 1.52/2.61 over 9 starts. That includes a 7.0 inning, 1 run, gem against the Yankees last time out. New York won in 10 innings but Detmers was gone. The Sox will send Patrick Sandoval. After gutting his way through 5.1 innings with just a single run allowed against the Yankees he turned back into a Pablo pumpkin against the Mariners allowing 4 runs (3 earned) in 4.0 innings. He pitched in the same game as Bello, tossed 80 pitches, but will get even more rest. Hope it helps!
Boston will look to have their knives out against Ryan Johnson, owner of an ERA north of 5.00. However, with some luck, he’s been better of late. In 12 starts before August: 7.63/6.31 ERA/FIP with 37Ks, 20 walks in 46 innings. Since the calendar hit August, over 6 starts, 1.67/5.26 ERA/FIP with 21Ks, and 18 BBs across 32.1 innings. He hasn’t been allowing runs but it hasn’t been exactly stress free. Is Jake Bennett back? The stoic Sox lefty turned in another quality start last time out against the Orioles and has 14 Ks to 0 walks over his last two outings. You can go back another start and it’s 20-1 or perhaps 26-2 if you go back yet another start. The point is he’s been good since getting that extra rest.
Mike Trout isn’t MIKE TROUT but he’s putting up a .241/.376/.422 line with 20 homers.
Old friend Vaughn Grissom is slashing .249/.310/.391
Since the trade deadline, shortstop Zach Neto is hitting .265/.306/.444.
Probable Pitching Matchups
Monday, September 7: Grayson Rodriguez (6.03 ERA / 4.76 FIP) vs. Brayan Bello (5.07 ERA / 4.33 FIP)
Tuesday, September 8: Reid Detmers (3.44 ERA / 3.10 FIP) vs. Patrick Sandoval (4.41 ERA / 4.42 FIP)
Wednesday, September 9: Ryan Johnson (5.17 ERA / 5.88 FIP) vs. Jake Bennett (3.34 ERA / 4.22 FIP)
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - SEPTEMBER 6: Bryce Harper #3 of the Philadelphia Phillies throws the ball against the Atlanta Braves at Citizens Bank Park on September 6, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Braves defeated the Phillies 5-4. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Phillies are at the top of the wild card standings thanks to a solid end of a West coast swing, but this weekend has been a bit of a bummer. Bullpen issues are creeping in again, making the prospect of a postseason swoon that much more looming, but hey – have to make it in first.
Three up
Bryce Harper – As I inferred in the question of the day this weekend, I believe Harper has joined the conversation about a top three MVP finish on the season. Another week in which he was getting on base and scoring runs, Harper has led this team (.409/.480/.455 on the week) to the top of the wild card standings, giving the definition of what an MVP is some meaning.
Alec Bohm – Bohm’s tenure with the Phillies is probably coming to an end. A free agent once the season is over, he’ll likely be on a new team thanks to his not really becoming what they thought he would be plus what he’ll want in free agency. That doesn’t mean he can’t be productive in the final days, just as he was this week (.278/.381/.611 on the week) against the Diamondbacks and Braves. If he can keep it up into October, it’ll help this lineup tremendously.
Zack Wheeler – It’s nice to be able to put Wheeler back to this part of the list. His last two starts have quelled the cries about his possibly being washed as he’s looked the part once again of ace of the staff. It might have been a dead arm period, likely a more complicated explanation, but I feel comfortable putting those says behind us. Wheeler is back and ready for the postseason.
Three down
Bryson Stott – Whew, is Stott ice cold or what? A paltry line of .111/.150/.278 was helped by a mammoth home run in Arizona, but Stott looks like he could use an extended break.
J.T. Realmuto – The first week of September was not kind to Realmuto, who really does look worn down these days. With the addition of Rafael Marchan to the roster thanks to the expansion, there really is no need to catch Realmuto more than three days a week at this point. Get his legs fresh for October, when he will really be leaned on.
Orion Kerkering – I’ll have more on this this week, but I am of the opinion that Kerkering needs to be in a new organization once this season is over.
Jesús Luzardo pounded his mitt, looked toward the sky and took in the roar of a near-sellout crowd.
It was 2:56 p.m.
One hour and 51 minutes after he threw his first pitch, Luzardo had completed the first complete game of his career in his 150th start.
Every time the left-hander takes the ball nowadays, it feels like a short day awaits the bullpen — and anyone hoping to get home at a reasonable hour.
His latest turn came on Labor Day, with more than 41,000 fans filling Citizens Bank Park on a beautiful afternoon against the Braves.
No one was in a rush to leave. Luzardo sent them home early anyway.
The Phillies beat Atlanta 1-0 in the finale of their four-game weekend series behind the pitcher who has been the best in baseball since the end of July and arguably since the second week of June.
Working quickly from the start, Luzardo repeatedly jumped ahead of Atlanta’s righty-heavy lineup with his four-seam fastball. Twelve of the 14 at-bats he opened with a heater began with a strike.
Getting ahead did not make him predictable.
Luzardo finished with five strikeouts on his fastball and five more on his signature sweeper, giving him his sixth double-digit strikeout performance of the season. The two pitches attacked opposite eye levels and kept one of baseball’s best lineups guessing throughout the afternoon.
The Braves managed two hits. They did not draw a walk. And because Luzardo needed only 88 pitches to complete eight scoreless innings, there was never much doubt about who would take the mound for the ninth.
First, the Phillies needed to give him a lead.
Their offense had done little against Atlanta all afternoon, struggling both to create opportunities and cash them in. Then Kyle Schwarber stepped to the plate with one out in the bottom of the eighth.
Facing Didier Fuentes, who entered with six consecutive scoreless appearances, Schwarber got a fastball over the heart of the plate and drove it into the right-field seats.
That was all Luzardo needed.
At 2:50 p.m., he walked back to the mound as the crowd rose around him. Ha-Seong Kim flew out. Ronald Acuña Jr. was hit by a two-strike pitch, bringing the tying run aboard.
Luzardo bore down.
He froze Drake Baldwin for his 10th strikeout, then got Ozzie Albies to fly out for the final out.
Luzardo pounded his glove, turned his eyes toward the sky and spoke to the heavens.
Before some fans could finish their meal or afternoon drink, his masterpiece was complete.
Three league games played, three games won. For Arsenal this season could only have started better if Manchester City, who look like being one of their two most serious challengers, had dropped points. But it’s not just about results: Arsenal have been comfortably the better side in each of those three games, approaching each of them in very different ways.
After the controlled victory over Coventry City and the tight game against Aston Villa that was won thanks to ratcheting up the pressure in the 15 minutes after half-time, came success in a far more open game in which they conceded for the first time this season. Chelsea tested Arsenal on Sunday, went ahead, and yet Mikel Arteta’s side still always looked like they would win – even if it did take a superb late save from David Raya to keep out an Estevão shot. But the goalkeeper too is part of their strength; even if an opposing team can work a shooting opportunity, Raya has the capacity for spectacular saves that can dispirit opponents.
This is an extract from Soccer Desk, a newsletter from the Guardian US. Subscribe for free here.
Sep 4, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Edwin Diaz (3) warms up prior to the game against the Washington Nationals at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Dodgers closer Edwin Díaz started a rehab assignment on Sunday with Oklahoma City, and pitched a scoreless inning, though it wasn’t clean. He walked a batter and threw only seven strikes among his 16 pitches, and did not induce a swinging strike, though did get a called strikeout.
“I’m sure Edwin is going to want to get back here as soon as possible,” manager Dave Roberts said Sunday. “But I’m probably more of the ‘get another one, and then get back with us.’”
I would posit there are more than those two options, but Díaz is getting closer to a potential return. Sunday was the first step.
Player of the day
Zach Ehrhard reached base four times and drove in all three runs to finish an Oklahoma City six-game sweep. Ehrhard had a two-run single in the seventh inning to open the scoring and adding an RBI single for some insurance in the ninth.
Christian Romero and friends took the offense provided by Ehrhard to beat the Round Rock Express (Rangers). Romero pitched 5 1/3 scoreless innings, scattering three singles, with two strikeouts.
Hyeseong Kim had two hits, including a double, and scored a run. Noah Miller walked twice and scored the other two runs.
Kris Bubic pitched a scoreless eighth, his third scoreless inning in three tries on his rehab assignment.
Oklahoma City is tied with Sugar Land in the second half at 39-24 with 12 games left in the regular season. Those two teams play each other next week for six games in Oklahoma City, which will go a long way in determining who faces Las Vegas in the Pacific Coast league championship.
Double-A Tulsa
The Drillers allowed a run in the ninth to force extra innings, then gave up six runs in the 10th in a loss to the Wichita Wind Surge (Twins).
Josue De Paula had two hits, walked, and stole his 30th base of the season, two swipes shy of his career high set last year.
After a series of shortened starts and two injured list stints, Luke Fox had a nice clean outing on Sunday, with two scoreless innings and three strikeouts. The left-hander retired all six batters he faced.
Right-hander Jacob Kmatz, acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays in the August 3 Hunter Feduccia/Jack Suwinski trade, struck out four in two scoreless innings on Sunday, stranding a pair of singles. Since joining Tulsa, Kmatz has a 1.72 ERA in 11 games, with 21 strikeouts against only two walks in 15 2/3 innings and a 30.6-percent strikeout-minus-walk rate.
High-A Great Lakes
There was no celebration hangover for the Loons, who closed out the regular season with a win over the Lake County Captains (Guardians). Third baseman Eduardo Guerrero had a pair of run-scoring singles.
With a playoff spot clinched and the postseason starting in two days, it was a group pitching effort on Sunday for Great Lakes, with six pitchers used to cover nine innings. Jacob Frost had the longest outing of the bunch with three scoreless innings, the 2025 draft pick ending his first professional season on a high note.
Second baseman Nico Perez was the designated hitter on Sunday, walked twice, and stole two bases, giving him 35 steals in 41 attempts in 83 games with the Loons this year. Last year Perez was hurt in July, ending his season, and stole 35 bases in 41 tries in only 61 games with Class-A Rancho Cucamonga. Perez, who turns 22 this season, hit .270/.380/.450 with Great Lakes, including a 118 wRC+ entering Sunday.
Edgardo Quintero did not play on Sunday, but the top-100 prospect ended the regular season leading the Midwest League in runs scored (107), batting average (.309), and on-base percentage (.445), and was second in OPS (.940) and hits (123). Teammate Charles Davalan led the league in hits (128), extra-base hits (56), and total bases (235).
Class-A Ontario
Tower Buzzers relievers allowed five runs in the final three innings, turning a close game into a lopsided loss to the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (Angels).
Easton Shelton one day after hitting a billion-foot grand slam (roughly) was walked three times and had a sacrifice fly. The cornerman ends the regular season leading the California League in home runs (37), RBI (112), total bases (262), extra-base hits (65), OPS (1.047), and slugging percentage (.644), and was second in on-base percentage (.403) and fourth in batting average (.297) and runs scored (89).
Triple-A: Catcher Eliezer Alfonzo was called up the Dodgers with Dalton Rushing on the injured list. Nelson Quiroz was promoted to Oklahoma City for catching depth, though he didn’t play Sunday.
Double-A: One day after being active without pitching, Angel Cruz was sent back to the Arizona Complex League roster. Alex Walsh joined Tulsa from the ACL roster instead.
High-A: Closer Davis Chastain was placed on the injured list retroactive to Saturday. That puts him out for the divisional playoffs. Hyun-Seok Jang was activated after four weeks on the injured list to start, but retired only three of his eight batters faced and was pulled with no outs in the second inning after allowing two runs, one earned.
Class-A: Right-hander Jesus Tillero was activated after seven weeks on the injured list. He allowed three runs in his two innings of work.
Midwest League East Division playoffs, best of 3: Great Lakes vs. Dayton (Reds)
Cal League South Division playoffs, best of 3: Ontario vs. Lake Elsinore (Padres)
Oklahoma City vs. Sugar Land (Astros)
Tulsa at Northwest Arkansas (Royals)
Great Lakes as the second-half winner hosts Game 1 on Tuesday, with Games 2 and 3 at Dayton on Thursday and Friday. Ontario as the second-half winner hosts Game 1 on Tuesday, with Games 2 and 3 at Lake Elsinore on Thursday and Friday.
In both Class-A and High-A, the best-of-3 league championship series start on Sunday, with Games 2-3 on Tuesday and Wednesday, September 15-16.
Probabilities courtesy of Polymarket. For help understanding Polymarket probabilities, see our odds calculator.
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Jon Metler's expert pick: Cubs moneyline
Price: 48¢ at Polymarket
The Chicago Cubs are trading at 48% on Polymarket, but I make them closer to a 51% favorite.
Two factors stand out to me. First, I'm much more comfortable backing Matthew Boyd on the road, where he owns a 2.83 ERA compared to a 5.40 ERA at Wrigley Field.
Second, Brewers starter Robert Gasser relies heavily on his slider.
The Cubs have several right-handed bats — including Alex Bregman, Nico Hoerner, and Seiya Suzuki — who are either patient against off-speed pitches from left-handed pitchers or have swing paths that profile well against the slider.
If Gasser can't generate outs with his slider, he'll be forced to attack the zone with a low-velocity fastball. Chicago also faced him just six days ago, giving its hitters a recent look at his stuff and an even greater advantage in an already difficult matchup.
Time: 2:10 p.m. ET
How to watch: Brewers.TV, Marquee
Neil Parker's expert pick: Royals moneyline
Price: 51¢ at Polymarket
The Diamondbacks are 28th in wOBA and 30th in xwOBA over the past two weeks, so with the Kansas City Royals respectively checking in ninth and eighth in the two metrics, I’m expecting Kansas City to pull away.
Royals lefty Noah Cameron has also settled in down the stretch with a high-end 2.34 xERA and 2.82 xFIP across his past seven starts, while the Diamondbacks counter with inexperienced righty Jose Cabrera (4.84 xERA and 5.00 xFIP).
Time: 2:10 p.m. ET
How to watch: One national/two local
Joe Osborne's expert pick: Cardinals vs Giants - Over 7.5
Price: 53¢ at Polymarket
We’ve got all the ingredients for an Over tonight in San Francisco, with a low total and 14.6 mph winds blowing out.
Both offenses are swinging hot bats, with the St. Louis Cardinals ranking first in OPS over the past week, while the San Francisco Giants sit eighth. They should be able to tee off against two struggling starters.
Logan Webb has been rocked for 16 earned runs across his last three starts, including nine last time out, while Michael McGreevy has surrendered 14 over the same span.
The bullpens offer little relief, ranking 26th and 21st in ERA over the past two weeks. With St. Louis going Over in 14 of its last 17, Over 7.5 is the play.
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.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - AUGUST 6: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Philadelphia 76ers talks to the media at Francis J. Myers Recreation Center on August 6, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In May, Jaylen Brown was down bad. The Sixers had just pulled off their first-ever 3-1 series comeback in franchise history to beat Brown’s Celtics in the playoffs for the first time in more than 40 years. That also marked the Celtics’ first blown 3-1 lead in franchise history. (We truly hate to see it.)
While the season ended in clear disappointment, Brown raised eyebrows across the NBA when he said it was “my favorite year of my basketball career” on his Twitch stream afterward. Brown’s co-star, Jayson Tatum, missed most of the season while recovering from a torn Achilles, so that quote naturally set off a firestorm in the national media.
Does Brown care more about his production than he does about winning? Did he want his own team? Was it finally time to break up the Jays? (As it turns out, we got a clear answer to that last question two months later.)
The national media being what it is these days, the reaction was completely devoid of the context surrounding that quote. That context is what should give the Sixers hope about their outlook heading into the 2026-27 season.
What Brown actually meant
That Twitch stream wasn’t the first time that Brown said the 2025-26 campaign was his favorite season.
“I think this has been my favorite season so far, being able to get an opportunity to lead a group,” he told reporters in late December. “A group of guys who … Some of us have some championship experience, but we have five or six new guys who haven’t really played NBA basketball. And now, we look like one of the better teams in the league. And that’s just credit to our coaching staff and credit to our leadership that we’ve been able to get those guys comfortable. And we’re playing some good basketball right now, so it means everything.”
Ever since they drafted Brown in 2016, the Celtics have made six appearances in the Eastern Conference Finals, earned two NBA Finals berths and won a championship in 2023-24. They were in the inner circle of title contenders for most of Brown’s NBA career. But after Tatum tore his Achilles in the second round of the playoffs in 2024-25, expectations were far lower for the Celtics heading into last season.
In other words, last year was Brown’s first taste of a no-one-believes-in-us season. And that’s exactly what he referenced on his Twitch stream.
“Being able to be a part of the group that just through the uncertainty that came to compete and came to went to war,” Brown said. “I’ll take a team like that any day of the week.”
Once the National Media Outrage Machine took off, Brown followed up a few days later to clarify his remarks.
“The expectations for this team was to fail,” Brown said on another Twitch stream. “The expectations for this team was to be nothing. Just to give in, and to quit. This team did the exact opposite. We fought every single day. We fought for everything.”
Brown also detailed how he relished watching the growth of young teammates like Hugo González, Jordan Walsh and Neemias Queta.
“You got to see all of these guys, all of my teammates, grow,” Brown added. “I got to see them overcome adversity as a group, up close and personal. … Obviously, we’re not satisfied with the result. If it sounds like an excuse, it’s not. But to fight and maneuver through adversity and grow, and galvanize with a bunch of guys and to have that mindset and approach, this was my favorite year.
“I wouldn’t say by far. By far would be a stretch, because obviously winning the championship is great. But I’m telling y’all, this was my favorite season.”
Brown will be coming into a far different situation in Philly than he did in Boston last season. Expectations are through the roof for the Sixers after the offseason they just had. He also won’t be looked at as the clear-cut leader of the team.
Does that mean Brown is guaranteed to become a malcontent? Hardly.
“To be honest, it doesn’t have to be anybody’s team,” Brown said during his introductory press conference with the Sixers. It just needs to be based in respect and work. And that’s kind of my approach. I want to earn everybody’s respect and trust, which takes time. “Obviously, it’s a lot of guys with talent, there’s egos, but to win, you’ve gotta be able to sacrifice, you’ve gotta be able to have trust and communication. I want to come in transparent. I want to come in with my agenda on the table, ‘Look, this is what I’m here to do, this is what I want to do. I want to win.’ And we kinda can figure out how to respectfully move around each other.”
Although the Sixers are expected to be among the title favorites heading into the season, questions abound about them. How will they be able to solve the “one ball” problem? Can they put their egos aside for the greater good? Will Brown be willing to recede into a smaller role fresh off a career year? Can he prove the analytics dorks wrong?
Brown has the opportunity this season to continue defying expectations, albeit in a different way than last year. He’ll also have the chance to watch and help facilitate the growth of young teammates, from VJ Edgecombe and Labaron Philon Jr. to Adem Bona and Dominick Barlow. Just because this Sixers roster is more like his early-2020s Celtics squads than last year’s Celtics doesn’t mean he’s destined to become unhappy in Philly.
If anything, the chance to prove everyone wrong again—particularly those in Boston who’ve suddenly begun to question his impact now that he’s gone—should fuel him all year.
ATLANTA, GA - JULY 18: JR Ritchie #60 of the Atlanta Braves pitches in the fifth inning of a game against the Texas Rangers at Truist Park on July 18, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Jack Casey/Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
(74-64) Charlotte Knights 2, (70-67) Gwinnett Stripers 5
JR Ritchie stole the show in dominant fashion as he struck out 15 over just 6.2 innings pitched, while Rowdy Tellez provided the big hit to propel the Stripers to a 5-2 win.
JR Ritchie provided the headline with a Gwinnett record 15 strikeouts across his 6 innings of work. He surrendered a pair of solo home runs, and a pair of singles but outside of that was brilliant. JR utilized his five pitch mix with his four-seam, curveball, cutter, and changeup all grading above average. He pounded the zone with a 73% strike rate, generated 20 whiffs, while getting ahead of 68% of his matchups with a first pitch strike. His four-seam averaged 95, but touched 97 during the outing.
🚨 15 STRIKEOUTS FOR JR RITCHIE. A NEW GWINNETT RECORD. 🚨
He was brought out in the seventh inning but was relieved by Danny Young (0.2IP 1H 0R 0BB 0K) who worked out of the jam and kept the Knights at just two runs. Ricky Vanasco (1IP 0H 0R 0BB 2K) came in for Danny Young and recorded a spotless inning of work, striking out two.The Stripers would strike in the bottom half of the inning to take the lead, and James Karinchak (0.2IP 0H 0R 0BB 1K) recorded the final two outs to complete the win.
Offensively, the Stripers were held in check for a large amount of the game. After going down 1-0 in the first inning, the Stripers struck back with a Jordan Groshans RBI single that drove in Jim Jarvis who had earlier singled in the inning. They were then held scoreless, not threatening too much, until the eighth inning. After the first three batters of the inning reached based, Lizandro Espinoza and David McCabe both struck out. Rowdy Tellez would then pinch hit for Jordan and provide a memory for everyone in the stadium. 1 pitch, 1 swing, 4 runs, and a lead.
After strong pitching through the games first seven innings the Clingstones fell apart late, giving up six runs in the final two innings to fall to 62-65, and drop to fourth in the Southern League standings.
Luke Sinnard returned to the mound after being scratched with some back soreness and was effective – striking out four across four innings of work while pounding the zone with a 68% strike rate. His only hiccup came in the third inning when he surrendered a first pitch solo home run to Connor Caskenette to put the Blue Wahoos on the board. 2026 has been a really strong, yet somewhat disappointing season for Luke Sinnard who has looked fantastic on the mound but has really struggled to stay on it. After a total of 72.1 innings in 2025, Luke has followed it up with just 47.2 this season so safe to say as long as he’s healthy he is definitely a candidate for the AFL. Piggybacking the Sinnard start was Julio Robaina (3IP 2H 1ER 1BB 5K) who did what Julio Robaina does – pound the zone for quick, effective outs. He would be replaced by Duncan Davitt (1.2IP 5H 5ER 1BB 0K) who was effective in the 8th, getting three quick outs, but once it hit the 9th it was an absolute disaster for Duncan. After getting the first two outs of the inning he would surrender the following: HR, 1B, HR, 2B, HR, BB, before being mercifully relieved by Tyler LaPorte (0.1IP 1H 0R 0BB 1K) who faced two batters, getting one out and ending inning.
The Clingstones offense got off to a fast start with John Gil singling to lead off the game, stealing second, and then coming in to score on this Owen Carey double.
Alex Lodise would then single himself, moving Owen Carey over to third, where he would then score on a wild pitch to put the Clingstones up 2-0. Adam Zebrowski would follow that up with an RBI single himself, to push the lead to 3-0. The offense would then be held scoreless until the bottom of the eighth when Alex Lodise and Adam Zebrowski would both hit solo home runs to put Columbus up 5-2, before their late collapse.
Strong pitching and dominant hitting was the recipe of success for the Rome Emperors who picked up their 61st win of the season in convincing fashion.
Daniel Brooks got the start for the Emperors and struck out all but two batters he faced in his start. He was removed after the second inning with his pitch count just at 34, as he continues to deal with a small shoulder injury. He would be replaced by David Rodriguez (3IP 1H 0R 0BB 2K) who pitched the next three innings to great success – allowing just one hit. Heading into the sixth inning the Emperors were comfortably in the lead with a 10 run cushion, and they would turn the ball over to Tanner Bauman (1IP 0H 0R 1BB 1K). He would be followed by Justin Long (1IP 1H 0R 1BB 2K), and Tyler Schoff (1IP 1H 0R 0BB 0K) who also provided the zeroes for the Emperors. In the ninth, the Emperors turned to Jarret Whorff (1IP 4H 4ER 1BB 1K) who struggled, but with such a huge lead, was kept in the game and finished off the game.
Offensively the Emperors collected 12 hits, five of which were extra-base hits, and walked an additional eight times. The first two runs came within the first three hitters with Carter Beck leading the game off with a single and coming into score on a Conor Essenburg double to center. Just two pitches after that it was Luis Guanipa that collected a double of his own to push the lead to 2-0. The offense did not stop there as the second inning featured a lead off home run by Tanner Smith, and a two out GRAND SLAM by Cody Miller.
The score would remain 7-0 until the fifth inning when it was time for Conor Essenburg to UNLOAD on a towering opposite field home run to push the lead to 10-0.
The GreenJackets come from behind and hold off the RiverDogs in the series finale that featured timely hits, and decent pitching from five combined pitchers.
Will Holmes got the start and relatively cruised through three innings, striking out four. He allowed one runner on in the first, before immediately recording a double play to erase the runner. He then allowed a one out single in the second, before immediately picking the runner off at first. It was a strong end to his season as he looked more and more comfortable as time went on after he made his debut. He was relieved by Logan Forsythe (1IP 0H 1ER 3BB 2K) who struggled with his command, allowing a run on zero hits before he walked three. Logan was replaced by Ryan Heppner (2IP 1H 0R 1BB 2K) who worked a scoreless pair of innings. After Ryan it was time for Cristobal Abreu (1.1IP 0H 1R 0ER 3BB 1K) who, like Logan, struggled with his control walking three, but allowed just one unearned run. Lewis Sifontes (1.2IP 0H 0R 0BB 2K) picked up his eighth save of the season, pitching across a pair of innings without allowing a runner on base.
Offensively, the GreenJackets got just enough done. They tied the game in the fifth inning when Junior Tilien doubled in Dominic Kibler who had walked and stolen second base. Two batters later it was Manuel Campos who ripped a single to left to drive in Junior and put the GreenJackets up 2-1. They would add onto that lead in the next inning as it was Yamvier Carrero who got it done, singling to the opposite field and driving in Cooper McMurray to make it 3-1 and secure the season finale for the GreenJackets.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 06: Daniel Schneemann #10 of the Cleveland Guardians celebrates with teammates after hitting a walk-off RBI single during the tenth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Progressive Field on September 06, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Guardians defeated the Tigers 3-2. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It really feels like this was a weekend of missed opportunities for the Yankees. They easily could have left San Diego with a sweep, or at least having taken two of three from the Padres. Instead, they head home with only Saturday’s win to show for their weekend. And in the process, they let Boston creep closer and failed to gain ground on Tampa.
Elsewhere, it is starting to look like the race for the final Wild Card spot could come down to three teams: whomever out of Cleveland and the White Sox doesn’t win the AL Central, whomever out of Houston and Texas doesn’t win the AL West, and the Blue Jays. The rest of the American League’s pretenders sit at least four games out of the final playoff spot, with multiple teams in front of them.
Tampa Bay Rays (85-58) 6, Texas Rangers (71-73) 8
I guess it could have been worse. And would have, if not for Jake Burger. There’s a Burger King joke here somewhere, but I am not clever enough to think of it. Burger cracked pair of home runs, helping Texas come back from an early 5-1 deficit. The Rangers scored six in the fourth and fifth innings to take the lead and managed to hold on for a much-needed win, as they try to stay in the hunt in both the AL West and Wild Card races.
If you’re a fan of great pitching, this was not the game for you. Each team burned through six pitchers, with not a single one recording more than nine outs. Gross. Texas’ win, however, prevents Tampa from going five games up on the Yankees, who already face a steep challenge trying to make up a four-game deficit in the AL East as the season rapidly approaches a close.
Boston Red Sox (79-65)3, Baltimore Orioles (69-75) 1: You only really need to know two names from today’s game and they’re both Red Sox. In the top of the second, Eli White stepped to the dish with a pair of runners on. His three-run home run gave Boston a lead they never surrendered. And they can thank Payton Tolle for much of that. The hefty lefty spun six innings of one-run ball for Beantown, striking out 12 Orioles along the way. Former Yankee Aroldis Chapman came in for the ninth and recorded the final three outs, in the process notching his 400th career save. Chapman is the ninth man all-time to reach that milestone.
Chicago White Sox (75-68) 10, Minnesota Twins (68-75) 1: You’d never know it by the final score but for the first half of this game, it looked like “first run wins.” Then Chicago scored the first run. And nine more. So in a way, first run did win. Of note for Yankee fans: remember Randal Grichuk? The longtime Yankee killer hit .194 with nary a home run in 16 games in pinstripes. His eighth-inning longball was his 12th of the year and it pushes his OPS with the Pale Hose over .900 in 183 AB. An outcome both enraging and so incredibly predictable.
Houston Astros (73-71) 2, Arizona Diamondbacks (76-68) 3: I cannot describe how much I am going to hate it if Houston makes the playoff with 84 wins and then goes on a deep run. Eduardo Rodriguez and Arizona did their job Sunday to try and prevent that. Rodriguez threw six frames of one-run ball, earning his 15th win of the season in the process. For Houston, presumptive AL MVP Yordan Alvarez was up to his usual tricks, bashing his 38th homer of the season. He continues to lead (or share in the lead) for each of the Triple Crown categories as well, though an MLB Triple Crown seems a longshot at this point.
Cleveland Guardians (73-71) 3, Detroit Tigers (65-78) 2 (F/10): Apparently Guards Ball is now when Cleveland keeps it close at home, gets the game to extra innings, and walks it off for the win. Sunday marked their third such game of the weekend, this time with Daniel Schneemann providing the heroics on with a tenth inning single. In a “you can’t predict baseball, Suzyn” anecdote… at no point this weekend did Cleveland ever lead one of their games prior to walking each one off. Wild. Oh, and Gavin Williams notched double-digit strikeouts again. Ho hum. That’s eight of his last 11 starts.
Toronto Blue Jays (72-72) 1, Kansas City Royals (64-80) 6: Maybe Spencer Arrighetti just isn’t good. I remember being surprised at the deadline that the Astros of all teams would trade away young, controllable starting pitching. I’m increasingly less surprised. After getting shelled on Sunday, Arrighetti has allowed 14 ER in 15.2 IP since becoming a Blue Jay. That’s “good” for an 8.04 ERA. Yikes.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - APRIL 19: José Ramírez #11 of the Cleveland Guardians celebrates hitting a solo home run during the fifth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Progressive Field on April 19, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Take a trip in the wayback machine with me, friends. All the way back to Sep. 1, 2026. Ah, we were so young and innocent then.
The Orioles had just clawed back to the .500 mark for the first time since April, and they did it with one of the most miraculous game-ending plays you’ll ever see, Colton Cowser’s unbelievable home run robbery that denied a walkoff in Colorado. The O’s had won six of seven and rocketed up the wild card standings, sitting just a half game behind the Guardians for the final spot with no other team in their way.
At that point, if you had looked ahead a week and circled the upcoming Orioles vs. Guardians series on your calendar, you weren’t alone. This was potentially going to be the pivotalest of pivotal series for the Birds, pitting them head to head against the one opponent they most needed to beat. This matchup was going to decide which team would seize control of a playoff spot. The Orioles, we thought at the time, figured to be right on Cleveland’s heels — if not ahead of them — by the time this series began. All the Orioles needed to do before then was to finish up a series win or sweep in Colorado and then hold their own against the Red Sox.
Spoiler: the Orioles did not do any of those things. And now, this faceoff against the Guardians feels nothing like a heavyweight battle for a postseason spot. Instead it’s set up to be another disappointing, one-sided slog that may well plunge the final nail into the Birds’ 2026 playoff hopes.
The Orioles’ September collapse — an 0-6 record and a vanishing offense — has all but sunk them out of contention. They’re now four games back of the Guardians with just 18 games to play. They’ve also been leapfrogged by the Blue Jays and the Rangers. If it isn’t already “stick a fork in ‘em” time for the O’s, this series could end all doubt. A series loss would make the playoff math nearly impossible. Even an incredibly unlikely Orioles sweep wouldn’t catch them up with the Guardians, and they’d still have the Jays and Rangers to contend with. It’s a mess of the Birds’ own making.
If you want to look on the more optimistic side, one thing about the 2026 Orioles is that they’ve been wildly unpredictable, sometimes in positive ways. There have been plenty of instances earlier this season where we thought their goose was cooked, only for the O’s to rattle off a bunch of improbable wins — like almost sweeping the Rays twice last month — to climb back into the fringes of the race. But something about the way the Orioles have lost these last few games just doesn’t inspire hope of a similar bounceback. Their performance in the four-game set against the Red Sox was nothing short of pitiful, with all the body language of a team that’s ready for the season to end.
Anyway, here come the Guardians. Let’s see what happens!
If the Orioles couldn’t even score against the Rockies’ pathetic staff — let alone Boston’s excellent one — then they’re going to have their hands full with a Guardians team that is built on pitching. Up first is Cantillo, who served as a swing man last year before converting to full-time starting this season. He’s been a solid mid-rotation starter with a 108 ERA+, though his control has been a problem with a league-leading 72 walks. He faced the Birds on April 19 and gave up four runs, including Taylor Ward’s first dinger as an Oriole. The wacky lineup that day featured Weston Wilson at third, Blaze Alexander in center field, and Johnathan Rodriguez batting cleanup.
Speaking of wacky lineups, will the Orioles continue to shoot themselves in the foot by again benching all of their lefty bats against a southpaw? They did it three times in their four games against the Red Sox, and we saw how that worked out. Please, Orioles, be a serious franchise and let Samuel Basallo actually play against lefties. Give Dylan Beavers, Colton Cowser, or Jackson Holliday a chance, too. We’ve seen more than enough of Leody Taveras and Carlos Narváez lately. It doesn’t matter if they bat right-handed when they can’t hit!
Just like in that April 19 game, Cantillo will square off against fellow lefty Trevor Rogers. Rogers is coming off of a brilliant performance in Colorado, racking up a career-high 11 strikeouts in a game that the O’s bullpen squandered. Trevor’s previous start against the Guardians this year, though, was a rough one: six runs in five innings, including two dingers by future Hall of Famer José Ramírez. Ramírez is having his worst year in more than a decade, with just a .708 OPS, but he has always torched the Orioles with a career .306 AVG and .972 OPS in 67 games.
Game 2: Tuesday, 6:35 PM, MASN
RHP Tanner Bibee (5-15, 4.06) vs. RHP Brandon Young (9-3, 3.42)
Do you think Shane Baz is the most criminally unsupported starting pitcher in baseball? Tanner Bibee says, “hold my beer.” The Cleveland right-hander has received the worst run support in the majors this year at just 2.90 runs per game (Baz, at 3.02, is second worst). It’s too bad Bibee and Baz aren’t going head to head; that’s a game that would be guaranteed to go scoreless until, like, the 14th inning.
Bibee, like Baz, has pitched much better than his 5-15 record would imply, with a slightly above average 102 ERA+. Bibee pitched six shutout innings against the Orioles in April, but true to form, the Guardians didn’t score while he was on the mound and he left with a no-decision.
Brandon Young takes the mound for the Orioles with 137 innings under his belt, by far the most of any season in his pro career (his high mark in the minors was 111). If he’s fatigued, he’s hiding it well. Young has thrown two straight quality starts, and he continues to be a good-luck charm for the Orioles, who are 18-6 when he pitches. Young’s only previous start against the Guardians came last July, when he allowed three runs in 4.1 innings and gave up a homer to — guess who? — José Ramírez.
Game 3: Wednesday, 6:35 PM, MASN
LHP Foster Griffin (3-1, 4.06 for CLE; 15-4, 3.26 overall) vs. RHP Shane Baz (5-15, 3.91)
The aforementioned Baz will make his 29th start of the year, carrying a ludicrously poor record despite having the best ERA of any O’s starter besides Young. Two starts ago, he finally earned his first win since June, but he fell back into his extreme hard-luck ways against the Red Sox, getting saddled with the loss despite giving up just one run in 6.1 innings. I wonder if Shane is regretting his decision to commit to a long-term contract with a team that refuses to score runs for him.
Baz lost to the Guardians in April with a six-inning, four-run performance. You’ll never believe who hit a homer against him. OK, yes you will: it was José Ramírez. Have I mentioned that Ramírez loves hitting against the O’s?
The Guards will counter with Foster Griffin, a stupendous reclamation story this year. The former first-round pick washed out of the majors in 2022 after just seven appearances, then went to Japan and revived his career in Nippon Professional Baseball for three seasons. The Nationals brought him back stateside this year and he was dominant enough to earn an NL All-Star nod and a deadline trade to Cleveland. Griffin hasn’t been quite as sharp for the Guardians, but again, he’s a lefty, so the Orioles will likely field their forfeit lineup.
**
What do you expect from this series, Camden Chatters? Do the Orioles have any chance of resurrecting their season against the Guardians? Let us know in the comments.
A NASA picture taken on April 17, 1970 shows Apollo 13 damaged Service Module Odyssey, as photographed from the Command Module after being jettisoned. The third Apollo manned mission to the Moon launched on April 11, 1970 was cancelled due to onboard explosion. Astronauts James A. Lovell, Jr., John L. Swigert and Fred W. Haise, Jr. were rescued in good condition after command module Odyssey splashed down safely in the Pacific. AFP PHOTO NASA (Photo by NASA / AFP) (Photo by -/NASA/AFP via Getty Images) | NASA/AFP via Getty Images
Recaps
[AZ Central] Diamondbacks find a way, tip Astros as E. Rodriguez, Arenado shine – The Diamondbacks took the lead in an unconventional fashion in the third. Shortstop Geraldo Perdomo led off with a single but was struck down by a Ketel Marte line drive, which connected with Perdomo’s helmet. Perdomo stayed down for a couple of minutes before walking off under his own power. With Marte at first, third baseman Nolan Arenado crashed a two-run homer to left-center off Astros starter Peter Lambert.The Astros threatened in the seventh inning, putting two runners on and chasing Juan Morillo with two outs. Brandyn Garcia came on to retire Alvarez on a popup to end the inning. Houston scraped a run off reliever Jonathan Loaisiga in the eighth, but Kevin Ginkel struck out the side — getting Alvarez for the last out — to earn his third save.
[Dbacks.com] Rodriguez’s ‘fierceness’ emerges for D-backs’ Wild Card campaign – “It’s a lot of fun,” D-backs manager Torey Lovullo said about watching Rodriguez this season. “I’ve had a long-term relationship with him. The best part about him is he has not changed. His personality has been the same. He’s very engaged; he’s very caring. And when he takes the mound, there’s a fierceness to him. And that’s what I get to see every fifth day.” Rodriguez has had a winning decision in seven of his last nine starts for the D-backs dating back to late July. He is also 6-0 in his last eight road starts with a 1.90 ERA and 36 strikeouts. “Just executing,” Rodriguez said about his run of success. “Executing the pitches, follow the catcher and follow the plan that we have before the game. Never go away from the plan, and that’s what’s been working.”
[SI] Where Diamondbacks Stand in Playoff Race After Massive Win vs Astros – “Driving towards a playoff spot only intensifies it and it’s what the game’s all about,” manager Torey Lovullo said, speaking to D-backs.TV’s Todd Walsh postgame.”You got to love it. I think these guys are embracing what’s happening. They’re fighting every single inning.”Third baseman Nolan Arenado echoed that sentiment. “These games have been pretty intense,” he said. “We know how meaningful they are, and it’s meaningful for [the Astros] too. They’re playing for a spot also, so these are tough games. We haven’t collectively been great on the offensive side, but it was great to slug, get a couple wins, and get out of here.”
[Arizona Sports] Geraldo Perdomo leaves game after being hit in head by line drive from Ketel Marte – Perdomo reached base in the third inning with a leadoff single before getting nailed by Marte’s 93 mph line drive and going down. Luckily, the ball hit Perdomo’s helmet. The D-backs shortstop remained down for a few minutes as the team trainer came to check on him, as well as Marte and manager Torey Lovullo, before he was able to walk off on his own power.The D-backs later announced that Perdomo exited the game with a head contusion and would be monitored Sunday and into Monday. Lovullo said postgame that Perdomo did not enter the concussion protocol and he plans to have him in the starting lineup on Monday against the Kansas City Royals.
[MLB Trade Rumors] Diamondbacks Designate Max Kepler For Assignment – Although he began the season serving an 80-game PED suspension, Arizona gave him a major league deal worth a prorated $780K. The Diamondbacks activated Kepler on June 25, but he slumped to a .205/.262/.303 line with just two HRs, a career-worst .098 ISO and a 53 wRC+ over a 41-game, 145-plate appearance span. The 33-year-old has typically offered decent numbers against righties, though they held him to a brutal .192/.256/.283 line (47 wRC+) during his short run with the Snakes. The D-backs shielded the lefty-swinging Kepler from same-handed pitchers, whom he faced just 12 times before his designation.
[USA Today] Corbin Burnes returns and more MLB news – Corbin Burnes, who signed a seven-year, $210 million contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks after the 2024 season only to undergo Tommy John surgery one month into his deal, will return to the mound Tuesday against the Kansas City Royals. It will be his first appearance in 15 months. The D-backs will be cautious with him, knowing he still has four years, $140 million remaining on his contract, but his return could be a boost for their playoff hopes the final three weeks.Burnes’ return also gives teams a free look at him if Burnes really wanted to take the massive gamble and exercise his opt-out, but teams are fully expecting him to stay in Arizona.
And, elsewhere…
The USA Today piece linked above also goes on a blast against position players pitching. “Major League Baseball, proposing that teams be permitted to have 14 pitchers on their 26-man rosters instead of 13 in the next collective bargaining agreement, will also discuss modifying the rule on when position players can be used as pitchers in the game.Several club executives and managers agree that games are turning into a farce in blowouts with the proliferation of position players taking the mound.It has become totally absurd, ruining the integrity of the game, and destroying the sanctity of records.In what once was a bit of comic relief in blowouts has become a disgusting display that’s more suited for the Savannah Bananas than actual major league games.”
[Today] After ‘Ted Lasso’ Feature, Negro Leagues Baseball Museum ‘Can Hardly Handle’ Surge In Visitors – The historical institution, which preserves the long history of African American baseball in the U.S., was featured in the premiere of the new season of “Ted Lasso” in August. And since, the museum’s president Bob Kendrick tells TODAY.com, the establishment has been flooded with visitors. Sales, Kendrick says, are up around 50% to 60% compared to where they were last year at this time. “I’ll tell you — it has superseded anything that I could have ever even remotely imagined,” Kendrick says of the outpouring of interest in the museum from the show. “I honestly did not know that it would have this kind of interest and immediate impact on the museum.”
The Runner
Rating: C
Dir: Kevin Macdonald
Star: Gal Gadot, Damian Lewis, Alfred Enoch, Rory Wilmot
The fact that I was more interested in tourist landmarks, than the plot or the characters, is significant. You may even spend more of the film thinking of easier, less complex ways, for the voice on the phone to achieve the same end goal. For this is very much an example of an Amazon Prime streaming movie. You don’t need to think about the plot, or even pay attention to it. Everything is clear inside ten minutes, and the last five tidies everything up nicely, with a twist you will likely see coming – at least, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. In the middle? Running, taunting of Maia by the voice on the phone, and problem-solution on repeat. As Saturday night entertainment, it was… okay, I guess? Never going to watch it again though.
MILWAUKEE — Yes, I made the drive up, but just for Monday’s game.
Since these two teams split a four-game series at Wrigley Field last week, the Cubs won two of three in Miami and the Brewers lost two of three in Cincinnati, and the Cubs trail the Brewers in the NL Central by seven games. Both teams have 18 games remaining.
The Cubs trail the season series against Milwaukee six games to four, so they’d have to sweep this one to take that season series. That’s unlikely, though the Cubs did win the previous series held here this year back in June.
The Cubs won two of three games in their first visit to Milwaukee on June 26-28, losing the first, 6-2, then winning, 8-2 and 4-3. That made the Cubs’ record on the road in their 30-year rivalry 109-121.
They trail, 234-228, in all games, during which they have been outscored by a grand total of three runs, 2,110-2,107.
The Cubs have not swept a series in Wisconsin since Oct. 2-4, 2015. This will be their 28th subsequent series.
They won the first two games only once, May 2-4 of last year. They avoided being swept with third-game wins in five series, including their first a year ago. They last were swept in 2021, 13 series ago.
(Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
Probable pitching matchups
Monday: Matthew Boyd, LHP (8-3, 4.05 ERA, 1.231 WHIP, 4.57 FIP) vs. Robert Gasser, LHP (4-5, 4.57 ERA, 1.292 WHIP, 4.37 FIP)
Tuesday: David Peterson, LHP (4-2, 4.58 ERA, 1.458 WHIP, 4.54 FIP in 12 games with Cubs; 7-8, 5.39 ERA, 1.559 WHIP, 4.17 FIP in 28 games overall) vs. Jacob Misiorowski, RHP (14-5, 1.97 ERA, 0.794 WHIP, 2.27 FIP)
Wednesday: Kevin Gausman, RHP (4-1, 4.37 ERA, 1.143 WHIP, 3.84 FIP in six starts with Cubs; 9-11, 4.38 ERA, 1.257 WHIP, 3.58 FIP in 29 starts overall) vs. Logan Henderson, RHP (9-3, 2.48 ERA, 0.792 WHIP, 3.28 FIP)
NOTE: All three of these pitching matchups are rematches from last week’s Tuesday through Thursday games between these teams at Wrigley Field. The Cubs lost two of those three, but did well against both Gasser and Misiorowski, and defeated Henderson thanks to Gausman’s great outing and Pete Crow-Armstrong’s two-run homer.
Times & TV channels
Monday: 1:10 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network
Tuesday: 6:40 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network
Wednesday: 6:40 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network
Prediction
Going to go out on the proverbial limb and say the Cubs can take two of these. As noted above, if somehow they can pull off a sweep, that would give them the season series against the Brewers.
Up next
The Cubs have Thursday off, then return to Wrigley Field for a three-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates that begins Friday afternoon.
