Former Met Butch Huskey dead at 54

Former MetButch Huskey has died at the age of 54, the team announced Friday afternoon. 

Huskey first landed in the Big Apple as a seventh-round pick in the 1989 MLB Draft. 

After spending five seasons grinding his way through the minor leagues, the righty-hitting slugger was called up to make his big-league debut during the 1993 season. 

Huskey went on to spend parts of five seasons with the Mets, racking up 55 HRs and 214 RBI. 

Steve Phillips traded him to the Mariners following the 1998 campaign, but he appeared in just 74 games with them before being flipped again, this time to Boston. 

Huskey split his final big-league season between the Twins and Rockies. 

He finished his time in the majors as a career .267 hitter with 98 doubles, 86 HR, 336 RBI, and a .760 OPS.

Huskey is also the penultimate Met to wear the No. 42, as he was wearing it when MLB announced it was retired league-wide in honor of Jackie Robinson in 1997. 

Dodgers look to even series against Brewers

The Dodgers lost the first game of this possible postseason preview in exasperating fashion and now look to even up the series on Friday night.

The Dodgers have the right pitcher on the mound to achieve that goal. Yoshinobu Yamamoto takes the mound after a good outing against the Arizona Diamondbacks last Saturday, allowing only three hits and no earned runs, in the only game the Dodgers won in their 1-8 skid to start the month. The Dodgers barely scored enough runs in that game to win 2-1, in what is a common theme in Yamamoto starts.

Robert Gasser takes the mound for the Milwaukee Brewers. The lefty is 3-4 on the season with a 4.57 ERA. He also pitched last Saturday, getting a no-decision, allowing three earned runs in just 4.2 innings. Gasser faced the Dodgers in May in Milwaukee, where he went 4.1 innings allowing four earned runs on four hits, garnering his first loss of the season. All of those Dodgers run came in the fourth inning.

It felt like the Dodgers struggled to score four in Thursday night’s game, continuing the trend of the offense showing up in bits and drabs. Gasser has not been going long into games so perhaps the Dodgers could get into the Brewers bullpen to finally do some damage. Antonio Senzatela, DL Hall, and Trevor Magill all look to be down in the bullpen so if there’s a game this series to get the offense going, this one is it. Jacob Misiorowski looms for Saturday’s game.

Friday game info

  • Teams: Dodgers vs. Brewers
  • Ballpark: Dodger Stadium
  • Start time: 7:10 p.m.
  • TV: SportsNet LA
  • Radio: AM 570 (English), KTNQ 1020 AM (Spanish)

Yankees fans think Jasson Domínguez is more likely than Anthony Volpe to impact 2027

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JULY 27: Jasson Domínguez #24 of the New York Yankees runs after hitting a single against the Chicago White Sox during the fourth inning at Rate Field on July 27, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jessie Alcheh/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across Major League Baseball. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Yankees fans and fans across the country.

Although the New York Yankees had a somewhat-reserved Trade Deadline in only bringing aboard Luis García Jr. and Heliot Ramos, they did find another way to shake up the roster.

By adding Ramos, they had to demote an outfielder, and down went former top prospect Jasson Domínguez, whose underwhelming .650 OPS on the season was also accompanied by bad defense. They also made a change at the six, calling up acclaimed shortstop George Lombard Jr. and sending down the man who had previously been annointed the shortstop of the future, Anthony Volpe, who had just one homer in 194 trips to the plate and was tracking for his fourth consecutive season with an OPS in the mid-.600s.

So for this week’s Reacts survey, we were curious if Yankees fans had an inkling on which of the two fallen prospects would have more of an impact on next year’s team. Injuries are of course still unfortunately a possibility, so each player could still make their mark on 2026, but we’re considering the future. The Yankees might have decisions to make on these guys, who were already in trade rumors prior to their demotions.

Here are the results:

It wasn’t a decisive vote and Domínguez didn’t even garner the majority, but easily he led the 181 votes with 46 percent. Volpe was 14 percentage points behind, and 22 percent said that neither would be on the club in 2027. That is certainly a possibility, and I think 4:1 odds are fair of both departing during the offseason.

Offseason status is one of the reasons why I would lean toward Domínguez over Volpe in this exercise (if not only because they may need the outfield depth). The CBA negotiations between the league and the players’ union could affect the status quo, but as of now, Domínguez would only be entering his first year of arbitration in 2027, whereas Volpe would be in year two. The latter is making a little under $3.5 million this year, and arb salaries never go down, so the Yankees will have to decide if they want to pay him somewhere in the range of $4-5 million next year with no clear role. At minimum, he is a non-tender candidate.

There were only a handful of comments on this survey (we always love to hear from you, don’t be shy!), but I do want to shout out Jerry_Terry, who voted Volpe with a decent defense.

The Yankees are working to get Volpe more work at the keystone in the minors to increase his versatility, and it is true that they will need to figure out second base in 2027 with Jazz Chisholm Jr. likely out the door (unless he receives and accepts a qualifying offer). And though Volpe is a nontender candidate, the Yankees didn’t have a problem giving $5 million to Trent Grisham after 2024 in a similar nontender situation. I don’t expect Volpe to go off nearly to the same degree that Grisham did in 2025—I just don’t his bat is going to come around—but it speaks to the light value of depth. The Yankees still rave about Volpe’s work ethic, so while they’re less high on him than they used to be, it would indeed not be shocking to see him back in 2027.

What do you think?


These survey results are sponsored by FanDuel.

The Brooklyn Podcast: Dog Days 1.0 & Mailbag SPECIAL

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 06: Egor Demin #8 of the Brooklyn Nets reacts after being called for a foul against the Golden State Warriors during the second half of the California Classic at Golden 1 Center on July 06, 2026 in Sacramento, California. 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 Scott Marshall/Getty Images) | Getty Images

We’re now in the dog days of summer with little-to-no Nets related news to chat about. So, this week, we turned our attention to you, the fans and listeners of the show. In this MAILBAG SPECIAL, we answer a variety of fan-submitted questions, naming our favorite Nets we’ve gotten to interview on the beat, MPJ’s future with the team, Drake Powell’s positioning on it, and the potential of a Durant, Irving, and Harden reunion in Brooklyn…sort of.

In this episode of The Brooklyn with Pooch & Collin, we also touch on:

  • The newly dropped 2026-27 season schedule
  • What needs to happen for this year to be a “success”
  • The appeal of a Michael Porter Jr. extension

You can also check out the episode for free on Spotify and Apple Music. Make sure to follow us on XInstagram, and TikTok as well. Our Rajon Rondo signature giveaway is still live, but will close next week, so make sure to like and follow to enter!

We also recently surpassed 1,000 subscribers on YouTube. Thank you to everyone who has supported us thus far!

Royals Reacts Results: Fans offer vote of no confidence

John Sherman
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - DECEMBER 02: John J. Sherman, Chairman and CEO, Kansas City Royals Baseball Club, speaks onstage during "Future Proofing the Sports Economy: Inside the Owner’s Suite" panel at day 2 of the 2025 HOPE Global Forum at Signia by Hilton Atlanta on December 02, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year, we ask questions of the most plugged-in Kansas City Royals fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

Earlier this week, we asked you to tell us how confident you were in the Royals competing in 2027

Poll results:
69% Not at all confident
13% Neutral
9% Somewhat confident
8% Quite confident
1% Extremely confident

It shouldn’t come as a surprise, I guess, that 69% (nice) of fans voted that Sherman’s Q&A with Josh Vernier did nothing to convince them that the Royals would be able to compete next year. Indeed, I expected the majority of respondents to vote that way. But I was curious just how much of a majority, and, well, that’s more than 2/3 of you. That’s a pretty hefty majority.

Coming in second place was “Neutral” at only 13%, less than 1/5 of the number of people who lack any confidence at all in this team competing next year. I guess it could happen. The Royals allegedly have a lot less salary committed for next season and should therefore be able to spend big in free agency without spending much more on the team than they have this year.

However, it’s still not clear to me how they can make it work without hitting on at least one premium free agent plus a few smaller ones. They need two high-quality starting pitchers plus depth and multiple relievers. Are they really going to go get Skubal plus the rest of the guys they need? Or will they continue the tradition of adding Jonathan India- and Carlos Estévez-like players who cost more than the minimum to provide a certain floor, but offer almost nothing in terms of a ceiling?

If I may, let me do a slight tangent on Jonathan India for a moment. The Royals gave him $8 million this past offseason in order to get most of the playing time at second base before he was hurt early in the season. Some people have pointed out that $8 million for a guy of India’s caliber isn’t a team that is “cheap”. But I’d argue it’s the definition of a cheap team. Let me explain.

When I was working part-time at a grocery store, I spent way more money on shoes than I do now, as a software developer. Some of that, of course, is because I was on my feet more often. But a lot of it was the fact that I couldn’t afford to get a really nice pair of shoes, and so they were constantly wearing out. When you’ve got the money to buy higher-quality, you can sometimes spend less overall because the higher-quality stuff just works better. (This is a real-life example of the Sam Vimes theory of socioeconomic unfairness).

A team that spends $8 on Jonathan India is doing so because they can’t or won’t spend more on a higher-quality player, but knows they need to get somebody to do the job. If they were willing to actually be a not-cheap team, they could have added a Cody Bellinger or someone who could have made more of an impact. The upfront price would have been more, but the return would also have been more, leading to less spent (in terms of $/WAR and perhaps even in profitability if the team performed better and drew more fans) in the long run. The Royals won’t buy the nice shoes that will last a long time, so it’s cheap behavior, even if they’re spending more than some of the other cheap clubs.

Anyway, I hope I’m wrong, and the Royals can compete again next year because, honestly, this year has not been very fun at all.

These survey results are sponsored by FanDuel.


Staggering Diamondbacks take on the division leading Braves

Brandon Pfaadt during Game 7 of the NLCS against the Phillies. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co

Even the worst teams in baseball win a third of their games. But if you’re a playoff contender and facing one of those worst teams in baseball, letting them take two out of three with just a few dozen games left to play is devestating. If the Diamondbacks end up losing a playoff spot by a game or two, it will not be hard at all to point at the two easily winable games that they dropped to the Rockies this week. Following those losses and the completion of the other team’s games on the Diamondbacks off day, they have fallen out of a playoff position, are half a game behind the Phillies, and a full game behind the surging Padres

The Braves are cruising to a playoff spot, and nothing short of a 30-for-30 level collapse is going to prevent them from getting it. They’re up nine games over the Phillies and have won seven of their last ten. This is just as big a test for them as the Dodgers’ series was, and their only realistic hope of making the playoffs is being successful here.

At the time of writing, the Braves had not announced any of their starting pitchers for the series yet, but here is what I can tell you. They are fourth in baseball in ERA+, fifth in traditional ERA, and eighth in WHIP. It’s not going to be easy, folks, but the saving grace might be we’ve got our best pitchers going up against them…

Game 1 — 8/14, 4:15 PM: Brandon Pfaadt (1.3 bWAR, 6-1, 3.36 ERA/125 ERA+, 1.20 WHIP) vs. TBD

Pfaadt did everything he was asked to and more last time out against the Dodgers. Seven shut out innings, with only two hits and two walks is a great start against anyone, but to put up those numbers against the Dodgers is even more impressive. Now, he has not given up an earned run in his last three starts, and only gave up a single unearned run against the Padres on 8/3. Since returning from the minors, he has yet to give up more than two earned runs and his ERA in that time period has been a sterling 1.32. In case you’re worried about regression, his FIP is only 2.89, which would also be a perfectly acceptable number from him. The Diamondbacks will need to see the greatness continue.

Game 2 — 8/15, 4:15 PM: Eduardo Rodriguez (4.2 bWAR, 11-4, 2.70 ERA/156 ERA+, 1.22 WHIP) vs. TBD

There have been cracks in Rodriguez’ armor showing in recent games. In addition to the five he gave up in 2 2/3 inning against St. Louis back on the 19th, he gave up another seven to the Padres two starts ago. He bounced back, however, and put up a strong performance against the Dodgers to compliment Pfaadt’s, going seven innings, only giving up two earned runs, and throwing a nearly unheard of 115 pitches. That may or may not be something to watch, as he has now thrown over 100 pitches in three straight games. Once upon a time, that would have been a normal thing and not worth commenting on, but these days, one has to wonder if there might be a bit of arm fatigue he’ll be facing this time around.

Game 3 — 8/16, 10:35 AM: Michael Soroka (2.3 bWAR, 8-3, 2.92 ERA/144 ERA+, 1.10 WHIP) vs. TBD

Soroka made his long awaited return from the IL in his last start against the Rockies, and it went about as well as could have been hoped. He held them scoreless for 4 1/3 innings, before a pitch limit reeled him back into the dugout. It’s hard to argue with scoreless, but the three walks were the same as he had delivered in his last four starts combined, so a slight concern. Probably just rust, but something to keep an eye on.

Conclusion

It’s weird to say after losing a series to the Rockies, but I do like our chances. We have our three best starters taking the mound, and while our offense this season is no where near as good as it was in 24/25, it still doesn’t lay dormant for long typically. Combine those two things, and I think the Diamondbacks have a good shot of taking the series and getting back into a playoff spot.

As Reds ace Chase Burns inches closer to his innings limit…

WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 08: Chase Burns #26 of the Cincinnati Reds pitches against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on August 08, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Whether Cincinnati Reds ace Chase Burns is simply slowing down or if the Reds themselves are throttling him a bit we likely won’t ever truly know. That said, he’s only made it through 6.0 IP in 3 of his last 7 starts, and he’s thrown fewer than 90 pitches in 3 of those, too – all while pitching to a mostly un-Burns like 3.99 ERA across 38.1 total IP.

That’s not poor work, by any means, but it’s a departure from the guy we saw before that. That Burns pitched to a 2.00 ERA with 102/29 K/BB in 85.2 IP, much more impactful than the 41/17 K/BB we’ve seen across those most recent 7 starts.

After throwing 43.1 IP at the big league level last season (on top of 66.0 across the minors), Burns has reached 124.0 IP so far in 2026. And with the Reds still mired in the dumps of the National League Wild Card chase and without co-ace Hunter Greene, the odds of them completing some miracle, final week comeback to make a postseason run seem about as long as an Adam Dunn homer. So, there really doesn’t seem to be a need to keep rolling Burns out there every fifth day until the last gasp of the season, especially as the Reds now have him under contract for the long-term and need to manage that as much as each win this season.

An innings limit is inevitable, if not a shutdown altogether.

When I asked you about how many IP the Reds should try to put on Burns this season earlier in the week, you all seemed to think the 150 IP mark was the right threshold for the Reds and Burns to hit.

Notably, 75% of those who responded opted for 140 or 150 IP, with 160 (and more than 160) getting just 25% of the support. In other words, 3 out of 4 of you think it’s best that Burns get about 4 or 5 more typical starts before the Reds put him on ice for the winter.

It’s a slippery slope of a decision, to be sure. You obviously don’t want to see them push him too far this year and risk overworking him, but you also want to see them push him far enough so that, in theory, stretching him out further next year will actually keep him ready for a September playoff push. Teams do typically try to build on these things with their planning, and it sure would be nice to see them planning on trying to make the playoffs in 2027, wouldn’t it?

Regardless, we’ve reached the time in this mostly lost season that we need to cherish watching the Reds new ace each time he takes the bump, since we’re likely down to his last few outings before next spring.

MLB Reacts are brought to you by FanDuel Sportsbook.

Lakers will be good this year regardless of ownership

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 22: Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks to pass the ball during the game against the Memphis Grizzlies on October 22, 2024 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2024 NBAE (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Lakers fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

Things are never boring regarding the Lakers, even in the summertime.

With the franchise overhauling most of its roster this offseason and suddenly being sold to Bob Iger and Josh Kushner, the future is as unknown as ever.

Even before the shocking sale of the Lakers, experts have been low on the expected 2026-27 roster. FanDuel has the Lakers’ win total set at over/under 44.5 wins. That places the Lakers as closer to being a play-in team than a title contender.

Some of the questions about the on-court product are justifiable.

LeBron James is gone, and the Lakers have taken some chances. They are betting on Walker Kessler to be a star center and have made long-term commitments to role players like Collin Sexton, Quentin Grimes, and Sandro Mamukelashvili.

None of these players are proven stars, and while the Lakers clearly believe in them, that doesn’t mean it will work out.

So, for our SB Nation Reacts survey, we asked fans if the Lakers would win at least 45 games. The response was an emphatic yes.

For whatever reason, the Lakers are constantly being undervalued. Well, minus the financial assessment of what they are worth.

Last year, NBA GMs had LA as a play-in team. Clearly, that didn’t happen, as they won 53 games and finished as the fourth seed in the Western Conference. They ultimately beat the Rockets in the opening round of the playoffs before getting swept in the second round by the Thunder.

Why they are constantly being viewed as a play-in team is anyone’s guess. Luka has proven in both Dallas and LA that he consistently gets teams to winning records.

Sure, LeBron is gone, but Luka is still here, and Austin Reaves is flirting with All-Star-level play. If he takes another leap forward, LA’s backcourt pairing will be one of the best in the league.

Injuries can always impact things, but at this point, given that head coach JJ Redick has had two years where he easily passed the 45-win mark, NBA experts should rank them higher.

So yes, Lakers fans should be a bit nervous with how uncertain things are regarding ownership and their plans, or lack thereof, for the future. But for now, things will be fine. This Lakers team will still win a ton of games.

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.


MLB Player Props & Best Bets for Today, Aug. 14

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Happy Friday, everyone! It is time to kick off the weekend on a high note by taking a few player props with a ton of upside.

Join me as I break down three of my favorite MLB player props for Aug. 14, including why I expect another big day at the dish from Griffin Conine.

Best MLB player props today

Player PickOdds
Marlins Griffin ConineTo record 1+ Hit-131
Angels Grayson RodriguezOver 2.5 Earned Runs-106
Orioles Baltimore OriolesFirst Five Team Total Over 1.5 -115

Griffin Conine to record 1+ hit (-131)

Cincinnati Reds right-hander Chase Burns has been fantastic this season, owning a 2.58 ERA and 1.13 WHIP on the year. However, has he been that good to where a red-hot hitter like Miami Marlins outfielder Griffin Conine should be -131 to record a hit? Likely not.

Conine is tied for the fifth-highest barrel rate among players over their last 10 games at 25%. During that stretch, he also has a .594 SLG, .313 ISO and 20% ground-ball rate.

At home this season, Burns is allowing left-handed hitters to elevate the baseball nearly 70% of the time, while they are producing a 33% hard-hit rate.

For a guy to do the bare minimum at -131, this is a great price. If you are not in the juice-paying business, take his Over 1.5 Hits, Runs and RBI prop.

  • Time: 6:10 p.m. ET
  • Where to watch: CINR, MIAM

Grayson Rodriguez Over 2.5 earned runs (-106)

The worst-rated pitcher on the day takes on the highest-rated offense. Los Angeles Angels right-hander Grayson Rodriguez owns the worst pitcher rating on Batters-Box, and he draws a fully elite Kansas City Royals lineup featuring five elite-rated bats.

Rodriguez has struggled all season long, owning a 7.36 ERA and 1.64 WHIP while allowing a 45.66% hard-hit rate and 10.4% barrel rate to opposing hitters. The Royals are peppered with left-handed hitters, and Rodriguez owns a 6.35 xERA against lefties this season.

Despite the disappointing season from the Royals, they should be able to keep this one fun and exciting with everyone in that lineup in a great spot this evening. This is playable down to -110, or find their first five team total over 2.5 at plus money.

  • Time: 9:38 p.m. ET
  • Where to watch: ABTV, ROYL

Orioles first five team total Over 1.5 (-115)

With the Tampa Bay Rays likely going with Steven Matz as the opener and Jesse Scholtens to follow, the Baltimore Orioles offense needs to be backed this evening.

Despite the underwhelming season for the Orioles, they still rank 17th in first-five scoring, putting up around 2.44 runs. Over the team's last six games, the offense owns a 123 wRC+, along with a .349 wOBA, .795 OPS and .209 ISO. During that stretch, they are producing a 47.7% hard-hit rate and 10.5% barrel rate.

The Bird offense is humming at the moment.

Scholtens owns the worst pitcher rating on Batters-Box's default ratings, with a poorly rated matchup ISO, hard contact and ground-ball rate. Matz, meanwhile, has struggled at home this season, posting a 6.75 ERA across 11 games and allowing 21 runs over 28 innings.

We just need two runs!

This is a complete misprice. Take this down to -135.

  • Time: 7:10 p.m. ET
  • Where to watch: RAYS, MASN
Colby Marchio's 2026 Transparency Record
  • Prop picks: 396-765, -12.4 units

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.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

The worst offense in a winning streak in Yankees’ history

The Yankees’ offense hasn’t been particularly great lately. Ahead of Wednesday’s game against the Mariners, in which they actually cracked double digits, they had averaged just 3.1 runs per game on their recent home stand. Yet in spite of that, they had also gone 4-3 through Tuesday, which is not what you’d expect in a run where a team puts up essentially a run and half less than the overall MLB average on the season.

The fact that the Yankees have managed to tread water despite getting that little offensive production got me thinking. I wanted to find the best run by a Yankees’ team from history despite not doing much scoring, and I think I might’ve found it.

The 1903 American League season was the first ever one for the team then known as the New York Highlanders. The 1903 team wasn’t bad, and they very nearly won the AL pennant the following year, but the pre-Babe Ruth Highlanders/Yankees teams aren’t particularly fondly remembered, as they didn’t exactly accomplish much. To be fair to them, this streak we’re about to talk about was also in the Dead Ball Era, so bad offensive stats now wouldn’t necessarily translate to bad then. However, they had one very odd run in June.

On June 9, 1903, the Highlanders were hosting the St. Louis Browns. Despite recording six hits, none of which went for extra bases, New York scored three runs and won 3-1, with St. Louis chipping in with a couple errors. That’s because Jack Chesbro — whose real opus was in 1904, but was also good in ‘03 — held St. Louis to one run on six hits, keeping them off the board for the final seven innings.

In the Highlanders’ next game, two days later, the Tigers opened up a 2-0 lead in the second inning. Meanwhile, it took until the fifth inning for New York to get on the board and they were trailing 3-1 going into the eighth. However, they scored two runs in the eighth, and walked it off in the ninth. The winning hit came courtesy of pitcher Jesse Tannehill, who went 3-for-4 on the day. Again though, all their hits were just singles, with none of the nine going for extra bases.

The next game came two days later, again against Detroit. Chesbro was back on the hill on just three days rest, because this was 1903. While this time around, New York took leads of 1-0 and 2-1, they again required a walk-off to win the game, with Willie Keeler providing it in the bottom of the ninth in a 3-2 victory. This particular game should not have required that, though. This time around, the Highlanders recorded eight hits, including two doubles and six walks. However, they managed to leave 10 runners on base before finally coming away with the win.

After two days off, the Highlanders then hosted the White Sox in games on June 16th and 17th. Both of those particular games finished 1-0 to New York, with Clark Griffith — also the team’s manager — and Barney Wolfe each pitching complete game shutouts. For the third time in four games, they also won via walk-off in the game on the 17th. Jimmy Williams hit an RBI single as one of just four Highlanders’ hits in the game.

The Highlanders continued their stretch of not scoring much in their next game, but the pitching couldn’t keep up, as they lost 7-0 to end the winning streak. They finally scored a decent amount of runs in the game following that, putting up six against Cleveland.

Over the course of the 1903 Highlanders’ five-game win streak from June 9-17, they scored just 12 runs on 33 hits and 10 walks. Collectively as a team, they hit .217/.270/.237. The current Yankees’ offense can be a bit of a chore to watch, but I’d prefer they not try and match the 1903 version’s exploits.

Red Sox News & Links: John Henry is “never selling” the Boston Red Sox

BOSTON, MA - APRIL 20: John Henry, principle owner of the Boston Red Sox watches the game against the Detroit Tigers with his wife Linda Pizzuti Henry and her son Xander at Fenway Park on April 20, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Did Payton Tolle have the best start of his career yesterday in Toronto? By many measures, yes. The 8 innings he threw tied his career high, having also thrown 8 against the Braves back in May. It was the fifth time in his career he held the opposition lineup to 0 runs (he still has yet to allow fewer than 0 runs in a single game — that’s something he’ll need to work on in the offseason), and the fifth time he’s held them to no more than 2 hits. His game score of 80 also tied the best mark of his career, previously set with a 7-inning shutout against the Yankees in June. Where he was lacking, though, was in strikeouts. In the 23 starts Tolle has made in his career, he struck out more than the 4 he did yesterday in 15 of them. But in the case of yesterday’s start, the lack of strikeouts just showed his versatility. (Chris Cotillo, MassLive)

Tolle’s dominant outing came at a great time, not only because the Sox needed to stop a losing skid, but because the bullpen took a major hit. As we feared, Garrett Whitlock was placed on the IL with right elbow inflammation. The inflammation has reportedly been growing over the last few weeks, though as of now it’s not considered serious enough to warrant an MRI. (Tim Healey, Boston Globe)

With Whitlock on the shelf, is the bullpen going to get a boost in the form of Garrett Crochet at any point soon? Don’t count on it. “It’s not a lot,” Chad Tracy said of the throwing he’s been doing. “It’s been light throwing right now, and see how he continues to react to that before they start backing him up.” (Dan Morrison, Yahoo)

We have slightly more positive news on Roman Anthony, however. He’s been down in Florida, having recently progressed to hitting off of a high-velocity pitching machine. Now, Chad Tracy says the Sox are going to “talk through” the idea of bringing him back to Boston to continue his rehab, which, you know, great. It’s always nice to talk things over. (Rodney Knuppel, NESN)

Does Willson Contreras need to talk things over with Red Sox Nation after he was booed in Fenway Park recently? Not according to Contreras, who doesn’t seem bothered by it. “Something’s bothering my leg. That’s why I didn’t run the other day when the fans booed me. Man, didn’t run one time and they boo anybody. Which is good. But I don’t care. I think it’s part of baseball. They have the right to boo, they have to yell, they have a right to do everything.” (Chris Cotillo, MassLive)

If Willson ever does need some advice on how to handle booing, he can always turn to John Henry. And when Henry’s gone, he’ll have Linda and the kids, apparently. That’s because, according to Sam Kennedy, the Sox are going to be in their hands for a long time. “John Henry, Linda Henry, the Henry family are never selling the Boston Red Sox. And that’s a soundbite you can play forevermore. I’d bet anything on that.” (Scott McLaughlin, WEEI)

Maple Leafs Reveal 'Remix Nights,' Are New NHL Jerseys On The Way For 2026-27?

The Toronto Maple Leafs have unveiled several theme nights for the 2026-27 NHL season. There will be the usual St. Pats- and Next Gen-themed outings. The Maple Leafs will wear their St. Pats jerseys on St. Patrick's Day (March 17) against the Tampa Bay Lightning, while their Next Gen game will take place on Dec. 21 against the Washington Capitals.

Aside from those two nights, Toronto will be hosting nine 'Remix Nights,' which is a nod to the Hometown Remix partnership between all 32 NHL franchises and Fanatics. This will be the next Maple Leafs alternate jersey since the 'Drew House' Next Gen jerseys designed by Justin Bieber were unveiled in 2022.

These Remix Nights take place between Nov. 7 and Feb. 16. November alone will see four Remix Nights, with the Montreal Canadiens as the opponents for the first night, the Edmonton Oilers one week later, the Los Angeles Kings on the 19th, and the Philadelphia Flyers on the 30th.

In December, the Anaheim Ducks and Lightning will experience Remix Nights on the 13th and 19th, respectively. The St. Louis Blues will be in town for this theme on Jan. 18. And the final two Remix Nights come on Feb. 8 against the Columbus Blue Jackets and Feb. 16 against the Carolina Hurricanes.

It's been reported that the Leafs, as well as the other franchises in the NHL, will have new jerseys for this remix theme. But what will Toronto's jersey look like?

Icethetics, a source for NHL jersey and logo designs, revealed their knowledge of the base color for each Hometown Remix jersey.

'He Had That Aura': Former Maple Leafs Goaltender Raves About Jim Hiller Hire, Sergei Bobrovsky Signing'He Had That Aura': Former Maple Leafs Goaltender Raves About Jim Hiller Hire, Sergei Bobrovsky SigningFormer Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Michael Hutchinson is a big fan of the organization's hiring of Jim Hiller and acquisition of Sergei Bobrovsky.

"The Toronto Maple Leafs are reported to be wearing beige or vintage white, and this would be a first for them," Icethetics said in a YouTube video on May 24. "None of their previous throwback jerseys have gone off-white. Could it be paired with leather brown gloves and pants too, like we've seen with their St. Pats uniforms?"

That would match the color wave of the Maple Leafs' announcement of their theme nights on social media, which had a beige-colored background behind the schedule for the Remix Nights.

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Giants call up Jonah Cox and Turner Hill

Jonah Cox diving to make a catch.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - JUNE 29: Jonah Cox #53 of the San Francisco Giants makes a diving catch during the third inning of the MLB game against the Arizona Diamondbacksat Chase Field on June 29, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The San Francisco Giants made a series of moves on Friday, ahead of their series opener against the Colorado Rockies, as they’re bringing up a pair of youngsters to replace a pair of youngsters.

As was reported on Thursday, the Giants are calling up outfielder Turner Hill to make his MLB debut. Hill is a tremendous story, as the 27-year old went undrafted in 2023 but has steadily rose through the ranks with strong defense, good base stealing, and sensational contact skills. He was on a 26-game hitting streak in AAA Sacramento, and in 88 games at the level this year posted a .950 OPS and a 148 wRC+, with just an 8.5% strikeout rate. The Giants are surely excited to get a long look at him over the next six weeks as they try to figure out which of their young players can contribute in 2027.

Joining Hill is Jonah Cox, who makes his return to the Majors following a brief stint in AAA. Cox was shockingly called up straight from AA in June, but played sparingly and looked fairly overmatched (while he collected a home run and a double off of position players, he hit just 5-24 with 15 strikeouts against MLB pitchers). The hair-on-fire 25-year old, who is arguably the best defensive outfielder in the system and the best base stealer, was injured in July, and got his first taste of AAA during a rehab assignment. After finishing that rehab assignment he was optioned back to AAA. In 11 games with Sacramento, Cox hit a stunning 22-47 with six extra-base hits and five walks, albeit some underlying metrics that should still give the Giants a little pause about his readiness for success at the next level.

With Jung Hoo Lee playing almost every game in right field, it seems likely that left and center will be handled by Hill and Drew Gilbert when a right-hander is on the mound, and by Cox and Victor Bericoto when facing a lefty.

Hill and Cox replace outfielder Grant McCray and second baseman Nate Furman, who were both optioned back to Sacramento. It’s especially tough news for McCray, who has to feel that his time with the organization might be nearing an end (though he has another option year after this one). While McCray had a huge home run in late July, he’s looked wholly uncomfortable in the batter’s box since getting called back to the Majors. He hasn’t collected a single hit in August, and since the last game of July he’s gone 0-20 with five walks and eight strikeouts. He’s hitting just .081/.227/.162 on the year, for a 22 wRC+, and has also hit below average when in AAA this season.

As for Furman, he barely got on the field, and will have to wait to collect his first Major League hit. He was called up right before the trade deadline, presumably to give the team an option if Luis Arráez were traded mid-game. But given that he’s limited to just second base, and that the Giants are clearly invested in seeing if Osleivis Basabe or Christian Koss can emerge as a viable backup infielder option, there just wasn’t playing time for the lefty, whose proper developmental place was always in AAA. Furman got into just five games in his two weeks with the Giants, and hit 0-6 with two walks and a strikeout.

Latest fallout from shocking Lakers sale: Would LeBron have stayed? Chris Paul into front office?

The NBA — and Lakers fans — are still reeling from the shocking sale of the iconic franchise for the second time in 14 months this week. Nobody saw this coming, including the league office.

There's been a lot of fallout from the news of the sale, here are some of the latest reports.

Why is Walter selling now?

That remains the $12.5 billion question, but the answer is coming more into focus:

Money. It's always about the money.

There are a lot of ideas and White House-tied conspiracy theories floating around about what motivated Walter to sell the Lakers 14 months after agreeing to purchase them, but the answer may be the most obvious one. Walter is facing twin federal and SEC investigations into potential fraud tied to the valuation of insurance companies he owns through Guggenheim Partners and TWG Global, and in the wake of that, needed cash fast to pay down debts.

Then Joshua Kushner called, and his venture capital firm Thrive had the cash (they were looking into getting an NBA expansion team in Las Vegas, plus they were the primary buyers in the now-scuttled FIFA plan to sell rights to the World Cup and other events, so they were ready to spend). It came together quickly.

One other note: Walter Mark Walter could save roughly $425 million in taxes if the Board of Governors approve the sale and it goes through by November, according to tax calculations in an article at Sportico.

Would LeBron have stayed?

LeBron James left the Lakers this offseason in an amicable divorce, as the franchise reshaped itself around Luka Doncic's playing style. Might LeBron have stayed in Los Angeles if the Lakers had different ownership? ESPN’s Dave McMenamin asked that of a source close to LeBron.

"Maybe. But that's tough to answer. Communication could have been better [with Iger and Kushner, compared to with Walter]. Just a different relationship. But the basketball piece was the most important, so maybe not from that standpoint."

From my perspective, I don't think new owners would have changed anything. First, the vibe that LeBron wasn't returning was evident around the team by midway through the season — the Lakers needed to pivot to a team built around Doncic, and everyone understood that. New ownership doesn't change that.

Plus, LeBron landed in a very interesting place — with a better chance of getting another ring — in Philadelphia.

Chris Paul to have role

David Stern famously nixed Chris Paul being traded to the Lakers in 2011, but could the future Hall of Fame point guard have a role with the team's front office under new ownership?

It's been speculated about because CP3 and new owner Bob Iger are so close, reports ESPN’s McMenamin.

...multiple sources around the league suggested to ESPN that recently retired Chris Paul could have a role. Paul and Iger became close while the point guard played for the Clippers and Iger was a season-ticket holder."

How do Lakers fans feel?

Like everyone else, Lakers fans are shocked. Part of what helped grow the Lakers into a global icon was stability — the Buss family owned and ran the team for 46 years.

Lakers fans understood the sale of the team to Walter. The era of mom-and-pop family ownership of major American sports franchises is over, it takes deeper pockets to compete. Walter had those, and had a track record of spending and success in Los Angeles with the Dodgers — and he was bringing the beefed-up scouting staff and analytics bent of the Dodgers to the Lakers.

Now? Lakers fans I have spoken to in the last 48 hours (I live in the greater Los Angeles area with a lot of Lakers fans as friends) are both shocked, and there is an air of trepidation. Walter was a known quantity, but the Kushner/Iger team has never been the primary owners of a major sports franchise. Nobody knows what their ownership style will be, what this will look like. What does this mean for Rob Pelinka as the head of basketball operations?

Magic Johnson tried to calm Lakers fans' fears.

It's going to take more than words — and Iger will be the one doing the talking. While Kushner is the money behind this and will be the controlling owner, Iger will be the face of ownership. It's going to be about actions. The Lakers began a needed retooling this offseason to build a team around Doncic, but this is very likely not a championship team as constructed (not in the West with two juggernauts at the top). There is a lot of pressure on Walker Kessler and Austin Reaves to live up to massive new contracts. When things go wrong, as they inevitably will on some level, how will the new ownership handle the situation?

The new owners will have to win over Lakers fans. That may take time.

Chris Sale set to kick off Diamondbacks series for Braves

NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 08: Chris Sale #51 of the Atlanta Braves pitches during the game between the Atlanta Braves and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Saturday, August 8, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Jonathan Pensiero/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

Welcome back, Braves Country!

It’s nice to come back refreshed after a series win. And even better when it’s against the division rivals, the New York Mets.

Now, the Atlanta Braves are looking for a repeat against the Arizona Diamondbacks with Chris Sale on the mound.

Sale’s stats speak for themself. Holding a 2.20 ERA, it’s no secret that Sale is the weapon that’s holding the pitching rotation together. He’s also 12-7 for the season and has shown consistency in his usual six-inning stint, tallying over eight strikeouts in his appearances since July 23.

The question is, which version of the Braves are set to show up against Arizona’s Brandon Pfaadt?

Currently holding a 3.36 ERA and 1.20 WHIP, Pfaadt hasn’t allowed a single run across his last three appearances. He’s also been producing quality outings with his six-pitch arsenal ready to execute.

It’ll be a pitchers’ duel on the mound with two quality starters who’re performing to the best of their ability.

Check back in with us in a few hours to see how both teams’ offenses fare against these arms before first pitch.

Game Info

Game Time: Friday, August 14, 7:15 PM ET

Location: Truist Park, Atlanta, GA

Watch: BravesVision

Radio/Audio: 680 AM/93.7 FM The Fan, La Mejor 1600/1460/1130 AM