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Elephant Rumblings: De Vries Out 8 Months, Arnold Hit By Combacker

Feb 23, 2026; Scottsdale, Arizona, USA; Athletics shortstop Leo de Vries (83) prepares to play the San Francisco Giants at Scottsdale Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Good morning A’s fans!

The A’s got hit with more bad injury news recently concerning two of the team’s top two prospects. Young infielder Leo De Vries is set to undergo the knife and be down longer than people expected, possibly as long as eight months:

The surgery isn’t the surprise, it’s the time he’ll be down for. It is major shoulder surgery though so the timeline shouldn’t come as a complete shock when you think about it. Most of the recent examples that have undergone a similar surgery like Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe or Toronto’s Anthony Santander missed at least eight months. Shohei Ohtani was only down for roughly four but that was to his non-throwing shoulder, which De Vries’ is.

If he does end up missing eight months that’ll see him getting back into the swing of things by mid-May. After a strong year at Double-A there was the expectation he’d begin next year with the Aviators but with the extended time off he may return to the Rockhounds for a rehab stint before his promotion to the last level of the minors. And from there it’s one call from the Athletics’ dugout.

On the bright side the 19-year-old is still incredibly young for the level he played at this year and with youth on his side he should be able to recover from this with no issues or setbacks. No news is good news regarding our top prospect this offseason because that’ll mean his recovery is going smoothly. We’ll see where he is come spring.

Things take a darker turn for the Athletics from here. Left-handed pitching prospect Jamie Arnold was struck in the face by a comebacker in his second Triple-A start by the fourth batter he faced, He was immediately removed from the game.

Not a great day for injuries, or year for that matter. Good news though is that Arnold was able to walk off under his own power. He did make that trip to the hospital though and it was discovered he suffered intra orbital and maxillary sinus fractures. That’s your face bones, people.

It definitely could have been much worse though. Older A’s fans may remember what happened when Brandon McCarthy got hit right in the head with a line drive. Arnold seems to have dodged the worst of it but we’ll have to wait and see what the rest of his year looks like. Surgery won’t be required, so that’s good, but there’s also no time line for his return to the mound. And frankly, it may be a blessing in disguise to end his season here. He’s surpassed his career-high in innings pitched, has reached the final level of the minors and looked good in his first start with the Aviators. Call it a season and have a good offseason. He’ll be needed next year.

And it sounds like a family member shared some good news on X as well:

No game today as the club has a day off while they await the Seattle Mariners who are coming to Sacramento. Until then! Have a great day A’s fans.

A’s Coverage:

MLB News and Interest:

Best of X:

Looks like Shea just really wants to make it back:

Looks good to me!

And we’re almost a third of the way through!

Medina has found a place in the Athletics’ bullpen:

ICYMI:

If you really want to see the play where Arnold is hit, here it is:

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Phillies on the Pharm: 9/10/2026

Gage Wood of the Reading Phillies warms up before a Minor League Baseball game at TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater, United States, on July 7, 2026. (Photo by Dan Squicciarini/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images

It wasn’t a good night for Lehigh Valley, but the news was much better out of Reading, where Gage Wood was backed by four home runs, and the Fightin’ Phils reached the precipice of a spot in the Eastern League playoffs.

Worcester 8, Lehigh Valley 3

The IronPigs fell into an early hole on Wednesday, giving up seven runs in the first four innings. Starting pitcher Brian Keller had a rough game, as he was responsible for all seven of those runs.

The ‘Pigs offense was quiet for most of the game before a too little, too late three-run eighth inning. Gabriel Rincones was one of the few players to have a good game with two hits, including his third home run of the season.

Reading 11, Erie 3

The Fightin’ Phils reduced their magic number for a playoff spot to one by bashing the Erie Seawolves on Wednesday. Gage Wood had another encouraging start, giving up two runs in his five innings to earn his first win of his career.

The Phils backed him with plenty of offense including four home runs. Aroon Escobar, Bryson Ware, Raylin Heredia, and Carson DeMartini all went deep in the game.

The Phils will attempt to clinch a playoff spot on Thursday as their series against the Seawolves continues.

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Will the new-look Sixers bring out the ‘mad scientist’ Nick Nurse?

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 06: Head coach Nick Nurse of the Philadelphia 76ers reacts during the first quarter against the New York Knicks in Game Two of the Second Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on May 06, 2026 in New York City. 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 Dustin Satloff/Getty Images) | Getty Images

When Nick Nurse took over as the Sixers’ head coach ahead of the 2023-24 season, players were buzzing with excitement about his energy and creativity. But with Joel Embiid and Paul George cycling in and out of the lineup over the past two seasons, Nurse hasn’t gotten many chances to show off that side of himself. His experimentation with lineups was more out of necessity than anything else.

That shouldn’t be the case this coming season. Between Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Jaylen Brown, VJ Edgecombe and some guy named LeBron James, the Sixers have more top-end talent than they’ve had arguably in decades. But their talent doesn’t just stop at their starting five. They’re far deeper than they’ve been at any point in the Nurse era, too.

After an up-and-down regular season last year, Nurse already started getting back in the good graces of Sixers fans by helping orchestrate the Sixers’ thrilling 3-1 series comeback against the Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs. Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla was so rattled by the end of that series that he started Baylor Scheierman, Luka Garza and Ron Harper Jr. in Game 7. On purpose!

Granted, the good vibes didn’t last long. A second-round sweep at the hands of the eventual champion New York Knicks left the Sixers looking rudderless heading into the offseason. Of course, that was before new president of basketball operations Mike Gansey pulled off the coup of all coups by landing both Brown and James.

Those two were the headliners of the offseason for obvious reasons, but they weren’t the Sixers’ only key additions. Dean Wade, Anfernee Simons, Ariel Hukporti and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope could all play key roles off the bench this season. Gansey also resisted the temptation to draft for fit over talent when he took Labaron Philon Jr. at No. 22 overall, giving the Sixers another ball-handler behind Maxey and Edgecombe.

It’s now on Nurse to figure out how all of these pieces will fit together.

Will the ‘mad scientist’ show up?

Nurse made a name for himself in Toronto when he helped guide the Raptors to their first-ever championship in 2019. His decision to deploy a box-and-one defense against Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry in the NBA Finals that year was some true sicko stuff.

“Trying new stuff, being innovative, is who Nick is,” then-Raptors president Masai Ujiri said about Nurse during his introductory press conference in Toronto in 2018. “You can tell he’s a tactician who really thinks the game.”

That innovation hasn’t been on display as much as expected in Philly… yet. The Sixers had 54 different starting lineups in 2024-25 (!), but that was a byproduct of injuries more than anything else. Much like Doc Rivers before him, Nurse flirted with the idea of double-big lineups featuring Embiid and either Andre Drummond or Adem Bona, but Embiid and Bona played only 46 minutes together last year, while Embiid and Drummond shared the floor for only eight minutes.

This season, Nurse should have plenty of chances to lean back into his experimental nature.

Nurse already confirmed that he plans to deploy LeBron as an “offense creator” who will “bring the ball up the floor and try to create for himself and others,” but Maxey and Edgecombe should get some ball-handling reps as well. Being able to use LeBron, Maxey and Edgecombe both as on- and off-ball weapons should make the Sixers that much more unpredictable on offense, so it’ll be imperative for Nurse not to lean solely on LeBron as the main ball-handler.

Nurse already began moving away from Embiid as the Sixers’ offensive fulcrum last season, and the Sixers’ offseason overhaul should only further expedite that process. This will be the first time in Embiid’s career where he doesn’t have to score 20-plus points on any given night to give the Sixers even a puncher’s chance of winning. Can Nurse get him to buy into scaling back his offensive role even more and instead get him to spend his energy on defense, rebounding, screen-setting and boxing out?

And how will he deploy Brown, who’s fresh off a career year as the No. 1 option in Boston? Brown’s handle isn’t tight enough to merit running the offense through him again, but he’s a legitimate weapon in isolations. He’s also big and physical enough to back down smaller defenders. Finding the balance between that and keeping the ball moving might be among Nurse’s greatest challenges this year.

Pace is the other big question looming over the Sixers offense. Maxey, James and Brown were second, third and fourth, respectively, in transition points per game last season, and Edgecombe’s youth and athleticism should make him a dynamic weapon in the open floor as well. Embiid… not so much. How does Nurse blend those two styles together?

While the Sixers’ starting five figure to open and close games together, they’ll also have plenty of time intermingling with bench players. It’ll be on Nurse to figure out which combinations and skill sets fit best together.

He did lean into more three-guard lineups with Maxey, Edgecombe and Quentin Grimes last year—again, mostly out of necessity—but will he try out units with three of Maxey, Edgecombe, Simons, KCP and Philon? How will the forward rotation shake out behind Brown and James? What’s the optimal role for Wade and Dominick Barlow this year? Do Jabari Walker and Justin Edwards factor into the rotation at all?

While it’s imperative for the starting five to develop chemistry—after all, they’ll be playing the lion’s share of the minutes if (when?) the Sixers make it to the playoffs—Nurse needs to lean into his experimental side during the regular season, especially early on. The Sixers will have an opportunity to address any holes in their roster at the trade deadline or on the buyout market, but they first need to identify their biggest needs before looking to rectify them.

Luckily, Nurse’s experience with integrating Kawhi Leonard into the 2018-19 Raptors could help him this season.

“Nurse was brought in to deliver outside-the-box thinking to a group that had grown stagnant, and accordingly, he was all over the map in his first go-around,” William Lou of Yahoo Sports wrote in 2019. “He treated the entire regular season as one great experiment, shuffling through 22 different starting lineups while managing a never-ending slew of injuries.” (Sound familiar?)

“The Raptors lacked the consistency and continuity that powered them under [former head coach Dwane] Casey, but it was a concerted sacrifice made in the name of versatility,” Lou added. “The ability to adapt was thought to be an advantage come playoff time.”

During his introductory press conference with the Raptors, Nurse specifically said that he wanted to get more creative defensively “so we can try to be ready for more things in the playoffs.” The box-and-one in the 2019 Finals was a total wild card, but Nurse used a double-big lineup with Serge Ibaka and Marc Gasol in the Raptors’ second-round series against the Sixers to flip the script after they fell into a 2-1 hole.

The Sixers will face a variety of threats throughout the Eastern Conference this year, all of whom present different challenges. The Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers will all trot out double-big lineups, while elite guards and wings and a five-out starting unit will be the New York Knicks’ calling card. Befitting their name, the Pacers figure to push the pace and overwhelm opponents with depth, while the Boston Celtics will once again likely look to leverage the math battle by bombing away from deep.

The Sixers need to be prepared for all of the stylistic challenges that their potential playoff opponents can present. The regular season is an 82-game crucible to get them ready for that. While they need to focus on winning as many games as possible for playoff-seeding purposes, using the same lineups and combinations night after night won’t do much to get them ready for the postseason.

In 2022, Ujiri described Nurse as a “mad scientist” who “lives, sleeps and drinks the game.” He’s had plenty of time this offseason to be in his lab figuring out the best ways to deploy the new talent he has at his disposal. In a few weeks, we’ll get to see what he’s cooked up.

Unless otherwise noted, all stats via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball Reference. All salary information via Spotrac and salary-cap information via RealGM.

Follow Bryan on Bluesky.

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Guardians Fans Should Not Be Objective About Jose Ramirez

BALTIMORE, MD - SEPTEMBER 09: José Ramírez #11 of the Cleveland Guardians is unable to catch a foul ball during the sixth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 9, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) | Getty Images

You don’t have to be an expert baseball analyst to see that Jose Ramirez is not his old self.

Last night, Jose’s OPS dipped below .700 for the first time since the Cavaliers still had never won an NBA title. He has a .591 OPS since returning from hamate surgery. Now, prior to surgery, Jose was not his usual self in actual production with a 111 wRC+ but his xwOBA of .354 was in line with his production from 2024-2025. He wasn’t hitting as usual pulled-fly-balls as usual, but everything else looked about normal. And, who knows exactly how long the hamate has been bothering him.

Since returning, Jose continues to have an elite eye at the plate with a 10/9 K/BB% and elite baserunning… but his power is completely gone and he has had some concerning defensive issues (last night’s drop of a pop-up foul, included). The power being gone seems very clearly explained by his hamate issue; his strength has not yet returned and likely will not until next season. The defensive issues… my guess is Jose is carrying his disappointment with him into the field, which, while understandable, does need to improve.

So, what should we think about this?

First of all, if you are looking at Jose and angry because you believe he does not care or is not trying… you can kick rocks. He clearly cares as much as always… probably caring too much is part of his problem.

Second of all, if you believe Jose should be benched, you need to go research the results of hamate surgery for older players and look at how to root for aging faces of the franchise. I swear to you if I hear any of you boo Jose, I will personally curse you so that both sides of your pillow are perpetually uncomfortably moist and warm.

José Ramírez chose us when no other superstar in the history of any Cleveland sport would have done what he did in extending here in 2022. He is Cleveland baseball. He will return to being a great player in 2027 (provided there is a season). Don’t abandon a future hall of famer at the first sign of trouble and make yourself look like an idiot when he shows you he’s not washed in short order.

Should José be batting third right now? No. Should he probably be on the IL? Maybe. Should we support him and believe in him and make excuses for him because he loves us like no other Cleveland athlete ever has. Absolutely.

So, get your act together, Guardians’ fans. Stay in Jose’s corner with the kind of grit and stubbornness he and our city are famous for.

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Thursday Morning Links

May 11, 2010; Arlington, TX, USA; Texas Rangers Elvis Andrus (1) lays down a sacrafice bunt in the fifth inning against the Oakland Athletics at Rangers Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Morning, all!

Sebastian Walcott has been setting the Texas League on fire but has been limited to DH as he recovers from an internal brace procedure performed in February. The plan is for him to return to the field for the playoffs and then play in the Carrinean this winter. League

Nathan Eovaldi is chomping at the bit to return to the Rangers active roster, where he will likely be limited to a relief role in the final stretch.

If the Rangers are going to make the playoffs they need Wyatt Langford to get his poop together.

Yolfran Castillo is knocking at the door of of MLB top prospect lists on the strength of his speed, defense, and maturing plate approach.

Cody Bradford collected his fourth straight loss last night after giving up three runs in four innings.

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MLB Player Props & Best Bets for Today, September 10

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It may be a quiet slate across the Majors today, but I've found value in my MLB player props analysis. 

I'm eyeing Max Fried and Zack Wheeler to both deal, while Tristan Peters will stay hot at the dish against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Read more in my MLB picks for Thursday, Sept. 10. 

Best MLB player props today

Player PickOdds
Yankees Max FriedUnder 1.5 earned runs-104
PhilliesZack WheelerUnder 1.5 earned runs+104
White Sox Tristan PetersOver 0.5 hits-138

Max Fried Under 1.5 earned runs (-104)

Max Fried has been dealing for the New York Yankees. He owns a 2.47 xERA over his last two starts, and the left-hander is consistently limiting damage. 

Fried has allowed Under 1.5 earned runs in five consecutive appearances while also pitching deep into games. The 32-year-old gets a favorable matchup against the Colorado Rockies tonight, who have one of the worst lineups in baseball. 

Colorado also has a poor 80 wRC+ against left-handed pitchers. Expect Fried to twirl another gem. 

Play this comfortably up to -130. 

  • Time: 7:05 p.m. ET
  • Where to watch: YES, Rockies.TV

Zack Wheeler Under 1.5 earned runs (+104)

Zack Wheeler has had his struggles at times this season, but the right-hander has found a rhythm, and he's looked unhittable. Wheeler has posted a solid 2.95 xERA over his last two outings with strong command and minimal home run damage. 

He has surrendered just one earned run in each of his previous two appearances and now faces a Houston Astros lineup today that has just an 84 wRC+ over the previous two weeks. 

Wheeler has also limited opponents to a 22.2% hard-hit rate recently. He's inducing weak contact and pounding the strike zone, making this a perfect spot to keep up his recent dominance. 

Play down to -110. 

  • Time: 1:05 p.m. ET
  • Where to watch: NBC Sports Philadelphia, SCHN

Tristan Peters Over 0.5 hits (-138)

Tristan Peters has been a consistent offensive force for the Chicago White Sox. The Canadian outfielder is batting .400 over the last week, and he's cashed the Over in hits in four of his previous five contests. 

Peters will face Jared Jones tonight, and while the right-hander has limited damage lately, he's still allowed a 40.7% hard-hit rate across his last two starts.

Jones has been more vulnerable on the road as well, and the Pittsburgh Pirates' bullpen isn't untouchable, either. 

Peters' recent 55.6% hard-hit rate just adds more fuel to this pick. 

Play up to -150. 

  • Time: 7:40 p.m. ET
  • Where to watch: CHSN, SportsNet Pittsburgh
Quinn Allen's 2026 Transparency Record
  • Prop picks: 12-12, -1.80

Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
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Jackson Merrill carries Padres to sweep of Nationals

San Diego, CA - September 9: Jackson Merrill #3 of the San Diego Padres hits a two-run triple in the third inning against the Washington Nationals looks on at Petco Park on September 9, 2026 in San Diego, CA. (Photo by K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images)

The high-leverage arms in the San Diego Padres bullpen of Bradgley Rodriguez, Adrian Morejon and Mason Miller needed a day to sit and watch a game without having to warmup and without having to come into the game to protect and/or save another one-run game. Jackson Merrill gave them that day with a 4-for-5 performance at the plate with two home runs, a triple and six RBI to lead the Padres to a 9-2 win and series sweep over the Washington Nationals at Petco Park on Thursday.

Merrill made his first impact in game in the bottom of the third inning with San Diego trailing Washington, 2-1 with runners at first and second with two outs. Merrill drove a ball to center field that caused Nationals center fielder Jacob Young to crash into the wall before he could make the catch near the 396 marker. The ball bounced off the wall and rolled back toward the infield as Merrill raced into third base with a two-run triple to give the Padres a 3-2 lead.

The young star struck again in the bottom of the fifth inning with San Diego leading, 5-2. Merrill connected on an opposite field two-run home run to put the Padres up 7-2. He later added a second home run to lead off the bottom of the seventh inning to give San Diego and 8-2 lead. For good measure, Merrill ripped a ball toward first base in the bottom of the eighth inning and Washington first baseman Andres Chaparro was unable to make a play and the ball rolled into right field to give the Padres their final run of the game and a 9-2 lead en route to the win.

Walker Buehler started on the mound for San Diego and turned in his worst start in recent memory. Padres manager Craig Stammen went out to the mound in the third inning with Buehler struggling to locate his pitches after he retired the first six Nationals in order, four of which were strikeouts. Buehler then allowed a leadoff home run to Keibert Ruiz to put Washington up, 1-0. Buehler then allowed a walk to Nasim Nunez, a single to Young and another walk to James Wood to load the bases. The right-hander induced a line drive to right field off the bat of Dylan Crews which should have been caught, but Jase Bowen fell trying to make a play on the ball and it dropped in for an RBI single to put the Nationals ahead 2-0 with the bases still loaded and no outs.

Buehler got Chaparro to pop out for the first out of the top of the third inning, but then Stammen went out to talk to his pitcher. Buehler had apparently convinced Stammen to let him stay in the game and as the manager started to walk away from the mound he was advised that was the team’s second visit to the mound in the inning and he would have to make a pitching change. Kyle Hart had been warming and was able to come into the game and record a strikeout and a fly out to end the threat and the inning, but Buehler’s day was over after 2.1 innings pitched with two runs allowed on three hits with two walks and four strikeouts.

The remainder of the game was handled like a “pitching chaos” bullpen game for San Diego. Hart completed 2.1 innings and was followed by David Morgan who worked 0.1 inning. Yuki Matsui pitched a scoreless sixth inning and Wandy Peralta threw two scoreless innings in the seventh and eighth. Griffin Canning was called on for the top of the ninth inning and he retired the Washington batters in order on 11 pitches to close out the game.

The Padres have an off day today, but will return to action on the road against the San Francisco Giants for a three-game series at Oracle Park starting Friday at 7:15 p.m.

Padres News:

Baseball News:

  • The Atlanta Braves got beat 7-2 by the Tampa Bay Rays in Reynaldo Lopez’s return to the rotation.

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CJ Abrams is having another disappointing late season collapse for the Washington Nationals

SAN DIEGO, CA - SEPTEMBER 08: CJ Abrams #5 of Washington Nationals looks on during the game between the Washington Nationals and the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on Tuesday, September 8, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Ryan Levy/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

Heading into the season, one of the main questions CJ Abrams had to answer was whether he could sustain his production over a full season. In 2024 and 2025, Abrams was phenomenal before the All-Star break before fading down the stretch. This season, he had his best first half yet, with a .275 average and .862 OPS which made him the starting shortstop in the All-Star game. 

Unlike previous years, Abrams got off to a red hot start in the second half. His performances late in July actually helped him win player of the month. It looked like Abrams was finally delivering a full season of excellence. However, he has fallen on hard times lately.

A lot of Nats players have been impacted by the trade deadline and the season going down the tubes, but none more than Abrams. Since the deadline, Abrams is hitting an abysmal .171 with a .536 OPS. That is just not a month you can be having if you are a star player.

Abrams has obviously had his second half slumps before, which we will get into. However, one thing that makes this run unique is just how much he is striking out. In August, Abrams stuck out over 35% of the time, which is not something I would associate with him. It is actually the most he has struck out in a month his entire MLB career.

When Abrams slumped in the past, we tended to see a lot of weak contact. Right now, he just is not making consistent contact at all. It feels like he is trying to break out of his slump with one swing, when he should be trying to just rack up base hits. 

Watching Abrams come up to the plate is honestly something I dread right now. It is not even because I am mad, it is more out of sadness. Abrams is a player I really like and is so fun to watch when he is on his game. Seeing him strike out in big spots over and over is just a real bummer.

We all know that Abrams is a streaky player, but this month was extreme even by his standards. The 40 wRC+ he posted this August is the second worst since becoming a full time big leaguer and the worst of any second half month. He has had second half struggles in the past, but none of those months were as bad as this one.

When Abrams’ name was in trade rumors at the deadline, I did not want to move him unless there was a godfather offer. That seemed to be the same line of thinking the front office had. In hindsight, maybe the deadline was the perfect time to move him. They already sold off a lot of what made this offense great, so why not move Abrams as well.

For the Nats to keep Abrams into next season, there needs to be a clear plan to build a playoff team by 2028. After this deadline, that still feels far off, especially if Abrams can’t carry his weight in the second half. If they trade Abrams this offseason, you are not going to get the kind of return you would have received at the deadline.

At that time, Abrams had an extra half season of control and was exercising his second half demons. However, old habits tend to die hard and Abrams is falling back into his old ways. He just does not look right physically or mentally.

One thing that absolutely seems to have taken a toll on him is the position change. On August 14th, it was announced that Abrams would be moving to second base, something he did not sound happy about when he talked to the media. Since August 15th, Abrams is hitting .118 with a .390 OPS. He is 9 for 76 with 29 strikeouts.  

Abrams has to take some blame for this, but it does not seem like the position change has gone down well. The timing of the move seemed odd and it is not aging well. If the idea was to show other teams Abrams can play second to boost his trade value, the idea backfired. The move has played a role in muting his offense, thus lowering that value.

As I said, Abrams deserves blame for letting this throw him off his game. He is a professional and needs to be a team player. However, all of this just seems like an unforced error that did not need to happen.

What could have been a special season for Abrams is once again ending on a sour note. He still has 30 homers and 28 steals, but his numbers have really gone in the tank. When July ended, Abrams had a .290 average and .930 OPS. Today, CJ Abrams now has a .259 average and .827 OPS. 

That .930 OPS was over his true talent level and we had to expect regression. However, it is very disappointing to see Abrams totally go in the tank down the stretch. He is getting better every year, but we always end seasons with more questions than answers.

With a career 56 wRC+ in August and 84 wRC+ in September, this might just be who Abrams is. The only thing that is holding me back from saying that outright is the kinds of teams he has been on. Over the last three seasons, the Nats have been a pretty sad team down the stretch.

Abrams is clearly a player who thrives off good vibes and confidence. With everything collapsing around him, it is tough to have those things. If he were actually on a team that was competitive in September, I do not think the collapses would be this bad. 

However, that is just a theory right now. At some point, Abrams has to go out there and prove he can perform at even an average level the last two months of the season. If Abrams wants to consider himself a superstar that deserves a massive payday, he cannot perform like this down the stretch.

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Astros vs Phillies Prediction, Picks & Odds for Today's MLB Game

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Philadelphia (64%) is a sizable favorite to take the series finale against Houston as I make my Astros vs. Phillies predictions and MLB picks for Thursday, Sept. 10.

The Phillies are 8-2 with a 2.5-run average margin of victory in home games with Zack Wheeler on the mound, and I'm expecting that success to continue tonight.

Who will win Astros vs Phillies today: Philadelphia Phillies (63%)

For help understanding probabilities, see our odds calculator.

Zack Wheeler appears to have rebounded after a mid-season rough patch. He posted an xERA of 3.14 in three of the past four starts, and Wheeler is in a good spot to build on that against the Houston Astros.

They sit 28th in xwOBA against right-handed pitching in September, and rank dead-last over the past 30 games.

Cristian Javier has found his footing as well, but five of his past six starts came against teams ranking in the bottom 10 in OPS vs. righties (the Philadelphia Phillies are 18th).

Play this to 66%.

Covers COVERS INTEL:Zack Wheeler ranks in the 90th percentile in pitching run value, giving the Phillies a clear advantage on the mound.

Astros vs Phillies Over/Under pick: Under 8.5 (50%)

I don’t see either team producing a ceiling performance at the plate.

The Astros are 26th in hard-hit rate and 28th in squared-up contact against righties this month. They’re not stringing together many damaging swings.

While the Phillies have been generating more hard-hit balls, they’re not finding barrels. Only the Guardians rank below the Phillies in barrels versus righties in September.

Javier’s pitching profile has improved drastically of late, but he's still struggling to limit home runs. The matchup should help.

Play to 53%.

Astros vs Phillies home run prediction: Bryce Harper (22%)

Fastballs and changeups account for nearly 70% of what Javier throws against left-handed hitters. That should play into Bryce Harper's hands, as he's gone nuclear when facing those two pitches this season.

Harper has hit .354 with an xwOBA of nearly .500. More importantly, his barrel rate sits at 17.2% and his xSLG has cleared .700. 

He consistently hammers those pitches, and Harper will see a steady diet of fastballs and changeups with Javier on the mound.

Todd Cordell's 2026 Transparency Record
  • ML/RL bets: 106-92, -7.4 units
  • Over/Under bets: 101-91-6, -2.61 units

Astros vs Phillies weather

Temperatures in the low 80s are expected, with winds blowing left to right. That's a boost to the bats. 

Astros vs Phillies odds

  • Moneyline: Astros 38% | Phillies 63%
  • Run line: Astros +1.5 (55%) | Phillies -1.5 (46%)
  • Over/Under: Over 8.5 (51%) | Under 8.5 (50%)

Astros vs Phillies trend

Philadelphia has hit the moneyline in 18 of the last 24 games (+10.80 units, 29% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Astros vs. Phillies.

How to watch Astros vs Phillies and game info

LocationCitizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA
DateThursday, September 10, 2026
First pitch1:05 p.m. ET
TVNBC
Astros starting pitcherCristian Javier
(2-5, 5.98 ERA)
Phillies starting pitcherZack Wheeler
(12-5, 3.24 ERA)

Astros vs Phillies latest injuries

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The biggest decision of the year for White Sox management is coming right up

How happily Chris Getz and Will Venable end the season may well depend on one upcoming decision. | Getty Images

Anybody in sports management has to make a lot of decisions that may or may not pan out. GM Chris Getz made some last offseason that went well, and some at the trade deadline that have proven dismal. Manager Will Venable has to make decisions in-game that may or may not work that particular day, like the lineup, pitching changes and substitutions, not to mention all his off-field management of the team.

But even in a year that has wildly exceeded expectations even if they go 0-for-the-rest-of-the-season, the White Sox have one decision coming up that could ruin all the goodwill amassed so far, or make them heroes nigh on forever — or at least until next season, whenever that may be.

That decision is what to do about Sean Burke.

There’s no question the ace of the staff is struggling. He was just absolutely pounded by the Pirates, but he’s had a hard time of it for a month. Even in the only start with a good finishing line, allowing no runs to Houston, it took him 104 pitches to get through 5 2/3 innings.

Something has to be done. But what?

Well, that’s why Getz and Venable get paid the big bucks.

Burke is obviously out of gas. Not all pitchers indicate so by a drop in velocity — some, like Burke, lose command and/or sharpness instead. He’s already 22 innings beyond his total for 2025, and Steve Stone says you can increase a pitcher’s workload from year to year but usually not by much. Stone also points out that it’s not just how many innings or pitches you throw, but the pressure under which you’re working — and the pressure of performing as the ace of a team with a narrow division lead is a whole lot different than just being another guy on a team heading to 100 losses.

Midseason, you could afford to rest him. But with just 18 games to go — three more turns through the rotation for him — and just a two-game lead on Cleveland for the AL Central title and 1 1/2 games on the Astros for the No. 2 playoff seed — how do you do that?

There are two directions to go.

You can realize that without a long rest Burke will be useless in the playoffs, potentially leaving the Sox with no starting pitcher they can really rely on in the postseason, and so find him a handy blister like the one that put Davis Martin on the 15-day IL and bring him back for one appearance to warm up before the playoffs. But that could very well mean not making the playoffs — so the point would be lost.

Or, you can decide that without Burke for the rest of the regular season you’re apt to fade out of playoff status, and keep him in the rotation and hope for the best. Even if he is totally tanked, if you somehow get to the postseason anyway, you can still claim, “We made the playoffs, we made the playoffs!” no matter what happens at that point.

With a loaded staff, the decision to rest Burke would be easy. But while the bullpen rates first place in Baseball-Reference’s Wins Above Average by Position (and is itself starting to look very tired), the starters are on the fade. After his restful IL stint, Martin came back with a strong game in Houston — but that’s one game, which may or may not be indicative of how he’ll be the rest of the season (this is written before he faced the Pirates). Anthony Kay is showing a lot of wear and tear, getting through three innings or so looking like Sandy Koufax, but then getting shelled in the fourth or fifth every time. Luis Castillo, the alleged innings-eater, has proven to be an over-the-hill huge mistake. José Urquidy has been awful except for one game, and is apparently now hurt.

That leaves Erick Fedde as the ace if Burke is out. Fedde has been OK since being reinstated from the bullpen in mid-August (maybe a nice rest there helped), with six runs in 21 2/3 innings in five starts or pseudo-starts. But do you really want to depend on Fedde in a big game?

Of course, rest Burke and you need to either really stretch out Hagen Smith before he’s ready, tax your already-tired relievers with regular bullpen games, or bring up someone from Charlotte. Several of the minor leaguers have thrown well … in the minors, that is. In brief stints with the Sox, not so much.

The choices don’t appear attractive. But decisions have to be made.

What say, Will and Chris?

And, for that matter, handed control of the team, what would say you?

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Sixers pre-camp questions: Will Sixers be healthy when it matters most?

Sixers pre-camp questions: Will Sixers be healthy when it matters most? originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Sixers’ new era is on deck.

With LeBron James and Jaylen Brown on board and training camp set to begin in late September, we’re taking a look at key questions for the 2026-27 Sixers. 

We’ve asked: 

Just how dramatic of an impact will James make?

What role will Brown play on his new team?

Next up: Will the Sixers be healthy when it matters most? 

Joel Embiid is naturally the first name to cover with the Sixers’ health picture.

Embiid last exceeded 40 regular-season games in his 2022-23 MVP year. He played 38 last season, then missed the first three games of the Sixers’ first-round playoff series against the Celtics as he recovered from an appendectomy and sat out Game 2 of Round 2 vs. the Knicks because of ankle and hip injuries.

As many Sixers fans have seen, Embiid has been on the court and looked in excellent physical shape this offseason. Embiid has indeed been moving well and feeling good about his summer, a team source recently said. The organization is optimistic about his health and mobility in the season ahead. 

We’ll see exactly how the team handles his games and minutes this year. It would certainly be a surprise to see Embiid play back-to-backs again off the bat. The Sixers plan to have a fluid approach with Embiid as the season progresses and they see what works for his body and for the team. On head coach Nick Nurse’s 2018-19 NBA champion Raptors, Kawhi Leonard played in 60 games and zero back-to-backs.Toronto went 9-3 on the second leg of back-to-backs. The Sixers had a great year in that regard last season, going 12-4 on the second night of back-to-backs, and would be thrilled with similar results in the 2026-27 campaign as they manage their star-packed roster. 

Sixers vice president of athlete care Simon Rice has worked closely with Embiid, who credited him after scoring 40 points in the team’s Jan. 31 win over the Pelicans. 

“We figured out the schedule,” Embiid said, “and what I have to do every single day to make sure I’m prepared and that I feel good. … Simon Rice, he’s been the main guy when it comes to everything. I would say probably everybody mostly gave up on me. 

“He’s the one guy who kept trying to figure it out. What can we do? How can he help me? I’m really thankful because he was that one person. He’s in the background. No one is ever going to mention his name and talk about him, but he’s the guy.” 

James played 60 games last season and averaged a career-low 33.2 minutes. Like with Embiid, the Sixers will care more about his playoff availability than the regular season. Of course, James has developed an exceptional understanding of how to treat his body and get through seasons over the years. He’ll turn 42 years old during the regular season and will undoubtedly have periodic rest with the postseason in mind. 

Tyrese Maxey’s norm the past three years with Nurse has been enormous minutes. He played an NBA-high 38.0 per game last season. Whatever that number is for the 2026-27 season, the Sixers will expect Maxey’s minutes to be substantially less taxing with two new stars on the team in James and Brown. 

Maxey logged 70 games last year, though he returned from a pinky finger injury ahead of schedule late in the season, aggravated it multiple times, and wasn’t near 100 percent in the playoffs. The two-time All-Star guard will always push to play, but it’s worth remembering that nagging, recurring injuries have impacted him before and the Sixers would obviously prefer to avoid those sorts of problems in 2026-27. 

The Sixers are pleased with their depth, including second-unit summer pickups Anfernee Simons and Dean Wade, but any team can be stretched thin when injuries pile up. They’ll try to control what they can health-wise and hope for better luck than in injury-cursed years past.

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Maple Leafs Join Hockey Community In Mourning The Passing Of Barry Melrose

The Toronto Maple Leafs are mourning one of their own, while joining the rest of rhe hockey world in remembering Barry Melrose.

The former  defenceman from Kelvington, Sask., who later became the most recognizable hockey voice in the United States, died Wednesday at 70 after a three-year fight with Parkinson’s disease. 

The club issued a statement late Wednesday night calling him a “hard-nosed defenceman” who played 173 of his 300 NHL games in Toronto and later “informed and entertained hockey fans all over the world.”

Melrose arrived in Toronto mid-season in 1980-81 after a stop with the Winnipeg Jets. Over three seasons he piled up 420 penalty minutes in a Leafs sweater, skating alongside Börje Salming and Darryl Sittler early on and later under Punch Imlach

A decade later he came back to Maple Leaf Gardens as the enemy.

In his first season as an NHL head coach, the 36-year-old Melrose took Wayne Gretzky, Luc Robitaille and the Los Angeles Kings all the way to the 1993 Stanley Cup Final. First they had to get past Toronto. The Campbell Conference Final went seven games and remains one of the most crushing playoff defeats of the Leafs’ 1990s. After the teams split the first six, Gretzky scored the winner in Game 7 at the Gardens. An all-Canadian Final against Montreal vanished in a night. The series was defined by Marty McSorley’s hit on Doug Gilmour and the brawl that followed,  a moment Melrose later said “won us the series.” For a generation of Leafs fans, that night still sits in the same drawer as 1993 itself. Los Angeles then fell to Patrick Roy and the Canadiens in five games.

That was the last great chapter of Melrose the coach. The next one made him bigger than any team he ever ran.

From 1996 until his 2023 retirement, Melrose was ESPN’s hockey guy. He became the face of the sport for millions of American viewers who otherwise might never have found hockey. He worked All-Star Games, playoffs and Stanley Cup Finals. When ESPN did not hold NHL rights, he still showed up on SportsCenter and sold the game anyway. 

Colleagues called him a hockey original. Gretzky said he was “bigger than any team.” Commissioner Gary Bettman noted that Melrose “cut an unmistakable figure” and spent decades making the sport bigger in the United States

He left the studio briefly in 2008 for a 16-game stint behind the Tampa Bay Lightning bench, then returned. He stepped away for good after the Parkinson’s diagnosis, saying it was time to focus on his health and his family, wife Cindy and sons Tyrell and Adrien.

We at the The Hockey News pass along our condolences to the Melrose family.

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Move over, Phil Jackson. It’s time for Lakers to honor Jerry Buss with overdue honor

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows A person signing a memorial poster of Dr. Jerry Buss with other tributes and messages, Image 2 shows Jerry Buss smiling and waving at his Hollywood Walk of Fame star ceremony

The timing of the Lakers announcing they’re going to unveil a statue of legendary coach Phil Jackson made a lot of sense. 

The franchise was less than seven months removed from immortalizing Pat Riley, one of the last key figures of the Lakers’ “Showtime” era who hadn’t been honored with a statue up until that point (James Worthy is also deserving of a statue). 

A fan signs a display of Dr. Jerry Buss after his memorial service outside the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live in Los Angeles, California, on Feb. 21, 2013. Getty Images

With Shaquille O’Neal (2017) and Kobe Bryant (2024) already having statues outside of Crypto.com Arena, it made sense for the Lakers to honor Jackson, one of the masterminds from their last dynasty in the 2000s.

And with the Lakers on the cusp of a new era and on the verge of changing majority ownership for the second time in a year, this much is clear: It’s time for the Lakers to honor the late Dr. Jerry Buss with a statue. 

Buss’ worthiness of a statue doesn’t need to be argued. 

He’s not only the greatest owner in NBA history but he also has a strong argument for the greatest franchise owner in sports history. 

After Buss purchased the Lakers from Jack Kent Cooke for $67.5 million (the deal also included the NHL’s Kings and the Forum in Inglewood), the franchise went on a historic run before Buss died in 2013: 10 NBA titles, 16 Western Conference titles and 32 playoff appearances in 34 years. 

In addition to the success off the court, Buss revolutionized the business side of the NBA in myriad ways, changing how sports franchises throughout the world present and operate their teams. 

Buss was a cultural and sports icon. 

And the person responsible for the Lakers being an iconic franchise who welcomed other iconic individuals — including many who will be or have been honored with a statue from the Lakers.

Now, it should be his turn. 

Especially during the period the franchise is in. 

After Buss was the Lakers’ majority owner for nearly 34 years, and his children were the majority owners of the franchise for another 12 years, the Lakers are in the process of being sold for the second time since last summer. 

Jerry Buss is honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Hollywood Blvd. in Hollywood, California. WireImage

Mark Walter, the Dodgers’ controlling owner, bought the majority ownership of the Lakers from the Buss family in June 2025 at a then-record valuation of $10 billion. 

Fourteen months later, amid Walter’s business empire facing a federal investigation into potential loan fraud and business wrongdoings, he sold the majority ownership of the Lakers to businessman Josh Kushner and ex-Disney executive Bob Iger at the historic valuation of $12.5 billion.

And in the aftermath of the latest sale, five of Buss’ children (Jim, Johnny, Janie, Joey and Jesse Buss) attempted to sell the family’s remaining stake of the Lakers (17.8%), but Lakers Governor Jeanie Buss filed a petition in Los Angeles Superior Court to block her siblings’ attempted sale of their minority ownership stake of the franchise.

With a court hearing not set until Dec. 8, the Buss family’s future with the franchise is uncertain. 

And with there not being a track record of a sports franchise being led by Kushner and Iger, the franchise’s overall future is unknown. 

But a great way for Kushner and Iger to ingratiate themselves with Lakers fans would be to honor the icon responsible for the empire they’re taking control of. 

It would be an immortalization that’s long overdue.

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How would you use Jesús Luzardo in a potential Wild Card series?

Sep 7, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Jesús Luzardo (44) throws a pitch during the ninth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Jesús Luzardo has been one of the best pitchers in baseball the second half of this season. After being awarded NL Pitcher of the Month for August with a 3-0 record and 1.31 ERA, Luzardo began September with the first complete game shutout of his career. His step forward into becoming an elite starter has given the Phillies an enviable rotation as the postseason creeps closer.

In fact, that rotation gives them some options on how the team could opt to deploy it in the postseason. Nothing is clinched yet, but it appears likely that the Phillies will be playing in the Wild Card series, with their most likely opponent being the Chicago Cubs. Earlier this week, Matt Gelb of the Athletic broke down the reasoning for using Luzardo out of the bullpen in Game 1 of that potential series. Below is an excerpt of Gelb’s reasoning:

“If Luzardo were to sit in the bullpen for Game 1 and pitch on what would normally be his day for a side bullpen session, he could still start a potential Game 3. It’s asking a lot, but a three-game series calls for extreme tactics. In an ideal world, the Phillies could craft a plan in which their Game 1 starter records 17 or 18 outs with Luzardo and Jhoan Duran being asked to secure the final nine or 10 outs.”-Matt Gelb in the Athletic

It’s an interesting proposition, as the Phillies’ struggles with building a bridge to Jhoan Duran have been evident this season. That’s even before taking into consideration the fact that their bullpen has been one of the major culprits in some of their early postseason exits in recent seasons.

The Phillies best chance to win a postseason series, especially a short Wild Card series, would be to use their bullpen outside of Duran as little as possible. Deploying Luzardo there gives them that ability to do just that. That would of course mean that Luzardo would not start Game 1 despite possibly being the hottest hand, but as Gelb notes, it would not preclude him from starting a potential Game 3 or Game 1 of the NLDS. Luzardo also has experience pitching out of the bullpen in the postseason, as he did it in last year’s NLDS against the Dodgers when he threw 1.2 innings in extras and was charged with one unearned run.

So, how would you use Jesús Luzardo in a potential Wild Card series?