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Almost two months ago, Paul Toboni made local product Chris Hacopian his first draft pick. He took the Maryland and Texas A&M slugger 11th overall thanks to his intriguing blend of hitting ability, plate discipline and raw power. About a month into Hacopian’s professional career, he has been as advertised for better or worse.

Baseball America wrote an article where they checked in on the top 30 picks from the 2026 draft. Hacopian’s section had some very interesting details. They wrote that he had the highest 90th percentile exit velocity at 106 MPH and the lowest in zone swing and miss rate at 9.8%. That sort of power combined with elite contact skills and a good approach is a rare commodity.

Despite those highly impressive metrics, Hacopian’s actual production at High-A has been solid but not eye popping. He is hitting .275 with a .396 OBP and a .746 OPS. Hacopian is holding his own in a tough Wilmington hitting environment. However, he is also not dominating through his first 13 games.

There is one big reason for that and it is his batted ball profile. Hacopian hits a lot of ground balls and low line drives. He also very rarely pulls the baseball, especially not in the air. 87.6% of Hacopian’s batted balls are either going up the middle or the other way. His ground ball rate is also 48.4%. 

For Hacopian to turn his impressive exit velocities into actual power production, that will have to change. This is not a massive surprise though. Hacopian’s batted ball profile was always seen as the weak point of an otherwise very strong offensive profile. This offseason, I would imagine that this will be a big point of emphasis for him. The Nats new regime has also proven to be able to help hitters elevate and pull more often.

Luis Garcia Jr., Jacob Young and even Dylan Crews have all seen major drops in their ground ball rates. On the minor league side of things, Seaver King is an example of a player who is elevating the baseball a lot more. As we go into next season, I think we will see Hacopian take steps in that regard.

On the rare occasions that Hacopian does pull the ball in the air, he does a ton of damage. His first pro home run was a no doubt shot to left field. When Hacopian does turn on the ball, it is a beautiful thing to watch. He leaves little doubt when he gets all of a baseball.

If Hacopian can optimize his batted balls, there are really not a lot of holes in his game. As we have talked about, he hits the ball very hard and rarely whiffs. The 22 year old is also very disciplined, especially for a hitter that makes so much contact. In his first taste of pro ball, Hacopian is only chasing 22.7% of the time. 

While Hacopian was seen by many as a floor over ceiling pick, I actually disagree in some ways. If he reaches his offensive ceiling, Hacopian can flirt with being a .300 hitter while hitting 25 homers. That is All-Star level production. However, there is quite a bit of pressure on his bat due to his limited defense and lack of athleticism.

So far, Hacopian has been about what we expected coming out of college. He puts together great at bats, makes a ton of contact and hits the ball hard. All the pieces of a great hitter are here. However, he needs some more refinement is needed to reach his ceiling.

Hacopian is a player I cannot wait to see next season. If he makes strides with his batted ball profile, he could have the ability to move very quickly. An early 2028 or even late 2027 call up is not totally out of the picture. 

Chris Hacopian is a pure hitter, and he has shown that in the minors. Just like his entire career, Hacopian’s strikeout and walk numbers are pristine. In 40 AB’s he has 8 strikeouts and 8 walks. That is a staple of his game and it is a profile I cannot wait to see in the big leagues.

In his pro career, Chris Hacopian has looked the part. His numbers do not jump off the page, but when you look into the underlying data, you see why the Nats drafted him. The Maryland kid has a rare combination of skills that will make him a joy to watch in the batters box.

The Yankees can use all the relief pitching help they can get these days. Due to injuries, it seems like they are always improvising to fill the unit with reliable arms, signing or claiming guys such as Justin Topa (already DFA’d), Michael Fulmer, and John Schreiber in the last week or so.

They need some stability in the mid-to-late innings. Fortunately, one of their homegrown guys is getting ready and shaping up as an option at the right time: Clarke Schmidt. At the moment, Cam Schlittler, Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón, Max Fried, Will Warren, and Elmer Rodríguez are ahead of the 2017 first-round pick in the rotation depth chart, with Ryan Weathers potentially rejoining the staff in a few weeks, too. That’s why the organization has already said Schmidt is ticketed for the bullpen when he returns.

To be fair, that’s probably where he’s needed the most. The Yankees’ rotation is better than their bullpen, and they could certainly use an established starter with (successful) relief pitching experience to get through some of the toughest outs in the late innings.

Schmidt, who moved his rehab to Triple-A and pitched two solid innings in which he allowed one run and struck out three on Wednesday, already had a strong season as a bullpen piece back in 2022. That year, he pitched 29 games, starting just three, and posted a 3.12 ERA and a 3.60 FIP in 57.2 innings. He walked 23 and struck out 56.

While it’s true that Schmidt didn’t have a good postseason that year, allowing three runs (and two homers) in three games and 2.1 innings, he is much more mature at this point in his career. After that showing, he has logged three seasons as a starter with mixed but mostly positive results.

A role in relief would allow Schmidt to throw harder in short spurts and maybe focus on some specific pitches, such as the cutter, the knuckle curve, the slider, and the sweeper, with a few four-seamers sprinkled in.

After posting a 26.3 percent strikeout rate in 2024 and a 23.1 mark last year as a starter, Schmidt has some exciting strikeout potential as a reliever, throwing fewer innings at max effort, with the pitching know-how he has gotten over the years. God knows the Yankees need someone who can get some swings and misses in the back of the bullpen.

It’s unclear if manager Aaron Boone will use him as a traditional one-inning reliever or as a multi-inning weapon, but he can thrive in any role. For that to happen, however, he needs to get through his rehab without any setbacks.

Before the two solid frames he racked up on Wednesday for the RailRiders, he had only pitched one game in Double-A, surrendering two runs in 0.2 frames. He is still working his way back from a long layoff following elbow surgery last year, and it stands to reason that he could be rusty whenever he returns to the bigs.

Since Schmidt won’t be starting this year, or at least that’s not the plan at the moment, he is not expected to need too many additional rehab appearances before being ready for activation. In fact, depending on how he feels, there’s a tiny chance his next outing comes in the majors, even though it’s unlikely.

He’ll probably return to starting next year. For now, however, he will help a unit that has the best ERA in the league this season at 3.08, but was 11th with a 3.67 mark in August. As good as the relief corps has been as a whole, the group clearly could use support now, and Schmidt is solid bet to provide it.

We have a very early game today. Living in the west, I hate these games cause they get in the way of what I’d normally be doing. But then, today I don’t feel like doing anything. I have been going to gym a fair bit lately, as I’m playing squash this winter, and I’ve reached the age where it is pretty tough on the body and I have to be in as good of cardio shape as I can get and get my strength up, because, at my age, knees and stuff tend to hurt if I’m not strong. Or I could give up on squash.

Anyway, there is a game today, an important one. The Jays are 1.5 games back of the Guardians for the final Wild Card spot (the Rangers and Orioles are tied with the Jays). Being half a game out would be better than being 2.5 games out, not that they couldn’t come back from 2.5 back. We aren’t at the ‘they have to win every game to make the playoffs’ point of the season yet. Which is good, because they won’t.

Jose Soriano has a 4.13 ERA in his five starts with the Jays. Teams are hitting .271/.345/.364 against him, which is better than they were hitting off him as an Angel. But then, small sample size and all.

Tanner Bibee has a 3.88 ERA but a 5-14 record in 28 starts. The Guardians are only scoring 3.07 runs per game in his starts. Since they are averaging 4.05 runs per game on the season, Tanner’s being hard done by.

Lineups:

Go Jays Go.

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The I-94 Rivalry wraps up tonight at Wrigley Field (7:15 p.m. ET), with the Milwaukee Brewers laid as short road favorites over the Chicago Cubs. 

Expect another high-scoring battle in the Friendly Confines as my top Brewers vs. Cubs prediction and MLB picks are backing Milwaukee to lock up the series win.

Who will win Brewers vs Cubs today: Brewers moneyline (50.7%)

For help understanding probabilities, see our odds calculator.

The Milwaukee Brewers have a sizable pitching edge in this series finale.

Twenty-four-year-old Logan Henderson has allowed just three runs across his past three starts while posting an elite 2.82 xERA that’s right in line with his 2.73 year-long mark, ranking fifth among starters with at least 70 innings pitched.

Chicago Cubs veteran Kevin Gausman hasn’t been nearly as consistent, and he’s allowed three runs or more in three of his five starts with the club for a solid but unspectacular 3.69 xERA and 3.60 xFIP.

Both offenses are raking, and 47 runs have scored through the first three games of the series, so I’m siding with the superior starter tonight and would back the Brewers to 54.5%.

COVERS INTEL: Henderson ranks eighth in xOBP and 19th in xwOBA among pitchers with 50 innings pitched this season.

Brewers vs Cubs Over/Under pick: Over 8.5 (49.8%)

Even with both starters showing excellent underlying numbers, I still expect both teams to put runs on the board.

Chicago ranks second in xwOBA over the past 30 days, and Milwaukee checks in at seventh.

Additionally, the teams have emptied their bullpens through the first three games of the series, with the Cubs relying on relievers for 12 innings and Milwaukee's pitching 14.

As a result, late-innings runs are also in the cards tonight.

Brewers vs Cubs home run prediction: Brice Turang (11.1%)

Brewers second baseman Brice Turang has hit 16 of his 17 homers against righties this season with a high-end .216 ISO, and he’s eyeing statistical correction at the dish with just a single home run across his past 26 games. With Gausman allowing a .204 ISO to left-handed hitters since joining the Cubs, the matchup checks out, too.

MLB betting analyst Josh Inglis also highlighted Cubs star Alex Bregman (15%) to go deep tonight in his Home Run Props & Predictions article.

Brewers vs Cubs market trends

The smart money at Polymarket is fully aligned on the Brewers in tonight's matchup against the Cubs, according to the latest market trends:

Brewers vs Cubs weather

The weather forecast calls for a first-pitch temperature around 71 degrees and gentle 6-mph crosswinds blowing out to left field as the game progresses at Wrigley Field tonight. Overall, these are neutral conditions for hitters.

Brewers vs Cubs odds

• Moneyline: Brewers 53.5% | Cubs 51.2%
• Run line: Brewers -1.5 (40.8%) | Cubs +1.5 (63%)
• Over/Under: Over 8.5 (54.5%) | Under 8.5 (50%)

Brewers vs Cubs trend

The Milwaukee Brewers have won 13 of their last 19 games (+6.25 Units / 23% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Brewers vs. Cubs.

How to watch Brewers vs Cubs and game info

Brewers vs Cubs latest injuries

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There isn’t much for Jays news this morning.

The starters against the Royals:

• Friday: Likely Jameson Taillon (just off the IL, 3.38 ERA in two starts for the Jays) vs Daniel Lynch (3.06 ERA, 4-4, 51 games,5 starts, all in August with a 6.32 ERA in 15.2 innings).
• Saturday: Max Scherzer (2-7, 6.16, coming off his best start of the season, 7 innings, 1 hit, 10 k) vs. Seth Lugo (6-8, 5.03).
• Sunday: TBD vs Randy Dobnak (2-3, 2.65, 11 games, 9 starts). People on Twitter are suggesting that Johnny King would be on rotation for Sunday. He’s pitching in New Hampshire and isn’t on the 40-man roster. It would be a big step to start his clock and all, but, you know, they need wins and should use whoever they think will give them their best chance to win.

And, our weekly Anthony Santander rumour:

Today’s lineups:

For the first time this season, the Brewers have won one of MLB’s monthly awards, as closer Trevor Megill was named NL Reliever of the Month.

Megill, who got off to a truly dismal start this season, hasn’t allowed an earned run since July 22, a stretch spanning 14 outings (14 1/3 innings), with just one unearned run scoring in Milwaukee’s loss to the Mets last week. Over that stretch, Megill has allowed four hits and three walks (two of which came intentionally), striking out 11.

Megill has converted each of his last 17 save opportunities, bringing him to 25-for-27 in save chances this season. After allowing eight earned runs in his first six appearances (five innings) this season, Megill has allowed just five earned runs over his last 35 appearances (34 1/3 innings) for a 1.31 ERA and 1.14 FIP, picking up 44 strikeouts. The Brewers are also 30-5 in those appearances. A great turnaround for the 32-year-old veteran, who looks like he’ll finish with the best season of his career.

While many (including yours truly) believe Jacob Misiorowski should have won NL Pitcher of the Month back in May after going 5-0 with a sterling 0.23 ERA, allowing one run over 38 1/3 innings on just 14 hits and six walks while striking out 57, it instead went to the Phillies’ Cristopher Sánchez (4-0 with no earned runs over 39 innings on 25 hits and three walks, striking out 45).

And while Misiorowski won a pair of NL Player of the Week honors (and Jackson Chourio also picked one up in early June), Megill’s NL Reliever of the Month honor for August is the first monthly award for a Brewer since 2025, when Freddy Peralta was named NL Pitcher of the Month and Brice Turang was named NL Player of the Month for August (Jacob Misiorowski and Isaac Collins were also named NL Rookie of the Month in June & July, respectively).

Megill is also the first Brewer winner of the NL Reliever of the Month honor since Devin Williams won it in July 2023.

Connor Norby finally had an opportunity to square off against someone who will be forever linked to him.

Back in July 2024, when Norby was with Baltimore—the team that drafted him in the second round that year—the native of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, was traded to the Miami Marlins for Orioles pitcher Trevor Rogers. 

While still with the Marlins a year ago, Norby had a chance to possibly face the talented left-hander for the first time since the trade. But an injury to Norby the night before Rogers was scheduled to start the next day scrapped any such meeting. 

Fast forward the clock to August 2026 when Colorado acquired Norby from the Marlins in exchange for relief pitcher Victor Vodnik.

Finally, as destiny would have it, the paths for the two crossed on September 2 when both started for their respective teams as Baltimore and Colorado completed a three-game series at Coors Field. 

Rogers might have won the individual battle between the two but, in the end, Colorado won the battle of the game as Brett Sullivan’s two-out, two-run walkoff single capped a three-run 11th inning in the Rockies’ wild 6-5 come-from-behind win in the rubber game of the series.

Norby went hitless in three at bats against Rogers, who gave up just six hits and fanned a career-high 11 while issuing no walks in 6.2 innings. He left the game clinging to a 3-2 lead.

But the Orioles bullpen, just one out away from closing out the contest and a series win for the O’s, surrendered back-to-back doubles to Cole Carrigg and Zac Veen to knot the game and send it to extra innings.

For his part, Norby made a key defensive play in the top of the 11th inning. With one out, he recorded an unassisted out at third base with runners on first and second bases after Baltimore had scored twice in the inning to take a 5-3 advantage.

In the bottom of the 11th, the Rockies third baseman was the placed runner at second base and scored on T.J. Rumfield’s single to bring Colorado within a run. Two outs later, Sullivan tallied his walkoff hit.

The day before his matchup with Rogers, Norby recalled that the two would see each other on the field for the first time after last year’s near miss while the ex-Oriole was still with the Marlins.

“I would have (faced him) but I broke my hand the night before so I missed that one,” the East Carolina product recalled. 

“He is really good and you can’t make it more than it is. I’m sure he probably looks at it that way, too. You can’t make the game bigger than what it is. It’s pitcher vs. hitter. My job is to put up a good at bat and that (Rogers) is a good arm.”

Rogers certainly left an impression on the Rockies on Wednesday, striking out six in a row at one point, including Colorado’s top 3 hitters in lineup in the sixth inning. He threw 71 of 94 pitches for strikes in his outing.

Norby fondly recalls his short stint with Baltimore—he played in just nine games in 2024 before being traded to the Marlins.

“This is now my third time playing them so I have seen them a couple of times,” he said. “It’s always good to see all those guys I came up with. There were a lot of them. We still stay in touch. You’re close with them so it’s always good to see them.”

Norby admits there might be a little added incentive when he matches up against the team that drafted him 41st overall in 2021.

“Does it mean a little more? Do I want to beat them a little bit more? Maybe,” he said.

The third-year MLB player has been pleased with his first month at 20th and Blake.

“I feel like it’s probably been my best month, collectively,” he said.

“I’m still young,” he added. “I’m still trying to make a name for myself and solidify myself. I feel like I am doing a lot of good things and I am giving them reasons to play me. So that’s always good.”

In his first 21 game with Colorado, Norby is slashing .223/.326/.681. He has scored 10 runs, has a pair of homers, 10 RBI and nine walks drawn.

Norby has reached base in 19 of those 21 games while hitting safely in 15 contests. He has compiled 12-game hitting and 15-game on-base streaks—both career highs—since joining the Rockies.

“I am keeping my strengths my strengths, and when I get into the game, taking those strengths—and what I do best—and playing my game,” he said. “I try not to play someone else’s game or be someone else.

“Just be me.”

After being acquired on August 3, Norby has already seen extensive action for the Rockies in his first month with the club. Do you see Norby as being a long-term answer in the infield for Colorado for 2027?

Let us know in the comments.

Please keep in mind our Purple Row Community Guidelines when you’re commenting. Thanks!

San Francisco Giants vs. Pittsburgh Pirates, September 3, 2026, 12:35 p.m. ET

Location: PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA

Broadcast: KDKA AM/FM, Sportsnet Pittsburgh / MLB.TV

Pitching Matchup: Blade Tidwell (0-1, 4.54 ERA) vs. Luke Bachar (0-1, 3.74 ERA)

The Bucs are back in action today to wrap up their series against the San Francisco Giants. The Bucs currently sit at 68-72 and are 5.5 games out of a Wild Card spot with 22 games left in the season. Their chances are fast dwindling. Is it impossible? No. But there’s only a couple little grains of sands left in the hourglass. The Bucs need to get hot and they need to do it now.

Let’s hopefully raise it.

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It was back to the winning ways yesterday and one strikeout short of the sweep, but that doesn't matter as it's time for Thursday's profits in the pitcher and MLB player prop market, and I have all-day action.

Kade Anderson hasn't even shown his strikeout potential, but his third start might be a market low. Shane McClanahan has to be on a tight leash for a playoff run, and his strikeout market is falling, while Brandon Young's luck should run out in a pivotal series vs. Boston. 

These are my favorite pitcher props for Thursday, Sept. 3.

Best MLB strikeout props and starting pitcher picks today

Player	Pick	Odds
Kade Anderson	Over 5.5 strikeouts	-105
Shane McClanahan	Under 4.5 strikeouts	+105
Brandon Young	Under 17.5 outs	-125

Strikeout prop: Kade Anderson Over 5.5 strikeouts (-105)

This projects as the best strikeout Over on the board today, with 6.56 Ks projected on 84 pitches, which could be a short pitch count.

The Mariners brought up their 2025 third-overall pick after he struck out 135 Double-A batters across 93 innings this year. This will be Kade Anderson's third start, and he has gone 81 and 85 pitches with eight Ks in each, while getting his best K-rate (K%) matchup today against the Athletics.

The lefty has faced the Cubs and Blue Jays, who are both among the 10 worst K-rate matchups for a pitcher. The A's own the seventh-worst K% against left-handed pitching at 24.6% and the seventh-worst K% on the road at 23.8%.

Anderson could see more than 85 pitches, but he can still get to six punchouts in just 15 outs in this matchup.

The market is respecting the projections and moving toward the Over, with some books as short as -140, closer to the -150 fair price. Anderson is a big reason why this Under 7.5 went on the free MLB picks page this morning.

• Time: 9:40 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Mariners.TV, NBCSCA

Strikeout prop: Shane McClanahan Under 4.5 strikeouts (+105)

This market is falling for good reason, as Shane McClanahan's leash, recent output, and projections point toward the Under.

The Tampa starter is being handled with baby gloves, as he has gone 80, 74, 57, 49, 71, and 87 pitches since the break while going 1-5 O/U on this strikeout total. The Rays are being careful with the oft-injured lefty and need him healthy for a playoff run.

McClanahan missed all of 2024 and 2025 due to Tommy John surgery and a nerve injury. He last threw 115 innings in 2023 and is already up to 113 innings this year, so it's easy to see why the organization is being cautious with him — especially with the Rays owning the best record in the AL.

THE BAT is projecting 79 pitches and 4.55 Ks today, making this a fair price around -120/-115.

• Time: 8:05 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Rangers Sports Network, Rays.TV

Pitcher out prop: Brandon Young Under 17.5 outs (-125)

Brandon Young has been one of the luckier pitchers in the second half of baseball, with an xERA more than a full point higher than his 3.33 ERA. He is giving up homers and has the worst HR/FB rate in the second half among any starter on today's slate.

Young is also a big part of why Neil Parker is backing the Red Sox on the ML in his Red Sox vs. Orioles predictions.

With Baltimore in a tight playoff race and all but two arms likely unavailable in the bullpen today, any issues could be enough to get the hook for a pitcher who is 50% to the Over since the break and has been on the good side of some luck.

The projection for the right-hander against the No. 2 scoring offense in the second half is 86 pitches and 15.68 outs, which would give bettors value on the Under if/when this number flips to 16.5.

If this gets any shorter on 17.5, I'd suggest waiting for the move to 16.5 and playing that to -110.

• Time: 7:15 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: FOX

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