Former Astros general manager Dana Brown was a lame duck this season, working under the final year of the contract he signed in January 2023. After missing the playoffs last year for the first time since 2016, Brown’s fourth season at the helm took the organization backwards. 

Sure, the Astros entered Monday in a tie for first place in the AL West. If the regular season ended today, Houston would make the playoffs while being one game below .500. It’s just that, that’s not saying much. The AL West is noncompetitive. All five clubs in the division own losing records. 

In the end, Brown’s inability to build a winning pitching staff — despite adding six pitchers to major-league deals this past winter, with the biggest disappointment of them all being Tatsuya Imai — became a stain on his Astros tenure. It will go down as one of his biggest flops. 

This week, on the heels of Houston’s disappointing 3-6 homestand against divisional bottom feeders, it was a stain that, apparently, forced Astros owner Jim Crane to act immediately. So, on Monday, he fired Brown.

How else would he keep up the infamous reputation that he’s built? Since Crane bought the Astros for $680 million in 2011, Houston has been a high-pressure, highly results-driven hierarchy. Crane’s management style is hands-on, for better or worse, underlined by swift changes when those high expectations are not met. There is arguably no MLB owner more involved in day-to-day decisions than Crane.

Which is why we shouldn’t be all that surprised at the timing of Monday’s abrupt dismissal. Now that the draft and trade deadline were over, there wasn’t much for a GM like Brown to do. Waiting until the offseason to part ways with Houston’s front-office leader was expecting too much from Crane. The responsibilities that are left, Crane figured, could be handled by a front-office committee. 

So who’s leading their baseball operations now? 

Crane, of course. 

Who else?

Since Jim Crane bought the Houston Astros for $680 million in 2011, Houston has been a high-pressure, highly results-driven hierarchy. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)

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In a statement released on Monday afternoon, the Astros said, “Brown’s responsibilities will be transitioned to the Astros assistant general managers Charles Cook, Gavin Dickey, and Connor Huff, and to senior advisor Jeff Bagwell. Astros owner and chairman Jim Crane will oversee baseball operations through the transition period as the team continues to focus on the American League West division race.”

Brown’s dismissal isn’t even half as stunning as when Crane fired former GM James Click a week after the Astros won the 2022 World Series. The collapse of that partnership also had a lot to do with Crane’s level of involvement in baseball operations. Crane and Click were in a very obvious public feud in his final season as GM. Crane and Bagwell, Hall of Famer and longtime senior advisor to the owner, led the front office for the majority of that offseason, until he hired Brown from the Braves to fill the role of GM. 

In Atlanta, Brown was the vice president of scouting. He was hired by Crane to help rebuild a farm system that had been weakened in recent years, dating back to when the Astros lost their first and second-round picks in the 2020 and 2021 drafts as a penalty for their 2017 sign-stealing scandal. Throughout Brown’s tenure in Houston, the Astros’ farm system consistently hovered around the worst in MLB.

Brown came to Houston with an aggressive agenda to pursue long-term contracts for young, talented players. That was a change of pace for the Astros, as Crane has historically refrained from handing out extended deals. At the time, Crane called Brown, “The perfect fit for us.”

HOUSTON, TX – AUGUST 23: Cristian Javier’s performance has regressed tremendously since he signed a five-year $64 Million extension. (Photo by Kairi Mano/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

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Jump forward to now, when Brown was roughly five weeks shy of completing his fourth season as Astros GM, and homegrown shortstop Jeremy Peña remains unsigned to a contract extension. Peña is set to enter free agency after the 2027 season. One of Brown’s first moves as GM was signing pitcher Cristian Javier to a five-year, $64 million extension. Javier’s performance has regressed tremendously since that signing. 

Brown also intended to keep former franchise cornerstone Alex Bregman in orange and blue, saying in February 2022 that the third baseman “should be a Houston Astro for life” alongside second baseman Jose Altuve. In Feb. 2025, Bregman signed with the Red Sox, though much of that decision fell on Crane’s shoulders at the time. The tandem of Crane and Brown also oversaw the trade that sent outfielder Kyle Tucker to the Cubs before the 2025 season.

So, as much as Brown will be faulted for taking the organization backwards during his first time leading a baseball operations department, it’s impossible to separate Crane’s involvement in all of it. 

It was Crane, after all, who meddled and signed first baseman Jose Abreu to a three-year, $60 million albatross contract in 2023 that Brown inherited, and later expunged. Abreu was ultimately released with more than half of the money on his contract still owed. 

It was also Crane who personally pushed for one of the worst deals in the franchise’s history when he re-signed pitcher Rafael Montero to a three-year, $34.5 million contract ahead of the 2023 season. Both decisions to sign Abreu and Montero were made under the Crane-Bagwell front-office duo after Click was fired and before Brown was hired. 

In the six weeks that the Astros did not have a baseball operations leader, Crane managed to set the organization back with dreadfully expensive signings that directly impacted their apparent inability to offer contract extensions to stars like Bregman and Tucker. Crane is an exceptionally successful billionaire business executive, and the valuation of the Astros franchise has nearly quadrupled since he bought it, so these financial restrictions are largely self-imposed. And there is no reason to believe things will be different this time.

Once again, Crane is in the driver’s seat for the foreseeable future. Once again, Crane will rely on Bagwell, whose involvement in personnel decisions seems to increase every year, playing a sizable part in the friction of the Astros’ unstable front-office environment. 

Brown was never going to be in the picture after this season ended. But the decision to axe him now, with weeks left to play and qualifying for the playoffs very much on the table, points to the sorry post-championship state of these Astros. Their window has long closed after their 2022 World Series title. Players aged, moved on, were injured, or traded. That’s part of it. 

But the other, much more egregious part is who these Astros will be as long as Crane is poking his nose in the day-to-day operations.

Dysfunctional.

MLB Related Stories

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MLB’s Monday slate gives baseball fans plenty of markets to trade on, and new Kalshi users can use promo code FOXSPORTS to unlock a $25 bonus. One of the biggest matchups comes later tonight when the Philadelphia Phillies visit the Seattle Mariners.

The Phillies enter on a nine-game winning streak and are led by Kyle Schwarber, who has an MLB-best 39 home runs. Zack Wheeler gets the start against Seattle’s Logan Gilbert in a matchup featuring two 10-game winners.

There are several other intriguing markets, including Cubs vs. Diamondbacks and Reds vs. Giants. Chase Burns, who owns a 14-2 record and 2.51 ERA, takes the mound for Cincinnati against San Francisco.

Use Kalshi promo code FOXSPORTS to trade on Monday’s MLB action and unlock the $25 bonus.

For more information and full terms and conditions, visit our Kalshi promo code page.

How to Claim the Kalshi Welcome Bonus

1. Click this ‘Claim Now’ link to visit Kalshi and start the signup process.
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MLB: Reds vs. Giants

*Probability is subject to change*

Cincinnati Reds	61%	62¢	39¢
San Francisco Giants	39%	39¢	62¢

MLB: Phillies vs. Mariners

*Probability is subject to change*

Philadelphia Phillies	51%	52¢	48¢
Seattle Mariners	49%	49¢	52¢

More markets available on Kalshi.

Matchup: Philadelphia Phillies at Seattle Mariners (9:40 PM ET)

• Storyline: Can anyone stop Kyle Schwarber and the Phillies? Philadelphia arrives in Seattle riding an incredible nine-game winning streak, capped by an insane 9th-inning, 6-run rally yesterday that featured a walk-off bomb from Schwarber (who leads MLB with 39 homers). 
• Tonight features an elite pitching matchup as Phillies ace Zack Wheeler (10-4, 2.92 ERA) squares off against the Mariners’ Logan Gilbert (10-7, 3.35 ERA). Seattle is trying to protect their razor-thin edge in an incredibly tight, chaotic AL West race. 

Matchup: Cincinnati Reds at San Francisco Giants (9:45 PM ET, FS1)

• Storyline: Massive attention shifts to Reds rookie sensation Chase Burns, who enters the game with an electric 14-2 record and a dominant 2.51 ERA. He will match up against Giants left-handed prospect Carson Whisenhunt. 

Matchup: Chicago Cubs at Arizona Diamondbacks (9:40 PM ET)

• Storyline: Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong has lit up August with six home runs in his last seven games. He brings his hot bat and MLB-best +24 fielding run value to Arizona to face Merrill Kelly, while Kevin Gausman goes to the bump for Chicago.

Rest of MLB Schedule Today

Away Team	Home Team	Time (ET) / TV	Starting Pitchers
Cleveland Guardians	LA Angels	9:38 PM	Parker Messick (9-8) vs George Klassen (2-1)
Minnesota Twins	Athletics	9:40 PM	Zebby Matthews (7-8) vs Jeffrey Springs (3-11)
Philadelphia Phillies	Seattle Mariners	9:40 PM	Zack Wheeler (10-4) vs Logan Gilbert (10-7)
Pittsburgh Pirates	San Diego Padres	9:40 PM	Braxton Ashcraft (13-5) vs Robbie Ray (1-1)
Chicago Cubs	Arizona Diamondbacks	9:40 PM	Kevin Gausman (1-1) vs Merrill Kelly (8-11)
Cincinnati Reds	SF Giants	9:45 PM (FS1)	Chase Burns (14-2) vs Carson Whisenhunt (3-4)

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The final week of the NFL preseason is upon us, which means it’s decision week for all 32 teams around the league.

The Cleveland Browns made the biggest decision on Monday. They named Deshaun Watson their Week 1 starter, giving him the honor over Shedeur Sanders after his polarizing comments toward the fanbase. 

That decision is one of many that will be made throughout the week as teams need to trim their rosters down to 53 players by Sunday evening. The Houston Texans and New England Patriots also made decisions on Monday, agreeing to a rare player swap in a trade that landed Houston a wide receiver. 

As we’re just over two weeks away from the start of the regular season, here’s what you need to know from Monday’s news around the NFL. 

The Cleveland Browns officially have a starting quarterback for the upcoming season. 

Head coach Todd Monken officially announced on Monday morning that Deshaun Watson will be the team’s Week 1 starting quarterback. Following a competitive camp battle with second-year quarterback Shedeur Sanders, Monken chose to give the nod to the veteran signal-caller.

“I took in the full body of work over the course of the offseason to training camp to the games, the joint practice, and ultimately felt like to start the season on the road, Deshaun [Watson] gave us the best chance to move the ball and score points,” Monken told reporters. “I mean, that’s really what it’s about.”

While highlighting the team’s ongoing belief in Sanders, Monken stressed that the choice was strictly about immediate offensive production. 

“I think Shedeur [Sanders] has done a great job,” Monken told reporters. “Come a long way and we’re excited about his future, but this is not a week-to-week decision.”

Watson hasn’t played a full season since 2020 and has logged only 19 starts in a Browns uniform. In those starts, his play has been mediocre at best, falling drastically short of the massive three-first-round-pick haul Cleveland traded to bring him in.

Over three seasons in Cleveland, Watson has posted a 9–10 record while completing 61.2% of his passes for 3,365 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. With the decision now behind the Browns and Watson, all eyes shift towards Week 1 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Houston Texans agreed to acquire wide receiver Kayshon Boutte from the New England Patriots on Monday in exchange for safety Jaylen Reed and a 2028 seventh-round draft pick. 

The Texans made the move to bolster their wide receiver depth following a season-ending ACL injury to Jayden Higgins during joint practice last week. Boutte will join Sterling Shepard and Zay Jones as new additions to the receiving room.

Boutte recorded 33 receptions for 551 yards and six touchdowns for the Patriots last season, but became expendable after the team traded for Pro Bowl wide receiver A.J. Brown. They also signed former Green Bay Packers pass catcher Romeo Doubs this offseason.

Boutte addressed the trade speculation surrounding him during training camp last week.

“I’m just blocking out the noise,” Boutte told reporters. “That’s the main thing. We all hear the stuff that’s going on. But like I always said, I’m where I’m at. My feet are here, so I’m not worried about what’s next or what’s behind me. Just being present.”

Boutte joins a Houston receiving group that features Nico Collins, Xavier Hutchinson, Jaylin Noel and Tank Dell.

The Carolina Panthers received positive news on running back Chuba Hubbard on Monday morning. Head coach Dave Canales announced that Hubbard is on track to be ready for the Week 1 opener against the Chicago Bears.

Hubbard strained his hamstring earlier this month in training camp and still has yet to play in any of the Panthers’ preseason games while working his way back to full strength.

“He’s expected to be ready for Week 1,” Canales told reporters. “He hit over 20 miles per hour the other day, but that is on a controlled setting and right now we don’t want to put him back out there for someone to pull on his jersey and for him to have to pull his way through that. He’s ahead of schedule and he’s doing a great job.”

Hubbard is looking to bounce back after a frustrating and regressive 2025 season plagued by a calf injury. The injury opened the door for Rico Dowdle, who took over the starting job from Hubbard before signing a free-agent deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers this offseason.

Not only is Hubbard expected to suit up for the opener against the Bears, but Canales revealed the Panthers plan to ease him in with a shared backfield. Former second-round pick Jonathon Brooks is set to share carries as part of a committee approach to start the season.

If Hubbard struggles once again this season, Brooks has a genuine path to take over the backfield. The second-round pick out of Texas has shown promise this preseason and possesses the talent to develop into a primary starter as long as he can find a way to stay healthy.

All offseason long, eyes have been on New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers and his knee recovery. Now, Nabers seems to be heading in the right direction to play against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 1. 

While head coach John Harbaugh refrained from making any blanket statements on Nabers’ timeline, he told reporters that “it’s reasonable to assume” the receiver will be ready for the start of the regular season.

Jaxson Dart is set for a big season, but a lot of that could depend on the availability of Nabers. Once Nabers is officially back on the field, he’ll join a balanced group that includes Darnell Mooney, Malachi Fields, Darius Slayton and Odell Beckham Jr.

Nabers only played in four games last season, but when he was on the field, he was one of the most explosive receivers in the league. Across those four contests, he hauled in 18 receptions for 271 yards (15.1 yards per catch) and two touchdowns.

The Dart and Nabers connection was put on hold in Week 4 when Nabers suffered a season-ending ACL and meniscus tear against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Injury News & Notes

• New England Patriots running back TreVeyon Henderson left practice early after slipping during a cut and had his right leg and ankle looked at, ESPN reported.
• Former Cincinnati Bengals tight end CJ Uzomah officially announced his retirement from the NFL.
• The Arizona Cardinals officially activated edge rusher Josh Sweat from the PUP list, first reported by ESPN.
• The Cardinals waived injured RB Trey Benson, per ESPN.
• Mike McCarthy told reporters that the Pittsburgh Steelers are at an “impasse” with cornerback Joey Porter Jr. as he remains sidelined on the physically unable to perform list.
• Miami Dolphins third-round pick WR Chris Bell (knee) practiced without a red non-contact jersey Monday, per the Sun Sentinel.

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After a stop in the NFL, former Mississippi tight end Dae’Quan Wright could be heading to LSU thanks to a court order that is creating havoc throughout college sports by allowing Wright and others an unexpected fifth year of eligibility.

Wright’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, told The Associated Press on Monday that the tight end had been waived by the Cleveland Browns and, if he clears waivers, will join Lane Kiffin’s roster at No. 11 LSU.

If he joins the Tigers, Wright would be the first known player to return to college after playing in the NFL. He may not be the last.

At a news conference Monday, Kiffin declined to discuss any specific players, but he did say of the players in the lawsuit: “They’re available to recruit. So, ourselves, like many places around the country, are recruiting them.”

Not doing so, Kiffin said, could lead to a situation where “we may end up playing against them.”

Wright signed with the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted rookie following the draft. After Philly released him on Aug. 11, the Browns signed him. Wright didn’t play in Cleveland’s two preseason games. Wright played two seasons for Kiffin at Ole Miss. Last year, he caught 39 passes for 635 yards and five touchdowns for the Rebels.

Wright was among a group of players who sued in a Louisiana court, saying a new NCAA rule granting five years of eligibility to most athletes should apply to him and others who were not “grandfathered” into the rule, which did not include those who graduated high school in 2022.

In a statement released Monday evening, the Southeastern Conference said it firmly opposes professional athletes returning to play college sports.

“College athletes, not professional athletes, have been at the heart of the Southeastern Conference,” the statement said. “Individuals who choose to leave college athletics, sign professional playing contracts, and compete professionally should not then be permitted to return to college competition. Allowing that to occur will blur the line between college and professional sports, create significant competitive equity concerns and reduce opportunities for high school and current college athletes.”

The SEC concluded its statement by calling on Congress to pass a bill regulating college sports.

Wright and two others who played for Kiffin at Ole Miss — former New Orleans Saints defensive tackle Zxavian Harris and Arizona Cardinals safety Wydett Williams — were among those granted a temporary restraining order last week. Former LSU and current Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Jack Pyburn also was among the plaintiffs.

The players can regain their college eligibility if they terminate their pro contracts and repay any pro earnings. Pyburn’s deal with the Bucs guaranteed him $115,000, including a $15,000 signing bonus.

“I’m just trying to maximize myself as a player and as a person and play my best football, wherever that is,” Pyburn told The Athletic last week.

A preliminary injunction hearing is scheduled for Aug. 31 in East Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

The SEC has its own rule barring transfers inside the conference beyond a designated window in January. Commissioner Greg Sankey sent the schools a reminder about that rule earlier this month, though there’s no certainty on how it would play into Wright’s move to LSU in the wake of the court order.

The judge in Louisiana allowed for the fifth year and also ordered the football transfer portal, normally open only in January, to reopen for a week for the players in the lawsuit.

“In my opinion, knowing the information, it’s really wrong to be critical of these kids,” said Kiffin, whose move from Ole Miss to LSU last season also created tension between the SEC schools. “They were granted a fifth year by a judge, saying they were wronged by the NCAA. … It’s simply that a judge decided they should have a fifth year, like everyone moving forward will have.”

Kiffin suggested that the current recruiting by colleges of NFL rookies is a “totally unique circumstance that came about because of the five-for-five (ruling), and players feeling like they should have known about it before, and because of all the cases around the country. I don’t think we’ll have this (situation) again.”

Other coaches, though, have been less supportive.

“I think there’s a lot of negatives that are involved around this,” Oregon coach Dan Lanning said. “Once you go to the NFL, to me, you’re in the NFL. You don’t get the opportunity to come back.”

Added Florida coach Jon Sumrall: “What I really struggle with is the rules are changing so daily based upon a court ruling, or what happens in a court in Colorado, or a court here, a court in Louisiana. We need to have some continuity and some consistency across the board.”

Tennessee coach Josh Heupel also made his feelings known Monday when asked to compare the two-game suspension given to Volunteers linebacker Arion Carter over a $427 plane ticket for a trip to an NFL training facility during the pre-draft process before he returned to college.

“You guys certainly have a clear picture of how I feel about that entire situation to begin with, even before some of the madness that is college football and rosters,” Heupel said.

Reporting by the Associated Press.

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RJ Luis Jr., a former St. John’s standout who recently signed with LSU after spending time with two NBA clubs, was cleared by a court Monday evening to start practicing and potentially play for the Tigers this season.

Luis, who briefly was under contract with the Utah Jazz and Boston Celtics but never played in an NBA game, hugged LSU coach Will Wade after the ruling by East Baton Rouge Parish District Court judge Ronald R. Johnson.

After a five-hour hearing, Johnson granted the player’s request for a preliminary injunction against the NCAA, which had argued Luis was unlikely to win reinstatement after leaving college to turn pro in 2025.

“This is precedent. It’s monumental,” said Baton Rouge-based attorney Tony Clayton, who represented Luis along with Elliot Abrams of Raleigh, North Carolina. “This allows him to go practice, go play and we’ll let the legal process work itself out.”

(Photo by Jaiden Tripi/Getty Images)

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The timeline for that process was not immediately clear.

“I don’t know, but there’s a lot of discovery that Elliot and I have to obtain,” Clayton said. “We’ve got a lot of questions.”

Luis’ attorneys noted that the NCAA had granted exceptions allowing numerous players from overseas professional leagues to join college basketball programs, and argued that American players must be afforded the same opportunity.

They stressed that Luis not only had never played in an NBA game, but also had not played for the Celtics’ G League affiliate because of an injury, and had far less of a professional basketball resume than numerous college players who’d been recruited from abroad.

NCAA attorney Taylor Askew argued that Luis’ situation was not comparable to those who played for the developmental squads of pro organizations overseas because Luis chose to leave college for the NBA.

Askew noted that the only player in a similar situation to Luis was Alabama’s Charles Bediako, who won a temporary retraining order allowing him to play five games for Alabama last season before an Alabama judge ultimately sided with NCAA assertions that he was ineligible.

“I understand Mr. Luis is disappointed that he was not drafted and did not play in the NBA as much as he would have liked,” Askew said. “Actions have consequences. Decisions have outcomes and they’re not always the right ones or the ones that you want.”

As he made his ruling, Johnson said, “In the court’s mind, (Luis) did not actually play professional basketball,” and that whether Luis was properly advised of his options at the time he left college “lingers heavily before this court.”

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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The Seattle Seahawks have waived running back Anthony Hankerson, who could try to play in college again.

Hankerson signed with the Seahawks last week and rushed for 10 yards on five carries in their 19-16 preseason loss at Tennessee on Sunday night. He also caught two passes for nine yards.

He is among 16 players who graduated high school in 2022 and became eligible to play a fifth collegiate season thanks to a Louisiana court order last week. Once he clears waivers, he could enter the transfer portal.

Running back T.J. Harden, who played for the Seahawks in their preseason game against Dallas, was also among those granted a temporary restraining order by the Louisiana judge. Harden, who played last year at SMU and went undrafted, was waived by the Seahawks and entered the portal last week.

Hankerson was an undrafted rookie out of Oregon State who signed with Miami in April, then was waived earlier this month.

He ran for 1,086 yards and nine touchdowns last season, his second in Corvallis. He also had 22 catches for 123 yards.

Reporting by the Associated Press.

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Cal Raleigh busted out of a season-long slump with the first three-homer game of his career Monday night.

The switch-hitting catcher capped a five-run first inning with a two-run shot off struggling Philadelphia Phillies ace Zack Wheeler.

Raleigh added a leadoff homer against Wheeler in the fifth and a solo drive off reliever Chase Shugart in the seventh to give him 17 home runs this season.

It was the first multihomer game of the year for Raleigh, who finished 3 for 3 with a walk in a 9-2 victory and raised his batting average from .159 to .167.

Raleigh was runner-up for the AL MVP award last year, when he led the majors with 60 home runs and added 125 RBIs.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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The Tigers are suddenly scuffling. The D-backs wasted a prime opportunity. The Guardians and Rangers, however, did not. Monday’s MLB action provided all that and much more.

Here are all the best moments from last night in Major League Baseball:

Tigers Continue To Slide

The Tigers managed to grab a wild-card spot even after trading top starters Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize at the trade deadline, but it’s starting to feel like now Detroit really could have used those two around. The Tigers have now lost six in a row, with the AL-best Rays taking the first game of the series between the two on Monday.

Now, this isn’t why Detroit lost against Tampa Bay last night — the Rays would score more runs after this — but what ended up being the winning run scored on this play, in which the Tigers did not challenge the call at first base, allowing a run to score.

It would have been the third out of the inning, and still a 1-0 game at that point — maybe things go differently from that point forward, maybe they do not, but we’ll never know for sure. In the sixth, first baseman Jonathan Aranda would make the point that much more moot, by hitting his 16th homer of the season 380 feet off starter Framber Valdez.

Valdez, signed to a three-year, $115 million contract this offseason, was expected to be paired with Skubal as a co-ace for a season and then take over as the top arm for Detroit in 2027. Instead, he has a 4.35 ERA on the season, and just allowed four runs to the Rays without striking out a batter.

While Detroit threatened in the ninth with runners on the corners and the tying run at the plate, closer Bryan Baker got out of the jam by striking out right fielder Zack McKinstry and first baseman Spencer Torkelson to end the game.

The Rays are in a great place, still in first in the AL East with the most wins in the junior circuit with 78. Even if Tampa Bay slides a little bit and falls into a wild-card spot, both the Yankees and Red Sox have loads of cushion in those first two that the Rays would inherit. Detroit, though, has dropped to seven games out of the AL Central lead and is 4.5 behind the Guardians for the last wild-card, with five other teams in between the two. The Tigers’ season isn’t done yet, but this losing streak is certainly leading there barring a miraculous September comeback.

Big Dumper’s Big Day

Cal Raleigh has had a horrible 2026. You can ask Deesha Thosar about that, or just a look at where Raleigh’s collapse sits, historically. The good news for both Raleigh and the Mariners is that said collapse got a little less historic on Monday: he hit three homers in four trips to the plate against the Phillies, bumping his OPS over .600 for the first time since May 5. Raleigh’s OPS+ is now also 78 — it had been just 65 and the largest year-to-year drop in the stat in MLB history, minimum 300 plate appearances, just a week ago.

In the bottom of the first, Raleigh caught up to a 95 mph Zack Wheeler four-seamer and sent it back in the other direction at 108.5 mph.

In the fifth, Raleigh didn’t hit it quite as hard — still hard, though, at 101 mph — but sent it nearly 400 feet this time, this time on a cutter that Wheeler left middle-middle.

And then in the seventh, Raleigh got hold of a cutter down low from reliever Chase Shugart, and deposited it over the wall in right field. Three homers in one game; that’s the first time Raleigh has managed the feat, which is impressive when you consider he bashed 60 of them a year ago and another 91 in the three seasons preceding that.

Big Dumper’s season isn’t fixed by any means — he’d have to hit about .500 the rest of the season for that to happen — but as Thosar said, as Raleigh goes, so do the Mariners. And on Monday, Seattle won 9-2 behind three hits and four RBIs from Raleigh — if he can hit even a little bit instead of what came before, then the Mariners still have a realistic shot in both the AL wild-card race (currently three games back) and the AL West, where the Rangers are in first because Texas is the only team with a .500 record.

As for the Phils, the winning streak was snapped at nine games, but Philadelphia finds itself two games ahead of the Padres in the wild-card standings and just 3.5 behind the Braves in the NL East. Oh, and Atlanta has to face the Dodgers this week, so there might be time for more climbing for Philly.

Ump’s Got Ups

Cubs Shut Out D-Backs

Not a great night for the Diamondbacks here, courtesy the Cubs. Arizona entered play two games back of the Padres for the third wild-card spot in the NL, and exited the day in the same place even though San Diego lost to the Pirates, 3-2, in 12 innings. It’s bad enough to lose when that happens, but the D-backs were shut out by Chicago, 7-0, just to make it sting that much worse.

Conversely it was quite the day for Michael Conforto and the Cubs — Chicago’s DH went 3-for-3 with a walk, two runs and two RBIs, and was part of back-to-back jacks in the sixth inning.

Conforto has rebounded pretty well from a rough 2025 with the Dodgers, in which he was a sub-replacement-level player for Los Angeles thanks to a .637 OPS and negative defensive value. With the Cubs, he’s being deployed almost exclusively against right-handed pitchers, and the platoon is working out for everyone involved: Conforto is batting .232/.326/.473 on the season with 12 homers in 88 games, while his 119 OPS+ is the highest he’s produced since 2020.

Guardians Make it 5 Straight

While the Tigers have lost five in a row and harmed their chances of making the postseason, the Guardians are headed in the opposite direction. After downing the Angels on Monday, Cleveland has won five straight, and sits half-a-game ahead of the Astros for the AL’s third wild-card spot.

Check out this play from third baseman José Ramírez, who managed to get this ball in foul territory and still make the throw he needed to in order to get the out at first.

Ex-Angel Jo Adell made it a 2-1 game against his former team with a groundball single in the fifth, and catcher Austin Hedges would add on an exclamation point in the next inning with a two-run shot, his fifth homer of the year.

Parker Messick managed to keep the Angels in check, holding Los Angeles to one run across six innings, and just four baserunners. The rookie starter has a 2.50 ERA on the season, and debuted just over a year ago, on Aug. 20: since the call-up, Messick has posted a 2.54 ERA over 194 ⅔ innings and 33 starts while striking out over four times as many batters as he’s walked. He’s been great, and despite the 10-8 record this season has played a significant role in the Guardians being where they are.

Red Sox Rally In The 9th

The Marlins had just won three in a row, leaving them four games back in the NL wild-card race — not out of it by any means, especially not with how hot this team has shown it can get in spurts in 2026. Miami started playing host to the Red Sox on Monday, however, and Boston not only had its own weekend sweep behind it, but has been MLB’s best team since the All-Star break with a 25-11 record.

The two played it even for most of the game, with the Marlins scoring first in the second inning, then building a 2-1 lead with another run in the seventh: Sandy Alcantara was excellent, with seven innings and six strikeouts against eight total baserunners. When he left the game, though, Boston took advantage: a wild pitch by reliever Josh Ekness tied the game at two, then in the ninth second baseman Anthony Seigler hit his first career triple to make it a 3-2 game.

Shortstop Nick Sogard added another run on a single to score Seigler, giving closer Aroldis Chapman some insurance to work with in the bottom of the inning. He didn’t need it, allowing just one harmless hit before retiring the side and extending Boston’s winning streak to four games.

The Marlins are lucky in that both the D-backs and Padres lost, keeping Miami from falling further behind, but September approaches: things are getting to the point where the status quo becomes its own issue in the standings.

Ow

The Rangers won against the White Sox on Monday, launching Texas into sole possession of first place in the AL West, but at what cost?

Well, okay, the Rangers won 11-2 against Chicago, so the cost was mostly to Brandon Nimmo’s ribs. Shortstop Corey Seager continues to look like he’s supposed to at the plate now that his back inflammation is in the rear view: he went 3-for-4 before being lifted on Monday, with three RBIs, a walk and a run, and has hit so well over the weeks since his return — .355/.424/.553 in 21 games — that his OPS+ for the season is now 118, and he’s been worth nearly 2.5 wins above replacement. And all of that despite the fact he was batting just .182/.292/.374 when he landed on the IL a second time.

If Seager is Seager again, the Rangers are better than their record. The AL West might not have a standout, but seeing the Mariners, Astros and Rangers fight it out over the next month should still be plenty entertaining.

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With three (and for many drivers, four) new venues over the first 15 races of the 2026 season, the last three INDYCAR competitions will be on familiar circuits.

A weekend doubleheader awaits drivers on Saturday and Sunday at The Milwaukee Mile oval before the season wraps up Labor Day weekend at the Laguna Seca road course.

Here are my power rankings after the last new venue, the street course in Washington, D.C.

Dropped out: Felix Rosenqvist (Last Week: 10)

On the verge: Pato O’Ward, Felix Rosenqvist, Nolan Siegel

10.

Malukas was solid in qualifying, getting to the Fast Six. But he hit the wall in the final round and then again early in the race. He said he needs to be better and that’s because he has had moments of brilliance. His wrist injury has flared up and that hasn’t helped.

9.

VeeKay wrecked out early at Washington after contact that was initiated by Marcus Armstrong, who was penalized for the incident that included Christian Rasmussen. Still, he has three top 10s in his last five starts.

8.

A fifth-place finish at Washington was Simpson’s fourth top 10 in his last six races. It was a great rebound after his crash in qualifying had him starting 23rd.

7.

McLaughlin crashed out when trying to make a move for the lead late in the race at Washington. Typically, crashing doesn’t mean a driver moves up, but something should be said for him making a move for the win at a place where it was hard to pass.

6.

Newgarden, still nursing an injured left foot, was eighth at Washington. That’s not great. D.C. was yet another weekend where he wasn’t impressive and appeared to be taking what his car and the track were giving him.

5.

Power finished third at Washington for his third consecutive third-place finish and his sixth top 10 in the last seven races. He probably can’t wait for next year to see if he can get off to a good start and challenge for the title.

4.

Ericsson followed up his win from Markham with a fourth-place finish at Washington. After an engine penalty, he started 21st. It was a very solid day.

3.

Lundgaard finished second at Washington. It was a great result for a driver who has shown no signs of slowing down and that’s despite not being retained at Arrow McLaren next season.

2.

What a victory for Kirkwood at Washington as he dominated the race from start to finish. He remained in the championship hunt for at least one more week, as he is now 91 points behind Alex Palou.

1.

It was a disaster of a day for Palou after he won the pole at Washington. There was a pit-road miscue and then a couple of incidents where he found the wall. It was a memorable weekend but also a forgettable one as he’ll look to clinch his fifth INDYCAR title at Milwaukee.

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INDYCAR’s Kyle Kirkwood is just as comfortable in the ocean as he is in the cockpit.

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There’s always a new NFL jersey loading.

And the latest is the “Rivalries” look, which every team in the NFC North (Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings) and AFC South (Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars and Tennessee Titans) will sport for one game in the 2026 season in a home game against a divisional opponent.

Each of these teams’ “Rivalries” jerseys will be available for purchase on Sept. 1. Last year, every team in the NFC West (Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks) and AFC East (Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots and New York Jets) rocked the “Rivalries” look.

As for Tuesday morning’s announcement, here’s what to know about every team’s “Rivalries” look and when it will be worn in the 2026 season:

Chicago Bears

They look like the Illinois Fighting Illini, but they are indeed the Chicago Bears.

Chicago’s “Rivalries” look includes an orange helmet, numbers and pants and a base black jersey. 

Chicago will wear the jersey against Green Bay on Dec. 25.

Detroit Lions

Detroit’s “Rivalries” jersey, which is branded “Defend the Den,” features a blue helmet, a white jersey, “DETROIT” stitched in blue on the collar and the jersey number black with a blue perimeter.

The Lions will sport the look against the Vikings on Nov. 1.

Green Bay Packers

The Packers have white helmets, a base green jersey with white jersey numbers and a yellow perimeter and white pants.

The Packers will rep the look against the Bears on Oct. 11.

Minnesota Vikings

It’s all about the purple. The Vikings have a purple helmet, jersey and pants.

Minnesota will flex the “Rivalries” look against Detroit on Dec. 20.

Houston Texans

Houston’s “Rivalries” look features a white helmet, a base white jersey with powder blue numbers and white pants.

The Texans will rock the attire against the Colts on Nov. 19.

Indianapolis Colts

Indianapolis sports a base, dark gray uniform and pants with a dark blue helmet, which star cornerback and two-time All-Pro Sauce Gardner displayed.

The Colts will debut the look against the Texans on Sept. 27.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Dubbed “Bold City,” the Jaguars have teal helmets, a base white uniform and black pants, with the font being reminiscent of the team’s inaugural look in 1995.

The Jaguars will wear the jersey against the Colts on Nov. 1.

Tennessee Titans

The Titans have a light blue helmet and jersey numbers, with a black base uniform and “Music City” stitched on the collar. 

The Titans will debut their “Rivalries” look against the Jaguars on Nov. 15.

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