Braves predicted to sign $85M ex-Cubs Gold Glove finalist with power bat after career-best season originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Atlanta Braves won the NL East last season and nearly reached 100 wins, which was a great accomplishment. However, the beginning of the season was plagued by injuries and a suspension.
The Braves signed Jurickson Profar two offseasons ago, but the move has been nothing but detrimental. In fact, he has missed 243 games due to suspensions, including a year-long suspension in 2026.
"Atlanta Braves designated hitter Jurickson Profar is facing a 162-game suspension after testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug for the second time in the last year, sources told ESPN on Tuesday. Profar, 33, is the sixth player to receive a 162-game ban for PED use since Major League Baseball increased the penalty for two-time offenders to a full season in 2014. He will forfeit the entirety of his $15 million salary," ESPN's Jeff Passan wrote.
Heading into the offseason, one of the biggest questions for Atlanta will be how it addresses left field.

#season #sporting

Braves predicted to trade for $8.5M All-Star, Silver Slugger winner to replace Ha-Seong Kim originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Atlanta Braves had another miserable year at shortstop in a season when they thought they had finally figured out the position. Ever since Dansby Swanson left to join the Chicago Cubs, it has been a brutal nightmare for Atlanta.
The Braves picked up Ha-Seong Kim at the end of September 2025, and he impressed. For that reason, the Braves decided to bring him back on a new contract.
"Shortstop Ha-Seong Kim is returning to the Atlanta Braves, agreeing Monday to a one-year, $20 million contract that addressed a major offseason priority for the team. Kim gets a $4 million raise. He had declined a $16 million player option that was in the two-year, $29 million contract he signed in February with Tampa Bay, a deal that paid him $13 million. The Braves announced the new deal with Kim on Monday night," ESPN wrote.
Kim injured himself during the offseason, causing him to miss time. When he returned to Atlanta, he put the Braves in a difficult position because of his lack of production.

#atlanta #seong #year #shortstop

Well, there's not much to say about this lineup. David Peterson throws with his left hand. The Braves don't have Lane Thomas on hand anymore, so it's basically your standard lineup with Sean Murphy and Ha-Seong Kim bringing up the rear.
This is the same lineup the Braves used in what ended up being that 12-2 game against the Phillies. Given that Peterson probably won't last long given his inefficiency, the Braves may be hoping for a similar result.
I guess I'll talk about Ozzie Albies. He's hitting cleanup for the 21st time this season. His season is basically tanking. He started out with a near-.400 wOBA in April while running an average xwOBA, had a poor May, an okay-ish June, and then ran another huge xwOBA overperformance on a bad xwOBA in July. Since then, it's been absolutely grim. In August, he had a .275 wOBA and .283 xwOBA. In September, he's down to a .212 wOBA and .218 xwOBA. As has also been the case for a while, Albies is no longer terrorizing lefties. In his first seven seasons, he had five where he hit lefties super-well, and one of the ones where he didn't was a tiny-sample 2020 where he was hurt. In both 2024 and 2025, his xwOBA against lefties dwindled to an okay .325ish. This year? He's down to .282. He's only posted an xwOBA at or above .300 against lefties this season in April and July. In September so far, it's .171. There's not really that much time for Albies to change the script of his season, but this is a really disappointing follow-up to 2025 and it's going to be the third straight year where Albies turns in an underwhelming season.
Anyway, should we do batter versus pitcher while waiting for the Cubs to post their lineup? Sure, I guess. These guys are very familiar with Peterson, after all. Amazingly, neither Drake Baldwin nor Mauricio Dubon have ever faced Peterson, and Kim only has four PAs against him, but everyone else has somewhere between 12 and 30. Ronald Acuña Jr. and Matt Olson have destroyed Peterson in their careers, and Riley's been fine, but everyone else has struggled a bit. Add this all up, and you get a .318 wOBA and .347 xwOBA in 141 career head-to-head PAs.
As for the Cubs, well…

#peterson #woba #well

Since his debut in 2018, Ronald Acuña Jr. has been one of baseball's most exciting players. His power-speed combo has made him one of the sport's best players. In 2019, Acuña fell just short of the elusive 40/40 club. In 156 games, he tallied 41 home runs and 37 stolen bases, which led the National League.
He was on an MVP trajectory in 2021. In 82 games that season, Acuña had a .990 OPS with 24 home runs and 17 stolen bases. Unfortunately, everything changed on July 10 when he tore his ACL attempting to make a leaping catch at the wall down in Miami. During his first three and a half seasons, Acuña was on the fast track to the Hall of Fame. His injury not only slowed that down, but it also raised questions about whether he'd ever be the same again.
The Braves eventually won the World Series, but Acuña was sidelined and could only celebrate from the dugout. Still, though, he received a World Series ring on Opening Day in 2022. He would return to action on April 28 against the Chicago Cubs. However, it was clear that Acuña wasn't the same player. In 119 games, he only hit 15 home runs, and his OPS dropped to .764—the worst mark of his career. It seemed he would never be the same again, but Acuña quieted the doubters with one of the greatest individual seasons in MLB history.
Acuña didn't just make history; the Braves did, too. In 2023, Atlanta finished with the best record in MLB (104-58). That year, they tied the MLB record for home runs in a season (307). Three players, including Acuña (41), hit at least 40 home runs that season. In 2023, MLB also made a slew of rule changes, including making the bases 18 inches. The extra three inches, along with the new pickoff rule, were meant to influence more action on the base paths.
Acuña took full advantage by stealing 73 bases that season. In the process, he became the first, and only, player to hit at least 40 home runs and steal at least 70 bases. Along the way, he also became the first and only player to hit at least 30 home runs and steal at least 60 bases.

#home #least

The Cubs lost two of three to the Braves in Atlanta back in May, scoring only five runs in the series.
That was so long ago that Pete Crow-Armstrong batted ninth, eighth and ninth in the three games and Moisés Ballesteros was the starting catcher in the series opener.
Since that series ended the Cubs are 55-51 and the Braves 58-48, only three games apart. Now both teams are trying to nail down postseason positions, the Braves the NL East ****** le and the Cubs the first wild card spot.
For more on the Braves, here's Demetrius Bell, manager of our SB Nation Braves site Battery Power.
The last time these two teams squared off, everybody invested in the Braves was hoping that what they'd seen from this team over the first month-and-a-half of the season was legit. Here we are in September and the Braves have a very tight grip on the NL East lead and they're still fighting for the second seed in the National League, so I'd say that this team has proven to be legit.

#teams

Cubs will 'always have a chance' to win the World Series if they avoid one mistake originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Chicago Cubs are fighting with the Philadelphia Phillies for the No. 4 seed in the National League, which is the top spot in the NL Wild Card and home-field advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
Amid this fierce competition, which is heading towards the final few weeks of play, one American League executive shared a very strong belief in the Cubs.
ESPN's Jesse Rogers shared that one AL executive believes the Cubs "will always have a chance" to win a World Series, so long as they avoid one simple mistake: giving up home runs.
"I'll take the Cubs," an AL executive said. "First in offense, first in defense, and a No. 1-type starter in Clay Holmes. I know they just had bullpen problems, but as long as they keep the ball in the park, the Cubs will always have a chance."

#Cubs #first #executive #sporting

The Milwaukee Brewers' magic number is down to two. That means two Milwaukee wins + Chicago Cubs losses and the Brewers will officially clinch the National League Central division ****** le. The team has already clinched a playoff spot and postseason tickets are available now.
This is the second consecutive year that Brewers fans have enjoyed such impressive play from Milwaukee. In 2025, the Brewers finished with a 97-65 record, the best in baseball. The team currently has 93 wins with 12 games to go, and a real shot at hitting 100 wins for the first time in franchise history.
SHOP: Milwaukee Brewers 2026 MLB postseason tickets
The Brewers defeated the Chicago Cubs in the NLDS in 2025, before losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS. If there's a rematch, there's a grudge and I know I'm not alone in hoping for a different outcome this time around.
Below, we'll breakdown everything you need to know about the Milwaukee Brewers postseason scenarios—including how to buy Brewers playoff tickets:

#wins

It is time to make your vote count.
Here are the Week 4 nominees for Mansfield News Journal Football Player of the Week.
Voting ends at 7 p.m. on Sept. 18. Madison's Damarrion Lloyd was voted the Mansfield News Journal Football Player of the Week last week with 1,233 votes.
BEST OF THE BEST: First Fall sports championship the crown jewel of Top Performance List
-Lucas' Brady Anschutz ran for 147 yards on 13 carries with a touchdown in the Cubs' 28-22 Northern 10 Conference football victory over Willard.

#week #journal #voting #damarrion

CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Cubs reinstated right-hander Edward Cabrera from the 15-day injured list before Saturday's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates and placed righty Trent Thornton on the 15-day IL with a left ankle sprain.
Cabrera went on the injured list on Aug. 17 with a right middle finger blister — a condition that has vexed him — then made three rehab appearances with Triple-A Iowa.
The 28-year-old Cabrera, acquired from Miami in an offseason trade, is 5-5 with a 5.68 ERA in 76 innings over 15 games, all starts. Manager Craig Counsell said before Saturday's game against Pittsburgh that Cabrera would switch to the bullpen for now.
This was Cabrera's third stint on the IL this season and followed one for a left hamstring/adductor strain suffered on June 23 in New York. The righty was hurt against the Mets when he went into the splits while stretching for a throw as he covered first base, an injury that sidelined Cabrera for nearly two months.
Thornton is 5-5 with three saves and 3.35 ERA in 48 1/3 innings over 48 relief appearances.

#Chicago #thornton

For the eighth time in nine seasons, the Milwaukee Brewers are going to the playoffs.
One of the game's most consistent powers ***** ured its spot in the postseason by flattening the Cincinnati Reds 20-0 Friday, Sept. 11 at Milwaukee's American Family Field. It's highly likely this won't be the final celebration before the Brewers finish the regular season: They hold a 10-game lead over the Chicago Cubs in the National League Central, with a magic number of three to clinch the division.
Milwaukee blitzed Reds left-hander Andrew Abbott for nine hits and eight runs in the first two innings Friday, scoring six times in the bottom of the second to build an 8-0 lead. Brice Turang hit a three-run homer and Jake Bauers a two-run shot, providing more than enough support for starting pitcher Dustin May.
Then, it got absurd. The Brewers rocked reliever Luis Mey for eight runs in the bottom of the fifth, extending the lead to 17-0. Milwaukee registered eight hits in the fifth, two by Garrett Mitchell, including a grand slam.
Per usual, Milwaukee's proven greater than the sum of its parts. The club has a bona fide ace and budding superstar in right-hander Jacob Misiorowski, what with his 104-mph fastball and major league-leading 236 strikeouts. The club has a reliable No. 2 starter in fellow second-year man Logan Henderson, but its rotation faces question marks after that.

#Friday #league #three

Colorado high school football is back under the Friday Night Lights this week as the season starts to take shape.
Week 3 is highlighted by some regional rivalry action in Northern Colorado, including Colorado's Game of the Week with Timnath hosting Wellington.
Plus, a Loveland city rivalry renews and Windsor looks to avoid another early loss in a tough road game at Roosevelt.
Coloradoan reporter Chris Abshire will be posted up at PSD Stadium with live updates from the Cubs vs. Eagles showdown.
Follow here for live updates, scores from the Boxelder Cup battle and other Northern Colorado Week 3 action in CHSAA high school football:

#game

Two injured Detroit Tigers pitchers are taking one step closer to returning.
Before Detroit's game against the Colorado Rockies on Friday, Sept. 11, Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said that right-hander Jack Flaherty will throw a simulated game on Saturday, at Comerica Park. Flaherty is expected to pitch 2-3 simulated innings against Tigers batters from the mound before the afternoon game against the Rockies.
Flaherty last pitched competitively for Triple-A Toledo on Sept. 6, allowing one hits and zero runs over 1⅓ innings in a rehab start in Toledo. The righty has been rehabbing from right flexor tendon inflammation and last pitched in the majors in a start against the Chicago Cubs on July 20.
Hank Greenberg won the World Series with the Detroit Tigers in 1935 and 1945. He's a Hall of Fame slugger and won the American League MVP award twice.

#right #simulated

What channel is Brewers vs. Reds on today? Time, TV schedule, live stream to watch MLB Friday Night Baseball originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The last two weeks have been a bit of a mixed bag for the Brewers, but Milwaukee remains atop the majors entering a weekend series against the Reds.
The Brewers have the best record in MLB and earlier this week became the first team to reach 90 wins this year in the midst of a sweep of the Cubs. They still need to worry about holding off the Dodgers for the best record in the National League, but the weekend set against Cincinnati is a good chance to expand that cushion.
The Reds are last in the NL Central, though they have played better this year than most of the other bottom-dwellers around the majors. They even took two of three from the Brewers at Great American Ball Park last weekend and should be relatively happy to see Milwaukee again after getting swept by the Dodgers in Los Angeles.
Who will open the weekend series with a win? Here's everything you need to know to watch.

#last

As Justin Steele and the Chicago Cubs looked at how much time was left in the season and how much further the lefty had to go in his rehab, they came to the realization that starting was no longer an option for this season. If Steele was going to help the Cubs in the big leagues this season, it was going to have to come out of the bullpen.
"We just didn't have enough time to get built up to start," Steele said in an interview with the Des Moines Register on Sept. 10.
The Chicago Cubs ace allowed two runs on four hits with three strikeouts in two innings out of the bullpen against Toledo in a rehabilitation ****** ignment outing with the Triple-A Iowa Cubs at Principal Park on Sept. 10.
"I feel good," Steele said afterward. "Not giving up too hard of contact. I'd like my velo to be a little bit better but it's part of the process."
The process has been a long one for Steele, an All-Star for the Cubs in 2023. The southpaw, who hasn't pitched in the big leagues since 2025, underwent Tommy John surgery and was originally slated to return to the mound sometime at the midway point of 2026.

#steele #season #going #leagues

After their first day off in September on Thursday, the Brewers will continue their stretch of NL Central foes as they'll host the Reds for three games in Milwaukee, the second time they'll see Cincinnati in the last two weeks, as the Reds took two of three in Cincy last weekend. The Brewers are coming off of a sweep of the Cubs to balloon their NL Central lead to 10 games over the rest of the pack, sitting at 91-56 with 15 games left. The Reds, who sit in last place, are 69-77 after being swept by the Dodgers to begin the week.
Since the last time these teams met, the Reds have activated right-hander Graham Ashcraft and third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes from the IL, with left-hander Sam Moll designated for ******* ignment and utility man Edwin Arroyo optioned to Triple-A Louisville in the corresponding moves. The Brewers have only lost Grant Anderson, who was placed on the 15-day IL with biceps tendinitis. He was replaced on the active roster by Brandon Sproat, though Sproat was demoted once again on Thursday, with the corresponding move expected to be a recall of right-hander Garrett Stallings to shore up the bullpen. Jake Bauers is also continuing to deal with a variety of lower-body injuries, and the Brewers have opted to focus on managing the injuries rather than putting him on the IL.
Just to remind you of what these two teams bring to the table offensively and on the mound, here's a quick rundown of both squads.
Milwaukee is hitting .257/.339/.400 (.739 OPS ranks fourth), with 137 homers (last), 742 runs scored (third), and 143 steals (fourth). The Reds are hitting .230/.308/.398 (.706 OPS ranks 23rd), with 196 homers (fourth), 611 runs scored (25th), and 102 steals (11th).
On the mound, Milwaukee ranks second in the majors with a 3.56 team ERA, including a 3.63 starter ERA (fifth) and a 3.46 bullpen ERA (fifth). They've struck out 1,406 batters (second) over 1,312 2/3 innings. Cincinnati ranks 27th with a 4.73 team ERA, including a 4.78 starter ERA (27th) and a 4.68 bullpen ERA (25th). They've struck out 1,186 batters (20th) over 1,293 innings.

#games

In 2026, the Cubs' starters have been a major storyline. While the bullpen's struggle is the biggest issue, the rotation has been concerning. The pitching struggles have severely impacted the team in the second half of the season. When looking at the playoff picture, their lead has diminished, and both San Diego and Arizona are within three games of Chicago. However, there is hope for the Cubs starters.
Chicago has had a very up-and-down year from their starters. Injuries have plagued the team, as nearly all pitchers miss time. A busy trade deadline had things looking promising. While a few have had good starts, the team has struggled to find consistency. That said, the Cubs' starter hierarchy has clearly shifted. If Chicago wishes to make a run in the playoffs, relying on the top three Cubs starters needs to be the move.
Clay Holmes has been the top Cubs starter since he joined the team. With Chicago, he is 2-3 with a 3.51 ERA. The ERA is inflated by his last start, in which he allowed eight runs in 4.1 innings. Without that game, he was showing his ace potential. Down the stretch of the season, Holmes will need to show his talent and give the Cubs valuable length.
The other newcomer, Kevin Gausman, has also been solid since joining Chicago. His most recent start against the Brewers was rough, allowing six earned runs. He has had mixed results in his seven starts, with a 5.31 ERA. However, he is giving good length, going six or seven innings in most starts. Additionally, his valuable playoff experience makes him a key piece of the Cubs rotation.
Of the three starters, Matthew Boyd is the only one who has been with them all year. Boyd has struggled with injuries and inconsistency, but still has given valuable innings. Like Gausman, he can go fairly deep into games. He is 8-4 with a 4.03 ERA in 109.1 innings. His experience with Chicago could see him start one of the first two games come playoff time.

#innings #playoff

The Milwaukee Brewers are 91-56 on the season with 15 games left to play in 2026. As of this writing, they are the only team in Major League Baseball with 90+ wins and have a 1.5-game lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers for the best record among all 30 teams.
While Milwaukee's success is not really a surprise to their fans, they have once again proven preseason predictions claiming they will decline to be wrong. Many pundits did not think the Brewers would win more than 82 games despite the fact that they have won the National League Central Division three years in a row.
They are all-but-guaranteed to win a fourth consecutive division crown this year.
Now, all the national media has is praise for what Milwaukee has built.
Sep 8, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers right fielder Luis Lara (18), center, is congratulated by designated hitter Christian Yelich (22), left after hitting a game winning hit against the Chicago Cubs in the tenth inning at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images

#milwaukee #national

The Milwaukee Brewers improved to 91-56 on the season following their 8-6 win over the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday night. Additionally, they increased their lead in the National League Central Division over those same Cubs to 10.0 games with 15 left play.
Unfortunately, the final contest between Milwaukee and Chicago was a great deal closer than it should have been. The Brewers entered the ninth inning with an 8-1 lead and it looked like they were about to cruise to an easy victory.
Brandon Sproat, though, walked four consecutive batters and Abner Uribe allowed all of the runners he inherited to score as well as allowed an earned run of his own.
Jul 27, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Garrett Stallings (31) throws a pitch against the San Francisco Giants during the seventh inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
After the game, Murphy was justifiably frustrated with Sproat's performance, calling it "unacceptable." It was clear then that this was going to be his final chance on the Major League roster in 2026.

#Chicago #francisco #lead #inning

ESPN and Marquee Sports Network reporter Taylor McGregor has had a very eventful few days.
On Monday night, McGregor earned rave reviews for her reporting on ESPN during a power outage that delayed a Florida State-SMU college football game at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee.
And on Wednesday, McGregor was yelled at by a security guard during a live radio hit on Chicago's 104.3 The Score.
McGregor, a Chicago Cubs sideline reporter for Marquee, was on 104.3 The Score to talk about the Cubs ahead of Wednesday night's game against the Brewers in Milwaukee. As McGregor shared her thoughts on the Cubs with Spiegel & Holmes hosts Matt Spiegel and Laurence Holmes, a security guard interrupted her and told her to move the car she was parked in.
"He's yelling at me. Sorry, I'm getting yelled at for sitting on the side of the street," McGregor explained to Spiegel and Holmes.

#holmes #reporter #game

Taylor McGregor is the Cubs reporter on Marquee Sports and also works the sidelines for ESPN. Her diligent work during unusual circumstances made her a viral star earlier this week when she expertly kept viewers up to speed during a power outage that delayed kickoff in the SMU-Florida State contest. Amid this, it was right back to work for McGregor as the Cubs continued their series in Milwaukee against the Brewers. And it didn't take long until she found herself in another unusual situation.
Calling into The Score on Wednesday, McGregor thought she had a great temporary work station in her car on the side of the street. The thought was to do a quick hit and then get back on the road and out of the way. Plus, who is going to bother someone doing sports talk on the shoulder? Isn't this America?
That plan quickly took a turn as a security guard made it very clear to McGregor and the Chicagoland listening audience that she needed to move, like, right now.
You know what? This is just a case where everyone involved is doing their job and doing it well. The hosts are making sure they get the maximum entertainment value from the guest. McGregor is not about to let any number of transportation or technological issues from getting people all the Cubs info they need. And that security guard rightly does not care if someone is on a Zoom call, they cannot do that here. Respect all around.
— Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories with The Big Lead Newsletter —

#Cubs #work #unusual #right

The Atlanta Braves continue battling to remain atop the National League East as the 2026 MLB regular season enters its most important stretch.
Entering Thursday's game against the Tampa Bay Rays with an 85-61 record, the Braves hold a three-game lead over the Philadelphia Phillies in the division. The Braves have lost three straight ahead of Thursday's matchup and will look to get back on track to maintain their division lead.
MORE: Brewers demote struggling player after sweeping Cubs
One of Atlanta's strengths this season has been its catching tandem of Drake Baldwin and Sean Murphy. Baldwin has continued to establish himself as one of the Braves' most important young players, while Murphy provides an experienced defensive presence behind the plate.
With October approaching, Atlanta is comfortable with Baldwin and Murphy handling the position. However, the team quietly added some insurance behind them.

#Braves #atlanta #game

Welcome back to BCB After Dark: the coolest club for night owls, early risers, new parents and Cubs fans abroad. Come on in and join us. It's always good to see a friendly face. There's no cover charge. The dress code is casual. The hostess will seat you now. Bring your own beverage.
BCB After Dark is the place for you to talk baseball, music, movies, or anything else you need to get off your chest, as long as it is within the rules of the site. The late-nighters are encouraged to get the party started, but everyone else is invited to join in as you wake up the next morning and into the afternoon.
Last week I asked you if reliever Daniel Palencia should get sent down to Iowa. You folks were rough as 79 percent of you wanted to see Palencia go down to Des Moines.
Here's the part with the music and the movies. You can do with it what you will. We hope you enjoy it, however.
Sometimes you just got to play the hits. Here's guitarist George Benson, joined by guitarist Carlos Santana, jammin' Benson's hit "Breezin'" on the Midnight Special sometimes in the seventies. I believe this is 1978.

#else

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Teoscar Hernández hit a three-run homer, Emmet Sheehan tied a career high with 10 strikeouts in his first major league outing since Aug. 2 and the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Cincinnati Reds 6-3 on Monday night.
Shohei Ohtani went 0 for 3 with two strikeouts and a walk in his return to the lineup after a four-day break to heal multiple lingering injuries.
The NL West leaders won their fifth in a row despite being outhit 7-3. They cooled off the Reds, who were coming off series wins over the Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres and NL Central-leading Milwaukee.
It was the first of seven games over the next 11 days between the teams.
Sheehan (5-8) allowed one run and three hits in 5 2/3 innings. He was recalled earlier in the day from Triple-A Oklahoma City, where he'd been sent due to his struggles on the mound.

#angeles #reds #first

LOS ANGELES – When the Cincinnati Reds walked into Dodger Stadium before the opener of their first series there since the playoffs in October, closer Emilio Pagán looked at teammate Jose Trevino to share his flashbacks.
"It's been almost a calendar year, and it feels like we were just here," Pagán told the catcher.
Which is not to say it hasn't seemed like an especially long season for the Reds.
Reds player moves Cincinnati Reds DFA Sam Moll as Graham Ashcraft returns to bullpen
"It's a good reminder of how fast things change in this league," said Pagán, whose Reds opened the series in last place with a record five games underwater despite a recent hot streak that included consecutive series wins against playoff-positioned teams in the Cubs, Padres and Brewers.

#stadium

CHICAGO — The second volleyball match Sunday night at Wrigley Field in the SEC-Big Ten Challenge was suspended because of excessive moisture on the court.
The decision was made to prevent injuries after players slipped several times on the wet surface.
With a sellout crowd of 43,067 energized for the first volleyball event at the iconic home of the Chicago Cubs, third-ranked Kentucky beat No. 11 Penn State in four sets in the opening match — just an appetizer for fans of the top-ranked Huskers, who filled nearly all of the seats at Wrigley.
Ideal conditions — or so it seemed — awaited Nebraska and Missouri. But the first set was stopped for more than 15 minutes after 2 points. Players from both teams dried the TeraFlex floor with towels as the humidity levels of a 72-degree night pushed past 80 percent.
"This was amazing," Nebraska coach Dani Busboom Kelly said. "I applaud the effort. But there's a reason our sport's indoors."

#wrigley #first

Nebraska and Missouri tried to play a volleyball match at Wrigley Field on Sunday night in what seemed like a fun, unique battle for the two programs as part of the Big Ten-SEC Volleyball Challenge.
It was just way, way too hot and humid in Chicago for the game to work.
The Big Ten suspended the match after a long delay on Sunday night, ending the contest early in front of a sold-out crowd at Wrigley Field. It's unclear when the match will be played between the two schools, if it is at all.
"Due to weather conditions affecting the court surface, Sunday's volleyball match between Nebraska and Missouri has been suspended," the Big Ten said in a statement. "Despite best efforts and in collaboration with all parties, rescheduling at Wrigley Field is not possible. A decision on match continuation at the point of suspension will be announced at a later date."
The court, which was built in the outfield of the Chicago Cubs' iconic stadium, was incredibly slippery throughout the match. Just three points into the opening set, everybody stopped, grabbed a towel and started wiping the floor, players included.

#field #volleyball

CHICAGO — The historic women's college volleyball match at Wrigley Field between Missouri and Nebraska was delayed early in the first set due to excessive moisture on the court.
After workers spent several minutes using mops on the court laid down on the Chicago Cubs' field, players from both teams got on their hands and knees with towels to try and dry the playing surface. Several Nebraska players took a break for a brief dance party when the P.A. started playing Justin Bieber's "Baby" before resuming their efforts to get the court playable. At least two people with leaf blowers eventually came out to help with the efforts.
The match resumed after about 20 minutes.
The Tigers and Cornhuskers, along with Penn State and Kentucky, played at Wrigley on Sunday, Sept. 6, as part of the Big Ten/SEC Volleyball Challenge. It's the first time the iconic baseball stadium has hosted the sport.
Penn State and Kentucky played the first match, and players from both teams said the court got increasingly slick as the night wore on.

#penn

The Milwaukee Brewers didn't exactly cloak themselves in glory during a 3-4 stretch against the Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds last week, but with the same teams heading into American Family Field (starting Sept. 7), the Brewers' eight-game lead in the Central heading into last week has only been trimmed to seven.
The Brewers only really need to stave off a sweep at the hands of the Cubs to still feel comfortable with their division lead heading into the weekend; even one win should keep things relatively calm. The Brewers could easily clinch a playoff spot on the homestand, although it won't be the first two days against the Cubs.
The division will probably have to wait until the Brewers' final road trip.
Here's what to know about the three-game series against Chicago that begins on Labor Day.
All three games will air on Brewers.TV and AM-620 WTMJ radio. The game will also air on FOX on Tuesday.

#brewers #week

Sep. 6—NEW PRAGUE — With Ashton Dingmann struggling, it was time for A.J. Hadley to go to Plan B.
That meant it was time to go to the draft picks, one of amateur baseball's most unique rules.
Teams get to pick up to three players to pitch from their league and their region to help get them through the state tournament.
Enter Grant Moscho.
The Greenwald Cubs left-hander saved the day for the Elrosa Saints, who beat the Hanska Lakers 6-2 Saturday night to advance to the state Class C final in the 103rd annual amateur baseball tournament.

#amateur

Pete Crow-Armstrong does something no Cubs player has ever done before originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Pete Crow-Armstrong continues to establish himself as one of baseball's brightest young stars, even as the Chicago Cubs experienced a disappointing ending to their weekend in Miami.
Crow-Armstrong blasted his 40th home run of the season Sunday during Chicago's 10-3 loss to the Miami Marlins, reaching a milestone that placed the 24-year-old in elite company both within Cubs history and across Major League Baseball.
The home run came in the fifth inning when Crow-Armstrong launched a 403-foot solo shot that temporarily tied the game.
With the blast, he joined Philadelphia Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber as the only players to reach 40 home runs this season.

#armstrong #home #preferred