1 hr. ago
Midland, Texas-based Diamondback Energy, Inc. (FANG), with a market capitalization of approximately $56.5 billion, is an independent oil and natural gas company focused on exploring, developing, and producing hydrocarbons in the Permian Basin. It also operates crude oil and natural gas gathering infrastructure through its subsidiary, Rattler Midstream.
Shares of this leading oil and gas company have significantly outperformed the broader market over the past year. FANG has climbed 45% over this period, compared with a 20.2% gain for the broader S&P 500 Index ($SPX). The stock has continued to outperform the index in 2026, gaining 33.6%, surpassing the index's 13.2% gain over the same period.
A $20 Billion Reason Why Intel Stock Is in Focus
Marvell Technology (MRVL) Stock Might Offer a Quick Bounce Before Earnings
Most **** ysts Still Aren't Bullish on Tesla Stock, Even After Recent Selloff. Here's Why.
#fang #market #gain
Shares of this leading oil and gas company have significantly outperformed the broader market over the past year. FANG has climbed 45% over this period, compared with a 20.2% gain for the broader S&P 500 Index ($SPX). The stock has continued to outperform the index in 2026, gaining 33.6%, surpassing the index's 13.2% gain over the same period.
A $20 Billion Reason Why Intel Stock Is in Focus
Marvell Technology (MRVL) Stock Might Offer a Quick Bounce Before Earnings
Most **** ysts Still Aren't Bullish on Tesla Stock, Even After Recent Selloff. Here's Why.
#fang #market #gain
3 days ago
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Reds fans and fans across the country.
The most recent start from Cincinnati Reds ace Chase Burns was a uniquely poor one. He yielded 5 ER and 6 H with a trio of walks in just 5.1 IP, exiting earlier than anyone would have liked in an eventual 8-2 loss to the Washington Nationals that may just have been the final nail in the coffin for the 2026 Reds club.
As you can see from the fine folks at FanGraphs, the average fastball velocities in his starts has also begun to decline over the course of the season, something that's not at all uncommon for a young pitcher who's being tasked with throwing more innings this year than he ever has before.
To date, Burns has fired 124.0 IP for the Reds, already topping the 109.1 IP he threw across all levels of professional ball last year. That in itself eclipsed the 100.0 IP mark he logged in his 2024 season with Wake Forest at the collegiate level, as Burns – who was oft-used as a reliever at Tennessee prior to transferring to Wake for his senior year – simply hasn't ever had a huge workload put on his prized right arm.
The Reds, obviously, hope that changes over the course of the long-term contract Burns signed earlier this season. But in a year where they're mired in last place and effectively out of a playoff spot, just how far should the Reds let him go in 2026?
#season
The most recent start from Cincinnati Reds ace Chase Burns was a uniquely poor one. He yielded 5 ER and 6 H with a trio of walks in just 5.1 IP, exiting earlier than anyone would have liked in an eventual 8-2 loss to the Washington Nationals that may just have been the final nail in the coffin for the 2026 Reds club.
As you can see from the fine folks at FanGraphs, the average fastball velocities in his starts has also begun to decline over the course of the season, something that's not at all uncommon for a young pitcher who's being tasked with throwing more innings this year than he ever has before.
To date, Burns has fired 124.0 IP for the Reds, already topping the 109.1 IP he threw across all levels of professional ball last year. That in itself eclipsed the 100.0 IP mark he logged in his 2024 season with Wake Forest at the collegiate level, as Burns – who was oft-used as a reliever at Tennessee prior to transferring to Wake for his senior year – simply hasn't ever had a huge workload put on his prized right arm.
The Reds, obviously, hope that changes over the course of the long-term contract Burns signed earlier this season. But in a year where they're mired in last place and effectively out of a playoff spot, just how far should the Reds let him go in 2026?
#season
3 days ago
Clay Holmes made his Cubs debut against the Royals on Saturday. It probably wasn't the box score line he was looking for, but seeing as it was his first start since taking a comebacker that broke his leg in mid-May, it was perfectly fine. He threw four innings, giving up four runs (all earned) on six hits while walking two and striking out one. Here's more about that outing directly from Holmes:
Even if there are a few starts where Holmes needs to shake the rust off like his first outing, the Cubs clearly see something in his ***** nal that should work well with their elite defense. Today let's dive into the numbers behind this trade that sent one of their top prospects back to the Mets in Jefferson Rojas.
Holmes is your classic sinker ball pitcher. He throws his sinker, which averages 94 miles per hour, about 50 percent of the time. You know what that means: ground ***** . You don't even really have to squint to see what the Cubs front office sees in this move: ground ***** with an elite defense are more likely to be outs. You can see all of Holmes' pitches along with their velocity in this screengrab from Baseball Savant:
This is a pitcher who tinkers a bit. There have been changes to his ***** nal over the last few years, but it's mainly in how much he throws a certain pitch. The biggest thing to look at in Holmes' pitches is that his role shifted considerably from 2024, when he was an elite reliever with the Yankees to 2025 when he became a credible starter with the Mets. You can see how Holmes' pitch mix has changed over time below:
Holmes can tinker all he wants if he winds up with ground ball rates like the ones he's had over the past few seasons for the Cubs. These numbers were truly eye-popping to me. I ran a FanGraphs leaderboard for every pitcher's ground ball rates since 2021 split by season for pitchers with at least 50 innings a season. Holmes has four of the top 15 seasons out of 1961 total seasons (yes, really). His worst ground ball rate (2025 with the Mets) is still in the top 10 percent, ranking 119th. There is elite in a single season and then there is elite over time. Holmes is elite over time, and I am dreaming on the double plays he's going to have turned behind him already. You can see key stats from his last six seasons below:
#METS
Even if there are a few starts where Holmes needs to shake the rust off like his first outing, the Cubs clearly see something in his ***** nal that should work well with their elite defense. Today let's dive into the numbers behind this trade that sent one of their top prospects back to the Mets in Jefferson Rojas.
Holmes is your classic sinker ball pitcher. He throws his sinker, which averages 94 miles per hour, about 50 percent of the time. You know what that means: ground ***** . You don't even really have to squint to see what the Cubs front office sees in this move: ground ***** with an elite defense are more likely to be outs. You can see all of Holmes' pitches along with their velocity in this screengrab from Baseball Savant:
This is a pitcher who tinkers a bit. There have been changes to his ***** nal over the last few years, but it's mainly in how much he throws a certain pitch. The biggest thing to look at in Holmes' pitches is that his role shifted considerably from 2024, when he was an elite reliever with the Yankees to 2025 when he became a credible starter with the Mets. You can see how Holmes' pitch mix has changed over time below:
Holmes can tinker all he wants if he winds up with ground ball rates like the ones he's had over the past few seasons for the Cubs. These numbers were truly eye-popping to me. I ran a FanGraphs leaderboard for every pitcher's ground ball rates since 2021 split by season for pitchers with at least 50 innings a season. Holmes has four of the top 15 seasons out of 1961 total seasons (yes, really). His worst ground ball rate (2025 with the Mets) is still in the top 10 percent, ranking 119th. There is elite in a single season and then there is elite over time. Holmes is elite over time, and I am dreaming on the double plays he's going to have turned behind him already. You can see key stats from his last six seasons below:
#METS
3 days ago
Eagles linebacker Jonathan Greenard has not practiced yet at training camp and it will still be some time before he's ready to get on the field.
Greenard is on the physically unable to perform list due to a pectoral injury and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said at a Tuesday press conference that it will be "another couple weeks at least" before he's able to resume football activities. Fangio said that the extended time off is something the Eagles will have to keep in mind as they try to avoid further injury once Greenard has returned to action.
"When he does come back, whenever that is, the thing you miss by not partaking in training camp — which he probably won't — you gotta get calloused to playing NFL football," Fangio said. "The banging, the running, the change of direction, the fatigue of it. He's gonna lose that. . . . That's gonna be something we have to be conscious with him when he does get back."
Fangio said Greenard has been participating in meetings and other behind the scenes work, which should join his experience in helping him make up for lost time. The timetable means that the team will still likely have to lean on Nolan Smith, Jalyx Hunt and other pass rushers early in the season.
#greenard #fangio #time
Greenard is on the physically unable to perform list due to a pectoral injury and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said at a Tuesday press conference that it will be "another couple weeks at least" before he's able to resume football activities. Fangio said that the extended time off is something the Eagles will have to keep in mind as they try to avoid further injury once Greenard has returned to action.
"When he does come back, whenever that is, the thing you miss by not partaking in training camp — which he probably won't — you gotta get calloused to playing NFL football," Fangio said. "The banging, the running, the change of direction, the fatigue of it. He's gonna lose that. . . . That's gonna be something we have to be conscious with him when he does get back."
Fangio said Greenard has been participating in meetings and other behind the scenes work, which should join his experience in helping him make up for lost time. The timetable means that the team will still likely have to lean on Nolan Smith, Jalyx Hunt and other pass rushers early in the season.
#greenard #fangio #time
3 days ago
New York Daily News | Gary Philips: Jazz Chisholm Jr. has lost himself a considerable amount of money in his pending free agency with his downright bad 2026. The Yankee second baseman has managed just a 92 wRC+ with a career high strikeout rate, and of course self-proclaimed that he'd be able to land a 50/50 season in spring training. Jazz hasn't been the only problem with the team's offense of course, but he's been a major contributor — or rather, non-contributor. If nothing else he seems to at least be aware of it, but awareness is different from adjustment.
NJ.com | Adam Zagoria: Tommy John released a very sad public farewell to the Yankee franchise and fanbase over the weekend, as the 83 year old enters hospice care with bladder cancer. Dr. Chris Ahmad, the club's head doctor, penned his own touching open letter to the man on Monday, acknowledging John's place in baseball history and remarkable determination to return to the game despite the shortest of odds.
New York Post | Ethan Spears ($): The Yankees will not have a clear path through the AL without Aaron Judge returning and hitting like we're used to seeing Aaron Judge hit. Cody Bellinger will also likely need to be back, patrolling left field and hitting cleanup. However, the emergence of both George Lombard Jr. and Spencer Jones as potential lineup-lengtheners give the club a couple more options, although relying on rookies — including one with just five games under his belt — to be reliable contributors through their first taste of MLB baseball is a risky endevor.
FanGraphs | Jay Jaffe: Gerrit Cole and Max Scherzer have been contemporaries atop the "best pitchers in baseball" list over the last decade or so, and they mirrored each other in strikeout accomplishments over the weekend. Scherzer fanned the 3,516th victim of his career on Saturday, moving into the top-10 in all of baseball history, and moments later Cole sat down the 1,000th batter as a Yankee, the fastest to do so in pinstripes, needing just 139 games. Both pitchers are closer to their enshrinement in Cooperstown than they are to having lost prospect status, but we can still mark the milestones when they come.
#Baseball #york
NJ.com | Adam Zagoria: Tommy John released a very sad public farewell to the Yankee franchise and fanbase over the weekend, as the 83 year old enters hospice care with bladder cancer. Dr. Chris Ahmad, the club's head doctor, penned his own touching open letter to the man on Monday, acknowledging John's place in baseball history and remarkable determination to return to the game despite the shortest of odds.
New York Post | Ethan Spears ($): The Yankees will not have a clear path through the AL without Aaron Judge returning and hitting like we're used to seeing Aaron Judge hit. Cody Bellinger will also likely need to be back, patrolling left field and hitting cleanup. However, the emergence of both George Lombard Jr. and Spencer Jones as potential lineup-lengtheners give the club a couple more options, although relying on rookies — including one with just five games under his belt — to be reliable contributors through their first taste of MLB baseball is a risky endevor.
FanGraphs | Jay Jaffe: Gerrit Cole and Max Scherzer have been contemporaries atop the "best pitchers in baseball" list over the last decade or so, and they mirrored each other in strikeout accomplishments over the weekend. Scherzer fanned the 3,516th victim of his career on Saturday, moving into the top-10 in all of baseball history, and moments later Cole sat down the 1,000th batter as a Yankee, the fastest to do so in pinstripes, needing just 139 games. Both pitchers are closer to their enshrinement in Cooperstown than they are to having lost prospect status, but we can still mark the milestones when they come.
#Baseball #york
5 days ago
Training camp is filled with position battles, but not all of them receive the same attention. This time around, much of the focus has centered on the Philadelphia Eagles' wide receiver competition. There have also been conversations about a possible late safety addition by Howie Roseman as the backend of Vic Fangio's defense remains a talking point.
There's the backup quarterback race, Tanner McKee vs. Andy Dalton. No one, however, should ignore another important battle, one quietly taking shape among the backups along the offensive line. Drew Kendall may be one of the early winners.
Per multiple sources who have attended camp, the second-year veteran has consistently found himself in a prominent role whenever the Eagles have needed reinforcements up front. More importantly, he has continued to make the most of those opportunities. He has received rave reviews for his work.
One of the clearest indicators of a player's standing during training camp isn't what coaches say. It's where they place him. Kendall has repeatedly been among the first offensive linemen called upon when the Eagles need someone to step into a larger role.
Whether filling in at guard or handling additional responsibilities with various units, his workload suggests the coaching staff has developed a growing level of trust in him. That trust isn't handed out freely, especially in Philadelphia.
#kendall #offensive #trust
There's the backup quarterback race, Tanner McKee vs. Andy Dalton. No one, however, should ignore another important battle, one quietly taking shape among the backups along the offensive line. Drew Kendall may be one of the early winners.
Per multiple sources who have attended camp, the second-year veteran has consistently found himself in a prominent role whenever the Eagles have needed reinforcements up front. More importantly, he has continued to make the most of those opportunities. He has received rave reviews for his work.
One of the clearest indicators of a player's standing during training camp isn't what coaches say. It's where they place him. Kendall has repeatedly been among the first offensive linemen called upon when the Eagles need someone to step into a larger role.
Whether filling in at guard or handling additional responsibilities with various units, his workload suggests the coaching staff has developed a growing level of trust in him. That trust isn't handed out freely, especially in Philadelphia.
#kendall #offensive #trust
5 days ago
The Philadelphia Eagles failed to repeat as Super Bowl champions in 2025 in no small part part due to an underwhelming offense. Entering 2026, there's hope that they've righted the ship on that front as the Birds look to get back on top of the NFC. Eagles fans are feeling optimistic about the direction of the team under new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion. There's also a high level of confidence in Vic Fangio, who could conceivably oversee the best defense in the NFL.
Given that Nick Sirianni and Jalen Hurts have never not made the playoffs since they were first paired together in 2021, failing to qualify for the postseason in 2026 would be a surprise. FanDuel has the Eagles' win total at 10.5 games.
All times listed Eastern.
Week 1: at Baltimore Ravens (Saturday, August 15, 7:00 PM, NBC10)
Week 2: at New England Patriots (Saturday, August 22, 7:00 PM, NBC10)
#week #august #part
Given that Nick Sirianni and Jalen Hurts have never not made the playoffs since they were first paired together in 2021, failing to qualify for the postseason in 2026 would be a surprise. FanDuel has the Eagles' win total at 10.5 games.
All times listed Eastern.
Week 1: at Baltimore Ravens (Saturday, August 15, 7:00 PM, NBC10)
Week 2: at New England Patriots (Saturday, August 22, 7:00 PM, NBC10)
#week #august #part
6 days ago
The Washington Commanders entered training camp believing they had one of the NFL's best left tackles protecting Jayden Daniels. That plan has taken a devastating hit.
Five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil suffered a torn triceps during one-on-one pass-rush drills, according to reports from Adam Schefter and Steve Wyche. Tunsil will likely require surgery and is expected to miss a significant portion of the regular season.
There are few offensive linemen capable of replacing what Tunsil provides. Washington acquired him to protect Daniels' blind side and provide stability at one of football's most important positions. Now, the Commanders must rearrange their offensive line weeks before the regular season begins.
Andrew Wylie is expected to move to left tackle, with Josh Conerly remaining on the right side. Brandon Coleman started at left tackle in 2024, but Washington had already moved him inside to guard. Moving Coleman back outside remains an option, but doing so would create another opening along the interior. Washington may also explore the veteran market before settling on its starting five.
The Eagles already had several reasons to feel confident about their defensive front. Tunsil's absence gives Vic Fangio another potential weakness to attack when Philadelphia faces Washington.
#left
Five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil suffered a torn triceps during one-on-one pass-rush drills, according to reports from Adam Schefter and Steve Wyche. Tunsil will likely require surgery and is expected to miss a significant portion of the regular season.
There are few offensive linemen capable of replacing what Tunsil provides. Washington acquired him to protect Daniels' blind side and provide stability at one of football's most important positions. Now, the Commanders must rearrange their offensive line weeks before the regular season begins.
Andrew Wylie is expected to move to left tackle, with Josh Conerly remaining on the right side. Brandon Coleman started at left tackle in 2024, but Washington had already moved him inside to guard. Moving Coleman back outside remains an option, but doing so would create another opening along the interior. Washington may also explore the veteran market before settling on its starting five.
The Eagles already had several reasons to feel confident about their defensive front. Tunsil's absence gives Vic Fangio another potential weakness to attack when Philadelphia faces Washington.
#left
9 days ago
The San Francisco 49ers worked out Ogbo Okoronkwo this past Sunday. On Wednesday morning, the team officially reunited Okoronkwo with Raheem Morris.
The former fifth-round pick out of the 2018 NFL Draft has played with some of the best defensive coordinators in the NFL, including Morris, DeMeco Ryans, Jim Schwartz, and Vic Fangio.
Okoronkwo, 31, has been a backup for most of his career. He played sparingly under Morris in the one year they spent together with the Rams. Okoronkwo actually played more in Los Angeles once Morris left. From the 2022 to 2024 seasons, he played around 400 snaps per season.
To date, Okoronkwo's best year came with the Texans in 2022, where he generated a 18.5% pressure rate, had 33 stops, and 5 sacks.
The 49ers are in need of edge rush help after losing a potential depth piece in Mikail Kamara to a torn ACL, Keion White with an adductor injury, and Cameron Sample to a knee injury. Mykel Williams remains on the active/PUP List, while Nick Bosa continues to work his way up to participating in 11-on-11 drills.
#played #best #injury
The former fifth-round pick out of the 2018 NFL Draft has played with some of the best defensive coordinators in the NFL, including Morris, DeMeco Ryans, Jim Schwartz, and Vic Fangio.
Okoronkwo, 31, has been a backup for most of his career. He played sparingly under Morris in the one year they spent together with the Rams. Okoronkwo actually played more in Los Angeles once Morris left. From the 2022 to 2024 seasons, he played around 400 snaps per season.
To date, Okoronkwo's best year came with the Texans in 2022, where he generated a 18.5% pressure rate, had 33 stops, and 5 sacks.
The 49ers are in need of edge rush help after losing a potential depth piece in Mikail Kamara to a torn ACL, Keion White with an adductor injury, and Cameron Sample to a knee injury. Mykel Williams remains on the active/PUP List, while Nick Bosa continues to work his way up to participating in 11-on-11 drills.
#played #best #injury
9 days ago
Coy James may have been a 5th rounder in the 2025 draft, but he is not your average fifth round pick. The Nats gave James a $2.5 million signing bonus, paying him approximately the slot value of the 39th overall pick in that draft. With that in mind, big things were expected from the high school shortstop, and so far he has lived up to expectations.
It has not been a perfect first season for James by any means. He is only hitting .222 and is striking out 25.4% of the time in Low-A. However, he is showing flashes of immense upside with 16 homers and 27 steals. His .755 OPS is also above league average. James remains a work in progress, but his upside remains tantalizing.
We got reminded of how loud those tools are last night. While the Nats were lifelessly meandering to a 7th straight loss, James hit a 456 foot bomb. That is some crazy raw power for a 19 year old. When James is firing on all cylinders, he is one of the most impressive of the Nats many infield prospects.
James' season has been interesting because going into the draft scouts were split on if he were a power first guy or a hit first profile. Baseball America gave him a 55 hit tool with 50 power, while MLB Pipeline gave him a 45 hit tool with 55 power. So far the Pipeline projection has been more accurate, though his raw power might be closer to a 60.
Interestingly, it also seems like James' athleticism got undersold coming out of the draft as well. Both BA and Pipeline graded him as an average runner. However, he has looked more explosive in pro ball. He has 27 steals, but Fangraphs also gave him a 60 run tool in their early season update.
#james #gave #first #season
It has not been a perfect first season for James by any means. He is only hitting .222 and is striking out 25.4% of the time in Low-A. However, he is showing flashes of immense upside with 16 homers and 27 steals. His .755 OPS is also above league average. James remains a work in progress, but his upside remains tantalizing.
We got reminded of how loud those tools are last night. While the Nats were lifelessly meandering to a 7th straight loss, James hit a 456 foot bomb. That is some crazy raw power for a 19 year old. When James is firing on all cylinders, he is one of the most impressive of the Nats many infield prospects.
James' season has been interesting because going into the draft scouts were split on if he were a power first guy or a hit first profile. Baseball America gave him a 55 hit tool with 50 power, while MLB Pipeline gave him a 45 hit tool with 55 power. So far the Pipeline projection has been more accurate, though his raw power might be closer to a 60.
Interestingly, it also seems like James' athleticism got undersold coming out of the draft as well. Both BA and Pipeline graded him as an average runner. However, he has looked more explosive in pro ball. He has 27 steals, but Fangraphs also gave him a 60 run tool in their early season update.
#james #gave #first #season
10 days ago
Broncos' Talanoa Hufanga wants everyone to know 1 thing from training camp appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Denver Broncos have high expectations coming into 2026 after a breakout 2025 season where they made a run all the way to the AFC Championship Game. The Denver offense has gotten a lot of the attention this offseason, and rightfully so, but the defense is still where the Broncos will make their money.
That should be the case again in 2026, when Denver returns a bulk of its starting group from a season ago and should once again be one of the top defenses in all of football. Vance Joseph's unit has been proving that during training camp as they get ready for the season, and Tuesday was no different.
After Tuesday's practice, standout safety Talanoa Hufanga wanted everyone to know that the defense dominated the day, per Mike Klis of 9 News Denver.
Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (free trial)
#know
The Denver Broncos have high expectations coming into 2026 after a breakout 2025 season where they made a run all the way to the AFC Championship Game. The Denver offense has gotten a lot of the attention this offseason, and rightfully so, but the defense is still where the Broncos will make their money.
That should be the case again in 2026, when Denver returns a bulk of its starting group from a season ago and should once again be one of the top defenses in all of football. Vance Joseph's unit has been proving that during training camp as they get ready for the season, and Tuesday was no different.
After Tuesday's practice, standout safety Talanoa Hufanga wanted everyone to know that the defense dominated the day, per Mike Klis of 9 News Denver.
Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (free trial)
#know
11 days ago
Andrew Baggarly just described today's activity as "frenetic," and he's right. The past two trade deadlines have been practically Zaidian for Buster Posey, Zack Minasian, and the San Francisco Giants. For as much as the franchise has oversteered from the 2019-2024 days, the new regime is a lot like the old one in that no matter what they've done to improve the team, it's been stuck in the zone of mediocre-to-bad. But Zaidi was (seemingly) constrained by ownership in how he could rebuild on the fly. Posey doesn't seem to have any constraints. Does that automatically make today's deadline deals great? In a moment, I'll grade them.
First, though, let's contextualize this ******* ysis. It helps that these 2026ers will go down as one of the worst teams in franchise history, something Zaidi's squads never came close to even suggesting. Trading away a chunk of the roster, then, would seem like a mercy killing. But also, with free agency and the regular season being such busts, the only real excitement these days seems to come from acquiring hope in the form of prospects. The Giants have done that in their past two drafts, at last year's deadline, and now, possibly, this year's deadline, too.
Take a look at this graph of Farm System Values (via FanGraphs) that was compiled by Sky Kalkman:
I admit that my eyes darted far to the right by sheer instinct. I've seen farm system rankings for decades now and have become accustomed to the Giants being down, down on the list. And yes, I'd forgotten that I'd written up FanGraphs' farm rankings back in June. The Giants have been on the rise for some time now. But heading into the trade deadline ranked #9 ? Cool! And that was before the majority of the trades.
Second, I hope people have internalized that trade deadline deals are usually not great deals. Yes, headliners are moved, but rarely does the team getting prospects in return get equal (future) value. But, like, in the case of say, the Detroit Tigers, it was going to be hard to get back fair value for Tarik Skubal whether they traded him before the season or at the deadline, and the fact that they decided to try to go for it this season with Skubal is a very reasonable one on their part that just didn't work out in the way they'd hoped.
#like
First, though, let's contextualize this ******* ysis. It helps that these 2026ers will go down as one of the worst teams in franchise history, something Zaidi's squads never came close to even suggesting. Trading away a chunk of the roster, then, would seem like a mercy killing. But also, with free agency and the regular season being such busts, the only real excitement these days seems to come from acquiring hope in the form of prospects. The Giants have done that in their past two drafts, at last year's deadline, and now, possibly, this year's deadline, too.
Take a look at this graph of Farm System Values (via FanGraphs) that was compiled by Sky Kalkman:
I admit that my eyes darted far to the right by sheer instinct. I've seen farm system rankings for decades now and have become accustomed to the Giants being down, down on the list. And yes, I'd forgotten that I'd written up FanGraphs' farm rankings back in June. The Giants have been on the rise for some time now. But heading into the trade deadline ranked #9 ? Cool! And that was before the majority of the trades.
Second, I hope people have internalized that trade deadline deals are usually not great deals. Yes, headliners are moved, but rarely does the team getting prospects in return get equal (future) value. But, like, in the case of say, the Detroit Tigers, it was going to be hard to get back fair value for Tarik Skubal whether they traded him before the season or at the deadline, and the fact that they decided to try to go for it this season with Skubal is a very reasonable one on their part that just didn't work out in the way they'd hoped.
#like
11 days ago
For all the drama surrounding the Tarik Skubal sweepstakes, and the will they or won't they position the Tigers were in as the trade deadline approached, the Detroit Tigers ultimately kept to just two notable trades. They got good value for both Skubal and Casey Mize, but at the same time didn't really address their biggest weakness in their high leverage relief corps. As they still seem bent on trying to secure a wild card slot, it's a bit of a peculiar mixed bag in terms of their intentions, but ultimately their trades have to be viewed as punting on the 2026 season without simply giving everything away to slash payroll. They had two valuable ****** ets heading to free agency, and they did a solid job of cashing them in for good prospects with which to restock their farm system.
The Tigers currently have the 17th best odds of making the postseason and are +590 on FanDuel's sportsbook to do so at the moment. FanGraphs is more optimistic, giving them a 22.6 percent chance of reaching the playoffs. It helps that they're not entirely out of the divisional race, as well as having the shot at a wild card berth and currently just 2.5 games back of the final spot.
Those odds still aren't great, and with Skubal and Mize out of the rotation, and no attempt to address the bullpen, those odds will also have to be adjusted to reflect the significantly weaker starting rotation they'll be working with down the stretch. Ultimately, while the Tigers will say they're still trying to make the postseason and will do what they can with what they have to do so, the totality of their moves adds up to capitulation without going whole hog and trying to dump the salaries of players like Gleyber Torres, Jack Flaherty, or Kenley Jansen.
Of course, teams have to want those players, and with Flaherty injured, and Jansen struggling, there wasn't going to be much, if any, interest. Still, the decision not to deal Torres is the really interesting one. He wouldn't return a whole lot in trade, but he's also potentially blocking a currently hot-hitting prospect in Max Anderson. Perhaps Anderson will get the call anyway and they'll simply piece together at-bats for the Anderson/Torres duo, but the best reason to keep Torres is to have that extra, professional right-handed bat in the lineup against the best teams in the postseason.
Overall, we'll take the Tigers for what they did do, rather than trying to piece together why other moves weren't pursued. The slightly mixed signals here make it tricky to figure out what they're thinking in regard to their hopes to at least get into the postseason. The trades suggest a team throwing in the towel, and as sellers, they did pretty well overall. On the other hand, their proximity to a wild card berth, says they still have an outside shot. So declining to go after relief help was strange when that's been the team's main problem all season long. Whatever their intentions or hopes the rest of the season, they sold off talent and got quali
The Tigers currently have the 17th best odds of making the postseason and are +590 on FanDuel's sportsbook to do so at the moment. FanGraphs is more optimistic, giving them a 22.6 percent chance of reaching the playoffs. It helps that they're not entirely out of the divisional race, as well as having the shot at a wild card berth and currently just 2.5 games back of the final spot.
Those odds still aren't great, and with Skubal and Mize out of the rotation, and no attempt to address the bullpen, those odds will also have to be adjusted to reflect the significantly weaker starting rotation they'll be working with down the stretch. Ultimately, while the Tigers will say they're still trying to make the postseason and will do what they can with what they have to do so, the totality of their moves adds up to capitulation without going whole hog and trying to dump the salaries of players like Gleyber Torres, Jack Flaherty, or Kenley Jansen.
Of course, teams have to want those players, and with Flaherty injured, and Jansen struggling, there wasn't going to be much, if any, interest. Still, the decision not to deal Torres is the really interesting one. He wouldn't return a whole lot in trade, but he's also potentially blocking a currently hot-hitting prospect in Max Anderson. Perhaps Anderson will get the call anyway and they'll simply piece together at-bats for the Anderson/Torres duo, but the best reason to keep Torres is to have that extra, professional right-handed bat in the lineup against the best teams in the postseason.
Overall, we'll take the Tigers for what they did do, rather than trying to piece together why other moves weren't pursued. The slightly mixed signals here make it tricky to figure out what they're thinking in regard to their hopes to at least get into the postseason. The trades suggest a team throwing in the towel, and as sellers, they did pretty well overall. On the other hand, their proximity to a wild card berth, says they still have an outside shot. So declining to go after relief help was strange when that's been the team's main problem all season long. Whatever their intentions or hopes the rest of the season, they sold off talent and got quali
11 days ago
After sending one of their best relievers to Toronto at last year's trade deadline, the Blue Jays have returned the favor in 2026. Former All-Star closer Jeff Hoffman is heading to the Twins in exchange for prospects Dasan Hill, John Klein, and Dameury Pena according to The Athletic. Hoffman is under contract for next year as well at $12.67 million, a portion of which will be covered by Toronto.
Hoffman, 33, has a high ERA but everything else about him still looks like the elite reliever he was over in Philadelphia. He has a 3.94 ERA that is artificially inflated thankto a .389 BABIP, but a 2.49 FIP provides a better insight into the type of pitcher he's been. His 1.2 fWAR is 13th among relievers in baseball, while his 14.06 K/9 is second to only the Padres' Mason Miller.
Most importantly, Hoffman brings elite strikeout stuff to a bullpen that, while improved, has really needed some swing-and-miss on the backend. His pitch mix is very Griffin Jax-esque, relying heavily on a slider that's among the best pitches in baseball and a fastball with enough velocity to be dangerous. He'll also mix in a splitter, primarily against lefties, that is also quietly pretty strong.
In return, the Blue Jays will receive pitching prospects Dasan Hill and John Klein, along with infielder Dameury Pena. Hill, 20, is the clear headliner of this group. He was the Twins' second round pick in 2024 and had an excellent debut season in 2025, appearing on the back end of some Top 100s. The Twins moved him up to High A to start this season, but has struggled mightily to throw strikes. The stuff is there, but the lanky lefty has a very long way to go before he's ready to face big leaguers. Hill was the Twins' 12th-ranked prospect according to FanGraphs, while Klein slotted in at 35 and Pena at 49.
Manager Derek Shelton has a lot more tools to work with than he did this time last week. Hoffman should slot in as the team's primary closer immediately, but I would still expect Yoendrys Gomez and Andrew Morris to have opportunities down the stretch. Those two have both been heavily used the past two months and, as we saw with both walk-off losses last weekend, have probably been a bit overexposed. Having Minter and now Hoffman solidifies what has quietly become a very solid group of relievers.
#hill #last #toronto #blue
Hoffman, 33, has a high ERA but everything else about him still looks like the elite reliever he was over in Philadelphia. He has a 3.94 ERA that is artificially inflated thankto a .389 BABIP, but a 2.49 FIP provides a better insight into the type of pitcher he's been. His 1.2 fWAR is 13th among relievers in baseball, while his 14.06 K/9 is second to only the Padres' Mason Miller.
Most importantly, Hoffman brings elite strikeout stuff to a bullpen that, while improved, has really needed some swing-and-miss on the backend. His pitch mix is very Griffin Jax-esque, relying heavily on a slider that's among the best pitches in baseball and a fastball with enough velocity to be dangerous. He'll also mix in a splitter, primarily against lefties, that is also quietly pretty strong.
In return, the Blue Jays will receive pitching prospects Dasan Hill and John Klein, along with infielder Dameury Pena. Hill, 20, is the clear headliner of this group. He was the Twins' second round pick in 2024 and had an excellent debut season in 2025, appearing on the back end of some Top 100s. The Twins moved him up to High A to start this season, but has struggled mightily to throw strikes. The stuff is there, but the lanky lefty has a very long way to go before he's ready to face big leaguers. Hill was the Twins' 12th-ranked prospect according to FanGraphs, while Klein slotted in at 35 and Pena at 49.
Manager Derek Shelton has a lot more tools to work with than he did this time last week. Hoffman should slot in as the team's primary closer immediately, but I would still expect Yoendrys Gomez and Andrew Morris to have opportunities down the stretch. Those two have both been heavily used the past two months and, as we saw with both walk-off losses last weekend, have probably been a bit overexposed. Having Minter and now Hoffman solidifies what has quietly become a very solid group of relievers.
#hill #last #toronto #blue
11 days ago
Today is the MLB trade deadline, and the San Francisco Giants wasted no time being active. Early in the morning, news broke that the Giants had traded All-Star second baseman to the Philadelphia Phillies for right-handed pitching prospect Ramon Marquez. The Giants are also sending right-handed reliever Caleb Kilian to Philadelphia, while getting back right-handed pitching prospect Marty Gair.
The Giants held out for a nice return for Arráez, who is in line to win the National League batting **** le this year, and it seems they got exactly that with Marquez. A 20-year old who signed as an international free agent last year, Marquez has wasted no time becoming one of the top prospects in the Phillies organization. In the most recent Fangraphs rankings, Marquez graded out as the team's No. 3 prospect, and the No. 67 overall prospect in baseball.
Marquez was thoroughly dominant in Low-A this year, posting a 1.86 ERA and a 2.65 FIP in six games, with 47 strikeouts in 29 innings, and just 10 walks. That earned him a promotion to High-A, where he's kept the performance up: in six starts at the level, the righty has a 1.50 ERA, a 1.99 FIP, and 46 strikeouts to nine walks in 30 innings. He has a high quality fastball and slider, but his money pitch is a changeup that grades out as one of the best pitches in Minor League Baseball. He should immediately slot right behind the team's No. 4 pick in last month's draft, Jackson Flora, as the second-best pitching prospect in the system.
As for Gair, he was Philly's 13th-round pick in the 2023 draft. The 23-year old is a gaudy strikeout artist but struggles with command. Across 36 innings this year (33 in Low-A and three in High-A), the right-hander has 66 strikeouts and just 20 hits allowed … but has walked 22 batters. He has a 4.50 ERA and a 3.88 FIP on the season, and has worked exclusively in relief.
The Giants have been exposed this year for not having nearly enough pitching. Seen through that lens, the addition of Marquez to pair with Flora, and fellow draftees Carson Bolemon and Kaden Waechter, is a big win. Suddenly, San Francisco's pitching pipeline looks a whole lot better than it did in June.
#year #pitching #high #innings
The Giants held out for a nice return for Arráez, who is in line to win the National League batting **** le this year, and it seems they got exactly that with Marquez. A 20-year old who signed as an international free agent last year, Marquez has wasted no time becoming one of the top prospects in the Phillies organization. In the most recent Fangraphs rankings, Marquez graded out as the team's No. 3 prospect, and the No. 67 overall prospect in baseball.
Marquez was thoroughly dominant in Low-A this year, posting a 1.86 ERA and a 2.65 FIP in six games, with 47 strikeouts in 29 innings, and just 10 walks. That earned him a promotion to High-A, where he's kept the performance up: in six starts at the level, the righty has a 1.50 ERA, a 1.99 FIP, and 46 strikeouts to nine walks in 30 innings. He has a high quality fastball and slider, but his money pitch is a changeup that grades out as one of the best pitches in Minor League Baseball. He should immediately slot right behind the team's No. 4 pick in last month's draft, Jackson Flora, as the second-best pitching prospect in the system.
As for Gair, he was Philly's 13th-round pick in the 2023 draft. The 23-year old is a gaudy strikeout artist but struggles with command. Across 36 innings this year (33 in Low-A and three in High-A), the right-hander has 66 strikeouts and just 20 hits allowed … but has walked 22 batters. He has a 4.50 ERA and a 3.88 FIP on the season, and has worked exclusively in relief.
The Giants have been exposed this year for not having nearly enough pitching. Seen through that lens, the addition of Marquez to pair with Flora, and fellow draftees Carson Bolemon and Kaden Waechter, is a big win. Suddenly, San Francisco's pitching pipeline looks a whole lot better than it did in June.
#year #pitching #high #innings
11 days ago
Replacing a productive starter is difficult. Replacing one of the defense's leaders can be even harder. The Philadelphia Eagles certainly understand that reality. Following Reed Blankenship's departure, they're in familiar territory, managing roster turnover, but rather than asking one player to fill every aspect of his role, defensive coordinator Vic Fangio appears to be taking a different approach.
Philadelphia will likely rely on Coach Fangio's unit early this season. Recently, he spoke with the media at Eagles camp. When asked who would **** ume the communication responsibilities in the secondary, a role Blankenship filled admirably, Fangio didn't identify a single successor. Instead, he named several.
"That'll be both of them (Marcus Epps and Andrew Mukuba). When it's Mukuba and Epps back there, they'll both do it. Epps is very capable of that, and I think Andrew is too. He'll get even better and better, this being his second year and being more confident... And Cooper DeJean, when he's there, he'll be capable of it."
Those comments offer a revealing glimpse into how Philadelphia plans to move forward after losing one of its defensive leaders. Communication won't fall on one player. It, like everything else on this Eagles defense, will evolve into a more team effort.
Blankenship's value extended beyond tackles and interceptions. As one of the defense's primary communicators, he helped organize coverages, relay adjustments and keep the secondary aligned before the snap. Those responsibilities don't disappear simply because he has left to continue his career with the Houston Texans. Instead of placing that burden entirely on Marcus Epps or expecting Mukuba to become the defense's lone voice immediately, Fangio is cultivating multiple players who can direct traffic from the back end.
#Eagles #replacing #instead #marcus
Philadelphia will likely rely on Coach Fangio's unit early this season. Recently, he spoke with the media at Eagles camp. When asked who would **** ume the communication responsibilities in the secondary, a role Blankenship filled admirably, Fangio didn't identify a single successor. Instead, he named several.
"That'll be both of them (Marcus Epps and Andrew Mukuba). When it's Mukuba and Epps back there, they'll both do it. Epps is very capable of that, and I think Andrew is too. He'll get even better and better, this being his second year and being more confident... And Cooper DeJean, when he's there, he'll be capable of it."
Those comments offer a revealing glimpse into how Philadelphia plans to move forward after losing one of its defensive leaders. Communication won't fall on one player. It, like everything else on this Eagles defense, will evolve into a more team effort.
Blankenship's value extended beyond tackles and interceptions. As one of the defense's primary communicators, he helped organize coverages, relay adjustments and keep the secondary aligned before the snap. Those responsibilities don't disappear simply because he has left to continue his career with the Houston Texans. Instead of placing that burden entirely on Marcus Epps or expecting Mukuba to become the defense's lone voice immediately, Fangio is cultivating multiple players who can direct traffic from the back end.
#Eagles #replacing #instead #marcus
12 days ago
If you are just waking up, where have you been? The Braves kicked off their postseason by adding righty outfielder Lane Thomas from the Royals. If you had been reading us all this time, you may have had an inkling.
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From Lane Thomas's Fangraphs profile, he appears to have peaked in 2023. He hit 28 home runs with the Nationals that year and compiled 2.9 WAR. But he hasn't reached those heights since. Lane suffered a left MCL injury in April 2024 before being shipped to the Guardians. In 2025, he suffered a bone bruise before serving two IL stints for plantar fasciitis. However, he was able to keep away from scooters long enough to come back and have a league average offensive season in the outfield for Kansas City. Now, I feel you may not be sold on Thomas in the same way that the Braves were. Nevertheless, if Atlanta employs him in the correct manner, he becomes a very useful piece.
A brief aside to mention a couple of things. Shoutout to Ivan to get me started on this, and we'll hopefully catch some typos later if necessary. Also, thanks to whomever leaked this trade info before 10 pm so we had time to put something together for Sunday morning.
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#Braves #fangraphs #nationals
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From Lane Thomas's Fangraphs profile, he appears to have peaked in 2023. He hit 28 home runs with the Nationals that year and compiled 2.9 WAR. But he hasn't reached those heights since. Lane suffered a left MCL injury in April 2024 before being shipped to the Guardians. In 2025, he suffered a bone bruise before serving two IL stints for plantar fasciitis. However, he was able to keep away from scooters long enough to come back and have a league average offensive season in the outfield for Kansas City. Now, I feel you may not be sold on Thomas in the same way that the Braves were. Nevertheless, if Atlanta employs him in the correct manner, he becomes a very useful piece.
A brief aside to mention a couple of things. Shoutout to Ivan to get me started on this, and we'll hopefully catch some typos later if necessary. Also, thanks to whomever leaked this trade info before 10 pm so we had time to put something together for Sunday morning.
Your browser does not support the video tag.
#Braves #fangraphs #nationals
12 days ago
Invoking a wounded innocence that their desire for sports to be simple, just like they used to be, conservatives for a decade and a half have dreaded the word "politics". Now they cannot get enough.
Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio has spent 40 years in the National Football League unknown except for his defensive schemes, but last week opened his press remarks mocking the congressional testimony of Dr Anthony Fauci, jokingly invoking the Fifth Amendment before taking questions. Apropos of nothing, President Trump publicly surmised that LeBron James might be a racist. Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham is now in the act, accepting the role as the right's anti-Black, anti-transgender culture war ambassador, the role originally intended for Caitlin Clark.
If Clark has lacked the courage and dexterity to say anything beyond the milky and ambiguous, Sophie Cunningham does not suffer from such internal conflicts. Largely anonymous politically or otherwise during her eight-year career, Cunningham – she of the viral finger-point which has been adopted as a symbol of the white animosity toward the WNBA culture – is in her moment. Her comments in a lengthy 21 July ESPN profile stating her opposition to transgender athletes has earned her hero status of the specious "Protect Our Girls" movement, even though you'd need a microscope to find any critical mass of transgender women participating in sports at any level.
Cunningham plays role of the blithe and bubbly iconoclast, oblivious to the world around as she unapologetically speaks her truths, but she is every bit as political as Colin Kaepernick, Megan Rapinoe, or her locked-armed, T-shirt wearing colleagues that defined the WNBA when she first entered the league in 2019. Cunningham forged a tough, take-no-prisoners-without-taking-herself-too-seriously persona, but was too meek to address the toxic roots of her newfound fame.
So too, was ESPN, which waited nearly 75 paragraphs just to sidestep the foundation of Cunningham's rise: she is profiting from cultural fractures that may be good for her but are tearing her league apart:
#cunningham #WNBA #invoking #sports
Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio has spent 40 years in the National Football League unknown except for his defensive schemes, but last week opened his press remarks mocking the congressional testimony of Dr Anthony Fauci, jokingly invoking the Fifth Amendment before taking questions. Apropos of nothing, President Trump publicly surmised that LeBron James might be a racist. Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham is now in the act, accepting the role as the right's anti-Black, anti-transgender culture war ambassador, the role originally intended for Caitlin Clark.
If Clark has lacked the courage and dexterity to say anything beyond the milky and ambiguous, Sophie Cunningham does not suffer from such internal conflicts. Largely anonymous politically or otherwise during her eight-year career, Cunningham – she of the viral finger-point which has been adopted as a symbol of the white animosity toward the WNBA culture – is in her moment. Her comments in a lengthy 21 July ESPN profile stating her opposition to transgender athletes has earned her hero status of the specious "Protect Our Girls" movement, even though you'd need a microscope to find any critical mass of transgender women participating in sports at any level.
Cunningham plays role of the blithe and bubbly iconoclast, oblivious to the world around as she unapologetically speaks her truths, but she is every bit as political as Colin Kaepernick, Megan Rapinoe, or her locked-armed, T-shirt wearing colleagues that defined the WNBA when she first entered the league in 2019. Cunningham forged a tough, take-no-prisoners-without-taking-herself-too-seriously persona, but was too meek to address the toxic roots of her newfound fame.
So too, was ESPN, which waited nearly 75 paragraphs just to sidestep the foundation of Cunningham's rise: she is profiting from cultural fractures that may be good for her but are tearing her league apart:
#cunningham #WNBA #invoking #sports
14 days ago
According to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal, the Twins have acquired starting pitcher Dean Kremer from the Baltimore Orioles. The Twins are sending outfield prospect Jhonmardo Reyes in return. Kremer is owed $5.75M this season and is controllable via arbitration for 2027.
Kremer has struggled this season to a 6.50 ERA/6.24 FIP in seven starts this year, but has a long track record as a reliable starter. He's also missed most of the season with a quad strain and just returned July 1, and his advanced numbers paint a prettier picture with a 4.92 xERA/3.81 xFIP. From 2022-2025, Kremer had 3.95 ERA/4.17 FIP in 599 innings, so the Twins are making the bet he'll return to that form down the stretch.
If there's one area that is likely to get back to normal immediately, it's Kremer's home run rate. Kremer has allowed 12 home runs in those 7 seven starts for a robust 3.00 HR/9. He was sitting at a 1.17 HR/9 for his career before this season and will likely regress closer to that figure as he rounds into shape.
Reyes, 18, will be heading back to the Orioles. He's still a long ways away, but he's had some very exciting flashes in his first full season in the Twins' system. FanGraphs has him rated as the Twins 10th-best prospect, touting his top end power potential with a lot of questions about his ability to make contact against better pitchers. Twinkie Town's Aidan O'Brien is a bit lower on Reyes, placing him at number 22.
Starting pitching is always significantly more expensive than relievers, but this is a pricey trade for a pitcher that has looked rough this season. His track record will likely pay off in the long run, but Reyes is a significant tier above most 18-year-old wildcard prospects. The Orioles were likely only willing to move Kremer this early specifically because the Twins were willing to offer Reyes. And while I consider this a bit of an overpay, it's not outrageously high and the cost for starting pitching is high in July (See: Minnesota getting a decent prospect for Chris Paddack last season).
#twins #season #reyes
Kremer has struggled this season to a 6.50 ERA/6.24 FIP in seven starts this year, but has a long track record as a reliable starter. He's also missed most of the season with a quad strain and just returned July 1, and his advanced numbers paint a prettier picture with a 4.92 xERA/3.81 xFIP. From 2022-2025, Kremer had 3.95 ERA/4.17 FIP in 599 innings, so the Twins are making the bet he'll return to that form down the stretch.
If there's one area that is likely to get back to normal immediately, it's Kremer's home run rate. Kremer has allowed 12 home runs in those 7 seven starts for a robust 3.00 HR/9. He was sitting at a 1.17 HR/9 for his career before this season and will likely regress closer to that figure as he rounds into shape.
Reyes, 18, will be heading back to the Orioles. He's still a long ways away, but he's had some very exciting flashes in his first full season in the Twins' system. FanGraphs has him rated as the Twins 10th-best prospect, touting his top end power potential with a lot of questions about his ability to make contact against better pitchers. Twinkie Town's Aidan O'Brien is a bit lower on Reyes, placing him at number 22.
Starting pitching is always significantly more expensive than relievers, but this is a pricey trade for a pitcher that has looked rough this season. His track record will likely pay off in the long run, but Reyes is a significant tier above most 18-year-old wildcard prospects. The Orioles were likely only willing to move Kremer this early specifically because the Twins were willing to offer Reyes. And while I consider this a bit of an overpay, it's not outrageously high and the cost for starting pitching is high in July (See: Minnesota getting a decent prospect for Chris Paddack last season).
#twins #season #reyes
15 days ago
The Eagles' second practice featured a cameo from Brian Dawkins, an illuminating news conference from Vic Fangio, and my realization that Makai Lemon is partial to blue raspberry water ice from Rita's.
For a comprehensive breakdown of everything that happened at practice, be sure to watch or listen to our Thursday show, which detailed essentially every play from practice and much more, but here are a few big-picture takeaways I left the Jefferson Health Complex with:
After an opening practice mostly defined by the new-look Eagles offense showing some encouraging signs, things were much more even between the offense and defense on Thursday. I usually attribute "muddy" practices where you don't have as many notes to a strong defensive line causing more broken-down plays, but the Eagles' secondary also deserves plenty of credit for the number of passing plays that wound up with scrambles or check downs to the flat.
What did stand out amidst the stalemate were two of the players central to it: DeVonta Smith and Quinyon Mitchell. Smith got the better of Mitchell on consecutive plays early in practice, the first coming on a slant route where he beat Mitchell to the inside for Hurts to find him in rhythm. The next play, Smith broke toward the sideline and made a nice, leaping catch over Mitchell and seemed to get his feet in bounds along the sideline, although his defensive teammates in close proximity protested the catch.
Seeing these flashes from Smith when matched up against Mitchell isn't an entirely new phenomenon, but Mitchell's most competitive moments in each of his first two training camps came against A.J. Brown, not Smith. And, as we're evaluating whether Smith is truly ready to step into a No. 1 receiver role for the Eagles this season, being able to create separation against an All-Pro cornerback who so seldom allows it on Sundays is an important box to check.
#smith #Eagles #plays #defensive
For a comprehensive breakdown of everything that happened at practice, be sure to watch or listen to our Thursday show, which detailed essentially every play from practice and much more, but here are a few big-picture takeaways I left the Jefferson Health Complex with:
After an opening practice mostly defined by the new-look Eagles offense showing some encouraging signs, things were much more even between the offense and defense on Thursday. I usually attribute "muddy" practices where you don't have as many notes to a strong defensive line causing more broken-down plays, but the Eagles' secondary also deserves plenty of credit for the number of passing plays that wound up with scrambles or check downs to the flat.
What did stand out amidst the stalemate were two of the players central to it: DeVonta Smith and Quinyon Mitchell. Smith got the better of Mitchell on consecutive plays early in practice, the first coming on a slant route where he beat Mitchell to the inside for Hurts to find him in rhythm. The next play, Smith broke toward the sideline and made a nice, leaping catch over Mitchell and seemed to get his feet in bounds along the sideline, although his defensive teammates in close proximity protested the catch.
Seeing these flashes from Smith when matched up against Mitchell isn't an entirely new phenomenon, but Mitchell's most competitive moments in each of his first two training camps came against A.J. Brown, not Smith. And, as we're evaluating whether Smith is truly ready to step into a No. 1 receiver role for the Eagles this season, being able to create separation against an All-Pro cornerback who so seldom allows it on Sundays is an important box to check.
#smith #Eagles #plays #defensive
15 days ago
Let's get to the Philadelphia Eagles news and links …
Eagles 2026 training camp practice notes, Day 1: An initial look at Sean Mannion's offense – PhillyVoice
Jalyx Hunt had a great day. On one rep he had a 1-on-1 vs. Mailata, who was on an island. Hunt got Mailata leaning outside before jumping back inside with a free path to Hurts, and he got the "sack." On the next play Hunt then beat Mailata to the outside for another "sack," although that one was more of a coverage sack. Hunt also had a tackle for loss on Tank Bigsby, and he just generally he set the edge well against the run.
10 Eagles camp observations: Jonathan Greenard's injury, Jalen Hurts' new offense – The Athletic
Two buzzworthy players who stood out in practice: Hunt and running back Tank Bigsby. Jalyx Hunt forced pressure against the Eagles' first-team offensive line. Bigsby showed some juice catching the ball out of the backfield and could carve a role on offense.
Eagles practice observations: Sean Mannion's offense starts clicking; Jalen Hurts under center; Jalyx Hunt hunts – Inquirer
Hunting season. Greenard's absence pushed Jalyx Hunt into the starting spot at right outside linebacker opposite Nolan Smith Jr. Hunt will likely play as many snaps as the other two this season. There's an argument to be made that he should get more playing time than Smith. Nevertheless, he took advantage of his opportunities with Greenard out. Hunt shot into the backfield unblocked and forced Hurts to check down to Cooper on one play-action pass that came from under center. He blew up tight end Dallas Goedert with an edge rush and Hurts had to hurry a dump to Bigsby that wasn't caught. And he beat Mailata on back-to-back rushes — one with an inside move and the other from the outside — that blew up pass plays.
Eagles Training Camp Practice Notes: Jalen Hurts and new offense show encouraging signs – BGN
JALEN HURTS UPDATE: Just like the headline says, there were encouraging signs from the Eagles' quarterback and the team's new offense. Was it perfect? No, it wasn't. There were drops. There were procedural penalties, as Lane Johnson brought up during his post-practice press conference. But this offense looked much more functional than the version that was largely dominated by Vic Fangio's defense during the team's spring practices.
#practice
Eagles 2026 training camp practice notes, Day 1: An initial look at Sean Mannion's offense – PhillyVoice
Jalyx Hunt had a great day. On one rep he had a 1-on-1 vs. Mailata, who was on an island. Hunt got Mailata leaning outside before jumping back inside with a free path to Hurts, and he got the "sack." On the next play Hunt then beat Mailata to the outside for another "sack," although that one was more of a coverage sack. Hunt also had a tackle for loss on Tank Bigsby, and he just generally he set the edge well against the run.
10 Eagles camp observations: Jonathan Greenard's injury, Jalen Hurts' new offense – The Athletic
Two buzzworthy players who stood out in practice: Hunt and running back Tank Bigsby. Jalyx Hunt forced pressure against the Eagles' first-team offensive line. Bigsby showed some juice catching the ball out of the backfield and could carve a role on offense.
Eagles practice observations: Sean Mannion's offense starts clicking; Jalen Hurts under center; Jalyx Hunt hunts – Inquirer
Hunting season. Greenard's absence pushed Jalyx Hunt into the starting spot at right outside linebacker opposite Nolan Smith Jr. Hunt will likely play as many snaps as the other two this season. There's an argument to be made that he should get more playing time than Smith. Nevertheless, he took advantage of his opportunities with Greenard out. Hunt shot into the backfield unblocked and forced Hurts to check down to Cooper on one play-action pass that came from under center. He blew up tight end Dallas Goedert with an edge rush and Hurts had to hurry a dump to Bigsby that wasn't caught. And he beat Mailata on back-to-back rushes — one with an inside move and the other from the outside — that blew up pass plays.
Eagles Training Camp Practice Notes: Jalen Hurts and new offense show encouraging signs – BGN
JALEN HURTS UPDATE: Just like the headline says, there were encouraging signs from the Eagles' quarterback and the team's new offense. Was it perfect? No, it wasn't. There were drops. There were procedural penalties, as Lane Johnson brought up during his post-practice press conference. But this offense looked much more functional than the version that was largely dominated by Vic Fangio's defense during the team's spring practices.
#practice
15 days ago
ESPN | Jorge Castillo: The two New York teams are expected to have wildly different trade deadlines, with the Yankees presumed to be buyers and the Mets perhaps the biggest sellers. While there's a couple possible deals to be had between the two clubs — ****** o, Luke Weaver? — the largest possible splashes for the Yankees look like they could come from the West Coast. The San Diego Padres offer two relievers that could reinforce the bullpen, and the Angels feature both Zack Neto and Reid Detmers as alluring trade targets.
FanGraphs | Jay Jaffe: With Cody Bellinger out 4-6 weeks with a hamstring strain, the Yankee lineup and outfield are starting to look pretty bald. The team is already suffering significantly without Aaron Judge in the lineup, and while they still have a chance to win the AL East, they need someone to step up and start hitting, or they have an increased need to bring in an impact bat before the Trade Deadline.
Front Office Sports | Eric Fisher: As a longtime lover of MLB.tv, I get to benefit from what might be sports' best livestreaming experience. From what I've heard from New York locals, the Gotham Sports App has not been a very good livestreaming experience. The platform has repeatedly had playback, UI, and general quality issues over the past two seasons, and it seems it is being sunsetted by the YES and MSG networks. Streaming service DAZN is being tapped as the replacement for Gotham Sports, and I'll keep using MLB.tv.
MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: The Yankees announced who will be coming back to the Bronx on August 8th for the 78th edition of Old-Timers' Day. Hall of Famers Joe Torre and Mariano Rivera lead the way, and they'll be joined by Monument Park honorees Ron Guidry, Willie Randolph, Bernie Williams, Tino Martinez, Paul O'Neill, Jorge Posada, and Andy Pettitte. The first-time Old-Timers are Dellin Betances (born in 1988, gulp), Todd Frazier, David Weathers, and Adam Ottavino (who just pitched last year). Check out the full list!
TSN: If you know me, you know I'm a born hater. I want Shohei Ohtani to grow old and die warm in a bed surrounded by loved ones and I hope he has a rock in his shoe every single time he steps on a baseball field. Yesterday was a win for the haters, as Alek Manoah was released by the Angels. One imagines Gerrit Cole opened a particularly special bottle of wine last night's game with the White Sox.
#yankees #Angels
FanGraphs | Jay Jaffe: With Cody Bellinger out 4-6 weeks with a hamstring strain, the Yankee lineup and outfield are starting to look pretty bald. The team is already suffering significantly without Aaron Judge in the lineup, and while they still have a chance to win the AL East, they need someone to step up and start hitting, or they have an increased need to bring in an impact bat before the Trade Deadline.
Front Office Sports | Eric Fisher: As a longtime lover of MLB.tv, I get to benefit from what might be sports' best livestreaming experience. From what I've heard from New York locals, the Gotham Sports App has not been a very good livestreaming experience. The platform has repeatedly had playback, UI, and general quality issues over the past two seasons, and it seems it is being sunsetted by the YES and MSG networks. Streaming service DAZN is being tapped as the replacement for Gotham Sports, and I'll keep using MLB.tv.
MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: The Yankees announced who will be coming back to the Bronx on August 8th for the 78th edition of Old-Timers' Day. Hall of Famers Joe Torre and Mariano Rivera lead the way, and they'll be joined by Monument Park honorees Ron Guidry, Willie Randolph, Bernie Williams, Tino Martinez, Paul O'Neill, Jorge Posada, and Andy Pettitte. The first-time Old-Timers are Dellin Betances (born in 1988, gulp), Todd Frazier, David Weathers, and Adam Ottavino (who just pitched last year). Check out the full list!
TSN: If you know me, you know I'm a born hater. I want Shohei Ohtani to grow old and die warm in a bed surrounded by loved ones and I hope he has a rock in his shoe every single time he steps on a baseball field. Yesterday was a win for the haters, as Alek Manoah was released by the Angels. One imagines Gerrit Cole opened a particularly special bottle of wine last night's game with the White Sox.
#yankees #Angels
16 days ago
The Dallas Cowboys held their annual pre-training camp opening press conference on Tuesday, with Jerry Jones, Brian Schottenheimer, and Stephen Jones taking to the podium like usual. For the first time in a long time, these heads of state for America's Team coming to the podium marked something significant before any of the three even said a word – the Cowboys have made it to the true ramp up for 2026 without any significant off the field drama, major contract disputes, or just Cowboys drama for the sake of drama.
The Cowboys' quiet offseason is hopefully just the start of a recipe for success in the regular season and beyond, but it became clear that the team's secret sauce they believe in is, in fact, the coaching across the board. Jerry seemed to understand that at this point in his ownership tenure the last thing any diehard fan wants to hear him talk about is his ability to select coaches. What fans have wanted to see is not only the right coaches in place, which the Cowboys will have to now prove once real practices begin Wednesday, but Jones and the rest of the front office giving whatever coaches are in place the freedom and **** e to hone in on the details of actually doing their jobs.
The Cowboys are doing that right now at a level that should excite fans considerably, and coach Schottenheimer started to get into this later on during opening remarks. The same rookie head coach that said the reason the Cowboys would be contenders with him at the helm was in part because of how hard he works before the 2025 season, said that his new rookie defensive coordinator Christian Parker is "maybe the hardest working coach I've ever been around".
Christian Parker with the Eagles
Parker's experience working with Vic Fangio, the way the Cowboys have supported him from the jump by getting players that fit the scheme, and how much he's impressed Schottenheimer, and the Cowboys attention to detail around coaching feels even fresher than even their previously-stated lack of drama. Parker's expertise across the defense is of course in the secondary, where Dallas actually spent free agency money on a safety this offseason.
#schottenheimer #drama #coaches #christian
The Cowboys' quiet offseason is hopefully just the start of a recipe for success in the regular season and beyond, but it became clear that the team's secret sauce they believe in is, in fact, the coaching across the board. Jerry seemed to understand that at this point in his ownership tenure the last thing any diehard fan wants to hear him talk about is his ability to select coaches. What fans have wanted to see is not only the right coaches in place, which the Cowboys will have to now prove once real practices begin Wednesday, but Jones and the rest of the front office giving whatever coaches are in place the freedom and **** e to hone in on the details of actually doing their jobs.
The Cowboys are doing that right now at a level that should excite fans considerably, and coach Schottenheimer started to get into this later on during opening remarks. The same rookie head coach that said the reason the Cowboys would be contenders with him at the helm was in part because of how hard he works before the 2025 season, said that his new rookie defensive coordinator Christian Parker is "maybe the hardest working coach I've ever been around".
Christian Parker with the Eagles
Parker's experience working with Vic Fangio, the way the Cowboys have supported him from the jump by getting players that fit the scheme, and how much he's impressed Schottenheimer, and the Cowboys attention to detail around coaching feels even fresher than even their previously-stated lack of drama. Parker's expertise across the defense is of course in the secondary, where Dallas actually spent free agency money on a safety this offseason.
#schottenheimer #drama #coaches #christian
16 days ago
After months of waiting, the Philadelphia Eagles took the field Wednesday morning for their first practice of the 2026 training camp, beginning several weeks of preparation, competition and roster evaluation at the Jefferson Health Training Complex.
Practice was scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. after head coach Nick Sirianni spoke with reporters at 9:30. The opening session will provide the first on-field look at Sean Mannion's new offense, Philadelphia's revamped receiving corps and several competitions that will help shape the initial 53-man roster.
Attention will center on Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley and DeVonta Smith as the offense begins installing Mannion's system. The defense will feature Jalen Carter following his record-setting contract extension, while Jonathan Greenard's absence creates additional opportunities for Jalyx Hunt, Nolan Smith, Arnold Ebiketie and A.J. Epenesa.
The secondary will also command attention as Riq Woolen begins competing for a prominent role alongside Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean. Marcus Epps, Andrew Mukuba and the rest of the safety group will begin sorting through responsibilities in Vic Fangio's defense.
This live blog will be updated throughout the morning with photos, videos, news, observations and notable moments from the practice fields. Follow along as the Eagles officially begin their work toward the 2026 regular season.
#practice
Practice was scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. after head coach Nick Sirianni spoke with reporters at 9:30. The opening session will provide the first on-field look at Sean Mannion's new offense, Philadelphia's revamped receiving corps and several competitions that will help shape the initial 53-man roster.
Attention will center on Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley and DeVonta Smith as the offense begins installing Mannion's system. The defense will feature Jalen Carter following his record-setting contract extension, while Jonathan Greenard's absence creates additional opportunities for Jalyx Hunt, Nolan Smith, Arnold Ebiketie and A.J. Epenesa.
The secondary will also command attention as Riq Woolen begins competing for a prominent role alongside Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean. Marcus Epps, Andrew Mukuba and the rest of the safety group will begin sorting through responsibilities in Vic Fangio's defense.
This live blog will be updated throughout the morning with photos, videos, news, observations and notable moments from the practice fields. Follow along as the Eagles officially begin their work toward the 2026 regular season.
#practice
17 days ago
The Guardians were rained out yesterday and will play at 1:40 and 7:10. Slade Cecconi and Gavin Williams will both pitch as the Guardians have an off day on Thursday to get the rotation back on track.
The Guardians have five players in FanGraphs' new Top 100 prospects list. 11. Angel Genao, 37. Braylon Doughty, 38. Ralphy Velazquez, 67. Juneiker Caceres, 96. Aaron Walton. Khal Stephen also snuck on to the 11 players listed just outside the 100 at 111. Get well soon, Khal.
AROUND MLB:
The Tigers and White Sox lost.
#players #fangraphs
The Guardians have five players in FanGraphs' new Top 100 prospects list. 11. Angel Genao, 37. Braylon Doughty, 38. Ralphy Velazquez, 67. Juneiker Caceres, 96. Aaron Walton. Khal Stephen also snuck on to the 11 players listed just outside the 100 at 111. Get well soon, Khal.
AROUND MLB:
The Tigers and White Sox lost.
#players #fangraphs
22 days ago
Diego Pavia needs a new team.
The Albuquerque native and Heisman Trophy runner-up was waived Thursday by the Baltimore Ravens, the team announced via a report on its website.
A record-setting quarterback at Vanderbilt and New Mexico State, Pavia was signed as an undrafted free agent in late April to compete for Baltimore's third-string quarterback position behind Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley. He was later passed over the summer by Skylar Thompson and Joe Fangano, another undrafted free agent from Connecticut.
Pavia can now either sign with another NFL team to compete for a roster spot or possibly take his talents to another league: For instance, the Canadian Football League's Winnipeg Blue Bombers added him to their negotiation list in 2024, meaning the club will have exclusive rights to negotiate with him if he wishes to pursue an opportunity in the league.
The majority of NFL training camps begin next week.
#diego
The Albuquerque native and Heisman Trophy runner-up was waived Thursday by the Baltimore Ravens, the team announced via a report on its website.
A record-setting quarterback at Vanderbilt and New Mexico State, Pavia was signed as an undrafted free agent in late April to compete for Baltimore's third-string quarterback position behind Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley. He was later passed over the summer by Skylar Thompson and Joe Fangano, another undrafted free agent from Connecticut.
Pavia can now either sign with another NFL team to compete for a roster spot or possibly take his talents to another league: For instance, the Canadian Football League's Winnipeg Blue Bombers added him to their negotiation list in 2024, meaning the club will have exclusive rights to negotiate with him if he wishes to pursue an opportunity in the league.
The majority of NFL training camps begin next week.
#diego
23 days ago
Every NFL season produces its share of breakout players. The difficult part isn't reaching that level once. It's staying there. Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Zack Baun has officially moved beyond that conversation. Often, success is a matter of luck or even coincidence. Coaching still matters, and once Baun left the New Orleans Saints and aligned himself with Vic Fangio, everything changed.
Since joining the Eagles, Baun has gone from special teamer to a Super Bowl champion. He's a two-time Pro Bowler, a 2024 First-team All-Pro, and a Butkus Award winner.
After another outstanding campaign last season, Baun continues earning recognition from around the league. That reinforces what Eagles fans have watched unfold since his arrival. His emergence wasn't lightning in a bottle. It was the beginning of one of football's most remarkable career transformations.
Defensive coordinators spend an entire offseason studying tendencies. Opposing offenses adjust. Expectations change. Players who come out of nowhere one year often find themselves fighting to prove the following season wasn't a one-hit wonder.
Baun's league-wide approval seems unanimous. He can play at the line of scrimmage, blitz, or play coverage. That versatility has become one of the defining characteristics of his game.
#Eagles #often
Since joining the Eagles, Baun has gone from special teamer to a Super Bowl champion. He's a two-time Pro Bowler, a 2024 First-team All-Pro, and a Butkus Award winner.
After another outstanding campaign last season, Baun continues earning recognition from around the league. That reinforces what Eagles fans have watched unfold since his arrival. His emergence wasn't lightning in a bottle. It was the beginning of one of football's most remarkable career transformations.
Defensive coordinators spend an entire offseason studying tendencies. Opposing offenses adjust. Expectations change. Players who come out of nowhere one year often find themselves fighting to prove the following season wasn't a one-hit wonder.
Baun's league-wide approval seems unanimous. He can play at the line of scrimmage, blitz, or play coverage. That versatility has become one of the defining characteristics of his game.
#Eagles #often
1 month ago
Those hoping hoping to see the Sox splash the cash on some hard-to-sign candidates on day 2 of the MLB Draft were immediately disappointed, as the Red Sox spent their fifth round pick on Lucas Davenport, a pitcher out of Baylor University who was unranked by both Baseball America and MLB Pipeline heading into the draft.
Davenport is a beastly 6-6, 230 lbs. and his pick launched a mini-run on those big college pitchers Craig Breslow likes so much: sixth rounder Brett Lanman, a 6-5, 23o lbs. lefty out of Abilene Christian, eighth rounder Josh Volmerding, a 6-4, 210 lbs. lefty out of California Polytech, thirteenth rounder Mason Lei, a 6-4, 215 lbs. righty out of the University of Illinois-Chicago, and fifteenth rounder Chase Frey, a 6-6 225 lbs. lefty out of Grand Canyon University.
The highlights of Day 2 are the two higher-ranked high schoolers the Sox nabbed back-to-back in the ninth and tenth rounds. Ninth rounder Martin Shelar, an outfielder, comes out of the baseball powerhouse that is the Marist School in Georgia. He has massive power potential, is committed to Mississippi State, and was ranked as the 65th-best prospect overall by FanGraphs, 125th by Baseball America, and 175th by MLB Pipeline.
Tenth rounder Kaleb LaFavor out of Bishop Heelan Catholic High School in Sioux City, Iowa is a towering 6-7 righty with a ton of extension who can already hit 95 MPH on the gun. He was ranked the 171st-best prospect by ESPN evaluator Kiley McDaniel, 465th by Baseball America, and is committed to the University of Iowa. Craig Breslow's got bonus pool money burning a hole in his pocket, and it's going to go to these guys in hopes of enticing them away from college (speaking as someone who spent a fair bit of time partying in Iowa City as a 22-year-old, good luck in LeFavor's case).
Here's the full slate of day 2 picks:
Davenport is a beastly 6-6, 230 lbs. and his pick launched a mini-run on those big college pitchers Craig Breslow likes so much: sixth rounder Brett Lanman, a 6-5, 23o lbs. lefty out of Abilene Christian, eighth rounder Josh Volmerding, a 6-4, 210 lbs. lefty out of California Polytech, thirteenth rounder Mason Lei, a 6-4, 215 lbs. righty out of the University of Illinois-Chicago, and fifteenth rounder Chase Frey, a 6-6 225 lbs. lefty out of Grand Canyon University.
The highlights of Day 2 are the two higher-ranked high schoolers the Sox nabbed back-to-back in the ninth and tenth rounds. Ninth rounder Martin Shelar, an outfielder, comes out of the baseball powerhouse that is the Marist School in Georgia. He has massive power potential, is committed to Mississippi State, and was ranked as the 65th-best prospect overall by FanGraphs, 125th by Baseball America, and 175th by MLB Pipeline.
Tenth rounder Kaleb LaFavor out of Bishop Heelan Catholic High School in Sioux City, Iowa is a towering 6-7 righty with a ton of extension who can already hit 95 MPH on the gun. He was ranked the 171st-best prospect by ESPN evaluator Kiley McDaniel, 465th by Baseball America, and is committed to the University of Iowa. Craig Breslow's got bonus pool money burning a hole in his pocket, and it's going to go to these guys in hopes of enticing them away from college (speaking as someone who spent a fair bit of time partying in Iowa City as a 22-year-old, good luck in LeFavor's case).
Here's the full slate of day 2 picks:
1 month ago
The Texas Rangers, with their second round pick in the 2026 MLB Draft, #54 overall, select Austin high school infielder Connor Comeau. We did a write-up on Comeau earlier this week.
Connor Comeau is a 6’4”, 180 lb. lefthanded hitting, righthanded throwing infielder out of Anderson High School in Austin, Texas. Comeau is on the young side for a draftee, as he doesn’t turn 18 until August. He is committed to Texas A&M, though the Rangers wouldn’t be taking him in the second round if they weren’t confident he would sign.
Comeau offers a quality hit tool with power projection. Baseball America says he “stands out for his present hitting ability.” He has a nice, easy swing and showed strong contact ability on the showcase circuit last summer. He has shown the ability to hit the ball hard to all fields. He has shown the ability to hit for power — MLB Pipeline notes he finished second in the Home Run Derby at the Canadian Futures Showcase this past summer — but is still extremely lean currently, so there’s a belief that he should add more power as he develops and his body fills out.
Comeau played shortstop in high school, but most likely will immediately move to third base as a professional. He has a good arm, but not much speed, so third base would be the best fit for him, if he can stick there.
Baseball America has Comeau at #55 on their board. MLB Pipeline has Comeau at #55 on their board. Kiley McDaniel puts puts Comeau at #66 on his top 150 list. Keith Law has Comeau at #59 on his board. Fangraphs has Comeau at #32 on their board. Baseball Prospectus does not have Comeau on their top 30 draft board.
Connor Comeau is a 6’4”, 180 lb. lefthanded hitting, righthanded throwing infielder out of Anderson High School in Austin, Texas. Comeau is on the young side for a draftee, as he doesn’t turn 18 until August. He is committed to Texas A&M, though the Rangers wouldn’t be taking him in the second round if they weren’t confident he would sign.
Comeau offers a quality hit tool with power projection. Baseball America says he “stands out for his present hitting ability.” He has a nice, easy swing and showed strong contact ability on the showcase circuit last summer. He has shown the ability to hit the ball hard to all fields. He has shown the ability to hit for power — MLB Pipeline notes he finished second in the Home Run Derby at the Canadian Futures Showcase this past summer — but is still extremely lean currently, so there’s a belief that he should add more power as he develops and his body fills out.
Comeau played shortstop in high school, but most likely will immediately move to third base as a professional. He has a good arm, but not much speed, so third base would be the best fit for him, if he can stick there.
Baseball America has Comeau at #55 on their board. MLB Pipeline has Comeau at #55 on their board. Kiley McDaniel puts puts Comeau at #66 on his top 150 list. Keith Law has Comeau at #59 on his board. Fangraphs has Comeau at #32 on their board. Baseball Prospectus does not have Comeau on their top 30 draft board.
1 month ago
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across Major League Baseball. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Yankees fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
It's been a tough three-to-four weeks for Yankees fans, as they've seen their team that once stood 46-28 with the best record in the American League stumble through a 4-14 stretch. It was enough for the upstart Rays to pass them for first place in the AL East, and even though the Yanks have won their last couple contests, they still trail Tampa Bay by four games.
The Rays also have one of the lighter remaining slates by current strength of schedule, so that's not helping matters, nor is the fact that the Yankees will have to sweep their only remaining series against the Rays (a four-game set at the Bronx in late September that includes a doubleheader) to take the head-to-head tiebreaker that didn't go their way last year against Toronto. The second half formally begins next Friday, but mathematically, we are already halfway through the 162-game slate, and FanGraphs currently projects the Rays with a 59-percent chance to take the division. The Yankees sit at 38 percent with none of the remaining teams sitting above 1.5 percent.
As such—and given the gloomy vibes around the team this week—it's not surprising to see that per our SB Nation Reacts results, only about a quarter of the Yankees fans who responded said that they believe this team will win the AL East. A total of 18 percent even predicted that they would miss the playoffs entirely:
The most popular vote has the Yankees finishing in the spot they presently occupy and the one they held at the end of the 2025 regular season: the top AL Wild Card and hosting a first-round best-of-three against the second-best Wild Card. The Yankees survived that rumble with the Red Sox last year, but it certainly put them behind the eight-ball against the top-seeded Blue Jays, and that could certainly happen again this year with Tampa Bay.
It's been a tough three-to-four weeks for Yankees fans, as they've seen their team that once stood 46-28 with the best record in the American League stumble through a 4-14 stretch. It was enough for the upstart Rays to pass them for first place in the AL East, and even though the Yanks have won their last couple contests, they still trail Tampa Bay by four games.
The Rays also have one of the lighter remaining slates by current strength of schedule, so that's not helping matters, nor is the fact that the Yankees will have to sweep their only remaining series against the Rays (a four-game set at the Bronx in late September that includes a doubleheader) to take the head-to-head tiebreaker that didn't go their way last year against Toronto. The second half formally begins next Friday, but mathematically, we are already halfway through the 162-game slate, and FanGraphs currently projects the Rays with a 59-percent chance to take the division. The Yankees sit at 38 percent with none of the remaining teams sitting above 1.5 percent.
As such—and given the gloomy vibes around the team this week—it's not surprising to see that per our SB Nation Reacts results, only about a quarter of the Yankees fans who responded said that they believe this team will win the AL East. A total of 18 percent even predicted that they would miss the playoffs entirely:
The most popular vote has the Yankees finishing in the spot they presently occupy and the one they held at the end of the 2025 regular season: the top AL Wild Card and hosting a first-round best-of-three against the second-best Wild Card. The Yankees survived that rumble with the Red Sox last year, but it certainly put them behind the eight-ball against the top-seeded Blue Jays, and that could certainly happen again this year with Tampa Bay.
