Steel and materials markets fluctuated between rallies and pullbacks as the US-Canada trade relationship shifted from near agreement to open dispute. Nucor Corporation (NYSE:NUE) and Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. (NYSE:CLF) rose on August 25, after discussions between the two countries broke down, a turnaround from the week before, when several of the same stocks fell on hopes that a new deal would decrease steel and aluminum tariffs. The VanEck Steel ETF gained 1.6% on the day, while the State Street Materials Select Sector SPDR reached an intraday high. The rise didn't last: by the end of the week, the materials ETF had slipped to negative territory, while the steel ETF was about flat, though, both remain substantially up for 2026.
The volatility traces a rapid escalation. On August 19, Bloomberg reported that the US and Canada had tentatively agreed to reduce tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum to 25% and vehicle charges to 15%. That optimism was dashed within days: on August 22, the US imposed 50% tariffs on a wide variety of Canadian exports, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney responded by declaring Canada officially "at war" with the United States, saying "You're at war when you're attacked, and we got attacked."
On August 25, Ottawa announced counter-tariffs of C$27.6 billion on American goods, which took effect on September 8 at rates ranging from 15% to 50%. The dispute has continued to escalate since then, with Washington announcing additional restrictions and tariffs on Canadian goods in September, reinforcing the view that a quick resolution remains unlikely.
Atsi Sheth, Moody's chief credit officer, put it bluntly: "Expect much more of this uncertainty for some time to come." Investors initially welcomed tariffs as good news for US steelmakers facing less Canadian competition, but the back-and-forth negotiations, as well as Canada's reaction, have made predicting a steady outcome difficult.
The more intriguing story is how differently the aforementioned companies are positioned. Nucor Corporation (NYSE:NUE) relies primarily on scrap-based electric arc furnace steelmaking, while Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. (NYSE:CLF) operates a vertically integrated model with internally sourced iron ore, scrap and other raw materials. Both have meaningful domestic raw-material exposure, although their production models differ substantially. Nucor Corporation (NYSE:NUE) is up more than 50% year-to-date, while Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. (NYSE:CLF), despite similar structural insulation, remains negative for 2026, which **** ysts attribute to balance sheet stress rather than tariffs.

#august #nucor #corporation #cleveland

The Washington Nationals bullpen blowing games is nothing new and we saw that today. However, the offense bailing out the bullpen and fighting back in the late innings was something different. That fight late in the game helped the Nats get their second walk off win of the season and win the series against the Angels,
As we have discussed, CJ Abrams has really been struggling lately. However, this series has seen a much more lively version of Abrams. While the Angels are not a good team, you cannot solely attribute this improvement to just seeing bad pitching. Walbert Urena was averaging over 99 MPH, but Abrams was still able to get the Nats on the board with an RBI double in the 1st.
cj x abi run collab pic.twitter.com/eWgugX0ZfM
These last couple of weeks are very important for the Nats shortstop/second baseman. His OPS is still a ways off what it was a couple months ago. However, if he can stabilize these last couple of weeks, he can end the season on a positive note. There are still plenty of milestones for CJ to reach. He is one stolen base away from a 30-30 season and 4 RBI's away from 100.
His 29th stolen base was perhaps his most important of the season. In the bottom of the 10th inning, the Nats had runners on first and second with 1 out. Abrams noticed that the pitcher was not paying enough attention to him and took off. He swiped third base without a throw. That stolen base ended up winning the Nats the game.

#season #base #still

The Nats have been a chore to watch the last month and a half. We really saw that on display during an 0-6 west coast trip. Many of the games were close, but the Nats consistently found ways to lose. That is just what they have been doing lately. Hopefully that can change at home against the Angels.
With a lefty on the mound, Daylen Lile is actually out of the lineup. The outfield will be Dylan Crews, Jacob Young and James Wood. Andres Chaparro will get the DH duties, with Yohandy Morales at first base. With Nasim Nunez on the bereavement list, CJ Abrams will be at shortstop. Harry Ford will do the catching in this one. Nats ace Cade Cavalli will look to snap the losing streak.
home

This year has been tougher than most, with absolutely nothing to go off of for Week 1, but now the belief systems start to kick in. While I lean a bit too heavily on the flaky historical trends this week, I'd be doing America a disservice if I didn't at least point them out.

It's Week 2. Let's have some fun.

Results So Far: 13-12
– CFN Week 2 Expert Picks
– Week 2 Schedule, Picks
Line: Michigan State -17.5
ATS Pick: Michigan State
– Game Prediction and Preview

Along with Michigan State being far better than an Eastern Michigan team that just lost to San Jose State and struggled against Sacramento State, there's a historical thing happening here.

Michigan State is 7-0 all-time against Eastern Michigan, and … fine. This is a goofy trend, but the Spartans really should roll in this.

The Spartans won 73-14 in 2014. 23-7 in 2012, 42-10 in 2008, 52-20 in 2006, 56-7 in 2002, 51-7 in 1999, and 47-0 in 1996. Six total wipeouts and one outlier on the 17.5 in 2012.
Line: Oregon -23.5
ATS Pick Oregon
– Game Prediction and Preview
If Oklahoma State is about to turn the machine on, fine, I'll tip my cap and move on. But I just can't get past this. It's not like 2025 North Texas, and all its star players now with Oklahoma State, did anything against the powerhouses.

The best win was against … Navy?

The Cowboys didn't look anywhere near close to being ready for primetime last week in the loss to Tulsa, and now they get an Oregon team coming off a mediocre performance against Boise State.

What happened the week after the last time Oregon had a tough fight against the Broncos? In 2024, it followed up the 37-34 win with a 49-14 domination at Oregon State.
Line: Indiana -56.5
ATS Pick Indiana
– Game Prediction and Preview

I have a personal rule to always pick the underdog that walks into a building up 50 or more against the spread. I whiffed on that last week, taking Utah Tech +51.5 against BYU – the Cougars won 63-7.

I ****** umed Miami -59.5 would stop scoring at some reasonable point against Florida A&M on Thursday night. The Hurricanes won 77-7. Indiana beat Indiana State 73-0 last season.

In the first year under Curt Cignetti, it beat Western Illinois 77-3. I'll take the chance that 56.5 might be laughably low against another FCS team if history repeats itself.

#line

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#welcome #defense #natsec #nexstar

Natsuki Deguchi brought two completely different fashion stories to the Venice Film Festival while promoting Hirokazu Kore-eda's Look Back.
Daniele Venturelli/WireImage
Natsuki started the day in a Maison Margiela Co-Ed Fall 2026 look that was far removed from the simple, clean elegance we are used to seeing at Venice photocalls.
The floral-print dress was overlaid with fused and spliced tapestry panels, arranged to create the impression of a Stockman dressmaker's dummy. With the tapestry appearing almost pinned onto the floral base and its raw edges left exposed, there was an unfinished quality that made the construction the most interesting part of the look.
It's the kind of Margiela design that makes more sense the longer you look at it. Yes, there is a lot happening between the contrasting prints, textures and deconstructed finish but she sold it too me.

#deguchi

After a couple of close losses, the Nats are now looking to avoid a sweep. Earlier this year, the Nationals were excellent at avoiding sweeps but that has not been the case lately. Hopefully the boys can change that in this late night showdown.
With a lefty on the mound, there are a few changes to the lineup. Andres Chaparro, Harry Ford, Nasim Nunez and Jacob Young all check in. Dylan Crews also goes from the 9 hole all the way up to the 2 spot in this contest. Andrew Alvarez is on the ****** p hoping to get more run support than he usually does.
The main attraction Shohei Ohtani is still out of the Dodgers lineup. However, the Nats will still have to deal with Freeman, Smith and Betts in the middle of the Dodgers order. With a lefty on the mound, Max Muncy is all the way down in the 8 hole. Justin Wrobleski is on the hill for the Dodgers.
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#hole

The Dodgers finish things off with the Washington Nationals with a rare Sunday night start, a 7:10 p.m. first pitch on the night before Labor Day at Dodger Stadium.
The Dodgers will use a variety of arms to fill innings on Sunday, including Justin Wrobleski and likely Bobby Miller for bulk outings, while left-hander Andrew Alvarez goes for the Nats.
Teams: Dodgers vs. Nationals
Ballpark: Dodger Stadium
Start time: 7:10 p.m.

#justin

Yes, there is such a thing as a good 5-5 start – at least for now, considering how insane it is to try figuring out all these teams with mostly new players.

What's so good about it? Going 3-2 yesterday was fine, and over the first two runs, one loss was that horrific Hawaii beat against Stanford, another came in the final seconds of Illinois-UAB, and then there's the whopper – thinking Rutgers would destroy UMass. Historically shocking whiff, cap tipped, moving on.

There aren't many options for the Friday games, but let's force down an appetizer before the smorgasbord on Saturday.

Last Week's Results: 5-5
– All the Week 1 Picks
– Week 1 Expert Picks
Line: Point Total 46.5
ATS Pick: Under

This is one of those picks to see if we have our in-season game legs early on. Seriously, feel free to ignore this one, because it's a little dangerous.

Both teams have new coaching staffs, new ideas, and wholesale personnel changes. That, and 46.5 isn't all that hard to hit – the original call to make this one of the games was when the total was 49.5.

Again, I'm flying a bit blind here, but it's Pat Fitzgerald with a pieced-together team. It'll be about the defense and running game. Mike Jacobs' Toledo side will keep the chains moving and the clock rolling. This should be a good, tough fight.
– Toledo vs Michigan State Game Preview
Line: Kansas -41.5
ATS Pick: Kansas

It's a small sample size, but one key mini-trend isn't shocking – with the exception of Buffalo against Albany, FBS teams are annihilating the FCSers.

Utah 66, Idaho 14
UCF 73, Bethune-Cookman 6
Missouri 54, UAPB 14
Delaware 42, Merrimack 7
Kennesaw State 47, West Georgia 0 (I LOVED this and chickened out yesterday, not making this one of the five best picks)
Minnesota 59, Eastern Illinois 7

I never change our call on the predicted final score in our game previews unless something insane happens, but Kansas big at home against LIU – partly because it'll likely go full throttle for a full 60 minutes – was the call from the start. If anything, we were probably too conservative on what the Jayhawks will do.
– LIU vs Kansas Game Preview

Sticking with that FBS blowout over FCS thing …
Line: Purdue -35.5, o/u: 55.5
ATS Pick: Purdue

There's no need to do a deep dive here. Purdue has a brutal schedule ahead, it's been a rough run over the last few years, and the coaches will keep pushing because the program has to set a new tone. Purdue beat Indiana State 49-0 in 2024, and Indiana slipped past the Sycamores by 73 last year.
– Indiana State vs Purdue Game Preview
Line: Point Total 47.5
ATS Pick: Over

Two things are in play here. First, the Stanford defense didn't look like anything special once the Hawaii offense got rolling in the 37-27 Cardinal win. There's a real chance Miami takes care of most of the total on its own.

Here's the second part – the line is 24.5. In the six games last year when Miami won by more than that, all but the 38-7 win over Pi

Steel and aluminum stocks surged and then retreated last week as the escalating trade war between the United States and Canada sent investors scrambling to reprice exposure to North American metals supply chains.
SLX gained 1.6% on Monday, Aug. 25, following the breakdown of U.S.-Canada trade talks, and the State Street Materials Select Sector SPDR (XLB) reached a new intraday record that session, topping the peak it had set in February. Shares of Nucor, Steel Dynamics, Cleveland-Cliffs, and Century Aluminum all climbed. The gains proved short-lived, however: by Friday's close, XLB had slipped into the red for the week and SLX was essentially unchanged, according to CNBC. Through Aug. 28, Morningstar data show SLX has gained more than 28% on the year and XLB more than 18%.
The swing reflects the complexity of a trade war between two countries whose metals industries are deeply intertwined. Dan Luttner, who serves as managing partner of the supply chain consulting firm NEOS by Argon & Company, characterized the initial stock move to CNBC as a repricing reflex rather than a durable signal. "The stock pop is a headline reflex, honestly — mills reprice to replacement cost the second a 50% wall goes up, so of course Nucor and Cleveland-Cliffs jumped," Luttner said. "But that's not the interesting question. The interesting question is who controls their feedstock inside the wall versus who's still exposed to it?"
Luttner noted that both Nucor and Cleveland-Cliffs use electric arc furnace technology whose inputs have no dependence on Canadian ore or slab, positioning them to capture tariff-driven pricing benefits without the same exposure. Cleveland-Cliffs stock is nonetheless in negative territory for 2026 because of balance sheet stress. Century Aluminum is a more complicated case: because domestic primary aluminum production is thin, the raw inputs that sustain it — alumina and semi-finished material — largely still flow across the Canadian border, undermining the protection the tariffs were meant to provide.
Atsi Sheth, chief credit officer at Moody's Ratings, said uncertainty will persist. "Expect much more of this uncertainty for some time to come," Sheth said. She added that U.S. steel companies hold a modest edge over their Canadian counterparts because the U.S. market is larger, but said the auto sector has no clear winner given how deeply integrated cross-border production is.

#cliffs #nucor

The Washington Nationals are calling up infield prospect Yohandy Morales as part of the September roster expansion, according to reports. MLB insider Yordano Carmona was the first to break the news. Morales will be activated for tomorrow's game against the Atlanta Braves, which would be his MLB debut if he plays. He joins the list of National League prospects looking to make an impact down the stretch.
Jun 17, 2019; Bradenton, FL, USA; Team Jones infielder Yohandy Morales (12) bats during practice at IMG Academy. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
The 24-year-old Morales was a second-round draft pick by the Nationals in 2023 out of the University of Miami (FL). He has made his way up through the system since, and last season he was promoted from Double-A Harrisburg to Triple-A Rochester, where he has remained through this season. In 2026, Morales' power has gone up precipitously. In 104 games this year, he has a slash line of .286/.363/.519 with 25 home runs, 76 RBI, 19 doubles, and 82 runs scored. Despite these strong numbers, Morales remains outside the Nationals' top 30 prospects on MLB Pipeline's rankings.
Defensively, Morales has seen time at first base and third base, but has primarily played first this season. If he gets extended reps with the Nats in September, odds are it will be at first base. The Nats have used a platoon there since trading Luis García Jr. to the New York Yankees. Former top prospect Brady House has third base covered in Washington for the time being.
Barring some kind of miracle in September, the Nationals will not be making the postseason. They now sit eight games out of the last NL Wild Card spot. While that's not an impossible deficit, the team will likely be more focused on giving their prospects some reps and seeing what they might have on hand next season. The future appears bright in DC, as the Nats have built up a strong farm system during their rebuild since winning the 2019 World Series. Many of those prospects have already become major leaguers, and while the youth movement hasn't gotten them to October yet, it shouldn't be too far off.

#prospects #base #nats #washington

The Nats' struggles against divisional opponents continued with a sweep at the hands of the last place Mets. Thankfully they will be playing a non-divisional opponent to start the week. The Nats have been quite good in interleague play with a 22-17 record. They will look to keep that going against the Rangers.
Nasim Nunez is getting the start at his new shortstop position. However, CJ Abrams will not be at second base quite yet. He will get the start at DH. That means Jorbit Vivas is at second and Brady House is at third. Harry Ford will get the nod behind the plate in this one. Abimelec Ortiz will be in the lineup against the team that signed him as well. Jackson Kent will be making his second career start tonight and looks to improve his control.
The Rangers offense has not been an elite one this year, but they have some dangerous bats. Despite a down year, Corey Seager remains a feared bat. Wyatt Langford and longtime NL East foe Brandon Nimmo have been two of the Rangers best hitters this season. Catcher Danny Jansen returns after being out with injury for a while. Cal Quantrill has had a major bounceback in Texas this year and he will get the start.
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#year #nats #nasim

Here's what happened in Mets Land on Sunday, in case you missed it...
Luis Torrens and Jared Young continued their hot stretches at the plate, picking up big hits to help the Mets rally again and secure the weekend sweep of the Nats
Torrens' knock was his fourth homer in his last six games, continuing his power surge
Christian Scott delivered a quality start, pitching into the seventh inning for the first time this season
The club looks to be receiving another boost, as well, as Christopher Morel is reportedly being called up

#land #luis #jared #nats

One of Paul Toboni's big goals in his first year as Nationals President of Baseball Operations was to build a player development monster. So far he has aced that ******* ignment. You can see the fruits of this player development machine in the big leagues. However, the real monster is being built at the Minor League level.
Under Mike Rizzo, there were times where the Nats had good farm systems, arguably better than this one. However, there has never been a time where the Nats system had this much depth. The Nats have 24 players with a future value of at least 45, something only one other team can say. They also have 9 players with an FV of at least 50 compared to just four last year.
This year it has felt like a new breakout prospect is emerging on nearly a weekly basis. A lot of these guys were not even able to crack the Nats top 30 list. Players such as Yohandy Morales, Angel Feliz and Maxwell Romero would be on most lists, but they did not make the cut in a stacked Nats system.
The fact that Morales is having his best year as a pro, yet is sliding down the rankings tells you a lot about the depth of the system. He is far from a perfect prospect, but this is still a player with pedigree that is destroying AAA. Maybe you would put Morales on your top 30, but it takes a lot to make the list.
Right now Caleb Lomavita is the Nats 30th ranked prospect. He is an athletic catcher who was a top 40 pick and has a .771 OPS in AA right now. In previous years, that would likely be a top 15 prospect in the system, but now he can barely hang on to a top 30 spot.

#morales #however

I know what you're thinking. Fridays against the Nationals at Citi Field. Isn't that a bit of a narrow category for a "best of" list? That's a tremendously fair point, but for whatever reason, it seems a disproportionate number of the most memorable games in recent Mets history have come on Fridays against the Nats — whether jumpstarting hot streaks, announcing the arrival of new stars, or simply providing a moment of joy in otherwise bleak times.
There are a variety of good options to choose from, as the Mets have won six of their last eight and 14 of their last 22 Friday contests at home against Washington. I've selected a quartet that I believe stand above the rest as true classics. With another weekend series with the Nats upon us in 2026, it felt fitting to revisit the unique circumstances that led to these games, the actual on-field events that went down, and the legacy they've left behind. So without further ado, here are the top Friday nights at Citi Field vs. the Nats (so far):
4. deGame – April 23, 2021
Setting the scene: After over 18 months of covid-induced absence (not counting cardboard cutouts), fans were finally back in the stands at Citi Field — but things weren't exactly back to normal. Seating was **** ed out, tickets were limited, and the sport was settling into a transitional season before the expanded playoffs and universal DH, after the automatic extra-inning runner, with seven-inning doubleheaders and mounting concern about "sticky stuff." But the Mets had promise, fresh off the acquisition and long-term extension of Francisco Lindor, out to a respectable 8-7 start, and featuring a two-time Cy Young Award winner who only seemed to get better with age. Thus far in 2021, Jacob deGrom held a 0.45 ERA with 35 strikeouts and three walks over three starts. As he warmed up in the bullpen before this Friday night start against the Nationals (only the seventh home game and third home night game since fans returned to the stadium), he felt so good that it made him "a little nervous." So we have a small but remarkably hungry crowd of 8,130 fans starved for something good to cheer, and a one-of-one ace nervous about just how good he might be. Sounds like a pretty good recipe.
Play ball: deGrom set the tone with a three-pitch strikeout of leadoff hitter Andrew Stevenson, each offering coming in at over 99 mph. One would think it could only get better for the Nats from that point on, but…not exactly. After five innings, they had struck out nine times and reached base only twice (on a well-placed grounder and a misplayed fly ball). The game was still scoreless, but that changed in the bottom of the frame when deGrom himself came to bat against Erick Fedde, slashing an RBI double to left and later scoring on a single by Brandon Nimmo.

#nats #only

Despite losing the series to the Cubs, the Nats ended things on a high note thanks to a Cade Cavalli masterclass. He helped secure a winning home stand and the bats continued to thrive. Now the Nats head to New York to face a last place Mets team. However, the Mets have been playing a bit better lately.
The Nats have quite the interesting lineup today. Jose Tena has played the outfield late in games, but today he will be in left field to start. Jacob Young will be in center and Daylen Lile will move over to right. Brady House will be the DH, while Jorbit Vivas plays third and Nasim Nunez is at second. Andrew Alvarez looks to build off of back to back impressive outings.
Juan Soto is out of the lineup for the Mets, but we will be seeing Francisco Lindor. The Mets shortstop missed a couple months this season. In a disappointing season, the young duo of Carson Benge and A.J. Ewing has been a bright spot for this team. Journeyman Robert Stock will be on the mound tonight.
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#young #back

The Nats got their second sweep of the season this weekend. Now they will look to build off that this week. That will be tough against a Cubs team that has been playing great baseball the past couple of months. Pete Crow-Armstrong in particular is performing at an absurd level.
With a lefty on the mound, the platoon heavy Nats have a lot of righties in the lineup. Dylan Crews will lead off while Andres Chaparro hits second and plays first. After not playing much this weekend, Andrew Pinckney will get the start in left field. Brady House and Harry Ford also return to the lineup. Jake Irvin will be on the mound tonight for his first home start since mid-May.
As mentioned, Pete Crow-Armstrong has been a monster at the top of the Cubs lineup. However, there is also plenty of depth as well. The likes of Seiya Suzuki and Alex Bregman feature in the middle of the order. Even at the bottom of the order the Cubs have an established veteran in Dansby Swanson. The Cubs have **** anese lefty Shota Imanaga on the mound.
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#armstrong #second

The Cincinnati Reds just got swept by a Washington Nationals club that was behind them on the periphery of the National League Wild Card standings at the outset of the series. It's a Nats club that just spent the last two weeks selling off pieces of importance to other clubs as they prepped for the future, a club with clearly more intent on both short and long term determination to be comfortable in their own dealings than the Reds.
Cincinnati is now 5 games under .500, again. They are back in last place in the NL Central and 6.0 games out of the final Wild Card spot, again with 6 teams they'd need to leapfrog to get there with a miracle. And they are devoid of Hunter Greene, again, as he's now out for the rest of 2026 (and likely all of 2027, too).
With any last ditch effort at postseason ball now completely in the ******* per, here's what Cincinnati Reds fans have to look forward to for the rest of the season.
The brightest of bright spots on the 2026 club has been Chase Burns, who has emerged fully as a legitimate ace and signed a long-term contract to be part of the club for a long, long time.
He's going to hit an innings limit quite soon, though. And when he does, he'll either be shifted to a sparingly-used reliever or shut down altogether.

#card #games

Not sure if we have a guest recap today. I didn't hear back from the scheduled recapper, and didn't see them in the GDT either. So just in case, I'm going to throw up a quick one for now: if a proper recap shows up, this one can quietly wander off into the sunset. I think it's definitely worth marking the fact that today was the first time since 2018 that the D-backs have won the season series over the Dodgers. Now, it's still highly likely to be nothing more than a moral triumph. Los Angeles are still 7.5 games ahead of Arizona, so there's unlikely to be any need for any tie-breaker. But it still indicates this team is certainly playing them tougher than some previous years.
And few players deserve that "tougher" label than Eduardo Rodriguez, who threw 115 pitches over seven innings of two-run ball. It was certainly needed, on a day where the team effectively had four relievers off the board. That was a full ten pitches more than any Arizona starter this year. The last time any D-back threw more was more than nine years ago, Robbie Ray tossing 122 on June 30, 2017. [Of course, Randy Johnson passed that number on an almost everyday basis: twenty-one times in both 1999 and 2001] E-Rod scattered five hits and two walks, with nine strikeouts and improved his record for the year to 11-4.
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The offense jumped out on Justin Wrobleski early, putting up a crooked number in both the first and second innings. After a Geraldo Perdomo walk to start the game for the D-backs, Ketel Marte cranked his twentieth home-run of the year into the left-field bleachers, for a quick 2-0 lead. In the second frame, a Ryan Waldschmidt bunt [let's take the arguments as read, shall we?] caused an error which brought home a run, and a Corbin Carroll double gave Arizona a 4-0 advantage. The offense largely shut up shop thereafter. They went 0-for-14 against the Los Angeles bullpen, and were 0-for-7 with RISP. But it was definitely a case of "good enough."
The Dodgers pulled runs back in the third and sixth, but a Freddie Freeman double-play in the eighth, when he represented the tying run, was the end of their real threat. Kevin Ginkel, much-maligned in some quarters, came in for the ninth, notched a 1-2-3 inning with two K's for his first save of the year, reducing his season ERA to 3.60 – pretty respectable, I'd say. There should be some relief (literally) arriving for the team, with the news the D-backs have signed Zack Littell, the former Nats pitcher, likely to act as a long-man in the bullpen. They just have to pay the prorated MLB minimum, Washington covering the rest.

#first #team #angeles #recap

WASHINGTON − Since as far back as when MLB released the 2026 schedules last year, many highlighted the treacherous September the Cincinnati Reds would face. Surely you became familiar with it, too: Six games against the division-rival Milwaukee Brewers. Seven games against the back-to-back World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers. Plus, the Padres, Cubs and Braves − three reliable postseason contenders.
No one mentioned August 2026 as an especially treacherous month, and for about a week, it wasn't. In fact, the Reds used the first week of the month to pad its record coming out of the All-Star break, which stood at 13-6 entering play Aug. 7. That run looked to have the team back in the playoff conversation.
Reds injuries Hunter Greene Reds pitcher Hunter Greene will undergo season-ending surgery. Future is unclear
Turns out, August was no slouch. Cincinnati found out against the Washington Nationals, a team in contention for the National League wild card spots for most of 2026 and that hit its high water mark of three games over .500 in June.
While appearing to fade in recent weeks, the Nationals looked keen on staying in the postseason conversation after taking the first two games against Cincinnati. During the Reds' 13-6 run, they started to overtake teams ahead of them in the standings, including the Nationals (and Pirates). But the "Nats" were back in front of Cincinnati entering play Aug. 9

#reds #games #august #treacherous

After that brutal road trip, these last two wins have been a massive boost for the Nats. Now they will look for only their second sweep of the season this afternoon against the Reds. The only other sweep was against another NL Central team in the Brewers, so maybe that is a good luck charm.
The Nats actually have the same 9 players in the lineup today. However, the order is mixed up a bit. Jose Tena will be up in the 3 spot, while Dylan Crews moves down to the 5 hole. Keibert Ruiz will also move down in the order. The Nats have a bullpen game today which will be started by Brad Lord, but all hands are on deck.
The Reds are making a couple changes with a righty opener on the mound. Hector Rodriguez will return to the lineup. Tyler Stephenson will also be the catcher in this one. Left handed JJ Bleday will move up in the lineup while righties like Eugenio Suarez and Dane Myers will move down. The veteran sinkerballer Brady Singer is on the **** p.
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#move #reds #only #order

Nats first round pick Chris Hacopian will be making his minor league debut tomorrow. Interestingly, it will not be in Fredericksburg. Instead, the local kid will be skipping over Low-A and will join the Wilmington Blue Rocks. The old regime would always send draft picks to Low-A first, even if it were only for a few games, but that has changed.
After being drafted 11th overall last month, it will be exciting to see Hacopian get started. That Wilmington team was already loaded, and now they are getting another top prospect. The likes of Eli Willits, Ronny Cruz and Miguel Sime Jr. are some of the players currently in Wilmington. Now, Paul Toboni's first draft pick will join them.
This ***** ignment is interesting for a couple reasons. First is that it is another change from the new regime. Even when Dylan Crews was drafted second overall, he played 14 games in Fredericksburg. After that, he skipped High-A and went to Harrisburg. Playing for the Fred Nats was like a rite of passage for Nationals prospects.
Wilmington is known as a bad place to hit, and the old regime was hyper-aware of that. The new regime has been more willing to send guys to Wilmington and let them stay there. It is a pitchers park, but if you can hit, you can thrive there. We saw that with the likes of Ethan Petry, Devin Fitz-Gerald and now Eli Willits.
Hacopian will be the next big bat in Wilmington. Toboni and the front office must have felt that the infielders bat was just too advanced for Low-A. There is certainly evidence for that, as Hacopian was seen as one of the best college hitters in the class. He has walked more than he has struck out wherever he has played. Now, he will take on Wilmington.

#wilmington #hacopian #first #willits

Last night Nats fans saw something odd and unique. We saw the back end of the Nationals bullpen come in and lock down a game. The trio of Yovanny Cruz, Orlando Ribalta and Clayton Beeter were lights out last night. They did not allow a single hit in their three innings of work.
It was only one game, but for the first time all season I felt like the Nats had a back end of the bullpen that could bring real success. Cruz, Ribalta and Beeter all have filthy stuff and have the ability to get out of tight situations. We saw Cruz bail out Cade Cavalli last night with some help from Nasim Nunez.
That trio, at least last night, is what a back end of a bullpen is supposed to look like. All three of them throw in the upper 90's, or triple digits in Cruz's case. However, they also have elite secondary pitches to back up those heaters. Beeter and Cruz have electric sliders that just drop off the table. Meanwhile, Ribalta also has a good slider, but throws a nasty changeup as well.
Of the three, Yovanny Cruz has the best stuff in my opinion. The slider he throws is legitimately one of the nastiest I have ever seen. It is 90-93 but gets real slider movement instead of being a glorified cutter. The pitch he struck out Matt McLain with was just unfair.
For Cruz to reach his closer ceiling, his fastball needs to make some improvements. That is a weird thing to say about a guy who averages over 100, but it is true. Cruz's fastball command has been less than impressive in his two outings. Even when he is in the zone with it though, it has not really been fooling anyone.

#back

This Nats losing streak has been an extended period of suffering for the team and the fans. They are a putrid 3 for 46 with RISP this road trip. To get back in the win column, that will have to change as soon as possible. Hopefully tonight is the night where the losing finally ends.
With a righty on the mound, the Nats are making some changes. CJ Abrams is hitting leadoff for the first time all season and is back at short. Abimelec Ortiz will man first base after sitting last night. Jose Tena and Keibert Ruiz also return to the lineup. Jake Irvin will make his second start since coming off the IL.
The Phillies literally have the exact same lineup order as yesterday. Honestly, it is quite unusual to see that these days. However, the Phillies are a veteran laden group, so not much tinkering is required. Luis Arraez will appear in his second game as a Phillie. Andrew Painter is a highly touted prospect who has not put it all together yet and he will take the ball tonight.
Game Info:
Stadium: Citizens Bank Park

#nats #game #second

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

After a tough series with the New York Mets, the Atlanta Braves returned to Truist Park for a four game set with the Washington Nationals. Though a close one, the Braves came out on top during game one, defeating the Nats 5-4.
Grant Holmes turned in a shaky start, allowing three runs through 4.2 frames. Fortunately, Ronald Acuña Jr. and Mike Yastrzemski picked him up and each homered.
Thursday's win makes for the Braves' 64th of the season. The series continues tonight at 7:15 ET behind Bryce Elder.
Our midseason prospect list continues, this time ranking numbers 7-12.
Eric Hartman knocked two homers for the Rome Emperors on Wednesday. More in the minor league recap.

#continues

After back to back bullpen meltdowns, the Nats look to get off the mat yet again and try to avoid the sweep. Staying above .500 going into the All-Star Break feels big for the morale of this team. On paper, this pitching matchup should be favorable as well.
The Nats are going with a lefty heavy lineup against righty Will Warren who historically has lefty issues. Dylan Crews is the only true righty in the lineup. Abimelec Ortiz will be making his MLB debut and hitting third. Jose Tena will be in the field today at second base. Jorbit Vivas will get the start over Curtis Mead and Keibert Ruiz will be behind the plate. Cade Cavalli is back from suspension and gets the start today.
The Yankees are making a couple changes as well. Trent Grisham will move up to the leadoff spot with a righty on the mound. Ryan McMahon will start at third base and Jose Caballaro will be at short. Max Schuemann will start in right field and Austin Wells is back behind the plate. As mentioned, Will Warren is on the mound.
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Yesterday certainly could have gone better for the Diamond Dores, as no current players were chosen in the first 4 rounds (yeah… we earned that postseason miss this year), but 6 commits were.
The latter part of that sentence likely frightens you, but it was pretty much expected. Well, that OF Eric Booth Jr. went in the 1st (Orioles), SS Aiden Ruiz in the 2nd (Pirates), LHP Sean Duncan in the 2nd (Yankees), recently flipped from UVA commit SS Luke Williams in the 3rd (Gnats), and SS Keon Johnson in the 3rd (Houston) was pretty par for the course. The only shocker was 1B Collin Bland being tabbed by the Devil Rays in the 4th. Most thought he was pretty safe to get to campus, as he's a 1B/DH type, and those only get taken out of HS if their bats are unreal, but… you know… you only need one team to like you and whatnot.
In normal years, losing 6 potential incoming freshmen would mean our class was completely raided by the pros, and we'd be pretty apoplectic. Heck, losing 3 guys who could take over for Ryker Waite at SS in a year even sounds like something that would kill a class, right?
Well, no. Not this class. Not yet.

The MLB Draft is finally here. Today is the day that Paul Toboni and the new regime get to make their first selections which could change the future of the franchise. The Nats have the 11th, 42nd, 78th and 106th picks that will be made today. The rest of the picks will be made tomorrow. Here is a look at the schedule for the draft. Make sure to follow along and give your thoughts in the comments down below.

Offense was somewhat surprisingly at a premium last night in DC after the two-hour rain delay, as the Yankees couldn't do more than hit register two solo shots against the Nationals' Carson Palmquist/Zack Littell combo across the first seven innings. They weren't dominating by any stretch; it just felt like the Yanks weren't landing that key hit. So when Tim Hill coughed up back-to-back homers to Keibert Ruiz and James Wood to put the Nats ahead 3-2, there was a legitimate fear that Ryan Weathers' work would go to waste.
Thankfully, the Nats' weak relief pitching finally made a true appearance in the ninth. A few minutes later, the save was blown behind the bats of Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Austin Wells, two dudes who needed some big swings. Final score: 5-3, Yanks. Phew!
Here's what else was going on in some of the notable American League action yesterday. Note that we've shaken up the teams covered again for this final series of the first half, focusing solely on those presently in playoff position. As always, these are subject to change! It's just who's getting the shine at the moment.*
*Although I will note that all of the Blue Jays, Red Sox, Tigers, and Orioles won, moving the middle tier of the Wild Card race all up a game. Minnesota is one back of Seattle for the last Wild Card; Houston, Toronto, and surging Boston are 1.5 behind; Detroit is within 2.5 and Baltimore is three back. Oh, and none of these teams are over .500. What a jumbled mess.
It was a great Friday for Rays starter Nick Martinez, who was chosen as a replacement for Boston's Ranger Suárez on the All-Star roster and then went out and recorded a win over the Mariners. Named an All-Star for the first time at age-35, Martinez threw 5.1 innings, allowing two runs on four hits and a walk, giving up a homer to Cole Young and not much else. It wasn't as shiny as some of his early regular-season starts, but the W's all count the same.