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While we have already seen some wild twists and turns in the division races thus far, I can’t help but think the rest of the season is only going to get crazier, especially factoring in the wild-card races. One division lead has changed hands this week, with another one possible.
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Today’s Headlines
Brewers Get A Double 12 Burger
Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Brandon Woodruff said he was as nervous making Wednesday’s start as he has for any of his other six this season. Why? Not just because there was a big winning streak on the line, but because a good outing would provide free burgers courtesy of Milwaukee institution George Webb Restaurants. Woodruff did his part, and so did William Contreras, who drove in four runs as the Brewers won their 12th straight, cruising past the Pittsburgh Pirates 12-5. Sal Frelick drove in a pair of runs and scored four times, Christian Yelich had three RBIs, and Joey Ortiz had two hits and scored three times for the Brewers, who are an MLB-best 75-44. Combined with an 11-game streak from July, the Brewers are 7.5 games ahead of the second-place Chicago Cubs in the NL Central. The Cubs edged the Toronto Blue Jays 4-1. Against the Pirates, the Brewers took control early by getting four run-scoring hits in the fourth inning in a six-pitch span to take a 6-0 lead. But the Pirates made a game out of it thanks to Bryan Reynolds, who hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning and a three-run shot in the sixth, making it a 6-5 game. But Contreras came through with a two-run single in the bottom of the sixth, and the Brewers had their second four-run inning in the seventh. After a day off today, the Brewers will attempt to match the club record of 13 consecutive victories — set by the 1987 team that opened that year 13-0 — on Friday against the Cincinnati Reds.
Dodgers Swept By Angels In Freeway Series, Out Of First
If this were New York, the tabloids would have a field day with the result of the Freeway Series. With Logan O’Hoppe hitting a go-ahead two-run single in the bottom of the eighth inning, the Los Angeles Angels completed a three-game sweep of this series and the six-game Freeway Series with a 6-5 triumph over the Los Angeles Dodgers. With the San Diego Padres beating the Toronto Blue Jays 4-1, the Padres now sit alone in first place. Once holding a nine-game lead in the NL West, the Dodgers lost their grip on the lead by losing eight of their last 13 and going 12-20 since July 4. The Angels join this year’s Brewers as one of only five teams to sweep a season series of at least six games from the reigning World Series champs. The Dodgers were up 5-2 in the fourth inning, but the Angels pulled within 5-4 on a two-run double by Zach Neto in the fifth inning. As a sidebar to the game, it was the first time Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani pitched against his former team, which included a World Baseball Classic rematch with Angels superstar Mike Trout. And just like the WBC, Ohtani got the better of his ex-teammate by striking out Trout twice in two plate appearances. But the more newsworthy highlight was when Angels center fielder Bryce Teodosio robbed a potential two-run home run from Andy Pages in the seventh inning.
Padres Alone Atop NL West
After winning the trade deadline, the San Diego Padres are making those moves pay off on the field. Thanks to a seven-run second inning, the Padres rolled past the San Francisco Giants 11-1. With their 14th win in 17 games, the Padres took over sole possession of the lead from the Dodgers. The Padres and Dodgers play each other six times in the next 10 games, beginning Friday in L.A., to conclude the season series. Fernando Tatis Jr. had a two-run single to get that seven-run outburst going and drove in three runs overall, and Ramón Laureano went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and three runs scored for the Padres, who trailed the Dodgers by nine games in early July. Laureano hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning.
Brown, Astros Back In Win Column
The Houston Astros are going to need the good Hunter Brown down the stretch. While the right-hander has been good in his previous three starts, the wins haven’t followed. Brown won for the first time since July 2, allowing one run over 6.2 innings as the Astros reclaimed sole possession of first place in the AL West with a 4-1 win over the Boston Red Sox. The win comes a day after the Astros saw the Seattle Mariners pull into a tie for the division lead, but the Mariners fell back with a 4-3 loss to the Baltimore Orioles. Yainer Diaz hit a two-run homer, and Jeremy Peña also went deep for the Astros. Brown notched his 10th win of the season, allowing six hits and three walks, while striking out four.
Mariners Victim Of Orioles’ First Walk-off
How strange has the Orioles’ season been? Entering Wednesday’s action, they were the only MLB team without a walk-off. That led to a good news, bad news situation in their game vs. the Mariners. First, the bad news. Josh Naylor had an RBI groundout and Dominic Canzone a game-tying sacrifice fly as the Mariners erased a 3-1 deficit in the top of the ninth against Yennier Cano. In the bottom of the ninth, Matt Brash retired the first two hitters before Dylan Carlson singled to right. That brought up Jackson Holliday, who doubled down the right-field line, easily scoring Carlson for a 4-3 O’s triumph. It was also the first walk-off hit for the second-year pro Holliday. The Orioles got another two runs on Jeremiah Jackson’s Little League homer. Jackson tripled off the tall wall in right field, with Coby Mayo scoring ahead of the throw. The throw got past the catcher, allowing Jackson to score.
Greene Returns With Dominant Performance
Welcome to the playoff chase, Hunter Greene. Or, more appropriately, watch out for Greene down the stretch. Green returned from the injured list to throw six shutout innings as the Cincinnati Reds blanked the Philadelphia Phillies 8-0. Back from missing more than two months due to a strained right groin, Greene struck out six and walked none while allowing three hits. That allowed the Reds to pull within a game of the New York Mets for the third and final NL Wild Card spot. The Mets fell to Atlanta 11-6. The Phillies remained five games ahead of the Mets in the NL East. Miguel Andujar sparked the offense, homering for the second straight game and third time in four games, and driving in four.
Twins’ Sale Is Off, Adding Minority Owners Instead
The Minnesota Twins will remain in the hands of the Pohlad family, which announced it is no longer trying to sell the team and instead is adding two minority-ownership groups. Part of the trouble in completing the sale is that the Twins have $425 million in debt, one of the largest income-to-debt ratios in MLB. The Twins recently traded away 11 players off their MLB roster, leaving just two players under contract for the 2026 season.
By The Numbers
⚾ Cubs rookie right-handed starter Cade Horton pitched 5.2 scoreless innings vs. the Jays before finally giving up a run. It was his first run allowed since July 9, with four scoreless starts since.
Cade Horton finally allowed his first run since the All-Star Break. He had one of the longest scoreless streaks for a rookie starter since 1974.
— Opta Analyst US (@optaanalystus.optajoe.com) 2025-08-14T00:52:40.792Z
⚾ Hunter Goodman’s pinch-hit two-run homer in the top of the ninth inning gave the Colorado Rockies a 6-5 win over the St. Louis Cardinals. Goodman has six homers this season in the ninth inning or later, which leads the NL.
⚾ Rookie Jakob Marsee hit a pair of home runs and tied the Miami Marlins record with seven RBIs in a 13-4 win over the Cleveland Guardians. Marsee, who went 4-for-5, hit a three-run homer in the first inning, a two-run blast in the fifth, and a two-run double in the sixth. The last Marlin with seven RBIs was Adam Duvall in 2021.
Best Moments From Yesterday
Slam Time
Michael Harris II had a big game — just in one inning. The Atlanta center fielder had a single and then a grand slam in a nine-run fourth inning that sent Atlanta to an 11-6 win over the Mets.
A Ketel Blast
You have to feel a little bit for the Arizona Diamondbacks, considering how many injuries have waylaid their season. So when the D’backs get a big go-ahead three-run homer from Ketel Marte in the ninth inning to beat the Texas Rangers 6-4, it brings a good feeling.
Injuries and Other Moves
⚾ Cubs catcher Miguel Amaya was forced from the game against the Blue Jays with a sprained left ankle following a play at first base. Amaya is headed back to the injured list, which he just returned from after missing 2½ months with an oblique injury. He was hurt in his first game back. The Cubs are calling up outfielder Owen Caissie, their No. 2 prospect and No. 58 in baseball, with the expectation he will make his MLB debut today. Caissie is from Burlington, Ontario, about 30 miles from Toronto.
⚾ Astros left-handed closer Josh Hader will pursue a second opinion on his left shoulder injury, currently being called a strain.
⚾ Pirates star center fielder Oneil Cruz was placed on the seven-day concussion list after leaving the game a day earlier following an outfield collision.
⚾ Washington Nationals outfielder Dylan Crews, the No. 1 pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, is expected to be activated from the 60-day IL today. Crews has been sidelined since May 20 with a strained left oblique.
⚾ The New York Mets are calling up top pitching prospect Nolan McLean to start Saturday. McLean is the No. 2 prospect in the Mets system, per Baseball America, and No. 40 in baseball.
⚾ Kansas City Royals right-hander Michael Lorenzen (strained left oblique) will come off the 15-day IL and start Saturday’s game.
Articles You Should Read
MLB best tools 2025: Managers, execs, scouts cast their votes — Baseball America staff
This is why the Phillies didn’t cut Walker in the offseason — Michael Baumann, FanGraphs
Blue Jays boss Shapiro realizes this is the best shot his team has had in years — Mike Wilner, Toronto Star
Fantasy Baseball Coverage
