NFL

Lions sign QB Teddy Bridgewater

Details regarding this contract haven’t been released, but I’m assuming it’s a one-year deal. Bridgewater is one of football’s top backup quarterbacks, and should fit in nicely behind Jared Goff on a Lions team that has big aspirations for 2023. The 30-year-old wasn’t great last season, as he threw his way to a 47.4 QBR across five games, but he’s reliable and will ensure that Detroit is still in decent hands if anything happens to Goff.

Grade: A

MLB

Reds 5, Marlins 2

Joey Votto, of course, has always been a great hitter, so nothing he does should be surprising, but his power resurgence this season has been big for the Reds. Last year, the future Hall of Famer slugged just .370. In 2023? .526, which more than makes up for his .203 batting average. Alexis Diaz is lights out for Cincinnati’s bullpen. Diaz, one of the game’s better closers, recorded his 33rd save last night.

The Marlins were huge overachievers during the season’s first four months, but the regression to the mean is hitting hard for Miami. At 58-56, the Fish have lost five in a row and eight out of 10, leaving them 1.5 games back of the NL’s last wild card spot. I would be fairly stunned if the Marlins advance to the postseason.

Twins 9, Tigers 3

Pablo Lopez has found his footing with the Twins, it seems. One of the club’s big offseason acquisitions allowed seven earned runs versus the Athletics on July 15th, but he’s been excellent since. Minnesota has excelled in run prevention this season, and that will be the team’s ticket to success in October.

The Tigers are clearly allowing Joey Wentz to take his lumps. The 25-year-old gave up eight earned runs in this game, leading to his 10th loss and a bump in ERA to 7.03. At 49-63, Detroit must use this upcoming winter to find a way to field a more competitive team.

Pirates 7, Braves 6

Baseball is weird sometimes. Spencer Strider isn’t having his best season, but he’s still one of the game’s better pitchers, yet he was chased by the Pirates last night after just 2 2/3 innings. Atlanta is probably the best team in MLB, but it will need Strider to pitch more like an ace in order to win its second World Series in three years.

Mets 11, Cubs 2

The Mets are way back in the playoff race, but the club needed this win, if only to boost morale after six consecutive defeats. Pete Alonso also needed this game, as the faltering slugger broke out, mashing two home runs and recording six RBI.

A lot has gone right for the Cubs over the past few weeks, but Drew Smyly’s performance is not one of them. After allowing seven earned runs last night, the starter’s ERA is now over 5.00, and Chicago might have a decision to make regarding his spot in the rotation.