NCAAF

2024 five-star EDGE Colin Simmons commits to Texas

Simmons, the No. 8 player in his class, is a game changer, but Texas needs him to be a program changer. The Longhorns have plenty of talent, and should compete for a spot in the College Football Playoff this season, but the program needs guys like Simmons to get over the hump, especially as Texas moves to the SEC. Winning this battle was a good start, as the Longhorns edged out future conference foe LSU for Simmons’ services. Texas is trending up.

MLB

Orioles 5, Astros 4

There are several reasons why the Astros aren’t quite as good as they’ve been in recent seasons, and Jeremy Pena’s sophomore slump is one of them. Pena most notably won World Series MVP a year ago, but he hasn’t been the same player in 2023, as his OPS is down to .669 from .715. The shortstop has gotten on base more this season, but his power is down pretty significantly. Pena hasn’t homered since July 5th, and 0-for-4 performances similar to this game won’t cut it for a contending Astros club.

Pirates 7, Braves 5

Matt Olson drove in his league-leading 101th run of the season yesterday. Losing Freddie Freeman after winning the World Series in 2021 was probably a letdown for the Braves, but Olson has been all Atlanta could’ve hoped for as the franchise icon’s replacement. After going 2-for-5 in this contest, the first baseman’s slash line is up to .267/.375/.604.

Tigers 3, Twins 0

Riley Greene’s breakout has to be encouraging for a Tigers team that hasn’t produced many positive outcomes. Greene struggled a bit as a rookie last season, but he was just 21, and this year has been a different story. After going 2-for-4 with a homer yesterday, Greene’s OPS is up to .839, a strong mark for a player his age.

Guardians 4, Blue Jays 3

The Guardians are a bit too young to expect to be competitive, but somehow the club is just 3.5 games back in the division, albeit in a dreadful AL Central. If Cleveland can get Andres Gimenez right, I’ll be more bullish on the team’s future.

Former Toronto ace Alek Manoah made some strides in recent starts in an effort to recover from his disastrous start to the season, but yesterday was a setback. Manoah lasted just four innings and surrendered four earned runs, raising his ERA to 5.87. If Toronto makes the playoffs, it’ll be tough to justify including Manoah in the tighter rotation.

Cardinals 5, Rays 2

At 51-65, it’s been a lost season for the Cardinals, but Matthew Liberatore flashing anything would help rectify things a little. The former top prospect certainly flashed in this game, tossing eight scoreless frames and striking out seven Rays.

Phillies 6, Nationals 2

The Phillies coming together is a bad sign for the rest of the National League. Philadelphia has won seven of 10, but perhaps more importantly, has seen multiple key players return close to form, including Trea Turner. Not too many teams can put forth a better one-through-seven than the Phillies’ order of Kyle Schwarber, Alec Bohm, Bryce Harper, Nick Castellanos, Bryson Stott, Turner and J.T. Realmuto.

The Nationals have something in CJ Abrams. Acquired by the club in last summer’s Juan Soto trade, the shortstop has become an all-around talent quickly. After going 2-for-5 last night, Abrams holds a near league-average OPS of .729, along with 22 doubles and 28 steals. If Washington is patient, the Nationals may have a solid team by 2026.

Dodgers 2, Rockies 1

The Dodgers aren’t all in this season. They let several players walk in free agency. They dipped under the luxury tax. They’re presumably gearing up for a run at Shohei Ohtani this winter. None of that has affected the 2023 team very much, though, as Los Angeles is 68-46 with one of baseball’s top run differentials. The Dodgers might lack the firepower the Braves have, but with Clayton Kershaw now back and Walker Buehler on his way, the club has a chance come October.