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The Boston Red Sox will start a short six-game road trip heading to Texas for a three-game series this weekend before heading to Kansas City to start the week next week before returning home. The Red Sox won their first series of the second half after they took two of three from the Seattle Mariners to start this week. Since the All-Star break, the Red Sox have struggled going 4-8 however in those 12 games they scored six runs or more in nine of those games. They’ve been outscored 94-76 in this 12-game stretch. The one thing that needed to be addressed was adding bullpen help and they did that at the deadline by acquiring Lucas Sims and Luis Garcia. Sims made his debut on Wednesday going 0.2 innings, he didn’t allow a run or a hit, and he also didn’t record a strikeout, but he did issue a walk. Today Garcia has been activated by the Red Sox as he joins the team in Texas, and the corresponding move to activate him is optioning LHP Bailey Horn to Triple-A Worcester.
RHP – Luis Garcia
Garcia this season has appeared in 45 games going 5-1 with four saves, a 3.71 ERA, a 3.68 FIP, a 1.17 WHIP, a 2.9 BB/9, and an 8.2 K/9 in 43.2 innings. In his 12-year career, he’s appeared in 530 games with four of those coming as starts going 26-28 with 15 saves, a 4.02 ERA, a 3.95 FIP, a 1.41 WHIP, a 4.0 BB/9, and an 8.5 K/9 in 512.2 innings.
LHP – Bailey Horn
Horn this season is 1-1 with a 6.39, a 5.06 FIP, a 1.66 WHIP, a 4.3 BB/9, and a 7.1 K/9 in 12.2 innings. This season at Triple-A Worcester he’s made 12 appearances with one of those coming as a start, he is 1-2 with a 1.69 ERA, a 1.13 WHIP, a 5.1 BB/9, and 10.7 K/9 in 16 innings.
More must-reads:
- Astros get pitching help just in the nick of time
- Aaron Boone's ejection vs. Astros isn't a good look for manager's future
- The 'MLB active hits leaders' quiz
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Astros get pitching help just in the nick of time
While the Houston Astros have seen their American League West Division lead shrink to a half-game over the hard-charging Seattle Mariners, they have managed to do so with a makeshift pitching rotation. The Astros have had numerous starting pitchers, ranging from Lance McCullers Jr. to Luis Garcia, out of action with injuries. But the team revealed after beating the New York Yankees 7-1 on Sunday that another pitcher will return to the rotation. Cristian Javier, who has been out of action since last season, will get the start on Monday night when the Astros open a three-game series against the Boston Red Sox at Daikin Park in Houston, according to Leah Vann of Chron.com. While Javier's return gets highlighted, a couple of other players are going to be in the spotlight, too. Monday's game will be the first time that Carlos Correa has played in front of the Astros fan base since being acquired from the Minnesota Twins. Correa will play third base and be able to look out from the Astros' dugout and see a friendly face there for Boston. That's right. Alex Bregman, who played third base for the Astros previously, comes back to face the team. The Astros saw Bregman over a week ago when the Red Sox swept Houston in a three-game series at Fenway Park. Yet let's not bury Javier in this news. Javier has been out for 14 months since undergoing Tommy John surgery. He's made some starts down at the Astros' Triple-A club in Sugar Land, Texas. Javier has been able to show off his array of pitches and record some solid outings. In his final rehab start for the Space Cowboys, Javier went 3 2/3 innings, giving up one run and two hits along with six strikeouts. Javier walked four in the outing. Based on this and his other rehab work, Astros manager Joe Espada put Javier in the Monday night opener. This will be Javier's first start for the Astros since May 21, 2024. After Javier, Spencer Arrighetti, who also just returned from the Injured List, and Hunter Brown round out the Astros' starting rotation for the Red Sox series. Javier has played a pivotal role in the Astros' success during his tenure with the team. He pitched six innings of a combined no-hitter in Game 4 of the 2022 World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies. The Astros are hopeful that they can get other players, like slugger Yordan Alvarez, back on the 40-man roster soon. They are going to need all hands on deck to thwart the Mariners and stay atop the AL West. Javier's return is a solid step in the right direction.
'Absolutely' - Browns Are Considering Surprising Quarterback Move
It's the Browns. When the Cleveland Browns drafted Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders this April, they had a total of five quarterbacks on their roster between their incoming rookies, Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett and the injured Deshaun Watson. And despite the kind of confusing nature of their stockpiling so many QBs, it sounds like the team could double-down on the the decision by the time the regular season kicks off. According to The Athletic's Zac Jackson, "the Browns absolutely might keep all four quarterbacks" heading into Cleveland's season opener. While also adding, "No, Shedeur Sanders is not going to start Week 1 for the Browns. But he's put a lot of pressure on his coaches and fellow QBs headed into this week — the biggest week of training camp as the Browns head to Philly." Fans reacted to the reporter's update on X: "At this point it's not even a QB room anymore. It's a pitching rotation now," a user said. "One as a starter, One as a backup, One to hold on field goals, And one listed as a wide receiver for tax purposes," another commented. "[Shedeur Sanders] should be developed and shouldn't be thrown out there week 1 but he should be considered to be put over Gabriel and Pickett," a fan pointed out. "While also finally getting meaningful reps with the 1's." "I'm a Shedeur fan who wants Flacco to start with Shedeur at QB2," another person replied. "Sitting behind a veteran QB can be very valuable, and you know he'd be ready if he had to come off the bench. Just my .02." "This isn't unprecedented," another user posted. "The Patriots kept 4 QBs in the 2000 season. Worked out ok for them. Not saying there's a Brady in their QB room. But if they have 4 guys who they think are NFL worthy (even if none are QB1 right now), they can make it work." The Browns have been bitten by the injury bug thus far in camp with Pickett and Gabriel both dealing with ailments this preseason — opening up a window for Shedeur Sanders to earn his way up the depth chart. Sanders played well in Friday night's debut with a 14-of-23 performance for 138 yards and a pair of touchdowns on the way to a 30-10 win over Carolina. But head coach Kevin Stefanski says the team in "evaluation mode" when it comes to their QBs.
Green Bay Packers Fans, Relax; It’s Week 1 Of The Preseason
Preseason football is a strange beast. On one hand, it’s undeniably exciting to see your team take the field after months of anticipation. On the other hand, expectations can mislead you, especially when things don’t go according to plan. Case in point—fans of the Green Bay Packers are reeling after their preseason loss to the New York Jets on August 9, 2025. A sluggish offense, a defense that couldn’t quite contain the Jets’ playmaking, and dropped opportunities all coalesced into a performance that felt like a disappointment to the faithful Cheeseheads. But here’s the thing—it’s preseason. And while the frustration is understandable, it’s important to pull back and keep things in perspective. Green Bay Packers: Déjà Vu from Preseason 2024 For longtime Green Bay Packers fans, the sky-is-falling reaction to a preseason loss might feel eerily familiar. Flashback to just a year ago, when Green Bay faced the Denver Broncos in a similarly rough matchup. The Packers didn’t score a single touchdown that day, which prompted plenty of panicked grumbles about the offense’s viability heading into the season. They only managed two points, and that was the second preseason game. And how did that work out? They finished 11-6, making the playoffs for the second consecutive year with Love under center. If there’s one thing Packers fans should have learned from last year, it’s this simple truth—preseason wins and losses are about as predictive of regular-season success as the flip of a coin. It’s not about the scoreline but rather the opportunity for the coaching staff to evaluate talent, test new systems, and shake off some offseason rust. Growing Pains Are a Good Thing Look, no one wants to lose—even in the preseason. But treating mistakes and struggles as warning sirens does a disservice to what preseason football is all about. These games serve three main purposes: Experimentation: Coaches get the chance to be bold with their playcalling and personnel. Packages that might be too high-risk during the regular season are put on display in these lower-stakes moments. Development: For younger players adjusting to the pro level, this is a prime opportunity to make mistakes, learn, and grow. Jordan Love looked a bit shaky at times against the Jets—it happens. But the more reps he gets, the better he’ll be when Week 1 rolls around. Evaluation: Preseason is when the roster battles come to life. Does that position group have solid depth? Is that rookie ready to contribute? Counts like these can only truly be settled on the field. For the Packers, the loss to the Jets highlights areas of improvement but shouldn’t overshadow the long-term goals for this team. Offensive Rust Isn’t Cause for Panic Much of the angst from the Jets game focuses on the offense. Love didn’t look crisp, the offensive line missed a few key assignments, and the receivers dropped a couple of catchable balls. It wasn’t pretty. But anyone looking at these struggles as proof of impending doom is missing the larger picture. Preseason games are often disjointed by design. Starters see limited time, rotations are fluid, and the execution is rarely polished. What matters is the process, not the outcome. Last year, the same criticisms were lobbed at Green Bay’s offense after the loss to Denver. Yet, when it counted, they found their rhythm and became a top-10 scoring unit over the course of the season. Could the same be true this year? Absolutely. Defensive Lapses Highlight Work-in-Progress Areas Green Bay’s defense didn’t escape the magnifying glass, either. Struggles against the Jets’ second-team offense disappointed some fans, especially with a few long completions allowed in the secondary. But here’s the reality—preseason defenses are notoriously vanilla. Coordinators avoid revealing their hand, sticking instead to basic schemes. Once the regular season arrives, you’ll see the Packers deploy more complex looks designed to fluster opposing quarterbacks. Rest assured, defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley will use the tape from this game as a teaching tool. Teams that can identify and correct their flaws in August win games in November. The Optimistic Takeaway While hard to see after a frustrating game, adversity is an essential part of success. Preseason obstacles give players and coaches the opportunity to refine their craft. Last year, the Green Bay Packers used its preseason flop as a springboard for improvement. There’s every chance the Jets game will serve the same purpose. This Packers team is loaded with talent, from a promising quarterback in Jordan Love to a stacked corps of skill players. Add in a defense brimming with upside, and the foundation for a strong season remains intact. Final Thoughts Green Bay Packers fans, take a deep breath and step back from the ledge. A preseason loss doesn’t mean the sky is falling, no matter how discouraging certain moments feel in the short term. If anything, rough games like these are exactly what the team needs to address weaknesses before the games start to count. Remember Denver last year? The lack of touchdowns and disconnect on the field felt catastrophic for exactly one week—until Green Bay found its stride when it mattered most. Trust the process, and trust that the Packers will use this preseason tune-up for exactly what it is—a chance to grow, learn, and improve.
Notable PFF grades, standouts from Vikings' preseason win over Texans
The big storyline from Saturday's Vikings preseason opener was how J.J. McCarthy looked in his first game since tearing his meniscus a year ago. But what the preseason is really about are younger players and guys on the roster bubble looking to make an impression. After some starters played a bit in the first quarter, it was the second and third and fourth-stringers who got the rest of the work in the Vikings' 20-10 win over the Texans. Let's take a look at the Pro Football Focus grades from the game to see who stood out. Top 5 grades on offense (minimum 10 snaps) 1. RG Joe Huber — 94.7 (55 snaps) 2. C Michael Jurgens — 80.0 (43) 3. WR Jordan Addison — 79.6 (12) 4. LT/RT Walter Rouse — 78.4 (36) 5. WR Myles Price — 76.8 (15) Huber, an undrafted rookie out of Wisconsin, played more snaps than any other Viking in this game, so his team-best 94.7 grade is incredibly impressive. He was PFF's highest-graded rookie across all eight games in the NFL on Saturday. The catalyst was his 93.9 grade in the run blocking phase. Huber still faces an uphill battle to make the 53-man roster, but he's a lock to at least stick around on the practice squad if the Vikings try to get him through waivers. Jurgens and Rouse also impressing is an encouraging sign for the Vikings' offensive line depth. Those two second-year players should have a good shot to make the roster alongside veteran backups Justin Skule and Blake Brandel if the Vikings keep nine offensive linemen. Price, who has had a solid camp, caught a couple passes from Max Brosmer in the fourth quarter, including a touchdown. He feels like a strong practice squad candidate. Two other standouts on offense who finished just outside of the top five were RB Zavier Scott (75.9) and QB Sam Howell (75.8). Scott racked up 51 yards from scrimmage on eight touches and stated his case to be the Vikings' No. 3 running back this year. Howell was 11 of 13 for 105 yards and at least temporarily quieted some of the doubts about his ability to be an adequate backup. The five lowest grades on offense went to WR Silas Bolden, WR Thayer Thomas, WR Dontae Fleming, TE Giovanni Ricci, and RG Will Fries (all on fewer than 20 snaps). Top 5 grades on defense (minimum 10 snaps) 1. OLB Gabriel Murphy — 80.2 (30 snaps) 2. DL Elijah Williams — 79.9 (21) 3. CB Reddy Steward — 76.5 (11) 4. S Tavierre Thomas — 76.5 (32) 5. CB Ambry Thomas — 75.4 (12) Murphy had 1.5 sacks and a team-high five pressures on just 19 pass-rush snaps. The second-year undrafted player out of UCLA was fantastic for the Vikings and looks like the obvious candidate to be the team's No. 4 outside linebacker this season, which is a role that comes with real playing time. "Gabe’s been a guy that has shown up daily at camp, I've highlighted it in front of the team," head coach Kevin O'Connell said. "He's, it feels like a man on a mission right now, in a lot of ways. And I'm just proud of him, proud of where he's at in camp right now, and now he's just gotta set his sights on continuing to compete." Williams was also outstanding. He had four pressures on 15 pass-rushing snaps. Williams, who starred at FCS Morgan State, signed with the Vikings after attending their rookie minicamp as a tryout player. "I remember vividly (assistant D-line coach) Marcus Dixon coming to me after day one of that tryout," O'Connell said. "And I always like to check in with all the coaches. 'Anybody catch your eye for me to look at tomorrow?' Just observing (Williams), the effort, had a little pop to him throughout the drills, and that's really what's shown up throughout training camp. He sits in the first row of my team meetings every single day. There's a lot to like about him, and it was good to see him make some plays tonight, too." Steward, Tavierre Thomas, and Ambry Thomas are veteran defensive backs hoping to make the roster. Another player in that category, safety Kahlef Hailassie, had two interceptions and nearly made the top five with a 75.1 grade. The five lowest grades on defense went to S Theo Jackson, LB Eric Wilson, S Jay Ward, DT Levi Drake Rodriguez, and CB Jeff Okudah. Most of those guys have had strong training camps, so there's no need to put much stock into this one-game sample. More Vikings coverage
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