Week of August 24, 2026 – August 30, 2026
Braves run the table while Gasper and Matthews take the week
The Atlanta Braves went 6-0, sweeping the Dodgers and Rockies and stretching a win streak to seven, while the Angels dropped all six and Mickey Gasper posted a cartoon on-base line for Boston.
The Week at a Glance
- Atlanta Braves finished 6-0 and outscored opponents 22-15 across two sweeps.
- Los Angeles Angels went 0-6 and were swept by both the Guardians and Phillies.
- Baltimore Orioles and Tampa Bay Rays each went 5-1; the Rays lead the AL East at 82-54.
- Seven series sweeps landed, including TOR over SEA, TB over SD, and BAL over ATH.
- Cal Raleigh hit 5 homers in 6 games for Seattle; Pete Crow-Armstrong went 4-for-6 with 3 homers in a 17-5 Cubs win.
- Chris Sale threw a 9.0-inning, 11-strikeout shutout in Atlanta's 1-0 win over Los Angeles.
Player of the Week
Mickey Gasper, the Boston Red Sox DH, reached base at a .750 clip over 5 games on 5 hits and 7 walks in 16 plate appearances, with zero strikeouts. He went 5-for-9 with 2 home runs, 3 RBI, and a 2.083 OPS that led the board. Volume was light; the quality was not.
Pitcher of the Week
Zebby Matthews of the Minnesota Twins took both of his starts and threw 15.1 innings with 12 strikeouts, 1 walk, and 2 earned runs. He allowed 11 hits, went 2-0, and posted a 1.17 ERA and 0.78 WHIP. Two turns, two wins, almost no free passes.
Game of the Week
LAD 0 @ ATL 1 (Thursday)
Chris Sale went 9.0 innings with 11 strikeouts, 5 hits, and no walks or earned runs as the Braves edged the Dodgers 1-0. It anchored Atlanta's three-game sweep of Los Angeles and sat inside a 6-0 week. One run was enough when the left-hander finished the job.
Standings Pulse
- Tampa Bay Rays hold the AL East at 82-54 after a 5-1 week and a four-game win streak; the Yankees sit 4.5 back at 78-59.
- Atlanta Braves lead the NL East at 82-55 on a seven-game streak; Philadelphia Phillies went 4-2 and trail by 5 with a four-game streak of their own.
- Chicago White Sox remain first in the AL Central at 72-64; Cleveland Guardians are 3.5 back after matching a 4-2 week.
- Houston Astros lead the AL West at 69-68; Texas Rangers fell to 2 back with a 2-4 week.
- Milwaukee Brewers sit atop the NL Central at 85-52; Chicago Cubs dropped 2 games in the loss column with a 2-4 mark.
- Los Angeles Dodgers still lead the NL West at 82-55 despite a 2-4 week and a sweep at Atlanta; Arizona D-backs gained 1.5 games toward second.
Moves & Call-ups
- Los Angeles Dodgers activated RHP Tyler Glasnow from the 60-day injured list.
- New York Mets activated LF Juan Soto from the 10-day injured list.
- Toronto Blue Jays placed RHP Shane Bieber on the 15-day IL with right teres major inflammation.
- San Francisco Giants stacked IL moves: JT Brubaker (bruised ribs), Victor Bericoto (right knee bone bruise), Willy Adames (left elbow sprain), Carson Whisenhunt (left elbow sprain), and Adrian Houser (right forearm strain).
- Baltimore Orioles placed RF Tyler O'Neill on the 10-day IL with right shoulder inflammation and later activated 3B Blaze Alexander.
- Walker Jenkins debuted in CF for the Minnesota Twins; Blake Adams and Mason Adams debuted for the Colorado Rockies.
- Luis Perales debuted for the Washington Nationals; Braxton Roxby, Seth Lonsway, and Yunior Marte debuted for the San Francisco Giants.
- Miami Marlins activated 1B Kyle Stowers; Milwaukee Brewers activated RF Sal Frelick.
— Six for Atlanta, none for Anaheim, and a Red Sox DH who treated walks like base hits.