September is upon us, and that means it’s time for Baseball Roundtable’s August Wrap up – a look at the stats and stories that caught The Roundtable’s attention over the past month, as well as The Roundtable’s Players and Pitchers of the Month, Trot Index and more. Note: This Wrap Up is a day later than usual due some ongoing family medical issue that had to be dealt with. Just a few of August’s highlights that you will find in this post:
- The 250th career homers of Pete Alonso and Jose Altuve;
- The Angels‘ triple-play;
- A catcher (Shea Langeliers) hitting three home runs and recording 15 total bases in a game – batting leadoff;
- Andrew Kittredge’s Immaculate Inning;
- Another Yankee nine-homer game;
- The Brewers‘ 14-game winning streak;
- Kyle Schwarber‘s four-homer game;
- Jacob deGrom‘s speedy path to his 1,800th strikeout;
- Cal Raleigh‘s assault on the home run records for catchers;
- and much more.
For all of the “stories,” see the “Highlights” section.
–—Players and Pitchers of the Month – August 2025—-
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Player of the Month – Shea Langeliers, C, Athletics
There were plenty of solid candidates and I ended up giving Shea Langeliers a slight edge because of the demands of his position behind the plate and the fact that he was one of just two American Leaguers to reach both 20 RBI (22) and 20 runs scored in August. (The other was Junior Caminero). Langelier’s stat line was .284-11-22. His 11 home runs were second only to Caminero in the AL; his 22 RBI tied for fourth; his 20 runs scored tied for ninth, his eight doubles tied for third; and his 31 base hits tied for fifth. Langeliers led MLB in extra-base hits in August with 19. He had seven multi-hit games during the month – including a five-for-six contest (August 5) in which he had he had three homers, a double and a single out of the leadoff spot.
Honorable Mentions: Rays’ 22-year-old 3B Junior Caminero tied for the MLB lead in August homers with 12 and his 23 RBI tied for second in the AL. His .262 average put him just a bit behind Langeliers. Yankees’ DH Giancarlo Stanton had a solid .339-9-23 month (with 20 runs scored). A little position bias may have played a role here. Blue Jays’ SS Bo Bichette had a league-leading 40 August hits, producing a .367-3-19 line (with 20 runs scored). I also took a long look at Royals’ SS Bobby Witt, Jr., who went .330-5-16, with 22 runs scored and six steals for the month.
Pitcher of the Month – Trevor Rogers, LHP, Orioles
Trevor Rogers went 4-1, 1.29 in six August starts – and his 1.29 ERA was the lowest among AL pitchers with at least 25 August innings. He also fanned 42 batters (second in the AL), put a 0.86 WHIP and .199 average against. He was a workhorse, his 42 innings pitched led MLB (averaging seven innings per start). He never gave up more than one run in any of his August starts – and his lone loss came on August 1, when he threw a complete-game, four-hitter in a 1-0 loss to the Cubs. Rogers, who came into 2025 with an MLB career (five-seasons) record of 15-34, 4.36, closed August at 8-2, 1.39 on the season.
Honorable Mentions: The Red Sox’ 37-year-old Aroldis Chapman came in from the pen 12 times in August. He went 8-for-8 in save opportunities and, in 11 innings of work, did not give up a single hit – allowing just one walk versus 14 strikeouts. As I write this, Chapman has a streak of 16 games and 13 2/3 innings without allowing a base hit (stretching back to July 26). The Tigers’ Tarik Skubal only went 2-1, but deserved better. He put up a 2.52 ERA in six starts and led MLB with 45 strikeouts (in 39 1/3 innings), while walking just eight. Further, his innings pitched for August trailed only Rogers. Skubal came on strong at the end of the month. Over his first three starts, he gave up ten earned runs over 18 2/3 innings. In his final three starts of the month, he gave up just one earned run over 20 2/3 innings. Finally, you have to mention the Rangers’ Nathan Eovaldi. While he only won two games (2-0, 2.67), he fanned 24 batters in 27 innings and walked just one – and recorded a stingy 0.70 WHIP.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Player of the Month – Brice Turang, 2B, Brewers
Brice Turang put up a .343-10-24 line in August. The .343 average was third among NLers with at least 75 August at bats; his ten homers tied for second; and his 24 RBI tied for sixth. He also scored 23 runs (tied for seventh in the NL) and swiped three bases in three attempts. Turang had at least one hit in 24 of his 28 August games – and he had ten multi-hit games.
Honorable Mentions: Mets’ RF Juan Soto delivered power and speed, going .277, with ten home runs and 11 stolen bases (in 11 attempts). He tied for the MLB lead in steals and tied for second in the NL in home runs. His 27 runs scored also tied for second in the NL. In addition, Soto accumulated more walks than strikeouts (27-to-26) and his on-base percentage (.435) was third in the NL among hitters with at least 75 at bats. Kyle Schwarber has to get a nod for his four-homer game. And, while his .223 average worked against him, he did tie for the MLB August lead with 12 homers and led the majors with 33 August RBI. Marlins’ CF Jakob Marsee deserves a shoutout for his .352-4-25 month (more on Marsee in the Surprise Player of the Month Section).
Pitcher of the Month – Freddy Peralta, RHP, Brewers
Wow! Freddy Peralta went 4-0 in five August starts. Even more impressive, he gave up just one run in 28 August innings – a 0.32 ERA, lowest among pitchers with at least 25 August frames. Peralta also had a nifty 0.82 WHIP and held batters to a .117 average. In his 29 August innings, he gave up just 11 hits (although 12 walks) and fanned 34. In his single no-decision, he went five, two-hit, scoreless innings.
Honorable Mentions: Rookie Cade Horton started six games for the Cubs in August. Went 5-1, 1.20, had a 0.90 WHIP and a .168 batting average against. He fanned 31 and walked just nine in 30 innings. At just 23-years-old, his future looks bright. (He ended August at 9-4, 2.92 on the season.) Hurston Waldrep, another 23-year-old, went 4-0, 1.01 for the Braves in six appearances (five starts). He tossed 35 2/3 innings and gave up just four runs, while fanning 33 and walking 11. He did not give up more than one run in any of his August outings. Veteran Clayton Kershaw showed the value of knowing how to pitch. He went 5-0, 1.88 for the Dodgers in five starts. In 28 2/3 innings, he only struck out 19 batters (just three walks), but also gave up only six runs. .
Surprise Player of the Month – Jakob Marsee, CF, Marlins
Marlins’ 24-year-old rookie Jakob Marsee made his MLB debut August 1 and put up some strong first-month rookie numbers: .352-4-25, with 11 doubles, three triples, four home runs, nine steals and 18 runs scored in 30 games. Marsee collected 37 hits in 30 August games (tied for fourth-most in MLB this August). Marsee was a sixth-round draft choice (2022) out of Central Michigan University – where he it .310-12-101, with 26 steals in three seasons (134 games). The surprise comes from the fact that he was hitting just .246-14-37 at Triple-A when he was called up and hit just .239-42-141 over four minor-league seasons. The stolen bases are no surprise, Marsee swiped 159 bags in 395 minor-league games.
Honorable Mentions: As noted earlier, Braves’ 23-year-old rookie righty Hurston Waldrep went 4-0, 1.01 in six August appearances, fanning 33 batters in 35 2/3 innings. Waldrep was a first-round draft choice in 2023, after going 17-5, 3.68 in three college seasons. This season, he was 7-8, 4.42 in 19 Triple-A starts before his call up. His overall minor-league record is 12-16, 3.61 in 46 starts (three seasons). He did get a look-see from the Braves in 2024, going 0-1, 16.71 in two starts (13 earned runs in seven MLB innings).
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THE TROT INDEX … A REGULAR BASEBALL ROUNDTABLE FEATURE
Through August 31, 34.6% of the MLB season’s 154,920 plate appearances ended in a trot (back to the dugout, around the bases, to first base). We’re talking about strikeouts, home runs, walks, hit by pitch and catcher’s interference – all outcomes that are, basically, devoid of action on the base paths or in the field. Here’s the breakout: strikeouts (22.0%); walks (8.4%); home runs (3.1%); HBP (1.1%); catcher’s interference (less than 1%). These numbers, notably, have been relatively stable over the past few seasons.
I also looked into full-year Trot Index figures for the years I have been a fan: 34.9% in 2024; 30.3% in 2010; 29.9% in 2000; 31.7% in 1990; 23.1% in 1980; 27.0% in 1970; 25.1% in 1960; and 22.8% in 1950.
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The Brewers were the only team to play .700 ball in August and they really leaned on the offense. The Brewers led MLB in August runs scored (186); base hits (306); batting average (.286); doubles (64); and total bases (513). They were third in MLB in home runs (45), second in NL.
Milwaukee’s offense was led by 2B Brice Turang (.343-10-24, with 23 runs scored); LF Christian Yelich (.324-7-23, with 26 runs scored); and C William Contreras (.279-9-24, with 22 runs scored). Overall, they had five players with 19 or more August RBI and six with 15 or more runs scored.
Power and Speed
In August , the Yankees led MLB in home runs (59) and SB (35).
——-Team Statistical Leaders for August 2025 ———-
RUNS SCORED
National League – Brewers (186); Mets (177); Diamondbacks (152)
American League – Yankees (155); Blue Jays (155); Rangers (144)
The fewest runs in August were scored by the Guardians (95). In the National League, it was the Reds at 100. The Astros were also under 100 runs (99).
AVERAGE
National League – Brewers (.286); Mets (.285); Phillies (.265)
American League – Blue Jays (.281); Rangers (.262); A’s (.262)
The lowest team average for August belonged to the Guardians at .201 – the Cubs were at the bottom of the NL at .227.
HOME RUNS
National League – Mets (53); Brewers (45); Phillies (43)
American League – Yankees (59); Blue Jays (44); Mariners (41)
The fewest home runs in August were hit by the Reds and Nationals (22). In the American League, it was the Guardians at 23.
TOTAL BASES
National League – Brewers (513); Mets (496); Phillies (457)
American League – Blue Jays (448); Yankees (446); Rangers (427)
The Mets led MLB in August Slugging Percentage at .505. The Blue Jays led the AL (.480)
DOUBLES
National League – Brewers (64); Pirates (56); Padres (56)
American League – A’s (63); Rangers (55); Royals (50); Blue Jays (50)
TRIPLES
National League – Marlins (8); Diamondbacks (7); Rockies (7)
American League – Tigers (10); Orioles (5); Twins (4); Rays (4)
The White Sox and Rangers had zero triples in August.
STOLEN BASES
National League – Marlins (31); Mets (31); Diamondbacks (29)
American League – Yankees (35); Rays (29); Mariners (29)
The A’s stole the fewest sacks in August at five – in 12 attempts. The Reds stole the fewest August bags in the NL – 12 in 15 attempts. The A’s were the only team with fewer than ten August steals.
WALKS DRAWN
National League – Pirates (111); Brewers (110); Dodgers (109)
American League – Yankees (125); Red Sox (96); Angels (95)
The Mets led MLB in August on-base percentage at .361. The Blue Jays led the AL at .342. The Guardians had MLB’s lowest August OBP at (.265). The Cardinals anchored the NL at .297.
BATTER’S STRIKEOUTS
National League – Diamondbacks (259); Cardinals (259); Giants (252); Nationals (252)
American League – Angels (284); Orioles (258); Yankees (253)
Royals’ batters fanned the fewest times in August (186). The Padres fanned the fewest times in the NL at 195.
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EARNED RUN AVERAGE
National League –Dodgers (3.45); Cubs (3.48); Brewers (3.52)
American League – Red Sox (3.37); Yankees (3.71); Rays (3.90)
The Rockies had the highest August ERA at a whopping 7.13. The Angels had the highest ERA in the AL at 5.22. Joining the Rockies above 6.00 were the Nationals (6.31). North of 5.00 were the: Marlins (5.83); Angels (5.22); and Twins (5.09). The five teams with August ERAs over 5.00 were a combined 55-87.
STRIKEOUTS
National League – Brewers (267); Dodgers (264); Phillies (263)
American League – Yankees (264); Rays (262); White Sox (253)
The Rays averaged an MLB-best 10.31 strikeouts per nine innings in August. The Dodgers averaged an NL-best 9.68. Eleven teams averaged nine whiffs per nine or better.
FEWEST WALKS SURRENDERED
National League – Phillies (60); Cubs (70); Dodgers (76)
American League – Mariners (71); Royals (72); Rays (73)
The Phillies walked an MLB-lowest 2.12 batters per nine innings in August. The Nationals walked an MLB-worst 3.87 batters per nine frames.
SAVES
National League – Cubs (11); Braves (11); Phillies (10)
American League – Royals (10); Mariners (10); Guardians (9); Red Sox (9)
The Yankees and Diamondbacks blew the most saves in August– seven (in 12 opportunities for New York and 16 opportunities for Arizona). The A’s were the only team to not blow a save in August – five saves in five opportunities.
Walks + Hits/Innings Pitched (WHIP)
National League – Cubs (1.10); Padres (1.14); Dodgers (1.16)
American League: Tigers (1.19); Rays (1.19); Rangers (1.20)
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Bonus Stats:
- The Rockies gave up an MLB-high 54 home runs in August. Diamondbacks gave up an MLB-low 26 home runs.
- Padres’ pitchers held opponents to an MLB-low .211 average in August. The Rockies’ staff was touched for an MLB-high .308 average.
- The Phillies’ strikeouts-to-walks ratio for August topped MLB at 4.38. The Rockies had MLB’s worst ratio at 1.96.——-
—-August 2025 Highlights —
Two Dozen – Plus One
The Brewers started August off with a bang – 25 0f them to be more exact. On August 1, the Brew Crew banged out 25 hits in a 16-9 road win over the Nationals. Every player in the starting lineup had at least one safety and eight had multiple hits, led by and DH William Contreras with a five-for-seven day. (It was, notably, the eighth game this season in which every Brewer in the starting lineup recorded a hit.)
Now, That’s A Comeback
On August 1, Pittsburgh rocked the Rockies in the first inning – scoring nine runs on 10 hits (including two home runs). The Rox were down 9-0 before a single Rockie had come to the plate. But baseball is played down to the very last out and the Rockies clawed their way back into this one. They began putting runs on the board, but so did the Pirates. After 4 ½ innings, it was Pittsburgh 15, Colorado 6. And, by the bottom of the ninth, it was Pirates 16, Rockies 12. But, remember, we play until the last out. In the bottom of the ninth, the Rox scored five runs on a single, a walk, a triple and two home runs – culminating with a one-out, two-run, walk-off homer by CF Benton Doyle. Final: Rockies 17 – Pirates 16.
More Good Timing
Photo by Keith Allison 
August 2 was Jose Ramirez Jersey Give-away Day in Cleveland and the Guardians third baseman did not disappoint. He hit a two-run homer to tie the game in the fifth inning (his 22nd HR of the season) and then scored the go-ahead run after leading off the eighth frame with a single.
250 – and then some – for Pete’s Sake
On Augusts 2, as the Mets pounded the Giants 12-6 in New York, Mets’ 1B Pete Alonso went two-for-four, with a walk, two runs scored and three RBI. Among his hits was a first-inning three-run home run that set the tone for the day. It was Alonso’s 24th roundtripper of the season and the 250th home run of his seven-season MLB career. Just ten days later, on August 12, Alonso enjoyed a two-homer day in a 12-5 win over the Braves. The two long balls were numbers 253 and 254 of his Mets’ career, moving him pas past Darryl Strawberry (252) as the franchise’s all-time home run leader.
Do 20-20, Rinse, Repeat
On August 3, as the Mariners edged the Rangers 5-4 in Seattle, Seattle CF Julio Rodriguez rapped his 20th home run of the season. Coupled with the 21 steals he had already banked this season, it made him the first MLB player to record a 20-20 season in each of his first four MLB campaigns. He was 28 HR / 25 SB in 2022; 32 / 37 in 2023; and 20 / 24 in 2024.
1,800 for deGrom
Photo: David from Washington, DC, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Okay, it wasn’t a great night for the Mets’ Jacob deGrom. He picked up his fourth loss of the seasons (versus ten wins) and gave up five runs on four hits and three walks over five innings (The Mets lost to the Mariners 5-4). Still, he did fan five batters and the fourth of those strikeouts – J.P. Crawford in the bottom of the second inning, was strikeout number 1,800 of deGrom’s MLB career. It made him the quickest pitcher to reach 1800 career strikeouts in both games (240) and innings 1,492 1/3. (Yes, #InBaseballWeCountEverything.) He edged Randy Johnson by three games and Chris Sale by 5 1/3 innings.
We’ve Only Just Begun
On August 4, the Blue Jays opened a three-game series against the Rockies (in Colorado) with a 15-1 victory. In the game, they punched out 25 hits and three home runs. Ah, but that was just the beginning of a record-setting offensive onslaught. The Blue Jays swept the series by scores of 15-1, 10-4 and 20-1. In the process, they banged out 63 hits – a Modern Era record for base hits in a three-game set. The record was previously held by the Red Sox, who recorded 62 hits against the Browns (in Fenway) in a three-game set June 7-9, 1950. In that one the Red Sox won Games One and Two by scores of 29-4 and 20-4, but lost the final game 12-7.
In the Blue Jays/Rox series, the Blue Jays hit .457 (63-for-38), with 13 home runs.
A First Time For Everything
On August 5, Athletics’ C Shea Langeliers found himself batting in the leadoff position for this first time in his MLB career – and he delivered – notching his second career three-homer game. As the A’s blasted past the Nationals 16-7, Langeliers went five-for-six with four runs, three RBI, three homers, a double and a single. In the process, he became just the second catcher with a three-homer game while batting leadoff (Travis d’Arnaud in 2019) – and yes, this is another example of #InBaseballWeCountEverything. Langeliers also tied the Modern Era record for the most total bases in a game by a catcher (15), joining Walker Cooper (1949) and Wes Westrom (195O). The three long balls gave Langeliers 20 on the season.
Reaching 1,000 in Grand Style
On August 6, Dodgers’ DH, P and leadoff hitter Shohei Ohtani collected his 1,000th base hit and he did in style, knocking a two-run homer to left center (his 39th HR of the season) off the Cardinals’ Matthew Liberatore in the bottom of the third. Oh, and Ohtani also pitched four strong innings (two hits, one run, no walks, eight strikeouts).
Immaculate Inning
On August 6, the Cubs called in righty Andrew Kittredge to face the Reds in the top of the seventh (and protect a 2-0 lead). Kittredge got the job done, tossing an Immaculate Inning – fanning DH Austin Hays, 2B Gavin Lux and C Tyler Stephenson (the 4-5-6 hitters) on nine pitches. (The Cubs went on to win the game 6-1.) It was the third Immaculate Inning of the 2025 season (Brandon Young, Orioles and Cal Quantrill, Marlins have also tossed Immaculate frames this season.)
Can I get a Do-over
The Cleveland MLB franchise “boasts” the longest time since their last no-hitter (44 seasons) of any MLB franchise. Cleveland righty Gavin Williams came oh, so close to ending that drought on August 6. Williams had a no-hitter and a 4-0 lead over the Mets with one out in the bottom of the ninth, when Mets’ RF Juan Soto smacked a 1-0 pitch for a home run to center. Goodbye no-no, goodbye shutout. Williams then retired 1B Pete Alonso on a flyout to short right field, before walking LF Brandon Nimmo. After the walk, manager Steve Vogt sent Hunter Gaddis to the mound to replace Williams (goodbye first MLB complete game). Williams did get the win and, to be fair, he was pulled after 126 pitches, the most by any MLB pitcher this season.
Not My Cup of Tea
Okay, I may be an old stick-in-the-mud, but I’m not a fan of MLB games held in what I consider “stunt” locations. (I do make an exception for the Little League Classic. That event warms my hardball heart.) Still, these games are a highlight for many. So here goes. On Saturday August 2, a record crowd for an MLB game of 91,032 fans showed up for the first regular-season MLB game in Tennessee – The MLB Speedway Classic at the Bristol Motor Speedway. Long story short, after a rain delay of about 2 ½ hours, the game got underway, but was rained out in the bottom of the first. Play resumed the following day and resulted in a 4-2 Braves win. If you need some trivia fodder. The first MLB regular-season hit recorded in Tennessee was a single by Reds’ 2B Matt McLain. The first regular-season home run in Tennessee was hit by Braves’ RF Eli White (a second-inning, three-run shot). The first regular-season win in Tennessee was recorded by the Braves’ Hurston Waldrep; the first save by Raisel Iglesias.
Barrier Breaker
On August 9, Jan Powal – a professional umpire for ten seasons – became the first woman to umpire in a regular-season MLB game (Marlins – Braves at Truist Park). The very next day she became the first female umpire to work behind the plate in an MLB game,
Nine-to-Five … Or Nine-in-Five
The Arizona Diamondbacks came to bat in the bottom of the fifth inning of their August 10 game against the Rockies with a slim 4-3 lead. That was about to change. The inning started quietly enough with a flyout by 2B Ketel Marte and a pop out to short by SS Geraldo Perdomo. But then the Diamondbacks scored eight runs on nine consecutive two-out hits. It went like this.
- LF Lourdes Gurriel, Jr., single to center off Tanner Gordon;
- DH Adrian Del Castillo, single to RF, Gurriel to second:
- 1B Tyler Locklear, single to RF loading the bases;
- CF Alek Thomas, RBI groundball-single, scoring one and leaving the sacks full;
- C James McCann, two-run single to RF, leaving runners on first and third;
- 3B Blaze Alexander, RBI-single to CF, runners again on first and third;
Ryan Rolston replaces Gordon on the mound.
- RF Corbin Carroll, RBI single (deep 2B), runners again on first and third;
- Marte, two- run double to LF;
- Perdomo, RBI-single to RF;
- Gurriel, groundout to SS.
The Diamondbacks won 13-6.
Surprisingly, the Diamondback scored all 13 runs in the game with two outs. Wait, there’s more. Just two days later, the Mets trounced the Braves 13-5 – and they scored all thirteen runs with two outs.
250 for Altuve
On August 10, as the Astros beat the Yankees 7-1, Jose Altuve went two-for-three, with two walks, and a home run. The long ball was his 21st of the 2025 season and 250th of his 15-season MLB career. The future Hall of Famer has hit 20 or more home runs in seven seasons (a high of 31 in 2019 & 2021), stole 30 or more bases in seven seasons (a high of 56 in 2014) and had 200 or more hits in four campaigns. He’s also a three-time batting champion, and a one-time league MVP.
Ramirez Sets Guardians’ Mark
On August 12 – as the Guardians topped Miam 4-3 in Cleveland – Guardians’ 3B Jose Ramirez had a big day at the plate. He went three-for-four with two homers, a double, two runs scored and two RBI. The two dingers were Ramirez 24th and 25th homers of the season and the numbers 279 and 280 in his 13-season (2013-25) MLB career (all with Cleveland). In addition, the pair of long balls marked his 27th multi-homer game, giving him sole possession of the Cleveland franchise record for multi-homer contests (he had been tied with Jim Thome and Albert Belle – some pretty powerful company). At just 32-years-old, I have hunch Ramirez will be expanding his lead in the category.
A Triple Play – An Unlikely Batter
The Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani is known for his power and speed (He can, after all, claim MLB’s only 50-50 season). But on August 12, as the Dodger faced the Angels in Anaheim, neither could help him,
It was the top of the sixth, the game was tied 5-5 and the Dodgers were looking to take the lead. Dodger pinch-hitter Miguel Rojas opened the frame with a single, followed by a single from C (number-nine hitter) Dalton Rushing – putting runners on first and second, with no outs for Dodgers’ star DH Ohtani. Ohtani smacked a hard line drive over the mound – which found its way quickly into SS Zach Neto’s glove (Neto was positioned perfectly for the catch). Neto stepped on second to double off Rojas and then threw first baseman Nolan Schanuel, who tagged the returning Rushing – completing the third triple play of the 2025 season. It proved a critical play, as the Angels won 7-6 in ten innings.
Lucky 13 For Jakob Marsee
On August 13, playing in his 13th MLB game, Marlins’ rookie outfielder Jakob Marsee tied the Marlins’ franchise record for RBI in a game, driving home seven runs in a Marlins’ 13-4 win over the Guardians in Cleveland. Marsee went four-for-five with two home runs and a double – and he threw in a stolen base for good measure. In his first 12 MLB games, Marsee had gone 13-for-43 (.382), with one homer and six RBI. He closed the month of August with a career line of .352-4-25 (he made his MLB debut August 1).
So Close …. And Yet, So Far
On August 15, Orioles’ rookie righthander Brandon Young, in just his 11th MLB appearance (all starts), retired the first 23 Houston batters he faced – staring at a Perfect Game with two out in the eighth. He lost the Perfecto on a slow dribbler (Astros’ 2B Ramon Urias) that Young himself fielded just to the third base side of the mound. Young fanned the next hitter (CF Taylor Trammel) and was relieved to open the ninth. Still, he earned his first MLB win (Orioles 7 – Astros 0) and lowered his ERA from 6.70 to 5.68. Young’s next start (August 21) was also against the Astros, who (this time) touched him up for seven runs in 5 1/3 innings. Strange game, this baseball.
Some Sad Sunday
On Sunday, August 17, the Brewers lost a tough one – 3-2, in ten innings – to the Reds in Cincinnati. And, it was a real nailbiter. The game was tied at zero through six innings, the Reds scored one in the bottom of the seventh to take the lead. That 1-0 lead held until the top of the ninth, when the Brewers scored a pair to take a 2-1 edge. The Reds bounced back in the bottom of the ninth to tie it at two- – and then scored in the bottom of the tenth for the one-run, walk-off win.
Now, that might not have been highlight, except for the fact that it was the Brewers’ first loss in August – ending a 14-game winning streak that began on August 1.
During the streak, the Brewers outscored their opponents 119 to 52 They scored ten or more runs in five games and seven or more in ten. The streak included eight road wins and six at home and four one-run victories. The 14-game win streak also put the Brew Crew in some elite company. It followed a ten-game winning streak in July (July 6-21) and made the Brewers the tenth team in the Expansion Era (which began in 1969) to deliver two double-digit winning steaks in the same season – 1960 Astros; 1969 Mets; 1977 Royals; 1978 Pirates; 2001 Cardinals; 2013 Braves; 2015 Blue Jays; 2017 Dodgers; 2019 Astros; 2025 Brewers. The Brewers total of 24 wins in the two streaks is tied for the second-most wins in two same-season streaks. The 1977 Royals had streaks of 10 and 16 wins and the 2013 Braves matched the Brewers’ streaks of 10 and 14 victories.
Well, There’s a First For Everything
On August 19, Cubs’ 23-year-old rookie RF Owen Caissie – in just his fourth MLB game – led Chicago to a 6-4 win over the first-place Brewers. It was a day of firsts for Caissie. He collected his first MLB RBI, driving in two runs with a bases-loaded single in the bottom of the first inning. He also hit his first MLB home run, scored his first MLB run and had his first MB multi-hit game – all courtesy of his sixth-inning solo home run. It also marked the first time that Caissie played in two MLB games in a single day (Yes, it was a doubleheader. Remember those?). Cassie was two-for-four, with one run, three RBI (and that homer) in the Cubs 6-4 win in Game One and one-for-two with one run and one RBI in the Cubs’ 4-1 Game Two victory
For those who like to know such things: Cassie was a second-round pick (Padres) in the 2020 MLB Draft (out of Notre Dame Secondary School in Burlington, Ontario). When he was called up, he was hitting .289-22-52 (in 93 games) for the Triple-A Iowa Cubs.
We Do Like Round Numbers
On August 19, Royals’ SS Bobby Witt, Jr. – as Kansas City topped Texas 5-2 in KC – hit a two-run eighth-inning homer. It was Witt’s 18th of the season and 100th of his four-season MLB career. Coupled with his 142 stolen bases, it also made him one of just four players to record at least 100 long balls and 100 stolen bases in their first four MLB seasons. The others were Bobby Bonds (1968-71 … 100 HR/135 SB); Darryl Strawberry (1983-86… 108 HR/100 SB); and Julio Rodriguez (2022-25 … 104 HR/109 SB as of August 19).
Ka-Boom
On August 19, as the Yankees blasted the Rays 13-3 in Tampa, the Bronx Bombers launched nine bombs (home runs) – two each by Cody Bellinger, Giancarlo Stanton and Jose Caballero and one each by Aaron Judge, Jazz Chisholm, Jr. and Ben Rice. The outburst made the Yankees the first MLB team ever to have two games with at least nine home runs – and they did it twice this season (also on May 29 in a 20-5 win over the Brewers in New York). Side note: Judge, Bellinger and Stanton went yard back-to-back-to-back in the first inning of the August 19 game, while Paul Goldschmidt, Bellinger and Judge went back-to back-to back in the opening frame of the March 29 game.
For those who like to know such things: The record for home runs by a team in a game is ten, by the Blue Jays in a September 14, 1987 18-3 win over the Orioles.
Nifty At Fifty
On August 24, Pirate’s 23-year-old righty Paul Skenes made his fiftieth MLB start – and it was a good one. Skenes went seven innings and gave up no runs on just three hits (no walks), while fanning seven. He got the victory as the Pirates topped the Rockies 4-0 – running his 2025 record to 8-9 (despite a 2.07 ERA). The outing also dropped his ERA over his first 50 career starts to 2.02, which (in the tradition of #InBaseballWeCountEverything, gave him the second-lowest career ERA over a pitcher’s first 50 MLB starts (in the Live Ball ERA) – trailing only Vida Blue at 2.01.
Catch Me If Catch Me If You Can
On August 24, as the Mariners bounced the A’s 11-4 in Seattle, Mariners’ catcher Cal Raleigh went three-for-four, with two runs scored and five RBI. From a Highlights perspective, two of his three hits were home runs – his 48th and 49th of the season, enabling him to pass Salvador Perez for the most home runs n a season by a player who primarily served as catcher. Raleigh, by the way, smacked his fiftieth dinger of the season the very next day. Of those fifty long balls, 40 came when Raleigh in the lineup as a catcher (10 while in the lineup as DH). The record for home runs while in the lineup as a catcher is 42 (Braves’ Javy Lopez in 2003). That is sure to fall soon. While Raleigh’s production comes as a bit of surprise, keep in mind, he did hit 30 or more homers in each of the past two seasons.
A Perfect Ten
On August 25, Tigers’ southpaw Tarik Skubal went 6 2/3 innings versus the Athletics (in Sacramento), giving up just six hits and six runs (one earned). For the purposes of the Highlights Section, he fanned 12 batters and walked none. In the outing, Skubal threw 99 pitches (72 strikes). Despite the 8-3 Detroit loss, Skubal’s performance tied him with Gerrit Cole for the most outings in a season (Modern Era) with at least ten strikeouts and zero walks.
Climbing The Ladder
On August 26, as the Giants beat the Cubs 5-2, veteran Justin Verlander went seven innings, giving up just two runs on seven hits and two walks. He also fanned five batters. The first of those strikeouts (RF Kyle Tucker in the first inning) gave Verlander 3,516 over this over his 20-season MLB career (2005-20, 2022-25 … Tigers, Astros, Mets, Giants) and moved him past Walter Johnson for ninth all-time. It seems likely he will also over take Gaylord Perry (3,534) and Don Sutton (3,574) this season.
Bombers Gotta Bomb
In the third inning of an 11-2 win over the Nationals on August 27, the Yankees plated nine runs on eight hits and three walks. Four of those hits were home runs: DH Aaron Judge (two-run); RF Cody Bellinger (solo); 3B Ryan McMahon (three-run); 1B Ben Rice (solo). The outburst marked the third time they Yankees have hit four home runs in an inning this season – an MLB record.
It’s About Time
August 22-25, the Women’s Professional Baseball League held tryouts at the Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy and (Washington) Nationals Park to fill six professional women’s baseball teams for the 2026 season. About 600 initial hopefuls were pared down to 100 who will be eligible for the league’s first player draft (October 25). The first season will consist of four weeks of regular season play, an All Star game, and two weeks of post-season playoffs.
He’s Ba-a-a-ck
Dodgers’ two-way star Shohei Ohtani, who did not pitch in 2024 (Tommy John surgery in 2023) had a sterling mound outing on August 27, earning the win as the Dodgers topped the Reds 5-1 In the game, Ohtani (still working nis way back into full mound shape) went five innings (his longest outing of the season) giving up just two hits and one run, while walking two and fanning nine. Keep in mind, this is from a player who has topped forty home runs in four of the past five season.
Four for Schwarber
Photo: All-Pro Reels from District of Columbia, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
On August 28, Phillies’ Designated Hitter Kyle Schwarber took the role of “hitter’ pretty darn seriously. As the Phillies topped the Braves 19-4, Schwarber went four-for-six, with nine RBI – each of his four hits was a home run, tying the MLB record for home runs in a single game. Schwarber hit:
- A solo home run with one out in the first (off Cal Quantrill);
- A two-run shot in the fourth off Austin Cox;
- A three-run blast in the fifth (Cox);
- A second three-run homer in the seventh (off Wander Suero)
He also flied out to deep center in the second and flied out to left in the eighth.
The four homers gave Schwarber 49 on the season.
Schwarber, by the way, was the 21st MLB player with a four-homer game, as well as the fourth Phillie in the 4-HR Club: Ed Delahanty (1896); Chuck Klein (1936); and Mike Schmidt (1976). The Phillis have more four-homer games than any other MLB franchise.
Schwarber was also the third player with a four-homer game this season, joining the Diamondbacks’ Eugenio Suarez and the A’s Nick Kurtz. The only other seasons with more than one four homer game were 2002 (two) and 2017 (two).
Finishing August with a Bang … and in Good Company
On August 31, as his Yankees lost to the White Sox 3-2, DH Aaron Judge rapped his 43rd homer of the 2025 season – a first-inning solo shot to left center off an 0-2 pitch from Martin Perez. It was the 358th homer of Judge’s 10-season MLB career and moved in him into a tie (with Yogi Berra) for the fifth-most home runs as a Yankee. Ahead of Judge are Babe Ruth (659); Mickey Mantle (536); Lou Gehrig (493); and Joe DiMaggio (361).
—INDIVIDUAL STAT LEADERS FOR AUGUST—
BATTING AVERAGE (at least 75 at bats)
American League: Bo Bichette, Blue Jays (.367); Bobby Witt, Jr., Royals (.330); Tyler Soderstrom, A’s (.329)
National League: Jakob Marsee, Marlins (.352); Francisco Lindor, Mets (.350); Brenton Doyle, Rockies (.351)
The lowest August average among players with at least 75 at bats belonged to Orioles’ 1B Coby Mayo at .136 (12-for-88).
HITS
American League: Bo Bichette, Blue Jays (40); Julio Rodriguez, Mariners (35); Bobby Witt, Jr., Royals (35)
National League: Trea Turner, Phillies (42); Francisco Lindor, Mets (41); three with 37
The Athletics’ Shea Langeliers led MLB in extra-base hits in August with 19 – eight doubles and 11 home runs. The Diamondbacks’ Corbin Carroll and Marlins’ Jakob Marsee led National Leaguers in August extra-base hits with 18. Carroll had eight doubles, two triples and eight home runs. Marsee had eleven doubles, three triples and four home runs.
HOME RUNS
American League: Junior Caminero, Rays (12); Shea Langeliers, A’s (11); three with ten
National League: Kyle Schwarber, Phillies (12); Juan Soto, Mets (10); Brice Turang, Brewers (10)
The Brewers’ Brice Turang led all hitters with at least 75 at bats in August slugging percentage at .694. The Athletics’ Shea Langeliers led the AL at .661.
RUNS SCORED
American League: Nick Kurtz, A’s (23); Bobby Witt, Jr., Royals (22); six with 21
National League: Geraldo Perdomo, Diamondbacks (28); Jurickson Profar, Braves (27); Juan Soto, Mets (27)
RUNS BATTED IN
American League: Vinnie Pasquantino, Royals (29); Junior Caminero, Rays (23); Giancarlo Stanton, Yankees (23)
National League: Kyle Schwarber, Phillies (33); Lourdes Gurriel, Jr., Diamondbacks (32); Pete Alonso, Mets (29)
DOUBLES
American League: Brent Rooker, Athletics (10); Tyler Soderstrom, Athletics (9); eight with eight
National League: Bryan Reynolds, Pirates (12); Jakob Marsee, Marlins (11); Matt Olson, Braves (10); James Wood, Nationals (10)
TRIPLES
American League: Jeremiah Jackson, Orioles (2); Zach McKinstry, Tigers (2); Luis Rengifo. Angels (2); Chandler Simpson, Rays (2)
National League: Elly De La Cruz, Reds (3); Jakob Marsee, Marlins (3); Trea Turner, Phillies (3)
STOLEN BASES
American League: Jazz Chisholm, Jr., Yankees (11); Josh Lowe, Rays (8); three with seven
National League: Juan Soto, Mets (11); Trea Turner, Phillies (10); three with nine
Two New Yorkers, Jazz Chisholm, Jr. of the Yankees and Juan Soto of the Mets, tied for the MLB lead in August stolen bases and August stolen bases without getting caught (11).
BATTER’S STRIKEOUTS
American League: Cal Raleigh, Mariners (39); Ramon Anthony, Red Sox (38); Mike Trout, Angels (38)
National League: James Wood, Nationals (43); Matt Olson, Braves (40); Ely De La Cruz, Reds (38)
Of the 16 players with at least 35 August strikeouts, the highest batting average belonged to the Reds’ Ramon Anthony (.304) and Braves’ Matt Olson (.302.) All the others hit .255 or under for the month, with seven below .200.
WALKS
American League: Aaron Judge, Yankees (24); Nick Kurtz, Athletics (22); Taylor Ward, Angels (22)
National League: Juan Soto, Mets (27); Jurickson Profar, Braves (24); Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers (23)
The highest on-base percentage among players with at least 75 August at bats belonged to the Athletics’ Nick Kurtz at .471. The NL leader was the Padres’ Jake Cronenworth at .460.
PITCHING VICTORIES
American League: Carlos Rodon, Yankees (4-0); Jacob Lopez, Athletics (4-1); Ryan Pepiot, Rays (4-1); Trevor Rogers, Orioles (4-1); Max Scherzer, Blue Jays (4-1); Cade Smith, Guardians (4-1); Bryan Woo, Mariners (4-1); Michael Wacha, Royals (4-2)
National League: Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers (5-0); Cade Horton, Cubs (5-1); four with four
The Cardinals’ Andre Pallante (0-6, 6.87 in six starts) led MLB in August losses.
EARNED RUN AVERAGE (minimum 25 August innings)
American League: Trevor Rogers, Orioles (1.29); Drew Rasmussen, Rays (1.53); Cam Schlitter, Yankees (1.60)
National League: Freddy Peralta, Brewers (0.32); Hurston Waldrep, Braves (1.01); Cade Horton, Cubs (1.20)
The highest ERA among pitchers with at least 25 August innings or four August starts was 12.15 by the Braves’ Cal Quantrill (0-4, 12.15 in five starts, 27 earned runs in 20 innings).
STRIKEOUTS
American League: Tarik Skubal, Tigers (45 K / 39 1/3 IP); Trevor Rogers, Orioles (41 K / 42 IP); three with 39
National League: Edward Cabrera, Marlins (44 K / 34 2/3 IP); Jesus Lazardo, Phillies (42 K / 34 2/3 IP); Christopher Sanchez, Phillies (42 K / 38 2/3 IP)
Among pitchers who faced at least 75 batters in August, the Rays’ Ian Seymour had the highest strikeouts-per nine innings ratio for the month at 13.10.
WALKS + HITS/INNINGS PITCHED (at least 25 August innings)
American League: Nathan Eovaldi, Rangers (0.70); Drew Rasmussen, Rays (0.78); Trevor Rogers, Orioles (0.86)
National League: Shota Imanaga, Cubs (0.68); Nick Pivetta, Padres (0.79); Freddy Peralta, Brewers (0.82)
Among pitchers with at least 25 August innings, the Cubs’ Nick Pivetta held batters to the lowest average at 1.50.
SAVES
American League: Aroldis Chapman, Red Sox (8); Carlos Estevez, Royals (8); Andres Munoz, Mariners (8)
National League: Raisel Iglesias, Braves (10); Jhoan Duran, Phillies (8); Daniel Palencia, Cubs (7)
Raisel Iglesias of the Braves saved the most games without a blown save in August (ten).
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