PTI - What was the MOST IMPROBABLE event from yesterday's MLB action?

Episode Date: August 7, 2026

Michael Wilbon and Frank Isola discuss the MLB, NFL, and Kawhi Leonard. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A career opportunity is waiting at PTW Energy Services. On August 18, meet the team at a hiring event for welders and fitters from 1 to 5 p.m. Explore the next step, make a strong start, and connect with real openings in the field. Join us on this day. Pardon the interruption, but I'm Mike Wilbon. It's our last show. It's August 27, Frank. I'm Frank Isola.

Wait, it is? I needed to scratch. We're going to get you another hustle. I got one. For the League World Series. You're not going to the Langell. Little sideline record. There's enough games.

There's enough games. And by the way, you like Williamsport? Yeah. They have nice hotels here. Remember you stayed at the four seasons that one year? No, that they built it just for you or else you wouldn't go. I wish that was an AAU circuit for the four seasons all those years. Welcome to PTI.

Tony has started his 19 day weekend already. So I'm thrilled to be joined by our great friend from the starting lineup on Sirius XM, Mr. Frank I Solum. They're ready for the 19-day break. That's a lot of energy for a Friday afternoon in July, August, Wade. Let's start with the improbable events in baseball. The Cubs were down to their last strike against the Blue Jays yesterday at Wrigley when Alex Bregman hit this game-time two-run Homer,

and the Cubs went on to win in 11. 11. The Red Sox came from behind five times, Frank, to beat the White Sox at Fenway in 13. Ronald O'Cunia, Jr., meanwhile, earned one of his two home runs when the ball bounced off. The gloves of colliding Marlins, outfielders, and the lowly Mets swept the guardians just days after selling off. So which of these was the most improbable in your mind? Great day, great night for baseball.

I'll let you focus on the Cubs. I'm going to go with the Red Sox because what they did. I watched that live. Number one, the game took 4 hours and 23 minutes. It was like a Yankees Red Sox game from 10 years ago. Second longest game since the pitch count came in. And you mentioned them trailing. How about from the third inning until the 12th inning, they trailed every time they came

to hit. And they trailed by four runs. This season, they were 0 in 26 in games where they trailed by four more runs. And just like the Cubs in the ninth inning, they're down to their final strike. They tie the game up. They finally win it in the 13th inning. Caleb Durbin had that single to win it. 31 and 5 in the last 36 games.

And Mike, how about this? They have now had six sweeps against teams that entered the series in first place. You talk about quality wins. They're getting it done. The White Sox is going to regret last night. They're going to live to regret that. Because not only do they lose a game

when they're only three up in their division, but I think Minnesota lost, and Detroit lost, and Cleveland lost. And so they can gain a game in Fenway. That game was unbelievable live to watch, which I did. The White Sox, particularly when they, get the last lead. Homer over the monster

and they still can't hold on. This is about the cops. We talked yesterday we led this show with MVP talk of Shohei and MVP, as in Pete Crow Armstrong, who not only takes matters in his own hands, he has a base hit with one of our slower runners,

Carson Kelly, the catcher on second. They throw Carson Kelly out at the plate. And then Pete just says to hell with it. He steals third. It's like Javi Baez going back 10 years. The throw is outside and off and off the glove. And Pete goes home. Listen,

Rigley Fields is 150 years old. That is one of the more thrilling endings I have ever seen in Wrigley Field. And Pete Crowe Armstrong himself keeps it going. I'm going to drive in the winning run. Fine, you want to throw him out? I will steal the winning run. It's like Jackie Robinson. And remember, we had talked about that yesterday.

You know, 60 stolen bases going into. yesterday's game. He had a total of 50 the previous two years. And that was kind of the one thing that right now separates him from Shohei, how good he is in the field and also on the base pass. By the way, we watched that game here on your little phone, because you wouldn't

make it go with a large screen. You're so cynical. You need to be you got to be positive like us in New York. I had 108 years to get one. Don't expect. By the way, the Mets first sweep since May, and then how about the Ocuna home run? Is that worse? It's not as bad.

It's not as bad as off the conchon. It's not as bad as off of Jose Canseco's head, but it's kind of close. The graves are rolling too. Great night, though. Great day. They're rolling. They are. All right. Let's move to the NFL where there's been a run on running backs this week.

The Lions made Jamir Gibbs, the highest paid back in league history yesterday, with a three-year extension averaging 22.5 million, with 51.5 million guaranteed. Before Gibbs, there was Bijon Robinson's three-year extension, a 51 million guaranteed. and Jonathan Taylor's two-year extension, $39 million guaranteed. Mike, what did these contracts say to you about this position and which player impresses you most? It says that NFL coaches and NFL people, personnel people as well, have finally come to their damn senses.

Making a running back in Florida. And they understand that often the running back, who is not just a running back in college most of the time anyway, there's too much passing game that goes on from high school, that they have to master. And so they are weapons. And so I'm not just talking about Jeremiah, love who now gets 50 million plus the biggest guarantee among running backs.

But football coaches did this. And I got a couple of old guys named Green. I'll let people figure out who they are, my peers, who played at a time where they knew and they emphasized to me the running backs were often the greatest players on the field. And you got guys, Marshall Falk was the best player on the field. All right. Adrian Peterson was the best player on the field. And then coaches went away from this so they can spread the field and use all these receivers.

They drafted and paid way too much. money and these dival wide receivers and they change the game. I understand these guys are explosive. They're no better than those two dudes and they're not better than Taylor on Indiana now. They're not better than the players you mention who often

are the best players on the field and they're finally using them as such. I actually think that Sequan Barkley, the year they had a few years ago in Philadelphia kind of changed things a little bit for the running backs because when we're growing up and we're thinking about whether it's O.J. Simpson, Frank O'Hara,

It's your guy, Walter Payton, my guy, Chuck Foreman. There was a stretch in the late 70s for 10 years where the number one overall pick was a running back. I'm talking about guys like George Robert. Yeah, a lot of dudes. Joe Jackson. There hasn't been the number one picks since 1995. Well, whose fault has that been? Well, it's just the way they view the running backs.

Unfortunately, I think the shelf life isn't that long. And here's the thing. Gibbs his contract right now. 58th highest paid offensive player in the league. They still don't think much. Mike, if he was a wide receiver, he would be the 25th highest paid wide receiver. So they still value the receivers more than the running back.

They do. We've seen over the last couple of years how important the running back position has been. And I think, listen, the players don't have to give anything to Sequan Barker, but I think Barclay, the breakout year that he had, it built up. I think the chance. By the way, you got coaches now using not just two tight ends, but in the case of Ben Johnson, it looks like with the Bears, three tight-in formations where you can block and enhance what your running back is doing.

You also don't have to have a receiver out there. You can still power football, whatever happened to that other than spread the field. Especially in bad weather games. Wake up and see me the best player on your team is. Man. Now, to the latest turn in the allegation, the Clippers owner Steve Ballmer circumvented the salary cap in the NBA to reward Kauai Leonard. Pablo Tori finds out reported last night a previously undisclosed multi-million-dollar sponsorship agreement between Leonard and the company that made the Clippers massive scoreboard Dactronics, the biggest

scoreboard you've ever seen, that in addition to the original deal Pablo reported involving one-time team sponsor aspiration. Frank, how's this latest report? Pablo, what are you doing? Change things for Balmer and Kauai, if at all. You know, it's almost been a year since Pablo's original reporting with the connection with aspiration, whether or not they circumvented the salary cap, and then the investigation starts. And last week, there were reports that it may go into 2027, which is hard to believe, because that trade right now is still on hold.

And they're not going to put a trade on hold until 2027. Exactly. League isn't going to do it. Well, you, and remember, you have Brandon England and Grady Dick got traded. Yeah. So they're in limbo as well. You got two franchises, one who had nothing to do with this. But this latest reporting does not bode well for the Clippers. It doesn't bode well

for a quiet. Well, all right, he quoted a source at the Intuit Dome as saying that sponsorship deal was 1,000 percent away to circumvent the salary cap. I still think, remember, the league hired a private investigation, you know, well, the law firm to investigate. I still think why the Toronto Raptors went to the Clippers and said, we're going to hold up on this deal. I think they're waiting to see what the punishment is going to be.

Not so much for the Clippers. I think there's going to be a suspension for Kauai Leonard. Now, if it's 20 games, it's not the worst thing. There's better be a bigger penalty for ownership. 100%. And for the player. But Kauai is going to get something. And then, you know, what's going to happen, Mike, the Players' Union is going to get in.

Players, you should order. If they suspend Kauai and don't do anything to Steve Ballmer, who I like tremendously, the player should stage a walkout simultaneously every damn game at 730 tip time. They should. Because if there's no offer, then there's no circumvention because the player has nothing to accept. Let me just say this. I don't believe anything is going to happen. I don't.

Really? Yeah, you know what? Because David Stern, he may be turning over in his grave at this, but he ain't coming out of the grave. Yeah. David Stern might suspend people. He might dock people. draft picks might lower your salary cap.

Does that seem to be the method of this commissioner? Does that seem to be Adam Silver's way to be as confrontational as his predecessor to you? I do think, though, if they're circumventing the cap, if you find that, there has to be some kind of punishment for the clippers. You are right about this, though. The league loves Steve Ballmer. First of all, he's got more money than he knows what to do with it. He built an arena with his money. He's essential to things they are doing big overseas and expansion projects.

Is he getting, is Steve Barma getting kicked out of league? I don't think that's going to happen. No. But I do think there's going to be some kind of punishment for Kauai. Why else would the trade be held up? Or his players union is going to be put to the test. And meanwhile, Brandon, I'm Grady Dick. I'm thinking what's going on.

Exactly. What's going to. All right. Let's stick with the NBA. And now to Jalen Brown's thoughts about what lies ahead with the Sixers and how he feels about the Celtics team that trade him away. Brown told report is yesterday at his press conference that he threw his phone across the room. That sounds like Michael Wolbon.

When he first learned of the deal to a rival, but that he now sees it as an incredible opportunity, that it doesn't have to be anyone's team in specific, and that he hasn't really talked to Jason. That's a little odd. But that has nothing, but he has nothing but respect for him. Mike, how does Jalen Brown sound right now? Like Jalen Brown? I mean, Jalen riffs on a lot of things. I find that he speaks from the heart that he means what he's saying.

He's not doing it to troll people. And that's when one of the many things I like him. about Jalen Brown. Nothing in there surprised me. If anybody was surprised and said he hadn't talked to Jason Tatum yet, they shouldn't be, right?

I didn't expect them necessarily to be. They'll get to a point when they're older. You and I know about active beefs on teams where guys are playing. The NBA has been full of this over our time covering it

so decades. It does not surprise me. I just think the thing that Jalen Brown gave voice to it's going to be hard to do this. They got to get those guys together. It doesn't take weeks. It takes months.

months and he knows that he knows how hard it was on the siltic team where he grew with the stars on the team now you're going to bring in guys they expect to do this overnight so it sounded about like what i expect jalen to say i think a big thing with NBA players especially the high level ones like jalen brown and he's accomplished a lot of his career played in 142 playoff games it's been a final as MVP i think they get a lot of times wrapped up in whose team is it and that becomes a big thing that has become a thing lately and i think he's a little bent out of shape that the Celtics clear decided it's Jason Tatum's team because I'll pay both of you. And now here would be my question to you.

Jalen Brown said that this past season was his favorite season. You know who wasn't on the team? Tatum for most of the season, but neither was Drew Holiday. Al Horford, Christophe Prazingis. He liked being dependent. But he won a championship with them. He said this is. So now he's on a Philadelphia team that has Embed,

Tyrese Maxie, a rising star in VGAG coming, oh, by the way, I don't know if you heard. LeBron James is there. Different circumstances. How is you going to take that? Different circumstances. He's going to have perspective from what he just went through in Boston.

By the way, they were never keeping Jailer Brown and Tatum. Tatum is beloved in Boston. Brown has been respected. There's a difference. So we should have seen that coming. I did see it coming. That was never going to happen to two of them. We're going to finish your careers together in Boston.

And now Jaylon's got to go through this all over. But he's been through it once. When you watch the Bulls on your little phone, do you scream at it too like you did yesterday? So cynical. Lovingly. Be positive. Never cynical about Michael Jeffrey George. Or Scottie Pippen.

Let's take a break when we come back, or Phil Jackson or Steve Kerr. Chelsea Gray has a WNBA first to shout about or Tony Koo Coach. And why would Anthony Davis want to delay contract talks with the Wizards? They might want to delay contract talks with him. A career opportunity is waiting at PTW Energy Services. On August 18, meet the team at a hiring event for welders and fitters from 1 to 5 p.m. explore the next step, make a strong start, and connect with real openings in the field. Join us on this day.

Real Canadian Superstore has everything you need this back-to-school season. Save on lunchbox savers like Ziggy's sliced deli-meat products for always 375. And get Life Brand Pure Vita shampoo or conditioner for $8 each. At Real Canadian Superstore, when you're ready, we're ready, with a whole world and more. Time to turn this program over to the people. I'll get the first one. You like that for? Mealtime!

Give the people. what they want. Stealing out from J. LaRillera. Chelsea Gray. More impressive Chelsea Gray shot last night. Her first buzzer-beater or her second. I'll tell you what. The first one, I liked a lot.

Because for a look at this, like a scramble situation. I love the little dribble to create space. Knows how much time is left. I thought she was going to turn it over. This is all on the Indiana fever. By the way, this is the end of the game with the steel by Asia Wilson. Turnover, Caitlin Clark, and then Chelsea Gray nails this to win it. Just incredible.

the buzzer. Kelsey Gray's so close. But the fever gave it away, Mike. They led by 20. Well, they also led by three and they had two free throws coming from an 86% shooter. And she couldn't convert. Kelsey Mitchell had the first missed a free throw with 10 seconds. It would have made it four.

And then you're right. Caitlin Clark just made one of them. Yeah. And the game's over. Indiana's in these impossibly big games already. Chelsea Gray, though, they say they're champs. They know how to do this. They know how to do it multiple times.

Like a 20-point year at home. I know there was a certain choke element to that. on Indiana's part. By the way, being a Chicago, and I can't be going around rooting for Indiana. And so I looked at this game. This is a wild game

because it could be a forecast of, you know what. Up to that point, when Caitlin Clark steps to the free throw line seven seconds ago, she had made 35 of her last 38 free throws. She'd been great to free throw lines. She'd been great shooting three. And then the turnover is just bad.

What did happen? Nerves? Missing the three-foot putt to yips. She did tap herself in that. You did the second. Next letter. All right, let me read this one. All right, here we go. The Wizards and Anthony Davis have tabled their contract talks.

What does that suggest to you? Well, we know what it means. It means Rich Paul, Anthony's agent, in addition to LeBron's and other people, and the Wizards have agreed to sort of just sort of put this on the back burner. And, you know, you can put it on a back burner when Anthony Davis is going to get $62.8 million next season. He's getting about 60 mil this season. Four years, $275 million for a guy, Chicago guy, I root for Anthony Davis. He's averaged 48 games or something.

so, average 48. I got a team in which I got some bigs out there like Sarr, who came on the average 14 and a half points last year. He was the number two overall pick. I got DeBanza, who's the number one pick. I want them getting the ball for the next 12 years. I don't need Anthony Davis. I'm not paying them $70 million to play 48 games. This is a no-brainer for Washington. And you met 71 games the last two years for Anthony Davis, only. only 20 last season. Now, if Washington wasn't tanking, would he have played? Probably.

But do you even think we're going to see him in a wizard's uniform? I don't know. He's going to be 33 in March. I think the best thing for Washington, when you look at their timeline, at a destination in mind, going home for the final chapter of his career. No, this sounds bad. Sounds like I'm ripping Anthony Davis. I'm not.

I think that Anthony Davis and Joelle Embed are guys who are great, great talents who care deeply, whose bodies are not up to the rigors of 100 games. NBA schedule when you include the playoffs. And I am not about to rip those guys in terms of their intent. But if you're the Wizards and you got this young crew, and you know what I can say to Trey? I can say to Trey Young, dude, you can go down to 15, 14 points in game. I need 11, 12 assists the game with these youngsters.

He can do it because Trey Young's that good. Yep. By the way, they have a Hall of Fame center on their team. Patrick Ewing, Assistant Club for Washington. How about that? It's good to have Patrick back. It is. Thanks for your email.

Let's take one last break still to come. The Dodgers try and snap that six-game losing street. Ah, you're going to like this, Mike. Purdue's new AD takes a shot at a national champ down in Indiana. That's not a shot I would take in-state. Not smart. By the way, I got away on the Cubs thing. Say it with me, MVP.

A career opportunity is waiting at PTW Energy Services. On August 18, meet the team at a hiring event for welders and fitters from 1 to 5 p.m. Explore the next step. make a strong start and connect with real openings in the field. Join us on this day. At Desjardin Insurance, we know that when you own a nail salon, everything needs to be perfect from tip to toe. That's why our agents go the extra mile to understand your business

and provide tailored solutions for all its unique needs. You put your heart into your company, so we put our heart into making sure it's protected. Get insurance that's really big on care. Find an agent today at Dejardin.com slash business coverage. Time to get happy, people. Happy 35th birthday. Mike Trout, 35 already.

The Angels starred debuted in the majors at 19, cemented a Hall of Fame career by 28. They got overwhelmed by injuries. Through his first eight seasons, Trout won three ALMVPs. Get this, Franklin. Finish second four times. That's seven out of eight. and had an OPS of a thousand while playing a stellar center field.

But the last five seasons have been an IL Odyssey in which his plate appearances have been cut in half. Perhaps the saddest part of all this is that Child has played in exactly one playoff series in his career swept by the Royals in 2014. The team hasn't even finished 500 the last 10 seasons and currently has the worst record in baseball. It's almost like he's the forgotten star. This year, 18 home runs 40 RBIs in 19, three games. Last year he played 130. I was looking up. So he's actually playing more than he was. This is too much like my idol, Ernie Banks. Happy anniversary, Ichiro, Greg Maddox, and Barry Bonds. On this day, 10 years ago, while playing for the Marlins, each year old notch his 3,000th Major League hit.

He finished his career with 89 more. And if you add, the nearly 1,300 he had in Japan, each year has a professional baseball record of 4,300.6.000. 67 hits. On this day, 22 years ago, while in his second stint with the Coveys, Maddox got win number 300 on his way to 355. And on this day, 19 years ago, what a day. Barry Bonsbroke, Hank Aaron's career record for home runs was 756. He'd add six more in A-Sept 42 season. But after being indicted in the Balco Steroid case, no team offered him a playing contract for the following year. So each row's 3,000th hit was a triple. How about that? I got to make. Maddox after you because I covered him back in the day. He faced in his career 20,421 batters. If you take away intentional walks,

he only got in the count behind in the count 30, 133 times. Amazing. Mike, 100. You talk about control? Quick, what number to Maddox where? Who do you share it with? What the Hall of Fame Cup?

31. Ferguson Jenkins. Thank you very much. I got the number right. You did get the number right. 31. Happy trails to Louisa Rises' attempt to score. The Phillies new second basement was hustling,

on Alex Baum's double in the first last night, but the throw beat him there. Arise hopped the tag, but soon realized he didn't have the wiggle to reach home plate through the back door, so he just, he just, he just gives up. He jogs back to the dugout. Look at this fit, this is so great.

Arise didn't score there, but he did drive in Philly's first run of the game and the team 7-3 win, becoming the first Phillies mid-season acquisition in more than 40 years with an RBI and East But RBI in each of the first three home games with the team. No, he didn't have the wiggle. It's a setup.

So when they get to the playoffs and it happens, he's going to fake going to the dugout, turn around and dive and get touch home plate. We have no errors clean show today. We're running out of shoulders, jump to the big finish. Purdue's new AD, Tommy McClellan, says, quote, we're here to win championships. If you don't want to win championships,

go to Indiana. He needs a new speechwriter. He admitted on the Pat McAfee showed today that the joke didn't land. He's right about that. Drew Brees, Larry Fitzgerer, Luke Keechley, Roger Craig and Adam Ben and Terry all enter Canton tomorrow. Your thoughts.

Larry Fitzgerald, who lost his dad, my dear friend, Big Larry, big Fits, so close to this time, our thoughts, all of us in your Chicago family are with you. Monaco Stryker, Flo Balligan has reportedly been offered directly to Totman. What do you make of that? That would be great if he could end up there. U.S. striker and Totum's on the way up. By the way, Veronica Burton, Northwestern's Veronica Burton, and the Valkyries are at the wings tonight. Are you intrigued?

Big W. NBA games, yes, last one. Dodgers back on the field tonight in Arizona having lost six straight just smelling seven. And by the way, Arizona, little under the radar. 61 and 55. We're at time. Thanks for watching. I'm Frank Isola. I'm Mike Wilbaum.

We are off until Thursday, August 27. Knuckleheads. We're going to preseason football games. A career opportunity is waiting at PTW Energy Services. On August 18, meet the team at a hiring event for welders and fitters from 1 to 5 p.m. Explore the next step, make a strong start. and connect with real openings in the field. Join us on this day.