Sports

The Giants promoted Matt ‘Tugboat’ Wilkinson, who has a chance to be a fan favorite

Published

1 hour ago

August 17, 2026

At the beginning of March, when the World Baseball Classic was just starting, a Canadian player caught my attention. His name was Matt Wilkinson, and his nickname was “Tugboat.” As a self-appointed baseball-nicknameologist, I can confidently state that this is a lousy era for nicknames, but Tugboat gave me hope. It’s a nickname that could fit in any era, any decade.

It was the picture that completed the whole package, though. It was the image of a pitcher working hard, steadfast and determined, a workhorse capable of pulling his entire team behind him. Hence the nickname, “Tugboat.” He also kinda looked like a tugboat. So even before I knew that Wilkinson was a Cleveland Guardians prospect, I proclaimed my fealty.

i will die for u tugboat

[image or embed]

— Grant Brisbee (@grantbrisbee.bsky.social) March 8, 2026 at 8:02 PM

The fates were kind after that, and Wilkinson was traded to the Giants as part of the return for Patrick Bailey. A lot of Giants fans remember rooting for characters like The Caveman and Big Daddy, and they deserve the chance to root for a Tugboat.

That day has arrived. Wilkinson was called up on Monday, and he’ll likely make his debut against the Cleveland Guardians, his original organization. Is this the beginning of a new era, or are we already most of the way through an amusing footnote in Giants history? Here’s a quick explainer on what to expect.

What makes Tugboat unique

Wilkinson isn’t just a throwback to the Giants’ starters from the late 1980s because of a colorful nickname. His fastball velocity is also from the ‘80s. Which means it’s often in the 80s. There’s deception in his game, and a changeup that pairs well with the fastball and plus command, but success with this kind of left-handed profile is still somewhat rare, at least in the rotation. Of the 17 qualified left-handed starters this season, the lowest average four-seam fastball was still 91.5 mph, while Wilkinson’s average four-seamer in Triple A was 89.9 mph.

However, there’s a twist to this situation. The classic lefty throws fastballs as a way to set up their offspeed stuff, with a lot of them traditionally pitching backward. Wilkinson, though, pumps his fastball over and over again like a closer. He threw his four-seamer with 62 percent of his pitches, fourth among all minor leaguers who had more than 100 pitches tracked in Statcast. His fastball usage was just above that of Gage Wood, a Phillies prospect who throws in the mid- to upper-90s, and Wilkinson’s whiff rate on the pitch (22.9 percent) was almost exactly the league average for four-seam fastballs. He’s not ashamed of his fastball. It’s how he got to the majors.

Even the best examples of crafty lefties typically include some years of struggle at the beginning. And when Wilkinson throws a slowball that gets hit a long, long way, it’ll have that Tyler Rogers-kind of feel, where you watch a batter whomp a sub-90s fastball extremely far and it makes perfect sense. What do you expect from a fastball like that?

The odds are against Tugboat, if only because they’re against every lefty with his profile, and it’s possible that he’ll never be a major-league starter or reliever. On the other hand, he’s a starting pitcher on the 40-man roster and in the upper levels of the minors. If he pitches well, he’s in an organization that has an acute need for someone just like him. A “good pitcher,” if you can imagine such a thing.

Why now?

Wilkinson started the season in Double A in the Guardians’ system, and he pitched well over six starts there (1.59 ERA), before also pitching well at the same level in the Giants’ system after the trade (three starts, 2.40 ERA). He scuffled a bit in Triple A, though, with a 5.15 ERA and a slight bump in his walk rate that you might expect from a pitcher who needs to be even more fine with his command. These are Ryan Vogelsong-flavored walks from a pitcher who can throw strikes at will, but also knows he can’t. They probably won’t stop at the highest level, which is to say that Wilkinson didn’t exactly force his way into a promotion.

’Tis the season, however, to gather information. Everything the Giants do from now until the end of the year should inform how they attack the offseason and build a roster for 2027. Each starter who does or doesn’t prove himself in the majors will change how the organization allocates its resources.

More than any of this, though, is that we can reference Kirk Rueter and Yusmeiro Petit and yak about other low-velocity names from the past, but none of it tells us how this specific prospect will perform as a starter in the majors. The most advanced statistical analyses couldn’t tell you with any certainty, either. The only data that matters will be how comfortable major-league hitters look against his deceptive fastball. It’s his best pitch, after all. And if major-leaguers thrive against it right away, that’s extremely helpful information.

If hitters struggle against Wilkinson’s fastball the first time through the order, but not the second, that’s also helpful information. If it ticks up coming out of the bullpen, that’s also helpful to know. Or, perhaps, the jump from Triple-A fielding (and fields) to the majors is exactly what he needs to resume his lower-minors dominance. The Giants will have a good sense, with all of the available data, of how comfortable or uncomfortable he’s making hitters.

This sort of info is helpful for every organization in a lost season, but the Giants are going to have a clear mandate to rebuild the rotation, and they’ll likely have at least one internal competition for a spot, if not two. This is “Spring Training: The Prequel”, in other words. Except it’s happening in games that count, which seems like a much better way to glean information.

Forecast for next season

First, a mea culpa: I wrote last week that a lack of attention to the waiver wire led to “unexpected spot starters,” and it was pointed out that that couldn’t be further from the truth. The Giants have used just nine starters this year, with one of them being JT Brubaker as an opener. The other three starters the Giants used apart from the rotation on Opening Day were Trevor McDonald, Carson Whisenhunt and Blade Tidwell — all from within the organization. This is a historically low number of starting pitchers, so strike that one from the record.

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The last three pitchers mentioned, however, McDonald (who has since undergone Tommy John surgery), Whisenhunt and Tidwell, all fit together as an example of what the organization has been working with. It’s a wide collection of different styles, with all of the pitchers throwing well enough to make you feel like they’re One Weird Trick away from becoming rotation mainstays … while consistently getting discouraging results. You can add Tristan Beck and Carson Seymour to the pack, even if they’ve already shifted into more of a relief role. The system has a minor glut of pitchers whose future might be in the bullpen, and Wilkinson adds to that kind of bittersweet depth.

If the Giants can at least feel half-good with filling just one rotation spot internally, alongside Logan Webb and Landon Roupp, it’ll make the offseason more bearable for the front office and fan base alike.

Now forget all about the above, and get ready for a player named Tugboat. You’ve always been ready for a player named Tugboat, but you just didn’t know it. With any luck, he’ll help the Giants get back to port at McCovey Cove after being lost all season. That sort of thing is what tugboats are built for, after all.

Sports

Eagles training camp: Sean Mannion reviews preseason debut, DeVonta Smith returns

Published

5 minutes ago

August 17, 2026

qasimgillani

PHILADELPHIA — Sights for sore eyes were plentiful on Monday.

The starters for the Philadelphia Eagles were back on the field after Saturday’s uninspiring performance by the reserves. Better still: DeVonta Smith practiced with limitations after missing nearly two weeks with a hamstring injury. The team’s No. 1 receiver participated in stretches and individual drills, but did not take part in team drills. (Players wore helmets, shoulder pads, and shorts in Monday’s practice).

It is not yet certain if Smith will be a full participant in Wednesday and Thursday’s joint practices with the New England Patriots. Smith’s availability in Week 1 is primary, and his Monday return suggests that is more than plausible.

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Still, the Eagles seem closer to full strength against the Patriots. Cooper DeJean (groin) and Quinyon Mitchell (glute) both participated in team drills after missing Thursday’s practice. Saquon Barkley, who had his left foot/ankle checked on before exiting Thursday’s practice, also took part in team drills. Rookie safety Cole Wisniewski (hamstring) even made his training camp debut — and had a few snaps with the first-team rotation.

Their collective participation in joint practices, along with the rest of the first-team members, could go a long way toward cleansing the palate after the dismal debut of first-time offensive coordinator Sean Mannion’s system. The bottom of the offense’s depth chart fielded seven three-and-outs, which did not echo progress from the top. However, the starters have yet to play, and Mannion has yet to assemble a true in-season game plan with the full playbook available.

Mannion said the Eagles “kept things pretty close to the vest” schematically. He said that game planning was “secondary” to evaluating depth players within fundamental concepts. Still, he acknowledged the Eagles “have things that obviously need to be corrected” — most notably, eliminating the sort of penalties that killed their drives. The Eagles totaled five holding penalties, all on first or second down.

Otherwise, Mannion said there “weren’t a ton of mental errors” against the Baltimore Ravens. He was also “very happy with the process” of calling plays for the first time. He said his operation on the sideline was “smooth” and “comfortable.” There were no substitution issues. No jacked-up play calls. No rushed moments against the play clock. The Eagles did not have any plays in which the ball was snapped with one second left on the play clock, per TruMedia. The Eagles led the NFL with 150 last-second plays in 2025.

Mannion confirmed he will move from the sideline to the booth for Saturday’s preseason game in New England “to get a feel for both” vantage points. Mannion, 34, is a former quarterback who spent his college career at Oregon State and his nine-year NFL career on the sideline. He spent his first year coaching in the booth as an offensive assistant for the Green Bay Packers in 2024, then moved back to the sideline as their quarterbacks coach in 2025.

“I just kind of want to experience it once,” Mannion said. “I think it will offer good perspective.”
The Eagles have a closed walkthrough scheduled at their team facility on Tuesday. Their first joint practice with the Patriots begins at 10:15 a.m. on Wednesday.

Top takeaways from Day 12 of Eagles training camp

Michael Carter II recorded his second interception of training camp. He picked off Jalen Hurts in team drills on a deep pass over the middle intended for Quez Watkins. Marcus Epps still appears to have the edge in the position battle at safety opposite Drew Mukuba. Epps did not suit up Saturday and went first with the first-team unit in team drills on Monday. But defensive coordinator Vic Fangio has said Carter has been “progressing nicely” at safety. It is worth remembering Jalyx Hunt led the 2025 Eagles with three interceptions. Carter is only helping his cause by forcing another turnover.
Rookie safety Cole Wisniewski made his training camp debut after being sidelined with a hamstring injury. The seventh-rounder out of Texas Tech practiced under limitations, but still had reps with both the first- and second-team units. Wisniewski must make up for lost time and challenge Andre’ Sam, J.T. Gray and Maximus Pulley for reps.
Linebacker Chance Campbell returned to practice after watching Saturday’s preseason opener from the sidelines. Campbell practiced four times under limitations last week with a groin injury. Those who did not practice on Monday: Jakorian Bennett (knee), Tank Bigsby (toe), Grant Calcaterra (back), Jonathan Jones (shoulder), Makai Lemon (hamstring), Mac McWilliams (groin), John Ojukwu (pectoral), Dameon Pierce (hamstring), Jose Ramirez (hamstring), Shaun Wade (eye/shoulder), Johnny Wilson (knee).
Rookie tight end Eli Stowers totaled 19 offensive snaps against the Ravens. He totaled 10 plays in 12 personnel packages, according to TruMedia. His usage in two-tight end looks is notable. Blocking is not the rookie’s strength. But the Eagles are using the preseason to develop those skills. “We’re going to ask all of these guys to be productive players in both phases,” Mannion said. “And the preseason is a great opportunity to push these guys, evaluate what they can do, give them things to work on every day in practice, and see them take it to the game. I know Eli has put in a lot of work in improving as a blocker, and in that entire position group there is a huge commitment to be productive in both areas.”

Sports

Football gossip: Fernandez, Neto, Casado, Fernandes, Barcola, Mbaye, Kane

Published

13 minutes ago

August 17, 2026

qasimgillani

Manchester City are faced with an Enzo Fernandez premium, Chelsea winger Pedro Neto has no shortage of potential suitors, and Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes is offered a huge salary increase.

Manchester City will have to pay Chelsea more than £120m to land Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez if they try to complete a deal in the final two weeks of the transfer window. (Telegraph – subscription required), external

Chelsea want close to £100m if they are to sell Portugal winger Pedro Neto, 26, this summer with Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal linked with a move. (Mail – subscription required), external

Manchester City, Arsenal and Tottenham are all also interested in Neto, who joined Chelsea for £54m from Wolves in 2024. (Metro), external

Manchester United have been offered the chance to sign Spain midfielder Marc Casado, 22, who Barcelona have put up for sale. (Sport – in Spanish), external

Despite Manchester United‘s reluctance to sell, Galatasaray have offered Portugal midfielder Bruno Fernandes £18.3m per season – double his current salary – to tempt him away from Old Trafford. (Telegraph – subscription required) , external

Liverpool are still keen to sign Paris St-Germain duo Bradley Barcola, 23, and Ibrahim Mbaye, 18, with a combined fee of £155m being mooted for the France winger and Senegal forward. (Teamtalk), external

Bayern Munich are confident of agreeing a new deal with England forward Harry Kane, 33, who is entering the final year of his contract. (Bild – in German), external

Como have made an offer to take Fiorentina and Italy forward Moise Kean, 26, on loan with an obligation to buy in a package worth £25m. (La Gazzetta dello Sport – in Italian), external

Leeds have given Suriname striker Joel Piroe, 27, permission to travel to West Ham for a medical. (Sky Sports), external

AC Milan have agreed a £34m deal to sign Belgium winger Diego Moreira, 22, from Strasbourg. (Corriere dello Sport – in Italian), external

Sao Paulo and West Ham are among the clubs taking an interest in 39-year-old former England forward Jamie Vardy, who is a free agent. (Talksport), external

Sports

Panthers TE Darren Waller says his conditioning is ‘night and day’ better than year ago

Published

19 minutes ago

August 17, 2026

qasimgillani

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Darren Waller finally signed with the Carolina Panthers on Monday, five days after his agent called the veteran tight end and told him he’d found a team for him.

Waller worked on the side during Monday’s practice, held in sweltering temperatures, and isn’t expected to do much Wednesday when the Panthers practice against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Still, Panthers coach Dave Canales liked what he saw when the soon-to-be 34-year-old arrived at training camp.

“He looks like he’s in phenomenal shape,” Canales said. “He was leaking (sweat) out here. This is a different kind of 117 (heat) index than Vegas is, where he lives. He mentioned that. He’s soaking wet. But it was a good opportunity to see where he’s at.”

Waller said his conditioning level is “night and day” from last summer, when he didn’t decide until June to end his one-year retirement and play again. Waller tore his quad two weeks into the Miami Dolphins’ camp and ended up missing eight games with three different injuries.

Darren Waller wasn’t surprised he had to wait this long for his opportunity

Waller said he started his offseason training this year the day after the Super Bowl. But he still had to wait until mid-August for a team to call. “Anybody that offered me a job, I was gonna play,” he said.

That somebody was the Panthers, who were looking to add to their tight end mix with a proven pass catcher whose size-speed combo brings a different look to their passing game.

“You can play him like a tight end, you can play him like a receiver. He’s huge. Just standing with him out there, he’s all of 6-6 and a half. He’s lean. He can run. All those things,” Canales said.

“It’s a unique element that he brings to whatever offense he’s been a part of. The goal is just throw him into that room, challenge that room and see which guys want to elevate and create that role for Bryce (Young).”

Waller spent the first part of Monday’s practice doing conditioning exercises with running back Chuba Hubbard, edge rusher Cam Gill and a few other injured players. He congratulated Tommy Tremble after a catch in team drills, and picked the tight ends’ brains for help in learning the playbook.

“The script sheet looks like Mandarin Chinese to me right now,” he said. “But soon it’ll be something that I understand a lot more.”

Waller, who turns 34 in September, said teams were probably scared off by his age and durability concerns after his season in Miami, where he caught only 24 passes but took six in for touchdowns.

“Sometimes it can be like, damn, I’m doing all this work since the day after the Super Bowl, when is it gonna happen? But uncertainty’s kind of the name of the game,” Waller said. “I’m new to this free-agent situation. But it is what it was. I’m grateful that it happened in the timing that it did.”

One of Waller’s best games last year came in Week 5 at Bank of America Stadium. The former Georgia Tech receiver caught five passes for 78 yards and a TD — all in the first half — in the Panthers’ 27-24 victory.

Canales indicated the Panthers plan to break Waller in slowly. He won’t participate in team drills against the Jags, but could see individual work so he can begin to develop timing with Young.

Based on his offseason training, Waller is confident he can still be a downfield threat.

“I was able this year to get back to places I feel like explosive-wise, top speed-wise, getting out of routes, just as good as I have any point in my career. So that’s very encouraging,” he said. “Just to be able to move the way that I’m moving at my age, I feel like it’s a blessing.”