Jake Bennett Keeps Dealing — Workload Be Damned
The headline act was easy to identify. On Aug. 29, Oklahoma alum Jake Bennett walked into Yankee Stadium and made it look like a bullpen session, spinning six shutout innings — three hits, seven strikeouts — as the Boston Red Sox cruised to a 6-0 victory in the first game of a doubleheader. It was a performance that defied the narrative swirling around him: that a heavy rookie workload was finally starting to wear him down.
Bennett's ERA now sits at 3.27, and the two-start week only reinforced his status as one of Boston's most reliable arms. He opened the period on Aug. 23 against the Giants, tossing seven innings while allowing three earned runs and striking out six — a quality start by any measure, even if not his sharpest. The back-to-back showings add up to 13 innings, 13 strikeouts, and three earned runs across the week. For a rookie pitcher facing late-August fatigue questions, that's a firm answer.
The workload concern isn't manufactured. The Sporting News flagged it directly, and the Red Sox are clearly managing a pitcher being asked to shoulder more than the average first-year arm. But for now, Bennett is managing it himself — one efficient outing at a time.
Wyatt Olds Carves Out a Bullpen Role
Bennett wasn't the only Sooner making noise in Boston. Reliever Wyatt Olds has quietly become part of the Red Sox bullpen furniture during a chaotic stretch for the unit. With Garrett Whitlock and Aroldis Chapman sidelined, Boston has reshuffled its late-game options, and Olds has logged appearances in three straight series — including a two-strikeout inning against the Yankees on Aug. 28. He's not closing games, but he's eating innings when the team needs it most.
Cavalli and Irvin Keep Washington's Rotation Afloat
In Washington, two Sooner starters are keeping the Nationals competitive. Cade Cavalli headlined the week with a six-inning, seven-strikeout effort against the Rockies on Aug. 24 — two earned runs, ERA down to 3.21 — and followed it with four innings and eight strikeouts against the Marlins on Aug. 29. A Yahoo Sports piece noted Cavalli is "learning to succeed without his best stuff," which is either a red flag or a maturation milestone, depending on how his second half finishes.
Jake Irvin complemented him against Colorado on Aug. 27, striking out six in 4.1 innings and allowing just one run. The Rockies squandered multiple baserunning opportunities against him — a familiar story for a Washington staff that continues to pitch above its expected results.
Jimmy Crooks Delivers When It Counts
St. Louis Cardinals catcher Jimmy Crooks is fighting a rough batting average — .174 on the week — but came through when it mattered. On Aug. 29 against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Crooks launched a two-run homer as part of a 4-1 Cardinals win. It's the kind of clutch moment that keeps a roster spot warm even when the overall numbers aren't pretty.
From a Fenway mound to the nation's capital to Busch Stadium, Oklahoma's MLB footprint was impossible to miss this week.
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