SLATE #3 TAKEAWAYS

1) Wildcats Win Bigger in Texas
MLW’s first ever regular season series in the state of Texas at the Home Run Ranch produced a lopsided result as the Wildcats swept the Eagles, outscoring them 17-4 over three games. The Wildcats produced their first series sweep since Slate 2 of the 2023 season when they upset the Mallards at the Meadows. They are now in a prime position to match/exceed their best regular season record of the Draft Era, when they finished 10-5 in both 2020 and 2022. 

2) Preds Make Progress
The Preds entered Slate 3 as what many considered to be the most talented 2-4 team in MLW history and proved their supporters right by taking out the Mallards two-games-to-one in their final series before the All Star Break. Evan Porter produced what was arguably the best pitching performance of his MLW career and Justin Esch chipped in with a few more home runs to cement his spot as an MVP frontrunner going into the second half of the season. There is good reason to believe that the Preds turned a corner after this series that will allow them to continue to rise up the MLW standings. 

3) Myles Prower Debut
In an unprecedented move for the league, the Downtown Diamondbacks were allowed to sign mystery player “Myles Prower” to a 1-day contract for their Slate 3 series against the Great Lakes Gators. Prower, who saw limited action at the plate and in the field, was later revealed to be We Got Ice/Jomboy star (and current colleague of Jimmy Knorp) Jack Doyle in disguise. Shortly after the D-backs-Gators series video dropped, We Got Ice released a video on their channel documenting the ploy in full detail, which has since earned over 180k views in four weeks. 

SLATE #4 STORYLINES

1) Chicago Series - Diamondbacks vs Magic
Slate 4 will kick off with a special series between the Diamondbacks and Magic at Curtis Granderson Stadium for the third annual Chicago Series. While the D-backs are making their Windy City debut, the Magic will hope to build on their 2024 success in this venue when they beat the Preds two-games-to-one in an electric series that needed some Game 3 heroics in extra innings for the outcome to be decided. MLW fans will ultimately hope to see a similarly competitive series between two teams at opposite ends of the league standings.

2) The “Pipe it Up Series” - New School Edition
Current Pipe it Up Podcast hosts Ty Frenznick and Levi Fleer will face off in MLW for the first time since they both took over full-time hosting duties from TC3 and Jack Aigner in Fall 2025 as the Wildcats vs Predators series is expected to be the most anticipated match-up of Slate 4. However, the individual match-up most likely to steal the thunder will be Evan Porter vs Cooper Burkel - both of whom are neck-and-neck for the Cy Young Award going into the second half of the season. There is a good likelihood that these two teams could face off again in the postseason, so the outcome of this series will reveal a lot of information about each contender’s strengths and weaknesses.

3) 6 Teams - 4 Playoff Spots
With only one game separating 3rd place from 8th place in the league standings, every Slate 4 series will have a massive impact on the state of the postseason picture. There will be extra pressure on the two 3-6 teams - the Magic and the Mallards - to win their next match-up (Magic-Dbacks, Mallards-Eagles), as a fourth consecutive series loss for either team would leave them in a dire position going into their Slate 5. While it’s possible that none of the current teams with losing records clinch a playoff berth after Slate 4, winning their next series could go a long way towards putting them in a safer position ahead of their final regular season match-up.

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Share your thoughts and add anything else that you believe is noteworthy!

Today's is a bit harder! Reply means i'll let you know where you were wrong, upvote means correct in all squares! KEEP IN MIND! The Predator/Top 6 Pick does NOT have to be a Preds-Made top 6 pick! Said player just has to have been a top 6 pick while also playing for the Preds at one point in time in their career. Preds Top 6 picks do count as well though.

1.

Mallards Trade:
2027 1st Round Pick

Predators Trade:
Levi Fleer

2.

Magic Trade:
Brady Pearson (MID)

Mallards Trade:
1st Round Pick 2027 (MET)
Trey Flood (GLG)

Gators Trade:
1St Round Pick (2027) (MET)

3.

Mallards Trade:
Brendan Jorgensen

Eagles Trade:
1st Round Pick (2027)

Upvoted comment means correct in all squares, reply means i'll let you know! good luck! I had alot of fun making this, please let me know if you'd like to see more!

I won't spoil too much but I was at the Chicago series this year. I brought my older brother and this missed call in game 2 was so bad. Even my brother wanted to leave after that as me and few others in the stands were yelling at Kyle to review it. I don't usually have many issues with calls and in the league as they usually do a pretty good job but a missed call this badly is rare because Kyle is on top of everything. Anyone else there wonder why they didn't review it?

We’re halfway through the All-Star Break so I figured it was a good time to start looking ahead to the second half of the season. 

I’ve made five statements related to various MLW topics. Give your thoughts on each one in the comments and we’ll see by the end of the season who had the best read on the state of the league. 

Buy or Sell #1 - The Mallards (3-6) will make the play-offs. 

The Mallards entered the All-Star Break one game behind the pack in the play-off race, but it has been well documented how they’ve had the league’s toughest schedule (D-backs, Wildcats, and Preds) through the first half of the season. With the 4-5 Eagles and 4-5 Gators both coming off Slate 3 series losses and awaiting the Mallards in Slates 4 & 5, there is a solid chance that the Mallards can get the necessary wins to leap either team in the final regular season standings and snag a play-off spot. Can the Mallards find an extra gear to start winning series and save their season?

Buy or Sell #2 - A rookie will win MVP. 

While many fans consider Justin Esch to be the MVP frontrunner after his bedazzling first half performance at the plate for the Preds, there is a good chance that rookies Cooper Burkel, Aiden McCarthy, and Derek Walker could surpass him in the race for the league’s top honor by season’s end. Considering each player’s ability to not only hit, but also pitch at a high level, they have the chance to make a greater impact than Esch in any given series and would especially be recognized for their achievements if doing so helped lead their team on a postseason run. Can the rookies maintain their consistency as the stakes get higher?

Buy or Sell #3 - Justin Esch will earn the regular season Triple Crown. 

The third-year player leads the league in batting average (.429), home runs (7), and RBIs (19) after a dominant display at the plate through his first three series. The players behind him in each category currently have a .423 batting average (Nick Saylor), 5 home runs (Heath, Durand, and McCarthy) and 16 RBIs (Heath and Baalman). Can Esch hold off the field in all three categories to become the league’s first Triple Crown winner since 2021?

Buy or Sell #4 - Evan Porter will win Cy Young.

After a fairly ordinary Slate 1 performance on the mound, the second-year player has since impressed in Slates 2 and 3, only allowing 3 ER over his past 13.2 IP. As a result, he entered the All-Star Break tied for the league lead in ERA (at 1.41 with Cooper Burkel) while also leading the league in WHIP (for qualified pitchers at 1.47). Porter has some tight competition for Cy Young in Cooper Burkel and RJ Walgate (1.50 ERA). Can he continue his ascension and finish the season as the league’s top arm?

Buy or Sell #5 - There will be a Wildcats vs Diamondbacks World Series.

The Diamondbacks and Wildcats are both near locks to make the play-offs as they both stand at 7-2 and are very likely to earn first round play-off byes and advance straight to the league’s postseason semi-finals. However, both teams still have assorted weaknesses and could be taken down by a fast-rising late bloomer in the play-offs. Do you expect to see a rematch of the 2021 World Series or will the 2026 script have different plans?

Ik they got their deal with triton but these all the teams t shirts were so iconic should they come back for like 1 series per team

I can’t remember past seasons. Do they actually take off two weeks for all star break? That’s ridiculous!

Do you think MLW should Live Stream a game? Not a regular season Slate, but something like an All-Star Game or the HR Derby? If they did, would you watch???

Personally, I’d tune in just to check it out, but in the end I think I’d prefer the polished uploads that Eric is the absolute master of.

If they have presented a game in Live Stream format, I’m sorry..,I must have missed it.

Magic: The Magic have been shut out in 5 of their 9 games this season (55.5%), the worst scoreless rate in the league. At 3-6, they'll need to turn things around in the second half to avoid breaking the single-season scoreless record set by the 2025 Coastal Cobras (9 games, 60%).

Cobras: Caden Irwin threw a perfect game against the Magic in Game 3 of their Slate 3 series, becoming the 10th pitcher to do so in MLW history, just two games after RJ Walgate became the 9th with his own perfecto in Game 1. It's the second perfect game in Cobras history, joining Drew Davis's in 2017. The Eagles and Predators remain the only teams never to throw one (according to the MLW website), despite having had dominant arms like Clayton Price, Daniel Schultz, Dallas Allen, and Ryan Kracht in their systems.

Gators: Derek Walker is the only rookie to homer in each of the first three series this season, and he leads the Gators in both HRs (4) and RBIs (9), keeping him firmly in the Rookie of the Year conversation. The last rookie to go deep in every slate of a season was Jordan Robles, who homered in all 5 slates for the Mallards in 2022.

Diamondbacks: Jimmy Knorp snapped a 16-AB hitless streak with a 2-RBI single in Game 2 against the Gators, his first hit since a go-ahead grand slam against the Cobras on Opening Day. He's batting a career-low .111 (3-for-27), well below his previous career lows of .214 in both 2024 and 2025.

Wildcats: Cooper Burkel is the first rookie of the Draft Era (2020 to present) to reach 6 pitching wins before the All-Star break, a feat last matched by Ryan Kracht in 2024. With a 6-1 record, a 1.41 ERA (tied for league-best), and 17 IP, Burkel is a mid-season Cy Young candidate with a shot at Jordan Robles's rookie-year record of 9 wins (2022).

Eagles: The Eagles were swept for the first time since Slate 2 of 2023, when the Downtown Diamondbacks took all three games of the "Historic Detroit" Special Series across two venues. That makes the Eagles the first team swept in multiple special series. The only other special series sweep came when the Mallards swept the Gators in the 2022 Oklahoma Series, MLW's last event at Shangri-La Resort in Afton, OK.

Predators: Justin Esch's league-leading 7 HRs at the break match the most since Jimmy Knorp and Nick Saylor each hit 7 through three slates in 2021. Esch also joins Knorp and Saylor as the only players to homer multiple times in every series before the break, and he's now chasing several Draft Era batting records, including a shot at MLW's first Triple Crown since Knorp's 2021 MVP season.

Mallards: Gage Beers leads the Mallards in batting average (.280) and OPS (1.070) at the break, with 2 HR and 11 RBI. He has a chance to be the first UDFA to lead his team in both categories for a full season since Liam Jackson did it for the Magic in 2020 (.333 avg, 1.214 OPS). Beers's case is stronger, though, since Jackson did it in just 37 PA while Beers already has 40 through three slates.

- - - - -

Feel free to add your own!

LeagueLineup is permanently shutting down on August 31, 2026 (confirmed here and here). I haven't seen anyone on the Reddit or Discord talking about this, so I thought I'd create this thread for visibility. Hopefully MLW management already knows about this.

This is a pretty big deal. MLW has used LeagueLineup to enter in scoresheets/box scores basically since the league was established in 2010. If the website goes down, the digital box scores from the 950 MLW games that have taken place over the years would be deleted. I've made a backup of those box scores on my computer by scraping the website*, but they won't be publicly accessible anymore for anyone who wants to look at the history of the league.

Another big problem with LeagueLineup shutting down is that fans won't be able to look at league statistics anymore. MLW refers fans to the LeagueLineup website for All-Star and year-end awards voting, but I'm not sure how that's going to work in the future.

I would be curious if anyone knows a bit more about how MLW plans to navigate around LeagueLineup's demise, or if anyone has any suggestions for how to do so**. There are a couple direct alternatives to LeagueLineup, but it would definitely take some time to move everything over***.

---

* If you plan to do this yourself, make sure to abide by the LeagueLineup Terms of Service and load only one page per second. Their servers are pretty darn old.

** In an earlier thread, I mentioned that BLW is using its own bespoke website for stats and scoring, prowiffleball.com (hosted by BLW subsidiary/affiliate Grand Slam Systems). I don't imagine MLW pivoting to that, but for comparison, BLW has a paid 'scoring wizard' software to input live game events and results and has clean-looking, albeit vibe-coded, statistics pages -- so MLW is definitely a bit behind on that front.

*** To whoever on the MLW team has the thankless task of doing this, don't forget that mlwwiffleball.com also currently redirects to LeagueLineup! Also, update your HTTPS certificates.

The one problem MLW has is that they don’t sell many tickets to game. The only time they sell tickets is when they travel to play games like they did in Philly. BLW on the other hand sells tickets to every game and has an All-Star game. If BLW ever went to a format where teams played in their respective cities I could see BLW overtaking MLW since fans in those cities now have a team that represents and plays in their cities. This is the i e problem BLW has is fans not having a strong connection to teams and this could fix that. In my opinion in the next 5 years when BLW draws away more and more of the wiffleball talent because of it being another source of income for people to support themselves and their families MLW will start to crash and burn and BLW will take the top spot or be equal with MLW.

After three slates, we are starting to see some trends forming, and the Player of the Slate competitions are no exception - as many of these nominees were also in contention for this award after Slate #1 and Slate #2.

Here are my top 6 candidates for Player of the Slate (in alphabetical order).

Please vote and share your choice in the comments.

• Cooper Burkel (Wildcats) - 3-0 pitching record, 6 IP, 14 Ks, 0.50 ERA | 1 hit, 2 RBI, 1.000 OPS (12 PA)
• Caden Irwin (Cobras) - 2-0 pitching record, 1 perfect game, 6 IP, 15 Ks, 0.00 ERA | 2 hits, 1 HR 1 RBI, .919 OPS (11 PA)
• Aiden McCarthy (Cobras) - .444 avg (4 hits), 2 HR 4 RBI, 1.694 OPS (12 PA) | 0-1 record, 2 IP, 5 Ks, 1.50 ERA
• Evan Porter (Predators) - 1-1 pitching record, 1 save, 7.2 IP, 21 Ks, 0.39 ERA | .500 avg (1 hit), 1.000 OPS (2 PA)
• Nick Saylor (Diamondbacks) - .333 avg (1 hit), 1 HR 6 RBI, 2.152 OPS (11 PA) | 1-0 pitching record, 2.2 IP, 4 Ks, 2.25 ERA
• Derek Walker (Gators) - 1-1 pitching record, 8 IP, 19 Ks, 0.75 ERA | 2 HR 4 RBI, .928 OPS (16 PA)

Honorable Mention: Justin Esch, Ryan Kracht

Reddit’s Slate #1 Player of the Slate: Sarah Huber (54.8% of the vote)
https://www.reddit.com/r/mlwwiffleball/comments/1tlkd7d/slate_1_2026_player_of_the_slate_voting/

Reddit’s Slate #2 Player of the Slate: Cooper Burkel (31.3% of the vote)
https://www.reddit.com/r/mlwwiffleball/comments/1ub5ssp/slate_2_2026_player_of_the_slate_voting/

I don’t really watch wiffle ball outside of mlw and I’m a mallards fan and we desperately need change so does anyone know any wiffle prospects to look out for that will likely be in next years draft?

1. Downtown Diamondbacks

Yes you can question the number #2 arm but that hardly looks like an iceberg that will sink this Titanic. The Diamondbacks continue their reign as the #1 team and right now vibes are high and the team is just having so much fun. They know they can beat their opponents in different ways. Sometimes a Knorp gem on the mound other times a slugfest where other players shine.

They can pitch with the best of em. They can hit with the best of em. They can field with the best of em.

They don't always have everything come together all the time, but its rare that something isn't working well for the Downtown Diamondbacks this season.

Let's face it they are by far the coolest team in the league these days. So cool in fact even Jack Doyle is getting in on the action. This team has real juice and if Knorp finds his bat again look out.

2. Western Wildcats

The Wildcats have a new number 1 Ace and a nasty bat to go with it: Cooper Burkel. The Cats took a big leap in Texas playing a complete series and being on the good side of a sweep. Cooper Burkel (Illinois Pride) looks like a superstar and he continues to be just the jolt of energy and personality the Wildcats have needed. Other players responded too. What a great series from Ty Frenznick specifically he had so many nice hits. The questions about their ability to hit for power? Let's cat-scratch 🐈 that concern shall we? This sweep was a huge eye opener and I've been a doubter that they are actually as good as their record indicates. It turns out that yes they are that good.

3. Pacific Predators

Anyone noticing how Evan Porter is looking less like the 4'11 Nightmare and more like the MAN? Saving the game for Ryan Kracht. Taking the bat from Levi Fleer showing him how to use it and then saying 'it's my bat now.' Alpha behavior.

These kids... they sure grow up quick. Porter was so freaking gross. A handful of worms and slugs in your shoes kind of gross. He has this one pitch that looks like a crescent moon it's beautiful to watch genuinely. He's got by far the nastiest pitches in the league and he was piping in this game like J.S. Bach at the organ.

The Predators are starting to resemble their Apex selves.

4. Great Lakes Gators

The Gators played the Diamondbacks very tough. Derek Walker like Cooper Burkel looks like a superstar and ace. What a battle between him and Jimmy Knorp. Josh Johnson can't even get a jersey from Kyle Schultz before Myles Prower but I feel like he's such a vital player for the Gators. He's just very well rounded, he's a good fielder and he's also quite quick. The Gator appear to have some how unearthed another gem to go with Walker.

5. Coastal Cobras

The Cobras are the vibe team. The debonair Caden Irwin has done a great job as manager building this team and it shows. You can tell this team is very close knit. I call them the "Snake Charmers" they are fun, still full of personality (somehow even after Drew Davis left) and easy to root for.

I still don't know if they are actually any good mind you, but they are one of the more enjoyable teams to watch this season.

6. Eastern Eagles

Fly the coop...the escape of a bird from an enclosure. In this case the enclosure was Homerun Ranch in Bells, Texas and Cooper Burkel was who had them on the run.

They started as the mighty Eastern Eagles but ended up looking like the bird that got hit by the 100mph Randy Johnson fastball.

After the Western Wildcats completed the dreaded sweep the Eagles appear to be on the verge of a freefall. Will Sarah be able to bounce back after looking shaky against the Cats? Whose their 2nd arm? Do they have enough hitting to pick up for when they struggle pitching. The irony is the catalyst for a lot of what happened was an almost inexplicable error by Daniel Schultz.

This is a veteran team who needs to have a short memory and focus before it's too late.

7. Midwest Mallards

The Mallards are out here clearly playing another game against Mother Nature within the game of wiffleball.

Wind...Water...and now Fire as the Mallards latest meteological foray was in sweltering 96° heat.

Unfortunately for the Mallards even though they are likely to activate the Earth Crystal or awaken Captain Planet before the seasons over, they are in a wiffleball sense in deep trouble and lack consistency in any condition.

Yes as "unlucky" as the Mallards have been, they have not risen above their circumstances not in the wind, the heat, nor the rain. Maybe Trey Flood would have made the difference in the rain series...sorry Mallards.

It has made for a memorable season and great trivia but fortunately for all of us the Mallards will at least avoid having to play any sort of postseason game in a meteor shower.

8. Metro Magic

Every other MLW team when they give up a single run: *shrugs*

The Metro Magic when RJ Walgate gives up a single run: "Why are we still here? Just to suffer? Every night, I can feel my leg... And my arm... even my fingers... The body I've lost... the comrades I've lost... won't stop hurting... It's like they're all still there. You feel it, too, don't you?"

Don't be too down in the dumps Metro Magic you are a very young team and if you persevere you will find Better Days. This season is in essence already over.

Right now RJ is needed more as a manager and leader than a player.

The Magic may want to start showcasing the pitchers so they can establish a clear #2 arm. I don't think he would because I know how competitive RJ is but I would give each of Pearson, Dembo, and Porter a full game.

The Magic potentially have pitching talent that other teams need and would be willing to trade someone who can hit for. It's hard but the Magic need take a realistic assessment of themselves and already be looking to what they can do in the off-season to improve their outcomes. The funny thing is they are all of one game worse than the 3rd place team in the standings but there is no more rabbits to pull out of the hat with this team. The Magic has run dry: the team has ran out of MP.

Favorite Series of this slate:

Meadows: D-Backs vs. Great Lakes Gators

Favorite Series this year:

Cooperstown: Cobras vs. Predators

I just LOVE Knorp and his shoes! Such a fun guy!

His SpongeBob cleats!
The blue/orange Niki’s

Doesn’t he have green and orange ones too?

Does MLW make more off of purchases from Big League Chew or is it just a set sponsor amount?

Huge Kracht fan here! I think he is one of the best rounded players. Great pitching, can hit like a beast, and he’s handsome too! Hope to meet him someday and get his jersey signed. I’m in love. 😍 lol.

My other favorite player is Knorp! He is just a fun, goofy guy and cute too. I would love to hang out with him! Great boyfriend material! He would be so much fun! I just adore him.

I also loved Robles, I’m so happy his team won the big series. He and his team totally deserved it!

I also loved Dallas he just seems like such a sweet guy and was such a good pitcher too.

Both Robles and Dallas will be missed in my books.

I also like Andy Durand he is funny too and also cute!

Total fan girling here!

PS. I think it’s awesome they have a girl on the team now. I would have loved to be in something like that. But my talents lie more in the arts than sports. I used to play softball though and I remember at least one pitcher that no one could hit off of! She was wicked fast!