The Colorado Rockies’ roster needs churn, and the trade deadline on Monday, August 3, 2026, is the first real chance to create it. 

They are in a better place than they were last year. A more functional front office and coaching staff, a more coherent roster, and a few useful veteran additions have moved them away from historically bad and closer to ordinary bad. That is progress.

It also should not be treated like something too precious to disturb. 

The Chicago White Sox are a useful reference point here. They were bad, churned the roster, found some useful players, and now look much more functional. The Rockies are not the White Sox, and their path will not look exactly the same. But the basic idea still applies: Bad rosters do not improve by standing still. 

Given their place in the standings, the Rockies should be thinking like sellers. That does not mean trading everyone. It does not mean moving useful players just to get younger. It means identifying which current players have more value to another club than they do to Colorado’s next competitive roster. 

The Rockies need more talent, more options, and more information. Some of that can come through promotions and waiver claims, and the MLB Draft is upcoming on July 11-12, 2026.

The most immediate path, though, is trading from the parts of the roster that actually have value. 

With that in mind, here is a way-too-early look at the trade board. 

Obvious value

Antonio Senzatela is the premium trade chip at the moment, and that is not just local speculation. Bob Nightengale of USA Today recently reported that rival executives see Senzatela as one of the potential hot commodities of the deadline, which tracks with both the results and the shape of the profile.

His move to the bullpen has worked: 1.19 ERA, 0.824 WHIP, 2.61 FIP, 26 strikeouts, eight walks, and 1.9 WAR through 30.1 innings. His guaranteed deal expires after this season, with a 2027 club option attached. That should create a real market.

The underlying numbers make the case even stronger. Senzatela is in the 86th percentile in fastball velocity at 96.9 mph, the 72nd percentile in walk rate, and he is not allowing much hard contact.

That does not make him risk-free, but it suggests the new role and the success are real enough for contenders to take seriously. If he keeps pitching this way, the Rockies should be looking for a premium return.

Mickey Moniak is the clearest position-player trade chip. He has a 148 OPS+, a .280/.335/.607 line, 12 home runs, and 0.9 WAR in 164 plate appearances. The overall line is boosted by Coors, but he also has a .772 OPS, a 115 wRC+ away from home — one of the better road offensive lines on the roster.

The underlying quality of contact supports a lot of the breakout, too: 80th-percentile expected slugging, 82nd-percentile barrel rate, and 74th-percentile bat speed. There is still approach risk, especially with the strikeouts and chase, but the damage is real.

The question is how other teams value the shape of the profile. Maybe he is not a .942 OPS superstar. Maybe he is not an everyday starter against righties. But a left-handed outfielder with real power, improving fielding metrics, and road production that holds up is still a useful trade chip. The Rockies do not need to move him just because he has value, but if another team buys the damage, he should bring back a strong return.

Hunter Goodman is the bolder position-player question. He has an extreme profile — a power bat who can stay behind the plate, and elite ABS skill at a position where that could matter more over time. The production is not theoretical, either. Since the start of 2025, Goodman has 42 home runs and a .500-plus slugging percentage, including 11 homers and a .472 slugging percentage this season.

That could bring back a pretty decent return, especially because catchers with that kind of power are hard to find. But Goodman is also only 26 and will not reach free agency until 2030, so this is not a player the Rockies need to move.

Skill-set and role value

Jake McCarthy, Troy Johnston, and Willi Castro also offer value, but probably in smaller, skill-based deals. McCarthy brings 98th-percentile sprint speed, a .277 expected batting average, playable defense, and enough offense to fit a bench role. Johnston is batting .367/.429/.525 against lefties, which gives him a clearer bench-bat case. Castro brings experience, switch-hitting, and the ability to cover multiple spots. Those players can help contenders, but the returns are more likely to be modest than headline-grabbing.

José Quintana and Tomoyuki Sugano fit the veteran innings bucket. Neither is likely to bring back a major piece, but back-end starters still move in July. If a contender needs rotation depth, the Rockies should be willing to turn short-term innings into future inventory.

The bullpen is the wild card. Relievers are volatile, but Senzatela is not the only Rockies arm who could have a market. Victor Vodnik, Juan Mejia, and Seth Halvorsen are all in the 90th percentile or higher for fastball velocity, giving the Rockies a few more arms with traits another club might want to buy.

No value — right now 

Edouard Julien is moving toward more of a roster decision than a trade-value situation. He has a 67 OPS+, a .216/.310/.304 line, and -0.7 WAR in 142 plate appearances. The plate discipline was the point of the acquisition, but the rest of the profile has to support it. Right now, the defense gives him very little margin for error. If the offense keeps slipping, he becomes harder to carry. There may still be a team interested in the approach, but the value is limited unless the bat rebounds. 

Michael Lorenzen is the clearest example of a player whose contract and timeline say trade candidate, but whose performance limits the market. He has a 7.03 ERA, 1.911 WHIP, 5.26 FIP, and -1.0 WAR in 48.2 innings. If another team sees a fix or just needs depth, the Rockies can listen, but right now he is closer to a money-clearing move or flyer return than a meaningful trade chip. 

Ezequiel Tovar, Jordan Beck, and Brenton Doyle all have traits another team might like, but the current value is not there. Tovar has a solid glove, contract control, and plays a premium position, but the offense has been terrible. Beck still has power and athleticism, but the offense has not shown enough in sparse playing time. Doyle is an elite defender with good speed, but without the bat, the trade return probably would not match the talent. 

Getting worse to get better

That is the trade board in broad strokes, at least for now. 

The Rockies do have some actual value to move. Senzatela and Moniak could bring real returns. Goodman could bring a strong one if the Rockies want to get bold. Castro, McCarthy, Johnston, Quintana, Sugano, and maybe another reliever are more modest trade pieces, but they still serve a purpose.  

The caveat is that selling will not automatically clear space for a finished wave of prospects. The realistic post-deadline evaluation group is still narrow — Adael Amador, Ryan Ritter, maybe Zac Veen (No. 9 PuRP) or Sterlin Thompson (No. 13 PuRP) — and the top of the system is not knocking down the major-league door yet. 

So yes, the Rockies might get worse than ordinary bad if they move the value they actually have. A Senzatela trade makes the bullpen thinner. A Quintana or Sugano trade makes the rotation less stable. Moving Moniak, Castro, Goodman, or McCarthy takes real production, depth, or flexibility out of the lineup. 

That is still okay. 

This is a way-too-early look. The names will change. The value will change. But given where the Rockies are in the rebuild, and given how much parity there is around the league, it is worth watching early. 

The Rockies do not need to force it yet. But this roster needs churn, and the deadline is the first real place to find it. 

So who should the Rockies be looking to move, and for what?

On the Farm

Triple-A: Albuquerque Isotopes 7, Las Vegas Aviators 2

The Albuquerque Isotopes improved to 27-22 with a 7-2 win over the Las Vegas Aviators, jumping out to a 7-0 lead by the third inning and holding it from there. Zac Veen (No. 9 PuRP) drove in three runs, going 1-for-3 with a walk and lifting his OPS to .817, while Nic Kent added the big swing with a two-run homer, his third of the season. Andrew Knizner went 2-for-4 with an RBI double and an .825 OPS. On the mound, Domingo Acevedo earned the win with five scoreless innings, allowing three hits and one walk while striking out nine.

Double-A: Hartford Yard Goats 8, New Hampshire Fisher Cats 1

The Hartford Yard Goats improved to 22-20 with an 8-1 win over the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, using a three-run fifth and a three-run sixth to pull away. Roc Riggio (No. 14 PuRP) led the offense, going 1-for-2 with a three-run homer, a sacrifice fly, four RBI, and two walks; he now has a .908 OPS on the season. Aidan Longwell added a two-run double, his 14th of the season, and now has a .772 OPS. On the mound, Connor Staine earned the win after allowing one run on one hit and four walks over five innings, striking out four and lowering his ERA to 4.46. The bullpen handled the rest, with Davison Palermo striking out six over three scoreless innings and Fidel Ulloa finishing the ninth with two strikeouts.

High-A: Vancouver Canadians 15, Spokane Indians 0

The Canadians (18-25) routed the Indians (17-26) 15–0, breaking the game open early and never letting Spokane get back in. Vancouver scored in four of the first five innings, including four-run rallies in the fourth and fifth, then added two more in the eighth. Daniel Guerrero got the win, while Spokane’s staff struggled with command and defense behind it, issuing 10 walks and committing four errors. The big swing came from Alexis Hernandez, who hit a grand slam in the third and finished with five RBI.

Single-A: Rancho Cucamonga Quakes 12, Fresno Grizzlies 7

Fresno (24-19) had enough offense to make this competitive, but Rancho Cucamonga’s (24-19) six-run second inning set the tone in a 12–7 Quakes win. The Grizzlies answered with three runs in the second and kept chipping away, including a sixth-inning homer from Clayton Gray. Jesus Freitez had Fresno’s biggest run-producing night, driving in three. Fresno finished with nine hits and seven walks, but the Grizzlies struck out 11 times, left eight on base, and committed three errors. Rancho made the most of its chances, scoring in four different innings and adding a four-run bottom of the sixth to pull away for good.

Agnos thrilled — and dialed in — during 1st start since high school | MLB.com

Over at MLB.com, Thomas Harding highlights one of the Rockies’ recent silver linings: Zach Agnos stepped into his first true start since high school and delivered five scoreless innings — a sharp, composed outing wasted in a 2–1 walk-off loss.

The Free Agency Signing the Rockies Should Be Quietly Celebrating | SI.com

Miguel Mike Medina from Sports Illustrated spotlights a Rockies move that may not grab headlines, but deserves attention: Tomoyuki Sugano has quietly been one of Colorado’s steadier offseason additions.

Rockies place OF Mickey Moniak on IL, recall Sterlin Thompson | purplerow.com

Here on Purple Row, Evan breaks down the Rockies’ newest roster moves: Moniak heads to the IL, Thompson gets the call back to the show, and the club makes a minor trade to keep reshuffling its depth.

Please keep in mind our Purple Row Community Guidelines when you’re commenting. Thanks! 

Matthew Liberatore has had an uninspiring start to his season. He has not been horrible, but many fans, myself included, were expecting him to improve or possibly ascend to a top-of-the-rotation type pitcher. Today I want to do a little meandering investigation into what has gone wrong with Libby and what we should expect moving forward.

Before we get to present-day Liberatore, it’s important to remember how he got here. On this date last year, he had also completed 10 starts but ranked 14th in baseball with a 1.7 fWAR. Through June, Liberatore was maintaining his impressive trajectory pitching to a 3.70 ERA and ranking in the top 20 in starting pitcher WAR in all of baseball. It is an easy narrative to follow. A former top prospect that has bounced between starting and relieving for a couple of years moves into the rotation in his age-25 season and pitches like an All-Star for the first half of the year. Then came July and August. Liberatore had a nine-start stretch where his velocity dropped, home run rate ballooned, and his ERA jumped close to 6. For his final act, Libby put together a solid September pitching to a 3.54 ERA with FIP and xFIP around 4. 

That brings us to 2026. Libby is the Opening Day starter and undisputed leader of the pitching staff… and things have just not gone well. His walk rate has jumped over one per nine to 3.48. While this isn’t an awful number, it is not good enough for a command-first pitcher. Libby’s home runs per nine have also jumped from an acceptable 1.13 to a bloated 1.57. I wanted to take a closer look at Liberatore and see if there were any glaring issues in his underlying metrics or reasons for optimism. 

Liberatore’s home run rate is elevated, but is that just because of his career-high 14.5% HR/FB ratio? We often talk about batters and their ability to pull the ball in the air to access power. Liberatore was solid at preventing this in 2025, allowing batters to pull only 15.4% of balls in the air. This season, that number has increased to 23.4%, one of the worst marks in the league, 12th worst out of 129 pitchers who have had at least 100 balls put in play against them. Liberatore’s velocity and underlying stuff metrics are similar to last season, if not a tick better, so what gives? With his elevated walk rate, could the home runs be up because he is falling behind more frequently and being forced to throw more pitches in hitters’ counts? To check this, I looked at the total percentage of pitches he has thrown in each count this year and last. 

There is nothing alarming here. If anything, Libby is actually getting into slightly more favorable counts than last season. So, where are the walks coming from? Last season, in three-ball counts, Liberatore threw pitches in the zone 65% of the time. This season, his zone rate is down to 53% in three-ball counts. While this is hurting his performance thus far, it is better than a pitcher who has just lost control of the zone. This strikes me as more of an execution problem or even just small-sample-size variance than some kind of systemic issue with his approach. 

Ok, I am satisfied that the increased walk-rate is a minor blip that is likely to even out as the season goes on. Unfortunately, I do not think count control is the culprit for Liberatore’s other issues, so we must forge ahead. Pitch mix has always been a hot topic when it comes to Liberatore because he has always had excellent breaking pitches and has had to navigate a pedestrian fastball. The narrative has been that if his fastball velocity dips at all, it won’t play at the major league level. Velocity has not been the problem, as both of Liberatore’s fastballs are up ~0.5 MPH. Perhaps his modest velocity increase has driven Libby mad with power and he is altering his pitch mix as a result? Here is the breakdown between 2025 and 2026. 

Liberatore has reduced his sinker usage by a couple of percentage points, but is throwing his four-seam fastball much more this year, up 5%. The results have been even worse this year. His xwOBA against on four-seamers has increased from a bad .370 to a downright horrific .455. Interestingly, most of the additional damage is coming from lefties. You can see in the chart above that Liberatore has increased his usage to lefties from 17% to 27%. The pitch has been battered to the tune of a .694 xwOBA. Lefties are basically better than peak Barry Bonds against Liberatore’s four-seam. Not to overly simplify things, but that really is the story of Liberatore’s year so far. He is throwing his worst pitch more frequently than ever and getting absolutely punished for it. On his offspeed and breaking pitches, his results have been right in line with last season. 

To look at this data from a more optimistic lens, Liberatore almost can’t do anything but get better. His fastball isn’t great, but it likely will not continue to get blasted around the yard at quite this rate, even if he doesn’t make any changes. With that said, it seems like the obvious answer is to dial back on the fastball usage a few notches while upping the breaking balls. Liberatore’s curveball and slider are both excellent pitches, both by pitch models and results. I don’t think it is as simple as throwing them 80% of the time, but he could bump them up from the 37% frequency with which he is now deploying them. 

There were some big positives in Libby’s nine-strikeout performance against the Pirates in his last start. Not only were the results better (until the fifth-inning blowup), but he seemed to have a better plan of attack. His curveball was his most frequently used pitch (23%) and his fastballs were only used 28% of the time. Not only did Liberatore throw his curveball more frequently, he threw it harder than he has the last two years, averaging 81 MPH with the pitch (up two MPH). He also had a two-year high in RPMs on the pitch with an average spin rate of 3,116 compared to a season average of 2,960. The extra sharpness helped Liberatore strike out five batters with the pitch while generating six swings and misses. In addition to the increased curves, Libby also threw nine cutters (12%). This utilization is closer to his 2025 mix and up from the 3% he has used it so far in 2026. 

I will be following Liberatore’s pitch mix closely the next couple of starts to see if he is making a concerted effort to minimize his fastball usage and rely more on the breakers, or if the Pittsburgh game was just a one-off day where he was spinning the ball particularly well. 

After looking a bit more closely at Liberatore’s pitch data, I am convinced he will at minimum return to the solid version of him we saw in 2025. It seems he is just not getting away with any mistakes thus far and has failed to execute at his normal level in three-ball counts. The problem is, fairly or not, the Cardinals really need Liberatore to be better than he was last year if they plan to keep pace with the rest of the NL Central. To do this, Libby needs to find a way to steer clear of his fastballs as much as possible. He has abandoned the splitter that he worked on over the offseason after throwing only seven of them (all in the month of April). The pitch grades well from a movement profile, so hopefully he is still working on it in the background.

Going forward, I would like to see Liberatore increase his curveball usage to above 20% and stop relying so much on his four-seam fastball, especially when behind in the count. If he can find a third pitch, whether it is the cutter, the splitter, or the changeup, to give hitters something else to think about, he could be the catalyst that keeps this Cardinals train on the tracks a little longer. 

Today’s Reflections

Pedro Ramirez has been called up to replace Matt Shaw, who is on the 10-day injured list with back soreness. Ramirez will fill in the super-sub role, but with Nicky Lopez who can fill the infield portion of the role, Ramirez would be free for the outfield (if ready). He could have been the one that was called up to give PCA a couple of days break (even with his home run on Friday). If it wasn’t Ramirez, it could have been ……

Kevin Alcántara, who Jake Misener wrote about below. I won’t rehash it, but maybe since Alcantara has already had some time in the majors, this was Ramirez’s time. Alcantara’s will have to wait.

I could write some more about runners LOB or RISP, but I believe Al addresses that in his recap.

Jameson Taillon will be needing to go to the IL before too long as his whiplash watching every fly ball go to (or beyond) the outfield wall is becoming as painful as watching them.

And the PCA links start with some rare good news these days.

*means autoplay on, (directions to remove for Firefox and Chrome). {$} means paywall. {$} means limited views. Italics are often used on this page as sarcasm font. The powers that be have enabled real sarcasm font in the comments.

Slump? What slump? I sure would like to hear some more about this supposed slump ……

• Vinnie Duber (Chicago Sun-Times): Another day, another dud for Cubs’ bats in sixth straight loss: Can nothing end teamwide drought?. “The Cubs scored two runs or fewer for the eighth time in 12 games as their team-wide slump deepened in a series-opening loss to the Astros.”
• Zack Sweet (MLB.com): Missed opportunities sink Cubs as skid reaches 6 games. The Cubs “finishing 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position and stranding 11 runners while dropping its sixth consecutive game.”
• Meghan Montemurro (Chicago Tribune {$}): Chicago baseball report: Rough stretch for Cubs’ Moisés Ballesteros. “Moisés Ballesteros wasn’t going to bat .400 the entire season.”
• Sahadev Sharma (The Athletic {$}): Cubs’ offense in a ‘funk’ as situation hitting suffers in recent stretch. ““We’re in a funk right now,” Chicago Cubs Manager Craig Counsell said. “It’s up to us to change it. We’re the ones who are going to change it.”“
• Tyler Courtney (Last Word On Sports): How the Cubs Slump Can Be Reversed Before May Ends. “To understand how to stop the slump, it is crucial to understand why it is happening.”
• Gordon Edes (Chicago Sun-Times): Cubs just might find cure for what ails them this weekend vs. Astros. “The Cubs have scored three runs or fewer in nine of the last 11 games and have been outscored 59-31. They’re batting a collective .182 and have been outhomered 20-7.”
• Field Level Media (Yardbarker): Cubs host Astros with both sides searching for a spark. “The Chicago Cubs hope a day off at home will allow them to reset mentally before they host the Houston Astros in the opener of a three-game series on Friday. The Cubs have lost five in a row and nine of 11 following a 27-12 start that had them atop the National League Central.”
• Tommy Erbe (OnTapSportsNet): Times Like These Are Why The Chicago Cubs Need Alex Bregman. “Alex Bregman was brought to the Chicago Cubs for times like these. In the face of adversity, he can lead them through.”
• Jake Misener (Cubbies Crib): Kevin Alcantara is sending a loud message that the Cubs can no longer ignore. “Kevin Alcantara could give 2 struggling Cubs outfielders chance to reset”

The angels are pensively singing:

• Jordan Campbell (Cubbies Crib): Craig Counsell finally caves with change Cubs fans have been begging for. “After the Cubs lost 4-2 on Friday to the Houston Astros, extending their losing streak to six games, Counsell confirmed there will be changes to the starting lineup for Saturday’s game. ….. Perhaps the door is open for Pedro Ramirez to get a start or two in the coming days, but right now, the correct lever to pull is making the change with the starting lineup.”
• Michael Cerami (Bleacher Report): At Long Last, Lineup Changes Are Coming for the Chicago Cubs. “After yet another day of offensive futility at Wrigley Field — complete with their patented ability to get a lot of guys on base and unique inability to drive literally any of them … in no matter the situation or who’s up (0-9 with RISP today + 11 runners left on base) — lineup changes are coming for the Chicago Cubs.”

The Daily PCA Report

• First, the good news:

• Dan Freedman (Forbes{$})): Pete Crow-Armstrong Is In A Mental Slump And Needs A Day Or Two Off. “Pete Crow-Armstrong of the Chicago Cubs needs a day; he needs a break, a breather. He needs to collect himself.”
• Michael Canter (Cubs Insider): The Rundown: PCA’s Unprecedented Funk Helps Brewers Broom Cubs, Early Exit for Cabrera, Ohtani Nearly Dealt to Rays in ’23. “The Cubs are a mess right now, none more than Pete Crow-Armstrong, and things aren’t going to change until they refocus and get back to …… dominating. …… Crow-Armstrong is the team’s worst offender and probably needs to put his interaction with a White Sox fan behind him.”
• Elias Shuster (Chicago Cubs On SI): Pete Crow-Armstrong Has Been a Problem for the Cubs – And He Knows It. “The Chicago Cubs’ star center fielder called his recent mistakes “genuinely laughable” following another loss on Wednesday.“
• Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): Pete Crow-Armstrong’s errors adding up for Cubs, from taunting a fan to misplays on the field. “A mental reset, of sorts, is coming with Thursday’s off day, a well-timed break for a Cubs team that is currently flailing in all phases of the game. But this moment appears to be especially uncomfortable for Crow-Armstrong.”
• Jesse Rogers (ESPN): Pete Crow-Armstrong says recent errors ‘genuinely laughable’. “”One thing I can fall back on is it’s never a lack of focus but [instead] trying too hard and trying to make up for the lack of production that I have given this team and this city.””

• Matt Sullivan (Sporting News): Why Astros should follow 2021 Cubs blueprint with trade deadline sell-off. “ESPN’s David Schoenfield presented a blueprint for the Astros to follow, in the 2021 Chicago Cubs, that could lead to a successful sell-off this season while still keeping some key players for the near future.”
• Jesse Rogers (ESPN): Cubs put Matt Shaw on injured list, call up Pedro Ramirez. “Shaw, 24, first experienced soreness Tuesday, which did not subside after a couple of days of treatment. …… ””It’s probably going to be a shorter stint,” Counsell said of Ramirez.”
• Brandon Glick (Cubbies Crib): Rising Cubs’ prospect could soon become intriguing trade chip for Jed Hoyer. “Might as well cash in on a superfluous star in the making.”
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation): Tarik Skubal Trade Chances “Are Rising” – Would You Want to See the Cubs Make a Go at Him? “If the Tigers decide they are out of the race, then there will be absolutely not reason for them not to capitalize and trade Tarik Skubal for the biggest price they can get.”
• Jake Misener (Cubbies Crib): This Cubs’ trade deadline prediction suddenly feels like the lifeline Jed Hoyer needs. “The rotation – and pitching staff, as a whole – is hanging by a thread.”
• Paranjoy Goswami (Total Pro Sports): What Happened To Edward Cabrera? A Deeper Look Into His Injury. “The Chicago Cubs removed Edward Cabrera from the mound midway through his start against the Milwaukee Brewers at Wrigley Field on Wednesday.
• Matt Sullivan (Sporting News): Cubs trade prediction for Marlins’ Sandy Alcantara makes sense for everyone involved. “While they’re in good shape to make the postseason, the Cubs desperately need to find a way to upgrade their team by the August 3rd trade deadline. Their top need is clearly starting pitching help.”
• Matt Snyder (CBS Sports): The Brewers just picked up control of NL Central again, but they need to drop underdog schtick. “The Brewers outscored the Cubs 19-5 in a three-game sweep in Wrigley this week, and their manager insists they’re still overlooked.”
• Bennedetto Vitale (Clutch Points): Cubs legend Anthony Rizzo details epic way Dexter Fowler helped him break slump. “In the latest episode of “Lovable Reunion,” Rizzo recalled a time he was struggling at the plate. He felt like he would go zero and forever during this brutal slump.”
• Anthony Franco (MLBTradeRumors): 2026-27 Club Options: NL Central. “In recent weeks, MLBTR has looked forward to next winter’s option classes. We’ll move now to the NL Central, where the Cubs have a number of low-cost options to weigh.”
• Matthew Trueblood (North Side Baseball): For Better and For Worse, the Cubs Are Locked In. “Last summer, the Cubs affirmed their faith in their existing front office. Over the offseason they proved they feel a sense of urgency to win now. This spring, they committed themselves to this core for a long time. Was all of that a huge mistake?”
• Jordan Campbell (Cubbies Crib): Jed Hoyer reveals what the Cubs need to see from Jordan Wicks. “It’s now or never.”
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation): The Biggest Offensive Difference Between the Cubs and the Brewers. “This week’s series, combined with the earlier discussion of certain Cubs players’ woes with runners in scoring position this year, had me stepping back and looking at the Cubs and Brewers more generally.”

Food For Thought:

According to Albert King, he was five when his father left the family and eight when he moved with his mother, Mary Blevins, and two sisters to the Forrest City, Arkansas, area. King said his family had also lived in Arcola, Mississippi, at one time. He made his first guitar out of a cigar box, a piece of a bush, and a strand of broom wire, and later bought a real guitar for $1.25. As a southpaw learning guitar on his own, he turned his guitar upside down. King picked cotton, drove a bulldozer, did construction, and worked other jobs until he was finally able to support himself as a musician.

John Mayall, the “Godfather of British Blues,” was a major influence on post-’60s rock & roll. His band the Bluesbreakers sired Eric Clapton, Mick Taylor, Peter Green and Fleetwood Mac’s rhythm section, among others. His version of blues incorporated rock elements, while keeping the core and the spirit authentically gritty and lowdown. Through his stewardship, the global audience for blues, and the palette for rock, expanded considerably.

Concrete-covered owl returns to the wild after feather surgery (the after-surgery is at 1:30)

A great horned owl found covered in concrete was released back into the wild after undergoing surgery to replace its damaged feathers. The owl underwent several days of care involving 20-minute baths to slowly remove the concrete. The process left the owl with damage to its feathers that prevented it from flying silently, a necessary feature for great horned owls to survive in the wild.

They ended up replacing 10 primary and one secondary feather on the owl’s right wing. The bird’s left wing did not require any replacement feathers. “The first few feathers were extremely nerve-wracking, but as we got into the groove, the imping became more comfortable, and everything went smoothly,” Richwalski said.

Please be reminded that Cub Tracks and Bleed Cubbie Blue do not necessarily endorse the content of articles, podcasts, or videos that are linked to in this series.

Good morning, baseball fans!

Another week of San Francisco Giants baseball is drawing to a close this weekend, which means it’s time to make our picks for Player of the Week!

This week, I’m going with Casey Schmitt! The man is on a streak that we love to see. As of the time this is being written, he’s got at least one hit in every game this week. He even had a four-hit game in last Saturday’s 6-4 win over the Athletics, which included two home runs.

Who is your pick for Player of the Week?

What time do the Giants play today?

The Giants continue this three-game series against the Chicago White Sox this afternoon at 1:05 p.m. PT.

Meet the Mets

In the series opener against the Marlins, the Mets got some fairly strong pitching performances from the trio of Tobias Myers, Sean Manaea, and Jonah Tong (who tossed three scoreless innings in his first major league outing of 2026). Unfortunately, aside from a very impressive solo homer from Juan Soto in the first, the bats couldn’t get anything working against the Miami pitching staff, leading to a 2-1 loss.

Choose your recap: Amazin’ Avenue, NY Post, Daily News, MLB.com

Tong’s return meant that another pitcher had to get cut from the active roster, and it was veteran Craig Kimbrel who ended up getting the boot.

Carlos Mendoza expressed admiration for Kimbrel following the decision, but his lengthy track record was not enough to save him.

The loss was disappointing, but Tong’s outing was nevertheless encouraging.

After last night’s game, The Athletic reported that Tong would be getting another outing for the Mets, and that they would also be calling up reliever Jonathan Pintaro shortly.

Kodai Senga made a rehab outing last night as he seeks to return to the major league pitching staff.

The Baby Mets continue to get opportunities, as all three of the team’s rookie outfielders started last night.

While the team may have lost last night, they may also be beginning to find their identity.

Howie Rose got to accomplish one of his dreams. No, not calling a Mets World Series victory, but meeting Paul McCartney.

Around the National League East

The Braves and Nationals went eleven innings before a two-out walk-off single from Chadwick Tromp gave Atlanta a 5-4 victory.

Christoper Sánchez continued his impressive run with eight scoreless innings, but the Phillies bats could not score, and a solo homer from Kyle Manzardo doomed Philadelphia to a 1-0 loss against the Guardians.

Federal Baseball examined three young pitchers with team-control that could be options for the Nationals to acquire to improve their pitching staff.

Around Major League Baseball

Major League Baseball revealed their plans for celebrating Memorial Day, including a National Moment of Remembrance and a special patch on uniforms.

Gerrit Cole pitched six scoreless innings in his return from Tommy John surgery.

Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story underwent surgery for a sports hernia and will be out for an extended period.

As if the Dodgers don’t have enough fortunes to boast over other teams, their farm system also has more outfield talent than anybody else.

While many April surprises tend to fade as the season goes on, several players and teams that turned heads in the beginning of the season are continuing along the same path.

Tired: ballpark proposals. Wired: ballpark weddings. Inspired: nine weddings in nine innings at a Durham Bulls game.

Bradford William Davis examined Major League Baseball’s attempts to investigate players accused of domestic violence, going back to their investigation of José Reyes in 2016.

Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue

Vasilis Drimalitis previewed the weekend series in Miami, AKA the place where the Mets got eliminated last year.

Chris McShane reminded us all how good Huascar Brazobán has been for the Mets this year.

Joe Sokolowski provided the latest edition of This Week in Knicks Mets Quotes.

This Date in Mets History

Mike Piazza suited up for the Mets for the very first time on this date in 1998 (oh, and Al Leiter threw a four-hit shutout, by the way).

1911
Shano Collins hit the first three-run homer in Comiskey Park history — almost a year after the park opened! While that fact is fluky enough, Collins’ blow didn’t even leave the park: It was an inside-the-park smash to the deep center field of the park.

Collins’ milestone homer came at the expense of the New York Highlanders, and put Chicago up, 3-1, in the bottom of the fourth inning. However, the visitors rallied to tie with two runs in the top of the seventh, and won the game with a run-scoring single with two outs in the top of the 12th.

Ed Walsh went all 12 innings for the White Sox, taking the hard-luck loss. He walked seven, struck out seven — and picked off three runners in the game!

1928
One day after White Sox center fielder Johnny Mostil tied an AL record with 12 chances in a 4-3 win over Cleveland at Comiskey Park, the White Sox won again, 4-3. And in this game, there were more defensive heroics — but this time, by Cleveland.

The end of the game was positively crazy. In the bottom of the ninth, the White Sox rallied with an error, single and walk to load the bases, whereupon Mostil walked to tie the game, 3-3. But with the bases full and nobody out, first baseman Bud Clancy popped out to left field, and Cleveland’s Charlie Jamieson threw out Johnny Mann at home plate for a double play. Cleveland catcher Luke Sewell then threw to second base and caught Ray Schalk in a pickle, to be thrown out at third for a triple play.

Schalk was benched for the boner, and White Sox ace Ted Lyons came on to pitch the 10th inning. He ended up vulturing a win, as the White Sox rallied in the 10th: Bill Hunnefield walked, beat the throw to second base on Bill Barrett’s sacrifice bunt, moved to third on a walk to Alex Metzler, and scored on a Willie Kamm single.

Just two weeks later, on June 9, Jamieson initiated another triple play, against the Yankees.

1954
The White Sox quest to find a competent third baseman appeared to be at an end, as GM Frank Lane sent infielder Grady Hatton and $100,000 to Boston for All-Star George Kell. It was the first time the Red Sox had sold a player outright since the Babe Ruth transaction more than 25 years earlier. 

Kell’s best year for the White Sox was 1955, when he hit .312 with 81 RBIs. However, he had a bad back, which limited his playing time, and he was traded to the Orioles early in 1956 as part of a six-player deal.

2003
The Kannapolis Intimidators, in just their third season as a White Sox Low-A affiliate, were witness to a bizarre ejection during a road game against the Lakewood BlueClaws. With the BlueClaws up, 3-0, in the seventh, a huge storm begins and Lakewood groundskeeper Bill Butler rushed onto the field to prep it for the tarp. However, umpires Brandon Cooney and Steve Cummings hadn’t actually announced a game delay yet, and ejected Butler from the contest. It was believed to be the first-ever baseball ejection of a groundskeeper.

The game was unable to resume, and Kannapolis lost, 3-0. Among the future White Sox on the Intimidators roster in 2003 was pitcher Ehren Wasserman.

2024
Over the decades when the White Sox faced the Orioles you could almost count on something strange, bizarre or unusual taking place at some point, with the result usually costing the Sox an opportunity to win.

On this night at Guaranteed Rate Field, the Sox had scored four runs in the ninth inning and had the tying runs on base, trailing 8-6 … when the game ended in one of the strangest ways possible.

Andrew Benintendi hit a pop-up in the infield. As Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson drifted over to make the play base runner Andrew Vaughn was called for interference, even though Henderson had plenty of time to make the catch.

That ended the game, as Henderson was credited with an unassisted double play!

Will the Detroit Tigers ever win again? This is a question many fans were asking themselves on Friday night as they watched the offense finally score more than three runs for the first time in seven games, only to see another game lost by Jack Flaherty and the defense. The result was a 7-4 defeat to open the three-game series against the Orioles at Camden Yards.

Over the last nine games before this one, that four-run effort would have won five, tied two and lost two. This team is beyond out of sync at this point and collapsing into pure chaos.

Perhaps left-hander Framber Valdez can turn the tide for the Motor City Kitties. He will be taking the mound on Saturday afternoon looking to improve on his previous outing — a five-inning, four-run effort that saw him surrender five hits and four walks while striking out three Cleveland Guardians for his third loss of the season.

The last time the 32-year-old saw the Orioles was last year with the Houston Astros on Aug. 18, when he threw 6 2/3 frames of four-run (three earned) ball on nine hits (one home run) and a walk while striking out six to take the loss.

Up against Valdez will be right-hander Brandon Young, who has been exceptionally mediocre in his second major league season. The 27-year-old has one quality start to his credit, but that was his lone six-plus innings effort. He only made it through 3 1/3 frames last time out against the Washington Nationals and has allowed at least two runs in five of his six appearances.

Young has faced the Tigers once before in his second major league game last year on April 26. He allowed three runs on four hits and five walks while striking out six over 4 2/3 innings for his first big league loss.

Take a look at how the two match up below.

Detroit Tigers (20-32) vs. Baltimore Orioles (22-29)

Time (ET): 4:05 p.m.
Place: Camden Yards, Baltimore, Maryland
SB Nation Site:Camden Chat
Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network

Game 53: LHP Framber Valdez (2-3, 4.58 ERA) vs. RHP Brandon Young (3-1, 4.25 ERA)

VALDEZ

YOUNG