Jul 23, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Tigers center fielder James Outman (43) celebrates after he hits a three run home run in the seventh inning against the Kansas City Royals at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
Despite striking first, the Royals dropped the opening game of their four-game series against the Detroit Tigers, 4-3. The result drops Kansas City’s record to 43-61 while Detroit improves to 49-54.
On the bright side for the Royals, starting pitcher Randy Dobnak threw a fine game. Looking for his first win since May 21, 2021, Dobnak threw five scoreless innings while limiting the Tigers to five hits. He walked only one while he struck out three. Matt Strahm relieved in the sixth inning, preserving the lead for his 13th hold of the season. Strahm’s ERA dropped to 6.88—still bad, but under 7.
The game remained scoreless through five innings as the Royals threatened, but never maimed, Tigers starting pitcher Troy Melton. Melton, who entered the evening with a 1.80 ERA and 3.87 FIP through nine starts and 55 innings pitched, struggled with his command as he walked four. He got away with it, though, until the sixth inning.
Against the last batter he’d face, Isaac Collins, Melton left a slider over the plate. Collins turned on it, hitting it 390 feet to right, over the fence and on to the Michigan Lottery sign. (“For fun. For schools.”) Michael Massey, who singled to begin the inning, also scored. 2-0, Royals.
After Strahm held the Tigers at bay, John Schreiber came in to pitch the seventh. It’s not fair to Schreiber, but when he entered the game, The Rolling Stones started playing in my head, specifically the song, “Play With Fire.” Schreiber’s had a decent season—he entered with a 3.29 ERA (but 4.93 FIP) and hadn’t allowed an earned run in his last three outings. Heck, during his last two outings, he hadn’t even allowed a hit.
To his credit, he almost got out of it unscathed, but horseshoes and grenades, am I right?
The first two batters of the inning, Dillon Dingler and Kerry Carpenter, both singled, Dingler moving to third on Carpenter’s hit. Spencer Torkelson struck out before Zach McKinstry softly lined out to Andrew Velasquez at short. Two outs, two on, James Outman, he of the .155/.216/.275 slash line, coming up.
Because this is just the way things are going for the Royals, on a 2-2 pitch, Outman hit it out, man. (I’m not sorry.) 3-2, Detroit.
The Royals didn’t go quietly, though. Massey led off the top of the eighth with a single. Tyler Tolbert replaced him on the basepaths. Collins, who homered his last time up, popped up a bunt to the third baseman, failing to advance Tolbert. No matter. With Josh Rojas up, Tolbert stole second before advancing to third on a wild pitch. Rojas then singled him home, tying the game, 3-3.
Rojas remained at first, though, as Detroit quickly retired Nick Loftin and Velasquez.
Steven Cruz replaced Schreiber, and Mick Jagger picked it back up in my head. Sure enough, with two outs and two strikes, Detroit regained the lead when Dingler doubled home Hao-Ye Lee. Tigers up, 4-3.
My sons decided to watch the top of the ninth with me. Things looked promising after Lane Thomas walked and Vinnie Pasquantino singled to bring up Salvador Perez with one out and the tying run on second. I’d been telling the boys all night when Salvy came up to bat so they could possibly witness some local history. My oldest said, “It would be great if he hit a home run right here.”
I replied, “Yeah, but I’m thinking a game-ending double-play instead.”
DENVER, COLORADO - JULY 19: Jordan Romano #68 of the Colorado Rockies celebrates a defensive play as he pitches in the ninth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Coors Field on July 19, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With more than seven years of Major League experience, Jordan Romano is no stranger to serving as a closer.
The Canadian right-hander spent the first six years of his Major League career with the Toronto Blue Jays before moving to Philadelphia for a year in 2025, and was most recently with the Los Angeles Angels earlier this season before being designated for assignment on April 26th.
In just a short period of time, Romano is quickly making his case to assume the closer role at his new home in Denver.
Signed as a free agent by the Rockies on May 6 and then moving to Colorado’s 40-man roster on July 4, the 6’ 5” Romano has recorded scoreless outings in five of his six appearances as a Rockie, surrendering only one run.
“Whenever you are in the big leagues, it’s a chance to perform and showcase yourself,” said Romano.
“So, that’s just what I am trying to do,” he added. “Whenever you are on that field, I am just trying to bring it, get outs and, hopefully, it goes all right.”
Since being a Rockie, Romano earned a save in back-to-back outings (July 5 against San Francisco and July 7 at Los Angeles Dodgers).
In so doing, he became the first Colorado pitcher to log two saves in their first three contests with the team since Pierce Johnson in 2023.
He notched his third save in three opportunities with Colorado (seventh on the season after four with the Angels) needing only 11 pitches to retire the side in order, including a pair of strikeouts, in the ninth inning of the Rockies’ come-from-behind 8-7 home victory July 21st against Washington.
Colorado manager Warren Schaeffer pointed to Romano’s mental approach as a key to his mound success.
“How you prepare yourself mentally, he just does it differently,” Schaeffer said.
“He turns himself into someone different when he comes in the ball game. I think all the experience he has brings (us to) a level that we necessarily haven’t had in the bullpen with all those big league saves that he has.”
Romano has 120 saves in his Major League career, including 105 in his six seasons with the Blue Jays. He logged back-to-back seasons with 36 saves in 2022 and 2023, earning All-Star Game selection each campaign, and his 87.0 save percentage (120 for 138) since 2019. That is tied for the second-highest in MLB (minimum 130 save opportunities).
“I have had a lot of experience closing games, [I’ve] been around and have seen a lot of things,” said Romano.
“I just try to help out, especially some of the young guys in the bullpen,” he added. “I am not saying I am like a ‘super veteran,’ but I have seen a lot and have pitched in a lot of tight spots.
“I am just trying to pay it back and tell guys what works and what doesn’t,” he continued. “Everyone’s different. But there’s some key things that stick with good players in the league.”
Schaeffer sees the importance of having someone with Romano’s experience in the team’s bullpen.
“I think it’s just the pedigree,” the manager said. “I think it’s the young relievers being able to look to him to how he prepares himself for a game in the middle of the game, which is huge.”
Thus far Romano is pleased with his early success with Colorado as he attempts to re-establish himself as one of the top closers in the Majors.
“I feel like things are just kind of trending upward,” he said. “I am feeling more comfortable on the mound, feeling more comfortable with the fastball and the slider.
“I always believed I could pitch. We just got to get on a roll here.”
This raises an interesting question. Manager Warren Schaeffer has been resistant to naming a single closer, instead using specific relievers to face specific batters. Should the Rockies name Romano their closer or continue with their previous strategy?
Jul 23, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Tigers center fielder James Outman (43) receives congratulations from right fielder Kerry Carpenter (30) and catcher Dillon Dingler (13) after he hits a three run home run in the seventh inning against the Kansas City Royals at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
It took almost seven innings for the Tigers to remember to try to win, but they did win indeed, going 4-3 over the Royals.
The Tigers were back home again after a post-All-Star Break road trip, and they would be facing a team that would most certainly be a thorn in their side. The Kansas City Royals, dubious season record aside, have always been a hard win for the Tigers. To open the weekend series against their division rivals, they would have Troy Melton on the mound, and they would be facing off against a former Tigers farmhand in Randy Dobnak.
In the first inning Carter Jensen took a leadoff walk. Then, with one out Vinnie Pasquantino singled. Right on his heels Salvador Perez walked. Despite the rough start, though, Melton kept his head and got the final two outs of the inning with no damage done. This particular play needs to be seen to be believed.
In the home half, Gleyber Torres got a one-out single. He was then eliminated in a force out off the bat of Colt Keith. Riley Greene singled to put runners on the corners, but the Tigers just weren’t able to convert a golden opportunity and left two runners stranded.
Josh Rojas opened the second with a leadoff double, but three outs in a row followed to end the inning and get Melton out of another uneasy situation. Zach McKinstry got a two-out single in the bottom of the inning, but he was picked off by Dobnak to end the inning.
Melton was finally in his groove by the third, getting the Royals out in order. Too bad the Tigers did the same in the bottom of the inning.
In the fourth, Isaac Collins got a one-out walk, but two outs followed to leave him stranded. Similarly, Dillon Dingler got a two-out walk in the bottom of the inning, but he was also left behind to end the inning.
Carter Jensen got a one-out double in the fifth. Then, with two outs, Pasquantino walked, but the Royals failed to convert the baserunners. Now, while we have a moment: tell me if you thought a Dobnak vs. Melton game would basically become a pitchers’ duel? If you say yes, you are a liar. McKinstry got a one-out single in the bottom of the inning but was eliminated on a force out off the bat of James Outman. Outman was then caught stealing second and though the Tigers challenged the out call (and frankly it looked like he was safe) the call was upheld to end the inning.
Michael Massey got a leadoff single in the top of the sixth, and then Collins homered, bringing in two runs. That was it for Melton, whose final line for the game was 5.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 5 K, 1 HR on 76 pitches. Some good stuff from Melton overall, just the Royals picking away small ball style all game. Tyler Holton came in to replace him and after getting the first out, gave up a single to Nick Loftin. He got the next two outs after that, though, to end the inning. Dobnak was also done after five, being replaced by Matt Strahm. With two outs a pinch-hitting Hao-Yu Lee walked, but the Tigers weren’t able to bring him home.
Holton got two outs into the seventh before being pulled in favor of Jacob Waguespack. Waguespack got the final out of the inning. John Schreiber, another familiar name to Tigers’ fans, was the new reliever for the Royals in the bottom of the inning. Dingler and Kerry Carpenter got things going with back-to-back singles. Then, with two outs, James Outman hit a homer to right to clear the bases and give the Tigers the lead.
Kevin McGonigle then singled, but got tagged out at second trying to leg out a double.
Drew Anderson came in for the Tigers in the eighth. Michael Massey got a leadoff single, then his pinch-runner Tyler Tolbert stole second with one out. A wild pitch that bounced off home plate allowed Tolbert to advance to third and then a Josh Rojas single brought him home to tie the game 3-3.
Steven Cruz continued the bullpen rotation. Hao-Yu Lee got a one-out single, then got to second on a Riley Greene groundout. Dingler then doubled to score the much-needed go-ahead run, bringing Lee home.
Kerry Carpenter reached on an error from Pasquantino, putting Dingler on third and giving the Tigers a great opportunity to extend their lead. Unfortunately, they weren’t able to take advantage of it. Alas. Drew Sommers came in for the top of the ninth, hoping to keep the Tigers in the lead. Lane Thomas got a one-out walk as Sommers struggled to locate his fastball. Pasquantino then singled. That was it for Sommers, the leash very short, who was replaced by Kyle Finnegan. And he did exactly what they needed, getting Salvador Perez to hit into a double play to end the game, with Finnegan covering first for the final out. Iconic.
Judging by the national media today, the Tigers are preparing to trade Tarik Skubal, keep Tarik Skubal and buy, and keep Tarik Skubal and shed salary elsewhere to avoid the luxury tax screwing up their compensation picks. Hard hitting stuff from the MLB insiders. We’ll be glad when this saga is over one way or another.
At no point during Jose Iglesias’ days as the Tigers shortstop did we envision his Broadway debut, but the Cuban born defensive specialist had a minor hit with his “OMG!” song two years ago during his run with the Mets. Now he’ll be on Broadway as part of the cast of Buena Vista Social Club. The musical covers the ensemble of Cuban musicians who formed in 1996. That’s one heck of a second career for Candelito, and if you’ve never heard this album you owe it to yourself to check it out.
CLEVELAND, OH - JULY 23: Taj Bradley #26 of the Minnesota Twins looks on during the game between the Minnesota Twins and the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on Thursday, July 23, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Sean Finucane/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Hopefully you all had a good day at your real jobs and didn’t watch this game because it was ROUGH. In the first 11 (THAT IS ELEVEN. TWO ONES NEXT TO EACH OTHER. IT’S TOO MANY FOR THE REST OF THIS UN-FUN FACT) innings of this game the Minnesota Twins went 1-14 with runners in scoring position. Luckily, Taj Bradley and the Twins’ apparently elite bullpen kept Cleveland to 0-17. The Twins were bad, but the Guardians were worse. So baseball goes.
Various Cleveland Guardians social media accounts and influencers refer to Cleveland’s brand of baseball as Guardsball. However, due to the Guardians ranking in the bottom five of nearly every offensive category of substance over the past five seasons, as far as I can tell Guardsball is about scoring as few runs as possible, hitting into weak outs, and pretending that a bloop single over the shortstop is a skill and not luck. Also Guardsball may be having your All-Star closer participate in the most nefarious gambling scheme in modern sports, but I’m still unclear on that part.
Anyway. Let’s do a Guardsball-inspired recap to try something different. Taj Bradley and Gavin Williams were the starting pitchers today, playing the role of “victim.”
BOTTOM 1: Twins 0, Guardians 0
Steven Kwan walked and stole second to start the game the Cleveland, giving the home squad a great chance to score early. Jose Ramirez had a typical AB, fouling off countless two-strike pitches but ended up with a soft liner to center. Chase DeLauter then ground out on a splitter that was, conservatively, a foot below the zone. And finally Brayan Rocchio struck out to leave Kwan stranded.
RISP: Twins 0-0, Guardians 0-3
LOBster count: Twins 1, Guardians 1
BOTTOM 4: Twins 0, Guardians 0
This inning started the same way as the first for Cleveland, with a walk and SB, this time by DeLauter. A wild pitch let DeLauter reach third, but Bradley struck out Rocchio and Rhys Hoskins with a pop-out from undeserved All-Star Travis Bazzana sandwiched in the middle. No dice.
RISP: Twins 0-0, Guardians 0-6
LOBster count: Twins 1, Guardians 3
TOP 5: Twins 0, Guardians 0
Finally, a threat for the good guys! Kody Clemens did his best Guardian impression and singled and stole second base to give the Twins a great scoring opportunity with no outs. Unfortunately this game is cursed with the two worst clutch hitting performances of all time (don’t fact check me) so no runs could be allowed. Royce Lewis popped out, Austin Martin struck out, and Luke Keaschall hit the ball hard but put it right on the ground to first base.
RISP: Twins 0-3, Guardians 0-6
LOBster count: Twins 2, Guardians 3
TOP 8: Twins 0, Guardians 1
Guardians catcher Patrick Bailey hit a homer at some point between these two innings, but there wasn’t even anyone stranded on base so who cares about that? That is NOT what’s Guardsball is about. I hope you learned your lesson, Patrick. Let’s get back to the good stuff: Guardsball.
Lewis walked, stole second, Trevor Larnach struck out, Keaschall walked, and pinch hitter Alan Roden came in to face All-Star closer Cade Smith. Unfortunately, Roden did not get the Guardsball memo since he wasn’t playing for most of today and delivered a clutch RBI single on the very first pitch he saw to tie the game at one apiece.
As far as I can tell, this All-Star closer did NOT participate in any nefarious gambling schemes. That’s probably why he gave up the RBI single. He wasn’t willing to make the Guardsball sacrifice in order for his team to win. Next time, place a three-way parlay on whether your first three pitches will be balls or strikes, then maybe you can come through when your team needs it most.
The Twins got back to Guardsball with a Lee groundout and Buxton strikeout to end the threat.
RISP: Twins 1-6, Guardians 0-6
LOBster count: Twins 4, Guardians 3
BOTTOM 8: Twins 1, Guardians 1
Andrew Morris quickly got the first two outs of this inning, but notorious Guardsballer Steven Kwan delivered his third hit of the game with a wild pitch allowing him to advance to second base with two outs. However, Jose Ramirez quickly popped out to fellow hamate veteran Ryan Jeffers to end the frame.
RISP: Twins 1-6, Guardians 0-7
LOBster count: Twins 4, Guardians 4
BOTTOM 9: Twins 1, Guardians 1
Yoendrys Gomez is not yet an All-Star, so no gambling required for this Guardsball move. He needed all of five pitches to retire the first two batters, but issued back-to-back walks to Bazzana and Hoskins two put two on for Kyle Manzardo, who quickly struck out to send it to extra innings.
RISP: Twins 1-6, Guardians 0-8
LOBster count: Twins 4, Guardians 6
TOP 10: Twins 1, Guardians 1
Now we have the fun scenario where Guardsball meets the Manfred Man. Every extra inning in the regular season now starts with the potential for Guardsball from the top. Remember: scoring is NOT Guardsball,
However, when Lewis, Larnach, and Keaschall hit into three quick outs to end the frame before it really began, that’s what we’re looking for here.
RISP: Twins 1-9, Guardians 0-8
LOBster count: Twins 5, Guardians 6
BOTTOM 10: Twins 1, Guardians 1
Bailey, Petey Halpin, and Kwan did their organizational duty. To the 11th.
RISP: Twins 1-9, Guardians 0-11
LOBster count: Twins 5, Guardians 7
TOP 11: Twins 1, Guardians 1
Where do we stand on intentional walks as part of Guardsball? It seems pretty anti-Guardsball to have someone in your lineup who is a good enough hitter to warrant an intentional walk, but the Guardians do employ Jose Ramirez so it’s hard to say. Regardless, the ineptitude warrants another paragraph. Eight pitches later and a Buxton walk later, Roden, Lee, and Jeffers hit into three soft outs to end their half and potentially my sanity.
I’m losing steam on this bit. Please someone help me. God. Let me outside. My family keeps pressuring me to get into cockfighting. Oh wait, that’s another completely separate Emmanuel Clase anecdote? Alright I’m back in.
RISP: Twins 1-12, Guardians 0-11
LOBster count: Twins 7, Guardians 7
BOTTOM 11: Twins 1, Guardians 1
To make sure everything was even and fair, Taylor Rogers intentionally walked Jose Ramirez. Now we don’t have to have the philosphical debate. Both walks cancel each other out and we move on. Rogers then got DeLauter, Rocchio, and Bazzana in order. To the 12th inning we go!
RISP: Twins 1-12, Guardians 0-14
LOBster count: Twins 7, Guardians 9
TOP 12: Twins 1, Guardians 1
Oh god. It’s done. I hate Guardsball. Please don’t make me do this again, baseball Zeus. How does the city of Cleveland live like this? Baseball is supposed to be FUN!! For the love of god please stop trying to make incompetence cool. We already have enough that in other facets of life. For the sake of baseball, I am begging the Guardians to get a second good hitter. They’ve needed one for a decade. Just do it for all that is good in the world.
Thank you Trevor Larnach. Thank you Luke Keaschall. Two two-out RBI singles later and the Twins lead 3-1 and I can finally put this bit to rest.
RISP: Twins 3-17, Guardians 0-17
LOBster count: Twins 9, Guardians 9
Alright back to normal. Thank god.
Jack Anderson made things interesting in the bottom of the 12th, with a two-out walk bringing the winning run to the plate. But Anderson retired pinch hitter Daniel Schneeman to end the game and secure the series split.
Anderson became the 12th Twin to record a save this season, further increasing the franchise record. That list includes such illustrious names as Luis Garcia and Justin Topa, both of whom are currently not in affiliated ball. If I were a betting man, I’d place the over/under on 17 different Twins recording a save before the year is up. There will be one from a trade deadline acquisition not currently on the team and another from Connor Prielipp after he moves to the bullpen to limit his workload. Tommy Nance is bound to get one at some point when Gomez and Morris are unavailable. One of Woo-Suk Go or Marco Raya probably gets an opportunity eventually just due to raw stuff. The final one will be the inevitable three inning Mike Paredes/Kendry Rojas bulk relief job after Joe Ryan goes six shutout. Stay tuned, I’ll have the lottery numbers for you next week.
Next up for the Twins is the reeling Las Oakramento Athletics, who are a robust 3-13 in July. They’ll round out their pre-trade deadline schedule with the bad Kansas City Royals, who just lost MVP candidate Bobby Witt Jr. to a back injury and the middling Seattle Mariners, who lost MVP candidate Cal Raleigh to a bizarre phenomenon known as “regression.” Even if it was ugly, salvaging a split was a huge boon to this team that hopes the front office will be buyers. They’ll have a great chance to emphasize their point with this soft portion of the schedule coming at a good time.
STUDS
Oh no
Wait
I thought I was done
PLEASE NO I’LL DO ANYTHING
GUARDSBALL
Also the Twins pitchers (Bradley, Morris, Gomez, Nance, Rogers, Anderson): combined 12 IP, 3 H, 1 solo HR allowed, NO OTHER RUNS
DUDS
Somehow this game only took 3:23 despite it being stuck in a fifth dimension outside of the very bounds of time and space. We are all but mites of dust compared to the power of Guardsball, may we all beg for forgiveness and pray to every baseball god that we are never in this position again. I need to call my mom.
Oh uh, no duds, Twins win… technically.
Help me.
Comment of the game goes to Danish philospher Soren Kierkegaard who once wrote, “With every increase in the degree of consciousness, and in proportion to that increase, the intensity of despair increases: the more consciousness the more intense the despair.”
May we never be conscious of Guardsball again. Amen.
Mets starter Clay Holmes returned to the mound on Thursday night after making his first rehab appearance with Triple-A Syracuse.
With the plan for Holmes to go roughly three innings, per interim manager Andy Green earlier in the week, the right-hander lasted 2.1 innings after throwing 51 pitches (28 strikes) and allowed two earned runs on three hits and two walks while striking out two.
Holmes’ evening began with a 1-2-3 first inning, including back-to-back strikeouts that ended the frame. Things got hairy in the second after a leadoff double and a walk put runners at first and second with nobody out. Holmes didn’t allow a hit for the rest of the inning, but the RailRiders scored the game’s first run on a sacrifice fly.
In the third, Holmes allowed a walk and consecutive singles that brought home a run before getting a flyout to end his night. Tobias Myers came in for relief and struck out the next two batters to strand the inherited runners and close the book on Holmes.
The expectation is that the right-hander will likely need one more rehab start following Thursday’s performance before being activated. If Holmes is on a regular schedule, that final start could come on July 28, which is six days before the MLB trade deadline.
Jul 23, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Michael McGreevy (36) pitches against Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Tyler Locklear (31) during the fourth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
What was supposed to be an off-day for the St. Louis Cardinals became a rather important encounter with the Arizona Diamondbacks thanks to a game postponed by weather a few weeks ago. Michael McGreevy was in charge of the Cardinals fortunes, but the odd feeling matinee game didn’t go as expected. As a matter of fact, the wheels would come off the Cardinals bullpen by the time it was over and the end result could only be categorized as embarassing.
When I say expected, the anticipation for a Michael McGreevy start is a lot of ground balls and a relatively low score. As it turns out, the Diamondbacks were making hard contact and doing it often Thursday afternoon, but more on that later.
The St. Louis Cardinals jumped out to a quick lead in the top of the 1st inning as JJ Wetherholt reached on an infield single. He was followed by Jordan Walker who was batting second in the lineup Thursday. Jordan received a warm ovation from the Busch Stadium crowd in his first appearance since his historic Home Run Derby win a week and a half ago. Walker rewarded the applause with reason for more applause as he rocked a double to the wall scoring Wetherholt and giving St. Louis a 1-0 lead.
Alec Burleson followed Walker’s double with a infield single of his own which moved Jordan Walker to third. Lars Nootbaar then smacked a single which scored Jordan and doubled the Cardinals lead to 2-0. It felt like the Cardinals were going to explode for a really big inning. Unfortunately, it just felt that way as reality would prove that inaccurate. Masyn Winn flied out to center and then Jose Fermin walked to load the bases with just one out. The Cardinals could not do anything with those many runners in scoring position as Nathan Church struck out and Blaze Jordan popped out. The St. Louis 1st inning is one of those cases where scoring 2 runs felt like a defeat or at least a big missed opportunity.
The Cardinals 2-run lead would remain until the top of the 4th inning when the Arizona Diamondbacks jumped in front of St. Louis. It started with a McGreevy walk of Kepler who advanced to third on a double by Del Castillo. After Tawa hit a sacrifice fly scoring Kepler cutting the Cardinals lead to 2-1, Tyler Locklear turned on an 86 mph Michael McGreevy changeup and deposited it over the left field wall just inside the foul pole giving the Diamondbacks a 3-2 lead.
Arizona would get another run in the top of the 5th inning when Corbin Carroll led off with a triple. Two batters later, Moreno managed to lift a sacrifice fly to left scoring Carroll and increasing the Diamondbacks lead to 4-2. Michael McGreevy’s effort would end with one out in the top of the 7th inning. His stat line for the game was 6 1/3 innings allowing 7 hits while striking out 3 and walking 3. Manager Oli Marmol brought Justin Bruihl into the game to try and keep Arizona close. He was successful for the rest of the 7th inning, but allowed a loud double to Moreno who led off the Arizona top of the 8th inning. That would be costly two batters later when Del Castillo snuck a single through the left side of the infield giving the Diamondbacks a more significant 5-2 lead.
Matt Svanson was the Cardinals bullpen answer for the rest of the 8th inning, but the beneficiary was the Arizona Diamondbacks fantasy league stats. He immediately walked Tawa and then gave up a single to Vargas to load the bases. Tyler Locklear got in on the singles parade, too, which scored Del Castillo increasing the Diamondbacks lead to 6-2. That brought former Cardinal Nolan Arenado to the plate with the bases loaded and after he received a nice ovation, he (you guessed it) singled scoring yet another run giving Arizona a 7-2 lead. To add to the St. Louis misery, Corbin Carroll managed a sacrifice fly giving the Diamondbacks an even 8 runs which might as well have been 50 the way the Cardinals offense has struggled lately. To add to the degree of difficulty, Matt Svanson walked Perdomo to load the bases (again). That gave Moreno the chance to hit (wait for it) a single which upped the Arizona lead to 9-2. The Diamondbacks scored another run in the top of the 9th to make it 10-2, but does it really matter?
I would love for this to be the part where I document how the Cardinals offense exploded for a late inning rally, those of us who have been paying attention lately know that’s not realistic. St. Louis went down in order in the bottom of the 8th inning but the bottom of the 9th inning showed some positive energy. We did get a couple of runs on a Bryan Torres single with JJ Wetherholt and Nathan Church on base to make the score a slightly less disgusting at 10-4. Alec Burleson and Lars Nootbaar singles would add tallies making the game appear much more interesting than it actually was at 10-6. The truth is the 4 runs the Cardinals managed to score in the bottom of the 9th inning made the collapse of the bullpen even more aggravating. Imagine what Thursday’s game might have been if the relief arms could have kept Arizona from piling on? We’ll never know.
There’s no way to frame the Cardinals performance Thursday as anything other than disappointing. St. Louis could have leapfrogged Arizona in the Wild Card standings Thursday. Instead, they made many of us wonder if a winning record the remainder of this season is even possible. The upcoming series against the Reds and Cubs will likely decide the fate of this team as it approaches the trade deadline.
The St. Louis Cardinals begin a crucial 3-game series against their NL Central rivals Cincinnati Reds Friday night. Dustin May will take the mound for the Cardinals while the villains Reds will start RHP Rhett Lowder. First pitch is scheduled for 7:15pm central time and the TV broadcast will be handled by Cardinals.tv.
Donald Trump holds up a World Series championship ring gifted to him by Dodgers owner Mark Walter.Photograph: Shawn Thew/EPA
Donald Trump hosted the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers at the White House on Thursday for the team’s second trip to the White House in two years.
The team gave the president a custom jersey and a World Series championship ring during a ceremony at the Rose Garden. Four-time MVP Shohei Ohtani, star first baseman Freddie Freeman, World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto and manager Dave Roberts were among those in attendance, while several players – most notably star shortstop Mookie Betts and utility man Kike Hernández – opted not to attend.
“Special winners, unbelievable,” Trump said. “I would not be surprised to see them back here again.”
In remarks that also included lengthy tangents on former Yankees owner George Steinbrenner and the renovation of the Rose Garden, Trump complimented several Dodgers players while also confusing the roles of some others. He made a lengthy comparison between Ohtani and legendary slugger Babe Ruth, and praised Clayton Kershaw, the Dodgers ace who pitched an inning of last year’s epic World Series Game 3 win over the Blue Jays in 18 innings.
“I watched him beat a lot of teams. They didn’t do too well against him. He is still pitching well, I bet,” Trump said of Kershaw, who retired after last year’s World Series.
Trump said he spoke with Roberts before the event and expressed surprise at the Dodgers’ status this season as the best team in baseball, but noted he’s “been a little busy with Iran and some other things”.
The team gave Trump what appeared to be a replica of their championship ring.
“Wow. Do I have to report this?” he said as he put the ring in his jacket. “I don’t want to report this.”
The Dodgers’ trip to the White House left many of their fans with conflicted feelings, given recent ICE raids and protest crackdowns in the city of Los Angeles as ordered by the Trump administration.
Betts, who did not participate in the Boston Red Sox’s trip during Trump’s first term but was there during the Dodgers’ visit last year, told reporters he preferred to spend the day with his family. Hernández, an outspoken critic of the ICE raids in Los Angeles, said he had a conflicting injury rehab assignment but wouldn’t have participated if he was available to join. Pitcher Edgardo Henriquez also reportedly did not attend.
“My personal line, my company line, is I hope we get this invitation every year because that’s the goal, to win a championship,” Roberts said earlier this year after the team accepted the invitation. “I’m not a politician, and I’m doing something that teams have done for decades. And so that’s where I stand, really. I’m a baseball coach. That’s what I do.”
Teams who have won a major championship have traditionally been invited to the White House to celebrate their victory with the president. During Trump’s first term, several teams were not invited or made clear they would not attend, including champions from the NBA and the WNBA.
This year, the White House has hosted the Olympic gold-winning US men’s hockey team and the NHL’s Florida Panthers to celebrate championships. The Oklahoma City Thunder, the 2025 NBA champions, opted not to visit; the owner of the 2026 champion New York Knicks has said Trump invited the team but there has been no decision made on whether they will attend.
For parts of three decades, the New Jersey Devils were set in goal with Martin Brodeur. He is the NHL's all-time leader in games, wins, and shutouts, and is considered to be one of the greatest who ever lived.
Following Brodeur was Cory Schneider, who was incredible for a couple of years, but the team around him was mostly lousy and didn't take advantage of his ability. Following the decline of Schneider, the Devils haven't been able to lock it down since.
Mackenzie Blackwood looked like he could have been that guy, but injuries forced him to bounce around before he finally got healthy with the Colorado Avalanche.
The Devils tried to bring in a veteran with Jacob Markstrom, but he didn't work out well either. Now, after trading him to the Florida Panthers, they are heading down a path of a goalie rotation in 2026-27.
It isn't likely what Sunny Mehta really wants to do in net, but Jake Allen, Nico Daws, and David Rittich are all under contract and expecting to play.
Mehta did make some moves this off-season that suggest he wants them to get back to their winning ways, which makes sense because they have multiple great young players in their prime.
If he wants to make the goaltending situation less of a gamble, there are two out there who have been difference makers in the past.
First, you have Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck, who has been on the trade block since the beginning of the off-season.
Hellebuyck, to put it truthfully, has been one of the best goalies in NHL history. Ahead of backstopping Team USA to its first Olympic Gold Medal in 46 years in February, he won the Vezina Trophy 3 times and even has a Hart Trophy as league MVP.
If you put Hellebuyck on this Devils team, their odds to win the division and make a deep run in the playoffs will skyrocket. It would take a lot to make a trade like this, but a goalie like him is worth it all.
It seems like the Jets are for sure going to deal him before training camp begins, but a lot of teams are interested in his talents.
There is also St. Louis Blues goalie Jordan Binnington. There is some risk in acquiring him, as he is older and definitely not as good as Hellebuyck, but he'd be an upgrade over what New Jersey currently has.
There is also the idea that playing on a winning team again revitalizes him. When he was playing for Team Canada at the Olympics as their main starter, he was as good as he needed to be. It took that brilliant Jack Hughes goal in overtime to beat him.
Binnington's performance at the Olympics also came one year after winning the 4-Nations Face-Off with Canada one year prior. His Stanley Cup-winning experience (2019 with the Blues) helped him in that tournament, and it would certainly help him if he were to be traded to the New Jersey Devils.
If the Devils let their current situation roll into the season and it doesn't work out, they may need to circle back and evaluate the position. If these two are off the board by then, they will need to pivot, so why not try now?
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GLENDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 23: Manager Dan Wilson #6 (L) and assistant hitting coach Bobby Magallanes #70 of the Seattle Mariners look on during a spring training game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Camelback Ranch on February 23, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Magallanes joined the staff prior to the 2025 season along with hitting coach Kevin Seitzer, both of whom had been unceremoniously fired by Atlanta after the 2024 season when the Braves finished the season 89-73. That mark was good for second place in the AL East, but broke the Braves’ streak of six consecutive division titles, even though Atlanta still qualified for the playoffs, where they were swept by the Padres in the Wild Card series. It was a surprising move at the time, and looked on with consternation by many Atlanta fans as Seitzer and Magallanes went on to help the 2025 Mariners get deeper into the playoffs than any other Mariners team in history, making it all the way to the ALCS.
But baseball is often a sport of what-have-you-done-for-me-lately, and the Mariners, floundering after a 3-3 homestand against two of the worst teams in the NL, opted to make a move to try to spark some offense. While bold staffing changes is a common mid-season move among teams that are dramatically failing to live up to expectations, it’s curious that Seitzer and Magallanes – long regarded as a package deal and sharing a similar hitting philosophy – weren’t both let go. The ineptitude of the Mariners offense, last or near the bottom of the list in most offensive categories, is obvious, but like the 2024 Braves, Seattle’s lineup has been wracked by injuries that have affected, at least temporarily, basically every member of the Opening Day roster except second baseman Cole Young [knocks on wood, pours salt circle, extends giant protective umbrella over Cole]. Furthermore, the bilingual Magallanes was a popular figure in the clubhouse, known for his “heck yeah, shoot yeah!” exclamation after wins or offensive outbursts; the deeply religious Magallanes was also a faith leader on the staff, something that resonated with hitters and pitchers alike.
While Seitzer preached an overall hitting mindset and approach, Magallanes’s role on staff was to be responsible for more of the nuts-and-bolts mechanical adjustments, something Director of Hitting Edgar Martinez (who remains on staff) also focuses on, so the team might be looking for a new voice to fill that particular role and hopefully create some better on-field results.
To do that, they’ve promoted Ed Paparella, the Mariners’ minor-league hitting coordinator, to a major-league role. The Mariners actually signed Paparella back in 2021 as a free agent out of South Alabama, and while he never played professionally, he quickly ascended the ranks of the minor leagues. At 31, Paparella is more than two decades younger than the 56-year-old Magallanes, and three decades younger than Martinez or Seitzer, perhaps providing more of a peer-adjacent perspective for the Mariners and creating some age diversity on the hitting staff. Paparella is young, but he’s also deeply rooted in the Mariners team culture and the mental skills side of hitting – on his Twitter account (paps_swings) he references The Mental Game of Tennis, a popular tome among Mariners mental skills coaches, and studies coaches from across the sports world to glean insights, similar to former Mariners farm director Andy McKay.
The firing of Magallanes recalls the firing of hitting coordinator Jarret DeHart in August of 2024, in the midst of another disappointing season for the Mariners; the 31-year-old DeHart, who was with the Mariners from 2021 to 2024, is now the hitting coordinator for the Yankees, who currently rank sixth in baseball (second in the AL) in team wRC+.
The team has not yet officially commented on Magallanes’s dismissal; this story will be updated with any and all relevant quotes.
The Calgary Flames are rebuilding, which means that over the past couple of seasons, they have drafted high and found some great prospects at the podium or through trades. Arguably one of the best prospects to come through the system recently is star goalie Dustin Wolf, who is one of the cornerstones of the franchise's future championship plans.
Recently, The Athletic's Scott Wheeler released his rankings of the NHL's Top 100 Drafted Prospects, and the Flames had seven skaters on the list, the second most of any club besides the Chicago Blackhawks, who had eight. Today, we take a look at those players and what they are up to for the 2026-27 season.
Flames Prospects All Over The Athletic's Top 100 Rankings
One of Calgary's brightest prospects is defenseman Zayne Parekh, who ranked 6th overall, behind Gavin McKenna (Toronto), Ivar Stenberg (San Jose), Peter Martone (Philadelphia), Michael Misa (San Jose), and Chase Reid (Seattle). Drafted with the 9th overall pick in 2024, Parekh tore up the OHL before making his NHL debut on April 17, 2025.
Last year, he played 37 NHL games, collecting nine points with five more in four AHL games. Heading into the new season, Parekh will be on the Flames' blueline and a key player in the team's push to avoid the NHL Draft Lottery.
The only other Calgary player to crack the Top 25 was defenseman Carson Carels, ranked 11th, who has yet to debut in the NHL but recently committed to the University of North Dakota for the 2026-27 season. Over the previous three years in the WHL with the Prince George Cougars, he tallied 111 points in 125 games.
Interestingly, the next two Flames prospects rank in the 30s, with Matvei Gridin at 31st and Cole Reschny at 38th. Last year, Gridin played almost a full year of professional hockey, skating 37 games with the Flames and scoring 20 points, while dressing for 37 games with the Calgary Wranglers and scoring 30 points. At this point, he's a lock to remain in Calgary and split time again between the Flames and Wranglers.
Meanwhile, Reschny is 19 and slated to play his second season with the University of North Dakota, teaming up with Carels, who just transferred. In 2025-26, Reschny scored six goals and 35 points in 36 games, collecting another five points at the recent U20 World Juniors.
Outside of the Top 75, three Flames prospects rounded out the list, including Cullen Potter, ranked 86th overall, Hunter Brzustewicz, ranked 90th overall, and the last prospect on the list, Ethan Wyttenbach, ranked 100th overall.
Of course, Calgary fans will always associate Potter with Jonathan Huberdeau and Matthew Tkachuk, as he was the first-round pick attached to their blockbuster deal in 2022. Also at 19, he's about to begin his third season in the NCAA, switching schools from Arizona State University to Michigan State University for the upcoming season.
Instead of taking a step forward after his first professional hockey season in 2024-25, Brzustewicz kinda stumbled through the previous campaign, scoring just seven points in 34 games with the Flames and 13 points in 34 games with the Wranglers. After outstanding campaigns in the OHL, he produced 32 points in 70 games as an AHL rookie two years ago.
Finally, 2025 fifth-round pick Wyttenbach found himself on the list after back-to-back 20-goal campaigns in the USHL and NCAA. He's currently committed to Quinnipiac University for the 2026-27 season, hoping to improve on a 59-point campaign as an 18-year-old.
As mentioned in the opening, the Flames are rebuilding, and The Athletic believes they are headed in the right direction based on how many of the club's prospects are in the rankings. Even though Calgary came close to a playoff spot two years ago, they spent most of 2025-26 near the bottom of the standings, a place they could be next season too. However, if the fanbase can remain patient, success is just around the corner.
Detroit Tigers left fielder Riley Greene (31) bats against Philadelphia Phillies during the second inning at Comerica Park in Detroit on Sunday, July 12, 2026. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Detroit Tigers (48-54) vs. Kansas City Royals (43-60)
Time/Place: 6:40 p.m., Comerica Park SB Nation Site:Royals Review Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network Pitching Matchup: RHP Troy Melton (5-1, 1.80 ERA) vs. RHP Randy Dobnak (0-0, 1.93 ERA)
A tiger statue is seen inside Comerica Park during Opening Day as the Detroit Tigers host the St. Louis Cardinals in Detroit on Friday, April 3, 2026. | David Rodriguez Muñoz / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
After winning five of six at home to begin the second half of the season, the Royals hit the road for a ten-game road trip with the first four taking place against the Detroit Tigers.
Checking out the Tigers’ X page, it looks like they’re celebrating 125 years of baseball. This old-timey scorecard looks kind of cool. I had first wondered if this was an all-season type of celebration, but this souvenir item, at least, is specifically for the Royals-Tigers series.
Jac Caglianone out of the lineup, but acting manager Paul Hoover said he could be available off the bench. Salvador Perez batting fourth as he looks to break the Royals’ all-time home run record, which he currently shares with George Brett. The funny thing about Salvy is that, sure, he could break it tonight, but I could also seem him go into a power drought that lasts the entire road trip so that he doesn’t break the record until the Royals return to Kansas City.
The Royals will face right-handed pitcher Troy Melton.
Randy Dobnak faces a Detroit lineup with some intriguing hitters. Both Kevin McGonigle and Dillon Dingler are having excellent seasons at the plate to the point where the former could very well win the Rookie of the Year award while the latter could get some MVP votes. Riley Greene continues his solid career with another above-average year. Former first-overall pick Spencer Torkelson, though, is struggling, and James Outman has a horrible name for a batter.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - JULY 23: Petey Halpin #0 celebrates with Patrick Bailey #16 of the Cleveland Guardians after Bailey hit a solo home run during the fifth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Progressive Field on July 23, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Guardians lost 3-1 in 12 innings to the Twins.
Look, folks, I am frustrated, so the less said the better.
Gavin Williams was amazing pitching seven scoreless, allowing two hits, no walks and striking out eleven.
Hunter Gaddis did not have his best performance, walking two batters, then Cade Smith was brought in and allowed the tying run to score. But, you cannot expect your pitching staff to be perfect. That’s unrealistic.
The Twins bullpen is bad. Twins fans will tell you that. And yet they allowed ONE hit to the Guardians in five innings today. Patrick Bailey’s homer provided the Guardians’ only run.
I am jealous of Petey Halpin who got to slap Grant Fink on Monday. Ah well. On to Tampa.
It is tough to sweep a four-game series, unless you are the impossibly hot Boston Red Sox. Perhaps Shane Bieber took it upon himself to make Kyle Snyder, Kevin Cash, and the front office beliebers and effort to acquire him before the August 3rd deadline. Bieber had his second consecutive fantastic outing since the break with seven innings of one-run baseball allowing just three baserunners before handing it over to the A-pen to finish the game.
This was the type of game Toronto envisioned this winter, but has rarely been able to put together throguhout this frustrating season. The three runs scored today was the most runs the team has scored in their last six games, but it was the pitching that was story of the game and why the Rays offense was mostly lifeless today.
Bieber himself had just 8 swings and misses on 39 pitches, but he did a fantastic job working an extremely liberal strike zone to his advantage for seven innings:
The zone was questionable all day, but it was not until the 7th inning that any Rays batter challenged a pitch. Jonny DeLuca challenged a first pitch cutter that was well off the plate and had it overturned:
There were not many pitches more aggregiously wrong than this one, but Bieber certainly enjoyed a fair number of favorable strike calls in this contest yet the Rays were stubborn in using their challenges until DeLuca apparently had enough in the 7th inning:
The Rays sole run nearly did not happen because Hunter Feduccia nearly had his own J.T. Realmuto moment as he appeared to believe Yandy Diaz’s single had been caught because he first stopped running, then momentarily started back to third base, before hurrying home:
It is said a picture can say a thousand words, and since the highlight video cut off this moment, I will simply share this picture and let you use your imagination as to what Cash was thinking:
The lack of offense wasted what was a solid outing by the combination of Casey Legumina and Ian Seymour. They struck out 9 while wakling three batters and the only egregious run was the third run of the game when Myle Straw easily stole second base on a play which was two parts a bad throw by Feduccia and one part an inattentive hold of Straw by Seymour. Straw would come around to score on an RBI single by Vladimir Guerrero Jr, which could have been a very close play at the plate with a more accurage throw by Victor Mesa Jr:
The Rays will bring home a two-game lead to Tropican Field where they open with a homestand against a fully healthy Cleveland club while the Rays leverage their top three pitchers in the series.
Credit to Bieber for using the zone afforded to him and showing a potential new employer what he could bring to the team down the stretch when everything is working.
Jul 23, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays designated hitter George Springer (4) gets doused with a sport drink by first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (27) and center fielder Myles Straw (3) following a win over the Tampa Bay Rays during the ninth inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Rays 1 Blue Jays 3
WE SCORED THREE RUNS!
It isn’t like we had a lot of hits, just seven (with three walks). But it was enough
We scored a run in each of the first, third and seventh innings:
First: With two out, Ernie Clement singled. George Springer walked. And Alejandro Kirk singled home Ernie. Well, Kirk dribbled one down the third base line, which Junior Caminero, apparently not knowing Kirk was the one running to first, tried to bare hand, and failed. He had more time than he thought.
Third: Yohendrick Yohendrick doubled (our hardest hit ball of the day at 108.2, also had our second hardest, 106.8 ground out) leading off. He did a nice job as leadoff hitter today. After two outs, George Springer singled him home.
Seventh: Myles Straw led off with a walk (he challenged, and was right, two pitches). He stole second and scored on a Guerrero single. Vlad was caught stealing after, but up two and two out, I was ok with him trying to get into scoring position.
Vlad and George (with a walk) had two hits each. Yohendrick, Clement, and Kirk had the others. We did have nine strikeouts, but it was a massive offensive day by Jays July standards.
Shane Bieber went seven scoreless innings, allowing 3 hits, 1 earned, with 3 strikeouts. He did have a lot of great defense behind him. Straw made an amazing catch in center in the first inning. Okamoto made three terrific plays at third. Ernie made a great play at short.
There were also some lesser plays. Yohendrick had a ball fall at his feet, which I thought should have been a hit and which cost us the run against. Davis had a ball fall in left that I thought he should have caught.
Tyler Rogers and Louis Varland each pitched a good inning of relief without allowing a baserunner. Hold and save number 21 respectively.
Bieber came out at 86. There was some complaining about it, but I liked getting him out of there with a great start, when we have two guys who can consistently give us clean innings.
Jays of the Day: Bieber (0.35 WPA) and Springer (0.18). Let’s give honorary mention to Rogers and Varland. And to Straw for that catch in the first. If that hits the ground, it’s a double, and the game might have gone differently.
Other Award: Urias (-0.09). Okamoto also had the number but he had three terrific plays on defense, so I’m not going to give him the ‘honour’.
Tomorrow the Red Sox are in town to start a three game series. Trey Yesavage (4-5, 3.78) vs. Patrick Sandoval (0-0, 4.82, just 9.1 innings).
