LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JULY 29: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers checks on Cal Raleigh #29 of the Seattle Mariners after a foul ball during the third inning against the Seattle Mariners at Dodger Stadium on July 29, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Mariners lost another one of these.
The lineup struggled for most of eight innings on Wednesday, before the bottom of the order scratched a run across in the eighth. They’d get another in the ninth. But the Dodgers lineup put tons of pressure on Emerson Hancock and the Mariners defense, eventually taking game two of the series 4-2.
Hancock got the ball in what could be his final game with the team. The Mariners are reportedly willing to trade a starter, and that could very well be Hancock. I’m not sure he did much to change his trade value. He was solid and unspectacular. He worked five innings, picked up five strikeouts on five whiffs, and gave up three runs on eight hits, including a homer. The defense behind him was bad, which didn’t help. Some of the shock value from his surprising season has worn off, but that there’d be a whole “Emerson Hancock trade deadline” storyline to this season is latest thing that would have liquified my brain not four months ago.
In the bottom of the first, Hancock hung a sweeper to Andy Pages, who yanked it into the left field seats. He also struck out three batters in the inning, including Shohei Ohtani.
In the third, a pair of singles put runners on the corners with one out for Freddie Freeman. Hancock exploded his bat producing a squibbed at Weston Wilson, who dove on the ball like a grenade. While heroic, this isn’t generally the way you want to dive on a ball as an infielder, and the Dodgers scored a second run. Hancock would wrestle out of the jam.
In the fourth, Mookie Betts singled up the middle to lead off, and Teoscar Hernandez doubled to right center on a ball that Julio Rodríguez might have caught in previous years — he met the ball just ahead of the warning, track, but seemed to pull up while checking the fence and let it drop. Hancock then intentionally walked Ohtani to load the bases. This time, Pages hit the ball that gave Wilson fits, making the game 3-0.
The bullpen was fine, aside from Michael Rucker giving up a single and an RBI double to Ohtani to make the game 4-0.
The Mariners struggled against crafty lefty Eric Lauer, who gave up one hit and one walk in six innings. The Mariners would get there second hit when Wilson doubled off Tanner Scott in the eighth. Mitch Garver looked like he’d immediately picked up another with a hard liner deep to left. But Hernandez flagged it down with an awkward leap into the chainlink fence, snaring it from the top of the wall.
Cole Young would follow with a single to give the Mariners their first run. And they’d get a second in the ninth inning on a doubles from Dominic Canzone and Josh Naylor. But they couldn’t figure things out in time. They’ll have a chance to take a series from the Dodgers in Los Angeles on Thursday.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 29: Lawrence Butler #4 of the Athletics rounds the bases on a solo home run against the Boston Red Sox in the bottom of the fifth inning at Sutter Health Park on July 29, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Athletics faced the Boston Red Sox in the third game of a four-game series at Sutter Health Park. The Red Sox won 4-2 in ten innings, giving them a chance to claim the series with a victory in the finale. The back-and-forth game featured missed opportunities from both teams, as the A’s were unable to get a clutch hit in several key situations.
Early Scoring Chances Wasted
A’s starter Jacob Lopez worked around two walks in a 27-pitch scoreless first inning. In the bottom of the first, Red Sox pitcher Patrick Sandoval hit A’s first baseman Nick Kurtz on the wrist, causing discomfort for the hosts’ star slugger.
The A’s left Kurtz at second base, as Sandoval struck out Tyler Soderstrom to end the inning. Because of his forearm contusion, Kurtz did not take the field in the second inning. Jeff McNeil replaced him at first base. Second baseman Alika Williams made a diving catch to end the top of the second.
Heim Time
Catcher Jonah Heim led off the bottom of the second inning with a solo home run, the 500th hit of his career and his 11th homer of the season, giving the A’s a 1-0 lead.
In the fourth inning, three singles set up a bases-loaded, one out situation for the Red Sox. Lopez escaped unscathed by getting Red Sox’ catcher Connor Wong to ground into an inning-ending 4-6-3 double play.
The Red Sox tied the game in the fifth inning. Left fielder Jahmai Jones led off the frame with his fourth home run of the season, a solo shot to left field off Lopez. The A’s starter responded by striking out the next three batters, keeping the game tied at 1.
Butler Resurgence
The A’s immediately re-took the lead in the bottom of that inning. Facing Sandoval, right fielder Lawrence Butler led off the inning with a solo home run to center, his sixth of the season, putting the hosts up 2-1. With one out, shortstop Jacob Wilson singled. He then moved to second on McNeil’s single. Sandoval limited the damage by striking out the next two hitters, ending the inning with the A’s unable to add to their lead.
Lopez exited with a runner on second and one out in the sixth inning. He turned in another strong start, allowing two runs, one earned on seven hits in 5 1/3 innings. He walked two batters, while striking out eight.
Right-hander Hayden Juenger entered out of the A’s bullpen and could not strand his inherited runner. With two outs, second baseman Nick Sogard singled to center, bringing home the tying run. A’s third baseman Tommy White’s dropped foul popup hurt his team that inning. Boston’s runner would not have advanced to second base if the ball had been caught.
High-Stress Innings
Juenger stayed in the game to pitch the seventh inning with the score tied at 2. He got two outs, although gave up a double and a walk. Right-hander Elvis Alvarado replaced Juenger and induced Red Sox designated hitter Romy Gonzalez to ground out with the bases loaded. For the second time tonight, the A’s prevented Boston from scoring with the bases juiced.
Red Sox reliever Justin Slaten pitched the bottom of the seventh. With two outs, Wilson reached on a fielding error, and McNeil followed with his second single of the night. White struck out for the third time, stranding two runners in scoring position.
The visitors got a runner on second with no outs in the eighth inning against Alvarado. The hard-throwing reliever struck out the next two batters before giving way to left-hander Brady Basso, who recorded the final out. Basso remained in the game and pitched a scoreless ninth, escaping trouble after allowing back-to-back singles with two outs.
A’s Blow It
Butler led off the bottom of the ninth with a double against Red Sox closer Aroldis Chapman. Donovan Walton followed with a sacrifice bunt, advancing Butler to third. The hosts squandered that golden game-winning chance, as Chapman struck out Wilson and McNeil to send the game to extra innings.
The Red Sox took advantage in the tenth inning. Shortstop Andruw Monasterio hit a two-run home run against A’s left-hander Jose Suarez to give the visitors a 4-2 lead. That was the final score, as the A’s went down one-two-three in the bottom of the tenth against Boston reliever Greg Weissert, who recorded his first save of the season.
Analysis and Look-Ahead
The Athletics finished the game 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position, leaving ten on base in another frustrating offensive display. Wilson needs to stop swinging at everything, as that approach is not sustainable for long-term success and it cost his team tonight. Additionally, another takeaway was the disparity between the two bullpens. Boston’s relief corps threw five shutout innings, while the A’s beleaguered bullpen surrendered the lead and faced several high-pressure situations through the final few innings.
The A’s will look to salvage a series split tomorrow evening. The pitching matchup will feature former A’s player Sonny Gray against Mason Barnett.
It took 110 games, but the Astros have finally returned to the .500 mark. Astros 7 Angels. 4. The victory would represent a sweep in Anaheim, while securing a 5-1 road trip. The Astros (55-55) have now won 8 of their last 9. In contrast, after suffering the loss, the Angels (42-67) are now 25 games under .500.
Hayden Wesneski’s (W, 1-0) return from Tommy John’s surgery was initially problematic. Zach Neto drew a leadoff walk and moved over on Mike Trout ‘s double. They’d each score on Vaughn Grissom’s double. Grissom would come home on Jo Adell’s 61st RBI of the season and just like that, it was 3-0. All told, five of the first six batters would reach safely.
In the top of the 2nd, Yanier Diaz would launch a 425-foot blast to get the Astros on the board. It was Diaz’s 7th homer of the season. The next inning, Jeremy Pena would take a hanging slider from Grayson Rodriguez and deposit it over the centerfield wall. Pena has now hit 6 home runs over the last week and is riding an 11-game hitting streak. Rodriguez would eventually load the bases that inning, but the Astros failed to do additional damage. He would exit after five innings of work. Mitch Farris (L, 0-3) would come on for Rodriguez and immediately run into trouble, the biggest hit coming off the bat of Cam Smith. His two-run double would give Houston their first lead of the night at 4-3. Prior to that double, Cam was mired in a 2-42 slump. Farris would allow a total of three earned runs in the 6th, while walking three.
Wesneski would eventually get into a rhythm and settle down after the opening nerves took hold. He’d come out after 79 pitches in the bottom of the 6th inning. His return to the mound took 451 days. Final stat line: 5 2/3 innings with 3 ER on 7 hits. He’d allow a pair of walks and strike out four, receiving praise from Joe Espada and teammates alike.
In the 7th, Houston would add an insurance run. Yanier Diaz would bring home a hustling Jose Altuve who’d score all the way from first on an RBI single. That made things 6-3. Yanier for the night would register four hits. The Angels would score in the bottom of the 8th on Jo Adell’s second RBI of the night. Houston reclaimed that run on Denzer Guzman’s throwing error in the 9th which allowed Christian Walker to score.
Bryan Abreu (S, 7) would come on and record four outs in earning the save.
What a difference a week makes. The Astros now sit just 1 game back from the Rangers for first place in the AL West. Houston begins a 3-game series with Texas Friday at Daikin Park.
Odds & Ends:
The last time the Astros swept a series in Anaheim was back in September of 2024.
With an intentional walk in the 6th inning, Yordan Alvarez now has 19 on the season. He leads the majors.
Jose Altuve registered a pair of hits for a second consecutive game.
The Astros begin a 6 game homestand on Friday Night vs the division-leading Rangers. Hunter Brown will take the hill in search of his third win.
Holmes, in his second minor league rehab appearance in his comeback from a broken fibula, fired four scoreless innings for Single-A St. Lucie on Tuesday. He will throw a bullpen session later in the week before a next step is determined, according to interim manager Andy Green.
“Obviously anybody can count out and see where we are five days [from Tuesday] and it’s Sunday before the deadline,” Green said before the Mets beat the Braves 3-2 in Game 1 of a doubleheader split. “There is a decision to be made around that.”
Holmes and Freddy Peralta are the Mets’ primary starting pitchers that figure to be dealt. Holmes, who has pitched to a 2.39 ERA in nine starts this year, can opt out of his contract after this season.
Mets starter Clay Holmes throws a pitch in the first inning against the Athletics in April. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
Francisco Alvarez had a .981 OPS in 15 games since July 3 as play began in the doubleheader nightcap. Alvarez delivered an RBI double in the fifth inning to break a scoreless tie in Game 1.
“Since I have sat in this seat over the last month, he’s had really good at-bats,” Green said. “I see someone who swings with confidence. He impacts the ball like very few guys in the game. It comes off hot. There’s power — a huge hit in the gap for us today.”
Carson Benge’s RBI double in the seventh inning gave the Mets a 3-2 lead in Game 1. It was the fourth go-ahead RBI for Benge this season in the seventh inning or later, which tied him for fourth in MLB in that category.
Mets pitchers had compiled a 3.09 ERA, the third-lowest mark in MLB since the All-Star break, heading into the nightcap.
The bullpen’s 2.23 ERA was the lowest in the National League and third lowest in the major leagues.
The Dodgers had waited three months to see Edwin Díaz back on the mound, and all year for him to look like himself.
So on Wednesday night, when the trumpets began to blare and he came trotting out of the bullpen to begin the ninth inning, it almost felt like the trade deadline had come early at a jubilant Chavez Ravine.
“I was trying to calm my emotions,” Díaz said. “And as soon as I got to the mound, it was, ‘Let’s go. Let’s make pitches. Let’s win the game.’”
In the Dodgers’ 4-2 win over the Mariners, Díaz and the Dodgers did.
In what marked his first appearance since April 19 –– having been activated from the injured list pregame following a three-month absence recovering from an elbow procedure –– Díaz was not flawless in a one-run ninth.
The Dodgers had waited three months to see Edwin Díaz back on the mound. AP Photo/Scott Strazzante
He gave up a ground-rule double to Dominic Canzone with one out. Then he watched another double off the bat of Josh Naylor sail over Kyle Tucker’s glove in right field.
Still, given a soft landing spot with a three-run lead in his first outing back, he limited the damage there, collected his fifth save of the season, and took a long-awaited first step in what he hopes is a resurgent closing stretch to the year.
“My first game back, I was a little bit anxious,” Díaz said. “But I threw strikes, I made pitches, and at the end of the day got the W.”
Most encouraging for Díaz on Wednesday was the renewed life behind his trademark fastball, which was up more than a full tick from his early-season struggles (averaging 96.9 mph) and topped out at 98.9 mph (harder than any he had thrown in his 10 outings at the start of the year).
The Mariners, who have seemingly been hunting fastball all series, did connect for plenty of hard contact, including a couple deep flyouts that were hit over 100 mph off the bat.
But then, Díaz adjusted, ending the game with a slider that Luke Raley rolled over to first.
“The velocity, the stuff was really good,” manager Dave Roberts said. “Obviously he gave up a run. But again, just kind of getting our bullpen back to being whole, closer to being whole, was great. Just getting him back on the team was exciting.”
In the Dodgers’ 4-2 win over the Mariners, Díaz was not flawless in what marked his first appearance since April. AP Photo/Scott StrazzanteMost encouragingly for Díaz, his fastball had renewed life, up more than a full tick from his early-season struggles at 96.9 mph. AP Photo/Scott Strazzante
Indeed, Díaz showed no ill signs of the elbow injury that had sidelined him since April, when he underwent a procedure to have loose bodies removed from his elbow.
He said pregame that both the elbow and knee discomfort that plagued him back then –– when he had a 10.50 ERA before going on the injured list –– had finally dissipated.
The best part of his outing came before he even threw a pitch, with Díaz’s iconic entrance music –– “Narco” by the appropriately named Timmy Trumpet –– prompting a standing ovation from a raucous Dodger Stadium crowd.
Díaz showed no ill signs of the elbow injury that had sidelined him since April 19. AP Photo/Scott Strazzante
Most fans –– who had been gifted Díaz bobbleheads on his serendipitous giveaway night –– pulled out their phones to record his entrance.
One spectator got more creative, holding a plastic beer bat to her lips to imitate the trumpeting tune.
“The fans were into it,” Díaz said. “So that’s really good.”
It was the kind of scene that, for so much of the summer, the Dodgers had missed.
The kind of result that, as the stretch run commences, they hope to get again and again out of their $69 million offseason signing.
“I don’t think anyone expected him to be lights-out, but I think that the pain-free part of it, the velocity, the slider was really good,” Roberts said. “All those things, those are things you can bet on. And, also, given what he’s done throughout his career.”
SACRAMENTO, CA - JULY 28: Andruw Monasterio #32 of the Boston Red Sox throws the ball during the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Athletics at Sutter Health Park on Tuesday, July 28, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Jacob Soriano/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Red Sox found themselves in another gritty, low-scoring clash with the Athletics in a post-midnight win (East Coast time) Wednesday night. While Boston left 13 men on base, they did enough with a big swing in extra innings to preserve a 4-2 victory.
Here’s three takeaways from Wednesday night’s win.
SANDOVAL IS SOLID
Boston’s left-hander continued to creep further into game action and gave the Red Sox over 90 pitches and finished five innings, capping the night in style with an ABS-assisted strikeout to strand two runners.
Sandoval allowed two earned runs on a pair of solo shots while he racked up seven strikeouts. The veteran is more than capable of taking the ball with solid production down the stretch, even as he builds up his workload following a long injury recovery that finally allowed him to begin his tenure with the Red Sox.
SOGARD SPARK Nick Sogard got the call back to The Show after the ill-afforded injury loss of Curtis Mead to the injured list. As everyone saw during the Wild Card series last October, Sogard can offer a jolt of energy and hustle when his number is called in occasional big-league opportunities.
He stepped up again with a run-scoring single in the sixth inning to even the score and make an impact in his return to the lineup.
OVER .500 IN EXTRAS
The Red Sox moved to 4-3 in extra innings this season thanks to Andruw Monasterio’s longest home run of the season (428 feet) and an unlikely Greg Weissert save to nail down the victory and keep Boston in the driver’s seat to win the series Thursday.
The San Diego Padres’ top prospect, catcher Ethan Salas, the only Friar prospect in the MLB top 100, was promoted from Double-A San Antonio to Triple-A El Paso today and was available for today’s game versus the Albuquerque Isotopes.
Salas, 20, will be the youngest player for the Chihuahuas by a large margin. First baseman Romeo Sanabria, 24, is the next youngest player for El Paso. He will also be the youngest Triple-A player in the league.
Salas, who missed most of the 2025 season to a back injury, has played in 72 games this season for Double-A San Antonio with a .286/.361/.417 batting line and leads the team in OBP. He has seven home runs and 13 doubles with 37 RBI in a league that suppresses hitting and is now going to one of the most hitter-friendly leagues in MILB.
Salas started the season hitting over .300 in both April and May with an over .500 slugging percentage in both months. He slumped in June, hitting .156 in 12 games with an oblique injury that sent him to the injured list later in the month. After returning to the team in July, Salas has returned to form with a .321 average in 16 games but has not hit a home run since May.
There has been some speculation that Salas has grown fatigued after missing most of last season and moving him to El Paso could give him a lift to end his season.
Salas is considered an MLB-level catcher and only needs to refine his offense to be MLB-ready for the Padres.
MLB Pipeline has Salas as the No. 30 overall prospect in baseball, and he is ranked the No. 3 catching prospect.
The young catcher throws right-handed but bats left-handed and has flashed most of his power against right-handed pitchers but has two home runs of his seven versus lefties. He was ranked as the top international prospect when signed in 2023 for $5.6 million. Salas debuted as a Single-A catcher at the age of 17 and has been at least four years younger than any other player in each league he has played in since then.
Jeremiah Estrada returns
The Padres activated RHP Jeremiah Estrada from the injured list after completing his rehab from the right knee inflammation that landed him on the 15-day IL in June. He began his rehab with the ACL Padres on July 17 and then was transferred to El Paso on July 21. In 3.2 innings of rehab action over the two teams, Estrada allowed one hit and no runs. His fastball topped out at 96 mph with El Paso, very close to his top velocity with the Padres.
In a corresponding move, RHP Matt Waldron was designated for assignment. He has been out of options all season and will have to clear waivers to stay in the organization. If he is claimed off waivers, it will be the end of Waldron’s tenure as a Padre.
The San Diego Padres signed 20 of the 21 players they drafted in the 2026 MLB amateur draft as well as nine undrafted free agents. Their top draft pick, RHP Coleman Borthwick, 18, was considered the top right-handed high school pitcher available in the draft. At 6-foot-6 and 255 pounds, Borthwick has already topped out his fastball at 100 mph. He also has a quality slider and has toyed with a changeup, which he hasn’t really needed at the high school level.
His command is considered advanced for his level, and his delivery has been consistent. Borthwick signed for $3.8 million with the slot bonus for the top pick being $4,224,700.
The one draftee who didn’t sign was 17th-round pick Denton Lord, a high school teammate of Borthwick. Lord had announced before the draft that he was committed to Mississippi State, but the Padres took a flyer on him anyway. It was not a surprise that he didn’t sign.
Of the rest of the drafted players, second round pick Elliot Lascelles, a high school shortstop, signed for $2.8 million, which was $1.24 million over his slot. Third round pick, RHP Ryan Lynch, signed for $1 million, slightly over his $808,100 slot. Of the other picks in the first 10 rounds, all of them signed for under slot.
Eleventh round pick, first baseman Chris McHugh, signed for $170,000, slightly over the $150,000 recommended maximum for all the rounds after the first 10 rounds. Of the other players selected in the last 10 rounds, LHP Rob Evans (12th round), RHP Ty Brachbill (14th round), RHP Albert Roblez (16th round), catcher Mark Quatrani (18th round), and LHP Chris Downs (19th round) all signed for over slot, with Quatrani getting the maximum over slot at $250,000.
The bonus pool for the Padres in the draft was $9,479,000 and they joined multiple other teams in MLB by going over slot by spending $9,825,000. Eleven teams in total exceeded their slot but all were less than the 5% over that would incur penalties from the league. Their overage of $346,395 was well under the $473,500 that would have put them at the tax level.
Undrafted free agents
Immediately after the draft is completed, teams begin signing players that they scouted but were not selected in the 20 rounds of the draft. The Padres signed nine players, consisting of five pitchers and four outfielders (per Baseball America).
Ryan Gerety, out of Northeastern University, is a power-hitting outfielder who hit .326/.456/.492 with 5 home runs, 20 doubles, 2 triples, and also stole 20 bases. He had more walks than strikeouts.
Logan Satter, out of Legion Collegiate Academy, is a RHP who throws from a ¾ arm slot with a 90-91 mph fastball, a slider and changeup, and throws strikes.
Aidan Cochrane, out of East Lyme (Conn.) HS, is a RHP signed out of high school.
Drew Detlefsen, out of the University of Texas – San Antonio, is a power-hitting outfielder.
Jack Pineau, out of Creighton University, is a right-handed starting pitcher who had a 4.21 ERA in 83.1 innings pitched in 2026.
Tyler Pitzer, out of Mississippi State, is a RHP who has started but is primarily a reliever. He had a 3.90 ERA in 22 appearances and 30 innings with Miss. St.
Josh Sknowronski, out of Winthrop University, is an outfielder who hits for power and had 19 home runs with 27 doubles in 115 games in 2026. He also has speed and could be a center fielder as a pro.
Andrew Wright, out of Cal State Fullerton, is an LHP who pitched out of the bullpen for Fullerton and had a 3.82 ERA in 24 appearances.
Mac Moyer, out of Nebraska University, is an outfielder who played center field for the Huskers. He hit .353 with 13 doubles, 2 triples and 4 home runs in 2026. He is the son of big league LHP Jamie Moyer.
Jul 29, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Eric Lauer (33) throws during the first inning against the Seattle Mariners at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Eric Lauer pitched six scoreless innings, and Andy Pages homered in a three-hit game to lift the Dodgers over the Seattle Mariners 4-2 on Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium.
The veteran left-hander Lauer allowed only a third-inning single to Cole Young and then walked Young in the sixth. Lauer also hit Dominic Canzone with a pitch in the first inning, but that was it through six innings, and none of those three baerunners scored.
Nine times Lauer has pitched for the Dodgers, and he’s completed six innings six times. He’s allowed no more than three runs every time out, with a 2.96 ERA and 4.06 xERA thus far for Los Angeles, compared to a 6.69 ERA and 6.16 xERA in his eight games with Toronto. The Dodgers have won all nine of the games in which Lauer has appeared.
Pages started the scoring with a home run off Emerson Hancock in the first inning, and also doubled home a run in the fourth. The Dodgers strung together three hits in both the third and fourth innings to plate single runs off Hancock, who allowed three runs for just the sixth time in 20 starts this season.
Shohei Ohtani doubled in an insurance run in the sixth, giving him five hits in the last two games.
Seattle scored once in the eighth inning off Tanner Scott, but it could have been worse, were it not for Teoscar Hernández making one of his best defensive plays since joining the Dodgers.
The Dodgers were 34-20 in the first third of their season, and after Wednesday were 34-20 in the middle third of their season. Their regular season is two-thirds complete, on pace for 102 wins.
Roki Sasaki takes the mound in the series finale on Thursday night (7:10 p.m.; SportsNet LA, MLB Network), with Bryce Miller starting for the Mariners.
There were more roster moves and a return to winning for multiple affiliates in the San Diego Padres minor league system last week.
RHP Igor Gil was promoted from Fort Wayne (High-A) to San Antonio (Double-A) while LHP Adler Cecil finished his rehab with the ACL and joined Lake Elsinore (Single-A).
Several rehabbing players also were moved in the system. Catcher Ty Harvey finished his rehab with the ACL team and returned to Lake Elsinore. RHP Ryan Och, who started the season with Fort Wayne, has gone on the IL for the second time. José Leclerc, the 32-year-old major league veteran, completed his time with the ACL and is now with Fort Wayne to continue his rehab.
Catcher Truitt Madonna, who spent time in Arizona on the development list, has been assigned back with Lake Elsinore. RHP Miguel Mendez and LHP Luis Gutierrez, both starters and on the injured list this season with shoulder injuries, will be with Fort Wayne as they rehab from their injuries.
Padres reliever Jeremiah Estrada completed 1.2 innings over three appearances with El Paso this week and allowed no runs. His velocity is not back to normal yet, but he has been effective.
RHSP Matt Watson, who started the season with Fort Wayne but spent some time on the development list, was activated and joined San Antonio.
LHP Jagger Haynes, who had a 4.36 ERA with San Antonio over 94.2 innings pitched, will get a shot at pitching for El Paso. Catcher Victor Duarte, a journeyman minor league fill-in for the Padres organization all season, was sent to the development list when Haynes was promoted.
The Arizona Complex League team completed its season on Thursday with a final record of 34-26. They finished second in the West Division, two games back of the division winner and a game out of the Wild Card standings. The ACL is currently in its playoff finish.
El Paso Chihuahuas (44-57 record, last in the PCL East)
The Chihuahuas lost their series 2-4, the only minor league affiliate to have a losing record this week.
Catcher Blake Hunt has been streaking since his return to El Paso after helping out the major league team while they were dealing with multiple catcher injuries. He hit three home runs over the past week and has a 1.125 slugging percentage since his return.
Since his promotion to Triple-A, Padres prospect Romeo Sanabria has struggled in his first stint at the highest minor league level. He is hitting .184/.273/.204 with four RBI and a double in 15 games since his promotion.
RHP Jhony Brito, who returned to starting with El Paso, has a 1.66 ERA in five games and 21.1 innings pitched. LHP Jagger Haynes made his first start after his promotion on July 24, going 2.1 innings with five runs allowed. He gave up four hits and four walks with four strikeouts in a rude introduction to the Pacific Coast League.
San Antonio Missions (44-52 record, last in Texas League South)
The Missions played to a 3-3 record for the week with outfielder Jake Cunningham continuing to show impressive numbers in his first month in Double-A with the Missions. The former Orioles prospect has 18 home runs for the season and had two doubles, six RBI and a homer for San Antonio last week.
Catcher/DH Ethan Salas has not seen his power production stay consistent; his on-base skills are impressive. He is hitting .320 with a .407 OBP for the month.
RHP Eric Yost pitched a six-inning shutout during the week, allowing three hits and two walks while getting five strikeouts. He started two games during the week, allowing two earned runs while striking out 10 over 10 innings. With San Antonio, Yost has a 3.11 ERA in 16 appearances.
Reliever Tucker Musgrove, who has held his high-90’s fastball through the season, totaled three innings over the weeks with six strikeouts. He has 58 strikeouts over 28.2 innings.
Reliever Garret Hawkins, who has struggled this year and was demoted to San Antonio earlier this season, threw three innings with no runs and two hits while striking out five for the series.
Fort Wayne TinCaps (41-54 record, 4th in Medwest League East)
The TinCaps played to a 4-2 record this past week.
Center fielder Ryan Wideman, struggling with extra-base hits since his promotion, continues to get on base at a .565 clip for the week, but it’s mostly singles. He also continues to steal bases and was successful seven-of-eight times. He leads all of the minor leagues in stolen bases with 57.
Infielder Justin DeCriscio has a .830 OPS since his promotion to Fort Wayne and an .854 OPS for the season.
First baseman Luke Cantwell is slugging .581 since joining the TinCaps with four home runs and 10 RBI in 43 at-bats. Overall, this season, he is hitting .315/.463/.518 with six homers and 40 RBI after being drafted in the 20th round in the 2025 draft.
RHP Bryan Balzer got his first victory since his promotion, going five innings with one hit and no runs. He has made a good adjustment since his first start when he got hit hard. Over 16.2 innings since then, Balzer has a 1.08 ERA and 19 strikeouts.
RHP Jose Leclerc has made three appearances for Fort Wayne since moving his rehab to the TinCaps. They have all been scoreless efforts without any walks and only one hit with two strikeouts.
Lake Elsinore Storm (50-46 2nd in Cal League South)
The Storm played to a 4-2 record over the week and pulled themselves within three games of the division lead.
Shortstop Jorge Quintana, 19, acquired at the last trade deadline from the Brewers in exchange for Brandon Lockridge, has struggled with the bat since coming to the Padres. He had a breakout week, earning Player of the Week honors, with four extra-base hits and eight walks while playing in all six games. He had two doubles, a triple, and a homer but also struck out seven times. His strikeout rate (26.9% in July) is too high, but he is now hitting the ball much more consistently.
Outfielder Qrey Lott leads the active players with a .282 average and an .816 OPS for the season. Outfielder George Bilecki leads a power-starved Storm with five homers on the season while 18-year-old infielder Jose Verdugo has 45 RBI, tops with Lake Elsinore.
RHP Luis Maracara pitched with the ACL team and joined the Storm earlier this month. The 18-year-old out of Venezuela allowed one hit in five innings while striking out five. It was his longest effort since coming stateside after playing last year with the DSL team.
LHP Kruz Schoolcraft is having an uneven rookie season but has good stuff and fluctuating command. He has pitched 64 innings in 17 games started with a 5.77 ERA and 67 strikeouts to 44 walks.
Reliever Yoesmerli Beltre, who pitched in the ACL this season, threw 4.1 scoreless innings for the week and allowed just one hit. He had four strikeouts and no walks in those appearances. In 9.2 innings he has a 2.79 ERA.
DSL Padres
DSL Brown has a 9-30 record, last in the West Division. OF/IF Gabriel Teran, 18, has played for both Gold and Brown this season but is currently the top hitter on the Brown team with a .390/.552/.561 line with 13 games played. He leads the team with two homers.
Infielder/DH Osmy Osorio, 17, has the most RBI with 21 in 29 games played.
Pitching has been a big problem for the Brown team, with no one having less than a 3.86 ERA, either starter or reliever.
The Gold team has a 29-11 record, first place in the Northwest Division. IF/OF Endy Rios leads the Gold team with a .407 batting average in only eight games since moving over from the Brown team.
There is also an issue with power as C/1B/RF Dayquer Alfonzo leads with four home runs and shortstop Joniel Hernandez has the team lead with 42 RBI. All of their top players are either 17 or 18 years old.
The best starter, Yunny Tovar is 19 and has a 4.15 ERA. Michael Cervantes, 18, a RHSP out of Mexico, leads with 33 strikeouts in 31 innings pitched. He also leads in innings pitched for the team and has a 6.10 ERA.
They have multiple relievers with an ERA of less than 3.00 and seven hitters with an average above .300.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 9:Keyonte George #3, Isaiah Collier #8, Brice Sensabaugh #28 and Jaren Jackson Jr. #20 of the Utah Jazz attend the game between the Utah Jazz and Washington Wizards during the 2026 NBA Las Vegas Summer League on July 9, 2026 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Candice Ward/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
It’s been an active offseason for the Utah Jazz, and a really successful one. But more for the move they didn’t do than the ones they did.
Recently, the Utah Jazz made what might have been the best move of the offseason that didn’t get celebrated as much as the splashiest moves. Utah deciding to take every asset the Lakers had for Walker Kessler, instead of re-signing him to a bad contract, was a sign of an elite front office. Not only did Utah get two swaps and two fully unprotected 1sts, but they also didn’t take on bad money to do it. It shows a front office that understands the value of each position and the cap space each position should and shouldn’t use.
As the season progressed last year and then the offseason commenced, we were told that Utah would eventually give Walker Kessler the contract he was asking for. The most important element of that negotiation was that Utah was not willing to overpay a player who was very unlikely to become an All-Star, at a position that shouldn’t be receiving a major part of a team’s cap space unless a team has one of the top players in the league at that position. That patience and willingness to stick to their guns earned them an incredible haul from a desperate franchise, the Lakers, and Utah now has a chance to use those assets they received to make whatever move they want. Also, it can’t be emphasized enough that the Jazz did this to the Lakers. For all the fans who talk about the Jazz always giving away their players, they sure took advantage of the league’s “premier” franchise. Who, by the way, was desperate for a rim-protecting center because they were scared of losing their star player. The Lakers. And not just that, the Lakers had to overpay Austin Reaves because they might have lost him also. So in the future, just remember, even the Lakers have players not want to stay on their team.
In fact, as far as bogus narratives go, now is another time to give a shoutout to all the Jazz fans that constantly said the Jazz would never win the lottery. Sure, they didn’t win the #1 pick, but it’s sure nice to have the dumb narratives be proven wrong time and time again.
Anyways, back to the Kessler deal. Utah has shown that not only do they understand the importance of discipline with contracts and positional value, they also have a healthy understanding of how good this team is.
The Jazz will be competitive next season. I actually think they’ll be much more competitive than people think. Utah’s team last year was better than people realize. With Keyonte George taking an incredible leap, adding Jaren Jackson Jr., and now adding a potential superstar in Darryn Peterson, Utah is absolutely going to be one of the “surprise” teams next year. But they aren’t likely going to win the championship.
And even at center, that position is likely not going to have the dropoff that some might think. Here are their comparisons from dunksandthrees.com.
There are two different styles here from the two graphics, but their overall EPM (Dunksandthrees.com’s advanced stat of “Estimated Plus Minus”) has Walker Kessler as an only slightly more effective player than Jusuf Nurkic. That means that Utah is getting comparable production for a contract that will be much less and at a more manageable length.
As I said, Utah likely understands that they won’t win the championship next season. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t on the right track to getting to that level. If they were on the verge of having the roster to do it, and they felt like Kessler was the key to that happening, then there’s no doubt they probably match the offer that was done with the sign-and-trade. Instead, Utah can now get similar production and watch how their team plays this season. If they’re much better than we think and a combination of best-case scenarios plays out, Utah has the assets to make a move to fill the gaps in their roster.
Because of the discipline they’re showing, they also are making sure to extend their window of contention. The CBA is extremely strict with teams over the different salary aprons. Once you’ve used your cap, it’s hard to maneuver back to optionality. Contention windows close quickly with albatross contracts. Now, Utah holds that optionality of contracts with the picks to make the right moves when they become available. They can allow Darryn Peterson to develop while they also contend.
It’s a great place to be in for an organization, and Jazz fans can now enjoy the season and know that this window is looking like it’s going to open wider and wider each year. And at some point, the Jazz might actually have the chance to do something they’ve never done: win a championship.
CINCINNATI, OHIO - APRIL 09: Cincinnati Reds mascot Mr. Redlegs pumps up the crowd prior to a game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Milwaukee Brewers at Great American Ball Park on April 09, 2024 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
A thorough and hearty hat-tip is due to Brady Singer, who did not allow a single earned run in his start for the Cincinnati Reds against the Cleveland Guardians on Wednesday night in Great American Ball Park. A noted trade candidate with the deadline around the corner, Singer pitched pretty damn effectively, keeping Cleveland off the board entirely through 4.0 IP.
It was in the Top of the 5th inning, though, where Cincinnati’s foibles became realized. First, it was an error at short on a hot grounder hit to Elly De La Cruz. That was compounded by a subsequent grounder to Elly – a hot shot to his right by a left-handed hitter going the other way that seemed to pull the defensive positioning of the entire infield out of whack. Elly fielded it but sent a looping lob to Edwin Arroyo at 2B, who had taken his own meandering, roundabout path to the bag on what, in theory, could’ve been a 6-4-3 double play ball to get them out of a jam. Instead, Arroyo arrived later to 2B than the sliding Steven Kwan, all runners were safe, and the wheels had fully begun to come off.
Singer then walked a batter to load the bags, Travis Bazzana singled into LF to score the game’s first run, and back to back wild walks scored two more runners before Singer was lifted at the 100 pitch mark with the Reds down 3-0. Caleb Ferguson came on and yielded another unearned run on a sac-fly, and by inning’s end the Reds were down 4-0 in the most frustrating of ways.
Of course, being down 4-0 in the 5th and losing 6-1 means the offense did jack squat on the night, too. From the outset the team looked to be woefully overmatched as lefty Joey Cantillo toed the rubber for Cleveland. He’s a fine pitcher, no doubt, but manager Terry Francona’s attempt to play platoon advantages against the southpaw meant there was a stretch of the lineup that featured Noelvi Marte, Ivan Johnson, Edwin Arroyo, and Ke’Bryan Hayes hitting back to back. That’s a guy who entered with -1.1 fWAR – one of the four worst players in the game with a minimum of 150 PA – followed by two rookies who’ve never hit a big league home run and Hayes, who’s been the single worst hitter in the sport for three years running.
That unit struck out 8 times through 4.0 scoreless innings against Cantillo, who allowed nary a run. They struck out 16 times as a whole by game’s end, stranding 10 runners on base in the process.
This Cincinnati club has found ways to be slightly better than the worst team in the sport for most of the season, but time and time again just looks horrendous from the outset – both on paper and in play. On Wednesday night in Great American Ball Park, they put together one of their most indifferent, lackluster nights of the year just days away from the trade deadline, sinking to 50-57 on the season and, perhaps, sending Singer off elsewhere in the most frustrating of fashions.
They’re a bad baseball team in need of a hard, hard reset.
CHICAGO — The bullpen was long expected to be an area the Yankees would need to address by the trade deadline, but on the way there, their relief corps became a pleasant surprise.
Five days away from the deadline, though, an overworked group had a rough night — compounded by a brutal decision from Ali Sánchez when they were one out away from winning it anyway.
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In a game where three of the best Yankees relievers were unavailable because of recent workload concerns, the bullpen blew a three-run lead in the eighth, a one-run lead in the 11th and then lost it in the 12th as Ryan Yarbrough gave up a walk-off single for a crushing 6-5 loss to the White Sox on Wednesday night at Rate Field.
Paul Blackburn gave up a pair of home runs on back-to-back pitches in the eighth inning, turning a 4-1 lead into a tie game. The final blow came four innings later, when Yarbrough, the last man available in the bullpen, allowed a bloop single to Edgar Quero that fell in front of Trent Grisham, who appeared to be playing deeper than he needed to.
And along the way, the Yankees wasted chances to score, including loading the bases with one out in the top of the 12th and not being able to push anything across.
But the most agonizing part of the loss came in the bottom of the 11th, after Anthony Volpe’s sacrifice fly had put the Yankees ahead 5-4, and Camilo Doval entered to get two quick outs with some terrific defense behind him.
The Yankees were one out away from the win, with Munetaka Murakami at third, when Sánchez tried to back-pick him. Instead, his throw bounced past Ryan McMahon — who was shifted toward second but ran to third on the play — allowing Murakami to run home to tie the game.
Edgar Quero hits a bloop single to center for the game-winning hit in the Yankees’ 6-5, 12-inning loss to the White Sox on July 29, 2026 in Chicago. Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
“Me and McMahon felt he was getting a little slow back to the base,” Sánchez said. “Just made a bad throw.”
Sánchez, who had entered the game in the 10th after Austin Wells was pinch run for, indicated he would attempt the throw again if he could do it all over, which Aaron Boone echoed.
“Just got to execute the throw,” Boone said. “Just playing catch. We’re big leaguers, we’re not going to not do things. Obviously an option’s [to] hold it, but it comes down to we got to play catch better.”
Cam Schlittler allowed just one run and pitched into the seventh inning, receiving a no-decision in the Yankees’ 6-5, 12-inning loss to the White Sox on July 29, 2026 in Chicago. AP
The Yankees (61-47), who are now 1-7 in extra-inning games this season, fell to 2 ¹/₂ games back of the Rays for first place in the AL East.
They will try to still win the four-game series against the White Sox (56-51) on Thursday.
Playing so many close games of late in large part because of the lineup’s inability to blow things open, the Yankees have had to ask a lot of their bullpen.
Ali Sanchez slides safely into home on Anthony Volpe’s sacrifice fly in the 11th inning of the Yankees’ 12-inning loss to the White Sox. Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
On Wednesday, that meant not having David Bednar, Brent Headrick and Angel Chivilli available after each had thrown on back-to-back days (and Bednar four of the last five).
Cam Schlittler got the Yankees off to a strong start, carrying a one-hit shutout into the seventh inning before losing his command and exiting with one out and a 4-1 lead — with all four Yankees runs coming in the first inning, three on a Spencer Jones home run.
Fernando Cruz relieved Schlittler and stranded both runners, but then gave up a leadoff double in the eighth.
One out later, Blackburn entered for the top of the order and what would have been a five-out save. The reliever had been so good of late, pitching to a 0.92 ERA over his last 25 games since May 16, but could not do it again Wednesday.
He threw a 1-1 fastball at the top of the zone to Sam Antonacci, who crushed it to right field for a two-run shot that pulled the White Sox within 4-3.
Murakami came up next and pounced on a first-pitch curveball just below the zone, sending it into the left field seats to tie the game.
Spencer Jones belts a three-run homer in the first inning of the Yankees’ 12-inning loss to the White Sox. Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
“Honestly, I felt like I made my pitches,” Blackburn said. “Those guys are good too. It sucks. You just got to keep going, keep making your pitches. Definitely let everyone down in here tonight, but come back [Thursday] and get a win.”
Blackburn went on to throw a scoreless ninth before Tim Hill did the same in the 10th, even after his wild pitch allowed the automatic runner to reach third with no outs.
But in the end, it was still not enough to spare the Yankees a gut-punch loss.
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“I thought we had a good battle,” Schlittler said. “Some mental mistakes, but that’s baseball. It’s part of the game.”
TAMPA, FLORIDA - MARCH 21, 2026: (L to R) Ediel Rivera #11 tags out Tate Southisene #19 of the Atlanta Braves during the fourth inning of a Spring Breakout game at George M. Steinbrenner Field on March 21, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
AJ Smith-Shawver has returned to Atlanta’s rotation. While it was only a middling 4.1 inning start, the talent he shows and the dire situation of the rotation should cause him to get a decent leash in the major league rotation as he continues to return from injury. This is of course pending reinforcements that could easily be added by his next turn of the rotation, with the trade deadline looming. That said, outside of Chris Sale, it’s an island of misfit toys in the rotation and I say that with no disrespect to Bryce Elder, who is clearly a serviceable innings-eater, Martin Perez, who is a veteran providing stability, Grant Holmes, who has spent two years admirably performing fifth starter quality pitching out of the rotation when he is clearly a reliever, and Reynaldo Lopez who is…who really knows at this point. For now AJ will return to AAA after serving as the doubleheader’s 27th man, but there is simply enough talent and present quality for him to be up in the majors and not enough there to keep him down, even with trade additions.
Even if the Pittsburgh Penguins have not yet been all that active on the trade market this summer, that doesn't mean they haven't been doing subtle things to boost their depth and give them flexibility, especially on the forward front.
And that includes what the team may end up looking like down the middle.
Of course, Sidney Crosby - even at age 39 - will still be a pretty formidable first-line center, as he clinched his 21st consecutive season above point-per-game last season, which is an NHL record. But, beyond Crosby, there is still more center depth to go around, even if the team needs to acquire more high-end youth at the position sooner than later.
Crosby aside, the Penguins currently have seven other centers on their roster, including Evgeni Malkin, Rickard Rakell, Tommy Novak, Ben Kindel, Blake Lizotte, Hendrix Lapierre, and Connor Dewar. So, they have a lot of options down the middle, and therefore, a ton of different forward combinations that they could ultimately roll with.
So, what makes the most sense? And could they see some growth out of some of their younger options?
Of course, the most likely outcome is that the Penguins ultimately decide to stick with what has worked. As mentioned in our forward lineup projections for the 2026-27 season, that involves Crosby, Novak, Kindel, and Lizotte in order down the middle, as was the case for the Stanley Cup Playoffs and much of the 2025-26 regular season.
Former head coach Mike Sullivan liked having more than one center on each line, and current head coach Dan Muse is no different. The first line would have Rakell and Crosby, the second line Novak and Malkin, and Kindel, Lizotte, Dewar, and Lapierre dispersed in the bottom-six, depending on deployment and who wins lineup spots over others.
Having that balance is important, but it's also worth noting that Novak as a true second-line center probably isn't going to cut it if the Penguins want to take steps toward contention.
Should Rakell play center?
This will be one of the more interesting lineup storylines to follow heading into training camp. Rakell manned the middle quite a bit last season for the Penguins, and he got progressively more comfortable there as the season bore on. He spent a large chunk of time there in the stretch run of the season during times without either Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin, and he registered 14 goals and 24 points in a 20-game span.
Faceoffs are still an issue, but the 33-year-old has had an entire summer to work on it. Everything else came along nicely as he played more games down the middle, and he proved one of their most valuable players in terms of getting the team to the playoffs.
Could Rakell centering the second line bolster the team's depth even more? Honestly, it could. Andrei Kuzmenko could slot alongside Crosby and Rust, Rakell could complete a formidable trio between Egor Chinakhov and Malkin, and Kindel could have a defensively conscientious and solid two-way player in Novak on his line to complement someone with offensive upside like Nick Robertson.
Rakell centering the second line could make a lot of sense if the Penguins want to optimize the rest of their lineup and spread the wealth a bit.
If last season taught us anything, it's that the Penguins - despite being down Crosby for their most crucial stretch of the season - still elected to keep Malkin on the wing during that time despite the team's deficit at center.
So, more than likely, his days as a centerman in the NHL are all but over. The shift to wing for half the season, and Malkin's chemistry with Chinakhov and Novak, seemed to revitalize him, as he registered 19 goals and 61 points in 56 games.
Even if he's no Malkin, the same can likely be said about Dewar. He has rarely played center with the Penguins, and there's no good reason to start now - especially since the Penguins employ a wealth of solid albeit unspectacular center depth.
Could young guys elevate?
Something to keep in mind is that Kindel played through an entire NHL season as an 18-year-old at the center position, which is already a rare feat on its own. Even if his 17-goal, 35-point season doesn't jump off the stat page, he is a rare example of a teenage player who seems to have most of the 200-foot details already ironed out in his game.
So, it stands to reason that he could take a major step forward next season in terms of production, which could eventually land him as the team's second-line center for good. This is probably best-case scenario for the Penguins, as they'd have some promise in a long-term top-six center, and they could place a very capable two-way center in Novak on the third line. Even if he doesn't explode offensively, Kindel will see growth this season as a player and as a center, and that is certainly a good thing for the organization either way.
Lapierre shouldn't be counted out, either, especially since Muse and the Penguins already have a reputation for getting the most out of players who need a change of scenery. The former first-round pick (22nd overall in 2020) had pedestrian production with the Capitals, but being put in a better position to succeed with bigger minutes could benefit him in Pittsburgh.
And don't forget Tristan Broz, who will be knocking on the door from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Broz, 23, only got one NHL game last season because of bad injury luck. But he is NHL-ready and will be the first one called upon if the Penguins need help down the middle.
The Penguins' most balanced, optimal lineup probably comes with Rakell centering the second line. Kuzmenko or Robertson are worth a shot next to Crosby and Bryan Rust, and Novak being on the third line to give it more defensive conscience is not a bad thing, especially for a guy on an upward trajectory like Kindel. Plus, that second line could certainly provide a lethal offensive punch, and Malkin can help ease some of Rakell's faceoff concerns.
So, Pittsburgh should roll Crosby, Rakell, Kindel, and Lizotte down the middle next season.
