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For 65 games, top Cincinnati Reds prospect Alfredo Duno mashed his way through Midwest League pitching for the A+ Dayton Dragons. He owned a .902 OPS while hitting .260/.390/.512, bashing 16 homers and driving in 47 runs while also serving as the team’s primary catcher.

Only two Midwest League players had more than Duno’s 16 homers as of Monday morning, one of them being his teammate Carter Graham, a 1B from Stanford University that the Reds drafted in the 8th round of the 2023 MLB Draft.

Those two will still be teammates come Tuesday – it’ll just be with a different squad.

The Reds are promoting both Duno and Graham to AA Chattanooga, along with shortstop Carlos Sanchez and outfielder Kien Vu. Right-hander Jose Montero is joining them in the promotion as well, according to Joey DeBeradino of Dayton’s WDTN.

It’s quite the honor for that crew, so congratulations to them. It will also temporarily create a pretty potent bit of star power on the Lookouts if they don’t make promotions of their own up to AAA Louisville.

Outfielders Carlos Jorge and Jay Allen currently anchor things on the grass, with Jorge having a breakout season in CF and Allen, a former 1st round pick, having the best offensive season of his pro career. Vu, presumably, will slot in alongside those two to form a solid, athletic-as-can-be outfield. Sanchez, meanwhile, will likely get time alongside Leo Balcazar on the middle infield with fellow top prospect Cam Collier anchoring 3B and Graham holding down 1B.

There’s no blocking Duno, of course. 25 year old Cade Hunter has been Chattanooga’s primary catcher so far this season, but he’s barely sporting a .600 OPS. Safe to say the Lookouts are about to get a big boost behind the plate beginning this week.

It does beg the question whether the Class A Daytona Tortugas will be promoting any Reds prospects to help fill these openings. 23 year old C/1B Jacob Friend is having a whale of a season in the pitcher-friendly Florida State League, and obviously there are now available PA at the A+ level for him at both positions. You’d like to hope that Sanchez’s promotion would pave the way for top prospect Tyson Lewis, too, whose overall body of work isn’t great (.687 OPS in 236 PA) although he has heated up a lot of late (.308/.386/.538 in the month of June).

We’ll find out exactly which dominos begin to fall soon!

The Mets had an eventful and generally brutal two weeks. The team had a 3-10 record since the last player meter and saw manager Carlos Mendoza fired and replaced with Andy Green on an interim basis. It wasn’t all terrible, as Juan Soto continued his domination, and the rookie outfielders Carson Benge and AJ Ewing remained bright spots.

Player	Last week	This week
Francisco Alvarez, C
Brett Baty, UTIL
Carson Benge, OF
Bo Bichette, 3B
A.J. Ewing, OF
Francisco Lindor, SS
Ronny Mauricio, INF
MJ Melendez, OF
Marcus Semien, 2B
Juan Soto, OF
Tyrone Taylor, OF		—
Luis Torrens, C
Mark Vientos, 1B/3B
Eric Wagaman, 1B/DH
Jared Young, 1B/DH

There’s not much to say about Juan Soto other than he continues to be fantastic for the Mets. Soto has a 210 wRC+ over the last two weeks and a wicked on-base percentage of .500. Despite missing two games with a sore back, Soto had eight games in which he got on base at least three times. He raised his average to .300 and maintained his NL-leading OPS of .973.

AJ Ewing had one of the best two-week stretches of his young career, notching 10 RBIs in his last 13 games. During that stretch, he had five extra-base hits and two go-ahead RBI hits in the most recent series against Philadelphia. Like Ewing, Carson Benge continued to prove why he’ll be a big part of the Mets’ future in the second half of June. While not as hot as he was in the early half of the month, he still had a 103 wRC+ over the last two weeks with at least one hit in 11 of his last 15 games.

Bo Bichette turned in his best month as a Met, remaining remarkably consistent throughout June. His wRC+ of 158 in the first half of June was nearly matched with a wRC+ of 154 in the second-half. Bichette did struggle a bit on the road trip to Philadelphia, where he went 1 for 12 and was booed by Philly fans for choosing the Mets over them in free agency last offseason. The word was Bichette, and the Phillies were close to a deal before the Mets swooped in, but Bichette made it clear that it wasn’t that serious and they were just friends. Bichette rebounded following that series and has an active seven-game hitting streak.

Francisco Lindor made his long-awaited return from the IL, getting two hits, including a triple, in three games played. Lindor hasn’t played in back-to-back games yet as the training staff eases him back into action following his calf injury. Ronny Mauricio also returned from an IL stint and has looked lost in his small sample size. Going 1 for 10 with three strikeouts, Mauricio got a pinch-hit opportunity with the bases loaded Sunday against the Phillies, but hit an infield pop-up.

Marcus Semien landed on the IL after an ugly few weeks that involved a 1-for-19 stretch and a wRC+ of 51. However bad Semien was before his injury, his struggles pale in comparison to Brett Baty‘s latest stretch. Baty has just two hits in his last 40 plate appearances, with an OPS of .340 and a wRC+ of 26. Mark Vientos has at least slightly overcome his poop emoji in the last player meter. He hit three home runs in the last two weeks with a 128 wRC+, but an ugly string of errors has him fighting for playing time once again.

The good news about Francisco Alvarez is that he has a 131 wRC+ over the last two weeks and appears to have picked up where he left off after missing time due to a knee injury. The bad news is that his 31.4 percent strikeout rate over that same stretch is hard to watch. Luis Torrens is trending down in his limited playing time since Alvarez’s return. Torrens went 4 for 22 in the second half of June with zero RBIs and five strikeouts.

Bless the hearts of Eric Wagaman and Jared Young as they fight hard to stay in the big leagues and try to help this sad Mets club. Wagaman had a 77 wRC+ in 22 plate appearances, mostly being used as a pinch hitter against left-handed pitching. He hit a pinch-hit two-run homer against the Chicago Cubs in a game that the Mets lost 4-3. Young appeared in 11 games, hitting two home runs with a wRC+ of 79.

MJ Melendez was sent down to Triple-A to make room for Tyrone Taylor, coming off the IL, after appearing in 10 games in the last two weeks. He registered an abysmal 36 wRC+ in those appearances, while Taylor has yet to get playing time.

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Fresh week loaded with plenty of opportunities to keep things green. Here are my favorite MLB picks and leans for tonight’s MLB slate.

MLB moneyline picks for June 29

Matchup	Pick
White Sox vs Cardinals	+125
Pirates vs Phillies	+100
Tigers vs Yankees	+130
Mets vs Blue Jays	+117
Rangers vs Guardians	-133
Nationals vs Red Sox	-160
Reds vs Brewers	-138
Pirates vs Cubs	-144
Twins vs Astros	-127
Marlins vs Rockies	+127
Angels vs Mariners	+190
Giants vs Diamondbacks	+125
Dodgers vs Athletics	+104

Prices courtesy of Polymarket as of 6-29.

Expert MLB moneyline picks for June 29

White Sox vs Orioles: White Sox (+125)

White Sox win probability: 44%

People are going to see that the Chicago White Sox are on the road and fade them just for that reason. I think it's foolish to fade arguably one of the most dangerous teams in baseball, regardless of where they're playing.

Snagging the power of friendship at +125 feels like a gift, as they own a 140 wRC+, .372 wOBA, and .848 OPS over their last six games. Meanwhile, the Baltimore Orioles own a wRC+ below 80, .264 wOBA, and .633 OPS during that stretch. Give me the Sox!

Pirates vs Phillies: Pirates (-100)

Pirates win probability: 51%

Aaron Nola is on the bump for the Philadelphia Phillies, giving up a hard-hit rate above 42% and a barrel rate above 10.5%. Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Pirates have Braxton Ashcraft on the mound, sporting a 2.93 road ERA, 1.09 WHIP, and giving up just a 3.45% barrel rate to opposing hitters.

I want to ride the hotter offense, and that's clearly the Pirates, as they own a 149 wRC+, .878 OPS, and .380 wOBA over their last six games. GO RATS!

Tigers vs Yankees: Tigers (+130)

Tigers win probability: 44%

Disgusting. 

These two offenses that are ice cold at the moment. It would be real easy for me to say this is a bounce back spot for the New York Yankees, after getting swept by the Red Sox this weekend, but at +130, I want the Detroit Tigers.

Over the last week, they've performed at a higher level offensively, and I love the value in taking them this evening. 

Mets vs Blue Jays: Mets (+117)

Mets win probability: 46%

Another team coming off a sweep is the Toronto Blue Jays, who now take on a New York Mets team that's starting to heat up. New York has a 111 wRC+ over their last six games, with a .182 ISO and sub-10% barrel rate. On the other side, Toronto has a WRC+ below 80, a 24% strikeout rate, and a 5% barrel rate in their last six games. 

Give me the Mets!

Rangers vs Guardians: Guardians (-133)

Guardians win probability: 57%

Sure, the Texas Rangers are scorching hot coming off sweeping the ice-cold Blue Jays, but now they have a real test in front of them: Parker Messick. The Cleveland Guardians southpaw has been nails this season, with a 2.89 ERA at home and a 2.45 xERA over his last three starts. The kid rocks. Sure, this Guardians offense has been abysmal, but we just need the bare minimum from them. 

Nationals vs Red Sox: Red Sox (-160)

Red Sox win probability: 62%

Real quick and easy, staying home after sweeping the Yankees, I think the Boston Red Sox keep it rolling into Monday night. Plus, Ranger Suarez has been lights out in his last five starts. 

Reds vs Brewers: Brewers (-138)

Brewers win probability: 58%

Without question: Milwaukee Brewers. Sure, both they and the Cincinnati Reds have been ice cold as of late, but the Reds are always cold in my opinion. They are the more inconsistent offense and have a much higher strikeout rate this season. 

Cincinnati left-hander Nick Lodolo has been horrible this season, owning a 5.09 xERA in his last five starts. I don't see that turning around this evening.  

Padres vs Cubs: Cubs (-144)

Cubs win probability: 59%

How am I supposed to back the San Diego Padres when Griffin Canning's 9.56 road ERA is in my face? Not to mention his 17% road walk rate, allowing nearly 45% hard hit and 10% barrel rate this season. I do not need to say anything more: take the Chicago Cubs. Canning will likely give up 4+ runs before the fifth. 

Twins vs Astros: Astros (-127)

Astros win probability: 56%

I will get to my reasoning once we figure out what a "Zebby" is. Whatever the origin of that name is, he's still sporting a 7.33 road ERA, while his opponent, Peter Lamber, has a 2.16 xERA in his last three outings. 

I love Yordan Alvarez today, so I have to lean with the Houston Astros.  

Marlins vs Rockies: Rockies (+127)

Rockies win probability: 44%

Sure, Sean Sullivan has been brutal for the Pebbles this season, but their offense as of late has been on fire. In the Colorado Rockies' last 21 games, they own a 123 wRC+, .837 OPS, and .209 ISO. I am fully expecting them to be out for revenge after failing to secure the series win over the Twins yesterday. 

Angels vs Mariners: Angels (+190)

Angels win probability: 34%

Two cold offenses, I want the value.

“But 34%, but 34%!”

Okay?

George Kirby has not looked like peak form over his last five outings, posting a sub-5.00 ERA and 1.65 WHIP while allowing a 42% hard-hit rate. The Los Angeles Angels, meanwhile, have seven batters hitting above .333 over their last 30 plate appearances, with seven also carrying an OPS above .790.

Seattle’s offense has cooled off, and I want the plus money on the Angels at this price.

Giants vs Diamondbacks: Giants (+125)

Giants win probability: 44%

The Arizona Diamondbacks have gone ice cold at the plate. Over their last 21 games, they own an 87 wRC+, .659 OPS, and .134 ISO. On the other side, the San Francisco Giants have been one of the hotter offenses in baseball during that same stretch, posting a 124 wRC+, .342 wOBA, and .781 OPS.

Neither starting pitcher is particularly inspiring, but I trust the hotter lineup to capitalize. At plus money, I will gladly back the Giants in this spot.

Dodgers vs A's: Athletics (+104)

Athletics win probability: 49%

The Los Angeles Dodgers have just one hitter batting above .300 over their last 30 plate appearances against left-handed pitching, with only two above .250 and six slugging under .357. I will side with the Athletics, who have been rolling against lefties this season. I already like Shea Langeliers to get things started, and hopefully the rest of the lineup follows him.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Today marks the returned of Bo Bichette to Rogers Centre.

Neither he, nor his team are doing well. The Mets are 35-49 deep in last place in the NL East, 7.5 games back of fourth. The fired their manager, though I think the GM deserves more of the blame. Their playroll is $328.3 million (Blue Jays aren’t all that fair behind at $307 million).

Both teams have a number of players on the IL. We won’t see Marcus Semien this series. He’s out for awhile with a hip flexor strain.

Bichette is having a tough season, hitting .245/.300/.388 with 10 home runs, but he has started hitting in June, .337/.358/.574. Maybe he could tell Vlad how to get hitting again. Bo’s been bouncing between shortstop and third the last couple of weeks. FanGraphs likes his defense better at third (+2 OAA) than short (-2).

Everyone is wondering how he’ll react to his tribute video. I’m sure he’ll give a nice wave and then try to forget it. But I hope he soaks in the cheering some.

For our side? I would be nice to get through the first couple of innings (or even first couple of outs) without giving up a run or several.

Probable starting pitchers:

Tonight: Sean Manaea (1-2, 4.87) vs. Trey Yesavage (3.56)

Tuesday: Nolan McLean (4-5, 4.03) vs. Kevin Gausman (4-6,4.36)

Wednesday: Freddy Peralta (5-6, 4.53) vs. Patrick Corbin (2-4, 5.09). This one is a day game, 3:00 Eastern.

And then we have an off-day Thursday

Gausman’s had a rough June, 7.62 ERA. And the last two starts were pretty much over after the first couple of innings. Coming into the month he had a 3.13 ERA.

Maybe we could try holding the Mets of the scoreboard for the first couple of innings, at very least. Give us some hope.

That was a great weekend to miss a bunch of Jays games. Not that it was a great weekend for biking, cool, rain, strong wind, all the fun stuff. Two years in a row with crappy weather, but I still signed up for next year.

Three one run losses, though none of them seemed that close. Well, except for the one lost on the wild pitch, a terrible way to loss a game.

The Jays are giving away 500 tickets to the Canada Day game:

Tickets will be distributed on a first come first served basis on Tuesday, June 30, with 225 pairs given away in-person across the three surprise locations, each popping up at a different time throughout the day. An additional 25 pairs of tickets will be given away on Instagram. Details for the giveaways, including the timing and location of each pop-up will be revealed on Rogers Instagram beginning at 7 a.m. ET.

To qualify for the ticket giveaway, customers must show a wireless device connected to the Rogers network, a Rogers Red Mastercard, the MyRogers app logged in to an active account, or a hard copy of a Rogers bill with accompanying photo ID.

Personally, having to get up at 7:00 am is the opposite of free, but that’s me.

I’m hoping that Sean Keys gets into all three games. I hate when they bring someone up and he doesn’t play. I’d love to see Keys and Piñango play in every game.

The Jays are saying that Addison Barger is having some soreness. They say it is ‘normal soreness’ that happens with rehab. I’m not so sure, but then it doesn’t matter what I think. They are still saying he’ll be back sometime in mid-July. I’m a pessimist so I always take the over on these things.

The Twins welcomed the Dodgers and the Rockies to Target Field this past week, and it went pretty much how any fan would have expected. The Twins had some of the highest-attended games, with a sellout crowd on Wednesday of 39,853 to watch Shohei Ohtani duel Joe Ryan. Ironically, the team was woefully unprepared for the number of fans who showed up, with lines of people waiting outside until about the 3rd inning to get into the stadium (Source: me). That game was the final loss in a three-game sweep, despite the Twins tagging Ohtani for two runs early in the start. The Rockies then arrived over the weekend, which included a Ludacris postgame concert, and the Twins were able to get a 2-1 series win. The team is now 40-45, still only two games out of the final wild card spot.

The Past Week on Twinkie Town:

• Check out The Feed, where you can add your discussions about the Twins!
• We’re starting a new segment called Daily Questions! Provide your opinion on the Twins and debate with the community!
• Game threads and recaps are back! Commiserate with your fellow fans as we experience the season together.
• Zach Koenig looks back at June 2006 and the resurgent Twins after a certain lefty starter made his way to the majors.
• Aidan Thomas explains why Walker Jenkins is an exciting prospect.

Elsewhere in Twins Territory:

• Cody Christie at Twins Daily checks in on the Twins’ attendance numbers this season – and why things are not looking good for the team.
• LaVelle E. Neal III at the Star Tribune recaps rookie Connor Preliepp’s excellent start on Sunday.
• Theo Tollefson at Zone Coverage looks at how Andrew Morris has grown this season, especially after settling into a new role in the bullpen.
• Dan Hayes at The Athletic discusses Marco Raya’s development in St. Paul this season, leading to his promotion to the big leagues last week.

In the World of Baseball:

• The Rays and Yankees are still battling for the top spot in the AL, with the Rays holding onto a one-game lead. The White Sox and the Guardians are now tied for the AL Central lead, although the White Sox have played two fewer games, while the Rangers have now managed to leap frog the Mariners and lead the AL West by half a game.
• The Dodgers took full advantage of their series against the Twins by jumping out to a 2.5-game lead over…the Brewers? Yup, Atlanta dropped a few additional games last week, and now what seemed like a pretty big lead in the NL East has now come down to three games over the Philles (remember when they sucked?). The Cubs and Cardinals round out teams #5 and #6 in the NL Wild Card race.
• There were several firings last week, with the Mets letting go of manager Carlos Mendoza and the Angels parting ways with GM Perry Minasian.
• David Purdum and Jeff Passan at ESPN reported on a new proposal introduced by the MLBPA in recent CBA discussions, which would ban prop betting on individual players.
• Jesse Rogers at ESPN covers the new proposal from the owners that would limit contract length for free agents.
• MLB owners recently proposed a dramatic change to how the amateur draft would work, restricting eligibility to players who are 20 years old and two years out of high school. Michael Baumann at Fangraphs looks at the implications of that change.

You stand alone in front of the growing crowd, their collective voices rising in a crescendo, feeding off of one another. 

“Piggyback!” yells one.

“Piggybackburner!” yells another.

“Dan’s in way over his head!” someone hollers, and then your body jolts back as the force of a ferry boat’s worth of garlic fries pummels your front.

“Fire the hitting coaches!”

“No! Fire the whole Front Office!”

That last one is accompanied by a splash, as seemingly-coordinated cups of beer are hurled at you from multiple directions.

“The bullpen sucks!”

“The offense sucks more!”

“It’s the Mariners – everything about them is bad and they always will be!”

You begin to be pummeled with small, stuffed versions of Humpy. It doesn’t seem too bad at first, but there are so many of them that they start to subsume the stage. You lose your balance and fall over, and before you can lift yourself up there are Humpys heaped all over you, weighing down your body and muffling your face. Your breathing grows shallow.

Off to the side, down a step and shrouded behind the curtain, someone cups their hand over their mouth and whisper-shouts “It’s okay! Their division is still really bad, and they’ve been hurt, and they have one of the lowest BABIPs in the league. Plus, they play the Angels this week!”

I do not say this lightly, but thank goodness for the Angels. They’ve recently jettisoned former GM Perry Minasian (unrelated to this author), but it seems unlikely that any true franchise change will happen while Arte Moreno still rules with his lumpy little fist. Based only on the small mercies of the Midwest, they are not the worst team in the American League, but they’ve been flirting with the title all season.

Mike Trout had a torrid start to the season, but will miss the Mariners this series due to a hamstring strain that put him on the IL back on June 18. Zach Neto continues to be deeply annoying and productive, and then there’s…uh, well…you can see the chart. I think that’s probably enough for everyone.

Probable Pitchers 

Updated Stuff+ Explainer 

• Stuff+ scores for Mariners starters

From a previous series preview:

Ryan Johnson is a perfect encapsulation of everything wrong with the Angels current player development philosophy. He was drafted in the second round in 2024 after dominating in college ball at Dallas Baptist. He made the Opening Day roster in 2025 as a reliever, skipping the minor leagues entirely. After a month and a half and a 7.36 ERA, the Angels pulled the plug and sent him to High-A to continue his development as a starter. He made 12 starts in the minors and looked really good. Fast forward a year and Johnson had a solid, but not outstanding, spring training and Los Angeles opted to start the season with Johnson on the big league roster again. His first start of the season did not go well; he lasted just 3.1 innings against the Cubs, allowing six runs on seven hits and four walks while striking out just two. It’s really too bad because Johnson has a really intriguing profile, and obviously has some raw talent, but the games the Angels have played with his development pathway have really hurt his ability to grow.

Johnson didn’t actually make his scheduled start against the Mariners back in early April — he was placed on the IL and missed his turn in the rotation. The Angels still haven’t committed to a development plan for him either. He made three appearances out of the bullpen once he returned from his IL stint but the team sent him back to the minors to get stretched out as a starter again. 

José Soriano is a weird pitcher. He throws extremely hard, he has three pitches with elite whiff rates, and his groundball rate is among the highest in baseball. Last year, his ERA outpaced his FIP by more than half a run. This year, the script is flipped; his ERA is nearly a full run lower than his FIP. Maybe he read my profile of his issues from last summer because, all of a sudden, he’s striking out a bunch more batters. He’s reduced the usage of his sinker in favor of his four-seamer and splitter, but his command hasn’t improved with the pitch mix change. The result is more punchouts, but also a lower groundball rate, a high walk rate, and more damage on contact allowed.

If you were just loosely throwing out comps for Walbert Ureña, José Soriano would be pretty high on the list. Like his teammate, Ureña throws really hard, relies on a sinker to generate groundball contact, has two pitches with high whiff rates but a low-ish strikeout rate, and doesn’t have great command of his arsenal. He’s just 22 with four years of professional experience under his belt, he’s still learning the ins and outs of pitching and his raw stuff is still a work in progress. He’s made some big strides forward this year and has quickly earned a solidified role in the Angels rotation. 

The Big Picture:

They should be better than this, but so far they haven’t been. In some ways, it’s a relief that they’ve fallen out of first place, because it does at least reflect their actual performance and overall vibes right now. Perhaps it’s old-fashioned of me, but I don’t think teams playing under .500 ball should get to win their divisions. The Rangers and Astros each embark on their own Midwestern ramble, playing the Guardians and Twins, respectively, while the Athletics begin an NL onslaught with three games against the Dodgers.

As the calendar prepares to roll over to July, it is officially time to start diving into trade rumors and focusing some energy on how to fortify the roster. Before the season began, and after the “hot” stove this past winter, the Yankees front office repeatedly pushed the narrative that they approached last year’s trade deadline looking not only to add the missing pieces for the 2025 club that fell short of a championship, but also to build the foundation for this year’s roster.

Soon we will find out what Brian Cashman makes of this edition of the team after another half season of data. Predicting trades is always just a best guess because so many factors go into the equation, none more important than the fact that we have no idea how other executives truly value the Yankees’ prospects. Making a deal involves finding a dance partner who not only fits your needs, but also likes what you have to bring to the table. So without getting to far into the weeds, what will the Yankees’ priorities be at this upcoming trade deadline?

Before taking a deep dive into splits, performances to date, and how those data points compare to league averages, a few things stand out to the naked eye. The first is the Yankees’ depth at starting pitcher.

Max Fried is still on the injured list, but he is making his way back and, knocking on wood, the rest of the rotation has either remained healthy or worked its way back as well. Starting pitching simply does not appear to be a priority. That is not to say the Yankees would not add a starter if the price were right, but it feels much more like a cherry-on-top scenario than an organizational need.

The other thing that stands out is the injured list. Cashman has long believed that getting an injured player back can be just as valuable as making a trade. Using that logic, the Yankees, in addition to a starter in Fried, will eventually be adding a right fielder, a center fielder, and a designated hitter over the course of the summer.

Between that and the inexpensive production they have received from Jasson Domínguez and Spencer Jones as the next men up, the Yankees are probably out of the outfield market unless someone unexpectedly falls into their lap or another injury, or bad recovery news, changes the equation.

It should also be assumed that most positions addressed either at last year’s deadline or this past offseason are viewed as lower priorities. Whether fans agree or not, that likely includes third base with Ryan McMahon and Amed Rosario, and left field with Cody Bellinger. I also have to think the idea of José Caballero spending more time at third base, once some of the banged-up outfielders return, has crossed the minds of the executives making these calls.

So what are the priorities? Diving into the numbers, outside of health, the Yankees currently have two Achilles’ heels: catcher and the bullpen, particularly its effectiveness against left-handed hitters.

Entering Sunday, Yankees catchers owned a .510 OPS. The major league average for catchers sits at .674. I like to think of OPS as the closest thing baseball has to a report card for hitters. Essentially, Yankees catchers are getting about a 51 on the test, while the rest of the league is averaging a D+. Neither of these are great, but if the Yankees could simply get the league average from this spot it would only further aid one of the better offenses in baseball.

Catcher, however, is one of the most difficult positions to address at the trade deadline. Half of the job is handling the pitching staff, so acquiring a catcher assumes he can quickly build chemistry with a new group of pitchers while continuing to produce offensively. It is not easy.

Unless you have been living under a rock, you know the Yankees have been heavily linked to Ryan Jeffers all season long. In this case, many of the concerns about acquiring a catcher are somewhat eased because Jeffers developed under current Yankees catching coach Tanner Swanson. In theory, that familiarity should help smooth the transition, but like an ogre there are extra layers to adding a catcher.

That brings us to the bullpen. As beloved as Tim Hill is, and despite Brent Headrick putting together a career year, the Yankees sit squarely in the middle of the pack when it comes to retiring left-handed hitters once the game reaches the bullpen.

The writing on the wall is that when Fried returns, either Ryan Weathers or Will Warren could move into a relief role. However, neither has been particularly dominant against left-handed hitters this season, allowing OPS figures of .741 and .731, respectively.

Unfortunately, the Yankees also rank among the league leaders in blown saves. Does more need to be said? Then again, when was the last time a legitimate contender did not spend the summer looking for bullpen help? The bullpen is far from bad, but it is clearly an area where an upgrade is both needed and realistically attainable at different cost points each season.

This deadline should be a fascinating one. Will the Yankees push all of their chips into the middle of the table? What would that even look like given the current state of the farm system? My expectation is that Cashman will prioritize a move that addresses the catcher and the bullpen at once or toss several stones at bullpen arms hoping a wide net yields the desired catch. Only time will tell what deals are made and, more importantly, whether those moves ultimately bring the Yankees to the goal of a championship. What do you have as the priority?

The Mets aren't in denial about where they are -- and where they're likely headed.

Following the firing of manager Carlos Mendozathis past Friday, president of baseball operations David Stearns was somber and clear-minded about the potential fate of the 2026 team.

"We all remain very focused on doing everything we can to win as many games as we can this year, while recognizing where we are in the standings," Stearns said Friday afternoon at Citi Field.

The Mets then went out and lost two of three to the Phillies over the weekend, with Sunday's 5-4 defeat being managed more like an audition for Kodai Senga's future than a must-win for a team that is starved for victories. 

Ahead of a seven-game road trip that opens on Monday in Toronto, the Mets are 35-49 and 9.5 games back of the final Wild Card spot in the National League. They have lost eight of their last 10 games, and would likely need to finish on a 50-28 clip (or better) to have a chance to reach the postseason.

That means that barring a very hot stretch over the next month, the Mets will be selling ahead of the Aug. 3 trade deadline -- something that felt unfathomable when the season started.

But New York's task likely now becomes deciding just how big their sell-off will be, and how many true keepers they have for 2027 and beyond.

Here's how we would go about things...

KEEPERS

Juan Soto
Francisco Lindor
Carson Benge
A.J. Ewing
Nolan McLean
Christian Scott
Francisco Alvarez
Luis Torrens

There have been some wild suggestions about the future of Soto, who is under contract for the next 13 seasons after this one. But despite how awful the end of last season was and how demoralizing the first half of this season has been for the Mets, there is no reason for them to even begin to think about trading Soto -- a 27-year-old hitting savant who is leading the NL in OPS. 

Lindor, who did not seem off-limits this past offseason, has finished in the top-10 in MVP voting each of the last four seasons, plays through discomfort, is always accountable, and is one of the things that is actually good about this team.  

The rookies Benge and Ewing, who have established themselves as possible difference-makers on both sides of the ball, are obvious keepers. As are McLean and Scott.

There is sure to be some consternation regarding Alvarez's inclusion here, but he's been above average offensively over the last three seasons (108 OPS+) and has plus power. Perhaps his future is as someone who is the designated hitter five times a week and catches twice, but he should be part of the plan.

The same goes for Torrens, who recently signed an extension and is one of the best defensive catchers in baseball.

AVAILABLE

Freddy Peralta
Luis Robert Jr.
A.J. Minter
Brooks Raley
Tyrone Taylor

The five players above are all set for free agency after the season, meaning they will all certainly be very available.

Peralta has struggled this season, which could impact the return, but he has a history of pitching near the top of a rotation. Beyond that, the Mets just got a legitimate prospect from the Cubs for David Peterson (who had an ERA above 6.00 when he was traded), meaning New York should be able to pry something of serious value from a pitching-needy team in exchange for Peralta.

Robert is a tricky one, since he is still rehabbing his back injury. But if he makes it back in time, he could be of interest to a team searching for a plus defensive center fielder with pop. There is close to zero shot the Mets will exercise their team option on Robert for 2027, which should make this an easy call for them.

Minter and Raley have both been terrific this season, and should net relatively strong returns in a market that has 22 teams at various levels of contention.

SEE IF SOMEONE BITES

Brett Baty
Mark Vientos
Huascar Brazoban

Baty has had a very disappointing season after posting a career-best .748 OPS in 2025. He carried a .589 OPS and just three homers into play on Monday. And given that this is his fifth year in the majors, it feels like his chance to prove he's part of the Mets' future as a lineup regular is nearing its end. If he sticks around, Baty could fit as a versatile bat off the bench in 2027.

Vientos has a .680 OPS over the last two seasons, and has not been able find any consistency (his OBP this season is .253). Add to that his defensive shortcomings and the presence of Jorge Polanco (who is under contract through 2027 and is best-suited as a DH), and it makes sense to see if there's interest in Vientos.

As far as Brazoban, the Mets should try to capitalize on his impressive season. If the offers aren't to their liking, they can simply keep Brazoban -- who is under team control through 2029.

VERY HARD TO MOVE

Sean Manaea
Kodai Senga
Jorge Polanco
Marcus Semien

Manaea (owed $19.2 million for 2027), Senga (owed $15 million), and Polanco (owed $23 million) will all be entering the final guaranteed year of their respective deals next season, but they'll be close to impossible to move.

Manaea has showed flashes lately, but likely not enough to garner interest. Senga has been moved to the bullpen, and Polanco hasn't played since the middle of April.

Semien is under contract through 2028, and was ineffective offensively and defensively (.612 OPS, -5 OAA) before landing on the IL with a hip injury.

Aside from Polanco, who could be a legitimate DH option if he's healthy, the Mets are probably going to have tough decisions to make about these players when it comes to their expected contributions next season.

THE COMPLICATED CASES

Bo Bichette
Clay Holmes
Luke Weaver
Devin Williams

If Bichette is planning to opt out of his three-year deal after this season, it would be a no-brainer for the Mets to make him available. But even though Bichette has been much better lately (.878 OPS since May 18), his uneven season and uncertain future could make a trade difficult to pull off.

When it comes to Holmes, who is working his way back from a freak leg injury, it seems all but certain he'll decline the $12 million player option he has for 2027. If I'm the Mets, I approach him now with an extension offer. If those talks don't progress, make him available.

Weaver, who is under contract through 2027, has been a revelation this season and is comfortable in the New York market. The Mets should only trade him if they're overwhelmed by an offer.

The same goes for Williams, who is signed through 2028. His performance this year (Williams' 2.81 FIP is much more indicative of how he's looked than his 4.28 ERA) has been largely dominant since April 26 -- 2.21 ERA in 20.1 innings.

Major League Baseball and the MLB Players’ Union have been releasing some proposals for the new collective bargaining agreement, as the old one is set to expire following this season. The proposals have been extreme and unlikely to end up in the new CBA, but a recent idea could end up impacting college baseball in a positive way, in the unlikely scenario it makes it in the final cut.

Kiley McDaniel and Jeff Passan of ESPN reported that MLB owners want to disallow high school players from being eligible for the MLB draft, among other things, outside the purpose of this discussion. They write:

High school players would be ineligible for the domestic draft and need to be at least two years removed from graduation to be selected

The domestic draft, currently 20 rounds, and international draft both would last 12 rounds

College baseball, which MLB in a statement called “an increasingly important pathway,” would receive an influx of high-end talent annually and serve as a mandatory stop in the domestic development pipeline

The proposal itself is pretty straightforward. All high school players need to wait at least two years to be drafted by MLB teams. This will result in most of those players attending college or junior college, although perhaps some will go to play somewhere internationally. However, if the NBA is any indication, that will be more the exception rather than the rule. Also of note, with a smaller draft, fewer players will be selected, which means players who were projected to go in the back half of the draft will opt to remain in school to continue their baseball careers. They wrap it all up by summarizing that the college level will become mandatory and increase the talent pool for those programs.

That selfish decision by MLB owners is obviously where college baseball programs can benefit.

With more talented high school players attending college to play baseball, the overall talent pool of college baseball gets better. Similar to football and basketball, the top programs will benefit the most, with the rest of the talent trickling down, but it should benefit everyone.

Teams like Oregon State will still secure many of the top players out west. However, the higher the number of great players available, the more likely it is that more of them will come to programs such as San Diego State, Nevada, or Grand Canyon. It could bring the overall level of talent up in the Mountain West or Pac-12 conference.

While it’s true that if the entire D1 talent pool increases for baseball, then the gap between top programs and mid-majors will still remain. That being said, if the mid-major programs get talented players who aren’t the stars, the ones who are often going to college out of high school regardless, they may be less likely to get drafted in this proposed system. Or at the very least, less likely to get drafted until their junior or senior seasons. If those players use most of their college eligibility, it could lead to better teams and better competition in the Mountain West and Pac-12.

Again, there is no sense dwelling on this because of how unlikely it is to happen. But what would end up being a loss for minor league baseball could end up as a significant win for the mid-major college baseball programs out west.

The Phillies took care of business against the Mets. By taking care of business, they just kind of got out of the Mets’ way and let them find ways to lose, but a win is a win, and the Phillies won two games in a stadium where they don’t often do so. Now, they’ll return home to face a Pirates team that got off to a good start, but has a losing record in June and is now down to a .500 record.

Opposition research: Brandon Lowe

Brandon Lowe’s career got off to a great start. As a rookie with the Rays, he made the All-Star team and finished third in Rookie of the Year voting. The next two years, he was in the top 10 of AL MVP voting, including a 39-home run season in 2021.

But he never took the next step to superstardom, and settled in as a good, but not great player. He’ll hit 20+ home runs every season (31 in 2025) but an unexceptional on-base percentage, and increasingly poor defense at second base made the Rays deem him expendable. He was part of a three-team trade this offseason, and started the season as the Pirates’ second baseman.

The change of scenery has seemed to agree with him. He’s already hit 20 home runs, and his defense has graded out much better.

It’s possible that he makes his second All-Star team, although Phillies fans can help prevent that if they stuff the ballot box for Bryson Stott.

He’s going to be a free agent at season’s end, meaning the Pirates have a decision to make. It seems dangerous for a team with such a limited payroll to commit to a guy having a career best season at age 31.

Remembering a guy who played for the Pirates and Phillies

Andy Van Slyke is best remembered for his time with the Pirates. In eight seasons with the team, he made three All-Star games, two Silver Slugger awards, and five Gold Gloves in center field. After 1994, with Van Slyke seemingly in decline, the Pirates allowed him to leave as a free agent.

He signed with the Orioles for the 1995 season, but struggled, batting .159 in 17 games. The Phillies, needing outfield help, traded for him, putting him in center field, and shifting Lenny Dykstra to left.

Van Slyke had a successful debut with the Phillies, hitting a home run in a win over the Mets. Unfortunately, he then got injured in his second game and ended up missing almost a month. He struggled greatly after his return, and ended up batting just .243 in 63 games as the Phillies had an awful second half of the season.

Hating on the Pirates

Why hate on the Pirates when team ownership does such a good job of it themselves? They run the team like a minor league franchise, and it feels like a matter of when, not if, that Paul Skenes is pitching somewhere else.

They pick near the top of the draft just about every year, but very few blue-chip talents ever seem to reach the major league team. They already handed a bag to prospect Konnor Griffin and based on how the past few decades have gone for the Pirates, it seems just as likely that he’ll go the way of Scott Kingery.

Additional thought about the series

Wednesday’s pitching matchup of Zack Wheeler vs. Skenes is a great one on paper, although the earlier matchup between the two didn’t turn out to be much of a pitchers’ duel. Wheeler was terrific, throwing seven shutout innings, but Skenes was clearly not at his best, giving up five runs in five innings.

Somehow, the Pirates are still using Gregory Soto as their closer. He has four blown saves on the season, including one against the Phillies. Last time, I predicted that he’d blow one, and really, it wasn’t that difficult of a prediction. In a four-game series, it feels like he’s got another bad outing in him.