Jul 23, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Tigers center fielder James Outman (43) celebrates after he hits a three run home run in the seventh inning against the Kansas City Royals at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
Despite striking first, the Royals dropped the opening game of their four-game series against the Detroit Tigers, 4-3. The result drops Kansas City’s record to 43-61 while Detroit improves to 49-54.
On the bright side for the Royals, starting pitcher Randy Dobnak threw a fine game. Looking for his first win since May 21, 2021, Dobnak threw five scoreless innings while limiting the Tigers to five hits. He walked only one while he struck out three. Matt Strahm relieved in the sixth inning, preserving the lead for his 13th hold of the season. Strahm’s ERA dropped to 6.88—still bad, but under 7.
The game remained scoreless through five innings as the Royals threatened, but never maimed, Tigers starting pitcher Troy Melton. Melton, who entered the evening with a 1.80 ERA and 3.87 FIP through nine starts and 55 innings pitched, struggled with his command as he walked four. He got away with it, though, until the sixth inning.
Against the last batter he’d face, Isaac Collins, Melton left a slider over the plate. Collins turned on it, hitting it 390 feet to right, over the fence and on to the Michigan Lottery sign. (“For fun. For schools.”) Michael Massey, who singled to begin the inning, also scored. 2-0, Royals.
After Strahm held the Tigers at bay, John Schreiber came in to pitch the seventh. It’s not fair to Schreiber, but when he entered the game, The Rolling Stones started playing in my head, specifically the song, “Play With Fire.” Schreiber’s had a decent season—he entered with a 3.29 ERA (but 4.93 FIP) and hadn’t allowed an earned run in his last three outings. Heck, during his last two outings, he hadn’t even allowed a hit.
To his credit, he almost got out of it unscathed, but horseshoes and grenades, am I right?
The first two batters of the inning, Dillon Dingler and Kerry Carpenter, both singled, Dingler moving to third on Carpenter’s hit. Spencer Torkelson struck out before Zach McKinstry softly lined out to Andrew Velasquez at short. Two outs, two on, James Outman, he of the .155/.216/.275 slash line, coming up.
Because this is just the way things are going for the Royals, on a 2-2 pitch, Outman hit it out, man. (I’m not sorry.) 3-2, Detroit.
The Royals didn’t go quietly, though. Massey led off the top of the eighth with a single. Tyler Tolbert replaced him on the basepaths. Collins, who homered his last time up, popped up a bunt to the third baseman, failing to advance Tolbert. No matter. With Josh Rojas up, Tolbert stole second before advancing to third on a wild pitch. Rojas then singled him home, tying the game, 3-3.
Rojas remained at first, though, as Detroit quickly retired Nick Loftin and Velasquez.
Steven Cruz replaced Schreiber, and Mick Jagger picked it back up in my head. Sure enough, with two outs and two strikes, Detroit regained the lead when Dingler doubled home Hao-Ye Lee. Tigers up, 4-3.
My sons decided to watch the top of the ninth with me. Things looked promising after Lane Thomas walked and Vinnie Pasquantino singled to bring up Salvador Perez with one out and the tying run on second. I’d been telling the boys all night when Salvy came up to bat so they could possibly witness some local history. My oldest said, “It would be great if he hit a home run right here.”
I replied, “Yeah, but I’m thinking a game-ending double-play instead.”
DENVER, COLORADO - JULY 19: Jordan Romano #68 of the Colorado Rockies celebrates a defensive play as he pitches in the ninth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Coors Field on July 19, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With more than seven years of Major League experience, Jordan Romano is no stranger to serving as a closer.
The Canadian right-hander spent the first six years of his Major League career with the Toronto Blue Jays before moving to Philadelphia for a year in 2025, and was most recently with the Los Angeles Angels earlier this season before being designated for assignment on April 26th.
In just a short period of time, Romano is quickly making his case to assume the closer role at his new home in Denver.
Signed as a free agent by the Rockies on May 6 and then moving to Colorado’s 40-man roster on July 4, the 6’ 5” Romano has recorded scoreless outings in five of his six appearances as a Rockie, surrendering only one run.
“Whenever you are in the big leagues, it’s a chance to perform and showcase yourself,” said Romano.
“So, that’s just what I am trying to do,” he added. “Whenever you are on that field, I am just trying to bring it, get outs and, hopefully, it goes all right.”
Since being a Rockie, Romano earned a save in back-to-back outings (July 5 against San Francisco and July 7 at Los Angeles Dodgers).
In so doing, he became the first Colorado pitcher to log two saves in their first three contests with the team since Pierce Johnson in 2023.
He notched his third save in three opportunities with Colorado (seventh on the season after four with the Angels) needing only 11 pitches to retire the side in order, including a pair of strikeouts, in the ninth inning of the Rockies’ come-from-behind 8-7 home victory July 21st against Washington.
Colorado manager Warren Schaeffer pointed to Romano’s mental approach as a key to his mound success.
“How you prepare yourself mentally, he just does it differently,” Schaeffer said.
“He turns himself into someone different when he comes in the ball game. I think all the experience he has brings (us to) a level that we necessarily haven’t had in the bullpen with all those big league saves that he has.”
Romano has 120 saves in his Major League career, including 105 in his six seasons with the Blue Jays. He logged back-to-back seasons with 36 saves in 2022 and 2023, earning All-Star Game selection each campaign, and his 87.0 save percentage (120 for 138) since 2019. That is tied for the second-highest in MLB (minimum 130 save opportunities).
“I have had a lot of experience closing games, [I’ve] been around and have seen a lot of things,” said Romano.
“I just try to help out, especially some of the young guys in the bullpen,” he added. “I am not saying I am like a ‘super veteran,’ but I have seen a lot and have pitched in a lot of tight spots.
“I am just trying to pay it back and tell guys what works and what doesn’t,” he continued. “Everyone’s different. But there’s some key things that stick with good players in the league.”
Schaeffer sees the importance of having someone with Romano’s experience in the team’s bullpen.
“I think it’s just the pedigree,” the manager said. “I think it’s the young relievers being able to look to him to how he prepares himself for a game in the middle of the game, which is huge.”
Thus far Romano is pleased with his early success with Colorado as he attempts to re-establish himself as one of the top closers in the Majors.
“I feel like things are just kind of trending upward,” he said. “I am feeling more comfortable on the mound, feeling more comfortable with the fastball and the slider.
“I always believed I could pitch. We just got to get on a roll here.”
This raises an interesting question. Manager Warren Schaeffer has been resistant to naming a single closer, instead using specific relievers to face specific batters. Should the Rockies name Romano their closer or continue with their previous strategy?
That music you hear in the background is the Jeopardy theme, playing while we wait for LeBron James to announce his decision. While LeBron's dragged-out process has slowed the market, it has not slowed the rumors, here are some of the latest.
Lakers calling Kuminga
The Lakers will have 16 guaranteed contracts on the books once the Kevon Looney and Matisse Thybulle deals become official, meaning they have to shed at least one player from the roster before the season starts (league rules only permit carrying 15). The Lakers also are just under $2 million below the luxury tax line, according to Spotac.
That hasn't stopped Lakers president Rob Pelinka from calling Jonathan Kuminga to make his pitch, reports ESPN’s Anthony Slater.
"I can tell you that they keep calling Jonathan Kuminga. Obviously they have not made a lucrative enough offer for Kuminga to jump. But part of their pitch has been, 'Hey, you can come start here potentially'... All I can tell you is Rob Pelinka keeps calling about Jonathan Kuminga."
Slater's report comes despite previous ones that sign-and-trade talks between the Lakers and Hawks have all but died, and that the Lakers and Kuminga were nowhere close to agreeing to a new contract number. It's possible all that is true and Pelinka keeps calling anyway. The Lakers reportedly have offered two years, $20 million total, while Kuminga is looking for something at the very least north of the mid-level exception of $15 million a season.
Then there are the multiple problems of a sign-and-trade with Atlanta — the Hawks are not interested unless the Lakers throw in draft compensation that makes it worth their while. The Hawks are currently $4.9 million below the luxury tax with 17 players on the books (one of those is a partial guarantee), meaning Atlanta must trade or waive two players before the season starts — and Kuminga is not one of the guys on the books. Meaning if they do a sign-and-trade they add a player and salary to their books. The Lakers reportedly offered Jared Vanderbilt in the deal, but that doesn't work for the Hawks on two fronts: 1) It puts them into the luxury tax this year, and Vanderbilt is not worth going into the tax for; 2) Vanderbilt has two guaranteed years left on his contract and the Hawks don't want his $13.3 million for 2027-28 on the books. The Hawks might consider it for the swap rights to the Lakers' 2032 first-round pick — the only first-round pick the Lakers can trade — but is Kuminga worth giving up that trade asset for?
Lakers fans, remember how frustrated Steve Kerr was with Kuminga, trying to get him to play in their system and work off the ball to get open? With Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, JJ Redick is going to ask a lot of the same things of Kuminga. So why is he suddenly a good fit?
D’Angelo Russell expected to become free agent
D'Angelo Russell ended up in Memphis as part of the massive six-team trade that also saw Isaiah Stewart end up with the Grizzlies. While Stewart is part of the future plans in Memphis, Russell is not and the sides are working toward a buyout that would make Russell a free agent, reports Kelly Iko at Yahoo Sports.
Russell's timeline — an experienced player with over 30 playoff games — simply doesn't align with a rebuilding Grizzlies franchise seeking young, developmental talent centered around a core of Cedric Coward, Zach Edey and recent No. 3 pick Cameron Boozer.
Russell would have interest on the open market. However, he has been inconsistent in recent seasons and has always been better with the ball in his hands rather than working off it (which is why he fell out of favor with Jason Kidd in Dallas last season, before the team traded him to Washington at the deadline). Last season he played in just 26 games, averaging 10.2 points and four assists a game, but shooting 29.5% from 3-point range. He will draw interest as a backup point guard, although he could wait until camps open and teams realize they need another point guard (or an injury hits them) and they come calling.
Expect to see this split between Russell and the Grizzlies to happen in the coming weeks.
How much is Jalen Duren worth?
Jalen Duren and the Detroit Pistons remain at an impasse, with Duren becoming this year's poster child for why agents and players hate restricted free agency.
As a reminder, coming off an All-NBA season where he averaged 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds a game while playing high-level defense in the paint, Duren qualifies for a Rose Rule: 30% of the salary cap max for five years, $287 million. However, after a disappointing playoff run where he was largely a non-factor (or at least not near what was expected), he is willing to take the same deal Victor Wembanyama got at 25% of the cap, or five years at $239.2 million.
Except the Pistons reportedly are not putting that on the table. So Fred Katz of The Athletic asked 13 people from other front offices what they would offer Duren if they were in the Pistons' shoes, and the offers were much lower than what Duren is seeking.
One executive believes he's identified the fair deal for Duren and the Pistons: $204.5 million over five years... Yet, this exec is on the high end of the poll; $204.5 million, even though it's far below his max, is the second-most guaranteed money any of the respondents suggested. The largest proposed deal was $230 million over five years. Two executives considered $200 million over five years to be fair. The two other five-year deals were for $190 million and $180 million.
All the others were lower than that, with some offering only four-year deals.
Duren's only leverage is to say he will play this season for the $9.6 million qualifying offer and become a free agent next summer, potentially leaving Detroit for nothing. The concern there is that not a lot of teams are lined up to have max cap space next summer. More concerningly would be leaving all that money on the table — things do sometimes go sideways. Even on the lower end of what might be offered, that is generational wealth. It's a lot just to walk away from.
Which is what Detroit is counting on. Expect a deal to get done, eventually.
Other trade rumors
• New Orleans has had trade conversations with several teams about wing Jordan Hawkins, reports Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line. Memphis was one of the teams involved, according to the report. Hawkins was a lottery pick in the 2023 draft but has regressed each of the last two years, and last season averaged 5.1 points per game shooting 36.6% overall.
• It's worth noting the Pelicans continue to hold tightly to the wings teams are really calling them about, Trey Murphy III and Herbert Jones.
• Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball have been to France and are working out with Rudy Gobert, reports Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. That's a good sign for Timberwolves fans.
• The Houston Rockets re-signed veteran Jae'Sean Tate to a one-year, veteran minimum contract (partially guaranteed). His role decreased last season with the Rockets, he played in just 46 games and averaged 8.8 minutes a night.
• Houston may have the best free agent signing of the summer: assistant coach Chip Engelland. The shooting guru is leaving Oklahoma City to work under Ime Udoka in Houston, and it's hard to overstate what a quality hire that is for the Rockets.
The Angels have a suitor for Neto if the team looks to deal the infielder ahead of the Aug. 3 trade deadline. The Boston Red Sox reportedly have renewed interested in Neto, according to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon.
Angels star Zach Neto is under team control for three more years. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Neto’s availability remains unclear, though, as owner Arte Moreno and interim general manager John Mozeliak may not want to part ways with a player under club control for three more years.
Boston pursued the 25-year-old last winter, but their efforts were evidently unsuccessful. But, the Angels no longer have Perry Minasian in the front office after he was relieved of his duties at the end of June, which could open the door for the Red Sox to acquire the young dual threat.
The Red Sox are coming off an improbable 15-game win streak that tied the franchise record, transforming Boston from seller to buyers this summer. The middle infield is an area that the Red Sox are looking to address at the deadline.
During the win streak, Boston played Andruw Monasterio and Tsung-Che Cheng at shortstop, neither of whom are everyday infielders.
The Red Sox front office, led by Craig Breslow, is interested in acquiring Angels star Zach Neto ahead of the trade deadline. AP
Neto is hitting .238 with 19 home runs, 46 RBIs, and a OPS of .772 across 395 at-bats. The Angels star also has 13 stolen bags on the season.
Since the start of the 2024 season, Neto has 68 home runs and 69 stolen bases.
The Red Sox already having a starting shortstop in Trevor Story, but he hasn’t played since May. The former All-Star is expected to begin a rehab assignment next month, but age and injury still pose a lot of questions. Meanwhile, Neto presents a younger and more cost-effective option for the team.
Angels owner Arte Moreno has been the recipient of much criticism for the way he’s run the team. AP
The only problem? Moreno has a history of retaining players under long-term control rather than trading them away. The Angels may not want to kickstart a rebuild by letting go of Neto and that would certainly fall in line with how the organization has operated in recent years.
This Red Sox prospect’s home run sparked an all-out brawl.
After blasting a homer for High-A Greenville during their 13-6 win on Wednesday, Justin Gonzales exchanged some words with Rangers affiliate Hub City’s catcher Cal Stark before things quickly devolved into a benches-clearing brawl.
Gonzales — who is the Red Sox’s No. 3-ranked prospect, according to MLB.com — took his time around the bases to admire the blast before Clark threw up his hands as the outfielder crossed home plate.
CHAOS IN GREENVILLE
Justin Gonzalez DEMOLISHES a three-run homer and benches clear as he crosses the plate.
Despite being held back by his teammates during the scuffle, Gonzales broke free at one point and slapped Stark in his mask.
Gonzales was ejected from the game for his actions, though any details of a further suspension have yet to be released.
Gonzales, 19, has quickly risen up the ranks for Boston since being signed as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic in 2024.
Through 73 games in High-A this season, Gonzales has posted an impressive slash line of .263/.379/.443 with 13 home runs and 40 RBIs.
“That’s something that I like to do,” Gonzales told MLB.com through an interpreter in late April. “I try to hit the ball hard, and also that’s something that I’ve been working on, trying to be more consistent hitting the ball hard.”
Justin Gonzales wound up being ejected for his actions. Baseball America on X
One of Gonzales’ most projectable characteristics is his towering six-foot-five, 210-pound stature, with MLB Pipeline listing his projected big-league arrival in 2028.
“That body, look at him,” former Red Sox manager Alex Cora said of Gonzales in March, according to MLB.com. “He’s only 19. Lucky for him, he’s playing baseball. He was born in the Dominican. If not, he would be playing tight end for somebody.
Jul 23, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Tigers center fielder James Outman (43) receives congratulations from right fielder Kerry Carpenter (30) and catcher Dillon Dingler (13) after he hits a three run home run in the seventh inning against the Kansas City Royals at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
It took almost seven innings for the Tigers to remember to try to win, but they did win indeed, going 4-3 over the Royals.
The Tigers were back home again after a post-All-Star Break road trip, and they would be facing a team that would most certainly be a thorn in their side. The Kansas City Royals, dubious season record aside, have always been a hard win for the Tigers. To open the weekend series against their division rivals, they would have Troy Melton on the mound, and they would be facing off against a former Tigers farmhand in Randy Dobnak.
In the first inning Carter Jensen took a leadoff walk. Then, with one out Vinnie Pasquantino singled. Right on his heels Salvador Perez walked. Despite the rough start, though, Melton kept his head and got the final two outs of the inning with no damage done. This particular play needs to be seen to be believed.
In the home half, Gleyber Torres got a one-out single. He was then eliminated in a force out off the bat of Colt Keith. Riley Greene singled to put runners on the corners, but the Tigers just weren’t able to convert a golden opportunity and left two runners stranded.
Josh Rojas opened the second with a leadoff double, but three outs in a row followed to end the inning and get Melton out of another uneasy situation. Zach McKinstry got a two-out single in the bottom of the inning, but he was picked off by Dobnak to end the inning.
Melton was finally in his groove by the third, getting the Royals out in order. Too bad the Tigers did the same in the bottom of the inning.
In the fourth, Isaac Collins got a one-out walk, but two outs followed to leave him stranded. Similarly, Dillon Dingler got a two-out walk in the bottom of the inning, but he was also left behind to end the inning.
Carter Jensen got a one-out double in the fifth. Then, with two outs, Pasquantino walked, but the Royals failed to convert the baserunners. Now, while we have a moment: tell me if you thought a Dobnak vs. Melton game would basically become a pitchers’ duel? If you say yes, you are a liar. McKinstry got a one-out single in the bottom of the inning but was eliminated on a force out off the bat of James Outman. Outman was then caught stealing second and though the Tigers challenged the out call (and frankly it looked like he was safe) the call was upheld to end the inning.
Michael Massey got a leadoff single in the top of the sixth, and then Collins homered, bringing in two runs. That was it for Melton, whose final line for the game was 5.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 5 K, 1 HR on 76 pitches. Some good stuff from Melton overall, just the Royals picking away small ball style all game. Tyler Holton came in to replace him and after getting the first out, gave up a single to Nick Loftin. He got the next two outs after that, though, to end the inning. Dobnak was also done after five, being replaced by Matt Strahm. With two outs a pinch-hitting Hao-Yu Lee walked, but the Tigers weren’t able to bring him home.
Holton got two outs into the seventh before being pulled in favor of Jacob Waguespack. Waguespack got the final out of the inning. John Schreiber, another familiar name to Tigers’ fans, was the new reliever for the Royals in the bottom of the inning. Dingler and Kerry Carpenter got things going with back-to-back singles. Then, with two outs, James Outman hit a homer to right to clear the bases and give the Tigers the lead.
Kevin McGonigle then singled, but got tagged out at second trying to leg out a double.
Drew Anderson came in for the Tigers in the eighth. Michael Massey got a leadoff single, then his pinch-runner Tyler Tolbert stole second with one out. A wild pitch that bounced off home plate allowed Tolbert to advance to third and then a Josh Rojas single brought him home to tie the game 3-3.
Steven Cruz continued the bullpen rotation. Hao-Yu Lee got a one-out single, then got to second on a Riley Greene groundout. Dingler then doubled to score the much-needed go-ahead run, bringing Lee home.
Kerry Carpenter reached on an error from Pasquantino, putting Dingler on third and giving the Tigers a great opportunity to extend their lead. Unfortunately, they weren’t able to take advantage of it. Alas. Drew Sommers came in for the top of the ninth, hoping to keep the Tigers in the lead. Lane Thomas got a one-out walk as Sommers struggled to locate his fastball. Pasquantino then singled. That was it for Sommers, the leash very short, who was replaced by Kyle Finnegan. And he did exactly what they needed, getting Salvador Perez to hit into a double play to end the game, with Finnegan covering first for the final out. Iconic.
Judging by the national media today, the Tigers are preparing to trade Tarik Skubal, keep Tarik Skubal and buy, and keep Tarik Skubal and shed salary elsewhere to avoid the luxury tax screwing up their compensation picks. Hard hitting stuff from the MLB insiders. We’ll be glad when this saga is over one way or another.
At no point during Jose Iglesias’ days as the Tigers shortstop did we envision his Broadway debut, but the Cuban born defensive specialist had a minor hit with his “OMG!” song two years ago during his run with the Mets. Now he’ll be on Broadway as part of the cast of Buena Vista Social Club. The musical covers the ensemble of Cuban musicians who formed in 1996. That’s one heck of a second career for Candelito, and if you’ve never heard this album you owe it to yourself to check it out.
One Royals fan got a little too excited for Salvador Perez’s historic home run.
During the seventh inning of the Royals’ 5-4 win over the Giants on Wednesday, Perez hit his 317th career homer, tying George Brett for the franchise’s all-time record.
Perez’s 437-foot blast landed in Kauffmann Stadium’s water fountains in right-center field, and a fan dove into the water to grab the historic home run ball.
Perez tied Royals legend George Brett’s all-time franchise home run record. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Security escorted the eager fan out of the stadium shortly after, with police taking him into custody.
Others in attendance shared pictures of the fan being handcuffed by the police before being taken out of the stadium.
According to the Royals’ team website, anyone who jumps in the fountain are subject to arrest.
“If at any time a guest enters a fountain, they will be immediately arrested, transported to the police station downtown and charged to the fullest extent of the law,” the rule reads.
"Please police just take him out of the jail please." -Salvador Perez after a fan was arrested for jumping in the fountain to retrieve his home run ball that tied the Royals franchise record pic.twitter.com/dPxpUVhyb4
Following the game, Perez told reporters that he understood the person’s motives and said authorities should let him go.
“Please, police, just take care of the job please and send him home. If was him, I’d maybe jump too and try to get that ball, so please. And thank you for the hard work in trying to get that ball,” Perez said.
In regard to his record-tying homer, Perez said he was glad to have hit it in Kansas City in front of the home crowd.
Kansas City Royals designated hitter Salvador Perez (13) is doused with ice water from a cooler by infielder Tyler Tolbert (2) after a game against the San Francisco Giants at Kauffman Stadium. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
“That was a super exciting moment,” Perez said, according to MLB.com. “Especially doing it here in Kansas City. I love the fans here. Kansas City is my second home.”
Perez, 36, has spent the entirety of his 15-year MLB career in Kansas City and established himself as a franchise staple as the captain of the Royals.
He is a nine-time All-Star, a five-time Gold Glove Award winner, a five-time Silver Slugger Award winner and was named the 2015 World Series MVP after the Royals beat the Mets in five games.
“I love that guy,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro told reporters. “What he does, the way he goes about it, the passion he plays the game — it’s unrivaled.
“The guy’s a Hall of Famer, and you’re getting to witness it.”
The Mets have fallen short of being able to compete with the Dodgers this season.
As if Mets fans needed another reminder of just how much of a train wreck this season has turned into, here comes the biggest one of all: The Dodgers will be at Citi Field when the Mets open their homestand Friday.
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It comes on the heels of another lost series, this one to the Brewers, where David Stearns’ old team is battling the Dodgers for the best record in the sport.
And now the same Dodgers the Mets were supposed to emulate when Stearns arrived in Queens and paired with Steve Cohen’s money are in town to show off just how big a gap there is between the two franchises.
Because instead of a battle of coastal powerhouses, the series that opens Friday is another example of just how far the Mets are from reaching their goal.
The Dodgers have the best record in the majors (65-38) and stand to get even better over the next two weeks.
Shohei Ohtani swings during the Dodgers’ July 22 game. Getty Images
Even before they figure to add improvements by the Aug. 3 trade deadline, they should get their closer, Edwin Díaz, back.
The ex-Met is expected to return to the bullpen within the next few days — although not likely by this weekend — after surgery to remove loose bodies in his elbow.
Kiké Hernández has been out with a strained oblique and could be back this month.
Meanwhile, the Dodgers have not just overcome the absence of those two key players, but catcher Will Smith is out indefinitely with a neck injury and Shohei Ohtani has been dealing with left knee inflammation that’s kept him off the mound.
Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow are expected back in the rotation next month.
The Dodgers recently shrugged off a sweep at the hands of the Diamondbacks in Los Angeles and won series against the Yankees and Phillies — both on the road.
As for the Mets, they haven’t won as many as three straight games since the end of May.
They are a season-high 17 games under .500, 17 games out of first place in the NL East and 10 ½ out of the final NL wild-card spot.
And now they’ve forced themselves into sitting one of their only bright spots — either Carson Benge or A.J. Ewing — on a regular basis to get Luis Robert Jr. in the lineup to potentially increase his trade value.
“I understand why they’re doing it,’’ one National League scout said of the decision to try to play Robert regularly now that he’s finally returned from a back issue, “as long as it’s just until the [trade] deadline. But it still doesn’t look great. Having those two rookies out there is about all that’s worth paying attention to, but their development isn’t gonna be impacted by a few days out of the lineup in July. It just can’t go on later [in the season].”
Luis Robert Jr. is pictured before the Mets’ July 20 game against the Brewers. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
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It’s still another example, though, of how this season has gone off the rails for the Mets, as the scout noted the number of questions they have up and down their roster, which will continue at least for the foreseeable future.
“Who’s their first baseman next season?” the scout said. “Second baseman in two or three years? Third? They’ve shown you can’t just trade or sign those guys that easily. The Dodgers have shown the ability to find the right guys to fill out their team. The Mets haven’t.”
And that will be on display in full effect for the next three days.
While Nolan McLean is starting Saturday, he’s sandwiched between Sean Manaea and Freddy Peralta.
By the end of the 10-game homestand that begins Friday, the Mets will look considerably different and certainly not any better.
It was refreshing that JFK High School star pitcher Derek Yormack was named Gatorade’s New York baseball player of the year.
“The past year has been amazing,” he told The Post.
The soon-to-be senior was an integral part of the Cougars’ run to claim the Long Island title in the spring.
He boasted an ERA of 0.42 and a .439 batting average — all while keeping straight A’s in school.
Derek Yormack throws a pitch for JFK High School. Courtesy of Hugh Miller Photography
“Some teammates come up and ask how to throw a certain pitch or what my approach is in the box,” Yormack said of the synergy he shares with the roster.
“It just drives me. It drives the team. It’s amazing.”
And the 17-year-old is thirsty for more his senior year.
“It’s not finished yet,” he said. “We were state semifinalists, so there’s still more to build on. Every day is just about getting better.”
Yormack plans on suiting up for the Vanderbilt Commodores after graduating — if the MLB draft doesn’t come calling first.
“It would be a dream come true,” the lifelong Mets fan added.
Duck dreams
Hempstead’s Julian Minaya is learning to fly with the Long Island Ducks.
The 24-year-old right-hander is pursuing a dream of landing in a Major League Baseball farm system and feels he’s in the perfect place to make that happen.
Julian Minaya throws a pitch for the Long Island Ducks. Long Island Ducks
“It’s a hitters league. There’s just a lot of great talent here,” Minaya told The Post.
“I’m really learning how to pitch better.”
The Dominican Republic-born ace raised in Nassau County added that former teammate Trevor Bauer, who played on Long Island from April until June, was integral in advising on how to have batters feel the breeze.
“We talked a lot about how to read the hitters and how to sequence … that’s helped me a lot,” Minaya, who is 4-2 with 58 strikeouts in 47 ²/₃ innings, said.
“Just learning how to pitch, learning how to use your strength to your advantage, and how to read the hitters better,” he added.
ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 12: Jonathan Kuminga #0 of the Atlanta Hawks drives to the basket during the game against the Brooklyn Nets on March 12, 2026 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. 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 Joe Boatman/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
From the moment the Hawks declined their team option for Jonathan Kuminga, he was linked to the Lakers.
LA lacks forwards with LeBron James and Rui Hachimura gone, making Kuminga a great option at the wing position.
Kuminga remains an unrestricted free agent, and the Lakers continue to search for their future wing. With reports that talks regarding Kuminga stalled, the Lakers added other players.
“I can tell you that they keep calling Jonathan Kuminga. And again, obviously they have not made a lucrative enough offer for Kuminga to jump. But part of their pitch has been, ‘Hey, you can come start here potentially.’
“And that says two things to me. Number one, it says the Lakers still don’t want to be done making moves. And they believe they’re a little weak on the wing position. Which, I think [Matisse] Thybulle will help. I think Ziaire Williams will help, but they could use some more juice on the wing, and maybe they get Kuminga done. Maybe they don’t. I think the LeBron domino affects Kuminga and what he may or may not be able to get. But, again, all I can tell you is Rob Pelinka keeps calling about Jonathan Kuminga”
This late into free agency, there is no reason for Kuminga to rush. A few teams are waiting for LeBron’s decision, and likely, once that is finalized, he can see how much money other teams have and sign where he thinks works best for him.
The Lakers’ offer of a potential starting spot and the attention LA always gets provide an alluring option for Kuminga. But clearly, that alone hasn’t been enough for him to sign.
Lakers President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka is doing the right thing here. Kuminga would be a great wing for the Lakers, and until he signs with a team, it doesn’t hurt to keep reaching out and trying to get a deal done.
If Kuminga signs elsewhere, the Lakers won’t be stuck with nothing.
They have wing options like Thybulle, Williams and even Adou Thiero they can rely on. And if he does join the purple and gold, this will be a notch on Pelinka’s belt. It’ll be an example of how a franchise can keep communication open with one of the best unrestricted free agents on the market and ultimately come to an agreement.
So, until Kuminga is officially off the table, the Lakers appear to remain interested and willing to keep hitting up his agent’s line.
CLEVELAND, OH - JULY 23: Taj Bradley #26 of the Minnesota Twins looks on during the game between the Minnesota Twins and the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on Thursday, July 23, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Sean Finucane/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Hopefully you all had a good day at your real jobs and didn’t watch this game because it was ROUGH. In the first 11 (THAT IS ELEVEN. TWO ONES NEXT TO EACH OTHER. IT’S TOO MANY FOR THE REST OF THIS UN-FUN FACT) innings of this game the Minnesota Twins went 1-14 with runners in scoring position. Luckily, Taj Bradley and the Twins’ apparently elite bullpen kept Cleveland to 0-17. The Twins were bad, but the Guardians were worse. So baseball goes.
Various Cleveland Guardians social media accounts and influencers refer to Cleveland’s brand of baseball as Guardsball. However, due to the Guardians ranking in the bottom five of nearly every offensive category of substance over the past five seasons, as far as I can tell Guardsball is about scoring as few runs as possible, hitting into weak outs, and pretending that a bloop single over the shortstop is a skill and not luck. Also Guardsball may be having your All-Star closer participate in the most nefarious gambling scheme in modern sports, but I’m still unclear on that part.
Anyway. Let’s do a Guardsball-inspired recap to try something different. Taj Bradley and Gavin Williams were the starting pitchers today, playing the role of “victim.”
BOTTOM 1: Twins 0, Guardians 0
Steven Kwan walked and stole second to start the game the Cleveland, giving the home squad a great chance to score early. Jose Ramirez had a typical AB, fouling off countless two-strike pitches but ended up with a soft liner to center. Chase DeLauter then ground out on a splitter that was, conservatively, a foot below the zone. And finally Brayan Rocchio struck out to leave Kwan stranded.
RISP: Twins 0-0, Guardians 0-3
LOBster count: Twins 1, Guardians 1
BOTTOM 4: Twins 0, Guardians 0
This inning started the same way as the first for Cleveland, with a walk and SB, this time by DeLauter. A wild pitch let DeLauter reach third, but Bradley struck out Rocchio and Rhys Hoskins with a pop-out from undeserved All-Star Travis Bazzana sandwiched in the middle. No dice.
RISP: Twins 0-0, Guardians 0-6
LOBster count: Twins 1, Guardians 3
TOP 5: Twins 0, Guardians 0
Finally, a threat for the good guys! Kody Clemens did his best Guardian impression and singled and stole second base to give the Twins a great scoring opportunity with no outs. Unfortunately this game is cursed with the two worst clutch hitting performances of all time (don’t fact check me) so no runs could be allowed. Royce Lewis popped out, Austin Martin struck out, and Luke Keaschall hit the ball hard but put it right on the ground to first base.
RISP: Twins 0-3, Guardians 0-6
LOBster count: Twins 2, Guardians 3
TOP 8: Twins 0, Guardians 1
Guardians catcher Patrick Bailey hit a homer at some point between these two innings, but there wasn’t even anyone stranded on base so who cares about that? That is NOT what’s Guardsball is about. I hope you learned your lesson, Patrick. Let’s get back to the good stuff: Guardsball.
Lewis walked, stole second, Trevor Larnach struck out, Keaschall walked, and pinch hitter Alan Roden came in to face All-Star closer Cade Smith. Unfortunately, Roden did not get the Guardsball memo since he wasn’t playing for most of today and delivered a clutch RBI single on the very first pitch he saw to tie the game at one apiece.
As far as I can tell, this All-Star closer did NOT participate in any nefarious gambling schemes. That’s probably why he gave up the RBI single. He wasn’t willing to make the Guardsball sacrifice in order for his team to win. Next time, place a three-way parlay on whether your first three pitches will be balls or strikes, then maybe you can come through when your team needs it most.
The Twins got back to Guardsball with a Lee groundout and Buxton strikeout to end the threat.
RISP: Twins 1-6, Guardians 0-6
LOBster count: Twins 4, Guardians 3
BOTTOM 8: Twins 1, Guardians 1
Andrew Morris quickly got the first two outs of this inning, but notorious Guardsballer Steven Kwan delivered his third hit of the game with a wild pitch allowing him to advance to second base with two outs. However, Jose Ramirez quickly popped out to fellow hamate veteran Ryan Jeffers to end the frame.
RISP: Twins 1-6, Guardians 0-7
LOBster count: Twins 4, Guardians 4
BOTTOM 9: Twins 1, Guardians 1
Yoendrys Gomez is not yet an All-Star, so no gambling required for this Guardsball move. He needed all of five pitches to retire the first two batters, but issued back-to-back walks to Bazzana and Hoskins two put two on for Kyle Manzardo, who quickly struck out to send it to extra innings.
RISP: Twins 1-6, Guardians 0-8
LOBster count: Twins 4, Guardians 6
TOP 10: Twins 1, Guardians 1
Now we have the fun scenario where Guardsball meets the Manfred Man. Every extra inning in the regular season now starts with the potential for Guardsball from the top. Remember: scoring is NOT Guardsball,
However, when Lewis, Larnach, and Keaschall hit into three quick outs to end the frame before it really began, that’s what we’re looking for here.
RISP: Twins 1-9, Guardians 0-8
LOBster count: Twins 5, Guardians 6
BOTTOM 10: Twins 1, Guardians 1
Bailey, Petey Halpin, and Kwan did their organizational duty. To the 11th.
RISP: Twins 1-9, Guardians 0-11
LOBster count: Twins 5, Guardians 7
TOP 11: Twins 1, Guardians 1
Where do we stand on intentional walks as part of Guardsball? It seems pretty anti-Guardsball to have someone in your lineup who is a good enough hitter to warrant an intentional walk, but the Guardians do employ Jose Ramirez so it’s hard to say. Regardless, the ineptitude warrants another paragraph. Eight pitches later and a Buxton walk later, Roden, Lee, and Jeffers hit into three soft outs to end their half and potentially my sanity.
I’m losing steam on this bit. Please someone help me. God. Let me outside. My family keeps pressuring me to get into cockfighting. Oh wait, that’s another completely separate Emmanuel Clase anecdote? Alright I’m back in.
RISP: Twins 1-12, Guardians 0-11
LOBster count: Twins 7, Guardians 7
BOTTOM 11: Twins 1, Guardians 1
To make sure everything was even and fair, Taylor Rogers intentionally walked Jose Ramirez. Now we don’t have to have the philosphical debate. Both walks cancel each other out and we move on. Rogers then got DeLauter, Rocchio, and Bazzana in order. To the 12th inning we go!
RISP: Twins 1-12, Guardians 0-14
LOBster count: Twins 7, Guardians 9
TOP 12: Twins 1, Guardians 1
Oh god. It’s done. I hate Guardsball. Please don’t make me do this again, baseball Zeus. How does the city of Cleveland live like this? Baseball is supposed to be FUN!! For the love of god please stop trying to make incompetence cool. We already have enough that in other facets of life. For the sake of baseball, I am begging the Guardians to get a second good hitter. They’ve needed one for a decade. Just do it for all that is good in the world.
Thank you Trevor Larnach. Thank you Luke Keaschall. Two two-out RBI singles later and the Twins lead 3-1 and I can finally put this bit to rest.
RISP: Twins 3-17, Guardians 0-17
LOBster count: Twins 9, Guardians 9
Alright back to normal. Thank god.
Jack Anderson made things interesting in the bottom of the 12th, with a two-out walk bringing the winning run to the plate. But Anderson retired pinch hitter Daniel Schneeman to end the game and secure the series split.
Anderson became the 12th Twin to record a save this season, further increasing the franchise record. That list includes such illustrious names as Luis Garcia and Justin Topa, both of whom are currently not in affiliated ball. If I were a betting man, I’d place the over/under on 17 different Twins recording a save before the year is up. There will be one from a trade deadline acquisition not currently on the team and another from Connor Prielipp after he moves to the bullpen to limit his workload. Tommy Nance is bound to get one at some point when Gomez and Morris are unavailable. One of Woo-Suk Go or Marco Raya probably gets an opportunity eventually just due to raw stuff. The final one will be the inevitable three inning Mike Paredes/Kendry Rojas bulk relief job after Joe Ryan goes six shutout. Stay tuned, I’ll have the lottery numbers for you next week.
Next up for the Twins is the reeling Las Oakramento Athletics, who are a robust 3-13 in July. They’ll round out their pre-trade deadline schedule with the bad Kansas City Royals, who just lost MVP candidate Bobby Witt Jr. to a back injury and the middling Seattle Mariners, who lost MVP candidate Cal Raleigh to a bizarre phenomenon known as “regression.” Even if it was ugly, salvaging a split was a huge boon to this team that hopes the front office will be buyers. They’ll have a great chance to emphasize their point with this soft portion of the schedule coming at a good time.
STUDS
Oh no
Wait
I thought I was done
PLEASE NO I’LL DO ANYTHING
GUARDSBALL
Also the Twins pitchers (Bradley, Morris, Gomez, Nance, Rogers, Anderson): combined 12 IP, 3 H, 1 solo HR allowed, NO OTHER RUNS
DUDS
Somehow this game only took 3:23 despite it being stuck in a fifth dimension outside of the very bounds of time and space. We are all but mites of dust compared to the power of Guardsball, may we all beg for forgiveness and pray to every baseball god that we are never in this position again. I need to call my mom.
Oh uh, no duds, Twins win… technically.
Help me.
Comment of the game goes to Danish philospher Soren Kierkegaard who once wrote, “With every increase in the degree of consciousness, and in proportion to that increase, the intensity of despair increases: the more consciousness the more intense the despair.”
May we never be conscious of Guardsball again. Amen.
During the outdoor ceremony in the Rose Garden, Dodgers owner Mark Walter presented President Donald Trump a jersey with the No. 47, the perfect number for the 47th President of the United States. Walter also gifted Trump a championship ring.
Dodgers owner Mark Walter presented President Donald Trump with a jersey and championship ring. AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson
The President heaped high praised about the franchise’s accomplishments in 2025 throughout a 20-minute monologue. Trump announced that the Dodgers’ triumph over the Toronto Blue Jays was “among the most thrilling championships in the history of the sport.”
Thursday’s visit marked the third trip for the Dodgers in the 2020s, after the team was welcomed by former President Joe Biden in 2021 following LA’s championship run in 2020.
Donald Trump praised the Dodgers for nearly 20 minutes during the ceremony in the Rose Garden. AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson
The Dodgers had been silent on whether the team would visit the White House to celebrate their most recent World Series title due to scheduling conflicts. Los Angeles’ opening road trip of the season was in Washington D.C., but all three games against the Nationals had an afternoon start time.
It took some time, and some scheduling snafoos to figure out, but a few months later, the Dodgers finally reached the nation’s capital on an off-day to celebrate their 2025 World Series title.
Shohei Ohtani was mentioned by President Donald Trump during his 20-minute speech about the team’s success. Samuel Corum/UPI/Shutterstock
White House visits from professional sports teams during the Trump administration have been controversial. However, most of the Dodgers elected to stick with tradition in spite of any controversy that may arise.
Mets starter Clay Holmes returned to the mound on Thursday night after making his first rehab appearance with Triple-A Syracuse.
With the plan for Holmes to go roughly three innings, per interim manager Andy Green earlier in the week, the right-hander lasted 2.1 innings after throwing 51 pitches (28 strikes) and allowed two earned runs on three hits and two walks while striking out two.
Holmes’ evening began with a 1-2-3 first inning, including back-to-back strikeouts that ended the frame. Things got hairy in the second after a leadoff double and a walk put runners at first and second with nobody out. Holmes didn’t allow a hit for the rest of the inning, but the RailRiders scored the game’s first run on a sacrifice fly.
In the third, Holmes allowed a walk and consecutive singles that brought home a run before getting a flyout to end his night. Tobias Myers came in for relief and struck out the next two batters to strand the inherited runners and close the book on Holmes.
The expectation is that the right-hander will likely need one more rehab start following Thursday’s performance before being activated. If Holmes is on a regular schedule, that final start could come on July 28, which is six days before the MLB trade deadline.
Jul 23, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Michael McGreevy (36) pitches against Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Tyler Locklear (31) during the fourth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
What was supposed to be an off-day for the St. Louis Cardinals became a rather important encounter with the Arizona Diamondbacks thanks to a game postponed by weather a few weeks ago. Michael McGreevy was in charge of the Cardinals fortunes, but the odd feeling matinee game didn’t go as expected. As a matter of fact, the wheels would come off the Cardinals bullpen by the time it was over and the end result could only be categorized as embarassing.
When I say expected, the anticipation for a Michael McGreevy start is a lot of ground balls and a relatively low score. As it turns out, the Diamondbacks were making hard contact and doing it often Thursday afternoon, but more on that later.
The St. Louis Cardinals jumped out to a quick lead in the top of the 1st inning as JJ Wetherholt reached on an infield single. He was followed by Jordan Walker who was batting second in the lineup Thursday. Jordan received a warm ovation from the Busch Stadium crowd in his first appearance since his historic Home Run Derby win a week and a half ago. Walker rewarded the applause with reason for more applause as he rocked a double to the wall scoring Wetherholt and giving St. Louis a 1-0 lead.
Alec Burleson followed Walker’s double with a infield single of his own which moved Jordan Walker to third. Lars Nootbaar then smacked a single which scored Jordan and doubled the Cardinals lead to 2-0. It felt like the Cardinals were going to explode for a really big inning. Unfortunately, it just felt that way as reality would prove that inaccurate. Masyn Winn flied out to center and then Jose Fermin walked to load the bases with just one out. The Cardinals could not do anything with those many runners in scoring position as Nathan Church struck out and Blaze Jordan popped out. The St. Louis 1st inning is one of those cases where scoring 2 runs felt like a defeat or at least a big missed opportunity.
The Cardinals 2-run lead would remain until the top of the 4th inning when the Arizona Diamondbacks jumped in front of St. Louis. It started with a McGreevy walk of Kepler who advanced to third on a double by Del Castillo. After Tawa hit a sacrifice fly scoring Kepler cutting the Cardinals lead to 2-1, Tyler Locklear turned on an 86 mph Michael McGreevy changeup and deposited it over the left field wall just inside the foul pole giving the Diamondbacks a 3-2 lead.
Arizona would get another run in the top of the 5th inning when Corbin Carroll led off with a triple. Two batters later, Moreno managed to lift a sacrifice fly to left scoring Carroll and increasing the Diamondbacks lead to 4-2. Michael McGreevy’s effort would end with one out in the top of the 7th inning. His stat line for the game was 6 1/3 innings allowing 7 hits while striking out 3 and walking 3. Manager Oli Marmol brought Justin Bruihl into the game to try and keep Arizona close. He was successful for the rest of the 7th inning, but allowed a loud double to Moreno who led off the Arizona top of the 8th inning. That would be costly two batters later when Del Castillo snuck a single through the left side of the infield giving the Diamondbacks a more significant 5-2 lead.
Matt Svanson was the Cardinals bullpen answer for the rest of the 8th inning, but the beneficiary was the Arizona Diamondbacks fantasy league stats. He immediately walked Tawa and then gave up a single to Vargas to load the bases. Tyler Locklear got in on the singles parade, too, which scored Del Castillo increasing the Diamondbacks lead to 6-2. That brought former Cardinal Nolan Arenado to the plate with the bases loaded and after he received a nice ovation, he (you guessed it) singled scoring yet another run giving Arizona a 7-2 lead. To add to the St. Louis misery, Corbin Carroll managed a sacrifice fly giving the Diamondbacks an even 8 runs which might as well have been 50 the way the Cardinals offense has struggled lately. To add to the degree of difficulty, Matt Svanson walked Perdomo to load the bases (again). That gave Moreno the chance to hit (wait for it) a single which upped the Arizona lead to 9-2. The Diamondbacks scored another run in the top of the 9th to make it 10-2, but does it really matter?
I would love for this to be the part where I document how the Cardinals offense exploded for a late inning rally, those of us who have been paying attention lately know that’s not realistic. St. Louis went down in order in the bottom of the 8th inning but the bottom of the 9th inning showed some positive energy. We did get a couple of runs on a Bryan Torres single with JJ Wetherholt and Nathan Church on base to make the score a slightly less disgusting at 10-4. Alec Burleson and Lars Nootbaar singles would add tallies making the game appear much more interesting than it actually was at 10-6. The truth is the 4 runs the Cardinals managed to score in the bottom of the 9th inning made the collapse of the bullpen even more aggravating. Imagine what Thursday’s game might have been if the relief arms could have kept Arizona from piling on? We’ll never know.
There’s no way to frame the Cardinals performance Thursday as anything other than disappointing. St. Louis could have leapfrogged Arizona in the Wild Card standings Thursday. Instead, they made many of us wonder if a winning record the remainder of this season is even possible. The upcoming series against the Reds and Cubs will likely decide the fate of this team as it approaches the trade deadline.
The St. Louis Cardinals begin a crucial 3-game series against their NL Central rivals Cincinnati Reds Friday night. Dustin May will take the mound for the Cardinals while the villains Reds will start RHP Rhett Lowder. First pitch is scheduled for 7:15pm central time and the TV broadcast will be handled by Cardinals.tv.
Swimmers to earn $30,000 per world record, $20,000 for a gold medal
Commonwealth Games Australia gives each team member $5,000
Freestyle king Kyle Chalmers has welcomed potential windfalls for Australia’s Commonwealth Games swimmers after Gina Rinehart offered up cash bonuses for medals and world records.
Amid a spate of high-profile athlete withdrawals from Glasgow 2026, Dolphins squad members have been given a significant incentive to take part. Billionaire Rinehart has confirmed she will deliver the same bonuses that were on offer in the pool at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
