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Three different teams went over double digits in a day of great offensive performances in the Dodgers minor league system.

Player of the day

If there was a case to be made for a couple of other names to be the Player of the Day on Tuesday, Jake Gelof this time made it a no-contest. The Drillers’ third baseman hit three home runs as the protagonist of a 6-2 win.

One of the more dominant hitters in Double-A presently, Gelof recorded his fourth straight multihit performance, now with 21 long balls this campaign. The more power-oriented approach seems to be paying off, as Gelof carries a .880 OPS, having already set a career high in strikeouts.

Triple-A Oklahoma City

Scoring a run in seven of the eight innings in which they hit, the Comets took down the Aviators in an 11-2 game. Jack Suwinski, Ryan Fitzgerald, and Ryan Ward all left the yard, with the latter of the trio knocking a couple of solo shots to make it an even 10 for him this season.

Not that the Comets needed such a high level of performance on the mound, but Landon Knack was at his finest, allowing just one hit in five innings, punching out one batter per frame.

Surprisingly, perhaps the Comets’ best hitter this season, at least one of them, James Tibbs III, was the only batter in the starting lineup to go hitless. Hyeseong Kim didn’t record an RBI but made up for it by reaching base in four of five plate appearances, scoring three runs.

Double-A Tulsa

It was a game of rare individual accomplishments with the Drillers beating the Naturals at home. Starter Payton Martin allowed a solo shot in his first inning of work and another one in his last frame—that was all the scoring the Naturals did, as Martin was a machine across eight innings to earn his fifth win of the season.

The Drillers’ offense delivered as much of a one-man show as you could see, with Jake Gelof carrying the offense from start to finish with his three home runs.

The other two RBI came from Frank Rodriguez, the only other Driller to hit a long ball. One aspect of the Drillers’ performance left a lot to be desired, though, and probably stood in the way of a larger win: the running game. Three different base runners were caught stealing, including Josue De Paula twice, as the Drillers didn’t steal a single base.

High-A Great Lakes

With the two teams combining for 29 strikeouts and no home runs, scoring could’ve been even scarcer than the final 5-4 result in favor of the visiting TinCaps. With the teams tied at two all after nine innings, the 10th frame saw Fort Wayne score three runs and still nearly let the Loons back into the game, stopping one run short.

Nico Perez hit a two-run single in the 10th and even stole second with just one out—only Chase Harlan and Jaron Elkins couldn’t do anything with it, stranding the tying run in scoring position. Elkins ended the game with his fourth strikeout for that Golden Sombrero.

Single-A Ontario

Maybe it was the confidence boost of playing behind a big-league ace, but the whole team showed up performing at a high level as the Tower Buzzers thrashed the Grizzlies in a 12-3 win. Blake Snell was sharp in his command with 45 strikes on 60 pitches to complete four scoreless innings, punching out nine with zero walks.

Mairoshendrick Martinus recorded a team-high three hits, including the game’s only home run, a solo shot in the fifth. Ching-Hsien Ko had a rare triple, retired just once in five plate appearances, with two hits and a couple of free passes. Easton Shelton was a rare Ontario batter to go hitless, but he still found a way to drive in his 95th run, closing in on the 100 mark.

Transactions

Blake Snell started a rehab assignment with the Ontario Tower Buzzers.

Wednesday’s scores

• Oklahoma City 11, Las Vegas 2
• Tulsa 6, NW Arkansas 2
• Great Lakes 4, Fort Wayne 5
• Ontario 12. Fresno 3

Thursday’s schedule

• 4:05 p.m. PT: Great Lakes (TBD) vs. Fort Wayne (Carson Montgomery)
• 5:00 p.m. PT: Tulsa (Adam Serwinowski) vs. NW Arkansas (Drew Beam)
• 5:05 p.m. PT: Oklahoma City (TBD) vs. Las Vegas (TBD)
• 6:35 p.m. PT: Ontario (TBD) vs. Fresno (Brady Parker)

The trade deadline is rapidly approaching and with it are the expectations of moves. We’ve already seen the opening salvo of deadline season last weekend with the Nationals and Red Sox swinging a swap of former Phillies prospect and noted “guy traded for Cristopher Sánchez” Curtis Mead heading to Boston in exchange for Connolly Early. The moves should start to come fast and furious as continue through this week and into the weekend leading up to Monday’s deadline. 

Despite what their recent performance may have you thinking, the Phillies will likely be active. They currently occupy a postseason spot and should be expected to at least make it into the tournament. There is no scenario in which they sell, but the degree to which they buy will be the major question. They’ve been connected to a handful of targets at least tangentially, so they are set up to be at least medium tier players in the market. However, we also know that they likely have more holes than resources in which to fill them, and that’s before even taking into account the extremely light market for hitters at this year’s deadline. 

There’s been some discussion of where the Phillies should focus their efforts. Should they go out and just get a fifth starter, or should they take advantage of a deeper starter market and get someone who could start a playoff game? Should they get a legit bullpen set-up man or a couple of options that allow Don Mattingly to play the matchup game? Should they get one of the “better” hitters on the market or should they search for bargains? That’s just a few of the opportunity costs the team will have to keep in mind as they search for upgrades.

So, how aggressive should the Phillies be at the trade deadline? Should they pursue one big upgrade while sacrificing others? Or should they go for a more spread-out approach and try for multiple patches? Or should they simply try to acquire the best players in their price range regardless of if they play a major position of need?

I choose to look at the Cubs’ 3-2, 10-inning loss to the Cardinals this way.

As you know, the Cubs have had an inordinately large number of injuries to the pitching staff, to the point where there have now been five pitchers who have appeared in exactly one game for the team and several others who have been riding on the DFA train. I give Craig Counsell a tremendous amount of credit for managing this staff and bullpen to the point where the Cubs are in command of the top NL wild card spot and still in the running for the NL Central title.

They are missing a lockdown closer since Daniel Palencia went down. Wednesday night, Counsell tried Trent Thornton in this role. Thornton has generally pitched pretty well this year and going into this game was second on the team in saves… with three. He had not blown a save opportunity as a Cub.

Welp. It didn’t work this time. What are you gonna do?

Before the disaster mentioned in the headline, this was a spectacularly good pitchers’ duel. Matthew Boyd, who has been lights-out since returning from his knee injury, threw seven shutout innings, allowing four hits and two walks, striking out five. He was in real trouble only in the sixth, when two singles followed by a two-out walk loaded the bases.

Boyd got Blaze Jordan to pop up in foul territory to end the inning [VIDEO].

More on Boyd’s evening from BCB’s JohnW53:

Boyd is the second Cubs pitcher to throw seven shutout innings this season, and the first on the road. Shota Imanaga did it at home vs. the Diamondbacks on May 2 and vs. the Twins on July 19.

Boyd gave up four hits, matching Imanaga vs. the Diamondbacks. He gave up six vs. the Twins.

Boyd’s start was the Cubs’ 153rd of its kind vs. the Cardinals since 1901 and the 22nd since 2000. Each of the last five has been at St. Louis: Kyle Hendricks in 2019 and 2022, Marcus Stroman later in 2022 and Hendricks again on July 12, 2024. Hendricks pitched 7.1 once; the others all were 4.0. Hendricks gave up seven hits in 2019. The others all were five-hitters.

And still more on Boyd’s outing [VIDEO].

Since returning from the knee injury, in seven starts Boyd has a 1.93 ERA and 1.143 WHIP.

But the Cubs couldn’t do anything with Dustin May, either. May allowed just one Cubs hit in five innings, this automatic double by Alex Bregman in the fourth [VIDEO].

Then May was lifted after the fifth having thrown only 70 pitches and was spotted with his teammates in the dugout — a literal hug-watch!

This prompted waves of speculation on social media that May had been traded in the middle of the game. This hasn’t happened — yet. May seems very likely to be dealt somewhere by Monday’s deadline, so this was almost certainly his last start for St. Louis.

Anyway, the Cubs couldn’t do anything with Cardinals relievers Justin Bruihl, Ryne Stanek, George Soriano or Riley O’Brien, who combined for four hitless innings, though the Cubs did pile up four walks between the sixth and ninth.

Cubs relief pitching did well to send the game to extras. Jacob Webb and Caleb Thielbar combined for two scoreless innings in the eighth and ninth, striking out five. Here’s the popup that sent the game to extras [VIDEO].

For a time, it looked like the Cubs would pull this one out. Dansby Swanson was the placed runner in the 10th. Nico Hoerner, who had been given the night off, pinch hit for Miguel Amaya and laced a line drive that was hit, unfortunately, right at JJ Wetherholt for an out.

Pete Crow-Armstrong then launched his 24th home run [VIDEO].

That was PCA’s 65th career home run. It was his first ever in extra innings. Now, that would have been a great way to lead this article, wouldn’t it?

It was not to be. Seiya Suzuki singled after the home run, just the Cubs’ third hit of the night, but Michael Busch hit into an inning-ending double play.

And then, the disastrous bottom of the 10th. A single and walk loaded the bases after the placed runner, and Thornton did get one out on a force at third that scored one run. This game is still winnable at this point, but Thornton gave up a two-run double to Ivan Herrera and that, as they say, was that.

Not the end of the world. But the Cubs need Palencia back, or who knows, maybe Ben Brown (who’s reported as symptom-free and beginning to throw in Arizona) can throw some lock-down relief for the big league team in a few weeks.

The Cubs didn’t lose any ground to either the Brewers or Phillies, as both those teams also lost Wednesday.

Here are Craig Counsell’s postgame remarks [VIDEO].

The Cubs still have a chance at a series win in the finale Thursday afternoon in St. Louis. Javier Assad will start for the Cubs and Andre Pallante goes for the Cardinals. Game time is 1:15 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network. The BCB game preview will post at 11 a.m. CT.

Maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow. But, will they, before the season is done?

On the one hand — no. They don’t really have other options (at least not right now), they haven’t done it yet, and Riley has at least shown temporary signs of righting the ship, even if they’ve evaporated as quickly as they appeared.

On the other hand — whatever hope there was that Riley was getting back on the horse has been arrested, and perhaps deferred indefinitely again. To the extent that the Braves are legitimately concerned about their offense, doing something about Riley’s playing time is a perhaps-sour, but nonetheless lower-hanging fruit than a bunch of other things they could try.

Riley went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts in the day game yesterday, and 0-for-3 with three strikeouts and a hit-by-pitch in the nightcap. He had a sub-.300 wOBA and sub-.200 xwOBA in the Orioles series. Basically, he hit well in the three series wrapping around the All-Star Break, and has gone back to struggling in the two series since. Whereas his good stretch involved less chasing and relatively more swinging at strikes, an excellent collective sign, he’s spent his time at the plate since more or less swinging at everything. In some ways, that’s better than taking strikes and swinging at balls, but the swings haven’t exactly been on target.

Combine Riley’s continuing-and-apparently-not-interrupted-by-three-good-series offensive issues without any real defensive improvement (he’s been marginally below average or worse at third base in every year of his career per Statcast’s OAA-based measure, aside from his tiny handful of innings at third in his debut year), and the only real upside is the hope that he suddenly figures it out on a go-forward basis. Again, it looked like maybe that was going to be the case a couple of weeks ago, but any optimism from that time has been seriously dented over the last week.

So, will the Braves take some sort of action to shore up their lineup given all of this? Or is ride-or-die with Riley, figuring that if they survived 430-plus PAs with him not producing, what’s 200 more?

Rays 3, Rangers 0

• Well, that was a weird one.
• MacKenzie Gore gave up a double and a pair of homers in the first inning. The Rangers were down 3-0 with one out in the first, and it seemed like we’d be seeing Marco Gonzales, and maybe Ezequiel Duran, pitching in this game.
• Then Gore didn’t allow another hit, ultimately going seven full innings. The only batter he allowed to reach after the second homer, reached on an HBP.
• Ben Peoples also didn’t allow a hit in an inning of work. So the Rangers have seven straight no hit innings going by their pitchers.
• The Rangers, meanwhile, had four hits. All four hits were doubles.
• Per B-R, its the 21st time that a team has had four hits in a game, with all four hits being doubles.
• However, the last time it happened was just five days previous. On July 24, the Royals had four hits, all doubles, in a 2-1 loss to Detroit.
• Remember how, after the last game, I marveled that the Rangers won with a .129 xBA?
• The Rays won this game with a .128 xBA. They did the Rangers 1 better. Or .001 worse, I guess.
• Per Statcast, Gore allowed just three hard hit balls in the game. Those were the three hits that the Rays had in the first inning.
• It does illustrate that Gore was really, really good after that bad beginning.
• Baseball is strange, sometimes.
• MacKenzie Gore touched 96.3 mph with his fastball. Ben Peoples reached 97.7 mph with his fastball.
• Jake Burger had a 110.2 mph double and a 100.7 mph fly out. Brandon Nimmo had a 100.3 mph double.
• Two down, four to go.

The Mets open a four-game series against the Marlins at Citi Field on Thursday night at 7:10 on SNY.

Mets Notes

• Nolan McLean has a 2.17 ERA in 58.0 innings over his last 10 starts dating back to May 31
• A.J. Ewing is hitting .292/.356/.469 (.825 OPS) with five homers, eight doubles, and seven stolen bases over his last 35 games
• Luke Weaver has allowed one earned run since April 30 -- a span of 31.0 innings across 29 appearances

Today's Lineups

Meet the Mets

The Mets split a doubleheader with the Braves and look to win the series overall after a win on Monday. In the first game Carson Benge drove in the go-ahead run and Sean Manaea was solid in the victory. In game two Christian Scott was great but the offense couldn’t figure out Chris Sale so they lost by a final score of 1-0.

Choose your recapGame 1: Amazin’ Avenue, Daily News, MLB.com, Newsday, NY Post

Game 2: Amazin’ Avenue, MLB.com

Jorge Polanco still continues to struggle since returning from the IL and its looking like the Mets still don’t have an answer at first base.

It’s no secret Freddy Peralta has struggled this season but teams still believe he could help them should they acquire him at the deadline.

Reliever Luke Weaver is stuck in limbo not knowing what his fate will be come the trade deadline but he remains zen about the situation.

Mookie Wilson is still honored to have been a part of history 40 years later.

Around the National League East

A.J. Smith-Shawver returned to the mound for the first time since undergoing Tommy John but he was optioned back to Triple-A after his start in game one of the doubleheader.

The Marlins managed to sweep the Phillies after losing twelve straight.

The Phillies’ skid continued while their star continues to feud with their GM.

The Nationals dropped the final game against the Blue Jays to lose the series.

Around Major League Baseball

Tarik Skubal earned his 1,000th career strikeout in what could be his last game in a Tigers uniform.

The Dodgers are seen as the favorites to land Skubal with Shohei Ohtani sidelined from the rotation.

The Angels traded reliever Chase Silseth and catcher Logan O’Hoppe to the Rangers for minor league third baseman Angel Arredondo.

Mason Miller picked up another save for the Padres but his days could be numbered in San Diego.

The Twins placed Byron Buxton on the IL with the same hip injury that forced him to miss some time earlier in the month.

Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue

On the latest episode of A Pod of Their Own, Juan Soto’s injury and the upcoming trade deadline were discussed.

This Date in Mets History

On this date in 1890, the great Casey Stengel was born.

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The Los Angeles Dodgers sit as a heavy -144 moneyline favorite for tonight's series finale against the Seattle Mariners at Dodger Stadium. 

With Roki Sasaki starting to improve, my Mariners vs. Dodgers predictions expect L.A. to take the rubber match. 

Read more in my MLB picks for Thursday, July 30. 

Who will win Mariners vs Dodgers today: Dodgers moneyline (-144)

It's been a rough campaign for Los Angeles Dodgers righty Roki Sasaki, but he is finding his best lately. The Japanese phenom has posted a 2.64 FIP over his last two appearances, allowing just 0.71 HR/9 during that span. 

Sasaki has limited opponents to a 36.9% hard-hit rate, and he hasn't allowed a single barrel between those two starts. The Seattle Mariners aren't exactly thriving offensively either, sitting around the league average over the last week. 

As for Bryce Miller, he's been hit around lately. The right-hander sports a 6.38 FIP over his last 11 frames, allowing 2.45 HR/9. 

Sasaki gives Los Angeles a better path than the full-season numbers suggest, and the Dodgers’ recent offensive form gives them a strong chance to add to Miller’s struggles.

I'll play this pick up to -160. The run line is also a secondary option. 

COVERS INTEL: The Dodgers are swinging it well, posting a 118 wRC+ in their previous five contests. 

Mariners vs Dodgers Over/Under pick: Over 8.5 (-108)

This total sits at 8.5, and the Over still has a reasonable path despite Seattle’s bullpen being in strong form. Despite their shortcomings, the Mariners have been respectable offensively, posting a 103 wRC+ over their last six games, and they get a late-game boost against a Dodgers bullpen that owns a 6.54 FIP over the last week.

Seattle’s relief corps has been excellent with a 1.86 FIP during that same span, but the Dodgers’ lineup has the better early-game path against Miller.

If Los Angeles does damage before the Mariners’ bullpen becomes a major factor, Seattle only needs to chip in against L.A.’s shaky relief group.

With enough vulnerability on the Dodgers’ side late, I lean Over 8.5.

I'll play this pick up to -130. 

Mariners vs Dodgers weather

Weather looks ideal at Dodger Stadium tonight, with clear skies and temperatures falling from around 80°F into the low 70s. Winds should be light to moderate early before settling down later, and there is no rain concern. Conditions should have minimal impact, though the warm early air could slightly help carry.

Mariners vs Dodgers odds

• Moneyline: Mariners +138 | Dodgers -144
• Run line: Mariners +1.5 (-144) | Dodgers -1.5 (+138)
• Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-108) | Under 8.5 (+104)

Mariners vs Dodgers trend

The Seattle Mariners have hit the Game Total Over in 15 of their last 25 games (+7.25 Units / 26% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Mariners vs. Dodgers.

How to watch Mariners vs Dodgers and game info

Mariners vs Dodgers latest injuries

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Well, that was a horrible way to lose a baseball game. You just can’t lose when your ace has a four-run lead late. You just can’t lose when you twice survive five-man infield plays with a runner on third in extras. You just can’t lose when you’re an out away from a win and your third baseman and catcher (or perhaps a coach) is too focused on getting cute with the runner at third than getting the actual batter out at the plate. But that’s what happened last night in Chicago. It was extremely stupid, and it cost the Yankees a game in the standings, too.

Here’s what else was going on around the American League’s best yesterday.

Tampa Bay Rays (63-44) 3, Texas Rangers (55-53) 0

The Rays hit two homers and scored three times in the bottom of the first, and that was pretty much the ballgame. That’s a testament to both how good Tampa Bay pitching was against Texas and how nicely MacKenzie Gore rebounded after that rocky beginning. The Rays now lead the AL East by 2.5 games thanks to the Yankees’ idiocy last night.

Three of the first four Rays batter reached base with a hit, with Yandy Díaz belting a leadoff homer, Jonathan Aranda doubling, and Ryan Vilade boosting the lead over Gore to 3-0 with an impressive 420-foot shot off the C-ring of the catwalk. Tampa Bay was then held hitless for the next 7.2 innings as Gore fanned nine on the night, walking none. But it was to no avail.

I’m not going to act like what the Rays did was exciting or particularly compelling baseball. They were just quite efficient. Casey Legumina retired five of the six batters he faced as the opener, Ian Seymour did his Ian Seymour thing as the “bulk guy” and threw up zeroes until departing with one down in the sixth, allowing just two hits and a walk. Garrett Cleavinger, Kevin Kelly, and Bryan Baker were nearly perfect in recording the final eight outs, with Kelly striking out the side. Despite four doubles, the Rangers never seemed very close to making this a game.

Of note: The Rangers made a trade to bolster their roster after the game ended, trading a 19-year-old infielder in A-ball named Angel Arredondo to the Angels (duh) for bullpen righty Chase Silseth and disappointing catcher Logan O’Hoppe. For as “whatever” as Texas looks, they do lead the AL West over Houston and Seattle, so might as well supplement, right?

Other Games

Boston Red Sox (56-51) 4, The Athletics (45-63) 2: Boston gained a game on the Yankees as well, closing to within 4.5 games of the top Wild Card spot. This is the problem with giving away games when the biggest rivals rarely lose, especially on the same day. Solo shots by Jonah Heim and Lawrence Butler kept this one close, and the A’s had a golden chance to win it when Butler doubled off Aroldis Chapman in the bottom of the ninth with the score at 2-2. He was bunted to third, only to be stranded there when both Tyler Wilson and Jeff McNeil struck out. Boston’s Andruw Monasterio promptly hit a two-run homer against José Suarez to begin the 10th, and Greg Weissert pitched a perfect 10th for the save.

Imagine winning a road game in extras! Couldn’t possibly be the Yanks.

Seattle Mariners (53-56) 2, Los Angeles Dodgers (68-40) 4: We may be nearing the end of our coverage of the defending AL West champs in the Rivalry Roundup, at least for now. The Astros beat the Angels handily and are a game and a half up on the third-place M’s, who got blanked over six innings of one-hit ball by … Eric Lauer. LA built a 4-0 lead on a homer by Andy Pages, a couple RBI infield hits, and a booming double from Shohei Ohtani in the sixth to plate Dalton Rushing. In his first game back after a long IL stay, Edwin Díaz allowed his old Mariner friends to score and bring the tying run to the plate with two down in the ninth, but he got pinch-hitter Luke Raley to line out to save it.

Cleveland Guardians (56-54) 6, Cincinnati Reds (50-57) 1: The Ohio Cup goes to Cleveland this year, as they won their fourth of six games against Cincinnati this year. Joey Cantillo needed 89 pitches to get through four scoreless for the Guardians, so Stephen Vogt needed six of his relievers to combine for the final five. Fortunately, the shaky Reds defense and poor control from Brady Singer led to four Cleveland runs in the fifth, two on bases-loaded walks after an RBI single by Travis Bazzana. Kyle Manzardo at least went yard off Chase Petty in the seventh for another more conventional run.

T-minus four days until the trade deadline, and of course all of the conversation is revolving around who Tarik Skubal would be traded to, if he is, and will it be the Dodgers. The conversation has ramped up with Shohei Ohtani revealing that he is dealing with a biceps issue.

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic says that he wouldn’t be surprised if the Dodgers “bully their way” into getting Skubal, as they often do with big name players.

Is it really bullying if you simply have a better package to send to the team that is offering up their player to be traded or is it just sour grapes, as usual? As he also likens the Kyle Tucker to just another “flavor of the month”, it leads one to assume that it is the latter.

Of course, the Dodgers are one of the very few teams who could weather an injury to a superstar like Ohtani and still be in World Series contention. And they also have the luxury of being able to keep their intentions close to the vest before the trade deadline, and after.

Max Ralph on Dodgers.com covers thoughts of how the current state of Ohtani’s body impacts the team now and in the foreseeable future.

“The knee is getting better and the goal is to get to the 100% mark,” Ohtani said through interpreter Will Ireton. “But I do have to focus on the hitting side, the position-player side of things. … It is still July, so I think the conversation [about pitching] will be a little different if we’re in August or September.”

One of the biggest additions to the team would be the return of Will Smith to the backstop and lineup. There was good news on Tuesday, when manager Dave Roberts announced that Smith was finally pain free and resuming some baseball activities.

Joaquin Ruiz covers that and other injury updates here.

Edwin Diaz, one of the other flavors of the month the Dodgers acquired in the off season, made his return to the team on Wednesday evening, which also coincided with his bobblehead night.

“I want to help this team to win,” Díaz said. “I’ve been on the sideline for a long time. Just can’t wait to get back.”

Diaz made seven appearances with the team before his injury, posting a not so great 10.50 ERA. It was not the start that neither he nor the team envisioned.

“There were some games I felt great, and there were some games I was trying to battle with the soreness and everything,” Díaz said. “At some point, I understood I needed to get everything done and check my arm, check my body, and if I have something, go and remove it.”

Diaz returns to help a bullpen that has struggled a bit as of late. Jack Harris of the California Post covers more details of Diaz’s return and the recent bullpen woes here.

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The Atlanta Braves return home tonight as a -138 moneyline favorite for their series opener against the Washington Nationals. 

However,  my Nationals vs. Braves predictions see value in the visitors due to their impressive offense. 

Read more in my MLB picks for Thursday, July 30. 

Who will win Nationals vs Braves today: Nationals moneyline (+133)

Jake Irvin returns to the hill tonight after missing over two months with a shoulder injury. He'll be on a short leash, which means the Washington Nationals bullpen will likely be called upon earlier. That's not a bad thing, either. 

Washington's relief corps owns a 3.45 xERA across the last week while allowing just 0.31 HR/9. They're also up against an Atlanta Braves offense carrying a 77 wRC+ across their last seven contests. 

As for Atlanta starter Grant Holmes, he has posted a 6.16 xERA over his previous two appearances, allowing a 40% hard-hit rate during that span. The Nats are raking right now, collecting a 143 wRC+ in the last two weeks. 

The Nats’ pen holds down a cold Braves lineup, and Washington’s bats capitalize against Holmes early. 

I'll play this down to +100. 

COVERS INTEL: Holmes has been worse at home this season, posting a 5.05 FIP, giving the Nats a clear path to generate runs. 

Nationals vs Braves Over/Under pick: Under 9.5 (+108)

With a relatively high total of 9.5, the Under still has appeal. Washington has the better offensive path, but this doesn’t need to turn into a full-blown shootout for the Nationals to cash as an underdog.

The Braves are around league average offensively at home, and their current form makes it difficult to project them for a huge performance at the plate. Atlanta should still have chances, but this total requires both lineups to contribute consistently.

The concern is Atlanta’s bullpen, which has struggled with a 6.03 FIP over its last 26 2/3 frames while allowing 2.03 HR/9. Still, if most of the scoring comes from Washington, this can stay Under 9.5.

Play to -110. 

Nationals vs Braves weather

Weather should be favorable at Truist Park tonight, with clear skies and temperatures falling from the upper 80s to the upper 70s. Winds look light, and there is no rain concern. The warm early conditions could slightly help carry, but overall weather should not be a major factor.

Nationals vs Braves odds

• Moneyline: Nationals +133 | Braves -138
• Run line: Nationals +1.5 (-150) | Braves -1.5 (+144)
• Over/Under: Over 9.5 (-113) | Under 9.5 (+108)

Nationals vs Braves trend

The Washington Nationals have hit the Moneyline in 31 of their last 50 away games (+21.65 Units / 42% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Nationals vs. Braves.

How to watch Nationals vs Braves and game info

Nationals vs Braves latest injuries

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Today’s Reflections

The first two games of the four-game series against the St. Louis Cardinals have been a dream of near-perfection for the Cubs. (I hope I’m not jinxing the team when I write this Tuesday afternoon)

Alex Bregman, Nico Hoerner and Seiya Suzuki had two games where they were playing out of their collective minds. Yes, it’s just two games, and yes, we don’t know how long Dansby Swanson will let Bregman use his bat (my guess is as long as Bregman wants).

Bregman was the table-setter for the team, going 7-10 with five runs scored and two RBI, including a home run and three doubles. He was a triple short of a cycle on Monday. The disclosure of Bregman using Swanson’s bat is a little funny, but as superstitious as baseball players are, he might be sleeping with the bat right now (not that there’s anything wrong with that).

Hoerner cleared off the table, going 5-for-10 with three runs scored, six RBI and a HR. As an example of Hoerner settling in, of his four hits Monday, the first two were up the middle on each side of second base. After a solid single to left field, his home run was in the left field seats. He’s still showing the occasional signs of his natural tendencies of not depending on pulling the ball. Hope he keeps building on that.

Suzuki was 5-for-10 with three runs scored, two RBI and a pair of doubles.

Carson Kelly DH’d one game, so he contributed in both games, going 3-for-9 with two runs scored and two RBI.

On Monday, Miguel Amaya went 2-for-4 with an RBI. On Tuesday, Ian Happ went 2-for-4 with a walk, a run scored and two RBI on two doubles. Also, Pedro Ramirez, went 3-for-5 Tuesday with a run scored, an RBI and a double.

Colin Rea and David Peterson, enjoying the offensive support, posted solid performances. Monday night, Peterson went 5.2 innings allowing just three hits and a pair of walks while striking out three. He allowed two runs, one on a solo homer for his only mistake.

Tuesday, Rea went six innings of four-hit ball, allowing two walks and one run scored while picking up a pair of strikeouts.

There are still two games left in this key series. Hoping the hitting/pitching combo keeps chugging on.

I’m not ignoring the trade deadline. You all know the needs, and there are plenty of opinions below to pique your interests. A lot of the usual names, plus a couple of “yeah, right” names, but that keeps things interesting. My hopes? If they swing big, Detmers or Holmes for starting pitching, maybe with Gausman. For relievers, continue with the Mets by trying to pair Weaver with Raley or Minter. Adrian Morejon has entered the chat and is quite intriguing if the Cubs choose a non-Met route. This will clean out most of the top of the minors for the Cubs, though.

I tend to be pessimistic about the trade deadline, but where there’s smoke, there’s at least a bunch of sizzling embers. And the names above are just dreams, not predictions or expectations. And compared to usual years, my expectations are on a medium setting. The above fun thoughts won’t happen, so it will be more like one SP and one RP, then continue to scour the wire for RPs after the deadline.

I thought I’d add this on — I’m sure many feel discussion about Sandy Alcántara after this length of time is exhausting. But this line in one of the stories had me thinking: “He may not yet have returned to his elite form from a few years back, but the big right-hander is still a workhorse – and can be controlled through 2027 via a team option.”

A WORKHORSE! As nice as it would be to get an ace, a guy that you can (hope to) carry you deep into a game every fifth day would be a major gain. Alcantara has averaged seven innings and 102 pitches in his last five games. It would be nice to have one pitcher who when he starts the fourth inning, you don’t have to start wondering how fast the bullpen can warm up. In my fun game above, I’d put him in as a Gausman-like addition. But as a stand-alone option, gambling on him instead of Detmers would not be the most horrendous thing, especially if it opens options on other deals, like Holmes and a couple of Mets relievers. Just another out-there thought is all.

Let the dealing began!

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Tuesday’s Game Stories:

• Sean Holland (Cubs Insider): Chicago Cubs Score and Recap (7/28/26): Cubs 10, Cardinals 2 – Early Offensive Outburst Buries Birds. “The Cubs ambushed the Cardinals and starter Michael McGreevy at Busch Stadium Tuesday night.”

• Associated Press (Chicago Tribune {$}): Chicago Cubs race to an early 7-run lead on the way to 10-2 win over St. Louis Cardinals. “Seiya Suzuki, Ian Happ and Nico Hoerner drove in two runs apiece and the Chicago Cubs jumped out to a seven-run lead after two innings.”

• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com): Cubs’ mighty offense gives Rea big cushion in nice start. “The strength of the Cubs’ offense has been the ability to have multiple hitters delivering on any given night.”

Monday’s Game Stories:

• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com): Bregman, Hoerner back up Peterson’s solid start with 4 hits each. “Through all the peaks and valleys, the Cubs have continued to pick up wins to remain in the thick of the National League playoff picture.”

• AP (WGN.com): Bregman breaks out of slump with a HR and 2 doubles as Cubs beat Cardinals, 7-3, to open four-game series. “Alex Bregman broke out of his slump in a big way, at least for one night.”

Trade Deadline Stories:

• Zoe Grossman (Chicago Cubs On SI): Cubs Trade Rumors: Ramírez Available, Detmers a Top Target? Possible Mets Deal, More. “Another week, another fresh batch of MLB trade deadline rumors for fans to stress over before the time finally comes on Aug. 3 at 5 p.m. CT. It’s pretty widely.”
• Jedd Pagaduan (ClutchPoints): Cubs rumors: Jeff Passan responds to fan’s question on star prospect’s ‘untouchable’ trade status. “Jeff Passan shut down a Cubs fan’s way too ambitious evaluation of Pedro Ramirez’s trade value ahead of the deadline.”
• Jake Misener (Cubbies Crib): Cardinals’ Masyn Winn drops brutal trade deadline quote ahead of game v. Cubs. “if the Cardinals do end up selling, that could deepen the pool of pitchers available on the trade market – which might help Hoyer tackle the one job he’s got ahead.“
• Ryan O’Rourke (Cubbies Crib): MLB insider made Jefferson Rojas’ 2026 trade deadline Cubs future crystal clear. “There’s no obvious spot for the team’s #2 overall farmhand anytime soon.”
• Matt Sullivan (Sporting News): ESPN insider reveals why Cubs are ‘fortunate’ amid starting rotation need. “This is a great time for the Chicago Cubs to need starting pitching help.”
• Jake Misener (Cubbies Crib): 3 familiar Cubs trade partners that could be in play again, 2 who aren’t worth the effort. “The Chicago Cubs could soon circle back to some familiar trade partners as Jed Hoyer looks to make a splash leading up to the MLB trade deadline.”
• Brock Beauchamp (North Side Baseball): Four Popular Cubs Trade Targets, According To Fans. “We asked our community which trade candidates were drawing their attention. Here are the top four players on the list.”
• Fox Sports: Pirates? Cubs? 3 Best MLB Trade Deadline Fits For Padres Closer Mason Miller. “Here are the three best MLB trade deadline destinations for San Diego Padres star closer Mason Miller.”
• Brandon Glick (Cubbies Crib): 3 Cubs’ internal options to replace Jameson Taillon before the 2026 trade deadline. “There’s an open spot in the rotation to fill before August 3.”
• Sam Caulder (North Side Baseball): Intradivisional Blockbusters Never Happen, But This One’s Worth Dreaming On. “Rental pitchers certainly have value, but acquiring someone like Greene would strengthen the Cubs’ rotation for years, instead of months.”
• Aldo Soto (Sports Mockery): Trade Rumors: New York Mets Scouts Checking Out Cubs’ Double-A Team. “The New York Mets are one of the few teams in MLB that are clearly sellers at this year’s MLB trade deadline, and despite their disaster of a season, they have plenty of intriguing pitching targets that the Chicago Cubs would love to acquire.”
• Vinnie Duber (Chicago Sun-Times): Cubs, already strong, eye getting even better at trade deadline: ‘Hopefully we get everything we want’. “Having put the front office in a position to buy at the trade deadline, the Cubs are simultaneously excited by what they’ve already got and what they might add in the coming days.”
• Elias Schuster (Chicago Cubs On SI): Are the Cubs and Marlins About to Link Up Again for a Deadline Trade? “The Miami Marlins could finally be willing to part with Sandy Alcantara, and the Cubs could be lurking.”
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com): Cubs doing their part to encourage aggressive Trade Deadline. “There is no escaping the weight of each game in front of the Cubs over the next several days.”
• Elias Schuster (Chicago Cubs On SI): Cubs Ready to Deal “Majority” of Top Prospects as Big Trade Deadline Looms. “As if it wasn’t clear already, the Chicago Cubs are ready to push their chips in.”
• Vinnie Duber (Chicago Sun-Times): With pitching obvious trade-deadline focus, are Cubs getting best version of David Peterson at right time? “As Jed Hoyer’s front office looks to improve the pitching staff before Monday’s trade deadline, an earlier-in-the-summer deal might be paying off, if Peterson keeps pitching like he did Monday in Missouri.”
• Randy Holt (North Side Baseball): Cubs Can Meet Their Trade Deadline Bullpen Needs By Looking Toward A Division Rival. “As the Cubs search for trade partners, there may be a pathway to one in Cincinnati. If anything, they may be able to lean heavily on one aspect of their division rival’s roster.”
• Carson Wolf (Just Baseball): 3 Mock Trades That Would Make for a Perfect Cubs Deadline. “Jed Hoyer has a chance to capitalize on one of the best teams he’s assembled in Chicago, and an aggressive deadline could be the move that defines the Cubs’.”
• Meghan Montemurro (Chicago Tribune {$}): Chicago Cubs — with less than a week to MLB trade deadline — have earned investment from front office. “Less than a week from Monday’s MLB trade deadline, the Chicago Cubs are poised to bolster a roster that owns the fifth-best record in the majors.”

Jameson Taillon fallout:

• Matt Ostrowski (North Side Baseball): Jameson Taillon’s Unceremonious Dismissal Is A Result of Cubs’ Longest Unsolved Problem. “The past four seasons, the Cubs needed Jameson Taillon to do exactly what he did: prevent runs at a league-average rate, and do so over a lot of innings.”
• Aldo Soto (Sports Mockery): A. J. Pierzynski Hates the Chicago Cubs So Much That He’s Willing to Kill His Credibility Talking About Jameson Taillon. “Yes, this is an A.J. Pierzynski hate post because I cannot believe his take on the Chicago Cubs letting go of Jameson Taillon earlier this week.”
• Tyler Courtney (LastWordOnSports): What’s Next for the Cubs Rotation After Taillon DFA. “The pressure will now be on the Cubs’ rotation to step up to the challenge.”
• Elias Schuster (Chicago Cubs On SI): What’s the Next Move After Cubs Shockingly DFA Veteran Starter Jameson Taillon? “The Chicago Cubs aren’t messing around to start trade deadline week.”

Assorted Stories:

• Michael Cerami (Bleacher Report): Cubs Swap Starters for Thursday’s Finale Against the Cardinals (UPDATE). “As of this moment (i.e., before tonight’s Game 3 matchup against the Cardinals in St. Louis), the Chicago Cubs are tied for a season-high 15 games over .500.”
• Darragh McDonald (MLBTradeRumors): Cubs Select Jake Woodford, Designate Andrew Wantz For Assignment. “Woodford will give the Cubs an arm capable of absorbing some innings for the time being.”
• Meghan Montemurro (Chicago Tribune {$}): Chicago Cubs’ Alex Bregman finds an offensive groove with an assist from Dansby Swanson’s bat. “Alex Bregman’s seven hits in his last two games for the Chicago Cubs tied his career high for most in a two-game stretch.”
• Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): Alex Bregman, the hitter the Cubs have needed, might be showing up at the deadline. “Part of Chicago’s calculus at the trade deadline is its well-rounded position players are good enough to win multiple rounds in October.”
• Jake Misener (Cubbies Crib): Former Cubs first-round pick’s injury saga was even more heartbreaking than believed. “It’s easy to simply put Ed Howard in the ‘draft pick bust’ basket and move on, but there is a lot more to the story of this Chicago Cubs infield prospect. The local prep product hasn’t given up on his big-league dreams just yet.”
• Ron Luce (OnTapSportsNet): David Peterson Has Been an Unsung Hero for Cubs. “One lousy game against the Cardinals aside, David Peterson has been an unsung hero for the Cubs in their starting rotation.”
• Vanessa Serrao (Yardbarker): Cubs’ Pete Crow-Armstrong is making the NL MVP race more competitive. “Crow-Armstrong has made the National League MVP race more competitive with his high-caliber defense, historic plate discipline and offensive surge.”

Food For Thought:

(It doesn’t fail — no matter how many times I listen to SRV, the song I’m listening to is his best and my favorite. Until the next song.)

Through the early 1980s Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble played the Texas club circuit, becoming one of the most popular bands in the area. In 1982 the band played the Montreux Jazz Festival and their performance caught the attention of David Bowie and Jackson Browne. After Double Trouble’s performance, Bowie asked Vaughan to play on his forthcoming album, Let’s Dance, which, with Stevie’s lead guitar on six of the eight songs, became Bowie’s best selling record to date. After an after-hours jam in the artists’ bar Jackson Browne offered the group free recording time at his Downtown Studio in Los Angeles. Shortly afterward, legendary producer John Hammond landed Vaughan and Double Trouble a record contract with Epic, and the band recorded its debut album in two days over the Thanksgiving weekend at Downtown Studios.

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

Randy Dobnak threw 7 scoreless innings, and Salvador Perez tripled for the first time since 2022, in Royals 4-0 win.

And in the fourth, Royals captain Salvador Perez hit a leadoff triple — his first since the 2022 campaign. Perez chugged around the bases before belly-flopping into third base with his trademark smile. “Somebody told me it was four years ago,” Perez said. “So yeah, I saw the center fielder and kind of the ball got away from him. And I was touching second base. You know, I was thinking I can make it. So I go for it.”

Here are the key stakeholders involved in the Royals new stadium project

Vinnie Pasquantino was placed on the Injured List yesterday with a sore wrist

Almost three weeks after Vinnie Pasquantino returned following surgery on a right hamate fracture, the Royals first baseman is on the injured list again as he deals with right wrist soreness.

Kansas City on Wednesday placed Pasquantino on the 10-day IL, calling up outfielder John Rave from Triple-A Omaha in a corresponding move. Pasquantino exited Tuesday night’s 3-2 loss to the Twins in the ninth inning with right hand soreness after it had progressed throughout the game. He had felt some discomfort on a diving play at first base in Detroit over the weekend, and that discomfort hadn’t subsided.

Maikel Garcia felt pain in first rehab start and has gone back to KC for further evaluation

Maikel Garcia (left hand muscle strain) faced a setback in his rehab assignment, and is headed back to Kansas City for further evaluation.

Garcia went 0-for-3 with a strikeout and played five innings at third base on Tuesday night in his first rehab game with Double-A Northwest Arkansas. During his last at-bat, Garcia felt similar discomfort in his hand that had initially caused his injured list stint a month ago.

Some actual positive injury news, Kyle Isbel, who is rehabbing is on track to return in early August

Royals center fielder Kyle Isbel continued his Minor League rehab assignment with Triple-A Omaha on Wednesday as he nears his return to the Major League club after being sidelined by plantar fasciitis in his left foot.

Isbel, who has been on the injured list since June 10, has played in seven rehab games so far with Omaha and is ramping up his workload, especially in center field as he gets ready for a return that could come as soon as the first week of August when the Royals return home after their road trip.

David Lesky posted his top 25 prospects in the Royals organization

Caleb Moody of Kings of Kauffman had some thoughts on what the Royals should do at the trade deadline

Angels trade catcher Logan O’Hoppe to Rangers, along with reliever Chase Silseth

Tarik Skubal notched his 1,000th career strikeout in potentially final start for Tigers, as they also blew a huge lead and lost to Baltimore

Chris Sale remains unbelievably talented for someone his age.

Here is your song of the day, Take it Easy by the Eagles