It is tough to sweep a four-game series, unless you are the impossibly hot Boston Red Sox. Perhaps Shane Bieber took it upon himself to make Kyle Snyder, Kevin Cash, and the front office beliebers and effort to acquire him before the August 3rd deadline. Bieber had his second consecutive fantastic outing since the break with seven innings of one-run baseball allowing just three baserunners before handing it over to the A-pen to finish the game.
This was the type of game Toronto envisioned this winter, but has rarely been able to put together throguhout this frustrating season. The three runs scored today was the most runs the team has scored in their last six games, but it was the pitching that was story of the game and why the Rays offense was mostly lifeless today.
Bieber himself had just 8 swings and misses on 39 pitches, but he did a fantastic job working an extremely liberal strike zone to his advantage for seven innings:
The zone was questionable all day, but it was not until the 7th inning that any Rays batter challenged a pitch. Jonny DeLuca challenged a first pitch cutter that was well off the plate and had it overturned:
There were not many pitches more aggregiously wrong than this one, but Bieber certainly enjoyed a fair number of favorable strike calls in this contest yet the Rays were stubborn in using their challenges until DeLuca apparently had enough in the 7th inning:
The Rays sole run nearly did not happen because Hunter Feduccia nearly had his own J.T. Realmuto moment as he appeared to believe Yandy Diaz’s single had been caught because he first stopped running, then momentarily started back to third base, before hurrying home:
It is said a picture can say a thousand words, and since the highlight video cut off this moment, I will simply share this picture and let you use your imagination as to what Cash was thinking:
The lack of offense wasted what was a solid outing by the combination of Casey Legumina and Ian Seymour. They struck out 9 while wakling three batters and the only egregious run was the third run of the game when Myle Straw easily stole second base on a play which was two parts a bad throw by Feduccia and one part an inattentive hold of Straw by Seymour. Straw would come around to score on an RBI single by Vladimir Guerrero Jr, which could have been a very close play at the plate with a more accurage throw by Victor Mesa Jr:
The Rays will bring home a two-game lead to Tropican Field where they open with a homestand against a fully healthy Cleveland club while the Rays leverage their top three pitchers in the series.
Credit to Bieber for using the zone afforded to him and showing a potential new employer what he could bring to the team down the stretch when everything is working.
Jul 23, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays designated hitter George Springer (4) gets doused with a sport drink by first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (27) and center fielder Myles Straw (3) following a win over the Tampa Bay Rays during the ninth inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Rays 1 Blue Jays 3
WE SCORED THREE RUNS!
It isn’t like we had a lot of hits, just seven (with three walks). But it was enough
We scored a run in each of the first, third and seventh innings:
First: With two out, Ernie Clement singled. George Springer walked. And Alejandro Kirk singled home Ernie. Well, Kirk dribbled one down the third base line, which Junior Caminero, apparently not knowing Kirk was the one running to first, tried to bare hand, and failed. He had more time than he thought.
Third: Yohendrick Yohendrick doubled (our hardest hit ball of the day at 108.2, also had our second hardest, 106.8 ground out) leading off. He did a nice job as leadoff hitter today. After two outs, George Springer singled him home.
Seventh: Myles Straw led off with a walk (he challenged, and was right, two pitches). He stole second and scored on a Guerrero single. Vlad was caught stealing after, but up two and two out, I was ok with him trying to get into scoring position.
Vlad and George (with a walk) had two hits each. Yohendrick, Clement, and Kirk had the others. We did have nine strikeouts, but it was a massive offensive day by Jays July standards.
Shane Bieber went seven scoreless innings, allowing 3 hits, 1 earned, with 3 strikeouts. He did have a lot of great defense behind him. Straw made an amazing catch in center in the first inning. Okamoto made three terrific plays at third. Ernie made a great play at short.
There were also some lesser plays. Yohendrick had a ball fall at his feet, which I thought should have been a hit and which cost us the run against. Davis had a ball fall in left that I thought he should have caught.
Tyler Rogers and Louis Varland each pitched a good inning of relief without allowing a baserunner. Hold and save number 21 respectively.
Bieber came out at 86. There was some complaining about it, but I liked getting him out of there with a great start, when we have two guys who can consistently give us clean innings.
Jays of the Day: Bieber (0.35 WPA) and Springer (0.18). Let’s give honorary mention to Rogers and Varland. And to Straw for that catch in the first. If that hits the ground, it’s a double, and the game might have gone differently.
Other Award: Urias (-0.09). Okamoto also had the number but he had three terrific plays on defense, so I’m not going to give him the ‘honour’.
Tomorrow the Red Sox are in town to start a three game series. Trey Yesavage (4-5, 3.78) vs. Patrick Sandoval (0-0, 4.82, just 9.1 innings).
The 2026 Florida Complex League season came to a close this week, and finishing with a 33-26 record, the FCL Twins rode the backs of a handful of intriguing bats to put together a solid season. To see this level of production from so many teenage hitters in their first year playing in the United States is rare and a very promising sign for the future of the Twins’ pipeline.
I’m planning on doing one of these articles for each of the Twins’ minor league teams as their season concludes, so keep an eye out for the next one coming in late August when the DSL Twins finish up their 2026 campaign. I apologize in advance for making this article too long. There were so many players that needed to be highlighted, and there were even a few more that I wanted to write about but decided to hold myself back. To kick it off, we will begin with the biggest story of this team’s season.
Jhomnardo Reyes
Now ranked as my No. 22 Twins prospect, 18-year-old outfielder Jhomnardo Reyes has emerged as the top player in the Twins’ 2025 international signing class, which is looking like a very promising group as a whole. After a solid first pro season in the Dominican where he batted .291 with an .855 OPS, he flourished in the Florida Complex this summer, batting .296 with a .950 OPS and 7 homers.
He is a 6’3” lefty with a thinner frame, but some of the most impressive raw tools in the organization. There is potential for 70 grade raw power as Reyes is posting exit velocities north of 110 MPH as a teenager with plenty of room to add muscle. What really intrigues me is the significant improvements we are already seeing from him in contact and discipline. He slashed his strikeout rate by 6% in 2026 while drawing more walks and improving contact rates. You often see international hitters struggle in their first year stateside as they adjust to a new country at a very young age, but Jhomnardo has absolutely shined this summer. He runs well and can steal some bags, but projects as a fringy or average runner as he matures. With a plus arm and solid range, there is impact potential in a corner outfield spot. A new challenge at Single-A Fort Myers is on the horizon, and Reyes has a chance to really make a name for himself if he continues to smack the ball around there.
Jhomnardo Reyes, a $300K int’l sign in 2025, has been unstoppable to start the FCL season🔥
— Twins Player Development (@TwinsPlayerDev) May 24, 2026
Sophomore Sluggers
While these guys haven’t quite produced at the level of Jhomnardo Reyes, they are all showing off plus tools in their second year in the pros.
Teilon Serrano really struggled in the second half of the 2025 season, which made me wary of him as he entered the Florida Complex this summer, but he put together a really encouraging season. It is very much a true outcome approach. His strikeout rate landed around 30%, but so did the walk rate as Serrano was among the league-leaders in walks this year. He is a big power bat from the left side of the plate, running exit velocities up to 110 MPH as an 18-year-old. He runs well and will continue to see time in center field throughout the minors, but likely projects to fit into a corner spot. His hit tool is very concerning, but elite discipline with plus raw power potential and an athletic build has a chance to create a fantastic big leaguer.
In a move that many fans may not have even heard about, the Twins selected Daniel Susac in the Rule 5 draft last winter and immediately traded him to the Giants in exchange for Miguel Caraballo, an athletic switch-hitting catcher who was THE youngest qualified hitter in all of complex ball this summer. Caraballo is 6’0” with an athletic build. There are significant hit tool concerns as he struck out at nearly a 30% clip, but he ran a respectable walk rate while showing off power to all fields. There is plus power potential if he can continue to build strength, especially from the left side. Defensively, his receiving is developing well. Blocking is raw, but he has a quality arm and is unusually athletic for the position. Caraballo has everything he needs to develop into an impactful catcher with a good bat. He is a long way out but already showing loud tools at just 17 years old.
Miguel Caraballo with an absolute pull-side tank, his 4th of the year.
He entered today with a .268/.430/.479 slash line and shows the ability to elevate hard contact while working the opposite field 41.7% of the time. Standout player in the DSL last year. pic.twitter.com/Qn1NbNBtmR
— Running From The OPS (@OPS_BASEBALL) June 18, 2026
As a highly rated international outfielder, Carlos Taveras has had each of his first two pro seasons cut short due to injury, but when he’s been on the field, he is showing glimpses of a five tool profile. Taveras projects for at least an average hit tool with his smooth swing from the left side. He has an advanced approach and is flashing exit velocities up to 110 MPH already, giving hope for plus power potential if he can continue to add strength and consistently find the barrel in game. He’s an average runner with a good arm, fitting well in a corner outfield spot as his frame fills out. If it all comes together for Taveras, he has exciting potential as an outfielder who can impact every facet of the game.
These Guys Just Keep Producing
Yovanny Duran and Darwin Almanzar are a couple more names who haven’t shown the same power ceiling as the other top bats, but still have mastered rookie ball at just 18 years old.
Yovanny Duran was the primary leadoff hitter for the FCL Twins most of the season. He is a switch-hitting outfielder with twitchy, quick feet. He succeeded last year with a contact and discipline profile, but showed off very little power. His contact rates dropped to around average this year, but it was offset by an even bigger jump in quality of contact. He batted .317 with a .943 OPS and stole 36 bags this season. Defensively, he was the primary center fielder, displaying good range and a reliable arm. The tools aren’t as loud as Jhomnardo Reyes, but the production has been elite, and if he can continue to build up more power, this is a nice outfield profile.
As another switch-hitter, Darwin Almanzar ran into a handful of homers in the Dominican last year, but his true profile is better-explained by his 2026 numbers. In his first year stateside, he batted .254 with only 8 extra base hits. His .824 OPS was largely carried by a monstrous 28% walk rate while striking out only 19% of the time. He has solid contact skills with an extremely patient approach, but still developing power in his smaller frame. Defensively, he primarily plays third and is a raw defender, but has the arm and instincts to fit at the hot corner. It’s a less explosive profile, but Almanzar is ahead of the curve in his development and has plenty of time to continue growing as a player. There is hope for a well-rounded infield profile.
Frederick Hiciano
Now shifting to the pitching side, Frederick Hiciano is not a second-year pro like all of the others. In fact, he is a first-year who the Twins decided to push to the Florida Complex before playing a single game in the Dominican Summer League. This unusual roster management is part of what’s making me intrigued, but the production itself has also been there. There are 36 pitchers under 19 years old who threw at least 10 innings in complex ball this year, and Hiciano is 2nd among them in both FIP and xFIP.
He has a lean 6’2” build, throwing a low 90s sinker that tops out around 95 and has potential for added velocity as he matures. His slider has shown flashes of good spin, but is still developing consistency. He also has a solid feel for his changeup, which is generating quality depth and has the makings of a nice third pitch. We haven’t seen him since he left a July 2nd start with an injury, but in 12 innings, he posted a 3.00 ERA with 15 strikeouts and 5 walks. Quality stuff and an advanced feel for command in a projectable frame makes for a nice pitching prospect. Hiciano immediately becomes one of the Twins most exciting rookie ball pitchers.
This Isn’t Even the Whole Gang
This FCL Twins team showcased an exceptional amount of fire power this year, but there are a handful of other high-profile international prospects in this group that saw limited time on the field this year, if any at all.
Santiago Castellanos is the headliner, an advanced 18-year-old RHP who lit up the DSL last year, but saw limited game action this summer as the Twins put him on a different development plan due to his young age. He ended up with a season-ending elbow injury in June, but the team is hopeful that he will have a normal offseason and be ready to let it loose next spring(Theodore Tollefson, Twitter). His fastball was sitting 92-95 and flashing upper 90s at 16 years old when he signed. He’s showing advanced changeup feel and a quality slider to complement the plus heater. He’s a smaller guy at 5’10”, but packs a punch with a starter repertoire and good strike-throwing.
Santiago Castellanos had an electric start in the DSL on Friday, recording 14 whiffs in just 4 innings while hitting 96 on his fastball 📈
— Twins Player Development (@TwinsPlayerDev) June 30, 2025
As the 2nd-youngest pitcher to touch the mound in complex ball this year, Geremy Villoria tossed 7 scoreless innings with 5 strikeouts and 3 walks on the season as the Twins also limited his action due to his age. Coming over from Philly along with Hendry Mendez in the Harrison Bader trade last July, Villoria has a more projectable frame at 6’2”. His fastball sits around 90 with a variety of shapes. Slider is around 80 with high spin, while the mid 80s changeup is in the early development stages, but flashing excellent fade. He’s a good strike-thrower with developing stuff and excellent early results. Look for him to start building up more volume next summer.
Santiago Leon’s 2026 season ended with an injury before it even started. Still, the Twins’ top 2025 IFA signing at $1.7 million showed a lot of promise in his debut season in the DSL. Over his final 30 games, he batted .268 with limited power, but an excellent approach, tallying 22 walks to 17 strikeouts. Thin frame at 5’11” and the swing may need some work, but he runs well and has smooth, twitchy actions at shortstop with a quality arm. He projects as a plus defender in the infield with a strong chance to stick at shortstop, making him a high probability big leaguer if the bat continues to develop.
An injury ended Haritzon Castillo’s season after just 5 games this year, but he is a well-rounded infield prospect who was productive in the DSL last year. Signing bonus was just shy of a million in 2025. Struck out at a 13% clip last year while drawing more walks that strikeouts. The hit tool looks above-average and he generates good bat speed with a whippy swing. There is hope he can develop average power. He runs well and is ahead of the curve in his development on the defensive side. He may lack the twitchy actions needed to play short, but Castillo can be impactful at second or third. Lots of quality tools for him to lean on.
Rey Pacheco was an under-the-radar signing in 2025, running a 3.00 ERA with just 7 walks and 31 strikeouts in 33 innings during his debut season in the Dominican. He’s a smaller righty at 5’9” with an over-the-top delivery. Fastballs sits 88-90 with good spin and ride at the top of the zone. Two distinct breaking balls have shown quality spin with some whiff potential. There is a developing splitter/changeup in the low 80s as well. Pacheco missed the entire season with an injury this year, but displayed a quality repertoire with elite strike-throwing in 2025.
This 2025 international crop is likely among the best groups we have seen in this organization, and we will learn a lot more about each of these players as they move up to Single-A Fort Myers in 2027 and probably even a little bit this fall. Twins fans down in Fort Myers don’t know it yet, but they are about to strike gold.
The rumors that Anthony Edwards could officially be off the market were true.
The Minnesota Timberwolves star will begin his seventh NBA season in 2026 as a married man after tying the knot with his longtime girlfriend earlier this month, according to a Minnesota records search instigated initially by the curiosity of fans. The Minnesota Official Marriage System's website confirmed multiple reports that Edwards and Shannon Jackson were issued a marriage certificate on July 16.
Edwards' relationship status became a talking point again when he was spotted at Fanatics Fest in New York last week wearing a black band on his ring finger. He did not, however, bring it up during appearances in which Edwards gave his thoughts on the Timberwolves' pursuit of LeBron James and the team's new addition of LaMelo Ball, among other topics.
Anthony Edwards, Shannon Jackson relationship history
Edwards and Jackson have reportedly been dating since 2020 and they have a 2-year-old daughter named Aislynn together. Their relationship was previously featured on the Netflix reality series, "Starting 5" in 2024 when Jackson was pregnant.
Anthony Edwards stats
Edwards averaged a career-best 28.6 points and set career highs in field goal percentage (48.9%) and 3-point percentage (39.9%), while averaging 5 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game during the 2025-26 regular season. He appeared in 61 games. His scoring average dropped to 21.6 points per game on 42.8% shooting in the playoffs as he battled through a knee injury.
The top prospect in the Red Sox’ system is making the jump to Triple-A.
Shortstop Franklin Arias, who has spent all of the 2026 season with Double-A Portland, is being promoted to Worcester. The Worcester Telegram & Gazette’s Tommy Cassell reported the move on Thursday night.
Franklin Arias is being called up to join the Worcester Red Sox.
The 20-year-old native of Venezuela signed with the Red Sox as an international free agent in 2023, making his Single-A debut for the Salem Red Sox a year later. He moved up to High-A Greenville in 2025 and finished the season in Double-A Portland, where he remained for the start of the 2026 season.
In 75 games with Portland, Arias batted .318 with a .994 OPS, hitting 17 doubles and a triple in addition to the 19 homers while driving in 52 runs and scoring 50 runs himself.
At the time of his promotion, Arias led the Eastern League in OPS, ranked second in batting average, third in home runs and seventh in RBIs.
The development in power has been a relatively new one for Arias, who hit nine home runs in 87 total games in 2024 and eight home runs in 116 games a year ago.
MLB Pipeline has Arias ranked as the top propsect in the Red Sox’ system and the seventh-best prospect in all of baseball.
With Roman Anthony, Marcelo Mayer, Payton Tolle, Connelly Early and Jake Bennett all joining the major league club over the past year, the WooSox have been without some of the organization’s top prospects for most of this season.
That will now change, with Arias set to join the WooSox, who are riding a three-game winning streak and are coming off a 15-1 win over Jacksonville on Friday afternoon.
Jul 23, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Tampa Bay Rays catcher Hunter Feduccia (9) runs to second base on a double against the Toronto Blue Jays during the third inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
On Thursday afternoon, the Rays were hoping to wrap up their four-game series against the Blue Jays with a sweep. To get the job done, they had Casey Legumina working the opener role, up against Shane Bieber for the Blue Jays.
The Rays went 1-2-3 to start the first inning. In the home half, Ernie Clement got a two-out single, then George Springer drew a walk. Alejandro Kirk then singled, bringing Clement home and putting the Jays on the board first. Legumina got out of the inning without any additional runs scoring.
The Rays once again went down in order in the second. David Schneider got a leadoff walk in the bottom of the inning but was quickly eliminated in a force-out off the bat of Luis Urias. A pop out ended the inning no harm done.
In the third, the Rays finally got something going. With one out, Hunter Feduccia doubled. Yandy Diaz then hit a liner to right, allowing Feduccia to score and tie up the game. Legumina was done after two, replaced by Ian Seymour. Yohendrick Pinango doubled to start the inning. Then, with two outs, Springer singled to score Pinango and retake the lead. Once again, the Jays only managed a single run, but one run can still win or lose a game.
Jonny DeLuca got a two-out single in the fourth, but the Rays weren’t able to bring him home. The Jays, thankfully went down in order in the home half.
Another 1-2-3 inning for the Rays in the fifth didn’t do much to help the score. In the bottom of the inning the Jays just managed a two-out single from Vladimir Guerrero Jr, no runs scored.
Things continues to be sluggish for the Rays’ offense in the sixth as they went three-up, three-down. They were running out of at-bats to stage a comeback. Springer hit a leadoff single for the Jays in the bottom of the inning, but three outs followed to keep things status quo.
Once again though, the Rays’ bats were silent in the seventh. Myles Straw got a one-out walk in the home half, then with two outs he stole second. Guerrero Jr. then singled, bringing Straw home and bumping the score up to 3-1.
Bieber’s day was done after seven outstanding innings of trade value-boosting work. He was replaced by Tyler Rogers. Rogers continued the agonizing trend of getting the Rays out in order. The Jays weren’t able to get a baserunner in the home half, though.
The Jays went back to their bullpen again in the ninth for Louis Varland, who got the Rays out three-up, three-down to end the game and keep them from sweeping the series.
MESA, AZ - MARCH 08: Parks Harber #89 of the San Francisco Giants hits a home run during the game between the San Francisco Giants and the Chicago Cubs at Sloan Park on Sunday, March 8, 2026 in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo by George Gaza/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
None of the San Francisco Giants three rookie ball teams were in action on Wednesday, but their A-ball affiliates played five total games, thanks to a doubleheader. Here’s everything that happened on the farm on Wednesday.
All listed positions in the roundup are the position played in that particular game.
AAA Sacramento (53-42)
Sacramento River Cats beat the Oklahoma City Comets (Dodgers) 7-1 Box score
The excitement for the River Cats was that designated hitter Parks Harber (No. 17 CPL) left the yard with a 2-run blast in the 1st inning, which traveled 405 feet and left the bat at 103 mph.
Harber finished the day 2-5 with 4 runs batted in and 2 strikeouts, and while I initially wrote that his home run — which came in his 5th game since getting promoted to Sacramento — was the first of many that he will hit in AAA, I’m not so sure that’s true. There’s a good chance that Harber’s stay in the highest rung of the Minor League ladder is short and sweet, before he’s off to test his talents against the best pitchers in the world. We’ll see.
Either way, it’s been a smashing success for Harber. He’s hit safely in all 5 games with the River Cats, including 3 straight multi-hit games. In total, he’s 8-21 with 2 extra-base hits, 3 walks, and 6 strikeouts. There will (probably) be an adjustment period at some point, but my goodness has he ever hit the ground running!
It’s been a little bit of a slower adjustment for left fielder Bo Davidson (No. 4 CPL), which is pretty understanding, given that Davidson played his college ball at a JUCO, while Harber was at a big-name Division 1 school. Davidson may have flown to AAA and he may be one of the top prospects in the organization, but he’s still a relative baby in terms of facing high-end talent, and a little more grace is warranted with adjusting to new levels. He went 1-5 with a strikeout in this game, and is now 6-25 with no extra-base hits, no walks, and 8 strikeouts since getting promoted. Needless to say, these things usually take a little bit of time! But it’s worth mentioning — as I’ll do probably every day — that Davidson still hasn’t played center field for Sacramento. It remains unclear why the Giants made such a stark shift from everyday center fielder to exclusively corner outfielder as soon as he got promoted, but my theory is that they want him comfortable at all 3 outfield positions for whenever he debuts (there’s a decent chance that he debuts later this year after Harrison Bader has returned from injury, and that would force him to a corner, which isn’t something you want to learn at the MLB level).
The biggest day arguably belonged to someone who began the year as Harber and Davidson’s teammate in AA Richmond, but got an earlier call to AAA: right fielder Scott Bandura. It was a blissful day for the 2023 7th-round pick, who turns 25 in about a week. The Princeton lefty hit 3-5 while smashing a 2-run home run and striking out once.
Pertinent to the aforementioned adjustment period at a new level, Bandura took his time adapting to AAA, but now is absolutely taking off. Just check out his splits:
First 30 games: 27-115, 1 home run, 1 triple, 5 doubles, 6 walks, 27 strikeouts Next 21 games: 29-75, 3 home runs, 1 triple, 5 doubles, 18 walks, 12 strikeouts
That’s called figuring it out, folks! In total, even with the tough start, it’s an .806 OPS and a 114 wRC+ for Bandura, who really is excellent at controlling the strike zone and limiting strikeouts. Add in the strong defense that I think could play at all 3 positions in the Majors, and some good baserunning (he has 20 stolen bases in 23 attempts across the 2 levels this year), and it sure feels like there’s an MLB player in there. If he keeps improving like this, Bandura will have to be protected from the Rule 5 Draft this winter, which means he’d be a prime candidate to come up for a debut later in the season.
A funny game on the mound for RHP Blade Tidwell (No. 9 CPL), who is auditioning to join San Francisco’s rotation when the trade deadline passes and the already poor rotation gets gutted. Tidwell really struggled with the strike zone in this game, throwing just 54 of 90 pitches for strikes, which resulted in 4 walks and a hit batter in 5 innings of work. When he was in the zone, however, he was very hard to hit, as he gave up just 3 hits (all singles) on the day, while striking out 5 batters in a potent Comets lineup.
It’s just been a slightly odd season for Tidwell, who shows a lot but hasn’t quite been able to put it together. He’s striking out 10.2 batters per 9 innings, which is very nice, but he’s also allowed almost exactly a hit per inning, and more than a home run per 9 innings, while also walking 4.5 per 9. He did give up just 1 run in this game, which lowered his ERA to 4.21, though that number (and the accompanying 4.85 FIP) tells the story of a pitcher who isn’t quite there yet.
Still, Tidwell is 25 and is just about at the 250 innings mark in AAA. It might be time to see what he can do in a Major League rotation, or make the decision to push him to the bullpen full-time. He’s got enough heat to survive, and possibly even thrive in that role.
He was followed by a pair of recently-optioned MLB veterans, RHPs Ryan Walker and Spencer Bivens, who each threw 2 scoreless innings. Walker gave up a hit while striking out 2, while Bivens allowed 2 hits and 2 walks without a strikeout, but still kept runs off the board.
AA Richmond (55-35)
Game 1: Richmond Flying Squirrels lost to the Hartford Yard Goats (Rockies) 6-5 (7 innings) [box score] Game 2: Richmond Flying Squirrels beat the Hartford Yard Goats 5-3 (7 innings) [box score]
The big news in Richmond is, of course, the trio of top position player prospects that were promoted to the level after the All-Star break, replacing the duo of top prospects (Davidson and Harber) who departed. And my goodness was Wednesday a blissful day for that trio!
We’ll take them in order, as they occupied the top 3 spots of the lineup in both games. Center fielder Trevor Cohen (No. 15 CPL) is finding his rhythm following a hitless first 2 games at the level. Last year’s 3rd-round pick had a pair of great games, hitting 3-7 with a triple, a walk, and no strikeouts. He only has a .579 OPS and a 53 wRC+ in the 5 games since getting promoted, but he also has struck out just 1 time in 23 plate appearances. Add in the defense that has really blossomed (especially as he’s seeing more time in the center of the grass), and the 22-year old lefty really is starting to look like a player who could move through the top levels of the Minors very quickly.
Trevor Cohen just missed his first Double-A homer!
— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) July 23, 2026
Behind him was shortstop Gavin Kilen (No. 7 CPL), who has had the smoothest transition to AA. He hit 2-5 with 2 doubles, 2 walks, a sacrifice fly, and a strikeout, bringing him up to a 1.020 OPS and a 159 wRC+. Talk about fitting in at his new home! And like Cohen, Kilen has shown of his fantastic bat-to-ball skills, as his strikeout in the 2nd game of this doubleheader is the only K he’s had at the level. Talk about someone who could move quickly, especially if the Giants end up moving Casey Schmitt and have a hole at second base going forward.
— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) July 23, 2026
Rounding out the trio was right fielder Dakota Jordan (No. 5 CPL), who had a delightful pair of games, hitting 3-8 with a double, a strikeout, and 2 stolen bases. Jordan’s numbers are behind Kilen’s (we’re dealing with a 5-game sample size, though), but an .859 OPS and a 135 wRC+, with just 3 strikeouts in 22 plate appearances (and 3 stolen bases in as many attempts), represents a wildly successful debut week in AA for someone with arguably the loudest tools in the entire organization. The Giants have to be thrilled with how well Jordan and Kilen are assailing themselves to the level.
Interestingly, as with Davidson in AAA, Jordan is playing less center field in AA, as he’s started to defer to Cohen there after being the primary option in Eugene. It seems likely to be a timeshare between the pair, but it was a little surprising seeing Cohen get center field reps in all 14 innings yesterday.
Speaking of debuting players, catcher Jancel Villarroel (No. 42 CPL) made his AA debut in the 2nd game of the doubleheader, and hit 1-3 with an error. Welcome to AA, Jancel! A very well deserved promotion for someone who has quickly become the clear-cut best catching prospect in the system other than the trio of rookies in the Majors.
— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) July 23, 2026
Good days for a pair of other hitters, second baseman Diego Velasquez (No. 31 CPL) and left fielder Jean Carlos Sio (No. 44 CPL). Velasquez was an on-base machine, hitting 3-4 with a double and 2 walks, while Sio went 1-3 with a solo home run, the Squirrels only big fly. Velasquez, a 22-year old switch-hitter with an .818 OPS and a 124 wRC+, has really been taking off lately: in his last 20 games, he’s hit a remarkable 27-61 with 1 home run, 6 doubles, 12 walks, and just 8 strikeouts. This is his 3rd pass through AA, and it certainly feels like it’s going to be his last.
Sio, a 22-year old lefty, has lesser numbers since getting promoted earlier this year, with a .757 OPS and a 92 wRC+. That’s mostly because his batting average hasn’t carried over just yet (it’s just .227, after being .310 in High-A before the promotion). But, despite being a smaller player who fills in all over the diamond, Sio has really let some power rip this year: his .266 isolated slugging ranks 11th out of 164 Eastern League hitters with at least 100 plate appearances this year, while his 14 home runs are 4th in the Giants system, behind just Davidson, Jordan, and High-A outfielder Lisbel Diaz (No. 32 CPL). Lots to be excited about there.
— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) July 22, 2026
The pitching stars came out of the bullpen, as Richmond used a quartet of relievers and none of them gave up a run. In Game 1 it was RHP Will Bednar (No. 24 CPL) and LHP Jack Choate (No. 37 CPL): Bednar gave up a hit and a walk in 1.2 innings but struck out 3, lowering his ERA to 4.17 and his FIP to 4.34, and giving him 12.0 strikeouts per 9 innings; Choate tossed 2 perfect frames with 2 strikeouts, dipping his ERA to 2.97 and his FIP to 4.10, with 10.9 strikeouts per 9 innings. In Game 2 it was RHPs Ryan Vanderhei and Tyler Vogel who each threw a scoreless inning. Vanderhei, who gave up a hit and a walk, now has a 3.77 ERA and a 4.56 FIP, with 10.1 strikeouts per 9; Vogel, who retired all 3 batters he faced and struck out 2, has a blissful 2.72 ERA, albeit with a 4.49 FIP, and has struck out 10.4 batters per 9. Some intriguing bullpen options in Richmond, that’s for sure!
The starting pitching was, unfortunately, uninspiring, and not particularly worth talking about. Game 1 starter, LHP Greg Farone, got rocked, ceding 6 hits (including a homer), 3 walks, and 6 runs in just 3.1 innings, while the Game 2 starter, RHP Trystan Vrieling, saw his hot streak come to an end with 6 hits (including a homer), 1 walk, and 3 runs in 5 innings, with just 2 strikeouts. Both players are struggling to put all the pieces together this year (Farone has a 6.32 ERA and a 5.98 FIP, while Vrieling is sporting a 4.13 ERA and a 5.46 FIP).
High-A Eugene (56-36)
Eugene Emeralds beat the Everett AquaSox (Mariners) 10-5 Box score
The hot July continues for left fielder Carlos Gutierrez (No. 18 CPL), who is really on fire right now. Wednesday was another spectacular game for the 2025 breakout lefty, as he hit 3-5 and stole 2 bases, while striking out once. By now you know the drill with the soon to turn 22-year old: the contact is down considerably, but the power is up considerably. The batting average is certainly rising though, thanks in large part to a 13-game stretch in which he’s hit 20-47 with 6 doubles, 12 walks, and just 10 strikeouts.
Gutierrez is kind of in the jack of all trades, master of none bucket right now, after leading the Cal League in hitting last year: among the 69 Northwest League hitters with at least 150 plate appearances this season, he’s 20th in average (.274), 15th in on-base percentage (.382), 28th in isolated slugging (.177), 12th in walk rate (14.4%), 16th in strikeout rate (19.6%), and 7th in stolen bases (23, with just 2 caught stealings). It’s impressive to be above average at that many things, and it’s led to a delightful OPS (.834) and wRC+ (125), stats which rank 23rd and 16th, respectively.
A trio of players who were recently promoted played quite well, as right fielder Jose Astudillo hit 3-4 with a stolen base, second baseman Isaiah Barkett went 1-4 with a walk, a stolen base, and a strikeout, and catcher Daniel Rogers hit 1-3 with a double and a walk. Astudillo and Barkett are handling their debut High-A stints very well, while Rogers is doing much better this time around, after some time with Eugene earlier in the year.
Center fielder Lisbel Diaz (No. 31 CPL) went 2-5 with a triple and a strikeout, bringing his OPS up to .784 and his wRC+ to 99. He’s getting to finally play center again following the promotions of Jordan and Cohen.
Another so-so start for LHP Luis De La Torre (No. 14 CPL), who struck out 5 batters in 4 innings, but also gave up 4 hits (including a home run), 2 walks, and 4 runs, while committing 2 errors. Not the sharpest, but still showing some of that excitement and magic.
It’s been a very rough summer for LDLT. After starting June with a 6-inning, 12-strikeout, 0-earned runs masterpiece, the southpaw has allowed 27 earned runs over his last 7 starts, spanning 31.2 innings. That’s seen his ERA spike to 5.38 and his FIP to 5.14. Even with this game, he’s doing a great job at limiting hits (52 in 73.2 innings) and getting strikeouts (12.0 per 9 innings), but the walks (7.0 per 9) and home runs (1.1 per 9) remain quite concerning, as does the groundball rate (39.1%) which is more than 9 percentage points lower than it was a year ago.
RHP Mauricio Estrella had a nice game in relief, striking out 3 batters in 2.1 scoreless innings, with 1 hit and 2 walks allowed. Estrella has 14 strikeouts in 8.2 innings since getting promoted, with a 1.04 ERA and a 2.19 FIP. The 22-year old is fitting in quite nicely with Eugene!
Low-A San Jose (54-38)
San Jose Giants lost to the Ontario Tower Buzzers (Dodgers) 6-5 Box score
A pretty uninteresting game for the Baby Giants. Catcher Junior Barajas had a nice game though, and that was great to see, as the debuting backstop went 2-3 with a double, a hit by pitch, and an error. Barajas, the team’s 11th-round pick last year, started off incredibly hot, posting a .940 OPS in April. Then came a slump, though, as that number dropped to .573 in May, and .540 in June. He’s starting to turn things around in July, though, where he has an .843 OPS, which is largely the result of drawing 8 walks and getting hit twice in the 10 games he’s played, while only striking out 6 times. On the year, it’s a .712 OPS and an 80 wRC+ for the just-turned 22-year old … hopefully he can end the year on a high note, because he’s a talented defensive player who has flashed some skills with his bat.
Rod Barajas Jr. drives in Dario Reynoso for the second time tonight, and the Giants take a 2-1 lead! pic.twitter.com/oYZct3wZlk
Center fielder Andy Polanco hit 2-4 with a double and a strikeout as he tries to get his season numbers together (he has just a .677 OPS and a 68 wRC+), while left fielder Oliver Tejada hit 0-1 with a strikeout and an error, but drew a walk, was hit by 2 pitches, and had an outfield assist. Funny game!
LHP Ricardo Estrada had an odd start, walking 4 batters in 4.1 innings, but striking out 6. Not the most effective way to limit runs, but it worked decently in Estrada’s case on this occasion, as he gave up 4 hits (all singles), and just 2 runs, both of which were unearned. On the one hand, Estrada has a 3.67 ERA on the year … on the other hand, he has a 5.56 FIP, with pretty poor strikeout and walk numbers.
A nice relief outing for RHP Samir Chires, who retired all 3 batters he faced, with 10 out of 14 pitches for strikes. Since getting promoted after his 4th straight year in the ACL, Chires has been excellent in the Cal League: in 4 appearances he’s thrown 5.2 innings, and allowed just 4 hits, 0 walks, and 1 run, with 5 strikeouts.
Home run tracker
14 — Jean Carlos Sio — [9 in AA; 4 in High-A; 1 in ACL] 13 — Parks Harber — [1 in AAA; 12 in AA] 7 — Scott Bandura — [4 in AAA; 3 in AA]
Thursday schedule
Sacramento: 6:45 p.m. PT vs. Oklahoma City (SP: Cesar Perdomo) Richmond: 4:05 p.m. PT vs. Hartford (SP: Yunior Marte) Eugene: 12:05 p.m. PT at Everett (SP: Hunter Dryden) San Jose: 6:30 p.m. PT vs. Ontario (SP: TBD)
Reminder that almost all MiLB games can be watched on MLB TV
The Los Angeles Dodgers are visiting the White House on Thursday and a familiar face joined them there, despite his baseball career now being over.
Clayton Kershaw appeared at the White House alongside his former Dodgers teammates to celebrate the team’s second straight World Series victory last year.
Kershaw retired after the 2025 season after facing and retiring one batter in Los Angeles’ epic seven-game victory over the Blue Jays, marking the end of his 18-year tenure (all of which came with the Dodgers).
Los Angeles Dodgers legend Clayton Kershaw seen at the White House on July 23. REUTERS
Kershaw also got several shoutouts from President Donald Trump. At one point when addressing the crowd, Trump mentioned that Kershaw was present, went to shake his hand, and then said, “He’s a winner. You talk about a winner, look at that guy!”
Trump seemingly didn’t realize that Kershaw was retired, as he said afterwards, “He’s still pitching well I bet, right?”
President Donald Trump speaks at the Los Angeles Dodgers’ coronation. AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts then told Trump that the 38-year-old Kershaw was no longer playing, to which Trump responded by asking Kershaw whether he would still be out there the Dodgers needed him.
Clayton Kershaw during a Los Angeles Dodgers batting practice. JASON SZENES/NEW YORK POST
While Kershaw’s best days are behind him, the fact that he finished his career with 223 wins, a 2.53 ERA, 3,052 strikeouts, and three World Series rings suggests he could probably still compete at a high level if he wanted to.
But his response to President Trump proves clearly doesn’t want to.
Jonathan Kuminga, who recently played for the Hawks and the Warriors, still might be in the Lakers’ plans. Getty Images
And over the last two weeks, the Lakers have made multiple veteran’s minimum signings: Kevon Looney (one year, $3.9 million), Ziaire Williams (one year, $2.8 million) and Matisse Thybulle (one year, $3.3 million).
And the Lakers aren’t done yet.
By league rules, they’ll need to trim their roster from 16 players agreed/signed to standard NBA deals to 15 before the regular season starts in late October.
But they’re still looking to make additions to fortify their roster around franchise cornerstones Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and Kessler.
The Lakers and Kuminga have mutual interest; Lakers president of basketball operations/general manager Rob Pelinka and coach JJ Redick met with Kuminga after free agency started in late June.
As The California Post detailed two weeks ago, a deal hasn’t been agreed to because the Lakers and Kuminga’s camp haven’t come to terms on a mutually satisfactory salary.
That’s before detailing how a sign-and-trade with the Hawks for Kuminga would look — the most realistic way for the Lakers to acquire the 23-year-old forward who has spent time with the Hawks (2026) and Warriors (2021-26) after being the No. 7 pick in the 2021 draft.
The Lakers also have been linked to the Mavericks’ P.J. Washington. Getty Images
Kuminga has been in a holding pattern because of James’ decision. No tangible progress toward a deal between the Lakers and Kuminga has been made over the last couple of weeks, a source told The Post.
The Cavaliers also have significant interest in Kuminga, sources said. Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson coached Kuminga while Atkinson was an assistant coach with the Warriors from 2021-24. If James doesn’t go back to Cleveland for a third stint, it increases the likelihood of Kuminga joining the Cavaliers, who would likely make other moves to bring in Kuminga in addition to a sign-and-trade.
There’s no guarantee Kuminga will join the Lakers even though the sides have been linked for nearly a month.
That is why the Lakers must have backup options.
Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters
Ochai Agbaji and Trendon Watford are realistic small/power forward options available on the free agency market: NBA-caliber players but not starting-level forwards who would fit well alongside Doncic, Reaves, Walker and potentially Grimes.
Which means their best option to acquire a starting-level forward would need to come via a trade.
The Lakers have long been tied to trade rumors involving Mavericks forward P.J. Washington, a former teammate of Doncic’s in Dallas, but as The Post previously reported, the fully guaranteed $88.8 million Washington is owed over the next four years isn’t appealing to the Lakers.
As HoopsHype reported, the Nuggets have “rebuffed” trade inquiries for sharpshooting forward Cam Johnson throughout the offseason.
The Bucks’ Kyle Kuzma might make sense for the Lakers, too. NBAE via Getty Images
From there, trade options for a forward who can step in as a starter without jeopardizing the Lakers’ potential access to the mid-level exception next offseason become limited.
Kings forward De’Andre Hunter and Bucks forward Kyle Kuzma, who was with the Lakers from 2017-21 and won the 2020 championship with the franchise, stand out as the best trade options.
Hunter ($24.9 million) and Kuzma ($20.5 million) are entering the final season of their four-year, $90 million deals. Trading for either would likely require the Lakers to send a combination of Jarred Vanderbilt, Hardy or Dalton Knecht in addition to second-round picks.
The Lakers previously had interest in trading for Hunter ahead of the deadline in February before the Cavaliers sent him to the Kings as part of a three-team deal with the Bulls.
There isn’t any known current interest in Hunter or Kuzma from the Lakers’ side as they continue to be focused on acquiring Kuminga.
But if they aren’t able to acquire Kuminga, Hunter or Kuzma will likely be their best external backup options this summer.
LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 18: A TBS baseball television camera during the MLB game between the New York Mets and the Los Angeles Dodgers on April 18, 2023 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Two Dodgers games in August were added to the TBS Tuesday night baseball schedule, the network announced this week.
The August 4 game against the Chicago Cubs, the middle game of a three-game set at Wrigley Field is a TBS game, as is the Dodgers’ opener against the Atlanta Braves in Atlanta on August 25.
TBS telecasts are not exclusive, meaning there are local broadcasts of those games in addition to the TBS feed. Mostly, the TBS telecasts are blacked out inside the local television markets of each team, with the exception of usually one game per team that will also be able to watch locally on the network.
To date, none of the Dodgers’ four games on TBS — April 7 at the Toronto Blue Jays, May 5 at the Houston Astros, June 23 at the Minnesota Twins, and this Tuesday at the Philadelphia Phillies — have been available in the local market.
The Dodgers are two-thirds of the way through a three-city road trip, with four of the nine games on national television, including this Saturday against the New York Mets at Citi Field on Fox. There would have been five games on this trip on national TV, but last Saturday’s Fox broadcast got rained out, and postponed into a Sunday morning game on True Blue LA.
Shohei Ohtani, plagued by irritation in his left knee, produced optimism this week.
The two-way superstar with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday, July 22 threw his first bullpen session in two weeks. Afterward, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts called it a “big sign."
"The arm's fine,’’ Roberts told reporters. “It's kind of just going down the slope, getting over your front side. That's the big test."
Yet the same day, Ohtani missed his second straight start because of the knee discomfort the Dodgers have attributed to cartilage and joint issues. He has not pitched since July 3 and it's unclear when he will.
Concern lingers.
Ohtani, 32, had a 1.06 ERA in what was shaping up as his finest season on the mound – before his left knee emerged as a problem six weeks ago. In the three starts he’s made since then, Ohtani surrendered nine earned runs in 18 innings and lost his aura of dominance.
USA TODAY Sports interviewed two orthopedic surgeons and an expert in pitching mechanics to better understand the problem with Ohtani’s left knee and how worried the Dodgers should be.
Glenn Fleisig is the Director of Biomechanics Research at American Sports Medicine Institute. He has written more than 300 scholarly articles.
Ohtani has suggested his knee issues could be related to poor pitching mechanics. And when told that Ohtani said he is adjusting his mechanics as a result, Fleisig said the approach can have unintended consequences.
“Making adjustments for the knee for the sake of the safety of the knee or the health of the knee is one thing," Fleisig told USA TODAY Sports. “But for such an elite athlete, these professional athletes, it's a very delicate balance to try not to change the stress on the elbow or shoulder."
This is where the biomechanists come into play, according to Fleisig. He said pitchers' mechanics will be analyzed to ensure the whole body is used in coordination -- "the kinetic chain," Fleisig called it -- to prevent too much stress being placed on the elbow and shoulder.
“I can't just broadly say that changing mechanics is good or bad,'' he said. "Sometimes it can make a (pitcher) better, sometimes worse, and sometimes, which is what they're going for in this case (with Ohtani), it can make it no better, no worse, just different.
"So it really depends what mechanical change (is made) and if it messes up the whole chain of events or if it keeps the chain working right."
Ohtani had surgery on the elbow in his throwing arm in 2018 and surgery in 2023 when the problem reoccurred.
Matthew Matava is an orthopedic surgeon, a team physician for the St. Louis Blues and the president of the National Football League Physician Society.
With the adjustment in his mechanics, ESPN reported, Ohtani is trying to reduce the torque on the left knee. Matava addressed torque and what it reflects about Ohtani's issues.
Because Ohtani is a right-handed pitcher, he pushes off with his right leg and lands on his left leg with the balky knee.
"A right-hand pitcher, his follow-through comes across his left knee," said Matava, who is not involved in the treatment of Ohtani. "So that causes a twisting sensation or a twisting motion. A torque, call it, between the tibia and the femur. That's a knee joint. And so any sort of condition that may irritate the kneecap, for example, is a very common one because the kneecap can move side to side.
"That kind of motion will cause discomfort and can cause further pain.''
A favorable sign, Matava said, is that the torque-related discomfort in Ohtani's left knee has not kept him out of the Dodgers lineup. Ohtani, the team's designated hitter, leads the Dodgers with 22 home runs and a .525 slugging percentage.
“He's swinging the bat at high speed,’’ Matava said. “There is some torque there. Second of all, he has to push off that left knee to go to first base and then run the bases, potentially slide.
“You know what I'm saying? There's still a lot of stress on that joint that they still think he could handle or else they would've shut him down from hitting, too.’’
The history of Shohei Ohtani's problematic left knee
Timothy Gibson is an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in sports medicine and treats a wide variety of orthopedic conditions. Ohtani is not immune to those.
In 2019, he was diagnosed with bipartite patella, a congenital condition where the two bones of his kneecap fail to fuse.
Gibson, who is not involved in the treatment of Ohtani, estimated that less than 2% of the population has bipartite patella and less than 5% of those people who have it never get symptoms. But Ohtani experienced discomfort in his left knee during bullpen sessions and had surgery in 2019.
“I'm sure they've looked at that to minimize the strain,’’ Gibson said. “I mean, to require surgery for that condition is not very common.’’
Now, according to Gibson, Ohtani may be suffering from chondromalacia, which is the softening or deterioration of the cartilage under the kneecap. Ohtani has cited “wear and tear" as a source of the inflammation and that’s consistent with descriptions of chondromalacia.
Gibson said cartilage issues pose different problems than bipartite patella does -- primarily excessive fluid buildup around the joint. “So that would be more concerning if his knee swells up,’’ he said.
Treatment options for Shohei Ohtani
Over the All-Star break, Ohtani was injected with Orthovisc, which is used to relieve pain due to osteoarthritis and degenerative joint disease.
“I don't think anybody really knows how it works," said Gibson, the orthopedic surgeon. “Some people just think it's like a lubricant. Others probably think that it brings down inflammation or tries to modulate the local environment so your body produces a better quality of fluid. I would say it's really not known exactly the mechanism."
What is known, Gibson said, is that only about 50% of people have a positive response.
A week after Ohtani got the injection, he was scratched from his next scheduled start, July 22. The Dodgers also have treated the knee with rest by keeping Ohtani off the mound.
Other than hyaluronic acid injections like Orthvisc, Gibson said other common treatment options include: 1) platelet-rich plasma injections, a process where blood is drawn, put it in a centrifuge to create a smaller volume of highly concentrated platelets and then reinjected, and 2) stem cell therapy, which uses the body’s cells to promote repair of tissue; and draining fluid from the knee.
Of the Dodgers' approach, Gibson said, “What they're doing I think sounds conservative and reasonable, very reasonable."
Shohei Ohtani knee issues: Now what?
Ohtani was climbing over the dugout wall Wednesday on his way to celebrate the Dodgers’ 9-5 victory over the Phillies when he got accidentally kicked in the right arm by teammate Alex Call.
Ohtani winced. He shook his pitching arm off and on for about 45 seconds. Reportedly, he got the arm checked out later, and it’s fine.
The mishap momentarily diverted attention from the much bigger issue: the left knee. So how concerning should it be for the Dodgers?
Matava said it’s difficult to know because the Dodgers might not disclose all of the pertinent information.
“I'm not saying they're being at all deceitful," he said. “But it's their prerogative to release whatever information they want to release. And you don't always know exactly why the player's being kept out."
Gibson said fluid in the knee would be more concerning. So far the Dodgers have said only that they did not drain fluid from Ohtani’s knee.
Instead of quantifying the level of concern, Fleisig, the biomechanist, talked about an imperative.
“So when they make the adjustment for leg motions, they have to make sure that it did not throw off the mechanics of the trunk,’’ he said.
PITTSBURGH, PA - JUNE 26: Dennis Santana (60) of the Pittsburgh Pirates walks off the field in between innings during a MLB game against the Cincinnati Reds on June 26, 2026 at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
After a long and frustrating journey that no one could have seen coming this season, the Pirates have moved on from their former closer.
Pittsburgh officially designated right-handed pitcher Dennis Santana for assignment on Thursday, cutting ties with the polarizing reliever.
The Bucs acquired reliever Ron Marinaccio from the San Diego Padres in exchange for International Signing Bonus Pool Money and cut ties with Santana to clear room on the 40-man roster.
Santana could clear waivers and return to the organization to pitch in Triple-A Indianapolis.
Santana entered the season as the reliever many thought the Pirates could rely on the most following a 2.18 ERA and 16 saves in 70 appearances last year.
2026 proved to be Santana’s worst year in the majors and derailed multiple close games the Pirates had chances of winning.
In 44 games spanning 41.2 innings, the righty reliever recorded a 6.05 ERA, 1.51 WHIP, and allowed eight home runs, going 2-5 overall.
He allowed 28 earned runs and walked 19 batters, compared to 37 strikeouts. In his last seven games, Santana allowed eight earned runs in 6.1 innings.
It never clicked for Santana, who shuffled between pitching high-leverage situations to mop-up duty on numerous occasions, but could never get back to form.
Santana’s last game as a Pirate came on Monday when he pitched a scoreless inning against the Yankees, but sparked a benches-clearing incident with New York after an altercation with shortstop Jose Caballero.
The Pirates claimed Santana off waivers from the Yankees in 2024, and his career in Pittsburgh ends after pitching against the same franchise.
Ben Cherington acquired a reliever to take Santana’s spot on Thursday.
The Pirates traded for Ron Marinaccio in what should be the first of many moves made in the two weeks leading up to the trade deadline.
The only problem is, he was just about to be available to the only 29 clubs for free.
Marinaccio was DFA’d by the Padres on Sunday after compiling a 4.79 ERA and 1.45 WHIP in 33 outings. Better than Santana, but not nearly good enough to be considered a move worthy of a pat on the back or a large celebration.
He struck out 38 and walked 18 in 47 innings. A former quality reliever with the Yankees in 2022 (2.05 ERA), 2023 (3.99), and 2024 (3.86), Marinaccio gets a fresh start in a bullpen in desperate need of help.
Marinaccio was suspended two games for hitting Orioles star Gunner Henderson with two outs in the ninth inning on June 13.
He was DFA’d by the Yankees in 2024 and claimed by the White Sox before being acquired by San Diego soon after.
Moving past Santana fixes a major issue with the Pirates bullpen, but they need to replace him. Well.
The Pirates host the Cubs for the first of a three-game set on Friday night, 6:40 p.m. at PNC Park, currently a half-game out of the wild card race.
It crushes Keith Hernandez to see his beloved Mets exhibit a nonchalant attitude about the importance of defense at his former position.
The former Gold Glove-winning first baseman zinged the Amazin’s during Wednesday’s 4-3 road loss to the Brewers about the team’s lack of emphasis on having a good glove at first base.
“It seems like in today’s game, they don’t give first base enough credit,” Hernandez said during showing Brewers first baseman Andrew Vaughn stretching for an out .
“Certainly, the Mets don’t.”
Keith Hernandez: "It seems like in today's game, they don't give first base enough credit. Certainly, the Mets don't." pic.twitter.com/L6DXb3Z5YW
Hernandez is known for valuing fundamentals — “good fundies,” as he calls them — and often criticizes teams during broadcasts when they turn into the “Bad News Bears.”
The Mets employed Pete Alonso at first base for the previous seven seasons, and though no one would confuse Alonso for a Gold Glover, he worked hard to be serviceable or better.
This season, the Mets have taken the “Moneyball” idea of first base being “not that hard” and hoping that a rotating cast of players can provide manageable defense.
Mark Vientos has struggled at first base. Robert Sabo for NY Post
The team uses Mark Vientos at the position though he’s better served as a designated hitter and has employed Jorge Polanco though he had minimal experience in his lengthy career.
Jared Young and Eric Wagaman have also had their turn.
Baseball Savant ranks Young (+1), Polanco (0), Wagaman (-1) and Vientos (-8) in terms of their effectiveness as measured by outs above average.
Keith Hernandez flashing the leather at first base. Getty Images
It would be one thing if the Mets were offsetting that lack of defensive with offensive production, like they did in the Alonso years, but their first basemen this year aren’t holding up their end of the bargain.
They are slashing .220/.281/.397 and have a combined -0.6 fWAR, ahead of only the Diamondbacks.
The ineffectiveness both offensively and defensively from their first basemen is a reason why the Mets are 43-60 and in last place in the NL East and sure to be trade deadline sellers.
ATLANTA, GA - JULY 22: Jermaine Dupri poses for a photo with Afroman and Blooper before the game between the Atlanta Braves and the San Diego Padres at Truist Park on July 22, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin D. Liles/Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
At the end of the day on paper, it’s going to go down as a four-game series win at home for the Braves over the Padres. If you look at these two teams and their current records, it’s not something that appears to be shocking. The Braves are now one of only three teams in baseball with 60 wins, so that’s cool. With that being said, we all know the recent history that the Braves and Padres have so the fact that Atlanta was able to finally take a series against this crew feels like a bit of a breakthrough.
With that being said, it certainly wasn’t easy and this wasn’t a case of the Padres not playing the Braves extremely tough. The three wins for Atlanta could’ve gone either way and they were extremely nervy to watch near the end of each of those wins. Fortunately, Atlanta did hang on and now we’ve got a happy series recap to look forward to. Let’s get into it!
Bryce Elder’s first start since July 9 ended up being a successful one, which was a sight for sore eyes considering how this team had fared against the Padres heading into this series. Indeed, the only two blemishes on Elder’s line for the night were of his usual variety — meaning that he hung two pitches and they both got demolished.
Manny Machado (what else is new) and Ty France (on Elder’s final pitch of the game) ended up being the beneficiaries but other than that, Elder ended up with a very solid line of six innings pitched, four strikeouts and just one walk allowed and five hits given up. Elder was in dire need of a start like this and fortunately it came against a team that the Braves have been struggling against recently.
Those two mistakes on Elder’s part ended up being the only runs that the Padres would push across on the night, as Danny Young and Victor Mederos came up huge in order to make sure that Atlanta’s slender lead held up. The Braves got there thanks to a homer from Michael Harris II in the fifth inning that tied it up at one, an RBI double from Joey Bart that pushed the Braves in front in that same fifth inning and then a dinger from Ozzie in the sixth that gave the Braves the insurance that ended up being enough for them to win. This was certainly a nervy one but Atlanta was able to squeak it out in the end in order to get the series started off on the right foot.
The first three innings of this game went pretty well for Atlanta, as the Braves pushed ahead to a 2-1 lead early on. Then the middle innings rolled around and things got away from Reynaldo López and the Braves. Jackson Merrill led off the fourth by tying it up with one big swing and then Fernando Tatis Jr. continued to be one of the most dangerous hitters in all of baseball with runners in scoring position as he drove in Xander Bogaerts to push the Padres ahead by two. The Padres homered to lead off the fifth as well, as Manny Machado delivered yet another big hit against the Braves and the fifth inning ended up being the end of the line for López in what turned out to be an underwhelming start.
Manny Machado then added another homer to his tally (again, what else is new for him against the Braves) in the sixth inning and then after the Braves got a run back in the seventh thanks to Bradgley Rodriguez balking in a run, Fernando Tatis Jr. got that run back (and then another one on top of that) in emphatic fashion. JR Ritchie threw Tatis a curveball that didn’t fool him at all. 474 feet later, it was 8-3 Padres and that’s how yet another loss to the Padres ended.
It is just never easy with the Padres, huh! Good grief! Somehow, a game where the Braves were up 7-1 at one point was tight throughout, as even that bit of breathing room didn’t last long for Atlanta against San Diego. The Braves got a run off of Michael King in the first inning but any aspirations of this being a breakout game against King were immediately squashed as the Braves were unable to get much of anything going against King from that point forward.
Fortunately, Martín Pérez was up to the task of keeping the Padres quiet for at least a few innings and the bullpen was able to continue holding San Diego at bay until the seventh inning. That’s when Didier Fuentes gave up a dinger on an 0-2 pitch to Jackson Merrill to make it a tie game at one run apiece.
Then the bottom of the eighth inning rolled around and the stuff started hitting the fan. San Diego left the bases loaded in the seventh and they wound up cursing their luck for the rare missed opportunity (against Atlanta, at least) as the Braves put a crooked number on the scoreboard once they got to swing the bat in the eighth inning. Jim Jarvis put Atlanta ahead with an RBI double and that was the beginning of the hit parade. Brewer Hicklen mashed an RBI double down the line and then Ozzie Albies, Matt Olson, Austin Riley and Dominic Smith all delivered RBI singles of their own to bring us to the aforementioned 7-1 scoreline.
Victor Mederos was called upon for the ninth inning and honestly, this felt like Walt Weiss was really trying to see just how long this magical run that Mederos has been on during this homestand would last. Unfortunately, this was when the bubble burst because San Diego ended up tagging him for four runs — including two on an RBI triple from Fernando Tatis Jr. because the man is just a machine while batting with RISP.
The triple made it 7-4, which meant that it was time for Raisel Iglesias and even then, Iggy somehow gave up Luis Rengifo’s first home run since September 2025. In a stunning twist of fate, Manny Machado did not add to Atlanta’s misery at this point as he struck out and then Iggy sat down Ty France on a called strike three to avoid what would’ve been a nightmarish loss to the Padres. Thank you for not losing on So So Def Night, Braves.
The second inning of this contest was emblematic of how it’s felt to watch the Braves play the Padres over recent years. Chris Sale had just gotten done pitching a scoreless first inning but ran into trouble after a seeing-eye single, a single off a ball that Mauricio Dubón lost in the sun and a hit-by-pitch. Sale wisely pitched around Fernando Tatis Jr. in the bases-loaded situation and ended up conceding a run in the process via a walk but you figure that was better than conceding four. Unfortunately, Sale ended up conceding three runs in the inning anyways after Luis Rengifo struck again. Rengifo looped in an RBI single on an 0-2 pitch with two outs to make it 3-0 Padres after two innings.
The rest of the game ended up emblematic of things being different for the Braves against the Padres this time around — still tough, but different! The comeback began with Michael Harris II rudely welcoming bulk pitcher Griffin Canning to the game with a solo shot in the bottom of the second inning and then a big fourth inning pushed Atlanta out in front. Ozzie led off the fourth inning by bopping one into the seats in right-center field and then Dominic Smith had his first really big moment in a while as he crushed a changeup from Canning and sent it flying into the Chop House to put the Braves in the lead with one colossal swat.
Chris Sale didn’t give up any more runs after that strange second inning (and ended up striking out 11 batters) and so the Braves ended up cruising into the final stage of the game with the lead. They got what appeared to be just another insurance run in wild fashion after Drake Baldwin hit a dinger on a pitch that has to be seen to be believed.
Baldwin’s insane dinger ended up being crucial after Ty France homered off of Tyler Kinley in the ninth to make it 6-5. The Padres attempted a two-out rally against Raisel Iglesias in the ninth but Iggy was able to close the door and ensure that the Braves were finally able to figure out a way to slay their boogeyman over the course of a four-game series.
I’m scratching my head right now trying to figure out a more stressful four-game series win for the Braves than what we just witnessed. The three Braves victories were all by one run and they had to pull out two of those victories while the Padres had the potential go-ahead run either on base or at the plate. Atlanta even lost the series on run aggregate as they scored 19 runs to San Diego’s 21 but they won the series in the only category that counts and that’s all that matters.
Still, these games could’ve gone either way and it very well could’ve been another nightmare against the Padres. Fortunately it wasn’t and now the Braves have actually turned this homestand into an incredibly-productive 5-2 run to start the second half of the season. It’s especially nice considering that the Phillies have stumbled coming out of the break and the Marlins have crashed back down to earth, themselves. Plus with the way the offense has been hitting throughout the month of July, you really get the feeling that the Braves are back to being in serious control of things in the NL East after wobbling throughout the month of June.
Drake Baldwin appears to have returned to the form that made him one of the most dangerous-hitting catchers in all of baseball, Michael Harris II continues to have a big season at the plate, the same goes for Ozzie Albies and Austin Riley continued to show signs of potentially getting out of this season-long slump that he’s been in. With Matt Olson continuing to be steady at the plate as well, it’s very good sign for the Braves to see all of these guys doing damage at the plate and their efforts went a long way towards ensuring that Atlanta would get out of this four-game series by taking three out of four.
There’s not going to be a lot of rest for the weary, though. Fresh off of finding a way to vanquish their personal boogeyman, the Braves will now be traveling to Baltimore to face off against an O’s team that has been pretty hot in July. They may not be on a winning streak anymore but the Orioles did end Boston’s double-digit win streak so Baltimore won’t be a pushover by any means. With that being said, as long as the Braves can continue to produce at the plate like they have so far during July, I think we’re back to liking Atlanta’s chances against anybody that they face on a nightly basis. We’ll see what happens, though!
Jun 1, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Michael McGreevy (36) reacts as he walks off the field after the fifth inning against the Texas Rangers at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
What was originally an off-day for the St. Louis Cardinals is now an afternoon make-up game versus the Arizona Diamondbacks. Michael McGreevy is the scheduled starter for the Cardinals while Brandon Pfaadt gets the ball for the Diamondbacks. First pitch is scheduled for 4:15pm central time at Busch Stadium. TV broadcast will be handled by Cardinals.tv.
