The Winnipeg Jets added another name to their blue line depth chart this week, signing defenseman Jack St. Ivany. The move raises an interesting question for the 26-year-old right shot heading into training camp as to if he can take the offensive flashes he showed last season and turn them into a real foothold in the NHL?
St. Ivany split last season between the Pittsburgh Penguins and their AHL affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, and the results were promising at both levels. In 20 games with Pittsburgh, he recorded seven assists, showing he could move the puck and contribute offensively even against top competition.
When he was sent down to the AHL, his production picked up even more, with St. Ivany posting six points in just eight games, a near point-per-game pace that suggests there may be more offense to unlock if given a longer runway.
The right side of the Jets' defense already looks fairly settled, with Dylan DeMelo and Neal Pionk both locked into established roles. That leaves St. Ivany looking at a competition for a third pairing spot, likely against Elias Salomonsson, one of the organization's more highly regarded defensive prospects.
He could also find himself competing for a seventh defenseman role, going up against fellow offseason addition Henry Thrun for a depth spot on the roster. For St. Ivany, the path forward comes down to consistency as his NHL sample size is still fairly small, but his numbers continue to rise each season as he further adjusts to the pro game.
If he can find that consistency, he gives the Jets a legitimate option for puck moving depth on the right side. If not, he still provides organizational insurance in a group that could use it heading into a crucial season for the franchise.
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ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - JULY 09: Paul Blackburn #58 of the New York Yankees reacts following the first inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on July 09, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Yankees starred in one of the most drab All-Star Games in recent memory, Cody Bellinger picking up MVP honors for his two-run single in the first while Ben Rice also drove in a run. It means we are just a day away from the second half kicking off, the Yankees starting a pivotal stretch of 66 games with a marquee series against the two-time defending champion Dodgers. Before we get to that, let’s take one last look back with our final Sequence of the Week of the first half, and Paul Blackburn’s first appearance in this series.
We join Blackburn with one out in the bottom of the eighth on Sunday, the Yankees five outs away from what looked at many points during the series like an improbable sweep of the Nationals. The late heroics by the offense was the story of that series, achieving three straight comebacks in the eighth inning or later to sweep a series for the first time since they were the Highlanders sweeping the Cleveland Naps in 1910. The bullpen is light a few arms, particularly as closer David Bendar had pitched three innings to secure saves in the previous two wins, so it’s more than likely that Blackburn will be asked to record the final six outs of this one-run game. He has already retired Curtis Mead on a popup to open the frame, the lefty already having tied the game with a pinch-hit solo home run off Tim Hill in the sixth. That brings the ever-dangerous two-time All-Star CJ Abrams to the plate, the lefty shortstop in the midst of a breakout campaign with 20 home runs before the break.
Abrams has done the lion’s share of his damage against the fastball, so it is no surprise to see Blackburn start this AB off with a curveball.
Ali Sánchez sets a target in the zone, encouraging Blackburn to make this pitch look like a strike out of the hand to fool the hitter into swinging at a pitch that will break below the zone. Blackburn achieves both objectives, making Abrams think it’s an elevated fastball, resulting in a swing that is almost a foot over the top of a pitch that pretty much ends up in the dirt.
After tricking the hitter so effectively, it’s only logical that Blackburn attempt to replicate his execution of the pitch until Abrams shows he can adjust.
Blackburn executes this pitch to a similar spot as the first one. However, it is apparent that Abrams is already beginning to make the necessary adjustment to the curve. You can see the way he delays his swing, getting his front foot down later to match the timing of the slower curve, and he drops the bat head more in anticipation of the downward break, allowing him to ground it foul.
Blackburn has two choices here following that swing. It’s clear Abrams is now hunting the curveball, so you either throw the pitch he is looking for but in an unhittable location, or you throw a different pitch type down the same tunnel to deceive the hitter into thinking it’s another curveball — think an elevated heater with the same high aiming point as those last two curveballs.
Blackburn opts for the former option, bouncing a curveball on top of home plate to see if he can get Abrams to chase for a third straight time. Abrams displays excellent pitch recognition to take this curveball given it looked like it was traveling right down the middle out of Blackburn’s hand.
Despite not getting the chase he was looking for, Blackburn opts to throw a fourth straight curveball.
The dangerous part of throwing so many breaking balls in a row is that each subsequent one needs to be a little better than the one before it to nullify the adjustment the hitter is making with repeated exposure to the pitch. Alternatively, you could try to sneak one to a location where the hitter isn’t expecting it, Blackburn attempting to back-door one for a called strike three. After seeing three straight curveballs over the plate but below the zone, Abrams is indeed fooled by this curve commanded to the corner up and away, and he’s just able to get off an emergency hack to foul off the pitch and stay alive.
After four straight curveballs, Blackburn finally picks his spot to switch things up with a changeup.
Even though he didn’t get the chase he was after, I love this pitch selection by Blackburn. It shows Abrams a secondary offering with less downward break than the curveball and a pitch that breaks away from the batter rather than toward him, meaning Abrams now can no longer automatically eliminate any pitch that starts out aimed in the region from up-and-in to middle-middle
Indeed, that changeup functioned as purely a setup pitch to boost the chase potential of the curveball.
Blackburn throws his fifth curveball of the encounter, and it is by far the best one he has thrown. It looks like a strike right down Broadway before dropping almost five feet during its path toward home, Abrams unable to check his swing in time on a pitch that lands in the dirt.
Here’s the full sequence:
I love the savvy Blackburn displayed against such a dangerous hitter. He clearly read the scouting report on Abrams’ propensity to crush the fastball, so he stuck with his two most platoon-neutral offerings in the curveball and changeup. It also helps that those two pitches have been his most effective weapons this season, the changeup holding hitters to a .105 average and .184 SLG against while the curveball has been even stingier, opponents batting just .087 and slugging .087 against the Uncle Charlie. The curveballs he threw in this encounter in particular make me excited to see him use the pitch more — in addition to his excellent command of the pitch to chase areas below the zone, it’s objectively one of the best curveballs in baseball. It sports the third-most downward drop vs. average of any curveball in MLB, allowing it to rack up a 45-percent whiff rate, 39.1-percent chase rate, and 37.1-percent put-away rate — all top-15 marks among all MLB curveballs.
It is no exaggeration to say that Blackburn has been one of the most effective pitchers in baseball over the last two months. He has pitched to the lowest ERA (1.16) in MLB since his May 16th appearance against the Mets among all pitchers with at least 30 innings pitched over that span. He has become Aaron Boone’s Swiss Army knife relief ace not dissimilar to the role Luke Weaver played in his first season with the team, though they profile very differently in terms of arsenal and pitching philosophy. My college John was one of the first people on staff to pick up on Blackburn’s surging form back in the beginning of June, and his words have proven prescient, Blackburn developing into one of the team’s most reliable relievers capable of pitching in a variety of roles.
Former Florida Panthers assistant GM and current New Jersey Devils GM Sunny Mehta continues to nab Panthers staff members, as Leo Luongo has signed with the Devils.
Luongo, the brother of Roberto Luongo, has been with the Panthers for the past 10 seasons, serving as a goaltending development coach and director of player development with the Panthers, while also serving as the director of goaltending and the head of goalie development and scouting with the Charlotte Checkers, the Panthers’ AHL affiliate.
In addition to Luongo, the Devils have added Ted Granto and A.J. MacLean as assistant coaches to work under coach Sheldon Keefe, while Dan Stewart will work as the Devils’ goaltending coach.
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Pictured above is Rob Dibble, White Sox reliever, caught in a brief moment between temper tantrums, off-color comments and blind rages. | (Photo by Ron Vesely/Getty Images)
1920 With the White Sox down to their last two outs in the ninth, trailing the Senators, 5-4, Joe Jackson capped a rally by hitting an inside-the-park grand slam past (or over) Washington center fielder Sam Rice. That score, 8-5, would hold up as a winner for the White Sox.
It was at least the sixth grand slam in White Sox history (definitive records go back only to the 1912 season), and strangely the previous two (Happy Felsch, 1916, and Eddie Collins, 1919) both broke open tie games late. Four of the six grand slams were inside-the-park.
Jackson would had a second (and final) grand slam on Sept. 11, 1920, a deep blast well out of Comiskey Park, in one of the last games of his career.
1980 Bill Veeck’s ownership syndicate accepted offers to buy the White Sox. Sox broadcaster Harry Caray was one of those expressing interest, along with millionaire Edward DeBartolo Sr. Veeck would accept DeBartolo’s offer a month later, but the deal would get nixed twice by commissioner Bowie Kuhn and the other owners. Veeckeventually sold the club to Jerry Reinsdorf and Eddie Einhorn in January 1981.
1990 It was one of the funniest moments in White Sox history, as utility player Steve “Psycho” Lyons made a mistake that wound up on every highlight show in the nation. In the fifth inning at Detroit, Lyonsbunted his way on, with a diving slide at first base to beat the throw. He then called time and completely blanked out as he started to drop his pants to get the dirt out of them. (Fortunately, he was wearing sliding shorts.) When he realized what he was doing, Lyons quickly yanked his pants back up and turned beet red with embarrassment.
After Lyons was forced at second base later in the inning and ran back to the dugout, female fans in the first few rows behind the Sox bench, among the 14,770 at Tiger Stadium that night, began waving dollar bills at him.
1992 With two singles in a 5-4 win over Milwaukee in 12 innings, Lance Johnson began what would become a 25-game hitting streak — at the time the third-longest in White Sox history (remaining fifth-best today).
Over the course of the streak, the White Sox went 15-10, as One Dog sprayed 43 hits (39 singles, a double and three triples) and swiped 16-of-19 bags, slashing .439/.477/.510. The amazing streak ran his batting average from .261 to .305 — no small feat 100 games into the season!
Johnson finished 1992 at a downright pedestrian .279/.318/.363, so slumps were forthcoming after this fiery run. However, taking into account his stellar defense, his final value for the season was a career-best 3.8, almost a win better than his previous best and setting the stage for a miraculously good 1993 season.
1995 The Rob Dibble experiment ended with the White Sox waiving the mercurial reliever. Dibble signed with the White Sox in 1995 after six years with Cincinnati, interrupted by a broken forearm in 1993 and rotator cuff surgery in 1994. He saw action in just 16 games with Chicago, pitching to a 6.28 ERA and 2.372 WHIP, for -0.2 WAR. He was suspended by the team at least once (criticizing 1995’s replacement players), and ironically at the end of July was picked up by the same Brewers team he threw at on June 29, getting ejected after just one pitch.
Dibble’s locker neighbor for the 15-game stint in Milwaukee that would mark the end of his career? The player he threw at back in June, Pat Listach.
2000 The astounding rise of 36th round draft pick Mark Buehrle was made complete on this day, when the southpaw was called up from Double-A Birmingham after just 36 career games in the minors (and 16 with the Barons). Buehrle was inserted into the ninth inning of an 11-5 win over the Brewers in Chicago.
Buehrle struck out the first batter he faced, José Hernández, and got a second quick out before Milwaukee touched him for a short rally and a run. Buehrle would start his next three games, then work out of the pen to finish the season. From 2001-on, Buehrle’s next 490 games in the majors were all starts, as he ran up 59.1 WAR in a career worthy of the Hall of Fame. He finished his career with 48.9 WAR with the White Sox, seventh-highest total for a pitcher in club history.
Commemorating that and more, in 2025 the White Sox placed a statue of Buerhle on the concourse at Sox Park.
2003 As the designated hitter for the St. Paul Saints (owned by Mike Veeck), Minnie Miñoso became the first player to be active in professional baseball for seven decades. Miñoso drew a walk in his only plate appearance, in independent Northern League play, at age 77.
2013 Chris Sale got the win, as the AL beat the NL, 3-0, at the All-Star Game from Citi Field in New York. Sale pitched the second and third innings, facing the minimum six batters and recording two strikeouts. His strikeout victims were Carlos González and Troy Tulowitzki. He got credit for the win when the AL took the lead and scored eventual winning run in the top of the fourth inning, when he was still the pitcher of record.
Those changes to the format didn't impress viewers at all. Last year's derby, which was broadcast on ESPN/ESPN2, was seen by 5.7 million and drew 5.5 million in 2024.
In 2003, the event on ESPN was watched by 5.2 million people.
For the next two years, if fans want to watch the Home Run Derby, they will again have to watch it on Netflix, as the streaming service paid $50 million a year to broadcast the event for three years.
Fayetteville infielder Xavier Neyens (9) throws the ball during opening day of the Augusta GreenJackets at SRP Park in North Augusta, S.C., on Tuesday, April 14, 2026. The GreenJackets beat Fayetteville 4-2. Mandatory Credit: Katie Goodale - Augusta Chronicle/USA TODAY NETWORK | Katie Goodale / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Here are some prospects who have stood out so far in the first half of the season!
Jason Schiavone – Schiavone has put together a breakout season. The 23-year-old catcher got off to a hot start in Asheville hitting .289 with 17 home runs in 35 games. He earned a promotion to Double-A where he’s hit 6 more home runs. Overall, he has a .996 OPS with 23 home runs and 21 stolen bases in 77 games. He’s also thrown out 50% of base stealers in Corpus Christi.
Drew Brutcher – Brutcher was signed by the Astros in March of 2025 after he went undrafted in 2024. The left-handed hitter has had a big year starting in Asheville where he hit .266 over 33 games. He was promoted to Double-A where his bat exploded as he hit .350 with 10 doubles, 4 home runs in 29 games. He’s hitting .304 overall this season.
Pascanel Ferreras– Ferreras was Mr. Irrelevant in the 2023 draft, but he’s been extremely relevant this season. He started in Double-A and hit .263 with 3 home runs and then was promoted to Sugar Land where he took off. In Triple-A, Ferreras has hit .366 with 11 doubles, 2 home runs and 27 RBI. He’s hitting .318 in 61 games this season.
Xavier Neyens – Neyens was the Astros first round pick in 2025 and he’s been as advertised in the early going. The 19-year-old has connected on 14 home runs and drawn 79 walks in 68 games, good for a 25.9% walk rate, this season in Fayetteville. He’s also added 16 stolen bases and was recently promoted to High-A Asheville. More on him here.
Anthony Huezo – Huezo was a 12th round pick by the Astros in 2023 and after having a mini breakout in 2025, he’s really performed well this season. In 71 games in Single-A, Huezo has connected on a system leading 20 doubles and 4 triples while also adding 14 home runs and 30 stolen bases. He just got promoted to High-A.
Justin Thomas – Another pick from the 2025 draft, Thomas was an 11th round selection. For High-A Asheville this year, the 22-year-old is hitting .263 with 16 doubles, 12 home runs and 24 stolen bases. He’s also collected 57 walks and has a .880 OPS through 72 games this season.
Will Bush – Bush has spent time at catcher and first base this season and got off to a nice start posting a .883 OPS in April. He slowed down with an injury but turned it on recently and now the 22-year-old has 10 home runs and a .855 OPS through 56 games in Double-A this season.
Javier Perez – Perez had a mini breakout in 2025 and this year he has been phenomenal for the Woodpeckers. He leads the system in innings with 76.2 innings and 89 strikeouts while posting a 3.17 ERA. He’s shown off exceptional command as well walking just 13 batters, good for a 1.5 BB/9.
Cole Hertzler – Hertzler dealt with a few injuries early in his career but is healthy in 2026 and showing why he was a 5th round pick in 2024. The right-hander started in Asheville and had a 2.72 ERA over 10 starts. He was promoted to Corpus Christi where he has a 2.97 ERA over 5 starts. He’s also allowed just 34 hits in 62.1 innings.
Jagger Beck – Beck was signed as an undrafted free agent following the 2024 draft. The 19-year-old is having a breakout season so far posting a 2.91 ERA while striking out 62 batters over 52.2 innings. He’s also posted a 2.04 ERA across 10 games since May 5th. Strong season for the big right-hander. More on him here.
Nick Potter– Potter was a 5th round pick for the Astros in 2025 and while he was a closer in college, the Astros have moved him to starter with good results. So far this season, the right-hander has posted a 2.19 ERA while striking out 55 batters over 49.1 innings. He should be in High-A soon. More on him here.
Philadelphia Flyers GM Daniel Briere has certainly made the NHL offseason interesting when he tendered a huge offer sheet to the Anaheim Ducks’ Leo Carlsson. Still, since Pat Verbeek matched it, Briere now must explore other options. Before getting back to shopping outside his own organization, however, the GM reached an agreement with RFA Trevor Zegras, thereby avoiding arbitration. At first glance, some may think that it’s better for the team than the deal Montreal Canadiens star rookie Ivan Demidov inked on July 1.
After all, Demidov’s eight-year contract has a higher cap hit at $9.150 M while Zegras’ four-year pact has a $9.125M cap hit, but that’s far from the reality. At just 20 years old, Demidov has put up 62 points in his only NHL season, while Zegras, after six NHL seasons and at 25, has never recorded more than 67 points. How far from his ceiling is he? That’s hard to say at this stage, but one thing is clear: he has far less runway than Demidov does.
What’s worse, though, is that the Flyers, after spending three assets to acquire Zegras in the 2025 offseason, may only get to enjoy five years of the player. His first season in Philadelphia was a good one, but with his new deal, he’ll be free as a bird at the end of the four-season term to hit the market at 29 and go after a big payday. The fact that he only signed a deal to take him to UFA status also shows that either he’s not sold on what the Flyers are building or the team isn’t quite sure of what they have on their hands and whether he’s worth committing to long term.
If Zegras keeps improving and reaches a new level, Briere might really have to break the bank to retain his services, and that’s if Zegras wants to stay there. He will be within his rights to hit the market and assess just how much he could get from another team. In three short years, when he’s about to enter the final year of the contract, his situation is sure to attract a lot of attention and create a big distraction.
Of course, Demidov will also be a UFA at the end of his eight-year deal in 2035, but the Canadiens will have enjoyed 11 years of their fifth overall pick at the 2024 draft. The absolute maximum a team can get from a drafted asset, and they will have done so at a cost-controlled price as well.
ARLINGTON, TX - MAY 29: Eric Cerantola #61 of the Kansas City Royals pitches during the game between the Kansas City Royals and the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on Friday, May 29, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tenley Wright/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The San Francisco Giants made a mild-mannered move over the All-Star break, quietly waiving right-handed reliever Eric Cerantola and outrighting him to AAA Sacramento. Cerantola, a fifth-round pick by the Kansas City Royals in 2021 who made his MLB debut earlier this year, had been claimed off of waivers earlier this month when Kansas City designated him for assignment. He appeared in two games for Sacramento before being waived, but, after being outrighted, he’ll surely appear in more.
It’s an odd move in that it brings the Giants 40-man roster down to 39 names, which is where it’s been for much of the season. Then again, perhaps the Giants figured that the All-Star break is the perfect time to sneak a player through waivers, since no teams are playing and thus incurring injuries and holes on the roster.
In other transaction news, outfielder Trevor Cohen — the organization’s third-round pick in the 2025 draft — is apparently joining teammates Gavin Kilen (their first-round pick in 2025) and Dakota Jordan (their fourth-round pick in 2024) in getting promoted from High-A Eugene to AA Richmond. They’re all scheduled to be with the Flying Squirrels when the Minor League season resumes tomorrow.
And in less happy transaction news, the Giants quietly released left-handed pitcher Juan Sánchez a few days ago. Sánchez nearly broke camp with the team after a stellar Spring Training in 2024, but has struggled with both injuries and performance since.
Jul 5, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Brandon Lowe (5) reacts while rounding the bases after hitting a home run against the Washington Nationals during the eighth inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images | Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images
The Pirates went from one of the worst offenses in the game last year to having the most runs scored at the All-Star break. That’s a massive upgrade from last year and a big reason because of that is the power.
In 2025 Pittsburgh finished last in numerous categories, including in runs scored (583), RBI (561), home runs (117), slugging percentage (.350) and OPS (.655).
A lot of those numbers have been increased this year, like home runs with 125. They rank amongst the best in the other categories, such as first in RBI and hits. The Bucs are also second in OPS and third in slugging percentage.
Pittsburgh already having eight more home runs than they did last year is a big reason why they are 50-47 and in the wild card playoff race. The Pirates are able to help out their pitching depth this year which is something they were not able to do last year.
The Pirates adding players like Brandon Lowe and Ryan O’hearn has been a huge reason as to why their offense has been such an improvement. Lowe leads the team with home runs (20) and in RBIs (64). While O’hearn has 16 home runs and 63 RBIs which are both second on the team.
The Pirates become just the second team in league history that went from scoring the least amount runs in one season and then leading the league in runs the following season. The St. Louis Cardinals did so, going from worst in 1986 to first in 1987, where they made the World Series.
What has made this first half really impressive is that the Pirates are putting up these numbers with some important injuries. The players being center fielder Oneil Cruz, first baseman Spencer Horwitz, rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin and catcher Endy Rodrguez, all of whom have been great themselves.
Rookie Esmerlyn Valdez has been helping the offense a lot with 10 home runs in 27 games. Other players have stepped up as well, making this a top and formidable lineup in baseball.
If the Bucs want to stay in the race and snap their decade long playoff drought, the offense will need to continue to keep that pace.
ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Minnesota Wild continued adding to their prospect pipeline this week, signing goaltender Filip Ruzicka to a three-year, entry-level contract.
At 6-foot-8, Ruzicka immediately becomes one of the tallest goaltending prospects in the NHL and gives the Wild another intriguing project to develop over the coming years.
Minnesota selected Ruzicka in the fifth round (137th overall) of the 2026 NHL Draft after an impressive season with the WHL's Brandon Wheat Kings.
Rather than waiting to secure his rights, the Wild wasted little time signing the Czech netminder, signaling their confidence in his potential.
The first thing that stands out about Ruzicka is his size.
Standing 6-foot-8 and weighing more than 220 pounds, he naturally covers a significant portion of the net before even making a save. Goaltenders with that kind of frame are rare, and when they combine size with athleticism, they can become extremely difficult to beat.
Of course, size alone doesn't make an NHL goaltender.
Modern goalies must move efficiently, recover quickly, and stay technically sound. Those are all areas Ruzicka will continue refining as he develops, but his physical tools give him a foundation that few prospects possess.
Ruzicka earned the Wild's attention with a solid 2025-26 season for the Brandon Wheat Kings.
He appeared in 41 games, posting a 26-14-1 record with a .906 save percentage and a 3.19 goals-against average while helping Brandon remain one of the stronger teams in the Western Hockey League.
The native of Trinec, Czechia, also started four games in the 2026 WHL playoffs for Brandon, recording a 2.47 goals-against average and .936 save percentage.
Like most goalie prospects, Ruzicka remains a work in progress, but the Wild clearly believe his upside is worth investing in.
Many NHL starters don't reach the league until their early-to-mid 20s, making development one of the longest processes at any position.
Fifth-round selections are never guaranteed NHL players, but they're often where organizations search for high-upside talent.
With Ruzicka, Minnesota is betting on exactly that.
His combination of size, athletic ability, and recent progression made him an appealing prospect during the draft, and now he'll begin the next stage of his development under the Wild's system.
Whether he ultimately becomes an NHL backup, a starter, or simply organizational depth remains to be seen.
For now, Ruzicka remains a long-term project. But with a 6-foot-8 frame and intriguing upside, he'll certainly be one of the more fascinating prospects for Wild fans to follow over the next several seasons.
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DETROIT, MI - JULY 11: Trea Turner #7 of the Philadelphia Phillies throws to first base during the game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on Saturday, July 11, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Izzy Rincon/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
All-Star week in Philadelphia has come and gone, which means it’s time to prepare for the unofficial second half of the season. The Phillies had a good first half considering they experienced a ten-game losing streak and fired their manager in April. They come into their second half opening series with the New York Mets two games behind the Atlanta Braves in the National League East with a record of 54-43. They currently occupy the second NL Wild Card spot and have a three-game lead for a spot in the postseason field. There is work to be done, but the Phillies have placed themselves right in the thick of the NL postseason picture.
That doesn’t mean there aren’t glaring weaknesses in this Phillies team though. The upcoming trade deadline will be the biggest chance to improve the roster, but thanks to the Phillies limited trade capital, they will also have to look inward for improvements. There’s no shortage of underperformers on the roster, but these are three that could make a real impact if they find a way to improve.
Trea Turner
Turner was one of the Phillies best players in 2025 when he won the batting title and dramatically improved his defense resulting in a 5.4 WAR season. He has regressed heavily in each aspect, as he’s hitting .236 and has the fifth most errors (12) of any shortstop in baseball which has resulted in a negative WAR total. His strikeout rate has spiked, up to 22.2% from 16.7% last season. His chase rate is back up in conjunction with that, up over 35% after cutting it down to 31.2% last season.
Defensively, Turner has lost all of the gains he made last season. He already has more errors than he had all of last season (8) and is on pace to come close to his brutal 2023 season when he led the majors with 23 errors. It’s even worse if you go by defensive metrics, as his -9 defensive runs saved are tied for second worst in baseball and his -6 defensive run value is fourth worst.
The good news is that Turner has begun to show a pulse offensively for the better part of the last month. Since June 15th, Turner is hitting .286 with a .759 OPS across 106 plate appearances. He started off July well but is currently 1 for his last 13 entering the break. The Phillies need Turner to rediscover some of what made him a batting champion in 2025, because it’s beginning to look like his strong defensive season last year may be an aberration.
José Alvarado
Alvarado looked to be having a renaissance in 2025 before a PED suspension and injuries completely derailed his season. The Phillies elected to pick up his club option for 2026 anyway, believing that he would rebound after a full offseason reset. That decision is not looking wise, as Alvarado is in the midst of the worst season of his career with a 6.82 ERA through 39 games. Opponents are currently slashing .307/.394/.464 against Alvarado. Yordan Alvarez and Yandy Díaz are the only qualified hitters with at least that slash line overall this season.
Despite a walk rate of 8.7% that is right around league average, Alvarado has struggled to throw strikes consistently. The in-zone rates of his two best pitches in the sinker and cutter are both down from his previous few seasons, with the sinker seeing a dramatic drop from three straight seasons over 60% to 53.3% in 2026. Opponents are also not swinging and missing at the cutter at the same rate as they have in years past while they are demolishing the sinker to the tune of a .342 AVG and .481 SLG.
However, there are signs that at least some of Alvarado’s struggles have been due to bad luck and, perhaps more astutely, poor defense. His 11.7 hits per nine is tied for the worst among all relievers with at least 30 IP and it would be the second worst among all pitchers if Alvarado qualified. His .440 batting average on balls in play is the highest in baseball and would be by far the highest in MLB history for a full season, surpassing the .364 BABIP Kevin Gausman posted in 2022. Alvarado’s FIP of 3.25 being almost half of his 6.82 ERA is the biggest evidence that he’s been victimized by the Phillies poor infield defense.
Where the ball goes when hitters make contact is largely outside of his control, but Alvarado can still control the part of his struggles that includes throwing more strikes and limiting contact. He has roughly over two weeks to find some way to improve before the Phillies will be forced to acquire a different left-handed reliever at the deadline.
Aaron Nola
This may seem to be the most obvious one of all and yet the one most people believe has the least chance of actually happening. Nevertheless, the Phillies are in desperate need of back of the rotation pitching and Aaron Nola isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, so the easiest path forward would be for Nola to occupy that role. It is much easier said than done of course, as Nola is having yet another nightmare season with a 3-6 record and a 5.76 ERA through 19 starts. His 20 home runs allowed are the third most in baseball despite Nola only logging 97 innings pitched. For context, Bert Blyleven holds the dubious MLB record of allowing the most home runs in a season with 50, but he did it in 271.2 innings. Nola is currently on pace to approach that despite being projected to throw under 200 innings. All of this has been the continuation of a trend of him being one of the worst qualified starting pitchers in baseball.
Nola has shown some signs recently that he may have gained some sort of footing, as in his last two starts, he’s thrown 5 IP with 2 runs and 7 IP with 3 runs allowed. Of course, those two starts were following one of the worst starts of Nola’s career when he blew a 5-0 lead and allowed 8 runs in 4.1 IP. The Phillies don’t need Nola to be an ace or even a mid-rotation starter at this point. What they need him to be is an innings eater that keeps you in games and saves the bullpen. The contract is likely going to go down as a net negative, but that doesn’t mean that the Phillies and Nola can’t salvage some value out of it.
The Phillies are 40-14 in games started by Cristopher Sánchez, Zack Wheeler, and Jesús Luzardo. They are 14-29 in games started by anyone else, including 9-10 in games started by Nola. They are 5-21 in games started by the fifth spot in the rotation that has been a smorgasbord of Andrew Painter, Taijuan Walker, Alan Rangel, and openers. Nola is no longer the same pitcher he was when he signed his seven year, $112M contract and is certainly no longer the pitcher that placed in the top 11 of Cy Young voting four times. But it would be a boon to the Phillies if he can stabilize himself as a quality back of the rotation starter as it would remove one of the question marks from the rotation.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 15: Caleb Wilson #8 of the Chicago Bulls poses for a portrait during the 2026 NBA Rookie Photo Shoot on July 15, 2026 at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas campus in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
It’s no secret that former UNC star Caleb Wilson is a winner. We’ve knew that before he committed to UNC, we knew that while he was at UNC, and now he is proving it at the next level. Setting aside the Chicago Bulls win/loss column in the NBA Summer League (seriously, you don’t want me to go down that rabbit hole), Wilson has shocked fans, media personalities, and the Bulls organization as a whole. Everyone knew he’d be good, but nobody knew that he’d be this good.
Through three summer league games, Wilson is averaging 24.3 points, seven rebounds, and three blocks per game while shooting 48% from the three-point line. While the three-point shooting has been the most shocking development, what’s also been impressive is Wilson’s energy, defensive intensity, and selflessness. During the Bulls’ third game specifically, he made all the right plays to get his teammates involved. His three assists may not seem like much, but if you go back and watch the film you will see him finding teammates in the corner when he drives to the basket, tossing difficult passes when he’s double-teamed, and giving up ill-advised shots that we’ve seen other players try to force this summer in order to make the better play.
While all of this sounds incredible, Wilson has also been winning the press conference game. For example: he was asked about not getting to play AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson after they both were shut down for the Summer League season, and here’s what he had to say:
Caleb Wilson on players like Dybantsa & Peterson resting:
“I feel like I’m different than all of them. I can’t say they don’t enjoy basketball but I enjoy basketball. I love this shit.”
“Hell no. I’m not taking no time off…it’s my rookie year, and I’m ’bout to go back to Chicago and get to work.”
Several walls may or may not have human-sized holes in Chicago.
Wilson is willing to put in the work that is required to be one of the better players in the NBA, and so far it is paying off. Just take a look at his stat line during Summer League play compared to his peers:
This draft class looks every bit as good as the 2003 draft class.
Wilson’s entire bag is playing the game that he loves and proving everyone wrong, and so far he has done those two things masterfully for Chicago. A lot of media personalities are starting to claim that he could win Rookie of the Year, which is amusing when you think about it, because from November until the NBA Draft we mostly heard about the Big 3. Whenever Wilson was mentioned, it was usually followed up with a limerick about how he cannot shoot. Now that his post-UNC bag has been revealed, it’s clear that Chicago has a special one in the former Tar Heel, and his teammate Matas Buzelis seems to think so as well.
Make no mistake about it, the Chicago Bulls are still in rebuild mode, but their path to competitiveness looks a lot better now that Caleb Wilson has entered the building. Making big predictions on how players will turn out based off Summer League performances can be difficult, but here’s one that feels pretty safe: Wilson will be a star for the Bulls, and as long as they build around him properly, the sky is the limit.
Apr 21, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays out fielder Jake Fraley (17) strikes out during the second inning against Cincinnati Reds at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Pablo Robles-Imagn Images | Pablo Robles-Imagn Images
Sitting in position for a postseason spot, the Tampa Bay Rays will look to supplement their roster at the trade deadline. Of course, they’ll do some buying and selling, but at the major league level they will primarily be buyers. The moves they make will be determined by a few key things early this month.
What does OF Jake Fraley look like in his return from the IL?
Fraley is a steady veteran who owns a career 110 wRC+ against right-handed pitching. While this isn’t an outlier level of production, it does represent a meaningful improvement over Victor Mesa Jr. (career 83 wRC+ vs RHP) and Chandler Simpson (career 94 wRC+ vs RHP). However, his lengthy injury history makes it difficult to count on that production over the final two months – especially when considering he was recently removed from his rehab assignment.
Should Fraley give the Rays a reason to explore other left-handed outfield options, they would first look internally. Jacob Melton was a major acquisition this winter, but unfortunately he got hurt in late April and missed a large chunk of the season. He’s unproven at the major league level so there’s some risk. However, his near 70-grade power, plus speed, and plus defense at all three outfield spots gives him significant upside. Melton’s underlying data have taken a real step forwards this season so he may be ready for a role in the majors.
If the Rays decide to take a conservative approach and keep Melton in AAA, there are plenty of affordable left-handed outfielders. I’ve already written about Lars Nootbaar, but here are a couple more names:
MIN OF Matt Wallner (career 137 wRC+ vs RHP); recent struggles may have lowered the acquisiton cost
COL OF Troy Johnston (career 137 wRC+ vs RHP); plus hitter but comes with defensive questions
MIN INF/OF Kody Clemens (career 96 wRC+ vs RHP); 117 wRC+ against righties in his last 500 PAs
What does 2B Gavin Lux look like in his return from the IL?
Lux is feeling the best he has felt all year and is rehabbing in Durham. Similar to Fraley, Lux brings a steady veteran presence with him to a lineup. His 109 wRC+ vs righties for his career represents a real upgrade over what Palacios (92 wRC+ vs RHP) and Williamson (82 wRC+ vs RHP) are currently providing. I think Williamson’s best baseball is still ahead of him and moving him to short-side platoon work at 2B and back-up duties at SS could help him get into more optimal match-ups that improve his production.
As with Fraley, there’s a chance that Lux doesn’t get healthy or his production isn’t what the Rays need it to be. In that case, there aren’t really any internal candidates to come in and hold down bulk platoon work at 2B. Brayden Taylor could be that guy if he wasn’t still in AA. His performance this year has restored his prospect status following a swing adjustment late last season, but there’s a lot of risk in bringing him up to play most days without him having any AAA experience.
It looks like the Rays would explore an external candidate if Lux is unable to regain his form. Luis Arraez would be an ideal acquisition given his track record (126 wRC+ against RHP for his career), and his defensive improvements that have allowed him to play a solid 2B. Some other names they could explore are:
PIT 2B Brandon Lowe (career 134 wRC+ vs RHP); proven track record, but comes with injury risk
MIN INF/OF Kody Clemens (career 96 wRC+ vs RHP); 117 wRC+ against righties in his last 500 PAs
ATH INF/OF Zack Gelof (career 114 wRC+ vs RHP); reverse splits, but he’s currently injured
How will starter workloads be managed?
The Rays have several members of their rotation who will have varying degrees of innings limits. Nick Martinez is the only starter likely to reach 170-180 innings this season.
There are a couple internal options in AAA who could come up and cover innings in spot starts or bulk roles out of the bullpen:
Mason Englert; being stretched out and working as a starter after working in the bullpen for his ML career
Ty Johnson; throws only two pitches, but could be reliable as a bulk pitcher or multi-inning reliever
Michael Forret; strike throwing is inconsistent, but could be reliable as a bulk pitcher or multi-inning reliever
Joe Boyle; working in the bullpen for the rest of the season, could be impactful as a multi-inning reliever
Michael Grove; long-term plan is for him to start, but he could be effective in a multi-inning role for now
Brody Hopkins is still learning to pitch with the AAA baseball and he underwent some mechanical changes that will take time to get used to so I don’t anticipate him providing many meaningful innings in the majors this season.
The Rays don’t have enough impact pitching ready to contribute in the majors this season, so they’ll likely explore an external addition. I’ve already written about Tarik Skubal, Joe Ryan, and Freddy Peralta. All three have strong track records and could help the Rays in the top half of their rotation. Given the way baseballs are flying off the bat similar to 2019, a groundball pitcher like Sandy Alcantara could also be a good fit if the Marlins fall out of contention in the next few weeks. Jose Soriano, Sonny Gray, and Landon Roupp also fit this mold. The biggest barrier to acquiring a high-end starter at the deadline will certainly be the cost. The Rays have the prospect capital to afford a big name to add to their rotation without depleting their farm system.
Which Rule 5 eligible prospects will need protection?
No doubt the Rays will be looking to get ahead of their annual Rule 5 crunch this summer. They already dealt Ty Cummings for Casey Legumina, but they still have over 50 players who will be Rule 5 eligible. Not all of them will need protection, but some of the names in the upper levels include:
C Tatem Levins
1B Tre’ Morgan
INF Cooper Kinney
OF Homer Bush Jr.
RHP Brody Hopkins
RHP Ty Johnson
RHP Michael Forret
RHP Owen Wild
DH/1B Xavier Isaac
INF Brayden Taylor
RHP Jackson Baumeister
RHP Santiago Suarez
RHP Gary Gill Hill
RHP TJ Nichols
There’s a chance that the Rule 5 Draft may not happen given the expiring CBA after this season, and that would certainly benefit the Rays because then they wouldn’t have to make a decision on these players. However, it would still be wise to look to move some of these prospects as part of a deal for help in the majors or for lower level prospects – like when Duncan Davitt and Ben Peoples were part of the package for Adrian Houser last season. The Rays could also look to move some of these Rule 5 eligible guys for a prospect in the lower minors – like when they traded Tobias Myers for Junior Caminero a few years ago.
The Rays’ deadline priorities will ultimately depend less on what other clubs make available than on the health of Fraley and Lux over the next few weeks. If both return and perform, Tampa Bay can focus almost entirely on adding rotation help and consolidating their minor league rosters ahead of a potential Rule 5 crunch. If either Fraley or Lux struggles/suffers another setback, the front office has enough prospect capital to address those needs externally while still pursuing an impact starter.
This might be the most overanalyzed game of the MLB season, but that's not stopping me from betting on dingers with Christian Scott and Aaron Nola on the mound. Home runs and MLB player props are all live Thursday night on the standalone game.
Despite one of the shorter prices on the board, Juan Soto is still projecting +EV to go deep vs. Aaron Nola, who's one of the best home run matchups in baseball. On the other side, lefty bats have the edge vs. Christian Scott, and Brandon Marsh at +400 or better is making the card.
These are my favorite home run predictions for Thursday, July 16.
Best MLB home run props today
Player to hit a HR
Odds
Juan Soto
+234
Brandon Marsh
+433
💲Today's HR parlay
+1400
Mets home run pick: Juan Soto (+234)
I don't venture into this price range too often, but on a smaller card, with a +EV number and a ton of familiarity in the matchup, Juan Soto is making the card today.
He projects for nearly the same home run probability as Kyle Schwarber, but at a price roughly 50 points longer, according to Covers projections powered by THE BAT.
Soto has also seen plenty of Aaron Nola over his career, facing him 42 times and taking him deep five times. One homer every eight at-bats is an elite home run rate against any pitcher.
Nola has been a punching bag for hitters this season, ranking second-worst among qualified starters in HR/9, fourth-worst in HR/FB rate, and fourth-worst in BlastContact%. Since the start of 2024, left-handed hitters have accounted for 65% of the home runs he's allowed.
I'm playing this down to +200.
Time: 7:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: ESPN
Phillies home run pick: Brandon Marsh (+433)
Lefties have done the most damage against Christian Scott, which gives us plenty of Phillies bats to choose from. For the price, it's tough to ignore Brandon Marsh at +400 or better. Kyle Schwarber's and Bryce Harper's numbers have been bet down too far, while left-handed hitters have accounted for 11 of Scott's 15 home runs allowed.
Marsh is a .300 hitter who was batting .335 to begin June. His BlastContact% sits just behind the big boppers in Harper and Schwarber, and he's not a guy looking to take a free pass with just a 5.2% walk rate. When he steps into the box, he's swinging.
He faced Scott back in late June, and his only ball in play was a hard-hit single. Half of the balls put in play against Scott that day were hit at 95 mph or harder.
Marsh has treated me well all season, and this is the price at which I'm jumping back in while everyone else is piling onto Schwarber and Harper.
Time: 7:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: ESPN
Josh Inglis' 2026 Transparency Record
HR picks: 21-131, -21.63 units
Today’s HR parlay
Juan Soto
Bet Now +1400
Brandon Marsh
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
JUPITER, FLORIDA - MARCH 09: Chase Davis #72 of the St. Louis Cardinals reacts after hitting a home run against the Baltimore Orioles /d7i of a spring training game at Roger Dean Stadium on March 09, 2026 in Jupiter, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The St. Louis Cardinals had plenty to be excited about over the past week or so. With JJ Wetherholt inking an extension and Jordan Walker making history, the draft almost took a back seat to everything else over the All-Star break. That could have been the case if it were not for the Cardinals receiving rave reviews from experts everywhere for Chaim Bloom and Randy Flores’ work on the 2026 MLB Draft.
With the draft complete and the signing period underway, the Cardinals began opening up roster spots and moving people around to different levels. I will do my best to summarize them below, but I wanted to shout out MILBToday.com where I have been getting a lot of my St. Louis system trends and stats. Take a look over there and give a follow on Twitter if you like what the site does.
Chase Davis and Jurrangelo Cijntje promoted, others released amid organization roster shuffle
In good news, Chase Davis was activated and promoted to Triple-A Memphis as the former first rounder looks to get back on the organization’s radar. He is joined by Jurrangelo Cijntje, who the Cardinals have been more aggressive with promoting that most of their other pitching prospects. These spots came to be vacant after multiple releases and opt outs were triggered among the Memphis roster. Mason Molina has also steamrolled his way into Memphis and is definitely causing some intrigue for me.
Doubleheader savior Bruce Zimmerman officially elected free agency and Scott Blewett is planning to exercise his opt-out clause. Zimmerman was an expected loss after his solid season debut, but losing Blewett could be a bummer for a bullpen that will be undergoing some shuffling in the next couple weeks. He was putting together a solid season but the other pitching prospects around the veteran and the Cardinals needing roster spots, Blewett will look to catch on elsewhere.
Also getting removed from the roster was Bligh Madris, who will be going to the KBO, Jeremy Rivas, Jason Savacool, and feel-good outfielder Matt Koperniak who were all released from Memphis. So far, Brody Moore has been called up to fill one of those spots but other promotions are likely to follow.
Elsewhere, Zach Levenson is back in Springfield and maybe most excitingly, Brandon Clarke is in the FSL getting some mound work in. Clarke underwent surgery for a shoulder aneurysm early in the year and was left without a clear timetable, so this news is definitely welcomed. On the rehab front, it appears that Ixan Henderson is also back on the bump and will hopefully build off his great 2025 season when he is back to full health.
There may be plenty more that I missed or that will be coming up shortly, so feel free to drop in the comments and let us know! Also, feel free to add your exciting second half prospects to watch!
Juan Soto 
Brandon Marsh