Gamethread 7/7: Phillies at Reds

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JULY 04: Alec Bohm #28 of the Philadelphia Phillies celebrates a home run with Bryson Stott #5 of the Philadelphia Phillies against the Kansas City Royals in the sixth inning at Kauffman Stadium on July 04, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Here are the lineups. For the Phillies:

For the Reds:

Let’s talk about it.

Mets Notes: The plan for Jorge Polanco; updates on Luis Robert Jr. and Marcus Semien

Interim Mets manager Andy Green provided some injury updates prior to Tuesday’s series opener against the Royals
 


Plan for Polanco

For the first time since April 14, Jorge Polanco is back in the big leagues.

Polanco has been sidelined for the majority of the season with Achilles and wrist issues, but he’s been grinding his way back in the minors over the last few weeks. 

After his latest rehab games with Syracuse, the club deemed him ready to return. 

Polanco immediately jumps back into the starting lineup, batting sixth and serving as the DH for Tuesday’s meeting with former Met Seth Lugo.

“We’re all excited to have him there,” Green said. “He had some nice games in rehab, homered in his last game, so we think he’s ready to DH for us and ready to get going here.”

Polanco’s playing time will be based on how he responds on a daily basis, but he’s expected to be available off the bench on the days he doesn’t start.

His bat is the big thing Green values at the moment, but the team will see if he can get into the field at first base depending on how he feels. 

“We have guys we can slide to first, somebody is going to have to DH,” he said. “We’re just happy to have his bat, and if he gets to first in the near future, we’ll be thrilled about that.” 

Next steps for Robert Jr. 

Robert Jr. had his rehab assignment transferred to Double-A Binghamton on Tuesday, where he’ll continue to play to see exactly how far off he is. 

The outfielder won’t be in the Rumble Ponies’ lineup Tuesday as he takes the day to workout, but the hope is that he’ll be back out there Wednesday. 

He reached base just twice across 10 at-bats over the past week with Syracuse. 

Green hasn’t figured how the team will handle the outfield mix when Robert is ready to return, but he continues to be impressed by youngsters Carson Benge and A.J. Ewing. 

Plus, a Marcus Semien update

Green said that Semien is progressing well in his recovery from a hip flexor strain. 

The veteran ran up to 80 percent on Monday, and was spotted running and taking grounders again Tuesday. 

Semien, still however, remains without a timeline for a return.

“He’s a baseball player, he wants to be on the field,” the skipper said. “He’s doing everything humanly possible to make that happen as fast as possible -- he’s progressing very well.”

Semien’s reported timeline called for him to miss at least 4-to-6 weeks. 

Game # 91, Athletics vs. Tigers Game Thread

J.T. Ginn takes the mound today at Comerica Park in Detroit against the AL Central’s Tigers. | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Fresh off a sweep by the suddenly resurgent Miami Marlins, the Athletics take on the Tigers at Comerica Park in Detroit today. The Tigers enter the game with a 40-50 record and sit in fourth place in the American League Central, while the visiting A’s are 41-49 and are also in fourth place, but in the AL West.

The A’s will welcome Jacob Wilson back from a short stint on the Injured List (IL) today with an inflammation in his right thumb. He’ll re-enter the lineup batting fifth and playing his usual shortstop position.

J.T. Ginn will get the start today against the Tigers. Ginn is 7-4 with a 3.04 ERA in nineteen 2026 appearances. He has 82 K’s in 94.2 innings of work. He’ll go up against reigning Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal for Detroit. The 29-year-old lefty is 4-4 this season with a 3.15 ERA in an injury-shortened sixty-five innings of work.

Skubal, the most coveted name tossed around as a trade deadline mover, will face this lineup for the Athletics this afternoon:

Ginn, who has emerged as the team’s ace this season will go up against this lineup for the Tigers today:

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San Diego not out of brutal stretch despite end to losing streak

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 06: Jackson Merrill #3 of the San Diego Padres walks to the dugout after striking out during the fourth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Petco Park on July 06, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Well, it’s not quite over yet. Despite snapping their eight-game losing streak on Sunday afternoon, the San Diego Padres went back to their unfortunate losing ways with an 8-0 shutout against the Arizona Diamondbacks Monday night. The club couldn’t manage a single run against Arizona starter Brandon Pfaadt and didn’t reach second base until Jackson Merrill did so in the seventh inning.

San Diego’s Walker Buehler went five innings but surrendered seven runs to the Dbacks. It’s a worrying trend as Buehler has now given up 16 runs between his last two outings. Prior to that, the righty hadn’t given up more than a run in each of his June starts. Now Buehler is barely a serviceable back-end starter. The Friars were out of the game before they ever came to bat. They’ll need to turn things around in Game 2 tonight against Arizona. If they can’t, it will worsen the tough stretch the club has found themselves in.

Taking the mound

Zac Gallen (AZ) v. GermĂĄn MĂĄrquez (SD)

It’s unfortunate, but Gallen has been one of the worst pitchers in the league. After re-signing with Arizona this offseason, he hasn’t helped the club at all. The righty owns a 6.36 ERA through 92 innings and has just 56 strikeouts with an overblown 1.57 WHIP.

Gallen has had the worst season of his career this year. The Dbacks’ ace hasn’t been able to put it together at any point this year. He’s been even worse lately, with an 8.60 ERA in his last seven starts. The Friars should be able to tag Gallen for plenty of runs tonight.

MĂĄrquez is making his first start back after returning from the injured list earlier this week. The right-hander pitched three innings against Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday night. MĂĄrquez pitched in bulk relief after Randy VĂĄsquez exited the game early. With VĂĄsquez now on the IL, MĂĄrquez will be taking over for the righty.

He pitched decent against L.A. in his first outing back, giving up two runs on two hits while walking three. He struggled with his command, but showed flashes of the ace-like stuff he once had. The hope for San Diego is that Márquez can quiet Arizona’s bats after a loud series opener (three home runs).

Batter up!

Apart from last night’s mishaps, the San Diego lineup has been effective as of late. The offense produced 15 runs against the Los Angeles Dodgers in their most recent series against the division rivals. More than that, Manny Machado has had a recent power surge. The third baseman has three home runs in his last seven games.

  1. Fernando Tatis Jr., RF
  2. Jake Cronenworth, 2B
  3. Manny Machado, 3B
  4. Gavin Sheets, 1B
  5. Ty France, DH
  6. Jackson Merrill, CF
  7. Xander Bogaerts, SS
  8. Samad Taylor, LF
  9. Luis Campusano, C

Cronenworth went 2-for-4 last night against Pfaadt. The second baseman has a fantastic career when facing the Arizona righty. He’s also hit well against Gallen, batting .300 with a .917 OPS against the Dbacks’ ace (30 at-bats). Hopefully, Cronenworth will be able to continue that successful streak.

Relief corps

Thankfully, Alek Jacob was able to cover three innings for the Friars. With Arizona’s lead ballooned to seven runs by the time Jacob came in, the reliever was left on the mound for as long as possible. He threw 42 pitches, giving up just one run on a solo shot by Nolan Arenado. After him, Ron Marinaccio pitched the ninth inning. That outing from Jacob helped to salvage the bullpen for the remainder of the series.

That will allow San Diego to have plenty of options for Game 2. Kyle Hart, Yuki Matsui, Mason Miller, Adrian Morejon, Wandy Peralta and Bradgley Rodriguez will be available if Márquez struggles in his first start back. With no off day before the All-Star break, the club will be forced to rely on quality outings from their starters to save the ‘pen.

Atlanta Braves vs. Pittsburgh Pirates: Hurston Waldrep vs. Paul Skenes

DENVER, COLORADO - JUNE 20: Paul Skenes #30 of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches in the second inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on June 20, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Atlanta Braves vs. Pittsburgh Pirates, July 7, 2026, 6:40 p.m. ET

The Pittsburgh Pirates are returning home to take on the Atlanta Braves for the first matchup of a three-game set.

The Braves are handing the ball to Hurston Waldrop, who is making his second start of the season. Waldrop made his 2026 debut on June 26 against the San Francisco Giants, pitching two innings and giving up two hits and zero earned runs.

In his next appearance, he made his first start of the season against the St. Louis Cardinals at home. He pitched 5.1 innings, giving up five hits and three earned runs, in an 11-5 loss at Truist Park. Now he’s making his first start on the road at PNC Park against the Buccos.

The Pirates will hand the ball to their ace, Paul Skenes, but he hasn’t been pitching like one as of late. In his last start, Skenes pitched four innings, giving up six hits and seven earned runs in a 10-6 loss on the road against the Philadelphia Phillies on July 1. The Pirates have lost nine consecutive games when Skenes takes the mound, which is a big surprise given how well he has pitched in his first two seasons.

Skenes still has the stuff to be one of the best pitchers in the league, but the Pirates haven’t been able to put it together with him on the mound.

Location: PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA

Broadcast: KDKA AM/FM, Sportsnet Pittsburgh

Pitching Matchup: Hurston Waldrep (0-0, 3.68 ERA) vs. Paul Skenes (6-8, 3.62 ERA)

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Cincinnati Reds vs. Philadelphia Phillies – Andrew Abbott vs. Zack Wheeler

MILWAUKEE, WI - JULY 01: Andrew Abbott #41 of the Cincinnati Reds pitches during the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on Wednesday, July 1, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Kylie Bridenhagen/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

There are precious few things that Philadelphia Phillies ace Zack Wheeler cannot defeat. That includes venous thoracic outlet syndrome, which shut him down in August of last season and cost him most of the month of April in 2026.

At age 36, you may have begun to wonder if the end was near for the three-time All Star. Oh, how far from the case that has been.

Through 13 starts since his return on April 25th, Wheeler sports a 2.36 ERA – a mark that would be his best over the course of a single season. His 3.30 FIP is right in line with his 3.29 career mark, and his 2.3 BB/9 is actually lower than his 2.5 per 9 mark across his brilliant 12 year career. The injury, it would seem, was merely a hiccup over which he would rise again to regain his elite form.

Wheeler will start for the Phillies in Tuesday night’s series opener at Great American Ball Park against the Cincinnati Reds. Fortunately for the ol’ Redlegs, they’ll be sending out a starter who’s been almost as hot as Wheeler for that period of time, too.

Andrew Abbott will toe the rubber in the series opener, the southpaw having pitched to a 2.71 ERA in his 12 starts dating back to the final week of April. The first four weeks of April were positively abysmal from the former All Star, but he’s once again regained the form that has him outperforming all of his peripherals through deception, precision, and an elite ability to induce soft contact. That’s what we’ll hope to see from him again tonight as he faces a Phillies lineup stacked with hitters who mostly excel from the left side of the plate.

First pitch is set for 7:10 PM ET. Here’s how the Reds will line up to begin:

Pirates star rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin out 8-10 weeks with injury to his left ring finger

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates will have to try to stay in postseason contention without rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin.

The club placed the 20-year-old rising star on the 10-day injured list on Tuesday due to an issue with the knuckle on the ring finger on his left hand. Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said Griffin is expected to miss 8-10 weeks.

Griffin, who made his major league debut in April before signing a lengthy extension, injured the finger in the early portion of a victory over Washington on Sunday. He remained in the lineup and finished with two hits before a postgame exam detailed the extent of the injury.

Tomczyk said the injury was to the sagittal band, which stabilizes the ring finger. Griffin will keep the hand in a splint for about six weeks before resuming baseball activities.

The injury is the second significant setback for Griffin during a promising rookie season. He missed most of June with a strained right forearm.

“He’s really been a big part of our success,” Pirates manager Don Kelly said. “I think for him to learn through this, too, every single player goes through injuries. He’s just had a couple tough ones at the beginning. I know he’ll be stronger after going through it.”

When healthy, Griffin has been a revelation for the Pirates, looking every bit the franchise cornerstone they hoped he’d be after selecting him in the first round of the 2024 draft. Griffin is hitting .276 with five homers, 25 RBIs and 20 stolen bases in 59 games.

Jared Triolo will primarily fill in at shortstop for Pittsburgh, which entered Tuesday at 46-45 and in the middle of a large swath of National League teams in the postseason mix.

Griffin joins an increasingly crowded injured list that includes center fielder Oneil Cruz and first baseman Spencer Horwitz.

Pittsburgh called up infielder Jack Brannigan from Triple-A Indianapolis to take Griffin’s spot on the roster.

Ronald Acuña Jr. is reportedly close to a rehab assignment

ATLANTA, GA - JUNE 04: Ronald Acuña Jr. #13 of the Atlanta Braves stands on the field before the game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Truist Park on June 4, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin D. Liles/Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images

It’s been nearly a month since Ronald Acuña Jr. went down with his second Grade One left hamstring strain across the span of two months and the Atlanta Braves have kept to their word when it comes to making sure that Acuña eases back into things following the latest strain.

As such, there weren’t many expectations that the Braves would try to rush to get Acuña back in action before the break and he will indeed make his return after the All-Star break. The good news is that we may not have to wait long after the break to see Acuña make his return to action since Mark Bowman of MLB.com is reporting that Walt Weiss believes that Acuña could go out on rehab assignment as soon as next week.

If that’s the case then I’d assume that Acuña could be back with the Braves by the end of the month. I’m guessing that July 24-29 road trip to Baltimore and New York (Citi Field) would be a reasonable time to guess that Acuña could be back with the Braves, or they just might push it until July 30 when they come back home from that road trip to play the Nationals.

By then, it will have been nearly a two-month long stint on the IL but when it comes to that type of injury and potentially aggravating it again, it’s better to play it safe than sorry and the Braves are indeed planning on continuing to take their time bringing Acuña back into the fold.

Meanwhile, Robert Suarez is also eyeing a potential post-All-Star break return from his forearm issues. Suarez went on the IL back on June 26 with inflammation but apparently those issues weren’t structural and all he’s needed is a bit of rest and recuperation to get his arm back in pitching shape. Even back when the IL stint was reported, Walt Weiss was reportedly “hopeful” that their set-up man would be able to come back “shortly” after the All-Star break and I’d say that a couple of extra weeks wouldn’t be too bad.

With that being said, the bullpen does need him since cracks are starting to show in what’s been a great season for the ‘pen as a collective so far. Maybe the break will do a lot of those guys some good since it means that the bullpen especially should be fully rested and ready to go once play resumes on July 17 in Cobb County against the Texas Rangers but for now, it appears as if the bullpen will have to hold on just a little while longer while Robert Suarez gets back in shape. The same goes for the outfield and having Ronald Acuña Jr. out there. Slowly but surely, the stars are coming back.

2026 MLB Awards Tracker: Power Rankings, betting odds for MVP, Cy Young: Caminero, Rasmussen closing the gap

The All-Star break is a week away and we've settled on the fact that Shohei Ohtani and Jacob Misiorowski are the runaway favorites for MVP and Cy Young in the National League as we conclude the first half of the season.

For the American League, well, that is still up in the air. Cam Schlittler and Yordan Alvarez may be leading for now, but there are a pair of teammates making a run for each award. All odds are courtesy of DraftKings.

National League Cy Young Poll

1. Jacob Misiorowski, Milwaukee Brewers (-450)

2026 Stats: 111.0 IP, 10-4, 1.62 ERA, 0.78 WHIP, 167 K, 27 BB, .150 OBA

Jacob Misiorowski became the seventh pitcher in the NL to reach 10 wins after another dominating outing (4-3 win over St. Louis). Misiorowski has back-to-back games with double-digit strikeouts (10, 11) to widen his lead over the rest of the MLB by 30 Ks. There hasn't been a better pitcher in all of baseball as he enters the All-Star break as the only pitcher with a sub 2.00 ERA.

2. Cristopher Sanchez, Philadelphia Phillies (+550)

2026 Stats: 120.1 IP, 10-4, 2.62 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 137 K, 24 BB, .248 OBA

Cristopher Sanchez all but lost the Cy Young in his last start. While there is another half to the season, his showing against the Royals in a 15-1 loss was one he likely wishes everyone would forget about. Sanchez allowed nine earned runs on 12 hits over 3.1 innings (83 pitches), which all were season-worsts, along with one strikeout. The 29-year-old lefty has a 8.22 ERA over his last three starts and a .328 OBA. The All-Star break couldn't come at a better time for Sanchez.

3. Chris Sale, Atlanta Braves (+2500)

2026 Stats: 95.0 IP, 9-6, 2.27 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 112 K, 24 BB, .230 OBA

Chris Sale had himself a July 4th off with a 14-3 win versus the Mets. Sale allowed three earned runs on seven hits and gave up two homers. His three strikeouts were tied for a season-low. Overall, Sale is having a great year. The 37-year-old has 13 games with two or less earned runs out of 16 and the same with walks, plus he's reached at least six innings in 10 starts.

Long Shot: Chase Burns, Cincinnati Reds (+3000)

2026 Stats: 97.2 IP, 10-1, 2.40 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 116 K, 31 BB, .207 OBA

Chase Burns has one start remaining in the first half of the year versus Philadelphia then he will be pitching in his first-ever All-Star game. Only five pitchers all-time have been drafted and made an All-Star game within two years of being drafted. Paul Skenes was the most recent before Burns achieved this. The 23-year-old is being slept on for Cy Young, but could easily be the No. 3 on this list and soon No. 2 if he keeps stacking wins as the ace for one of the worst defensive teams in the league.

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American League Cy Young Poll

1. Cam Schlittler, New York Yankees (+120)

2026 Stats: 112.0 IP, 9-5, 2.01 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, 131 K, 21 BB, .201 OBA

After giving up a season-high six runs against the Tigers, Cam Schlittler bounced back with one of his best outings of the season. Schlittler tossed 101 pitches over 8.0 innings with eight strikeouts to no walks, one earned run and four hits against the Rays (5-1 win). Schlittler enters his last start before the All-Star break leading the AL in ERA (2.01), and second in WHIP (0.93), OBA (.201), strikeouts (131), innings pitched (112.0), and wins (9).

2. Dylan Cease, Toronto Blue Jays (+220)

2026 Stats: 90.1 IP, 5-4, 2.79 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 137 K, 41 BB, .201 OBA

Dylan Cease recorded his fourth game with no runs allowed this season and totaled nine or more strikeouts for the eighth time. Cease went 7.0 innings versus Seattle in a 2-0 win and gave three hits and zero walks. Cease leads all of baseball in strikeouts (137) and hasn't given up a home run in five straight games (5 on the year).

3. Drew Rasmussen, Tampa Bay Rays (+600)

2026 Stats: 97.0 IP, 7-4, 2.78 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 96 K, 17 BB, .197 OBA

After having a terrific June with a 0.82 ERA, Drew Rasmussen allowed a season-high five runs and a season-low two strikeouts against the Astros. Rasmussen allowed three total runs over five games, so his recent performance came at a bit of a surprise. Rasmussen draws one more start before the break and it will come against the Yankees. In two starts versus New York, Rasmussen has a 0.00 ERA, .143 OBA, and 13 strikeouts to one walk over 13.0 innings.

Long Shot: Tarik Skubal, Detroit Tigers (+6000)

2026 Stats: 65.2 IP, 4-4, 3.15 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 75 K, 8 BB, .216 OBA

Tarik SKubal might have turned the corner after his last start against the Yankees. Skubal tossed 87 pitches over 6.0 innings and recorded nine strikeouts, zero walks, one hit, and one earned run. Skubal now has 30 strikeouts to two walks in his four starts back from injury, but he's surrendered seven home runs and 17 hits over 22.1 innings.

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American League MVP Poll

1. Yordan Alvarez, Houston Astros (-160)

2026 Stats: .318 BA, 29 HR, 67 RBI, 62 R, .426 OBP, 1.056 OPS

Yordan Alvarez is picking right up where he left off. In June, Alvarez hit .344 with 20 runs scored, 21 RBI, and six home runs. To start July, Alvarez is hitting .381 with three homers, seven RBI, and a 1.201 OPS through five games. If the Astros can nab a Wild Card or playoff spot, that would solidify his case, but as of now, Alvarez enters the break as the MVP candidate.

2. Junior Caminero, Tampa Bay Rays (+600)

2026 Stats: .284 BA, 26 HR, 56 RBI, 57 R, .554 SLG, .928 OPS

No one is hitting better than Junior Caminero right now. Caminero is hitting .309 with 11 home runs, 22 RBI, and 13 runs scored over the last 13 games. Caminero's climbed into the MVP conversation and with Tampa Bay in first place of the AL — Caminero is the hottest name in the MVP race.

3. Nick Kurtz, Athletics (+450)

2026 Stats: .275 BA, 20 HR, 66 RBI, 61 R, .415 OBP, .928 OPS

Nick Kurtz is coming off his roughest month of the year. Kurtz hit .250 in June and had as many strikeouts (41) as walks (21) and runs (20) combined. The 23-year-old has struggled with a .178 batting average over his last 45 at-bats opening the door for Bobby Witt and others to creep back into the MVP race. Kurtz will need a big second-half to stay in consideration with how Alvarez and Caminero are playing.

Long shot: Ben Rice, New York Yankees (+2000)

2026 Stats: .267 BA, 25 HR, 57 RBI, 59 R, .565 SLG, .925 OPS

Ben Rice and the Yankees are in a slump. Rice was once the second favorite in terms of odds for MVP, but he's started to fall off a cliff. Rice hit .196 in June and had 30 strikeouts to 11 walks. Without Aaron Judge, Rice has the opportunity to be the short-term face of the New York offense, but it hasn't worked out so far — Rice has been better with Judge.

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National League MVP Poll

1. Shoehi Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers (-1600)

2026 Stats: .295 BA, 19 HR, 55 RBI, 61 R, .410 OBP, .946 OPS

Shohei Ohtani had his best month as hitter in June. Ohtani batted .333 and he finished top five in the NL for OBP (.435), SLG (.656), and OPS (1.091). He hit eight homers, scored 23 runs, and knocked in 19 runs, which were all highs for a month this season.

As a pitcher, Ohtani had his worst month of the season, which wasn't saying much. He posted a 3.28 ERA, .222 OBA, and 25 strikeouts to seven walks over four starts (24.2 innings) — so not bad at all. Ohtani had a 3-0 record as well and no losses, so still a pretty dominant month overall.

2. Pete Crow-Armstrong, Chicago Cubs (+3000)

2026 Stats: .292 BA, 19 HR, 49 RBI, 57 R, 23 SB, .910 OPS

On Rotoworld's Instagram, people were clamoring for Pete Crow-Armstrong to get some MVP love and they're getting it two weeks straight. PCA has climbed to my No. 2 spot as he continues to rake in July.

PCA hit .381 in June with 11 home runs, 20 RBI, 40 hits, and 21 runs scored over 26 games. Over the four games played in July, PCA has six hits, three RBI, three runs scored and batting .500. With how hot he is playing, PCA might be a sleeper to win the All-Star Game MVP.

3. Kyle Schwarber, Philadelphia Phillies (+4000)

2026 Stats: .252 BA, 30 HR, 55 RBI, 55 R, .561 SLG, .930 OPS

Kyle Schwarber's main calling to win MVP is hitting home runs and he's slowed down in that department. Schwarber has one homer in the last 13 games and has gone seven consecutive games without a home run. To start July, Schwarber is batting .176 with three hits over five games, 10 strikeouts, and five walks with no runs or RBI — not exactly MVP-like numbers.

Long Shot: James Wood, Washington Nationals (+6000)

2026 Stats: .268 BA, 24 HR, 60 RBI, 81 R, 14 SB, .398 OBP

James Wood leads a list full of hopefuls for MVP that you could consider a long shot — Juan Soto, Jordan Walker, Bryce Harper, and Corbin Carroll — but the truth is, not of them will likely catch Ohtani, not this year at least.

As we close the chapter that was the first half of the MLB season, it's safe to Wood would have finished top five in voting for first half MVP. Washington is above .500 through 92 games and he's proving to be a franchise player worth building around. His 81 runs scored leads all of baseball (second closest is at 62) and his 24 home runs is tied for seventh. Wood was deservingly selected to his second consecutive All-Star Game, which will captivate the success he had in the first half of the season.

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Jorge Polanco reinstated from the injured list

NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 11: Jorge Polanco #11 of the New York Mets rounds the bases after hitting a home run in the seventh inning during the game between the Athletics and the New York Mets at Citi Field on Saturday, April 11, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Michael Urakami/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

Jorge Polanco has been reinstated from the 60-day injured list, the Mets announced this afternoon. Polanco has been sidelined for nearly three months due to lingering Achilles bursitis. After being shut down from his rehab assignment last month due to persistent soreness in his ankle, Polanco resumed playing in rehab games for Triple-A Syracuse on June 27. After a slow start, Polanco hit two home runs and drove in three in his past three rehab games. Prior to the injury, the 33-year-old, who is in the first year of a two-year, $40 million contract with the Mets, slashed .179/.246/.286 in a small 14-game sample in April. The Achilles injury has limited Polanco’s ability to play the field and he will be used solely as a DH for the Mets.

“Feeling good, feeling grateful and excited to be back,” Polanco said to reporters this afternoon.

To make room for Polanco on the roster, the Mets optioned Ronny Mauricio back to Triple-A Syracuse. In a separate move, the Mets added righty Matt Seelinger—acquired yesterday in a trade with the Tigers for cash considerations—to the big league roster. “It’s a dream scenario for me,” the Long Island native said of the chance to pitch for the Mets. “I grew up 20 minutes from here. I used to come to games all the time as a kid.”

To make room on the 40-man roster for Polanco and Seelinger, the Mets have designated pitchers Alex Carrillo and Guillermo Zuñiga for assignment—the latter just one day after he made his Mets debut.

There have also been recent updates on a couple of other long-injured Mets. Luis Robert Jr.’s rehab assignment has been transferred to Double-A Binghamton as the Rumble Ponies begin a six-game series against the Hartford Yard Goats in Hartford. Robert had played in three games for Triple-A Syracuse and went 1-for-10 with a walk and two strikeouts. Meanwhile, outfielder Mike Tauchman, who suffered a torn meniscus at the end of spring training and has yet to play in a regular season game, began a rehab assignment today in the Florida Complex League. He went 0-for-2 with a walk in his first rehab game as the DH for the FCL Mets.

South Side Sox Reacts: Who’s your pick?

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Sox fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.


It’s been so long since the White Sox held the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, nearly every one of our readers were not fans when it last happened (1977, Harold Baines) 
 even a “veteran” fan like Brett, senior to all but one on the SSS staff, had just begun his fandom at that time.

Well, after months of anticipation, and the curious fall of UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky from no-brainer top pick to perhaps as low as No. 3 overall in the draft, Saturday marks the day of reckoning for the White Sox. The draft boasts as many as three apparent generational talents:

  • Cholowsky, a collegiate superstar and right-handed bat apparently close to plugging directly into the White Sox lineup
  • Vahn Lackey, a Georgia Tech catcher who the White Sox front office apparently now favors
  • Grady Emerson, a prep shortstop out of Fort Worth who is three years younger than the two collegians, bats from the left side, is purportedly as MLB-ready as the other two and is said to be the preference of the White Sox scouting corps

There is no clear pick here, which hopefully means there is no way for the White Sox to make a mistake with the choice. But we all know that these three players won’t end up with identical 20-year, 100-WAR careers and Hall of Fame elections. Chicago’s recent high-pick past is no salve for our worries, as the club picked Nick Madrigal No. 4 overall and Andrew Vaughn No. 3 in back-to back drafts.

So, who’s you’re guy on Saturday?

Brewers win first game of Tuesday’s doubleheader over Cardinals, 4-3

Jul 7, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Jacob Misiorowski (32) pitches against the St. Louis Cardinals during the fourth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Box Score

The Brewers picked up another win in the first game of Tuesday’s doubleheader in St. Louis, as Jacob Misiorowski struck out 11 across seven innings and Christian Yelich and Joey Ortiz each came up with three-hit days in a 4-3 victory over the Cardinals.

After Matt Svanson worked around a leadoff ground-rule double by Yelich in the first, the Cardinals immediately came up swinging against Misiorowski. JJ Wetherholt took a hit by pitch on Miz’s second pitch of the day, and he then advanced on a groundout. Two batters later, Jordan Walker crushed a first-pitch cutter from Misiorowski for a two-run homer, putting St. Louis out to a 2-0 lead. Lars Nootbaar followed with a double on a misplay by Jackson Chourio in left, but Miz stranded him there.

Both teams traded 1-2-3 innings in the second before the Brewers broke through against left-hander Bruce Zimmermann in the third. Zimmermann, who made a spot start for Milwaukee against the Padres last September, walked Cooper Pratt before allowing a run-scoring double to Ortiz. Yelich followed with a single to bring Ortiz in, and it was quickly knotted at 2-2, though Chourio followed with a double play and Brice Turang went down swinging.

The 2-2 tie wouldn’t last long, though, as Iván Herrera hit a one-out solo homer in the bottom of the fourth, Miz’s second homer allowed in the game and fourth in his last two starts.

After those few shaky moments from Miz in the first three innings, he settled in nicely. He allowed no more baserunners through the seventh inning, setting down the last 14 in a row after the Herrera homer. He finished the day with seven innings pitched, allowing three runs on three hits and no walks while striking out 11.

In a 3-2 hole, Milwaukee threatened with two more baserunners on a Jake Bauers double and a Garrett Mitchell single in the fourth, but they couldn’t cash either in. They then went down in order in the fifth.

After a pair of outs to begin the sixth, Bauers slugged his second double of the afternoon and then came around to score on Mitchell’s second single. The play at home was close, but the call was confirmed upon review after a St. Louis challenge.

A brand-new ballgame entering the seventh, the Brewers forced a pitching change, with Ryne Stanek taking over for Zimmermann. He allowed a walk and a bunt single before being removed due to a scary injury, as he slid into first in an effort to get Ortiz out on the bunt. Hopefully he’s alright.

JoJo Romero entered in relief of Stanek and promptly gave up a double to Yelich, which gave Milwaukee a 4-3 lead and put runners at second and third with no outs. Looking for some insurance, the Brewers couldn’t cash in, with Chourio grounding out, Turang striking out, William Contreras reaching on an intentional walk, and pinch-hitter Andrew Vaughn grounding out to end the inning.

Justin Bruihl set Milwaukee down in order in the eighth, and Aaron Ashby took the ball from Misiorowski for the bottom of the inning. After recording the first two outs without a problem, he gave up a pair of singles to Wetherholt and Herrera, putting runners at the corners with Alec Burleson at the plate. Burleson mercifully grounded out, keeping Milwaukee’s lead at 4-3 entering the final inning.

The Brewers, still looking for an insurance run, threatened against Bruihl in the ninth, with Ortiz singling and moving up on a passed ball and groundout. Turang also walked and stole second (without a throw), but Contreras grounded out to end the threat.

After Trevor Megill got his 14th save yesterday, it was Abner Uribe out of the bullpen for this one. He retired Walker on a pop-up but then fell behind Nootbaar, ultimately walking the veteran outfielder. Nootbaar was promptly replaced with the fleet-footed Masyn Winn, but Uribe bounced back with a strikeout of Bryan Torres and a groundout by Nathan Church, picking up his sixth save of the year.

While the Brewers finished with 10 hits, they came from just four players, as Yelich, Ortiz, Bauers, and Mitchell each had multi-hit days — Yelich had two doubles and a single, Ortiz had a double and two singles, Bauers had a pair of doubles, and Mitchell had two singles. Yelich added two RBIs, while Mitchell and Ortiz had one each. As a team, the Brewers went 4-for-16 with runners in scoring position, which was just enough to get the win.

The Brewers are back at it this evening for the second half of their doubleheader, with both team’s 27th man getting the start — Robert Gasser for Milwaukee and Hunter Dobbins for St. Louis. First pitch for that one is set for 6:45 p.m. See you then.

Jordan Walker Homers Off Misiorowski But Brewers Beat Cardinals Tuesday

Jul 7, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals right fielder Jordan Walker (18) runs the bases after hitting a two run home run against the Milwaukee Brewers during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

On paper, the St. Louis Cardinals were overmatched in game 1 of a day/night doubleheader at Busch Stadium Tuesday. However, baseball games are played on fields and Jordan Walker proved that the unbeatable are really not invincible as he homered against Jacob Misiorowski giving the Cardinals an early lead over the Brewers in game 1 Tuesday afternoon. The problem would be the Brewers would still overtake the Cardinals in the late innings.

The Cardinals didn’t delay to jump on likely All-Star game starter Jacob Misiorowski. After he hit JJ Wetherholt with a pitch in the bottom of the 1st inning, two batters later Jordan Walker strolled to the plate and immediately destroyed a 95 mph cutter sending it 386 feet into the left field stands giving the Cardinals an unexpected 2-0 lead.

The St. Louis Cardinals start by committee worked fine – for 2 innings – as Matt Svanson covered the top of the 1st inning and new call-up from Memphis Bruce Zimmermann handled the middle innings. His second inning in relief would not go well as he walked Cooper Pratt to start the inning who then scored on a double by Ortiz. He scored next when Christian Yelich singled to center evening the game at 2-2. To his credit, that was Zimmermann’s only inning where he ran into trouble
until the 6th inning. More on that later.

The relentless Cardinals offense lived up to its reputation in the bottom of the 3rd inning as they again proved Jacob Misiorowski is at least partially human as IvĂĄn Herrera connected with a 102 mph four-seam fastball from the wonder kid and launched it 378 feet giving the Cardinals their lead back at 3-2.

Bruce Zimmermann faced a Milwaukee Brewers rally in the top of the 6th inning. Jake Bauers cracked a 2-out double followed by a single by Mitchell which scored Bauers at home on a close play that was held up by review tying the game at 3-3.

Ryne Stanek was given the reins for the top of the 7th inning with the task of keeping the Milwaukee Brewers right where they were. He did the thing that Bruce Zimmermann did in the top of the 3rd inning that got him into trouble as he walked Cooper Pratt to start the inning. Joey Ortiz then laid down a sacrifice bunt that led to 3 players lying on the field. Stanek hurt his right ankle and Pratt and Bryan Torres collided at first base as Pratt was called safe on the play. Fortunately, Pratt and Torres ended up being uninjured and able to continue. Stanek, on the other hand, had to leave the game complicating an already difficult Cardinals bullpen situation. JoJo Romero was tasked with tossing buckets of water on the 7th inning dumpster fire as he faced Christian Yelich who was 1-7 against JoJo Romero in the past. Unfortunately, he became 2-8 with his RBI double scoring Pratt giving the Brewers their first lead Tuesday at 4-3 with Milwaukee still having runners at 2nd and 3rd with nobody out. After JoJo struck out Turang, he intentionally walked William Contreras. The Brewers pinch-hit for Jake Bauers with Andrew Vaughan. Romero got him out on a nice play by JJ Wetherholt who was playing short in place of Masyn Winn for game 1 as he wanted to throw to third for the force out, but it was uncovered by Fermin so he made a throw across the diamond to get Vaughan out at first to end the top of the 7th.

After the Cardinals failed to do anything to Jacob Misiorowski’s pitches in the bottom of the 7th inning, it was Justin Bruihl’s turn in the top of the 8th inning as the St. Louis bullpen merry-go-round continued to spin. It was a bit of a surprise to see Justin in the game after he rolled his ankle during Monday night’s game. He was able to set down the Brewers 1-2-3 without issue to keep the Cardinals within striking distance.

Despite the two Cardinals home runs, Jacob Misiorowski proved why he is one of the elite National League arms. He gave the Brewers 7 full innings only allowing 3 hits while striking out 11 and walking nobody. It was a relief to see the Brewers bring in Aaron Ashby in the bottom of the 8th inning. JJ Wetherholt was able to beat out an infield single with two outs and then advanced to third on a single by IvĂĄn Herrera giving St. Louis runners at first and third. That brought up Alec Burleson with a chance to tie the game or more. Unfortunately, he grounded out to end the bottom of the 8th with the Cardinals still trailing 4-3.

Justin Bruihl would remain in the game to keep the Cardinals deficit at just 1. He would give up a leadoff single to Ortiz who advanced to second on a passed ball charged to Pedro Pagés. Bruihl was able to get Yelich to fly out to left and Chourio to ground out to Wetherholt at short which advanced Ortiz to third. After Turang walked, Bruihl was able to get out of the jam as Contreras grounded out to end the top of the 9th.

The Cardinals would face Brewers reliever Abner Uribe in the bottom of the 9th. Jordan Walker was first up in the Cardinals 9th. All Jordan could manage was a popup to third for the first out. Lars Nootbaar was next up and ran the count full before drawing a walk. Masyn Winn pinch-ran for Nootbaar as the potential tying run while the potential winning run came to the plate in the form of Bryan Torres. He struck out looking which left Nathan Church as the Cardinals last hope. He grounded out to end the game and give the Brewers the first game of the doubleheader.

The St. Louis Cardinals will play game 2 of their day/night doubleheader Tuesday night against the Milwaukee Brewers with Hunter Dobbins getting the start for the birds. The Brew Crew will assign night pitching duties to Robert Gasser who’s 1-3 with a 4.54 ERA. First pitch scheduled for 6:45pm central time with the game broadcast available again on Cardinals.tv.

Mets reinstate Jorge Polanco from 60-day injured list in flurry of roster moves

For the first time since April 14, Jorge Polanco is back with the Mets.

The team made a number of roster moves on Tuesday prior to its series opening game against the Kansas City Royals, including returning Polanco from his rehab assignment and reinstating him from the 60-day injured list.

Polanco has been sidelined for most of the season due to left Achilles bursitis and a wrist contusion, but has been working his way back to the majors since the end of May. He played in 11 minor league games during his rehab assignment over the past month-plus with Double-A Binghamton (three games) and Triple-A Syracuse (eight games), hitting .148 with three home runs over 27 at-bats across both levels.

The team has said throughout Polanco's rehab that he will likely return in a DH role, something he played in 12 of the 14 games he was active for at the beginning of the season. He owned a .179 batting average with one home run and two RBI in 56 at-bats prior to his injury.

In corresponding moves, New York optioned infielder Ronny Mauricio to Triple-A, selected RHP Matt Seelinger to the major league roster, and designated both RHP Guillermo Zuniga and RHP Alex Carrillo for assignment.

Mauricio got the start at shortstop and went 1-for-4 in Monday's win over the Braves, but is just 9-for-50 (.180) in 17 games this season. 

Seelinger, 31, was acquired from the Detroit Tigers on Monday in exchange for cash considerations. The right-hander is a career minor leaguer with a 3.89 ERA at Triple-A in 2026.

Rockies vs Dodgers Prediction, Picks & Odds for Today's MLB Game

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The Los Angeles Dodgers won a thriller over the Colorado Rockies last night and now look to secure the series on Tuesday.

My Rockies vs. Dodgers predictions and MLB picks back the home side to keep rolling, with Los Angeles covering the run line behind a favorable matchup against struggling right-hander Michael Lorenzen.

Who will win Rockies vs Dodgers today: Dodgers -1.5 (-137)

Michael Lorenzen is having an abysmal season, and this is a terrible matchup for him — but a great one for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

That's because Lorenzen is getting tagged hard by left-handed hitters. On the season, lefties are slashing .365/.423/.640 against him while posting a 1.94 HR/9 rate.

Lorenzen owns a 5.07 xFIP versus left-handed hitters over the past month, but that number could be even worse. He's surrendered a HR/FB rate of only 4.8% despite allowing a 37.5% fly-ball rate.

The Dodgers' left-handed bats should do plenty of damage as Los Angeles covers the run line.

I'm betting this to -150 as my best bet.

Covers COVERS INTEL: Lorenzen's hard-hit rate of 51.8% vs. left-handed hitters over the past month is the second-highest mark among starting pitchers who have faced at least 30 left-handed batters.

Rockies vs Dodgers Over/Under pick: Over 9.5 (-103)

Lorenzen will get us close to the total, but two overworked bullpens should carry this game Over.

Last night's 11-inning contest further taxed a Colorado Rockies bullpen that's thrown the fifth-most innings (32 2/3) of any club over the past week.

During that stretch, the Rockies own the lowest strikeout rate (14.4%) in baseball. An inability to miss bats against the Dodgers is never a recipe for success.

Colorado's .566 slugging percentage leads the majors over the past month, and the Rockies should tack on a few runs after Justin Wrobleski exits against a Dodgers bullpen that has logged the same number of innings over the past week as Colorado.

I'm playing this to -115.

Jason Ence's 2026 Transparency Record
  • ML/RL bets: 10-14, -4.90 units
  • Over/Under bets: 14-10, +3.28 units

Rockies vs Dodgers weather

Expect ideal hitting conditions at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday night. Clear skies, temperatures in the low-to-mid 70s at first pitch, and little to no wind mean weather should have virtually no impact on the game.

Rockies vs Dodgers odds

  • Moneyline: Rockies +261 | Dodgers -266
  • Run line: Rockies +1.5 (+127) | Dodgers -1.5 (-138)
  • Over/Under: Over 9.5 (+100) | Under 9.5 (-104)

Rockies vs Dodgers trend

The Colorado Rockies have hit the game total Over in eight of their last 12 games (+4.70 units, 35% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Rockies vs. Dodgers.

How to watch Rockies vs Dodgers and game info

LocationDodger Stadium, Los Angeles, CA
DateTuesday, July 7, 2026
First pitch10:10 p.m. ET
TVRockies.TV, SNLA
Rockies starting pitcherMichael Lorenzen
(3-9, 6.91 ERA)
Dodgers starting pitcherJustin Wrobleski
(10-2, 2.80 ERA)

Rockies vs Dodgers latest injuries

Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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