PHILADELPHIA, PA - JULY 26: A general view of Citizens Bank Park during the game between the New York Yankees and the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday, July 26, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Actual offense was on display last night in Philadelphia, but this defense, if it doesn’t get cleaned up fast, is going to be the downfall of this team.
Happy birthday to Joe Tinker, and a mighty host of others.
Today in baseball history, in 2012 – Wally the Green Monster, the Red Sox’smascot, goes missing before today’s game with the Yankees, making the team suspect a dastardly deed by Yankee fans. Boston Police issue an all-points bulletin looking for a “green and furry [character] … and sporting a permanent grin to the face on an extremely large head.” It turns out to be a misunderstanding as Wally is located a few hours later, taking an unauthorized tour of his home city, and other stories as well.
Today in baseball history:
1927 – Mel Ott, 18 years old, hits his first major-league home run, an inside-the-park round-tripper. It is the only inside-the-park homer he will hit of his 511 career homers.
1928 – At Chicago’s Comiskey Park, A’s outfielder Ty Cobb starts for the last time in a regular-season game. The 41-year-old “Georgia Peach” singles and doubles before he is hit in the chest with a pitch and leaves the game hitting .332.
1938 – Hank Greenberg of the Tigers, who had hit home runs his last two at bats the day before, homers his first two times up to tie the major league record of four in a row. Greenberg has a record-setting eleven two-home run games during the season.
1961 – The Giants’Juan Marichal fires his first shutout of the year, stopping the Pirates, 2-0, on five hits. Manager Alvin Dark says before the game that “Marichal will go all the way” and keeps his relief pitchers in the dugout to emphasis the point. Bob Stevens of the San Francisco Chronicle writes: “Later, Dark explained to questioning reporters: ‘I’m sick and tired of watching pitchers bow their necks for four-five innings and then look around for Stu Miller to bail them out.’ As far as press box historians could guess, last night was the first time in modern baseball history that a major league bullpen was left unattended.”
1966 – In Los Angeles, Jim Bunning and Sandy Koufax battle for 11 innings before both exit with the score locked at 1-1. Koufax allows four hits and fans 16, while Bunning gives up six hits and strikes out 12. Los Angeles eventually tops the Phillies, 2-1, in 16 innings.
1983 – While picking up his first win as a member of the Royals, Gaylord Perry joins Nolan Ryan and Steve Carlton as the third pitcher this season to reach 3,500 career strikeouts, fanning four Indians in a 5-4 victory to raise his total to 3,501.
2011 – The Giants get one of the top players available at the trading deadline, MetsAll-Star CF Carlos Beltran, who is set to become a free agent at the end of the season. The Giants send top pitching prospectZack Wheeler to New York, but the Mets will be responsible for a significant portion of Beltran’s remaining salary.
Today in Cubs history:
1945 – The Cubs purchase P Hank Borowy from the New York Yankees in an unexpected waiver deal. Borowy, 10-5 with the Yankees, was put on waivers, apparently to solve a roster problem, and was passed over by 15 teams. The Cubs snatch him for $97,500, and he will help the Cubs win the pennant with an 11-2 record, including three wins over the Cardinals down the stretch
1992 – In his first start at Wrigley Field since his announcement that he’s leaving Chicago, Greg Maddux beats the Pirates, 3-2. In the eighth inning, the Wrigley faithful give the ace pitcher a standing ovation.
1998 – Sammy Sosa hits his 248th career homer – and his first grand slam – as the Cubs beat the Diamondbacks, 6-2. Sosa went to bat 4,428 times before drilling the sacks-full homer. His 247 homers without a slam is a major league record: the previous mark was 210 homers by Bob Horner. Sosa also tops the 100 RBI mark with his four ribbies, to back Steve Trachsel‘s pitching.
1586 – Walter Raleigh brings the first tobacco to England from Virginia.
1866 – First transatlantic telegraph cable comes ashore at Heart’s Content, Newfoundland, after being laid out 1,686 miles by Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s Great Eastern steamship.
1890 – Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh shoots himself in Auvers-sur-Oise and dies of his injuries 2 days later.
1940 – Billboard publishes its first singles record chart; “I’ll Never Smile Again” by Tommy Dorsey, with vocals by Frank Sinatra, is ranked No. 1.
1940 – Bugs Bunny, Warner Bros. cartoon character created by Tex Avery and Bob Givens for the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series, debuts in “A Wild Hare”.
1981 – Modern/Atco Records releases “Bella Donna,” the debut solo album by singer-songwriter Stevie Nicks of Fleetwood Mac; hit singles include “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” with Tom Petty, “Edge of Seventeen,” and “Leather and Lace” with Don Henley.
2021 – American gymnast and four-time Olympic gold medallist Simone Biles withdraws from the women’s team final at the Tokyo Games citing need to focus on her mental health; also misses individual finals.
Jefry Yan of the Syracuse Mets celebrates during a Minor League Baseball game at Coca-Cola Park in the United States on June 26, 2026. (Photo by Dan Squicciarini/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images
Christopher Morel gave Syracuse an early lead with an RBI double in the top of the first, but Jordan Geber gave that up and then some in the bottom of the fourth, allowing two RailRider runs to score. Scranton scored an insurance run off of Jefry Yan in the bottom of the eighth, and that insurance run proved to be crucial, as Morel struck again, this time swatting a solo homer to make it a 3-2 ballgame. With the RailRider bullpen teetering but not totaled, Ryan Clifford and Christian Arroyo struck out back-to-back to end the game.
Early on, both teams kept pace with each other. Portland scored a run in the top of the first? Binghamton scored a run in the bottom of the first. Portland scored two runs in the top of the third? Binghamton scored two runs in the bottom of the third. Portland scored a run in the top of the fourth? Binghamton scored a run in the bottom of the fourth. That was where the Rumble Ponies began pulling away. After that first run to tie the game at 4-4, they plated an additional two in the inning to take a 6-2 lead. Both teams settled down at that point, with Binghamton scoring an additional pair of insurance runs in the eighth on a Jose Ramos homer that ended up unneeded.
The Cyclones came oh-so-close to shutting out the BlueClaws on getaway day, but Rafi Vasquez gave up back-to-back doubles to lead off the bottom of the eighth, giving Jersey Shore their lone run of the game. The Cyclones had contributions from the top, middle, and bottom of the lineup alike, with Mitch Voit logging his second-consecutive multi-hit game, hopefully getting him off the schneid that he has been on since the All-Star break.
Finding themselves down 5-0 thanks to a disastrous start from Nathan Hall and a bullpen that was quickly and unexpectedly thrown into the fire early, the St. Lucie offense exploded for 8 runs in the bottom of the second inning, turning the momentum of the game around instantly. St. Lucie sent twelve men to the plate in the inning and not a single batter logged an extra base hit- every one of those eight runs were a result of five singles, three walks, and a HBP chained together. The offense plated three more runs in the third to extend St. Lucie’s lead to 11-5, and those runs turned out to be very important insurance runs, as Luis Sotillo allowed three Mighty Muscle runs in the seventh inning.
BALTIMORE — What does it look like when nine seasons of toil comes down to six games?
For the Baltimore Orioles, it looks like this: Three 100-loss seasons amidst front office regime change, an influx of insanely talented young players, a 101-win season, a sale of the franchise, a desultory regression, a managerial firing and finally, this fence-sitter of a season, stuck in a quagmire of American League mediocrity at 51-55.
The crucible: A three-game series at Detroit that looks like a trade deadline play-in match - winner to buy, loser to sell - followed by a three-game set at Camden Yards against the eternally contending Philadelphia Phillies.
And then, the Aug. 3 trade deadline, where their performance in the next six games very likely will determine their stance: Buy aggressively, sell off parts or play the middle.
Oh, the franchise won’t collapse if these Orioles miss the playoffs for a second consecutive year. They are poised to be at least serviceable in coming years, even as their prized young players march toward free agency.
It’s just that 118 losses in 2018, and 110 losses in 2021, followed by club president Mike Elias’s promised “liftoff” after 2022 was supposed to mean much more.
Those 101 wins in 2023 bought a playoff bye and two home games at Camden Yards. And then five consecutive losses over two postseasons.
It’s enough to add a jolt of urgency for franchise cornerstones.
“We haven’t won a playoff game since I’ve been here,” Gunnar Henderson, the 2023 Rookie of the Year and two-time top-10 MVP finisher, tells USA TODAY Sports. “That’s something a lot of guys in this room, including myself, want to do, want to get past, and make a run.
“I feel like we got the group to do it. It’s just a matter of doing it.”
For these Orioles, the doing has been challenging. After last year’s 15-28 start cost manager Brandon Hyde his job on the way to an 87-loss season, this year was supposed to be different. Elias augmented the club well in the offseason, most notably his first nine-figure commitment in first baseman Pete Alonso.
But an improved squad has performed arrhythmically. Injuries have not helped, but sloppy play and failures at various points in all departments has dragged them into the mire.
Now, they are 2 ½ games out of a playoff berth and one of 22 teams – 11 in each league – across the majors within 3 ½ games of the postseason.
Limbo, basically. And one week to ensure they emerge with hope.
Playing spoiler against Skubal
Wednesday, July 29 at Comerica Park will mark a most dramatic time: It is possibly the final home start for Detroit Tigers ace and two-time reigning Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal. And the pitching matchup epitomizes the volatility of this trade deadline.
Opposing Skubal will be another left-hander, Baltimore’s Trevor Rogers, in a similar but scaled-down situation.
Like Skubal, Rogers is a pending free agent and was his club’s opening-day starter this season. Like Skubal, his team could view him as a crucial piece of a playoff push – or an asset to be sold for future parts.
And while Rogers’ up-and-down journey to the verge of free agency lacks Skubal’s dominance and accolades, his performance the past two months - a 1.80 ERA, a 45-14 strikeout-walk ratio and the Orioles’ 6-3 record in his nine starts – would make him more than a consolation prize for a team that can’t land Skubal.
With the Orioles a game up on Detroit (50-56) entering the series, Rogers-Skubal is one of just dozens of mini-battles that will play out within the vaster landscape of the deadline: Buyers and sellers and losers who get caught on the wrong side of that line.
“We know where we’re at, standing-wise,” says Rogers. “These games really matter this close to the deadline. If we play really good ball and make that gap a little bit closer, change the front office’s mind, maybe we add a couple pieces. (Unlike) last year, getting rid of some guys.
“We know where we’re at in terms of the season.”
Rogers hit the accelerator at a perfect time for himself and the Orioles. He had a 6.96 ERA through nine starts, at which point the Orioles were 23-30 and their pitching staff ranked 28th with a 4.87 ERA.
Yet Rogers figured it out, improving his command to both sides of the plate in this two-month run, and so, too has the Orioles staff. They rank third in the majors with a 3.42 ERA since that point, giving them a chance.
So long as they win enough this week to keep the band together.
“The standard we’re trying to create here, especially what they did in ’23 and ’24 – we have the talent to do it,” says Rogers. “There’s just been times we haven’t been consistent doing it every single day.
“Hopefully, we can continue that. The trust in here is really high. We all know what we’re capable of and where we can go with this team.”
Time to clean it up
Rogers is in some ways symbolic of this close-but-not-quite era in Baltimore. He was a trade-deadline acquisition in July 2024, Elias’s first major burning of club assets by shipping future All-Star outfielder Kyle Stowers and infielder Connor Norby to Miami.
And then Rogers was hit hard in four starts, posting a 7.11 ERA, and optioned to Class AAA in mid-August. The Orioles would get swept at home by Kansas City in a two-game wild card series, giving them five losses in as many playoff games over two seasons in which they won 192 regular-season games.
Over those two deadlines, Elias did not shine on the buy side, bringing in starting pitcher Jack Flaherty and reliever Shintaro Fujinami in 2023. Rogers, starter Zach Eflin, relievers Seranthony Dominguez and Gregory Soto and outfielder Eloy Jimenez were 2024 adds.
None save for Eflin factored heavily into postseason plans. All of which contributed to the strong feeling Elias could build a team, yet perhaps not act aggressively enough on the buy side.
Third-year owner David Rubenstein remains publicly effusive of Elias.
“Mike was the baseball executive of the year a few years ago. Widely regarded as outstanding by his peers. I’m very very happy, couldn’t be more pleased,” Rubenstein said Friday at a news conference announcing a $90 million contract extension for starter Kyle Bradish. “We’ve had some injuries, but that’s not Mike’s fault.
“In the end, we’re very pleased and happy to have such a talented executive leading our baseball team.”
Elias, aware of the perception he’s perhaps too protective of young organizational talent, has sounded bullish on the trade deadline even when the Orioles were well below .500. Hours before the Orioles dropped the first of two games against Atlanta, he cast an eye toward what they have – and can be.
“We have so much talent on this team. I think we all look at our record and it should be better,” says Elias. “Where we’re at right now, we’re within arms’ reach of a playoff spot, have enough time to get there.
“We’re coming up on the deadline so the next several games are really important and everyone’s focused on that. But I look at the talent on this team and we’re extremely optimistic we’re going to get where we want to go.”
For now, they’ll have to do so without catchers Adley Rutschman and Samuel Basallo, both on the injured list with wrist and shoulder injuries, respectively. Their absences were felt in losing two of three games this weekend to Atlanta, including a particularly aggravating 3-2, 11-inning loss Sunday.
It was more of the same: Inopportune hitting and two runs given away when simple defensive plays – a booted ball in the outfield, a shallow fly falling – were not made.
“We’re way better than what our record shows,” says Alonso, who has upheld his end of the bargain with 22 home runs and an .812 OPS. “But we’ve given a lot away collectively, through mistakes. That’s why our record is what it is.
“But we have the ability to go on a run. To do damage and win a lot of games.”
If Rutschman were healthy and the Orioles deeper below .500, he’d likely hear his name bandied about even more in trade rumors. As it is, Rutschman’s eventual departure would leave Henderson as the significant symbol of Elias’s transformative 2019 draft. Yet as Henderson eases into his mid-20s – he celebrated his 25th birthday last month – the game has come harder.
In his four full seasons, Henderson’s OPS has gone from .814 his rookie to season to .893, .787 and now .701. His adjusted OPS was a whopping 155 in 2024; now, he’s a slightly below league average hitter.
At times – particularly in the lost 2025 season – Henderson has worn his frustrations outwardly, as if the burden at times became too much. He notes that dealing with failure is something every player must navigate himself.
“It’s something that’s been a long learning curve for me,” Henderson says of managing disappointment. “Still trying to break through that. I obviously have high expectations of myself. When you don’t really, to my standard, achieve that, it’s hard to not be hard on yourself.
“That’s something that’s definitely been tough, for me. And definitely something to work on.”
Henderson himself will have two seasons remaining before free agency after this year. It’s not so much do-or-die time for him as much as it is an inflection point in his tenure and, more broadly, this Orioles era.
The franchise must work to ensure their missed opportunities in 2023 and ’24 weren’t the high-water mark after years of ugly, ugly baseball. This year may offer another bite at the apple.
This week will determine whether that occurs.
“The ground that we need to make up – we honestly need to win every game we can,” says Henderson. “We want to make the playoffs. We’re close, but not in there. We gotta keep winning games.
Lael Lockhart worked through a pair of homers in the first two innings — one being of the inside-the-park variety — and then it was smooth sailing for Toledo’s pitching staff in this one.
Ivan Johnson took Lockhart deep on the very first pitch of the game, and Carlos Jorge got around the bases in about 16 seconds after Javy Baez misplayed a ball in center field. Lockhart was fine after that, retiring 10 of the next 11 batters.
Baez took a decent route to the ball, but it got over his head and bounced off the higher fence that starts to the right of the batter’s eye. Some slight hesitation occurred, as it looked like Baez was expecting a ground-rule double, and that cost Toledo the run. We’ll chalk it up to not knowing the outfield very well at this park, but it’s not a great look for Javy.
Carlos Jorge hits a fly ball over Javier Baez in center field and speeds all the way around the bases for an inside-the-park home run. pic.twitter.com/gFuiDuu2ni
The Hens had their chances early, loading the bases in the first and stranding two runners in the second. They finally broke through in the third with a Max Anderson double and RBI single from Corey Julks. Andrew Navigato and Gage Workman had back-to-back singles to tie the game up in the fourth. A fielding error on Workman’s ball helped move things along with two outs.
Three more base hits, courtesy of Julks, Trei Cruz and Tyler Gentry, gave Toledo the lead in the fifth. Another set of consecutive singles from Baez, Anderson and Eduardo Valencia made it 4-2 in the sixth. Toledo had 18 hits on the day, but only four went for extra bases.
Yilber Diaz took over for Lockhart in the sixth. He faced the minimum, erasing a leadoff walk with a pickoff. Andre Granillo got the seventh and eighth, working around a base hit in the former. Nick Sandlin closed things out in the ninth, allowing a one-out double, but not before a big eighth inning for the offense.
Valencia put the game away with a grand slam, and Gentry hit a two-run shot a couple of at-bats later. Cal Stevenson also doubled in the inning, which means three of the four extra-base hits for Toledo came in the eighth.
Erie couldn’t claim the series win on Sunday, as the SeaWolves struggled to figure out Chesapeake Baysox starter Luis De Leon, who went 6.1 innings and only allowed one run.
Carlos Pena did his best to match that performance, but a two-run homer in the second put him in line for the loss. Pena made it through 4.2 innings, striking out six and walking none along the way.
Erie only had five hits on the day, but three went for extra bases. Garrett Pennington couldn’t score after doubling in the second, but Bennett Lee found his way home after leading off the third with a triple. Seth Stephenson hit into a fielding error at first base to bring Lee across.
Things stayed pretty quiet for both teams until the sixth. Yosber Sanchez, who came in for Pena to get the last out of the fifth, had some command issues before getting the third out. His struggles continued with a leadoff double in the sixth and a two-out walk, so Erie turned to Johan Simon, who gave up a two-run double to the first batter he faced.
Simon pitched through the seventh, working around a pair of baserunners. Eric Silva was next out of the bullpen, but he couldn’t hold the score at 4-1. A solo homer and two base hits led to two more runs for Chesapeake.
Patrick Lee homered in the ninth, but the SeaWolves needed much more for a comeback. The series ends tied at three games apiece.
Patrick Lee crushes a 418-foot home run to center off former Tigers prospect Micah Ashman. It’s Lee’s 2nd homer with Erie, and his 9th overall this year. It’s also just the 2nd home run allowed by Ashman, who leads the minors in FIP (min 30IP). pic.twitter.com/y9Va2N0aaP
Despite the final score, things were closer than they appear in this one. West Michigan trailed halfway through the game and only led by one run going into the eighth. If it weren’t for a massive eighth inning, Peoria’s two runs in the ninth could’ve been a walk-off.
Fortunately, the Whitecaps scored eight in the eighth. Chiefs reliever Dylan Driessen was the victim of four straight hits to start his outing. Andrew Sojka doubled to start things off, Juan Hernandez scored him with a single, Woody Hadeen doubled, and Bryce Rainer brought both runners home with a single.
Bryce Rainer with a hard single to right that brings home two more runs and gives West Michigan an 8-4 lead. pic.twitter.com/5DPSXjxC4G
Clayton Campbell flew out, the first of the inning, and Samuel Gil singled in Rainer. The Whitecaps made it one time through the order, bringing Sojka back up to the plate, and he smashed a grand slam to make it 13-4. West Michigan outscored Peoria in this inning alone.
Andrew Sojka blows the game open for the Whitecaps with an opposite field grand slam against his former club. West Michigan leads 13-4 in the 8th. pic.twitter.com/6gOdOIBR18
Campbell and Zach MacDonald both had homers earlier in the game, the former coming with two men on base. Luke Shliger also had an RBI single in the seventh.
Clayton Campbell smashes a 3-run homer to deep left to give the Whitecaps the lead. It’s his 7th home run of the year. pic.twitter.com/uENbE9hcOb
On the pitching side, Connor Fenlong got the start. He had some control issues in the second, walking the bases loaded and hitting a batter for the first run of the game. A leadoff solo homer in the fourth made it 2-0 at that point, but Fenlong didn’t allow a baserunner otherwise.
Eliseo Mota took over in the sixth. He loaded the bases before recording an out but worked his way out of the jam without giving up a run. Juanmi Vasquez got the seventh. Back-to-back two-run homers made it a one-run game, but we know what happened after that.
Luke Stofel went 1-2-3 in the eighth, and Zack Lee gave up a pair of inconsequential runs in the ninth. West Michigan takes the series, 5-1.
Rainer: 2-6, 2 R, 2 RBI
Sojka: 2-5, HR (6), 2, 4 RBI, K
Campbell: 1-3, HR (7), R, 3 RBI, BB, K
Fenlong (W, 1-0): 5.0 IP, 2 ER, H, 3 BB, 3 K, HR
Coming Up Next: The Whitecaps are back home next week against the Beloit Sky Carp, starting Tuesday at 6:35 p.m. ET.
So… the pitchers were just kind of there for this one. Lakeland and Jupiter combined for 31 runs on 30 hits and 21 walks, so, yeah…
Owen Hall and Donye Evans gave up six and five runs, respectively, but it’s Jan Caraballo who takes the loss for giving up a three-run homer in the ninth.
Caleb Leys got the start, striking out five over two innings of one-run ball. Jose Guzman went 1-2-3 in the third. That’s when things fell apart. Jupiter scored runs in each of the next six innings, putting a crooked number up in four of them. It was bad…
Lakeland’s runs were a bit more concentrated, with eight coming in the seventh, all with two outs. Nick Dumesnil, Jesus Pinto and Hunter Dobbins strung together consecutive hits to put Lakeland ahead after entering the inning down by one.
Anibal Salas extended the lead with an RBI single, and Jack Goodman took a bases-loaded walk to make it 13-9. Jordan Yost joined the party with a two-run double, and things looked good for a moment.
Jordan Yost gets 98 and flops it down the left field line for a 2-run double. Lakeland leads 15-9, and they have scored 9 runs this inning, all with two out. pic.twitter.com/fPKGns1ZJl
Evans gave four of those runs right back in the top of the eighth, and Caraballo gave up the deciding blow in the ninth.
Good gravy. Echedry Vargas crushes a 3-run homer 446 feet to left center and Jupiter has taken a 16-15 lead over Lakeland with 2 out in the 9th. pic.twitter.com/zLPuILe86R
Javier Osorio and Jude Warwick both hit homers earlier in the game. Warwick’s was more impactful, coming with two runners on and the Flying Tigers trailing, 7-3, in the fifth.
Jude Warwick smashes a 3-run homer to right to pull Lakeland back within a run. It’s his 8th home run of the season, and it snaps a 7-game hitless streak. @AaronArnstein on the call. pic.twitter.com/MUypoKMUK0
There’s too much going on to cover every detail here, but the bottom line is pitching bad, hitting good (but not good enough). Classic Single-A ball on a Sunday, really. This is why they say the SEC is comparable to Double-A; even college isn’t this wild.
The series ended in a 3-3 tie.
Yost: 1-4, 2B (11), 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB
Pinto: 4-6, 2B (14), 2 R, RBI
Warwick: 2-4, HR (8), 2 R, 4 RBI, BB, K
Leys: 2.0 IP, ER, 2 H, BB, 5 K
Coming Up Next: Lakeland is in Tampa next week, starting Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. ET.
Aug 30, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; New York Yankees players celebrate team's win against the Chicago White Sox in a baseball game at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
A fun weekend in Philadelphia ended with a dud, Will Warren getting knocked around by the Phillies as the Yankees fell on Sunday Night Baseball. A road series win against a strong opponent is still a fine outcome, though, and we’re onto the next, with the Yankees set for a lengthy date in Chicago. It’s a four-game set with the first-place White Sox, who enter the series looking much more formidable than they have in recent years.
On the site today, get prepped for the four games in Chicago with Josh’s preview, and get the rundown on what happened on Sunday with Kevin’s Rivalry Roundup. Later, Jonathan analyzes Jo Adell as a plausible trade target should the Angels decide to make some moves, and John writes up the one and only Alex Rodriguez, today A-Rod’s 51st birthday.
Today’s Matchup:
New York Yankees at Chicago White Sox
Time: 7:40 p.m. EST
TV: YES Network, Chicago Sports Network
Venue: Rate Field, Chicago, IL
Questions/Prompts:
1. How big of a blow do you think Cody Bellinger’s hamstring injury will be?
2. How surprised are you to see the White Sox leading the AL Central? Do you think they’ll see it through and win the division?
Has there ever been a more calamitous trade-deadline collapse than the Miami Marlins' pratfall the past two weeks?
The Marlins went from National League East contenders to almost certain trade deadline sellers over the course of a franchise-record 12-game losing streak, taking them from 52-42 and three games out of the division lead to 52-54 and the No. 8 position in the NL wild card chase. Suddenly, the hottest team in baseball - the Marlins were 26-8 from June 1 until July 9, their last win before this cold spell - could be poised to sell one of the most cherished assets on the market.
Yes, former Cy Young Award winner Sandy Alcantara, long a subject of trade conjecture until the Marlins' hot streak, is very much back in play. That's what made the Marlins' 12th loss in this skid even stranger: The San Diego Padres rallied for four runs in the eighth inning, setting up Mason Miller for his 27th save. Miller, too, has been targeted as potential trade fodder with the Padres slipping from contention.
But a weekend with the Marlins vaulted them ahead of Miami - not just in the NL standings but USA TODAY Sports' power rankings. Miami has tumbled nine spots to No. 18 - and who knows how far it may fall once the deadline is done.
New York Post | Greg Joyce: The Yankees, already missing Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, suffered another blow on Sunday, as fellow outfielder Cody Bellinger was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left hamstring strain. The former 2019 NL MVP suffered the ailment while running the bases on Saturday night.
Spencer Jones has been called up to replace Bellinger in the lineup. With so many top performers down with injuries, the Yankees now have even more pressure to add an impact bat or two before the August 3 deadline.
Bellinger’s injury doesn’t appear to be overly serious, though. At least he was able to perform some light agility drills on Sunday:
Cody Bellinger (placed on the 10-day injured list today) is performing light agility drills in left field: pic.twitter.com/WuH0yRF8C7
CBS Sports | Mike Axisa: The Yankees need a catcher badly and have been linked to Ryan Jeffers and Tyler Stephenson in the last few days. Shea Langeliers, however, won’t be an option because he suffered a serious knee injury and might be out for the season.
Langeliers was a long shot to be traded, anyway, as he is one of the Athletics’ top players and building blocks. Still, you never know with that organization. He has 23 home runs, a 127 wRC+, and 2.8 fWAR in 2026.
MLB.com | Dan Cichalsky: The National Baseball Hall of Fame welcomed its three newest members: Jeff Kent, Carlos Beltrán, and Andruw Jones, on Sunday. The last two played for the Yankees when they were past their prime, but are still part of franchise history.
Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home: Alice ‘Betsy’ Richardson, the longtime wife of former Yankee Bobby Richardson, passed away last week. They were married for 70 years. Reading the condolences and testimonies of those who knew her, it’s safe to say she left a huge mark on their lives. Our thoughts are with the Richardson family.
The three players were enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday as part of the Class of 2026. Now, baseball fans can start looking ahead to the 2027 ballot.
Next year’s ballot does not have nearly as much star power as the 2026 class. Still, a handful of players could be on their way to Cooperstown next summer.
Here’s a look at the top names to watch in the 2027 Baseball Hall of Fame voting process.
First-ballot potential
Buster Posey
Jon Lester
Only a pair of players have even a remote chance at becoming first-ballot Hall of Famers next summer.
Buster Posey, now the president of baseball operations for the San Francisco Giants, became a franchise legend behind the plate from 2009 to 2021. The star catcher earned three World Series titles, seven All-Star selections, 2012 NL MVP honors, 2010 NL Rookie of the Year honors, five Silver Slugger awards and a Gold Glove.
Jon Lester is another three-time World Series winner atop the 2027 Hall of Fame ballot. The southpaw won 200 regular season games and posted a 3.66 career ERA during his 16-year career, which he primarily spent with the Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs. He won a pair of championships in Boston and helped the Cubs end a 108-year World Series drought in 2016.
Returning candidates
Chase Utley
Andy Pettitte
Félix Hernández
Chase Utley is the only returning player who received at least 50% of the vote from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America in 2026. The former Philadelphia Phillies shortstop jumped up nearly 20% from his second year of eligibility in 2025 (39.8%) to his third in 2026 (59.1%). A similar jump would get him past the required 75% to get into the Hall of Fame.
Andy Pettitte, a five-time World Series champion with the New York Yankees, received 48.5% of the vote in 2026 and only has two more years of eligibility remaining.
Félix Hernández is another notable name to watch following a major second-year leap. The Seattle Mariners legend went from 20.6% of the vote on his first ballot in 2025 to 46.1% of the vote in 2026.
Returning longshots
Alex Rodriguez
Bobby Abreu
Jimmy Rollins
Cole Hamels
Dustin Pedroia
Mark Buehrle
Omar Vizquel
David Wright
Francisco Rodríguez
Torii Hunter
Alex Rodriguez, who was prominently linked to MLB’s steroid era, is entering his sixth year of eligibility after landing 40.0% of the vote in 2026.
Bobby Abreu (30.8%) is the only other returning player to receive more than 30% of the BBWAA vote in 2026. All other players listed above exceeded the 5% minimum vote in 2026 to stay on the ballot for 2027.
First-year longshots
Brett Gardner
Ryan Zimmerman
Kyle Seager
Ervin Santana
Asdrúbal Cabrera
Todd Frazier
Josh Reddick
Jake Arrieta
Scott Kazmir
Jordan Zimmermann
Brett Gardner, Ryan Zimmerman and Jake Arrieta are among the World Series winners who will make their first appearance on the Hall of Fame ballot next year.
The three players were enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday as part of the Class of 2026. Now, baseball fans can start looking ahead to the 2027 ballot.
Next year’s ballot does not have nearly as much star power as the 2026 class. Still, a handful of players could be on their way to Cooperstown next summer.
Here’s a look at the top names to watch in the 2027 Baseball Hall of Fame voting process.
First-ballot potential
Buster Posey
Jon Lester
Only a pair of players have even a remote chance at becoming first-ballot Hall of Famers next summer.
Buster Posey, now the president of baseball operations for the San Francisco Giants, became a franchise legend behind the plate from 2009 to 2021. The star catcher earned three World Series titles, seven All-Star selections, 2012 NL MVP honors, 2010 NL Rookie of the Year honors, five Silver Slugger awards and a Gold Glove.
Jon Lester is another three-time World Series winner atop the 2027 Hall of Fame ballot. The southpaw won 200 regular season games and posted a 3.66 career ERA during his 16-year career, which he primarily spent with the Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs. He won a pair of championships in Boston and helped the Cubs end a 108-year World Series drought in 2016.
Returning candidates
Chase Utley
Andy Pettitte
Félix Hernández
Chase Utley is the only returning player who received at least 50% of the vote from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America in 2026. The former Philadelphia Phillies shortstop jumped up nearly 20% from his second year of eligibility in 2025 (39.8%) to his third in 2026 (59.1%). A similar jump would get him past the required 75% to get into the Hall of Fame.
Andy Pettitte, a five-time World Series champion with the New York Yankees, received 48.5% of the vote in 2026 and only has two more years of eligibility remaining.
Félix Hernández is another notable name to watch following a major second-year leap. The Seattle Mariners legend went from 20.6% of the vote on his first ballot in 2025 to 46.1% of the vote in 2026.
Returning longshots
Alex Rodriguez
Bobby Abreu
Jimmy Rollins
Cole Hamels
Dustin Pedroia
Mark Buehrle
Omar Vizquel
David Wright
Francisco Rodríguez
Torii Hunter
Alex Rodriguez, who was prominently linked to MLB’s steroid era, is entering his sixth year of eligibility after landing 40.0% of the vote in 2026.
Bobby Abreu (30.8%) is the only other returning player to receive more than 30% of the BBWAA vote in 2026. All other players listed above exceeded the 5% minimum vote in 2026 to stay on the ballot for 2027.
First-year longshots
Brett Gardner
Ryan Zimmerman
Kyle Seager
Ervin Santana
Asdrúbal Cabrera
Todd Frazier
Josh Reddick
Jake Arrieta
Scott Kazmir
Jordan Zimmermann
Brett Gardner, Ryan Zimmerman and Jake Arrieta are among the World Series winners who will make their first appearance on the Hall of Fame ballot next year.
The three players were enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday as part of the Class of 2026. Now, baseball fans can start looking ahead to the 2027 ballot.
Next year’s ballot does not have nearly as much star power as the 2026 class. Still, a handful of players could be on their way to Cooperstown next summer.
Here’s a look at the top names to watch in the 2027 Baseball Hall of Fame voting process.
First-ballot potential
Buster Posey
Jon Lester
Only a pair of players have even a remote chance at becoming first-ballot Hall of Famers next summer.
Buster Posey, now the president of baseball operations for the San Francisco Giants, became a franchise legend behind the plate from 2009 to 2021. The star catcher earned three World Series titles, seven All-Star selections, 2012 NL MVP honors, 2010 NL Rookie of the Year honors, five Silver Slugger awards and a Gold Glove.
Jon Lester is another three-time World Series winner atop the 2027 Hall of Fame ballot. The southpaw won 200 regular season games and posted a 3.66 career ERA during his 16-year career, which he primarily spent with the Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs. He won a pair of championships in Boston and helped the Cubs end a 108-year World Series drought in 2016.
Returning candidates
Chase Utley
Andy Pettitte
Félix Hernández
Chase Utley is the only returning player who received at least 50% of the vote from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America in 2026. The former Philadelphia Phillies shortstop jumped up nearly 20% from his second year of eligibility in 2025 (39.8%) to his third in 2026 (59.1%). A similar jump would get him past the required 75% to get into the Hall of Fame.
Andy Pettitte, a five-time World Series champion with the New York Yankees, received 48.5% of the vote in 2026 and only has two more years of eligibility remaining.
Félix Hernández is another notable name to watch following a major second-year leap. The Seattle Mariners legend went from 20.6% of the vote on his first ballot in 2025 to 46.1% of the vote in 2026.
Returning longshots
Alex Rodriguez
Bobby Abreu
Jimmy Rollins
Cole Hamels
Dustin Pedroia
Mark Buehrle
Omar Vizquel
David Wright
Francisco Rodríguez
Torii Hunter
Alex Rodriguez, who was prominently linked to MLB’s steroid era, is entering his sixth year of eligibility after landing 40.0% of the vote in 2026.
Bobby Abreu (30.8%) is the only other returning player to receive more than 30% of the BBWAA vote in 2026. All other players listed above exceeded the 5% minimum vote in 2026 to stay on the ballot for 2027.
First-year longshots
Brett Gardner
Ryan Zimmerman
Kyle Seager
Ervin Santana
Asdrúbal Cabrera
Todd Frazier
Josh Reddick
Jake Arrieta
Scott Kazmir
Jordan Zimmermann
Brett Gardner, Ryan Zimmerman and Jake Arrieta are among the World Series winners who will make their first appearance on the Hall of Fame ballot next year.
Asked Sunday about the Hall of Famer’s impact on the organization in his role as a special assistant, interim manager Andy Green pointed to Beltrán’s willingness to take on the least glamorous of assignments.
“I think the things you have to appreciate about elite performers are the things they do when the spotlight is not on them,” Green said before the Mets beat the Dodgers 8-3 at Citi Field. “It’s when he shows up in Daytona with our A-ball team and shares wisdom with our young hitters.”
Carlos Beltrán is pictured during his Hall of Fame induction ceremony July 26. Charles Wenzelberg
The former outfielder began as a Mets special assistant in 2023 — his return to the game after he stepped aside as the team’s manager (after only 77 days at the helm without managing a game) in the fallout over the Astros’ illegal sign-stealing scheme.
Beltrán is sometimes with the major league team as a sounding board for players, but hasn’t shied away from an equally important part of his job, according to Green.
Andy Green is pictured during the Mets’ July 10 game against the Red Sox. Charles Wenzelberg
“It’s because he wants to invest in the next generation of Mets,” Green said. “It’s one thing when you show up in the big league clubhouse and live the big league life. It’s another when you are willing to go down and talk to our minor league players and invest in them. That is where the respect really grows.”
Green indicated a next step hasn’t been decided upon for Clay Holmes, who threw a side session before the game.
Holmes pitched 2 ¹/₃ innings for Triple-A Syracuse on Thursday in his first minor league rehab start following a fractured right fibula.
Francisco Lindor delivered an RBI single in the first inning.
Over his past 10 games, Lindor owns a .282/.364/.513 slash line with two homers and seven RBIs.
The Mets snapped a six-game losing streak against the Dodgers that dated to June 5 of last year.
In the past two months, though, it’s the lefties that have done the killing against the Yankees utility player.
Still — in part because the Yankees are beat up and are now without three of their better hitters against lefties in Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger and Giancarlo Stanton — Rosario hit third again Sunday night against Phillies southpaw Cristopher Sánchez in an 11-4 loss in the series finale at Citizens Bank Park.
“If you watch the at-bats, especially against lefties, I know the numbers haven’t been there, but he’s having the right at-bats, he’s just going through it a little bit,” manager Aaron Boone said.
Amed Rosario, pictured during a Yankees game July 17, has struggled against left-handed pitching recently. Getty Images
In 50 plate appearances against lefties through May 26, Rosario was hitting .273 with an .888 OPS.
But in 56 plate appearances against lefties since then, entering Sunday, he was batting just .135 with a .408 OPS.
That included being in a 1-for-17 slump entering Sunday’s game.
Rosario was 1-for-4 in the loss with a pair of strikeouts before being lifted for pinch hitter Ryan McMahon in the ninth.
Rosario has continued to be a staple in the top third of Yankees lineups against most lefties despite the lack of results, though they are not overflowing with options to replace him.
The 30-year-old did still have an average exit velocity of 90.3 mph and an 11.1 percent barrel rate, both of which ranked in the top half of the league and gave the Yankees some hope that he was capable of getting back on track.
“He’s on stuff and is presenting like a guy that’s going to impact against lefties,” Boone said. “He’s just, on a smaller level, hasn’t gotten results. But doesn’t change my confidence that he will moving forward.”
Judge and Stanton are expected to travel to Chicago with the Yankees this week for their series against the White Sox and Cubs.
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“We’ll have some of our trainer guys that go on the road, we’ll be able to do that,” Boone said.
Cross Shea Langeliers off the list of potential catchers the Yankees could acquire at the trade deadline.
Langeliers, under contract through 2028, was going to be tough to land, but now his injury has essentially ruled out any trade involving him.
Clarke Schmidt (Tommy John surgery) faced hitters for the second time Sunday at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, continuing his ramp-up toward a rehab assignment. … Max Fried will start Monday’s series opener against the White Sox, giving Gerrit Cole an extra day of rest before starting Tuesday after both had thrown in Wednesday’s doubleheader.
The Yankees' offense struggled again during their loss to the Phillies.
PHILADELPHIA — Aaron Judge was back in the visiting dugout at Citizens Bank Park on Sunday night and had a front-row seat to an 11-4 loss to the Phillies.
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If the Yankees end up getting Judge back and make a run in the postseason, Sunday night’s lineup might be amusing to some.
If they don’t, it could be looked at as a low point for a team that sure seems in need of some reinforcements before the Aug. 3 trade deadline, which is a week from Monday.
By then, we’ll have a better idea of what the Yankees will look like down the stretch, but until Judge and — maybe — Giancarlo Stanton get back from the IL, it’s hard to expect anything from this lineup.
Aaron Judge is pictured during the Yankees’ July 22 game. Corey Sipkin for the NY Post
“That’s above my pay grade,” Judge said when asked what he thought of where the team’s needs were as the deadline approaches. “We’ve got a good team where we’re at. That’s our job as players, to give the front office the ability to get the final pieces. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens.”
At this point, though, the current version of the Yankees can be a tough watch.
Look at the middle of Sunday night’s depleted lineup:
Amed Rosario, a key part of the Yankees’ strong second half last season, entered Sunday in a 1-for-18 rut with 11 strikeouts in that span.
And yet, he was forced to hit third against Philadelphia lefty Cristopher Sánchez.
Then there was Jasson Domínguez, now further entrenched as the regular right fielder with both Judge and Bellinger sidelined.
Domínguez hit cleanup and was followed by Anthony Volpe.
Volpe delivered a pair of doubles, but they were his first extra-base hits in a month and he made an ugly throwing error to open the bottom of the sixth that set up Philadelphia’s five-run inning that iced the game.
George Lombard Jr. seems closer to the majors every day.
Anthony Volpe reacts after striking out during the Yankees’ July 26 loss. AP Photo
He’s 12-for-26 with four extra-base hits in eight games at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre since returning from an IL stint due to sprained fingers, although he made a throwing error Sunday.
And Max Schuemann, out of place in left field, dove for a ball far out of his reach on Alec Bohm’s three-run double in the third.
Ben Rice reacts after lining out during the Yankees’ July 26 loss. Getty Images
José Caballero went hitless again in the ugly loss.
Asked before the game if he believed the Yankees needed another bat by the deadline, Aaron Boone said, “We’ll see. I know we want to try to improve our club. I know the front office is grinding away at that. I know we’re gonna try … You never know what’s gonna be out there.”
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As The Post has reported, they are in the market for a righty-hitting outfielder and catcher, as well as help in the bullpen.
Despite their issues, the Yankees head to Chicago to play the White Sox for four games and then the Cubs for three, firmly in postseason contention.
But it won’t be easy without Judge and Co.
“Keep moving forward,’’ Judge said of the team’s mentality. “We’ve got a lot of depth with guys in the minor leagues that are ready to go.”
7/26/26 – Andruw Jones, speaking during the 2026 Baseball Hall Of Fame induction ceremony, where along with Carlos Beltrán and Jeff Kent, they were inducted into of the 2026 National...
COOPERSTOWN — Maybe the Yankees, who still can tell you what he did in Game 1 of the 1996 World Series, and the Mets can blame one of their own for Andruw Jones.
One of the first names Jones mentioned during his Hall of Fame induction was Hensley “Bam Bam” Meulens, a Yankees utility player from 1989-93 and assistant hitting coach in 2022, plus a Mets bench coach in 2020.
Jones, the first Hall of Famer from Curaçao, wanted to thank Meulens, who was the first native of Curaçao to play in Major League Baseball.
Andruw Jones speaks during his Hall of Fame induction ceremony July 26. Charles Wenzelberg
“ ‘Bam Bam’ opened the door for many others to chase their dream of being a professional,” Jones said during a speech finally given after nine years on the ballot. “When I made it in Atlanta, I knew I could inspire a lot of people from Curaçao to reach the major leagues.”
He has watched the likes of Ozzie Albies, Jurickson Profar, Jonathan Schoop, Andrelton Simmons, Kenley Jansen and plenty more reach MLB from a Dutch Caribbean island more than 2,000 miles away from here, where Jones put the finishing touches on a 17-year career Sunday.
The longtime Braves star center fielder was introduced by John Smoltz and spoke while Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and Chipper Jones sat behind him, fixtures on Braves teams that owned the NL East and lost to the Yankees in the 1996 and 1999 World Series.
Jones thanked “Larry Wayne” Jones, his “brother from another mother,” for pushing for his induction.
“The Jones boys are in Cooperstown now,” Andruw Jones said.
Hanging over Jones’ moment was that his longtime manager was not present.
Bobby Cox, himself a Hall of Famer, died in May at 84.
“Nobody in the Braves organization had a bigger impact on me than manager Bobby Cox,” said Jones, who homered in his first two World Series at-bats (against Andy Pettitte and Brian Boehringer), becoming the youngest to ever homer in the Fall Classic. “He put a 19-year-old in the World Series in the lineup and believed in me.
Andruw Jones, pictured second from the left, was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on July 26. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“Bobby had confidence in me and helped me become the best player I could be. He commanded respect, created a winning culture. You play hard. You play to win, and you always give an honest effort. Simple rules to play the game.”
Jones, one of the greatest center fielders ever and a powerful bat, played with Atlanta from 1996-2007 and then bounced around.
In his speech, he thanked both Joe Torre (who managed him with the Dodgers) and Joe Girardi (his manager with the Yankees in 2011-12).
