Author: MLB Baseball News, Scores, Standings, Rumors, Fantasy Games

On this day 16 years ago,

the Blue Jays defeated the Rays 17-7.

Toronto hit eight home runs: Aaron Hill hit two, while Adam Lind, Edwin Encarnacion, Jose Bautista, and Lyle Overbay each added one.

And, of course, J.P. Arencibia—playing in his first MLB game—hit two home runs and went 4-for-5 with a double.

At that moment, the future looked bright.

From the recap:

What a way to begin a major league career: he homered on the first pitch he saw, doubled in his second at-bat, singled in his third, and hit another home run in his fourth. He finished with 11 total bases, 3 runs, and 3 RBI. It seemed impossible not to pencil J.P. Arencibia into the lineup every day after such a debut, though I was sure Cito would find a way not to.

J.P. started just 9 of the remaining 52 games, hitting .143/.189/.343 in 37 plate appearances that season and going hitless in 15 September at-bats. I can’t help but wonder how different his career might have been if Cito had shown more faith and played him regularly from the start. When young players only get sporadic opportunities, they sometimes feel pressure to be great every time out—a tough way to begin a career.

Also, from the recap:

Arencibia became just the third Blue Jay to homer in his first career game, joining Alvis Woods and Junior Felix. During his postgame interview, he was covered in shaving cream, doused with two buckets of Gatorade, and then got another round of shaving cream. Please, Cito, play him tomorrow.

Cito didn’t play him the next day.

There are five Blue Jays who started their career with a home run:

• Al Woods (1977)

• Junior Félix (1989)

• J.P. (2010)

• Davis Schneider (August 4, 2023)

• Charles McAdoo (June 1, 2026)

Jordan Bastian tweeted that, since 1900, no other player had 4 hits and 2 home runs in his MLB debut.

As we know, J.P.’s career didn’t unfold as hoped. He struggled with breaking balls and never mastered the strike zone, finishing with 85 walks and 484 strikeouts.

He spent four seasons with Toronto, hitting .212/.258/.408 with 64 home runs over 380 games.

After the Jays, he played 62 games for the Rangers in 2014 (primarily at first base) and 24 games for the Rays in 2015.

His defense was always a work in progress. He had a decent arm, throwing out 27% of base stealers, but also allowed his share of passed balls and wild pitches. If he had hit better, his defense would have been more forgivable. Off the field, he was great with fans—I once saw him in Calgary, playing with children and clearly enjoying himself.

Other performances of note:

Travis Snider led off and was 2 for 2 with 2 walks.

Yunel Escobar went 3 for 6.

Bautista hit his 34th home run, leading the A.L.

Edwin Encarnacion went 3 for 5 and made his 10th error of the season.

On the pitching side:

Brad Mills started and gave up 5 runs in 4 innings.

Brian Tallet pitched 3 innings of relief, got the win, and allowed 2 unearned runs.

Jason Frasor pitched a scoreless inning.

David Purcey started the 9th, giving up 2 hits and 2 walks, getting just 1 out.

Casey Janssen got the last 2 outs of the game, giving up a hit and a walk and allowing both of his inherited runs to score.

25 Years Ago

Chris Woodward belted three home runs against the Mariners. Amazingly, the Jays lost 5-4

Despite spending seven seasons and 362 games with the Jays—hitting just 26 home runs for Toronto—three of those came in this single game, which is remarkable.

In total, Woodward played 12 years in MLB and finished with 33 career home runs, so 9.1% of his career homers were hit in this one outing

The Mariners lineup at the time featured some greats:

• Ichiro Suzuki led off and collected two hits.
• John Olerud went 1-for-4.
• Edgar Martinez hit cleanup and notched two hits, including a home run and two RBI.

The Jays carried a 3-2 lead into the eighth inning, but reliever Scott Cassidy allowed a run in the eighth and then the go-ahead run in the ninth. I have no memory of Cassidy, though he pitched in 58 games that year—his rookie season—with a 5.73 ERA. A wild stat: in seven save opportunities, he blew all seven (in fairness, he wasn’t a closer, but Buck Martinez and Carlos Tosca—managers that season—used him as a setup man, and the team lacked reliable relievers or starters. It was basically Roy Halladay and pray for rain.

Luke Prokopec surrendered a walk-off home run to catcher Dan Wilson in the 10th, taking the loss. Prokopec finished the year with a 6.78 ERA in 22 games (12 starts).

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The Los Angeles Dodgers are in the midst of a six-game losing skid, but the visitors are still heavy -163 favorites tonight against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Arizona starter Merrill Kelly has been brutal this season, which is why I’m backing LA to get back in the win column in my Dodgers vs. Diamondbacks predictions and MLB picks.

Who will win Dodgers vs Diamondbacks today: Dodgers (-168)

The Los Angeles Dodgers will be happy to see Merrill Kelly on the mound tonight. Kelly’s pitching run value, xERA (7.17), and xBA (.305) all rank in the bottom percentile among MLB pitchers this year.

The Arizona Diamondbacks starter throws his four-seamer more than 26% of the time – a pitch that the Dodgers have feasted on vs. righties. 

LA ranks fourth in MLB in average (.270), fifth in SLG (.465), and seventh in wRAA (30.2) against that pitch type.

We’re paying the Dodgers tax, but I’m still taking LA up to -170.

COVERS INTEL: Roki Sasaki relies heavily on his four-seamer as well, and the Diamondbacks are hitting just .173 vs. that pitch from righties over their last 13 games.

Dodgers vs Diamondbacks Over/Under pick: Under 9.5 (-126)

Dodgers starter Roki Sasaki hasn’t been great this season, but he’s turned it up over his last four outings with a stingy 2.25 ERA through that span.

And unlike the Dodgers, the Diamondbacks have struggled against the four-seamer from righties, which also happens to be Sasaki’s most common pitch (42.2%).

Arizona sits 27th in team average (.225) and SLG (.401) vs. that pitch type, suggesting their bats will be quiet tonight.

The Under has cashed in each of Sasaki’s last four starts, while the Under is 3-1-1 in Kelly’s last five outings.

I’d play the Under to -130 tonight.

Dodgers vs Diamondbacks weather

Tonight’s forecast calls for mostly clear skies with light winds blowing out to right field in a hitter-friendly ballpark.

Dodgers vs Diamondbacks odds

• Moneyline: Dodgers -163 | Diamondbacks +156
• Run line: Dodgers -1.5 (-104) | Diamondbacks +1.5 (-100)
• Over/Under: Over 9.5 (+117) | Under 9.5 (-122)

Dodgers vs Diamondbacks trend

Under is 7-0 in Kelly's last 7 starts following a team loss. Find more MLB betting trends for Dodgers vs. Diamondbacks.

How to watch Dodgers vs Diamondbacks and game info

Dodgers vs Diamondbacks latest injuries

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In the press conference immediately following the MLB Trade Deadline, Atlanta Braves President of Baseball Operations Alex Anthopoulos stated that outside of Tarik Skubal, there was only one other starting pitcher (who he refused to name at the time) who they viewed as an “impact starter” at this year’s trade deadline. There was a lot of speculation surrounding both the Braves and Texas Rangers starter Jacob deGrom and it appears that there may have been some legitimate activity going on there.

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic is reporting that the Braves and Rangers apparently had an agreement in place for a trade that apparently hinged on whether deGrom wanted to stay in Texas or waive his no-trade clause in order to go to Cobb County. Rosenthal is using two anonymous baseball executives as his source in the reporting. Here’s the relevant quote from his Trade Deadline aftermath story:

For deGrom, [Anthopoulos] was willing to take on a sizable portion of the pitcher’s remaining salary — about $11 million this season and $37 million next season.…Two executives said a trade almost certainly was in place. The execs, granted anonymity for their candor, pointed out that teams do not approach players about waiving no-trade clauses so close to the deadline unless something is done.

The Braves also were involved in discussions for right-hander José Soriano and other starters, according to a person briefed on their talks. But other than Skubal and deGrom, they did not view those pitchers as difference-makers, or even better than what they had.

The news about José Soriano is interesting and considering what we know about the Blue Jays and their organization’s relationship with Anthopoulos, there was maybe a bit of extra satisfaction on Toronto’s part that they were able to beat AA to the punch when it came to pulling off a deal with the Angels. As far as deGrom goes, that’s a very significant commitment to make in terms of salary so that really tells you just how much Atlanta’s front office wanted to add deGrom into the fold.

I recommend that you read the article if you’re subscribed, as Rosenthal also discusses what the Braves were willing to give up for Tarik Skubal (reader, unsurprisingly it was a lot). There’s a lot in there to think about and it’s to the point where if you were disappointed with the deadline (I’m right there with you), you at least understand what the approach was for Atlanta heading into this year’s intense trade deadline.

With that being said, it does at least appear sincere that the Braves figured that it would be “deGrom (or Soriano) or bust” and they ended up getting the latter as a result. We’ll see how this all ends up going as time passes. For now, the Braves have to be feeling at least a little confident that things may end up working out after the performances that their starters had earlier this week (and also after Casey Mize got blown up for eight earned runs against the Diamondbacks in his Padres debut) but time will tell when it comes to figuring out if AA was right to pass up on all other deals going forward. We’ll see what happens!

Welcome to the California Post’s weekly Dodgers recap, where we review the week that was, hand out very official awards and take stock of the state of the season.

PITCHER OF THE WEEK

Yoshinobu Yamamoto (8-inning, 3-run start this week; 11-7 record, 2.76 ERA on season)

There haven’t been many heroic performances during the Dodgers’ six-game losing streak. But Yamamoto’s outing against the Red Sox last Saturday was an exception.

It wasn’t that he halted the Dodgers’ skid, instead taking the loss after giving up the decisive run in the eighth inning. Or that he was particularly dominant, striking out only three batters in a performance that actually saw his ERA slightly rise from 2.72 to 2.76.

But that Yamamoto was pitching at all –– much less effectively enough to complete eight innings –– was nonetheless a feat.

In the days leading up to the start, the already diminutive right-hander lost roughly eight pounds after getting sick at the end of the team’s previous road trip in New York. He spent the week slowly recovering, and had his rotation turn pushed back a day (after a bullpen game on Friday) to regain some extra strength.

It didn’t stop him from making his fourth eight-plus-inning start this year, which is tied with Sandy Alcantara for most in the majors. He also remains in the thick of the Cy Young race, ranking sixth in the NL in ERA, fifth in innings pitched and second in WHIP.

This week, Yamamoto stayed back in Los Angeles during the Chicago portion of the team’s road trip to keep recuperating. He rejoined them in Arizona ahead of his next scheduled start on Saturday.

DODGERS PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Shohei Ohtani (10-for-24, 3 home runs, 5 RBIs this week; .297 average, .954 OPS, 26 home runs, 70 RBIs this season)

How much Ohtani’s day off from the Dodgers’ lineup last Thursday helped his knee still isn’t clear.

But it certainly didn’t seem to hamper his scorching hot swing.

Though the Dodgers’ two-way star has still not resumed a throwing program amid his ongoing knee injury, now more than a month removed from his last pitching start, Ohtani is in the midst of perhaps his most productive stretch at the plate all season.

Entering Friday, he had hits in nine straight games, five of which were multi-hit efforts. He had four home runs in his last eight, including his first multi-homer performance of the year on Wednesday. And, after the questions that were raised last week when lingering knee soreness forced him to miss a game, he offered a reminder that –– as a hitter, at least –– his injury still isn’t having a notable impact; ensuring his most valuable tool, his bat, isn’t being diminished.

Where things stand with Ohtani’s arm, of course, is less clear.

He did not resume catch play in Chicago this week, though manager Dave Roberts continues to insist that will happen “soon.”

The urgency to get him built all the way back up (at least, as fast as possible with two months still left before the playoffs) isn’t as pressing as it once was, either, thanks to the arrival of Tarik Skubal.

The Dodgers still expect to get something out of him on the mound again this year. But for now, while Ohtani’s two-way status grows more uncertain, there aren’t any worries about his hitting. That remains the most important thing.

QUESTION OF THE WEEK

How worried should Dodgers be about the standings?

So much for the two-time defending champions having no meaningful baseball left to play this season.

Their recent losing streak might not be jeopardizing their playoff chances (Fangraphs still gives them a, *checks notes*, 100% probability of reaching October) or endangering their division lead (they enter this weekend’s series in Arizona 8 ½ games clear of the second-place Diamondbacks), but it has created unexpected competition for a pivotal playoff seeding.

While the Dodgers have dropped six in a row, the Atlanta Braves have won eight-straight, helping them leapfrog the Dodgers for the No. 2 seed in the National League. The Dodgers are also now three games back of the Milwaukee Brewers for the NL’s best record and home-field advantage throughout the postseason.

Securing a first-round bye and home-field advantage will undoubtedly be goals for the Dodgers over the rest of the season.

But, even amid the more condensed standings now, there is still probably a limit to how urgently they will push for them.

Last year, after all, the Dodgers defended their title even as the NL’s No. 3 seed, which required them to play a best-of-three wild card round and open all three of their subsequent series on the road. 

And while they’d like an easier playoff path this October, they’re also unlikely to start pushing their aging roster any extra, or riding their banged-up pitching staff any harder, for the sake of seeding alone. 

Instead, they’ll trust that if they simply play better down the stretch, the rest will take care of itself.

DODGERS PROSPECT OF THE WEEK

Josue De Paula (9-for-22, 5 home runs this week; .314 average, .972 OPS, 21 home runs, 82 RBIs this year)

The Dodgers’ top-ranked prospect was never going anywhere in the Skubal sweepstakes. This week, the 21-year-old slugger offered a resounding reminder why.

As deadline rumors swirled, De Paula mashed four home runs and collected nine RBIs in a torrid four-game stretch, setting a new high point in a season that has seen him unlock much more of his tantalizing potential at the plate.

Now, the question is how soon he could be promoted to triple-A.

The Dodgers did clear a pathway in the outfield with their Oklahoma City affiliate, after trading Jack Suwinski to Tampa Bay at the deadline for Hunter Feduccia. The expectation has been that either De Paula or Mike Sirota (the team’s next-best outfield prospect, who has also been tearing it up with double-A Tulsa) will thus take another step up the minor-league ladder.

For now, neither have gotten the call. Still, many more weeks like this, and De Paula won’t be stuck in double-A for much longer.

FUTURE DODGER OF THE WEEK

Usually, we dedicate this section to identifying a player the Dodgers could potentially acquire in the future (sometimes far-fetched, other times not).

But this week, we decided we’d review the past, and see how many of our predictions so far this season came true at the deadline.

Skubal, of course, has been a common name in this section. We picked him early in the season as an obvious deadline candidate, and again after his May elbow procedure as a potential offseason signing. We then went back to the well again in last week’s weekly recap, as it became clear the Dodgers would make a real effort to get him.

In late June, we also highlighted Ben Rortvedt’s name as a possible target, as the team’s need at catcher became impossible to ignore.

As for the dozen or so other players featured in this space this year (from Mason Miller to Jacob Misiorowski to Nolan McLean to Munetaka Murakami)? Well, we’re either wrong –– or perhaps simply early. 

After all, as the Dodgers showed once again at this trade deadline, whenever there is a star player potentially available in some form or fashion, they’ll almost always be in the hunt for them; no matter how far-fetched it once might have seemed.

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An exciting weekend of baseball is ahead, starting with a full slate of games this Friday, August 8.

Our MLB expert picks are here to help you get your weekend off to a winning start. See why the Orioles should be part of your MLB picks tonight.

MLB expert picks for today

Pick	Odds
Jon Metler: BAL ML	+127
Joe Osborne: CLE ML	-136

Prices courtesy of Polymarket.

Jon Metler's expert pick: Orioles moneyline

Price: 44¢ (+127) at Polymarket

The matchup for Shane Baz is the main reason I'm backing this bet, but the Texas Rangers also feel like a team in a strange spot after the trade deadline. Reports surfaced that Texas was shopping veterans Corey Seager, Jacob deGrom, and Nathan Eovaldi despite remaining in the American League playoff race, creating some uncertainty around the clubhouse.

On the field, Baz draws a favorable matchup. Three of the Rangers' top five left-handed hitters—Seager, Joc Pederson, and Evan Carter—do their best damage on pitches at the bottom of the zone. Baz attacks in the opposite manner, using a riding four-seam fastball at the top of the strike zone before tunneling his secondary pitches off it.

That pitch mix should help neutralize the Rangers' pull-side power. 

The Baltimore Orioles are trading as a 44-cent underdog, but I make them closer to a 48-cent underdog, which is why I'm hitting the button.

• Time: 8:05 p.m. ET
• How to watch: Apple TV

Joe Osborne's expert pick: Guardians moneyline

Price: 58¢ (-136) at Polymarket

The Chicago White Sox are in a brutal spot tonight after being swept in Boston and losing a 13-inning game yesterday. Chicago used seven relievers in the loss and now turns to Noah Schultz, who owns a 5.82 ERA and rarely pitches deep into games.

The White Sox are also just 1-7 across his last eight appearances.

Meanwhile, Parker Messick has allowed only one earned run in each of his three starts since the All-Star break. He owns a 2.20 road ERA and has held Chicago hitters to a .174 batting average in two starts against them this season.

Back the Cleveland Guardians to -150.

• Time: 7:40 p.m. ET
• How to watch: CleGuardians.TV, CHSN

More MLB best bets for today

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The imperfect man pitched a perfect game yesterday.

So read Joe Trimble’s lead on October 9, 1956 in the New York Daily News. The day prior, a man who was an afterthought on a team in the midst of winning its seventh championship in 10 years, a man known more for his carousing off the field than his performance on it, had achieved the unthinkable. He’d held a Brooklyn Dodgers lineup stacked with five Hall of Famers to 27 plate appearances, permitting none to reach base safely in the first and last perfect game in World Series history.

Don James Larsen
Born: August 7, 1929 (Michigan City, IN)
Died: January 1, 2020 (Coeur d’Alene, ID)
Yankees Tenure: 1955-59

Don Larsen grew up on the Indiana side of Lake Michigan. His father, James, played sandlot baseball and passed along the game to young Don, who began playing ball with his father at the age of four. While he was in high school, the family moved to San Diego, where Larsen made the All-Metro Conference basketball team at Point Loma High and garnered several college basketball scholarships. The fun-loving Larsen declined. “I was never much with studies, and I didn’t really have an interest in going to college and studying my life away,” he would later say of his decision.

Instead, Larsen signed a contract with the St. Louis Browns, spending four seasons in their minor-league system before he was drafted into the Army in 1951. He played baseball for an Army team at Fort Shafter on Oahu for two years, returning to the mainland in time for spring training in 1953. The 23-year-old pitched well enough to earn a spot out of camp, an achievement he likened to “Christmas in springtime.”

Larsen was a bright spot on the 100-loss Browns as a rookie, tossing a team-high 192.2 innings with a 4.16 ERA. His teammates gave him a delightfully ’50s nickname that would stick with him throughout his career: Gooney Bird. Depending who you ask, the origin of the moniker was either Larsen’s gangly appearance or his outside-the-lines antics.

The Browns moved to Baltimore for the ‘54 season. The newly christened Orioles once again lost 100 games, with Larsen taking the decision in an MLB-high 21 of them. He won only three games but two came against the mighty Yankees, drawing the attention of the team’s manager, Casey Stengel.

Following the season, he was traded to New York in a mammoth 17-player deal that also netted the Yankees future Cy Young Award winner Bob Turley. Larsen was injured to start the year but pitched well once recalled, going 9-2 in 19 games (13 starts) to help his new team to the pennant. He drew the start in Game 4 of the World Series against the Dodgers. With the Yankees up two games to one and the chance to stake them to a commanding series lead, Larsen faltered, allowing five runs — including two long balls — in four innings as the Dodgers coasted to victory. After the Yankees lost to their chief NL rivals in Game 7, Larsen remained positive about his experience. “I had stretched beyond my childhood dreams by playing for the Yankees in the World Series,” he would later recount. “Even though we lost the championship to the Dodgers, I was thankful to have been even been there in the first place.”

The next year shaped up similarly. An 11-5 record in the regular season as the Yankees repeated as AL champs, followed by an even more frustrating World Series outing against the Dodgers in which he walked four in 1.2 innings as the Yankees coughed up an early six-run lead.

This is where reality and myth start to become inextricable. There’s as much lore around Larsen’s perfect game as any event in Yankees history. New York Daily Mirror writer Arthur Richman later relayed that Larsen told him the night before on the way back from the bars that he would pitch a no-hitter. This was likely impossible given Stengel’s habit of informing pitchers whether they would start on game day, employing his coach, Frank Crosetti, to place a baseball in the starter’s shoe. Much like David Wells, the next Yankee to reach perfection, there’s been much written about the extent of Larsen’s hangover that game day as well.

Whatever the merit of these stories, Larsen took the mound at Yankee Stadium on October 8 prepared to face a lineup that had twice torn him to shreds. The outcome would be different that day, with the 27-year-old needing just 97 pitches to carve up one of the most potent lineups ever assembled. After throwing his improbable perfecto, Larsen jogged off the mound and was intercepted by a euphoric Yogi Berra, the catcher who he hadn’t shaken off a single time all day. Yogi jumped into Larsen’s arms, and a piece of Americana was born.

Larsen would pitch for 10 more seasons but, naturally, never match the majesty of his finest achievement. He embraced the narrow scope of his baseball legacy. “I have thought about that perfect game, more than once a day, every day of my life since the day I threw it,” he said in 2012.

Larsen spent three more years in New York, mostly serving as a mediocre swingman but making four more October outings. In the ‘58 Fall Classic, he held Milwaukee off the board for seven innings in an eventual 4-0 victory and pitched 2.1 more innings of one-run ball in the decisive Game 7 to earn his second ring. He’d pitch for six more teams after departing New York at the conclusion of the ‘59 season, including a return to the World Series as a member of the Giants in 1962, pitching back at Yankee Stadium in Games 3 and 4. Larsen made his last appearance with the Cubs in 1967, weeks before his 38th birthday.

After the conclusion of his playing career, Larsen moved to San Jose, where he worked for many years as a paper salesman. After retiring, he moved to Idaho, though he was always a safe bet to return to the site of his former glory each Old-Timers’ Day. Larsen also formed a kinship with the two other pitchers who spun perfect games for the Yankees in the 20th century: David Wells, who coincidentally also went to Point Loma High, and David Cone, whose gem Larsen actually attended since there were pregame festivities celebrating the return of Yogi Berra to Yankee Stadium. Larsen threw the ceremonial first pitch to Berra, and Cone threw the last to Joe Girardi.

Larsen died on the first day of 2020 at the age of 90. Please join us in remembering perhaps the most unlikely of Yankee legends, the everyman who for one day was perfect.

See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.

Nine straight series wins was just what the doctor ordered. And every Red Sox fan. They’re pitching, hitting homers, playing defense. They look like the best team in baseball. And for the last month or so, they’ve been the best. They won two of three against the Athletics in Sacramento, possibly hindered by the sun angles, and will get three games to test themselves against the team at Fenway Park. This weekend will help answer if it was the Athletics pitching – which hasn’t been great – or the batter’s eye that proved challenging for the Sox in that series.

Jack Perkins allowed just 2 runs in 5.2 innings to Boston as part of a three-game stretch where he allowed 8 runs over 13.2 innings. Which isn’t great but he gave up 7 to the Marlins before that stretch and 6 to the Tigers right after. Now the righty faces Boston again. Payton Tolle rolled out a 6.0 inning, 7K, 2 run outing against the Dodgers last time out. Almost the same as he put up against these Athletics. Let’s see the rematch!

Gage Jump provided the lone win for the A’s in Sacramento. He went 6.0 innings, struck out 7, didn’t allow a run. But surrounding that start: 4.2 innings and 6 runs against the Diamondbacks and 3.2 innings and 6 runs against the Tigers. Jake Bennett, like Tolle, just keeps rolling along. Around 6.0 innings per start, 3 runs or fewer. What a steal from the Nationals.

J.T. Ginn missed Boston when they were in Sacramento. A righty, he’s been all over the place in the last month. But an 8-run outing against the White Sox sticks out the most. The Red Sox will feature a bullpen start to close out the weekend. The exact makeup of this game isn’t known at the moment so it could be an opener and Bello or it could be a more traditional 1-2 inning per guy event.

Shea Langeliers, Nick Kurtz, and Zack Gelof are all on the IL now.

Since the win against Boston the A’s have lost 8 straight games. Boston has won 8 straight.

Probable Pitching Matchups

Friday, August 7: Jack Perkins (6.72 ERA / 4.61 FIP) vs. Payton Tolle (3.30 ERA / 3.41 FIP)

Saturday, August 8: Gage Jump (4.59 ERA / 3.80 FIP) vs. Jake Bennett (2.90 ERA / 3.23 FIP)

Sunday, August 9: J.T. Ginn (3.51 ERA / 4.22 FIP) vs. TBD Bullpen (— ERA / — FIP)

When/Where to Watch

Friday, August 7: 7:10 PM ET on NESN

Saturday, August 8: 4:10 PM ET on NESN

Sunday, August 9: 1:35 PM ET on NESN

Baseball America updates their Top-100 MLB prospects list with some regularity throughout the year, but the most meaningful mid-season update follows the conclusion of both the MLB Draft and MLB Trade Deadline. Now that the dust has settled, the Rays have seven prospects ranked in the new Top-100, including two in the top twenty.

5. Theo Gillen, OF

The jump in Power has turned Gillen’s profile into one of the best in baseball. This morning in the Slack chat Cole Mitchem comped Gillen’s current profile to Brewers CF Garrett Mitchell or Phillies CF from 2023-2025 Brandon Marsh. Gillen is 8 years younger than both.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 60 | Power: 60 | Run: 60 | Field: 60 | Arm: 45

13. Grady Emerson, SS

A prep short stop was a prototypical Rays selection at No. 2 overall, but the offensive profile at 17-years young made this the obvious choice as well.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 65 | Power: 50 | Run: 55 | Field: 55 | Arm: 60

54. Nathan Flewelling, C

Tampa Bay’s third round pick from 2024 has risen this year, as BA praises his improving defense and consistent power from his lefthanded swing.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 55 | Run: 30 | Field: 50 | Arm: 50

59. Caden Bodine, C

The 30th overall selection of the 2025 draft, Bodine might be the star of the loaded Shane Baz trade return, having already rocketed up to Double-A after demolishing the A and A+ levels.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 60 | Power: 40 | Run: 40 | Field: 60 | Arm: 45

64. Cooper Flemming, SS / 3B

The team’s 2nd round pick from last season (53rd overall in 2025) boasts a 130 wRC+ in Low-A, outpacing fellow draftees SS Daniel Pierce (100 wRC+, 14th overall in 2025) and OF Brendan Summerhill (98 wRC+, 42nd overall), and in lock step with…

Scouting Grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 50 | Run: 45 | Field: 50 | Arm: 55

76. Taitn Gray, 1B

… last season’s third round selection, the switch hitting Gray (128 wRC+, 86th overall in 2025). He’s a bit positionless at the moment, and needed a minor elbow surgery to clean up loose bodies, but the bat is real at 18 years young.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 60 | Run: 50 | Field: 45 | Arm: 50

82. Brody Hopkins, RHP

The key return in the Randy Arozarena trade (now that OF Aidan Smith — who was not a Top-100 prospect — has been traded), Hopkins has seen his walk rate spike to 22% in 85 innings at Triple-A while the Rays try to simplify his delivery mid-season, but the quality of his stuff is still respected.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 65 | Curveball: 70 | Changeup: 40 | Cutter: 65 | Sweeper: 60 | Control: 40

Diamondbacks News

(MLB.com) Padres even season series with D-backs, gain ground in Wild Card race

They’ve played three series this season. And, after the Padres’ 5-1 victory Thursday night, they’ve split all three of them. It sure looks like this race might go down to the wire — a season-ending three-game series between the two NL West rivals at Petco Park.

“We’ve played these guys pretty even all year round,” Padres manager Craig Stammen said. “We’ll see them again later in the year in a three-game series. Could be the decider of it all.”

(San Diego Union Tribune) Padres win, earn crucial series split with Diamondbacks

Thursday night was important. Big. Enormous.

But then the magnitude also shrunk in the shadow of the 46 games that remain.

“Uh, yeah, probably,” Padres manager Craig Stammen said Thursday afternoon when asked if he viewed that night’s game as having added consequence. “I mean, right now, the space that we’re in, we’re two games behind these guys. So the best way to get closer is to beat them. So I think that’s the number one priority today.”

(Arizona Sports) Back-and-forth battle between Diamondbacks and Padres to be continued

The Diamondbacks (61-55) and Padres (60-56) remain neck-and-neck in a race for the third NL Wild Card spot with 46 games left. Their final series will close the regular season at Petco Park to determine the head-to-head tiebreaker.

Over the past two seasons, the D-backs took on the Padres at the end of the campaign with their playoff fate in the air. The chance of that happening again is legitimate.

MLB News

(Sporting News) Dave Dombrowski reveals Bryce Harper was key to Phillies trading for Luis Arraez

“It started with Bryce Harper,” Dombrowski said of the bold Arraez trade. Stark noted that, “But Harper opened the door to the Arraez trade by telling Dombrowski multiple times he’d make that move, from first base to right field, if they needed him to.”

Well, it wasn’t to acquire a first baseman, but rather a new second baseman. But the shift for Harper was all the same.

By adding Arraez, Harper would have to move from first base to the outfield, back where he played the majority of his MLB career.

(ESPN) Where all 30 MLB teams stand after 2026 trade deadline

In addition to the usual Stock Watch measurements, I’ve taken a stab at looking how complete each team’s roster is, expressing it as a percentage. The basic details are in the methodology box. The idea is that for contenders, it’s a look at how well-situated a team is for the playoff push and a potential October run. For the noncontenders, it’s a glimpse at just how much work they have to do so that their future Augusts and Septembers are a little more dramatic.

(MLB.com) Arrighetti leaves 1st rehab start in Blue Jays’ system with apparent injury

Spencer Arrighetti, who the Blue Jays acquired at the Trade Deadline for outfielder Daulton Varsho, made his first rehab appearance in Toronto’s system on Thursday, but he left early with an apparent injury.

The 26-year-old Arrighetti, who has been on the injured list since July 25 with right foot nerve irritation, was removed after 2 1/3 hitless innings with Triple-A Buffalo. He threw 39 pitches before he was lifted from the game.

With a free spot on the team’s 40-man roster (and another freed up by the move of Blake Dunn to the 60-day IL), the Cincinnati Reds made a pair of roster claims on Thursday afternoon.

Right Ron Marinaccio was claimed off waivers by the Pittsburgh Pirates, while the club also announced the addition of righty Chase Solesky off waivers from the Tampa Bay Rays. Solesky was officially optioned to AAA Louisville after the moves, while Marinaccio was held on the active roster as a potential starter for Friday’s series opener against the Washington Nationals in the wake of Hunter Greene’s move to the 15-day IL.

As it turns out, though, that won’t be the case. Marinaccio will be on the roster as a depth option, but it will be another Chase – Petty, in this instance – who’ll get the nod for the Bottom of the 1st for the Reds on Friday night in Washington. That’s according to C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic.

Petty, long considered a starting pitching prospect, has mostly worked as a reliever in his time with the Reds so far this season. That’s also been the case in his most recent outings with AAA Louisville, as he hasn’t pitched more than 2.1 IP with them since back on June 4th. So, the Reds will effectively be employing a bullpen game on Friday, with Petty leading the line first among the troupe.

The Reds will take on the Nationals at 6:45 PM ET on MLB.tv this evening.

Coming home from a successful roadtrip going 6-4 against some tough competition, the Diamondbacks found themselves a couple of even tougher divisional opponents on the horizon in the San Diego Padres and the Los Angeles Dodgers. While the trade deadline didn’t go as most Dbacks fans had envisioned, they had to put that behind them and look ahead towards the rest of the season with as much optimism as we possibly can. This team is still a very talented group and with reinforcements on the horizon in the likes of Michael Soroka, Corbin Burnes and even Justin Martinez, the snakes would need to continue to play the same style of ball that had them go 15-10 throughout the month of July in hopes of staying in playoff contention and returning to October for the first time since their magical 2023 World Series appearance.

The Friar Split

Entering play on Monday the Diamondbacks and Padres found their season matchup tied even at 3 wins a piece, with a big 4 game set on the horizon. A series victory or even a sweep of the Padres would have been the most ideal outcome for the Snakes, splitting the series is far from the worst thing we could have asked for, as the fellas and I agreed that it might not be the most satisfying outcome, they avoided losing any ground in both the NL Wild Card race but also in the NL West standings.

There were some very good things to come from this series like Brandon Pfaadt continuing his dominant stretch or Mitch Bratt getting his first career MLB win behind a 10-Run offensive outburst, there were also some moments that were frustrating to witness like the sloppy defense (especially in Tuesday’s Game 2 defeat) or Kohl Drake failing to reach 5 innings for the third outing in a row.

Noot Noot De-boot

The Dbacks lone move from Monday’s trade deadline in Lars Nootbar got to have an impact throughout this whole series and immediately felt like he was going to fit this Dbacks scheme well and improve the team in ways that might not be the flashiest, but effective none the less.

Gabe and Brandon both mentioned that while the .200 batting average (only 10 at bats so obviously not anything to dive deep into) doesn’t appear on paper to be the most impactful, the 3 walks Nootbar worked along with the actual tape showed that Nootbar brought a refreshing approach from a DBacks hitter that we don’t really get to see outside of Geraldo Perdomo. Lars showed off his plate discipline and ability to make the pitcher really work to earn his out, especially in his first inning at-bat against Walker Buehler where he worked it full and made Buehler throw 8 pitches to him alone. The 3 of us agreed that he might not be the slugging bat that we all wanted at the deadline, if he can be a .250 hitter with an OBP around .350 or better then he will be a very solid addition to a lineup that at times has a tendency to have quick and unproductive outs that can lead to the opposing pitchers settling in and going deeper into games.

It’s A Bratt Summer

The fellas and I wanted to focus on the more positive results from this series split, and yes the big offensive outburst that saw the Dbacks spoil Casey Mize’s Padres debut and chase him before he could even finish the 4th inning, we agreed that the Player of The Game and one most deserving of praise was Mitch Bratt. Not only was this the most efficient outing in Bratt’s young MLB career (92 Pitches in his 7 IP of work), it was also his first (of hopefully many) career wins as a Major Leaguer!

The thing that was most impressive to us was the difference in fastball location in this start compared to the other starts in Mitch’s career. Brandon mentioned that his near perfect pinpoint location of his fastball helped his breaking stuff play more effectively and lead to the Padres offense being caught off guard by that low 90’s fastball multiple times, as even the Padres Manager Craig Stammen would admit to in his post game presser.

Gabe also brought up Bratt’s age (recently turned 23) and how with him being so young still, he still has so much potential to grow as a starter and this outing could be the spring board he needed to build that confidence and show himself that he has the stuff that will play at the big league level. Age is a big factor to keep in mind as young arms aren’t always going to break into the bigs on a Paul Skenes type of level and dominate, sometimes it takes them a few years to find their footing and what really works for them. Take new Dodgers lefty Tarik Skubal for example, the Kingman native’s first full season came in 2021 as a 24 year old and didn’t become a well known name to even the most casual baseball fans until his 1st CY Young season in 2024 at the age of 27. I’m not saying Bratt will be a Skubal 2.0 (Bratt doesn’t throw nearly as hard as Skubal) but just that young arms can sometimes need a year or two to really blossom into their true potential.

The Enemy in Blue

The fellas and I wrapped up our show with a look ahead as they have what could be a very important 3 game series against the NL West leading Los Angeles Avenge- uhhh I mean Dodgers come to town. Normally around this time of year we look at the divisional standings and see the Dodgers have a double digit plus lead and can basically just wrap up another divisional title for them, but this year it is not the same story. A mixture of both the Padres and Dbacks playing well alongside the Dodgers going on a season long 6-game losing streak and coming off a sweep at the hands of the Chicago Cubs, the Dbacks find themselves only 8.5 games behind the Dodgers for the NL West lead.

While the possibility of dethroning the Dodgers as NL West champions isn’t very high, it’s most definitely not zero and if there was ever a year to do it, this might be the best shot. It’s going to be a hostile environment this weekend at Chase and the matchups lean more in favor of LA, as the Dodgers not only have 2 splitter heavy starters in Roki Sasaki and Yoshinobu Yamamoto starting games 1 and 2 (The Dbacks struggles against the splitter have been well documented this year), The Dodgers also have had their way against the Mainstay Merrill Kelly in their matchups, with Merrill being 0-11 with a 5.56 ERA in 17 regular season starts against LA.

Even with a tough matchup ahead of the Snakes, Gabe believes that even if they don’t end up taking the divisional crown from LA, making the race to win the West take as much of the 162 game slate to do it could pay dividends in October as the Dodgers might not have the opportunity to rest their stars in hopes to keep them as fresh for their quest for a 3-peat.

Its A Dispatch Giveaway

We also revealed at the end of the show that the fellas and I have a special giveaway planned that includes bobbleheads, jersey giveaways, Dbacks trading cards and even a baseball bat signed by a DBacks legend and fan favorite. So make sure to stay till the end to get a sneak peak and also hear how and when to enter!

Now that the dust has settled on the trade deadline and we’ve had some time to reflect on the Mets’ deals, let’s put a grade on how well they did.

Revising our priors

We discussed what the value on the Mets’ pieces was likely to be in our trade deadline primer in the week before the deadline. By and large, those assessments held up and serve as a good baseline for what the Mets should have received, with two notable exceptions.

Both Brooks Raley and A.J. Minter returned well below what was suggested in the primer, where I floated a lighter version of the Ryan Helsley deal from 2025. Upon further digging and conversations with other experts, that was far too aggressive a position. Neither Minter nor Raley rate well in either contact suppression or – more importantly – in-zone whiff generation at this juncture. Smarter teams were likely not valuing either as more than a 2nd lefty option, and the return for both players reflects that.

David Peterson to the Cubs

Mets receive:
1B Cole Mathis

News

Grade: A

This deal obviously came several weeks before the deadline, but it merits mention here as part of the Mets’ broader sell off. Peterson was absolutely terrible in New York this season, and that includes his peripherals. He was trending towards being DFA’d in order to clear room for better / more interesting / more long term-relevant arms. Somehow, the Mets managed to pull a legitimately exciting prospect in return for making Peterson available early, taking the risk on Cole Mathis’s injury history to capture the upside. Very nice move.

Freddy Peralta to the Rays

Mets receive:
2B Émilien Pitre
RHP Gary Gill Hill
OF Aidan Smith

News – Breakdown

Grade: A-

This is not a slam dunk return, but it’s a very nice one for what Peralta is. Pitre in particular has become significantly more interesting this year, improving his EVs despite no clear uptick in home run total (somewhat akin to A.J. Ewing in the minors). It’s quite possible the public consensus rankings are lagging behind a real improvement in true talent level. Aidan Smith might not be able to hit and Gary Gill Hill has an ugly ERA, but both have promising underlying traits of their own.

So again, not a robbery, but a nice package of players, and one that is indeed more valuable than what the players the Mets gave up have turned out to be for the Brewers. Not a bad place to wind up.

A.J. Minter to the Twins

Mets receive:
1B/3B Billy Amick
IF Bruin Agbayani

News – Breakdown

Grade: C

As discussed above, this return is broadly appropriate return for a reliever of A.J. Minter’s caliber. The shape of this return, however, is not something I’m a fan of. Billy Amick has far more name value than actual and isn’t actually much of a prospect. Agbayani is equivalent to your stereotypical, overslot mid-round prep pick. It’s not awful, but an interesting DSL flier (such as Jhomnardo Reyes, who was moved for 1+ years of Dean Kremer) or an intriguing traits arm (such as personal cheeseball Matt Barr) would’ve been more both better and potentially attainable.

Huascar Brazoban to the White Sox

Mets receive:
RHP Zach Franklin
RHP Gabe Davis

News – Breakdown

Grade: A-

Huascar Brazoban has not fundamentally changed as a pitcher, suggesting that his stronger top-line this year is more a small sample size aberration than a true jump. Getting a guy like Zach Franklin who has arguably better stuff and is a decade younger as well as a recently interesting college arm in Gabe Davis is a very nice move. There’s a reason the Mets linked up with the White Sox for this deal and not, say, the Dodgers or Brewers. Read into that what you will.

Brooks Raley to the Phillies

Mets receive:
RHP Luke Gabrysh
OF John Spikerman

News – Breakdown

Grade: B

As stated above, this is a fine return for what Brooks Raley is. Throw another interesting trait arm in the dev machine and let it churn, and add a gamble on an elite defender to boot.

Ben Rortvedt to the Dodgers

Mets receive:
RHP Chayce McDermott

News

Grade: A

This deal didn’t get a breakdown, but it was one of the better deals the Mets made even if it was a small magnitude one. Rortvedt is a 4th catcher the Mets’ had no utility but who is familiar with the Dodgers’ staff and clubhouse. McDermott is a few years removed from being a top pitching prospect and still has some crazy spin capacity. The Dodgers don’t have the playing time available to give McDermott the runway to iron out his control, but the Mets clearly do and he’s already up in the major league bullpen. He’ll either figure it out and become a potentially valuable relief arm or he’ll walk 8 batters per 9 and help the Mets’ tank – a win either way, and it cost nothing.

Luke Weaver to the Pirates

Mets receive:
SS Sammy Stafura

News – Breakdown

Grade: B+

Nice bit of work by the Mets here, and kudos to them for being willing to pay down some of Weaver’s contract to get a better return. Stafura has serious contact concerns that really lower the floor, but has the power, speed, and defensive abilities – as well as recent minor league performance – where you can dream on a really exciting player. He’s in the right range of prospect quality for a reliever of Weaver’s quality too.

Clay Holmes and Tyrone Taylor to the Cubs

Mets receive:
3B Jefferson Rojas

News – Breakdown

Grade: B

Repeating a bit of what we covered in the breakdown, Jefferson Rojas is a decently rated prospect that I suspect is overhyped publicly. There is no standout tool here, nothing exciting to hang your hat on, and guys like that often cap out as second-division regulars. This is also a broadly appropriate return for what Clay Holmes and Tyrone Taylor (who remains a marginal platoon bat on an expiring deal, recent HR binge notwithstanding) are. Totally fine, no real drama in either direction.

Conclusion

The overarching theme of the Mets’ deals is that they broadly aligned with the value they should have received. Yes, that value was often a bit lower than what fans might’ve expected (who can blame us for having rose colored glasses at times?), but that doesn’t change the reality of how major league teams evaluate players.

There were certainly a couple nice wins. David Peterson returned a better prospect than he had any right to. Scooping up Chayce McDermott was a tidy bit of business. The Peralta return looks good. All of these wins were either marginal or in smaller magnitude deals, however, meaning the impact on the overall grade is not huge.

It is also important to consider the broader market context, against which the Mets’ returns again look fairly reasonable. Most starters and relievers of similar quality were traded for similar packages, and the Mets’ arguably did a bit better in spots by targeting less intelligent teams. There is one notable exception, that being the Cardinals receiving at least one and likely two top-100 prospects from the Brewers in exchange for Dustin May and JoJo Romero. Now, Dustin May is a more valuable starter than either Peralta or Holmes, but it’s worth wondering if the Mets could’ve snagged one of those top-100 names (Josiah Ragsdale in particular would’ve been very exciting) by packaging one of their lefty rental relievers with a starter and routing them to Milwaukee.

Dinging the Mets because of one outlier deal this deadline is a bit unfair, particularly when we don’t know what conversations were had behind the scenes or what preferences other teams had. However, the bottom line is that the Mets did not do anything particularly creative, nor did the score any huge wins. By and large, they got what they were supposed to.

Final Grade: B

Another day of minor league baseball is in the books. See the results below. Check out the previous day’s recap here.

AAA: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (58-52) lost 5-3 (BOX SCORE)

Alexander started for Sugar Land and went 4 innings allowing 3 runs. He was relieved by Weiss who allowed one unearned run over 2.1 innings. The offense got on the board in the 8th inning on a Delgado RBI double, Loperfido groundout and Whitcomb sac fly. The pen allowed one more run and the offense was quiet the rest of the way as Sugar Land fell 5-3.

Note: Teng has a 3.60 ERA in in Triple-A.

• Ray Delgado, SS: 2-for-4, R, 2B, RBI, SB
• Joey Loperfido, LF: 0-for-3, RBI, BB, SB
• Shay Whitcomb, DH: 0-for-3, RBI
• Marcus Brown, 2B: 1-for-3, R

• Jason Alexander, RHP: 4.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
• Ryan Weiss, RHP: 2.1 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
• Kai-Wei Teng, RHP: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K

AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (50-55) lost 9-4 (BOX SCORE)

Gillis started for the Hooks and pitched well allowing 2 runs over 5.2 innings while striking out 7. The offense got on the board in the third inning on a Holy solo home run. In the 5th they scored 2 runs on a Call RBI double and Hernandez RBI single. The pen struggled allowing 7 runs as the Drillers took the lead. The offense got one back in the 8th on a Whitaker RBI single but that was it as the Hooks fell 9-4.

Note: Gillis has a 3.57 ERA this season.

• Tyler Whitaker, RF: 2-for-4, RBI
• Cameron Sisneros, 1B: 1-for-3, R, 2B, BB
• Chase Call, LF: 1-for-4, R, 2B, RBI
• Max Holy, SS: 1-for-3, R, HR, RBI, BB
• Alberto Hernandez, 3B: 1-for-3, R, RBI, BB

• Brett Gillis, RHP: 5.2 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 7 K
• Hudson Leach, RHP: 0.2 IP, 0 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 0 K
• Railin Perez, RHP: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
• Alejandro Torres, RHP: 0.1 IP, 1 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 0 K
• Jose Guedez, RHP: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K

A+: Asheville Tourists (34-69) lost 14-7 (BOX SCORE)

Asheville got on the board in the first inning scoring 2 runs on an error. Oakes started for Asheville and went 3 innings allowing 5 runs. The pen struggled too allowing another 7 runs as the Dash opened up a big lead. Asheville got 4 runs back in the 7th on a wild pitch, Powell groundout, Frey sac fly and Monistere RBI single. Batista added an RBI single in the 9th but the deficit was too much to overcome as Asheville fell 14-7.

Note: Thomas has a .852 OPS this season.

• Justin Thomas, RF: 2-for-4, 2 R, 2B, BB
• Caden Powell, LF: 1-for-4, R, RBI, BB
• Ethan Frey, CF: 1-for-4, RBI
• Jack Moss, 1B: 0-for-3, R, RBI, 2 BB
• Nick Monistere, SS: 2-for-5, R, RBI
• Freuddy Batista, C: 1-for-3, R, RBI, 2 BB
• John Garcia, DH: 0-for-2, R, 2 BB

• Kellan Oakes, LHP: 3.0 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 4 BB, 2 K
• Raimy Rodriguez, RHP: 0.0 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
• Francisco Frias, RHP: 1.2 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
• Colby Langford, LHP: 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
• DJ Newman, RHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 0 K

A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (53-50) won 10-9 (BOX SCORE)

The Woodpeckers got on the board in the first on a Wakefield groundout. They got 2 more runs in the third inning on a Wakefield 2 run double. Beck got the start and went 4 innings allowing 3 runs. In the 5th, Wakefield added a sac fly. The pen allowed a few runs but in the 7th, the Woodpeckers rallied for 6 runs on a Cauro hit by pitch, Flores 2 run single, Fielder RBI single and Ramirez 2 run double. The pen was able to hold on as the Woodpeckers won 10-9.

Note: Luciano has a .889 OPS in Single-A this season.

• Waner Luciano, DH: 1-for-3, 3 R, 2 BB, 3 SB
• Josh Wakefield, CF: 1-for-3, R, 2B, 4 RBI
• Carlos Cauro, 1B: 0-for-4, R, RBI
• Arturo Flores, C: 1-for-4, R, 2 RBI, BB
• Jadyn Fielder, LF: 2-for-4, R, RBI
• German Ramirez, SS: 1-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI, SB
• Camilo Diaz, 2B: 1-for-4, R, SB
• Brandon Nigh, 3B: 1-for-4, R, SB

• Jagger Beck, RHP: 4.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 4 K
• Ryan Mathiesen, RHP: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
• John Carver, RHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K (WIN)
• Carson Estridge, RHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 0 K
• Mick Uebelhor, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
• Taz Butler, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K (SAVE)

Today’s minor league starters:

SL: Jackson Nezuh – 7:35 CT

CC: Nolan DeVos – 7:05 CT

AV: Nick Potter – 5:30 CT

FV: TBD – 5:35 CT

The Cincinnati Reds took down the A’s yesterday by the score of 6-5, in doing so wrapping up a series sweep at home. The win also dug them out of last place in the National League Central for the first time since the Republic of Sienna surrendered to the Florentine-Imperial army, and it clawed the club back to within 4.0 games of the final NL Wild Card spot.

They’ve won 5 of 6 series out of the gate after the All Star break. They have rediscovered the ridiculous form they had in 1-run games through the first electric month of the season. Elly De La Cruz is playing at an MVP level, Sal Stewart simply cannot miss, and the duo of Brady Singer and Rhett Lowder have gone from the afterthought 5th starters they performed like earlier in the season to viable, if not dependable upper-tier starting pitching options again. Even Tyler Stephenson has emerged as a legitimate force in the lineup again, the veteran backstop shrugging off weeks of trade rumors to blast his way back into a deserving role in the middle of the order.

The Reds are, quite simply, on a roll. All this despite being moderate sellers during this week’s trade deadline and realizing they’ll likely be without starter Hunter Greene for an extended period once again.

It is still a very imperfect club, to be sure. They’re also about to head out on a 6-game road trip, one that will test the very resolve they’ve displayed in the season’s second half thusfar.

Still, that’s a road trip where they could well find themselves with the upper hand. The Washington Nationals are up first, and they’ve stumbled to just a 2-8 record over their last 10 games while dealing starter Foster Griffin away at the deadline earlier in the week. Then, they head west to face a Chicago White Sox club that’s nominally a first place club (albeit in a sluggish AL Central), one that saw deadline addition Joey Bart hurt immediately after being acquired and who has also stumbled to just a 4-6 record out of the gate.

The Reds, as currently constructed, still aren’t a fully put together team. Thing is, there are still a ton of teams out there who can be described the very same way, yet the Reds have found a way to simply play a lot better baseball than the rest of them for several weeks in a row now. The results have been good enough to drag them back into the periphery of The Discussion, something that’s a direct byproduct of the playoff system being so damn inclusive these days.

I don’t expect this Reds club to go hang a banner this year. Let’s make that point quite clear. But if you can find a way to sneak into the playoffs at all, well, you technically have a chance to make a miracle happen, and the Reds have inched their way back to within screaming distance of the chance to do just that.

It’s been admirable, if nothing more, but the Cincinnati Reds have reeled us in just enough to break our hearts again, something that didn’t even seem on the table when they rolled into the All Star break at 9 games under .500 and buried in every standings available.

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We’re fading Texas Rangers starter Nathan Eovaldi in my Orioles vs. Rangers prediction tonight - he’s struggled mightily against this Baltimore lineup over the course of his career.

The Baltimore Orioles walk into Globe Life Field as massive +133 underdogs at Polymarket, and while I think they have an opportunity to win, we’re going to keep it safe on the run line (-163).

Let’s get right into my MLB picks for Friday, Aug. 7, and try to fatten that wallet before the weekend.

Who will win Orioles vs Rangers today: Orioles +1.5 (-168)

The Baltimore Orioles have had an underwhelming season against expectations, but they’re in a solid get-right spot against Nathan Eovaldi and the Texas Rangers in a series they have to win.

Eovaldi has regressed this year, and it won’t get any easier against the Orioles, who own a .316 xBA (.447 AVG) and .386 xwOBA against him across 43 plate appearances. If you’re looking for damage, Pete Alonso is a good place to start - he’s a career 3-for-4 against the righty with a .852 xSLG.

On the other side is Shane Baz, and while he has a limited sample size against the Rangers (19 at-bats), he’s dominated, limiting the offense to a .173 xBA and .267 xSLG, which includes a 2-for-10 line between Corey Seager and Wyatt Langford.

Baz is on an absolute heater, too, allowing just five earned runs across his last 20.1 innings pitched. With the Orioles just one game back of the Wild Card, expect them to bring their best.

Looking for more plays for today? Our Colby Marchio drops his MLB moneyline picks for the entire slate tonight.

COVERS INTEL: Nathan Eovaldi has a problem with Gunnar Henderson, too. The stud shortstop is 7-for-13 with an xBA of .368 against the righty over the course of his career. If the Orioles win, he'll be the reason why.

Orioles vs Rangers Over/Under pick: Under 7.5 runs (-120)

Baz is coming off his best outing of the season against a potent Phillies offense (6.1 IP, 1 ER), and should be able to stifle the bats of the Rangers, a team he’s found tremendous success against. 

When looking at the MLB trends, it’s easy to see why the Under is a must-bet today - it’s hit in all six games when the Orioles play AL West opponents, and is 6-1 in Baltimore’s last seven road games. 

Globe Life Field is one of the most pitcher-friendly ballparks in the bigs, coughing up just 94 long balls this year - good for 21st in baseball. Let’s sweep the board before the weekend, shall we?

Orioles vs Rangers weather

Globe Life Field is a climate-controlled dome - the weather won't have any impact on playing conditions tonight.

Orioles vs Rangers odds

• Moneyline: Orioles (+129) | Rangers (-142)
• Run line: Orioles +1.5 (-168) | Rangers -1.5 (+146)
• Over/Under: Over 7.5 (+114) | Under 7.5 (-120)

Orioles vs Rangers trend

All signs are pointing toward the Under today - it's hit in the Rangers' last four games against the American League East, and six of seven in the Orioles' last seven road games. Find more MLB betting trends for Orioles vs. Rangers.

How to watch Orioles vs Rangers and game info

Orioles vs Rangers latest injuries

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