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

Congratulations to Jack Wheeler, who has been named the #19 prospect in the 2026 LSB Midseason Community Prospect Rankings, receiving a little under one-quarter of the vote.

Our list so far:

1 — Sebastian Walcott

2 — Caden Scarborough

3 — Malcolm Moore

4 — A.J. Russell

5 — Yolfran Castillo

6 — Rafe Perich

7 — Dylan Dreiling

8 — Josh Owens

9 — Jose Corniell

10 — Dalton Pence

11 — David Davalillo

12 — Yeison Morrobel

13 — Hector Osorio

14 — Cam Cauley

15 — Seong-Jun Kim

16 — Winston Santos

17 — Paulino Santana

18 — Emiliano Teodo

19 — Jack Wheeler

Moving on…

Who is the #20 prospect in the Rangers system right now?

Cast your vote below…

Luis Castillo is no longer a Mariner, but his impact on the rotation – and the club itself – will be felt for years.

Castillo came to the Mariners in 2022 as part of a splashy trade deadline deal with the Reds, joining a staff with established veterans Robbie Ray and Marco Gonzales, as well as two of the Mariners’ bright young pitching prospects, Logan Gilbert and George Kirby. (For a more comprehensive look back at Castillo’s tenure, make sure to read Zach’s ode to La Piedra from yesterday.) Ray and Gonzales would move on and be replaced by other, younger faces from the Mariners’ prospect pipeline; Castillo remained, the lone veteran presence in the rotation, and one of the few veterans in a clubhouse that was getting younger and more homegrown each year.

Castillo, 33, often said that he didn’t feel that much older than the other pitchers, but they unmistakably looked at him as a role model, the unofficial leader of the rotation. And Castillo’s light didn’t just touch the starters; coming in as a big-leaguer with significant service time, already a multi-year All-Star, made him an inspiration to younger players, who saw him as someone who’d already gotten where they wanted to go. With a warm, humorous demeanor and fluency in both Spanish and English, Castillo was easy for any player in the clubhouse to approach.

“He was the vet of the staff, and everybody could always lean on him if they needed to, and he was always willing to help,” said Bryce Miller, who was especially close with Castillo (the two shared both a bone-dry sense of humor and an interest in fishing, Castillo even promising to pick Miller up in Texas on his boat for a fishing trip – “now we’ll have to line that up in the off-season,” huffed Miller). “I leaned on him a lot.”

Andrés Muñoz, who was in the midst of his first full big-league season when Castillo arrived, acknowledged the significance of having another native Spanish-speaking pitcher to bounce ideas off of, but said Castillo’s influence ran much deeper than just a shared mother tongue.

“It wasn’t only that he was a Latin player, but he had almost ten years in the big leagues,” Muñoz said pregame on Sunday after news of the trade broke. “So that tells you a lot about how much he knows about baseball and all the things he’s doing to be consistent for so many years.

My first thought was ‘follow the leader.’ For me, he is a leader, and that is why [the trade] hurts a lot.”

Every player in the clubhouse – including Castillo himself – recognizes that this is the business side of baseball, one of the prices paid for the privilege of playing the game. That doesn’t lessen the sting for his fellow pitchers, even as they’ve grown from greenhorns to more experienced big-leaguers themselves, as they’re better acquainted than anyone with the exceptional steadfastness of Luis Castillo.

“He’s the best, man,” said George Kirby postgame, coming off a seven-inning shutout performance against the Twins that would make prime La Piedra proud. “The way he carries himself every day, he always has a smile on his face. That’s something I really admire, something I wish I could do a little more often.

I always looked forward to seeing Luis any day because he always made you feel better.”

Logan Gilbert concurred with Kirby, noting that Castillo was seemingly “always in a good mood” – something borne out in his final press conference, when he entered the Mariners interview room for the last time with his customary, musical “helloooooo everybodyyyy” that was the hallmark of the start of all of his media sessions.

“I was actually talking to my wife about this on the phone last night,” said Gilbert. “It’s so rare to have somebody where the outing never dictated his mood. The game, the season, where we’re at, what’s going on – if everyone else is panicking, he’s not. Like he just knows that everything’s going to be all right somehow. There’s a lot to be said for that. That’s really rare in this game.”

It’s not surprising to hear younger pitchers talk with envy about Castillo’s steadfastness and composure. That sense of ease is a separating quality at this level; frustratingly, it’s also something that becomes more difficult to attain the more it’s grasped after.

Not that Castillo didn’t try to impart those lessons on the younger pitchers. While leading by example, he also offered specific guidance, tailored to each pitcher’s personality. He encouraged Kirby to put down his Furious George persona after a bad outing and appreciate the moment; for the hyper-cerebral Gilbert, to not think so much; for Miller, master tinkerer and lover of the pitching lab, to not change things in response to a poor outing. He provided immediate direct assessments, both verbal and nonverbal, to Muñoz, who values peer feedback.

“He would tell you the truth right away,” said Muñoz. “He wasn’t going to go around the thing. As soon as he sees something that is wrong, he’s going to tell you, and that’s what I like the most about him. He didn’t go around anything. He would just go, hey, you’re missing this, you’re doing this wrong. He saw me throw in the bullpen a lot of times and I would just have to look at him – I’d be throwing a bullpen, and miss a pitch or miss something, and I’d just look at him and I’d know he was going to tell me something. Or just by the way that he’d look at me, I already knew what I had to do. That’s the kind of leader that other pitchers need.”

Gilbert had a specific anecdote summing up Castillo’s hands-on leadership.

“I think back to – I threw a bullpen in Minnesota two years ago, probably, one of my famous freakout bullpens where it didn’t go well. I’m panicking, trying to change everything, and threw too many pitches.”

In the midst of his spiral, Gilbert described Castillo watching the bullpen from the corner of the bullpen, amused, before taking the young pitcher aside afterwards.

“He told me, first of all, like why are you doing this?,” recounted Gilbert. “He said, ‘don’t change anything, don’t think too much, and don’t try so hard.‘ And I’m like, how did he just make it that simple that quickly? It seems like such a simple thing to say, but I’ll remember that the rest of my career. That’s stuff that I actually try to live by on the mound, in my practice. He just says it at the right time. He just has the perfect awareness, perfect feel for the situation.”

The old baseball cliché is that you can’t teach feel. But that didn’t stop Luis Castillo from trying, every day, over his Mariners tenure, from living as a model of consistency on the mound and in the clubhouse to showing what that looks like in interpersonal relationships, offering his time and his talent and his wisdom to anyone who might seek it.

“That is the thing I learned the most from him,” said Muñoz. “It doesn’t matter how your outing is going, you have to stay the same. He was the perfect example for everybody. And I want to follow in his footsteps.”

“He knows how to relate to everybody,” said Gilbert. “Pitchers, hitters, American guys, Latin guys. He just related to everybody.”

“I think that’s a really rare thing to see, especially on the pitching side of things. He did more for me and other people than fans will ever realize.”

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 (57-50) won 4-3 (BOX SCORE)

Pecko started for Sugar Land and went 5.1 innings allowing 3 runs, though he also struck out 9 and generated 20 swings and misses. The offense got on the board in the 4th inning on a Ferreras solo home run and Delgado RBI single. The bullpen was great keeping the scored 3-2 going to the 9th. In the bottom of the 9th, Sugar Land walked it off again on a Thaiss 2 run single as they won 4-3.

Note: Ferreras is hitting .331 in Triple-A.

• Pascanel Ferreras, DH: 1-for-4, R, HR, RBI
• Joey Loperfido, RF: 1-for-3, R, 2B, BB
• Shay Whitcomb, 3B: 1-for-4, SB
• Ray Delgado, 2B: 2-for-4, R, RBI
• Jake Meyers, CF: 4-for-4, R
• Matt Thaiss, C: 1-for-4, 2 RBI

• Ethan Pecko, RHP: 5.1 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 9 K
• Kai-Wei Teng, RHP: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
• Alimber Santa, RHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
• Miguel Ullola, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K (WIN)

AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (48-54) lost 4-3 (BOX SCORE)

Hicks got the start for the Hooks and pitched well allowing 1 run over 5.1 innings. In the 7th, Leach allowed 3 runs as Frisco extended their lead. The Hooks got on the board in the 8th inning on a Janek RBI single, Call walk and Holy walk. Unfortunately that was it from the offense as the Hooks fell 4-3.

Note: Janek is hitting .471 over his last nine games.

• Yamal Encarnacion, 2B: 1-for-5, R
• Walker Janek, DH: 3-for-5, R, 2B, RBI, SB
• Trevor Austin, LF: 1-for-4, BB
• Jason Schiavone, C: 1-for-3, R, 2 BB, SB
• Cameron Sisneros, 1B: 1-for-2, 2 BB
• Chase Call, RF: 0-for-3, RBI, BB, SB
• Max Holy, SS: 0-for-3, RBI, BB, 2 SB

• James Hicks, RHP: 5.1 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
• Jose Guedez, RHP: 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
• Hudson Leach, RHP: 0.1 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 0 K
• Amilcar Chirinos, RHP: 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
• Alejandro Torres, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K

A+: Asheville Tourists (33-68) lost 11-7 (BOX SCORE)

Asheville got on the board in the first inning on a Thomas solo home run. After the Drive scored 2 in the third, Powell responded with a 2 run home run. Howard got the start but struggled allowing 5 runs over 3.2 innings. Asheville reclaimed the lead in the 5th inning on a Huezo walk and Walker 3 run double. The pen struggled down the stretch allowing 6 runs and the offense was quiet the rest of the way as Asheville fell 11-7.

Note: Neyens has a .877 OPS in High-A.

• Justin Thomas, RF: 1-for-5, R, HR, RBI
• Xavier Neyens, DH: 1-for-3, 2 R, 2 BB
• Caden Powell, LF: 1-for-4, 2 R, HR, 2 RBI, BB
• Anthony Huezo, CF: 1-for-3, R, RBI, 2 BB, 2 SB
• Kyle Walker, SS: 1-for-5, 2B, 3 RBI, SB
• Zach Daudet, 3B: 0-for-1, 3 BB, 2 SB
• John Garcia, C: 2-for-4, R

• Dylan Howard, RHP: 3.2 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 5 K
• Raimy Rodriguez, RHP: 2.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
• Jackson Wells, RHP: 2.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
• Francisco Frias, RHP: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 0 K

A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (52-48) won 5-3 (BOX SCORE)

The Woodpeckers got on the board in the second inning on a double play and a run on a double steal. They got another run in the third on a Sierra sac fly. In the 4th, Luciano added a solo home run. Weber got the start and went 5 innings allowing 2 runs. They picked up another run in the 8th when a run scored on a throw to second base. Smith closed it out allowing 1 run over 4 innings as the Woodpeckers won 5-3.

Note: Weber has a 3.18 ERA this season.

• Waner Luciano, 3B: 1-for-3, R, HR, RBI, BB
• Kevin Alvarez, DH: 0-for-2, R, 2 BB
• Juan Sierra, RF: 0-for-3, RBI
• Luis De Leon, 1B: 2-for-3, R, BB
• Carlos Cauro, C: 1-for-2, R, 2 BB, SB

• Charlie Weber, RHP: 5.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K (WIN)
• Aubrey Smith, RHP: 4.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K (SAVE)

Today’s minor league starters:

SL: OFF

CC: OFF

AV: OFF

FV: OFF

The Mets have reportedly agreed to a trade with division rival Phillies that will send lefty reliever Brooks Raley to their bullpen in exchange for a pair of prospects who were both drafted in 2024.

Raley has been with the Mets since the 2023 season, when he was traded from the Tampa Bay Rays for fellow lefty Keyshawn Askew. He excelled in 2023, but after requiring Tommy John surgery in 2024, he elected free agency. He was then re-signed by the Mets, who oversaw the remainder of his rehab. His return in July 2025 was electric for the Mets, as he became an elite and trusted piece of the Mets bullpen. He has continued to dominate this year, as his is ERA of 1.96, his WHIP is 1.09, his FIP is 3.10, and his K/9 is 8.71. Unfortunately, Raley also could be a free agent at the end of the season, so this move was somewhat inevitable.

In return for Raley, the Phillies will send John Spikerman, an outfielder, and Luke Gabrysh, a right-handed pitcher, to the Mets. Neither player is ranked in the MLB Pipeline, but the Phillies consider Spikerman their No. 27 prospect. Spikerman is twenty-three years old and was a third-round pick out of Oklahoma in 2024. He has notably stolen 55 bases during his time in the minors, and has only been caught stealing four times. He is still in High-A with the Phillies.

Gabrysh is also twenty-three years old, and was drafted out St. Joseph’s. He is not ranked for the Phillies. He is 3-8 this season, with an ERA of 5.18 in 68.1 innings pitched. He has started 17 of his 18 games pitched. However, you may or may not have heard Gabrysh’s name before, due to accomplishing the rare feat of striking out four hitters in the first inning against the Brooklyn Cyclones.

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The Texas Rangers head into tonight's series opener against the San Francisco Giants as a -117 home favorite at Globe Life Field, with first pitch scheduled for 8:05 p.m. ET. 

However, my Giants vs. Rangers predictions and MLB picks expect Logan Webb to silence Texas, while the San Fran offense will provide him with run support. 

Who will win Giants vs Rangers today: Giants moneyline (+105)

The San Francisco Giants hand Logan Webb the baseball this evening. He's posted a 2.51 FIP across his last two outings, and he hasn't allowed a single homer during that span. 

Webb will face a Texas Rangers lineup that's is in very poor form, posting an 84 wRC+ over their previous seven contests.

Cal Quantrill, meanwhile, has compiled a 5.15 FIP over his last five appearances, and his FIP also sits at 5.18 at home this season. While the Giants are in the midst of a three-game skid, they're swinging it a lot better than Texas, carrying a 104 wRC+ over the last week. 

There could be runs on both sides, but Webb gives San Francisco the cleaner starting-pitching profile, and the Giants’ recent offensive form gives them enough support. Our Colby Marchio has Rafael Devers helping the Giants' cause with his home run props today.

I'll play this pick down to -110. 

COVERS INTEL: Logan Webb has held opponents to a 28.4% hard-hit rate over the last month, compared to his season average of 39.2%. 

Giants vs Rangers Over/Under pick: Under 8.5 (-121)

This total sits at 8.5, and the Under looks like the better angle. Neither starter is completely untouchable, but Webb’s ability to limit the long ball gives San Francisco a strong run-prevention base against a Rangers lineup that's been cold recently.

Texas has been better offensively at home with a 106 wRC+ this season, so the Rangers are not a complete fade. However, the Giants bullpen gives this Under a strong path, posting a 2.78 FIP over its last 25.1 innings without allowing a home run.

The Rangers bullpen is more vulnerable with a 4.21 xERA over the last week, but unless Texas wakes up offensively, this matchup has a clearer path to stay Under 8.5.

I'll play this pick up to -130. 

Giants vs Rangers weather

Weather looks hot and dry at Globe Life Field tonight, with clear skies and temperatures falling from the upper 90s into the upper 80s. Winds should be light, and there's no rain concern. If the roof is open, the heat could help carry, but conditions are neutral if closed.

Giants vs Rangers odds

• Moneyline: Giants +113 | Rangers -117
• Run line: Giants -1.5 (+170) | Rangers +1.5 (-178)
• Over/Under: Over 8.5 (+113) | Under 8.5 (-117)

Giants vs Rangers trend

The Giants have cashed the team total Under in 21 of their last 35 games for +5.65 units and a 14% ROI. Find more MLB betting trends for Giants vs. Rangers.

How to watch Giants vs Rangers and game info

Giants vs Rangers latest injuries

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A fresh week is in front of us as we look to back a pair of players and fade a pitcher on Monday's MLB slate.

Here are my three favorite MLB player props for August 3.

Best MLB player props today

Player	Pick	Odds
Brandon Lowe	Over 1.5 hits + runs + RBI	-108
Aaron Nola	Over 2.5 earned runs	+104
Brandon Pfaadt	Under 4.5 strikeouts	-158

Brandon Lowe Over 1.5 hits + runs + RBI (-108)

First off, this is a complete misprice. Win or lose, this is a steal for Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Brandon Lowe to go over 1.5 hits + runs + RBI.

For starters, this marks Lowe's 106th elite rating on Batters-Box. Over the previous 105 elite ratings across the last three seasons, he has cleared this prop 62.86% of the time. Even more impressive, in 47 road elite ratings during that span, he's surpassed it 70.21% of the time. Those are trends I simply can't ignore.

Lowe enters Monday with one of the hottest bats in the Pirates lineup, batting .310 with a .517 SLG, .850 OPS, a 46.5% hard hit rate, and a 9.3% barrel rate over his last 60 at-bats against right-handed pitching.

He now draws Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Brandon Sproat, who has struggled against left-handed hitters this season. Over his last 30 plate appearances against lefties, he's allowed a 42.1% hard-hit rate, 15.8% barrel rate, and 68.5% elevation rate. Those hitters have also produced a .453 xSLG, .390 xwOBA, and .240 ISO during that stretch.

There are plenty of reasons to like Lowe tonight, but seeing him clear this prop in more than 70% of his road elite ratings is the stat that's toughest to ignore. I'd play this all the way to -125.

• Time: 7:40 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: BREW, SNP

Aaron Nola Over 2.5 rarned runs (+104)

No Luis Garcia Jr., no problem.

The Washington Nationals enter Monday with five hitters carrying either an elite or strong rating on Batters-Box, giving them the highest-rated offense on the slate. They will face Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola, who is the second-lowest-rated pitcher of the day and owns poor matchup ratings in wOBA, ISO, and hard contact allowed.

Despite a tough offensive week, I'm still confident the highest rated offense on the board can get the job done against a pitcher with a 6.70 home ERA this season.

It gets even better. Over the last 30 left-handed hitters he's faced, Nola has allowed a 70.8% hard-hit rate, 16.7% barrel rate, and a 75% elevation rate. Those hitters have also produced a .440 xBA, .817 xSLG, and .509 xwOBA. That's a recipe for disaster against a lineup with this much upside. All five of those highly rated bats will bats from the left side this evening. 

If you're hesitant about the 2.5 earned runs, the Nationals' first five team total is just 1.5 at -150. Asking the highest-rated offense on today's slate to score two runs in the first five innings feels like an insult, regardless of the outcome. 

• Time: 6:40 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: NATS, NBCS-Philadelphia

Brandon Pfaadt Under 4.5 Strikeouts (-158)

Despite the complete turnaround from Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Brandon Pfaadt over his last five outings, he's still not a strikeout pitcher. That's exactly why I love the under on his strikeout prop against the San Diego Padres tonight.

On the season, theheavy ground-ball pitcher owns just a 15.91% strikeout rate, and over his last three starts, that number has dropped even further to 10.39%.

Pfaadt also owns the lowest average strikeout rate on Batters-Box's current season ratings. Now he draws a Padres lineup that doesn't feature a single projected hitter above the league average strikeout rate.

Against right-handed pitching, San Diego has just three hitters above a 22% strikeout rate over their last 60 plate appearances. As a team, they've maintained a strikeout rate below 20% across their last 21 games.

Despite the heavy juice, I think this is a fantastic way to close out the night. I'd play this to -160.

• Time: 9:40 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: ARID, SDPA

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Hi there!

As you know, Thomas Smith is away on vacation.

To keep this feature going, I’m going to post simply the WPA numbers and plays of the game, and a poll so you can vote on your choice for Player of the Game. Thomas will update the Rizzo Award standings when he returns.

Game 112, July 31: Yankees 2, Cubs 1 (63-49)

Reminder: Heroes and Goats are determined by WPA scores and are in no way subjective.

THREE HEROES:

• Superhero: Pete Crow-Armstrong (.184). 0-1, 3 BB
• Hero: Michael Busch (.154). 1-3, RBI
• Sidekick: Ryan Rolison (.134). 1.1 IP, H, 2 K

Rolison helped keep the game close for more than an inning.

THREE GOATS:

• Billy Goat: Alex Bregman (-.354). 0-4, K
• Goat: Dansby Swanson (-.244). 0-4, K
• Kid: Ian Happ (-.188). 0-3, BB, K

Those are relatively large negative WPA numbers from three players, all of whom came up with chances to drive in runs and didn’t do so.

WPA Play of the Game: José Caballero’s two-run homer in the third (.179).

Cubs Play of the Game: PCA’s walk in the eighth (.098).

Pedro Ramirez’s ninth-inning walk was just behind that at .096, but the Cubs could not score him.

Up next: The Dodgers come to town for a three-game series. Matthew Boyd throws the series opener against L.A. lefty Justin Wrobleski.

Time to win a series.

In their desperation to revamp both their sagging offense and a pitching staff gasping for air, the Philadelphia Phillies fired their biggest trade deadline shot early on Monday, Aug. 3, acquiring three-time batting champion Luis Arraez from the San Francisco Giants.

The cost was significant: Right-hander Ramon Marquez was the Phillies’ No. 4 consensus prospect and likely the highest one they’d move, given the perceived unavailability of first-year pro right-hander Gage Wood and injured shortstop Aidan Miller.

Yet the Phillies need an adrenaline boost after losing 10 of their first 13 games out of the All-Star break. How did they and the Giants do in this deal? Let’s explore:

Luis Arraez trade details

Phillies receive: INF Luis Arraez, RHP Caleb Kilian

Giants receive: RHP Ramon Marquez, RHP Marty Gair

Phillies trade grade: A-

What a pivot.

Presumed to be hunting for a right-handed hitting outfielder, the Phillies got fed up with that narrow and grim market and instead snagged Arraez, who is having an All-Star season and has revived himself as a Gold Glove-caliber second baseman.

Arraez, batting .324 with an .801 OPS this season, greatly diversifies a Phillies offense too often reliant on the home run and prone to dead spots when sluggers Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper are misfiring.

Paired with an offensively resurgent Trea Turner near the top of the order, Arraez provides an ideal lefty-hitting complement to Turner. He can also fold in near the middle of the lineup – Arraez often batted cleanup for the Giants – and add protection for Schwarber and Harper while assuming a run-producing position in the order.

Offensively, it’s an ideal fit. Defensively, less so.

There’s a reason the Phillies wanted a right fielder, as they’ve trotted out Gabriel Rincones Jr., Derek Hill, Bryan De La Cruz and others in an effort to replace Adolis Garcia, who’s out for the season.

Now, the Phillies have a bit of a logjam in the infield and at DH.

Would Bryce Harper be serious about grabbing his outfielder’s glove and going to right field, allowing Arraez to play first? Does this signal fewer at-bats against right-handers for third baseman Alec Bohm, with Bryson Stott sliding to the hot corner while Arraez mans second?

That seems the likeliest scenario, with Bohm batting .226 with a 73 adjusted OPS. And Arraez, thanks to extesnive work with Giants coach and infield guru Ron Washington, has posted a career-best 11 outs above average at second base this season.

Kilian gives the Phillies bullpen another arm, certainly, and perhaps he’ll find greater consistency away from the toxic fire that is the Giants relief corps. He’s saved eight games but has a 1.33 WHIP. At the least, he takes pressure off their seventh- and eighth-inning arms such as Jonathan Bowlan and Orion Kerkering.

Giants trade grade: B+

Buster Posey needs a few wins on the board to prop up his disastrous tenure as president of baseball operations as the Giants pivot toward selling rather than contending. Adding Marquez is a nice start.

Marquez, along with first-round picks Jackson Flora and prep left-hander Jackson Bolemon, greatly bolsters the club’s pitching inventory in just one month. Marquez, 20, is in his second full pro season and has reached high Class A Jersey Shore, striking out 93 in 59 innings across two levels. He features a 96 mph fastball and decent changeup, which he deploys to produce a 165-36 strikeout-walk ratio as a pro. (He’s also hit 13 batters).

Gair, 23, was a 13the-round pick out of Florida Southwestern State College in 2023. He missed the 2023 and 2024 seasons but has come back to strike out 66 in 36 innings out of the bullpen at two Class A levels.

A busy Sunday in the Dodgers minor leagues.

Player of the day

Ontario first baseman Easton Shelton continued to run roughshod through the California League, with another three-run home run on Sunday, to go along with two walks and a single.

Shelton leads the Cal League with 32 home runs, tied for second-most among all minor leaguers and 15 more home runs than any other player in the Cal League.

Triple-A Oklahoma City

Three runs in the second inning was all the Comets needed to beat the Las Vegas Aviators (A’s), behind Christian Romero and four relievers. Noah Miller singled home the first run.

Romero struck out five in five scoreless innings in Oklahoma City’s home shutout win over Las Vegas. That snapped a string in which the right-hander allowed 13 runs in 13 1/3 innings over his last three starts.

Ronan Kopp got the final four outs, including two strikeouts, for the save.

Double-A Tulsa

Giving up eight runs in an inning is almost never good, but giving up two eight-run innings in a row is, well, hopeless. The Drillers scored the first six runs on Sunday but the Northwest Arkansas Naturals (Royals) scored the next nineteen in a romp over Tulsa.

Josue De Paula hit his third home run in two days, and his 20th of the season. Combined with his 28 stolen bases this year, this is De Paula’s first 20-20 season.

High-A Great Lakes

Weather wreaked havoc over the weekend for the Loons, who completed one suspended game on Sunday and then had another game suspended against the Fort Wayne TinCaps (Padres) due to wet grounds.

The Loons were already down 7-0 after an inning and a half in the game that was resumed from Saturday, so that was kind of a lost cause. Great Lakes lost the game by seven, with each team adding five more runs on Sunday. Logan Wagner homered and doubled in the loss.

In the planned seven-inning nightcap, Fort Wayne led 6-2 after four innings when the game was suspended. It’s unclear if or when the game might be completed.

Class-A Ontario

Shelton and second baseman Javier Herrera led a Tower Buzzers offensive onslaught to beat the Fresno Grizzlies (Rockies).

Herrera hit a three-run home run of his own, walked twice, singled, and scored three times.

Transactions

Triple-A: Pitcher River Ryan was traded to the Tigers in the Tarik Skubal deal. Ryan will remain on the injured list, now with Toledo in the International League. Charlie Barnes is back for his third go-around with the Dodgers this season, signing a minor league deal, and he got two outs in relief for Oklahoma City on Sunday.

Double-A: Outfielder Zyhir Hope was traded to the Tigers, and is now with Erie in the Eastern League. Pitcher Roque Gutierrez was activated after five days on the temporary inactive list, and allowed seven runs while recording two outs.

High-A: Pitcher Brady Smith was traded to the Tigers, and remains in the Midwest League with West Michigan.

Class-A: Pitchers Spencer Green and Wuillians Herrera joined Ontario from the Arizona Complex League.

Sunday scores

• Oklahoma City 3, Las Vegas 0
• Northwest Arkansas 19, Tulsa 7
• Fort Wayne 12, Great Lakes 5 (resumption of suspended game)
• Fort Wayne 6, Great Lakes 2 (suspended, top 5th)
• Ontario 15, Fresno 6

The week ahead

• Oklahoma City at Salt Lakes (Angels)
• Tulsa at Corpus Christi (Astros)
• Great Lakes at Dayton (Reds)
• Ontario at Lake Elsinore (San Diego)

So sell off a starting pitcher one day, buy a starting pitcher the next.

The Jays have picked up 27-year-old José Soriano from the Angels.

José Soriano is a very good pitcher, and much younger than Kevin Gausman. He has a 3.29 ERA in 22 starts this year, with a 2.7 bWAR. Batters are hitting .217/.311/.321 against him. He’s a ground ball pitcher, but has 127 strikeouts in 123 innings. He’s also leading the league with 57 walks.

And he’s under team control through the 2028 season.

It gives the Jays another top of the rotation starter to go with Dylan Cease (and Trey Yesavage) for the next couple of years at least.

Going to the Angels are:

• Arjun Nimmala, who the Jays were talking up over the last couple of years. There was a Sportsnet profile showing him going to India. He was number 2 on our prospect list before the season and was doing well as a 20-year-old in New Hampshire, hitting .279/.355/.451, after having a poor second half of the 2025 season. It might suggest the Jays think a lot of Jo Jo Parker. Or, Nimmala is just who they needed to have in the deal to get Soriano.
• Eddie Micheletti Jr., an outfielder, who was hitting .251/.347/.454 at age 24 in New Hampshire.
• Angel Rivero, a 19-year-old pitcher, who has a 2.36 ERA in the Florida Coast League with 52 strikeouts and 23 walks in 42 innings.

Welcome to the Jays José. We hope you can win a lot of 2-1, 1-0 type games.

Jays, if you could wait a little later in the day to make these moves for us bloggers who are in western Canada, I would appreciate it. But thanks for the fun trade.

Editor's note: Follow along for live rumors, trades and news during MLB's trade deadline day on Monday, Aug. 3.

In a deft bit of trade deadline buying and selling, the Toronto Blue Jays are acquiring right-hander Jose Soriano from the Los Angeles Angels for three prospects, less than a day after trading franchise stalwart Kevin Gausman to the Chicago Cubs.

A baseball official with direct knowledge of the deal confirmed the Blue Jays are acquiring Soriano. The person spoke to USA TODAY Sports on condition of anonymity because the deal, first reported by ESPN, has not yet been announced.

In snagging the coveted Soriano, who has two years of club control beyond this one, the Blue Jays ensure their championship window remains pried open for the next two seasons. He also provides them a boost should their hopes of contending – they enter play Monday, Aug. 3 4 ½ games out of a wild card spot – greatly appreciate in the season's final two months.

The cost was not insignificant: Top 100 shortstop prospect Arjun Nimmala, outfielder Eddie Michelletti and right-hander Angel Rivero. It also signals the Angels are strongly pivoting to selling under new GM John Mozeliak.

Soriano, 27, has struck out 127 in 123 innings this season and has a 3.72 ERA in 72 career starts.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Blue Jays acquire Angels ace Jose Soriano, filling rotation hole for two seasons

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The Los Angeles Dodgers hope to get back on track as they head to Wrigley Field for a three-game series with the Chicago Cubs.

Despite coming off an ignominious sweep, Dave Roberts' squad is -117 on the moneyline. See why I'm buying the dip with my Dodgers vs. Cubs predictions and MLB picks for Monday, August 3.

Who will win Dodgers vs Cubs today: Dodgers moneyline (-121)

This line is artificially short for two main reasons: the Los Angeles Dodgers' poor form — they've dropped five of their last seven games — and the Chicago Cubs' dominance against left-handed pitching.

I'm not holding the weekend sweep against L.A. as it came at the hands of the Red Sox, who are on a historical winning streak. It's difficult for markets to adjust to such an overperforming opponent.

Chicago's league-best 119 wRC+ against southpaws is great on the surface, but Justin Wrobleski's reverse splits (.213/.252/.322 against right-handed hitters) should offset that concern against a lineup projected to feature at least seven righties.

I'd lay L.A. up to -125.

COVERS INTEL: Part of the Cubs' success against left-handed pitching comes from their ability to draw walks at a 10.7% rate. Wrobleski can mitigate that concern with his 4.7% walk rate and 113 Location+.

Dodgers vs Cubs Over/Under pick: Under 7.5 (+109)

The winds might be minor (5-7 mph), but they're blowing in toward the third-base side. With two effective starting pitchers on the bump, I'm betting on a low-scoring game. 

Matthew Boyd has been on fire, allowing just two earned runs in his last 20 IP. The Cubs have played to the Under in four of his last five starts, and he'll have a potent bullpen behind him (2.41 ERA, 3.38 FIP since the All-Star break).

Wrobleski has exceeded expectations all season en route to a 2.88 ERA and 0.96 WHIP, which are fantastic numbers no matter how you look at them. By no accident, the Boys in Blue are 5-9 O/U in his last 14 starts.

I'd play this down to +100.

Dodgers vs Cubs weather

Dodgers vs Cubs odds

• Moneyline: Dodgers -117 | Cubs +113
• Run line: Dodgers -1.5 (+144) | Cubs +1.5 (-150)
• Over/Under: Over 7.5 (-117) | Under 7.5 (+113)

Dodgers vs Cubs trend

The Dodgers are 5-2 in Justin Wrobleski's last seven starts. Find more MLB betting trends for Dodgers vs. Cubs.

How to watch Dodgers vs Cubs and game info

Dodgers vs Cubs latest injuries

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Teams looking to improve or sell of for the future, must complete trades by today’s deadline at 5 p.m. CT.

The Royals made a move early by trading outfielder Lane Thomas to the Atlanta Braves on Saturday for pitchers Lucas Braun and Carter Holton. Reliever John Schreiber could also draw interest, as contenders are always looking for bullpen help.

But the Royals reportedly seem less inclined to move players who they feel can help them win in 2027, like Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha. J.J. Picollo told reporters it would take a large return to get them to part with either of the two rotation fixtures.

“If you’re dealing from a position of depth, then that’s a different story,” said Picollo, referring to a rotation that will be without Cole Ragans (UCL repair), Ryan Bergert (UCL reconstruction) and potentially Stephen Kolek (right flexor strain) through a significant portion of next season.

“If we end up moving another starter, another bullpen piece, now we have a lot of work to do in the offseason,” Picollo said. “We don’t mind the work, but then there’s the reality of how much can you actually get done?”

USA Today’s Bob Nightengale writes that teams have had interest in the veteran pitchers.

The Kansas City Royals have received a ton of interest in starters Michael Wacha and Seth Lugo, but they rebuffed all offers, believing they need them to compete next year.

ESPN’s Jeff Passan writes the team is not looking to rebuild.

Unless Kansas City’s tack changes, it will hold onto Wacha and fellow starter Seth Lugo…The Royals will seek a John Schreiber landing spot. Anything else is a matter of their appetite to yield team control. Because if they do, Daniel Lynch IV would join the top tier of available left-handed relievers.

The Royals don’t want to rebuild. They believe in their core of Bobby Witt Jr., Jac Caglianone, Maikel Garcia, Carter Jensen and Vinnie Pasquantino. Complementing it with pitching is the goal, but it’s one this deadline will struggle to supply. Limited inventory and limited quality tend to equal limited return.

MLB.com reporter Mark Feinsand also doesn’t expect the Royals to trade anything more than their rentals.

The Royals are surefire sellers this week, but don’t look for Kansas City to trade away any of its controllable players.

According to sources, the Royals are open to moving their expiring contracts, most notably reliever John Schreiber and outfielders Lane Thomas and Starling Marte, but players with control beyond 2026 – namely pitchers Michael Wacha, Seth Lugo, Daniel Lynch IV and Alex Lange – will likely remain in Kansas City after the Trade Deadline has passed.

“They’re trying to contend in 2027 and they think those guys are part of that equation,” a rival executive said. “It doesn’t seem like they’re going to move any of them. Maybe one of the relievers, but that would be it.”

Here are the trades that have taken place so far:

• The Nationals traded Curtis Mead to the Red Sox for Connelly Early.
• The Angels traded Logan O’Hoppe and Chase Silseth to the Rangers for Angel Arredondo.
• The Mets traded A.J. Minter to the Twins for Billy Amick and Bruin Agbayani.
• The Orioles traded Dean Kremer to the Twins for Jhomnardo Reyes.
• The Guardians traded Bo Naylor and Codi Heuer to the Brewers for Blake Perkins and Craig Yoho.
• The Mariners traded Luis Castillo to the White Sox for Seranthony Dominguez, Nolan Jones, and Boston Smith.
• The Yankees traded Camilo Doval to the Pirates for Omar Alfonzo and Luis Cruz.
• The Tigers traded Tarik Skubal to the Dodgers for Zyhir Hope, River Ryan, and Brady Smith.
• The Mets traded Freddy Peralta to the Rays for Aidan Smith, Emilien Pitre and Gary Gill Hill.
• The Blue Jays traded Kevin Gausman to the Cubs for Brett Bateman and Ty Southisene.
• The Nationals traded Luis Garcia Jr. to the Yankees for Yovanny Cruz, Jack Cebert, Ben Grable, and Jake Bird.
• The Giants traded Tyler Mahle to the Braves for Anthony Molina.
• The Angels traded Jose Soriano to the Blue Jays for Arjun Nimmala, Eddie Micheletti, and Angel Rivero.
• The Mets traded Huascar Brazobán to the White Sox for Gabe Davis and Zach Franklin.
• The Giants traded Luis Arraez and Caleb Kilian to the Phillies for Ramon Marquez and Marty Gair
• The Mets traded Brooks Raley to the Phillies for Luke Gabrysh and John Spikerman

We will keep this updated throughout the day!

The New York Yankees needed a jolt of energy offensively, and they got one by acquiring Luis García Jr. from the Nationals. It’s a deal with several layers because the uncertainty surrounding how they’ll handle García is directly tied to just how much of this breakout campaign he can carry over.

Originally a middle infielder, and not a particularly good one defensively, Garcia permanently moved to a first-base role in 2026 as the Nationals underwent some structural changes in their organization. As luck would have it, his production with the bat has ticked up in such a way to justify the move, currently leading the National League in slugging percentage at .560, already having blown past his career high in homers with 23.

Initially, García’s usage could be as straightforward as a platoon with Paul Goldschmidt at first-base/designated hitter. Yes, even in the middle of this highly productive campaign, Garcia has been subpar versus left-handed pitchers, at least poor enough that it makes sense for the Yankees not to give him a full-time role, particularly with how well the aging Goldschmidt still hits against southpaws.

With a fully healthy team, things get more interesting, as ideally that DH opening won’t be there. Should Giancarlo Stanton return this season, the Yankees would have to scramble to fit all of these hitters into a lineup, and barring punting defense, shifting Jazz Chisholm Jr. back to third, and squeezing García in at second, a healthy team means one of Ben Rice, García, and Stanton sitting. But even though Giancarlo Stanton is scheduled to take BP on Monday, the Yankees are clearly past the point of planning to have him healthy—it’s one of those “if we get him, that’s good; if not, we should be prepared” situations— and García’s acquistion reflects that mentality.

García got to this level as a legitimate power threat seemingly thanks in part to the work the coaching staff in Washington did with him. García was encouraged by the Nationals’ new coaches to work on improving his bat speed, and it paid off.

García has displayed an improvement of nearly a mile and a half per hour on his bat speed, going from a 72.4 mark he had in 2025—which was a career high—to a 74.0 this season.

From an approach standpoint, not a lot has changed with García. He swings a lot, and this newfound power hasn’t necessarily led to or stemmed from improved plate discipline. The former National still strikes out and walks at similar clips, with a 16.3 percent K% and 4.1 percent BB% in 2026 that are almost exactly in line with his career norms. García puts the ball in play a lot and always has, it’s just that now, he’s bringing power when he connects.

As is the case with basically any power hitter from the left side that moves to Yankee Stadium, it’s tempting to think about the potential fit with the short porch. García should certainly fit fine, though even in this breakout campaign, García isn’t your traditional massively pull-happy power hitter from the left side. Other lefties on the Yankees, such as Ben Rice and Jazz Chisholm Jr., have higher rates of pulled air balls than Garcia’s respectable and above-average 18.5%. That said, the move to Yankee Stadium can’t hurt.

It should be noted that this power surge has been massively concentrated in the past two months, as before the start of June, Garcia only had five long balls on the year. Then he racked up 11 in a single month in June, carrying that level on until this trade that sends him to the Bronx. García should bring real thump, but maybe not league-leading slug, as he’s done with the Nationals this year. That he might not be able to hit with quite this much power is probably reflected in the fact that the Yankees were able to acquire García without giving up any blue-chip talent.

Even if he regresses from where he’s been this year, García’s addition provides the Yankees with a solid left-handed bat to include in this rotation of starters at 1B/DH without having to sacrifice much. If he continues to hit close to or at his 2026 levels, then the Yankees just added a premium slugger to the heart of their order. It’s close to a no-brainer move, even if the defensive fit isn’t exactly seamless. García’s glove doesn’t have to fit perfectly if his bat plays as it has this season.

The closer we get to today’s 3 p.m. trade deadline, the more restless the Friar Faithful become. The rumors have been swirling around the San Diego Padres since last month.

Initially, the club was a potential seller because they were in a dreadful slump. Now, the Padres find themselves in a fight for the final Wild Card berth. They would love to secure starting pitching depth before the deadline.

The activity in the starting-pitching trade market has been heavy, with Tarik Skubal dealt to Los Angeles, Luis Castillo sent to the Chicago White Sox, Freddy Peralta acquired by Tampa, and Kevin Gausman moved to the Chicago Cubs over the weekend.

Let’s dissect the latest Friars’ trade rumors from the ridiculous to the realistic: 

Trading Mason Miller to the New York Mets for Juan Soto

No question, the New York Mets are in sell mode, having traded several pieces off the roster this past weekend. The club’s payroll ($363 million) is too high for a team mired in last place. 

But a silly rumor was discussed on SiriusXM yesterday. It was a straight-up swap, with the Mets sending Juan Soto to the Padres for Mason Miller. Wishful thinking for the team that resides in Flushing.

The Friars would not be opposed to acquiring another bat, especially given Soto’s previous relationship with the franchise. Unfortunately, this would be a bad move for San Diego.

He holds the largest contract in Major League Baseball history, eclipsing Shohei Ohtani’s $700 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Soto signed a 15-year, $765 million deal before the 2025 season. 

Yes, his lefty bat would balance the Padres’ batting order, but Soto is a big-ticket item that has already lost its luster in New York. From San Diego’s perspective, the Mets would need to add several of their young starting pitchers to the mix before team President of Baseball Operations and General Manager AJ Preller would consider such a trade offer. 

But let’s not kid ourselves, Preller has no interest in trading Miller. 

The Friars adding a bad starting pitcher’s contract

As we hinted earlier, the Padres have shifted into buyers mode ahead of the trade deadline. The team’s improved play has increased speculation that Preller is hopeful of adding a starting pitcher to fuel the postseason push.

It is no secret that the San Francisco Giants want to hit the reset button, as their front office has made Robbie Ray available. Any potential deal is contingent upon the trade partner absorbing the remainder of his 2026 contract. Ray is owed approximately $ 7.3 million for the final two months of the season. 

The Friars might be willing to make such a move if the Giants lessen their financial demands to complete a trade. If not, Preller will have to look elsewhere for starting pitching. 

Until the franchise’s sale is finalized, the front office cannot add significant salary to the payroll. Preller will be restricted in the type of starter he can acquire. He must convince San Francisco to eat a portion of Ray’s remaining salary for a package of prospects from a depleted farm system. The Friars cannot match other teams’ talented farm systems, but they hope their offer draws interest to continue negotiating.

If the Giants accept the offer, you jump at the opportunity to acquire Ray for the stretch run.