PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 12: Blake Mitchell #8 of the Kansas City Royals on the American League Team talks with Kendry Chourio #34 of the Kansas City Royals on the American League Team during the 2026 MLB Futures Game at Citizens Bank Park on July 12, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
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The trade deadline is coming next week, but one good thing about the Royals having played so poorly is that we can still dream on all the prospects in their system because none of them are going anywhere. We might even have a new favorite next week! But until then, it should be fun to talk about who our favorites currently are.
Kendry Chourio gets a lot of the love lately for being an exceptional young pitcher – still a teenager in High-A! – who throws hard and throws strikes. That’s a combination it can be difficult to find, and those are two of the requirements when you’re looking for the next Cam Schlittler or Jacob Misiorowski. I’m not promising Chourio will be as good as either of them, but he might be the only guy in the system with even a remote chance.
Zion Rose just got taken sixth overall in the MLB Draft, so he hasn’t played a professional inning yet. But he’s drawing rave reviews from some scouts and analysts, including Keith Law, who says that Rose had a top-10 bat and was held back on draft boards for his defense. But his speed and work ethic indicate he could be a guy who could figure out the glove side of the ball, too.
Blake Mitchell was the first first-round draft pick taken after J.J. Picollo became the general manager, but before Brian Bridges had joined the team. It was a risky pick considering Kyle Teel was right there, but the Royals are still hoping it could pay off. Mitchell has become a three-true-outcomes monster in the minors, striking out more than 1/3 of the time, but walking more than 1/5 of the time, and crushing 17 dingers – tied for fifteenth in High-A.
Josh Hammond is a 2025 draftee who is doing quite well for himself in Low-A as a 19-year-old. For that reason, he’s jumped onto FanGraphs’ updated 2026 top 100 prospects. He’s playing a lot of shortstop right now, but he’ll probably move to third base sooner rather than later. He’s only whacked 5 home runs in 87 games, but he was always projected as a power-over-hit guy, so you have to imagine the power will come as he matures.
David Shields would be the apple of many eyes in the Royals’ farm system were it not for Chourio. But Shields is a lefty who doesn’t throw quite as hard, though he’s equally adept at throwing strikes and less than a year older than Chourio. He’s the only one in this group who made neither the FanGraphs top-100 nor their honorable mentions because of it. There’s still hope he could add some velocity as he matures, but even if he doesn’t, the stuff and strikes seem like they’ll eventually be playable in the big leagues.
If there was one guy in the Royals’ farm system I would want to highlight that isn’t among those top 5, it’s probably Angeibel Gomez. Gomez was an international free agent signed in January. He’s already jumped onto FanGraphs’ top-100 at 84, and he’s yet to make it stateside. Like Chourio before him, he’s getting a lot of hype that we don’t normally get for prospects who haven’t yet debuted in at least the complex leagues. He walks more than he strikes out, his BABIP is only two points higher than his .346 batting average, and he’s whacked 6 homers and stolen 12 bases in only 33 games. You don’t want to read too much into DSL numbers, but all signs are pointing up for the Venezuelan 17-year-old.
Jul 27, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Seattle Mariners right fielder Luke Raley (20) attempts to catch a batted ball by the Texas Rangers during the sixth inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images
This past Sunday morning before the Mariners finally rose to the occasion and won one (1) game against their direct divisional competition the Texas Rangers, the LL Slack channel sprang to life with an impromptu and lively discussion on what further changes could be in store shortly if the Mariners continue losing games. What follows below is an abridged version with occasional notes and commentary by me in italics. Give it a read and let us know what we missed in the comments or give us your hot takes on what needs to change and/or what will change in the near future for the Mariners.
Evan James, 9:56 AM: I would advise everyone to enjoy today’s game, and tomorrow’s. I think change is afoot if they get swept, likely even if not.
Eric Sanford: Are you thinking front office change? Firing Dan? Trading starters?
Evan: Dan. It maybe deserves more nuance than that, but it starts there. I don’t like it this way, and I didn’t want it this way, but it sure does feel like time. You, as a fan, are immortal. You will outlive coaches, players, owners, general managers, competitive windows. You have a future, always, as long as there are still jerseys to sell. Nothing changes for you. (I haven’t seen “The Odyssey” yet but I’m assuming Evan is referencing it here, that’s my best guess)
John Trupin: I don’t think they fire Dan a week after firing one hitting coach. Not to say it couldn’t happen, but I think that doesn’t really showcase any meaning in firing Magallenes if it gets five days of impact time.
Evan: Respectfully, if they go 0-4 against Texas this series…I can feel it in the air, in my bones. (What about 1-3? Guess we’re about to find out!)
Zach Gottschalk: I feel like Dan gets to the end of the season. At least until September.
John: The (Adam) Jude interview with Jerry really emphasized that they’d felt the old school, contact-heavy, data-lite approach they’d leaned into last year and this year was worth riding given how good the bats were last year. And that Papparella is quite a lot more like DeHart in being a big data guy.
Evan: They are not firing Dan in September. It will be sooner if it comes. I don’t like this, I am not happy I feel this way or I feel the need to communicate it, but this is where we are.
Ryan Blake: Fire Dipoto is the train I’m on. (bah gawd that’s ryan blake’s music!!!! ryan, that man has a family!!!)
Zach Mason: I don’t know what to do with Ryan being wrong. It’s a new feeling.
Ryan: If we’re going to fire anybody? I’d prefer the FO (front office). Dan’s fine in my opinion.
Evan: Whether or not that’s correct (firing Dipoto), they’re not doing it. The minor leagues continue to be far too competent to throw the baby out with the bathwater.
Ryan: To be fair, so has the majors, and nobody is okay with that. I also frankly hated Dipoto’s quotes on Magallanes and am heated about it.
Evan: I agree with you on that, buts there’s a hierarchy, even to failure. Dominoes have to fall in order.
Ryan: I guess I just don’t think this season is anybody’s fault necessarily and the team is mostly unlucky, but the strategy of aiming just above the middle over and over and over means sometimes you get this result. I think i’m onto “let’s try for real now.”
ZAM: I have been frustrated by that approach in the past, but I think this is the year they actually pushed some chips in. This was finally the roster that they built to try for more than 54%.
Ryan: True.
ZAM: I really don’t have a lot of blame for this disaster. When the biggest under-performers are the heart of the team and the guys with the most reliable track records, what are you supposed to do?
Ryan: I guess if the team were to fire Wilson, I’d have some pretty choice words for the FO. Firing magallanes is useless and desperate and if I’m to believe “there are consequences to our results” then I’m not looking at Magallanes getting canned as any sort of consequence. I don’t know. It’s been 10 years. They fired Servais to shake things up, maybe it’s time for a new FO. Since 2022, the Mariners are: – 7th in W% (54%) – 7th in RD (54% pythag) – 9th in Total WAR (51% WAR wins) – 10th in Batter WAR – 5th in Batting – 18th in Fielding – 19th in Base Running – 9th in Pitcher WAR – 3rd in SP – 17th in RP
ZAM: This is the fifth season of the post-rebuilding era. I really don’t have complaints about the 2022, 2023, or 2025 teams, and I don’t blame the FO for the 2026 team’s problems.
Evan: If you’re ownership, even with the performance of the team, attendance is slightly up, and they’ve migrated to a new distribution platform for video streaming. All other sales are still solid. This year is a reset competitively, but not in any way on the business side. Things could be better, but they are not bad. You want someone who can make a more competitively consistent product perhaps, but you value the cost effectiveness of the minor league system and the budget above all else.
John: Attendance is up a lot, but that’s majorly from last year’s success. And the investments they’ve made in the roster are long term. I agree on this year being most to blame on the most important players, who were huge contributors last year and are in their 20’s and under contract for years, reeking of sewage. And Ryan, you put together that great piece on Naylor, the biggest culprit assuming he’s largely healthy seemed to be a godawful approach at the plate. To me, that’s plausibly a coaching issue.
Evan: I do wonder what they make of Julio/Cal internally. And I don’t mean in any super negative way but so much as, what are the revisited projections for these guys looking like? Is the defense coming back for Julio? Is Cal going to be something substantial again?
Eric: It’s really insane that every position player outside Randy and maybe Young and Colt have all under-performed to a point where they can’t keep a lead in a terrible division and the even the rotation that has the potential to be best in baseball has also severely under-performed. Oh, and the bullpen has regressed but that seems to happen every other season regardless. Like how can so many talented guys all play like such ass for such a prolonged period?
John: As a team this year, they are 7th-highest in swing rate at pitches out of the zone, 8th-highest in contact on those pitches. They’re 16th in in-zone swing rate by contrast, and LAST in in-zone contact rate! Perhaps the most important thing if you’re trying to be a “go the other way, hit line drives” kind of offense. And they have no power to show for it.
Eric: Injuries are an obvious excuse, but for everyone consistently sucking farts through garden hoses?
John: So I do think there’s something they’ve been failing on and it’s why I felt going away from their more power focused philosophy of the 2021-2024 era was flawed given their park. But, yes I think you can lay that at Dipoto and the FO’s feet ultimately for leaning into it by their hiring.
Evan: Respectfully, I think the injury argument has been nonsense for a while.
ZAM: The mariners have not had bad injury luck this season.
Evan: We’re missing two important guys, one in the bullpen and another who was supposed to be injured all year anyways. That’s not abnormal 110 games in.
John: It genuinely feels watching this team like they have softer bats than other teams. (you’ve heard of juiced balls, how ‘bout squishy bats?!)
Isabelle Minasian: Ryan or someone else, has their defensive positioning changed at all this season? The flip side of none of their contact going for hits has been that it feels like more bloops are getting through against them. (No one has answered this yet, discuss in comments!)
(At this point, we all got derailed by the actual baseball game, but Ryan got back into it an hour later)
Ryan: I guess my thing is, what would have changed since last year when they had the second best offense in the majors? Like the offense being down isn’t a huge concern for me. It’s the whole snatching up one dimensional players who limit the ceiling of the team and then when they struggle on that dimension provide nothing else. The defense being awful, the B side of the bullpen being bad again, and the vs LHP lineup being awful are really my concern, and that’s something they’ve never really addressed? I guess the question is always “what should they have done differently?” and I don’t know. But if actions have consequences, why do those consequences apply to assistant hitting coaches and not Edgar (gasp!) or Perry Hill (you hold your tongue, sir!) or Dipoto (/awkward silence). I think if there’s going to be change, I’d like to see a full scale clean house type thing. but i still expect them to win the West so all may be forgiven soon and we can do this whole thing again next year.
John: I’d agree it’s not exactly fair to pin things on the Assistant Hitting Coaches. I felt we expected a bad defense and we’ve gotten it, and that it was contingent on an offense that would make it inconsequential as they did last year. Last year the B side of the bullpen was bad, but to me that stemmed from throwing over 100 more innings than the year before due to all the SP injuries, and the most they’d thrown since 2021 by a considerable margin. I’ll grant they should’ve shored up more, and I said the same headed into this year. To me, we’ve heard and seen some positives from the hitting approaches this year: Randy has specifically said his work with Edgar has improved his plan with two-strikes especially. Cole Young has said similar things. The approaches from Naylor and Cal by contrast have been dogwater. I actually mostly like what Julio’s been doing, though his power is inconsistent. Canzone has certainly improved/maintained last year’s improvements. I don’t know. I do think if you could actually get Dipoto to be open on the subject I wonder if they’re pissed they missed or overlooked Donovan having a multi-year serious lower body issue.
(Around this time, John astutely pointed out “‘We didn’t know what ACLs were’ is not to be overlooked as a Buhner all-timer” on the broadcast.)
And that’s about where the discussion ended as we all went about our day, befuddled as these fellows were about the Mariners win on Sunday and what it could mean for the rest of the season.
Did we miss your favorite target of blame or theory for the failures thus far by the 2026 Mariners? Let’s hear about it in the comments!
Jun 28, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner (7) catches a pop fly hit by New York Mets first baseman Jared Young (not pictured) during the ninth inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images | John Jones-Imagn Images
Earlier today, I wrote about what Trea Turner might look like as a center fielder, a possible position he could play should the team decide to make a switch after the season is over. There is evidence that the team should make the move with Turner, but will they. That’s open to debate.
What do you think?
My idea was for him to return to his roots in center field where he roamed in 2016, but even going to left field, if they didn’t want to move on from Justin Crawford just yet, would certainly not be a bad idea. It would lead to a domino effect of transactions of course, but one thing that should be at the forefront – getting a new shortstop.
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Dusty Baker, above during the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway last month, is the only manager in MLB history to lead five different teams to the postseason. (James Gilbert / Getty Images)
Dusty Baker could sense a portion of his life as he entered the National Baseball Hall of Fame’s Plaque Gallery on Saturday night. He couldn’t help but notice that some of his contemporaries from when he played with the Braves and Dodgers were walking slower, in some cases with the help of a cane or an assistant.
“I’m glad to see everybody,” said Baker, 77. “But you know, we’re getting old. I see guys in walkers who used to run fast, (and) their kids that are grown. You kind of see your life flash before your eyes.”
A record 60 Baseball Hall of Famers were in Cooperstown as Jeff Kent, Carlos Beltran and Andruw Jones were inducted Sunday. Baker traveled with the San Francisco Giants’ contingent to celebrate Kent, who credits Baker with helping transform him into the National League MVP, All-Star and eventually a Hall of Famer.
As much as Baker tried to keep his focus on Kent, however, many kept telling him that this visit was a prelude to his induction next summer. They reminded him that he’s expected to be on the Hall’s Era Committee ballot in December.
If Baker receives at least 12 votes from the 16-member committee, he’ll become the first Black manager elected into the Hall.
“I know the history,” Baker said. “I was fortunate enough to be around Hank (Aaron) in the beginning.”
Baker grew up idolizing Jackie Robinson, who broke baseball’s color barrier on April 15, 1947, 26 months before Johnnie B. “Dusty” Baker was born in Riverside.
Through 1953 National League Rookie of the Year Jim Gilliam, who spent three seasons with the Baltimore Elite Giants of the Negro Leagues before joining the Brooklyn Dodgers, Baker met several Negro League greats.
Gilliam once took Baker to eat lunch at Negro League legend Cool Papa Bell’s home in St. Louis. He also spent time with Satchel Paige and Ted “Double Duty” Radcliffe. Because of his friendship with Aaron, his Braves mentor, and his time with the Dodgers, he met Hall of Famer Roy Campanella and Don Newcombe, who spent time in the Negro Leagues before joining the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Bell, Paige and Campanella were all inducted into the Hall. Paige was the first Negro Leaguer inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1971, five years after Ted Williams used his induction speech to advocate for Negro Leaguers.
“Baseball gives every American boy a chance to excel, not just to be as good as someone else, but to be better than someone else,” Williams said on July 25, 1966. “This is the nature of man and the name of the game, and I’ve always been a very lucky guy to have worn a baseball uniform, to have struck out or hit a tape-measure home run.
“And I hope that someday the names of Satchell Page and Josh Gibson in some way can be added as a symbol of the great Negro players that are not here, only because they were not given a chance.”
Robinson became the first Black player elected into the Hall by the Baseball Writers’ Assn. of America in 1962. Negro Leaguers weren’t considered for the Hall until Paige was elected into the 1971 class. A year later, Gibson was inducted. Rube Foster, who in building a reputation as “the father of Black baseball” held many roles in his career, was the first Negro Leaguer to be inducted as a pioneer or executive.
Baker first visited the Hall of Fame to play an exhibition in 1974. He made his third trip to Cooperstown this weekend, which marked his first visit for an induction weekend.
Exactly 60 years after Williams’ induction speech on the steps of the Hall of Fame, Baker walked into the Hall and was greeted by the loud roars of another Boston Red Sox legend, David Ortiz. Baker smiled widely, nodded his head, greeted Ortiz in Spanish, chuckled and walked over to Ortiz and Vladimir Guerrero, giving each of them hugs and pats on the back.
A few seconds later, Dave Winfield joined the trio for a picture before Baker and his wife began to mingle with other Hall of Famers and guests.
Later that night at a party the Giants held in Kent’s honor, Kent paid tribute to his family, Baker and a few teammates during a short speech.
Then Kent predicted that Baker will return next year to take his place among baseball’s immortals. Baker won a World Series title and three pennants as a manager while leading a record five teams to the playoffs over 26 seasons as a manager.
He’s eighth on baseball’s all-time managerial wins list with 2,183 as the only Black manager in baseball history with 2,000 victories.
While sipping on his coffee and munching on extra crispy bacon and blueberry pancakes Sunday morning, Baker sat at the Otesaga Resort where the Hall of Famers stay during induction weekend. He looked out at Otsego Lake while several Hall of Famers stopped to say hello.
Chipper Jones stopped by and said, “You dusting off that chair for next year, Dusty?”
Baker laughed and shook his head before calling Chipper by his first name, Larry.
“There ain’t no guarantees, so why am I going to look forward if there ain’t no guarantees?” Baker said. “I’m serious. People think I’m kidding when I’m saying that. When Bill Belichick did not get in the (Pro Football) Hall of Fame anybody has a chance to not get in the Hall of Fame.
“Am I right? That’s how I look at it. I was shocked. They can talk about Deflategate, they can talk about the media. What about the other six (Super Bowls) he won?”
Nonetheless, Baker appreciates what it would mean for a Black manager to finally be elected to the Hall.
“But most of my life had been full of ‘First Black Guy stories, Black man stories’ from the time I was in high school,” he said. “The two blacks at my high school were me and my brother in my last year of high school.
“That’s some of the reasons I went into the wine business. There’s not many Blacks in the wine business. One reason why I started but stopped in the energy business was because there’s not many Blacks in the energy business.”
There have been 354 inductees into the Baseball Hall of Fame, 23 of them as managers.
Baker will likely be the first Black manager next summer.
“I was taught pride from my mom and dad in culture about being Black,” he said. “My mom was really big (on Black history) because she was a Black Studies teacher, so we had books that I read. …
“I’m hoping I can motivate other young brothers and sisters to achieve some things that don’t seem achievable. It’s a little bit disheartening when I see regression of Black coaches, Black players, Blacks in baseball.”
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - JULY 26: Travis Bazzana #37 of the Cleveland Guardians cannot catch a throw as Chandler Simpson #14 of the Tampa Bay Rays advances on a wild pitch during the fifth inning of a baseball game at Tropicana Field on July 26, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It's a tough day to be a pitcher, with tons of wind, heavy workloads, and bad matchups. It's a bump to offensive MLB player props, and I'm looking to fade some arms today.
Anthony Kay's leash is always a question, and getting to five punchouts is tough on 85 pitches. Luis Castillo's stuff has been declining for years, and a matchup with the Dodgers isn't helping his comeback. Finally, the Twins are overusing Taj Bradley, and he's coming off a 109-pitch outing in his last start.
These are my favorite pitcher strikeout and pitcher props for Tuesday, July 28.
Best MLB strikeout props and starting pitcher picks today
Player
Pick
Odds
Anthony Kay
Under 4.5 strikeouts
+100
Luis Castillo
Under 4.5 strikeouts
+103
Taj Bradley
Under 17.5 outs
+130
Strikeout prop: Anthony Kay Under 4.5 strikeouts (+100)
Anthony Kay looks like he might be slowing down in his first MLB season since 2023. His last five outings have lasted 79, 83, 92, 48, and 73 pitches, and over that stretch, he's cleared this number just once with 17 strikeouts across 22 innings.
Kay likely needs to reach 18 outs to get to five punchouts, and that is something he's done only once over his last 10 starts. The matchup against the New York Yankees always brings some risk, as New York has been a Top-3 strikeout offense all season, but 16-mph winds blowing out to right field aren't going to help Kay stay on the mound.
The Yankees also chased him after just four innings in their last meeting in June, when Kay finished with only two strikeouts. The stuff can play, but the inconsistency and leash remain the biggest concerns.
Covers projections have Kay at 4.31 strikeouts, making the break-even price around -130.
Time: 7:40 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Chicago Sports Network, YES
Strikeout prop: Luis Castillo Under 4.5 strikeouts (+103)
Luis Castillo is coming off a 101-pitch game where he went seven innings but still managed only three strikeouts. It was the sixth straight start for the right-hander to go Under this total. His K% is down from last year, marking the third straight season his K% has dropped. His four-seam velocity has also been on the decline since 2022.
A road date, where his K/9 numbers are worse since 2024, vs. a legit Los Angeles Dodgers lineup, is not a great spot to expect Castillo to get back to his glory years, and why the projections are showing this fair price of -115/-120.
Time: 10:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: SportsNet Los Angeles, Mariners.TV
Pitcher outs prop: Taj Bradley Under 17.5 outs (+130)
The Minnesota Twins starter is coming off a 109-pitch outing in his last start and sits just 30 innings away from his career high. The Kansas City Royals offense is much weaker without Bobby Witt, but the workload could still impact Taj Bradley's efficiency today.
Minnesota is one of the warmer parks on the slate with temperatures around 88 degrees at first pitch, which only adds to the fatigue angle. Bradley might not get hit hard, but longer innings could become an issue, especially for a pitcher who already struggles with command, with 46 walks over 114 innings.
This is a big price for a pitcher coming off a massive workload with career highs approaching. With Minnesota sitting just a game out of the Wild Card race, the Twins will need to balance winning now with managing Bradley's usage.
Time: 7:40 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Twins.TV, Royals.TV
Jinglis' 2026 Transparency Record
Prop picks: 5-6, -1.23 units
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
ARLINGTON, Texas — The Texas Rangers have put themselves in a good position in the AL West just by having a winning record.
Texas (54-52) is the only team in the division not under .500 with about one-third of the regular season remaining, and now less than a week before the trade deadline. The Rangers have a two-game lead over in-state nemesis Houston (53-55) and are 2 1/2 games in front of reigning division champion Seattle (52-55) after taking three of four against the Mariners.
“Every win matters, but I think the ones right before the deadline, there’s always a little more stress ... especially in a situation where you could go either way,” said Rangers designated hitter Joc Pederson, who homered twice in the series-ending 7-3 win over Seattle. “But I think we put ourselves in a good spot, and we’ve got to continue to play like that.”
The Mariners, who last year won their first AL West title since 2001, have lost 11 of 16 games. They led for only three innings during the four games in Texas, all after a four-run seventh inning on the way to a 6-4 win, the first time in 46 games this season the Rangers lost when leading after six.
“I think we looked at the series as if we split it, it was a failure, with where the AL West is and the AL wild card is,” Texas first baseman Jake Burger said. “I think we showed what type of team we can be.”
The Rangers won their only World Series title in 2023 after getting into the playoffs as a wild card, but last won the West in 2016. They missed the playoffs the past two seasons, when only the AL West champion made the postseason — which could very well happen again this year.
Houston (53-55) won seven of the previous eight AL West titles before last season. The Astros had been in third place for a month before a four-run rally in the ninth inning gave them their sixth win in seven games, 6-4 over the last-place Los Angeles Angels in the opener of a three-game series.
Head-to-head in the West
Texas already has clinched its season series — and potential tiebreaker — against the Mariners, up 7-3 with a three-game series left at Seattle in early September.
The Mariners still have five games to play against Houston, but have that season series in hand by a 7-1 margin.
As for the Lone Star State rivals, the Astros are 6-4 against the Rangers. They wrap up their season series with three games in Houston, after Texas plays three games at AL-best Tampa Bay.
“There are guys in there that are doing whatever they can to make that second-half push, because they know what it means when you get there,” first-year Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said. “Whatever we do, we’re focused on winning to try to get in. ... It’s go-time.”
Staying on top despite injuries
The Rangers have stayed in first place even with two-time World Series MVP Corey Seager missing the past 20 games because of lower back inflammation. He also was out for 19 games earlier this season because of his back, and missed another 12 following a concussion.
Third baseman Josh Jung is sidelined by a left calf strain. Both of the team’s opening-day catchers, Danny Jansen (right forearm strain) and Kyle Higashioka (right flexor strain), also are on the IL.
Seager had consecutive days of live batting practice and could begin a short minor league rehab assignment. There also are questions about whether the Rangers might consider trading the 32-year-old shortstop, who is in the fifth season of his $325 million, 10-year contract.
Veteran left-hander Jordan Montgomery, part of the Rangers’ World Series title after being a trade-deadline acquisition that summer, is close to making his season debut, maybe in the finale at Tampa Bay. He left in free agency after the 2023 season for a deal in Arizona, then missed all of 2025 after a second elbow reconstruction surgery. He re-signed with the Rangers at the start of spring training.
SAN FRANCISCO — San Francisco Giants third baseman Casey Schmitt left the game against the Milwaukee Brewers in the bottom of the second inning due to a left knee injury.
Schmitt appeared to hurt his left leg after rounding first base following a single to right field. He showed discomfort and was grasping at his lower left leg after the play.
Schmitt was able to walk off the field on his own power, limping with a trainer at his side as he left the game. Schmitt was replaced by backup Christian Koss and the Giants went on to beat the Brewers 3-0.
“Scary moment there for him,” manager Tony Vitello said after the game. “He’s a unique personality, but he’s definitely got a level of toughness to him. And you go out there and he was really struggling just to kind of even move around there with (head trainer Dave Groeschner) checking on him.”
Schmitt will undergo an MRI and it is not yet known whether he’ll be added to the injury list. Regardless, Vitello doesn’t expect Schmitt to be back right away.
“At this point, (he is) probably going to miss some significant time,” Vitello said. “But based off what we see tomorrow, be interesting what (Groeschner) has, hoping it’s as limited an amount of time as possible.”
Schmitt adds to San Francisco’s growing injury list as the team was already without third baseman Matt Chapman (abdominal strain) and outfielders Jung Hoo Lee (right elbow soreness), and Victor Bericoto (left oblique strain).
Vitello commented that with Schmitt’s injury, rather than rush starter Chapman back, they’ll look to another player to fill in at third base.
Schmitt is hitting .271 with 21 home runs and 55 RBIs, all career bests. Schmitt signed a one-year, $810,000 contract this past year.
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Curtis Mead left his first game with the Boston Red Sox after being hit on the left wrist by a pitch against the Athletics.
Mead struck out looking in the first at-bat of his Boston debut and was struck on the wrist by A’s starter Jack Perkins in the fourth. Mead tried to shake off the pain, but left the game after being checked by an athletic trainer.
Red Sox manager Chad Tracy said X-rays were negative, but Mead will undergo more tests.
“Looks like we dodged a bullet, maybe,” Tracy told reporters after Boston’s 4-2 win over the A’s.
The Red Sox acquired Mead in a trade that sent left-hander Connelly Early to Washington.
Mead is hitting .253 with 17 home runs and 48 RBIs this season.
PITTSBURGH — Pirates rookie outfielder Esmeryln Valdez was removed from Pittsburgh’s 3-2 win against Arizona after being hit in the left hand by a pitch.
Valdez, who has 14 homers in limited playing time this season, took a 92 mph fastball from Diamondbacks right-hander Merrill Kelly that smacked into the area around his left wrist.
The 22-year-old Valdez, who entered with 24 RBIs in July, winced in pain while being tended to by medical staff. He walked slowly toward the Pittsburgh dugout and was replaced by Jared Triolo.
Pirates manager Don Kelly had no immediate update on Valdez’s status following the game. Valdez was in the clubhouse afterward but was not made available to reporters.
“I know it’s an uncertain time for him,” Pittsburgh second baseman Brandon Lowe said. “We’re praying that he gets the best news possible.”
Valdez’s emergence has helped the Pirates stay in playoff contention despite injuries to outfielder Oneil Cruz, shortstop Konnor Griffin and first baseman Spencer Horwitz. Valdez is one of six players since RBIs became an official statistic in 1920 to have at least 14 home runs and 36 RBIs in his first 37 games.
“He’s been playing great in right field — it’s not just the home runs,” Lowe said. “He’s taking really mature at-bats. He’s been fantastic for us.”
ST. LOUIS — The Chicago Cubs designated right-handed pitcher Jameson Taillon for assignment before the start of a four-game series with the St. Louis Cardinals.
In a corresponding move, the Cubs selected the contract of right-handed pitcher Andrew Wantz from Triple-A Iowa.
In his last start, Taillon allowed seven earned runs, with three home runs in four innings, in an 8-7 loss to Pittsburgh. That outing raised his ERA to 5.92 on the season.
In 15 starts, Taillon had a career-worst 5.92 ERA with a 2-6 record. He has allowed the National League’s most home runs this season with 25 on 76 hits.
Taillon, 34, went 2-6 with a 5.92 ERA in 15 starts this season with the Cubs. He is in the final year of a four-year, $68 million contract.
The 30-year-old Wantz has a 5.63 ERA in 48 innings this season in the minors. He has a 4.20 ERA in the majors across 120 innings.
Prior to being signed as a minor league free agent by the Cubs on June 6, Wantz was with the Tampa Bay organization. He made one relief appearance this season for the Rays.
In his big league career, Wantz is 5-1 with a 4.20 ERA in 92 appearances and four starts with the Los Angeles Angels (2021-2024) and Tampa Bay (2026). He was originally selected by the Angels in the seventh round of the 2018 draft out of the University of North Carolina-Greensboro.
TORONTO, ON - JUNE 25: Corey Seager #5 of the Texas Rangers stretches before a game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on June 25, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) | Getty Images
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The Texas Rangers are currently two games up in an underwhelming American League West race, would should have us talking about the team being buyers in the run up to Monday’s trade deadline.
Instead, however, there’s been more and more talk of late suggesting that the Rangers should be selling at least one key player — shortstop Corey Seager.
Despite MVP-caliber performance when he’s been on the field during his time with the Rangers, Seager’s history of injuries, his slow start to the 2026 season, and his contract — he’s owed $31.5 million per year from 2027-31, with 10/5 rights giving him full no-trade protection when the 2026 season ends — have prompted calls from some corners to move Seager now, in the middle of the pennant race, arguing the team is better without him and his contract than with him.
So we reluctantly offer up this week’s Rangers Reacts Survey question…should the Rangers trade Corey Seager before the trade deadline hits on Monday?
KANSAS CITY, MO - MAY 20: Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Michael Wacha (52) pitches in the first inning during a MLB game between the Boston Red Sox and the Kansas City Royals on May 20, 2026, at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, MO. (Photo by Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Last year, around the trade deadline, the Royals had a starting pitcher in his mid-30s on an expiring contract. Seth Lugo had a 3.03 ERA through his first 20 starts as the Royals approached the trade deadline under .500. Rather than trade him or extend him a Qualifying Offer at the end of the season, the Royals decided to sign him to a two-year, $46 million deal with a vesting option. Lugo had performance and injury issues after the signing, and has had mixed results this year. The extension looks like an overpay or an outright mistake right now.
Keeping Michael Wacha rather than trading him would be like walking into the same trap for a second year in a row.
Lugo has not been terrible this year. However, for a deal that could pay him up to $63 million, Lugo needs to be better than the 4.36 ERA he has put up. Even worse, he is trending in the wrong direction – his ERA-by-month has been 2.63, 4.59, 6.00, and 4.94. His peripheral numbers do not improve the story – he has an xERA of 5.42 and xFIP of 4.46. His strikeout rate is down for the seventh year in a row, part of that was moving to the rotation from the bullpen. His velocity has also been dropping over time, which is what happens to aging veterans.
Lugo has a vesting option for the third year that will pay him $20 million in 2028 if (a) he throws 335 innings over 2026 and 2027; or (b) he throws 190 innings in 2027. If he fails to reach those marks, the Royals still have a $17 million club option for 2028 with a $3 million buyout. I think you have to go into next year hoping Lugo is good enough to be a fourth starter, but that he does not hit the innings necessary to trigger the vesting option for 2028.
Enter Michael Wacha, he is a 35-year-old starting pitcher, the same as Lugo last year. The Royals have Wacha under control through next season for $14 million plus some incentives and there is a club option for 2028 at $14 million as well with a $1 million buyout. Wacha is having a nice season, which makes him attractive as a trade target in a market with not a lot of quality starting pitching. His value will never be higher. His 3.60 ERA is outperforming all of his peripheral numbers. If you are looking to next season objectively, you would expect him to take a step back from his 2026 level just due to aging and the low strikeout rate. Holding onto a pitcher who is likely to start moving toward the back-end of the rotation, even if he is still worth it on the contract, when you could get real prospects back for him is malpractice. Let’s do a little thought experiment to illustrate.
What if the Royals had traded Seth or let him walk after 2025? Some would say, “look at all the injuries this year and how much they have needed his innings,” but that is the wrong way to think about it. There were a lot of available free agents that would have been comparable to Lugo, including Dustin May, Erick Fedde, Tyler Mahle, Adrian Houser, Zach Littell, and Chris Bassitt. None of these are great options. But they are cheaper than Seth Lugo and capable of producing at last 80 percent of what Lugo has given them. And if you wanted to be more aggressive than that, you could sign a free agent like Michael King, a younger and better pitcher for not much more money per year with one additional guaranteed year. Any assertion that there will not be enough starters if Wacha is not on this team next year is just not true. And that is not even considering options on the trade market. How do you think the Royals ended up with Wacha and Lugo in the first place?
Michael Wacha is a fine pitcher. He is not irreplaceable.
Look at what pitching is available on the free agent market. Tarik Skubal may not be traded as Detroit has climbed back into the AL Central hunt. The Twins say they won’t trade Joe Ryan. The best long-term pitchers on the trade market may be Reid Detmers and Jose Soriano on the Angels, or short-term rentals like Kevin Gausman, not a guy you want starting in a playoff game.
It is conceivable that Wacha is the best starters available going into this final week before the deadline. Cash that chip in and I think someone like the Cubs might give you a Kevin Alcantara plus something or maybe even Jaxon Wiggins or Pedro Ramirez. I am not going to go team by team who might be interested and what they have, that is not the point of this article. There just seems like a lot of value to be gleaned in a trade for a pitcher who is realistically a third or fourth starter at best going forward. The Royals need to stop getting precious about having guys under team control and start flipping them when the value is there.
Jul 20, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Rockies second baseman Willi Castro (3) in the fourth inning against the Washington Nationals at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
The MLB 2026 trade deadline of Monday, August 3 at 4:00 p.m. MDT is fast approaching.
The Colorado Rockies (and, frankly, most teams) were disappointingly quiet on Monday, but it’s a new day, so we can all hope for action.
As the day progresses, we’ll keep this tracker updated with the most pertinent rumors and the biggest deals that come to fruition. We’ll also post a new thread daily through Monday.
As a reminder Colorado Rockies will meet the San Diego Padres tonight at 7:40 pm.
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Cubs fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
The somewhat surprising DFA of Jameson Taillon Monday hints that the Cubs are on the cusp of making a trade, or more than one.
For now, Andrew Wantz has taken Taillon’s roster spot. That gives the Cubs an eight-man bullpen for the time being, presuming Javier Assad is going to be held back to start Friday against the Yankees at Wrigley Field.
But that also leaves an open question: Will the Cubs trade for a starter before next Monday’s deadline? Or more than one? And might they also add relief help?
I think we are all pretty much assuming the Cubs will try to add one good starting pitcher. But will they make more deals than that?
Vote in the SB Nation Reacts survey below and I’ll have the final results here later in the week.
Anthony Kay
Luis Castillo
Taj Bradley
