Triple-A: Charlotte Knights (White Sox) 7, Norfolk Tides 4
The Tides fell to Charlotte on Sunday, as starter Trace Bright and a stable of relievers—Dietrich Enns, Cameron Weston and Enoli Paredes—allowed a combined seven runs on ten hits, three of them home runs (one by Knights’ outfielder and former Oriole Austin Hays). Bright’s four runs allowed in 4.1 innings put him at a regrettable 0-8 record with a 7.39 ERA in 18 starts this year.
But there was good news, too. Heston Kjerstad, hitting in the three-spot, bashed two home runs, one an Earl Weaver Special, to give him four RBIs on the day—all of his team’s runs. Kjerstad is hitting .299 and OPS’ing .796 right now. Creed Willems had two hits. Jud Fabian singled.
The Baysox never trailed in this one. They jumped out to a 2-0 lead off the bat of Griff O’Ferrall, who hit a two-run second inning home run. In the sixth, Adam Retzbach hit a two-run double to put the Baysox up 4-1. Two more home runs—solo shots each by Tavian Josenberger and Patrick Lee made it 6-2. Not to be forgotten is Aron Estrada’s three-for-three day. O’Ferrall homered and singled. Brandon Butterworth singled and walked.
Chesapeake starter Luis de León pitched a gem, throwing 6 1/3 innings with just one run allowed and nine strikeouts. He’s now 5-6 with a 4.33 ERA. Richard Guasch pitched 1 2/3 innings and struck out three. Micah Ashman allowed one run on a solo home run.
High-A: Rome Emperors (Braves) 6, Frederick Keys 2
Two bad innings bookended the Keys’ Sunday loss. In the first inning, Boston Bateman left early with right hip flexor discomfort, after just eight pitches. Five pitchers combined to allow five runs in 7 2/3 innings, Cohen Achen, Ben Vespi, Cameron Foster, Ryan Cabarcas and Todd Kniebbe.
Despite posting eight hits, an Ike Irish-less Keys lineup still struggled to score runs. One run came home on a Victor Figueroa single. The hard-hitting first baseman went 3-for-4 and is OPS’ing .914. The Keys’ second and final run was on a home run by Yasmil Bucce. Wehiwa Aloy finished 0-for-3. The rehabbing Reed Trimble and Payton Eeles finished a combined 1-for-9.
Low-A: Hill City Howlers (Guardians) 10, Delmarva Shorebirds 6
It’s tough to climb out of a 6-0 hole after two innings. But starter Brayan Orrantia, a fourteenth-rounder in 2025 out of Mexico, had a terrible day, allowing six runs in 1.2 innings. Relievers Teddy Sharkey, Jack Crowder, Zac Lampton, Kenny Leiner, and Luis Beltrán threw 6 1/3 innings allowing four combined runs between them.
Several Delmarva hitters had a good day. First baseman Miguel Rodriguez went 3-for-4. DH Andrés Nolaya finished 4-for-5. And Elvin García had two hits and walked twice. Jaiden Lo Re singled.
DENVER , CO - JULY 22: Cole Carrigg (16) of the Colorado Rockies reacts to striking out against Cade Cavalli (24) of the Washington Nationals during the fifth inning at Coors Field in Denver, Colorado on Wednesday, July 22, 2026. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post) | Denver Post via Getty Images
It’s been just over six weeks since Cole Carrigg (No. 4 PuRP) made his Major League debut. He has played in 39 games, and the “Cole Carrigg Effect” is in full swing. Carrigg has been known to play “with his hair on fire” and hasn’t shown many signs of slowing down in the big leagues — both on and off the field. But how much has Carrigg truly brought to the Colorado Rockies since June 9?
Cole Carrigg himself
Since his debut on June 9, Carrigg has played in 39 of the Rockies’ 41 games and started 34 of them. He is slashing .287/.360/.519 in 129 at-bats with nine doubles, three triples, five homers, 26 RBI, 15 walks and three stolen bases in five attempts.
He immediately made his presence known, smacking a triple for his first MLB hit — only the second Rockie to accomplish the feat.
He also hit his first homer two games later against the Chicago Cubs on July 11, and hit two more over the next four games. Three of Carrigg’s five home runs have been three-run homers, and the other two were solo shots.
Prior to his call-up, Carrigg was a madman in Albuquerque. In 57 games with the Triple-A Isotopes, he slashed .338/.414/.529 with 15 doubles, five triples and six homers. He had 42 RBI, 27 walks, and 30 stolen bases in 37 attempts — including a steal of home on April 4.
As mentioned above, the Rockies have played 41 games since Carrigg’s debut. During that span, they have gone 18-23. In the two games Carrigg didn’t play at all — June 23 and July 19 — the Rockies lost both contests. And in the five games he didn’t start, they went 3-2.
On June 27 against the Minnesota Twins on the road, Carrigg entered in the sixth inning as a pinch hitter for Troy Johnston. He went 0-for-1 with a walk and a looking strikeout. The Rockies won 8-5.
On July 1 against the Miami Marlins at home, Carrigg entered in the eighth inning as a defensive substitution for Troy Johnston. He did not have an at-bat, and the Rockies won 6-3.
On July 5 against the San Francisco Giants at home, Carrigg entered in the seventh inning as a pinch hitter for Mickey Moniak. He went 0-for-1 with a swinging strikeout. The Rockies won 7-6.
On July 11 against the Giants on the road, Carrigg entered in the ninth inning as a pinch hitter for Ezequiel Tovar. He went 0-for-1 with a looking strikeout. The Rockies lost 4-2.
On July 17 against the Cincinnati Reds at home, Carrigg entered in the eighth inning as a pinch hitter for Mickey Moniak. He went 1-for-1 with a single. The Rockies lost 7-2.
Carrigg also had a mini slump, where he went 0-for-14 with seven strikeouts in the final five games before the All-Star break. The Rockies went 1-4 in those games.
That came on the heels of a brush up he had with Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing on July 6 after hitting a game-tying double and then scoring the go-ahead run in the 10th inning (the Rockies ultimately lost the game 8-7 in 11 innings).
While this wasn’t the first incident of Carrigg getting fired up over a play, it was the one that seems to have brought attention to him, especially with the mini slump that happened after.
Balancing the emotions
On the field, Carrigg has adjusted well to playing at the major-league level, and the numbers make that clear. However, in spring training, Carrigg pointed to the emotional part of his game as a work in progress:
“Probably handling failure like a professional,” Carrigg said of his next step, “getting rid of that immaturity and just letting them know that. If I do come up to the big leagues, I’m sure it’s not always going to be great – hopefully it’s awesome and I do well, but there’s going to be tough times. And being able to handle that like a pro and not bring the club down in any sense, and having any bad attitude or whatever and just being a good locker room guy… I felt like I did a really good job this spring. Granted, it went well so it’s a lot easier to be happy when things are going well. But just handling more of that type of thing like a professional.”
“The edge to win and to play for me, I will never lose – it will never leave. Being able to manage some of that on tough days is something I’ve worked on even through the Minors. But that’s just how I’m wired. I’ve gotten better at it and will continue to, but that won’t cause me to lose any type of edge.”
Recently, a consistent part of his game involves throwing his bat and/or helmet after he records an out while loudly yelling an expletive that rhymes with “fire truck.”
While this fire can help fuel Carrigg in big moment, it can also hold him back. Balancing these parts of his personality and his game is an ongoing project, one that he will need to adjust carefully as he lays the foundation for a long and successful major league career.
The Rockies broadcast crew on Tuesday provided their own insight during the eighth inning of the Rockies-Nationals game while Carrigg flew out to right on four pitches:
Drew Goodman: “I love everything about this kid, but you know what, as he grows, I think he’s going to control his emotions more because every pitch is… he’s living and dying.”
Ryan Spilborghs: “We see this from [Cubs’ center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong]. He’s very emotional. We see it from Cole. You probably heard something snap in the background.”
Jeff Huson: “Ah, it’s just a helmet.”
Spilborghs: “The game is not that easy where… you can’t expect to get a hit every single time, even late in the game.”
Goodman: “You love how competitive he is, but — I mean, you guys went through it for a long period of time in the big leagues. At some point you’re going to wear yourself down if you’re that emotional every at-bat.”
Huson: “Can’t do it every at-bat, no way.”
Spilborghs: “But we’ve also said this: You don’t want to take away that fire that’s in there.”
Goodman: “No, but temper it, right?”
Spilborghs: “Whatever that in-between is that you can just smooth some things out. I just don’t want to take any of that away from him. Like, you remember that conversation we had a few years ago with Justin Turner when he was with the Cubs and we were asking about PCA and he was like ‘Hey, he can be great if he learns to settle down. He’ll just be good if he stays on this path.”
Goodman: “And look at PCA the last two months. He’s handling his emotions — or maybe because he’s not making any outs, he’s not getting that emotional. I don’t know which it is.”
Huson: “Could be a combination of both!”
Huson’s and Spilborghs’ concerns, as well as those of his coaches before them, about Carrigg wearing out are a cautionary note that should not be taken lightly. Carrigg has shown the tools to be an elite baseball player with the versatility and toolsy approach the Rockies value. One part of his game to watch going forward, however, will be how that emotional part of his game evolves.
When Carrigg good, he’s on fire. When he’s struggling, he lets everybody know. And this is a pattern he needs to refocus on if he’s going to have a long and successful major league career.
If Ted Lasso can get through to Jamie Tartt, I’m confident Warren Schaeffer can help guide Cole Carrigg.
Jake McCarthy has had an outstanding season since the Rockies traded for him in January. Thomas Harding spoke with McCarthy and Warren Schaeffer about what he brings to the team, and whether or not he’ll be part of the Rockies’ long-term vision or be dealt to another team ahead of next Monday’s trade deadline.
Jordan Romano has been a nice pick-up for a Rockies team in desperate need of pitching, especially out of the bullpen in late innings. But his Colorado connection goes back to his days in Toronto, when he was coached by Matt Buschmann as a member of the Blue Jays. Romano made back-to-back All-Star games during that stretch, and is hoping to regain form. Kevin Henry caught up with both of them as they’ve reconnected in Colorado.
It was a back-and-forth affair between the Isotopes and the Express (Rangers). There was some traffic in three of Keegan Thompson’s four innings, but he didn’t allow a single run to score despite giving up three hits. He also walked two and struck out three. Then the bullpen came in, and the four relievers — Evan Shawver, Ryan Miller, Parker Mushinski and TJ Shook — all gave up at least one run (though Shook’s was unearned, as was one of Shawver’s).
On the offensive side, the Topes recorded six hits to the Express’ 12. Vimael Machín went 2-for-3 with a home run, a walk and a run scored. Recently-promoted Bryant Betancourt also went 2-for-3, while Jordan Beck and Chad Stevens had the other two hits. Betancourt knocked in the second run, but it wasn’t an RBI because left fielder Aaron Zavala committed an error that allowed Stevens to cross the plate.
This game didn’t start until the sixth inning, but unfortunately, all of the Flying Squirrels’ (Giants) runs were scored in the seventh. The Goats kicked things off in the sixth with an Aidan Longwell sac fly to score Dyan Jorge and put them up 1-0. Then, in the seventh, Jorge singled to drive in Mike Antico. But then it all fell apart.
Carlos Torres started the inning by getting Charlie Szykowny to fly out to center. But then Jancel Villarroel reached on catcher interference and Maui Ahuna walked. Jean Carlos Sio struck out, but then Ty Hanchey singled to score Villarroel. Diego Velasquez walked to load the bases, and then Trevor Cohen singled to score two more runs and give the Squirrels the lead. Cohen advanced to second on defensive indifference, but then scored alongside Velasquez when Gavin Kilen singled to center. Finally, Dakota Johnson grounded out to first base, but the damage was done.
The Goats recorded four hits (Jorge 2, Antico 2, McCabe 1) while Torres was saddled with the loss and the blown save after giving up the five runs (three earned) in his single inning of work. But Michael Prosecky (No. 25 PuRP) and Cade Denton looked sharp, combining for six innings (Prosecky 2.2, Denton 3.1) of work in which they allowed just three hits, one walk and seven combined strikeouts.
It was a fairly back-and-forth affair between the Indians and the Dust Devils (Angels), but an eight-run seventh put the Indians way ahead and they never looked back.
Spokane got things started when Tommy Hopfe was hit by a pitch and was eventually scored on a single by Alan Espinal. They gave one back in the second, but took one back in the third when Hopfe was hit by a pitch again, but then was replaced by Roldy Brito on a force out at second. Brito eventuall scored on a double by Espinal. Tri-City scored twice again in the fifth to put themselves up 3-2, but then Tevin Tucker was hit by a pitch in the bottom of the frame and was scored on a Hopfe double to re-tie the game.
The seventh inning is where things got weird. Francis Rivera got two quick outs, but then David Mershon doubled and Harold Coll walked. Kevin Bruggeman then hit a three-run homer to double Tri-City’s lead. But the Indians said “hold my beer” in the bottom of the frame. They started things off with three-straight singles and a walk, and then Tanner Thach was hit by a pitch to score Brito. Tri City’s reliever Ssam Tookoian was chased from the game between the Hernandez single and the Espinal walk. Kelvin Hidalgo then singled to tie the game… and there still wasn’t an out yet! Jacob Hinderleider was the next batter and the first out, but then Caleb Hobson walked to score Espinal. Tucker was hit by a pitch again to score Thach, and then Hopfe singled to score Hidalgo and Hobson. Tookoian was then replaced by Nicolo Pinazzi, who immediately gave up a single to Brito to score Tucker. That would be the end of the scoring in that inning, as two of the next three batters struck out (the third walked). In total, five Indians were hit by pitches and four walked, and nobody did both. The final run was scored in the ninth when Tucker doubled to score Hinderleider, who singled two batters before.
Not to be outdone by the Indians, the Grizzlies went on an offensive tirade against the Quakes (Angels). They managed 19 runs on 16 hits, but committed three errors. The Quakes, on the other hand, scored six runs on nine hits with two errors. Fresno scored in every inning except the third, fifth, and eighth and every batter recorded at least one hit except PH/LF Yeiker Reyes, 3B Carlos Renzullo and OF Landyn Vidourek.
The Grizzlies scored one each in the first and second, but it was the fourth inning where they blew things open. It started with a lead-off walk by Cruzmel Arias, which came around to haunt three batters later. Cam Hassert singled, but then Ashly Andujar reached on an error and Cam Nelson walked to score Arias. Jeremy Ciriaco then singled to score Hassert, and then Derek Bernard singled to score Andujar. Quakes’ pitcher Jaren Warwick was lifted in place of Alton Davis II, who immediately gave up a single to Wilder Dalis that scored Nelson. Kyle Fossum grounded out to record the first out, and then Vidourek struck out swinging. Arias came up to bat again, this time singling to score Bernard. Then back-to-back-to-back walks to Hassert, Andujar and Nelson scored Arias. Then there was another pitching change to Will Gervase, who threw a wild pitch to score Hassert. Ciriaco grounded out to Gervase to end the inning, but the Grizzlies were up 11-1.
The second big inning happened in the sixth, It started with another lead-off walk to Hassert, which came around to haunt again. A wild pitch by Gervase moved Hassert to second, and then Andujar grounded out to first but moved Hassert to third. Three-straight walks again scored Hassert, and then Dalis singled to score Nelson. Fossum had the biggest hit of the game, though, smacking a grand slam to run up the score 17-4. Vidourek struck out again, but then Arias reached on another error. Hassert singled and Andujar doubled to score Arias. 18-4, Grizzlies.
Dalis got the last laugh, homering in the seventh to make the final Grizzlies’ run total 19. They also ended up walking more times (12) than striking out (8).
The ACL Rockies began the ACL World Series tonight against the ACL Reds, and took Game 1 with a final score of 9-8 in the Arizona heat. The Reds got out to an early 2-1 lead, but a five-run fourth was enough for the Rockies to eke out a win after some late-inning drama.
The fourth inning started with a lead-off walk to Ben Wilmes, followed by a single by Kamuel Villar. Eriel Dihigo hit a sacrifice bunt to move the rummers, and then Matt Klein walked to load the bases. Parker Coddou singled to score Wilmes and tie the ballgame, and after a pitching change, Sebastian Blanco walked to give the Rockies the lead. Jared Thomas grounded out to score Klein, and then Christian Arguelles singled to score Coddou and Blanco. But then Arguelles was caught trying to stretch the single into a double, ending the inning.
The Reds tacked on another run in each of the fifth and sixth innings, but the Rockies scored three more times in the eighth. It started off (again) with a lead-off walk to Klein, who was replaced by pinch runner Gabriel Lopez. Coddou and Blanco hit back-to-back bunt singles, and then a throwing error helped score Lopez. Dariel Garcia then replaced Thomas as a pinch hitter, and two batters later Arguelles reached on catcher interference. Ronny Ugarte then drew a bases-loaded walk, and then Wilmes singled to run up the score 9-4.
The Reds made things a little interesting in the ninth inning, though. Marcos Pimentel came in and got Juan Brown to line out. But then two singles and a walk later set up Jirvin Morillo, who hit a grand slam to make the score 9-8. Pimentel was then replaced by Wilmis Paulino, who walked Eli Pitts to start. But then Naibel Mariano flied out to right, and Hansel Jimenez grounded into a force out at second to end the game.
The New York Yankees are short road favorites against the Chicago White Sox at -137, and I’m laying the moneyline.
New York is in a quick turnaround spot after Sunday Night Baseball, so I’m not eager to push the run line. Still, Noah Schultz’s contact profile is a tough fit against the Yankees’ power, while Max Fried gives New York the stronger run-prevention base.
Here are my Yankees vs White Sox predictions and MLB picks for Monday, July 27.
Who will win Yankees vs White Sox today: Yankees moneyline (-137)
I’m backing the New York Yankees and would play them up to -150.
Chicago White Sox left-hander Noah Schultz’s profile is a poor fit against this lineup. He owns a 6.07 xERA, a near-11% barrel rate, and a Bottom-15th percentile walk rate. That is a bad mix against a Yankees offense built to punish free traffic and loud contact.
Even without Aaron Judge, New York remains in the AL East race because of strong pitching and impact contact, ranking first in barrel rate and third in hard-hit rate.
This is the right matchup for the Yankees to do damage.
COVERS INTEL:Schultz has allowed an 87.7% zone-contact rate, well above the MLB average of 82.6%.
Yankees vs White Sox Over/Under pick: Over 8.5 (-105)
I’m playing the Over because Schultz gives New York too many ways to build offense. The Yankees do not need a perfect travel spot if they are getting free traffic and airborne contact from a pitcher allowing a 63.3% fly-ball rate.
Chicago can contribute enough on the other side, too. The White Sox are not a pure power offense, but their .324 OBP and 381 walks give them a path to pressure Max Fried into traffic.
Fried is Fried, but you get the sense that the White Sox offense won't have to do much here.
I'd play this to 9.
Chris Hatfield's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 40-36, +6.10 units
Over/Under bets: 44-34, +12.01 units
Yankees vs White Sox weather
Sunny, with 10-14 mph winds blowing to right field. Conditions are enhanced for both home runs and overall scoring today at Rate Field, per BallparkPal.
Yankees vs White Sox odds
Moneyline: Yankees -137 | White Sox +119
Run line: Yankees -1.5 | White Sox +1.5
Over/Under: Over 8.5 | Under 8.5
Yankees vs White Sox trend
The New York Yankees are 4-0 in their last 4 road games vs. a left-handed starter. Find more MLB betting trends for Yankees vs. White Sox.
How to watch Yankees vs White Sox and game info
Location
Rate Field, Chicago, IL
Date
Monday, July 27, 2026
First pitch
7:40 p.m. ET
TV
YES, CHSN
Yankees starting pitcher
Max Fried (4-3, 2.67 ERA)
White Sox starting pitcher
Noah Schultz (3-7, 6.04 ERA)
Yankees vs White Sox latest injuries
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.
Jul 25, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers left fielder Jackson Chourio (11) and outfielder Luis Lara (18) celebrate a win over the Colorado Rockies as center fielder Garrett Mitchell (5) looks on at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images | Michael McLoone-Imagn Images
Last Week’s Results
Monday: Brewers 8, Mets 3
Tuesday: Mets 4, Brewers 0
Wednesday: Brewers 4, Mets 3
Thursday: Off Day
Friday: Rockies 5, Brewers 2
Saturday: Brewers 8, Rockies 5
Sunday: Brewers 11, Rockies 2
Division Standings
Brewers: 66-39
Cubs: 59-46 (7.0 GB)
Pirates: 54-52 (12.5 GB)
Cardinals: 53-52 (13.0 GB)
Reds: 49-55 (16.5 GB)
Last Week
Brewers: 4-2
Cubs: 3-3
Pirates: 2-4
Cardinals: 2-5
Reds: 4-2
Top Pitching Performance of the Week
Jacob Misiorowski continues to dominate opposing lineups, as he made a pair of starts against the Mets and Rockies this week, totaling nine innings but striking out an incredible 18 batters. That includes a seven-strikeout stretch to begin Sunday’s game against Colorado, breaking a franchise record for strikeouts to begin a game previously held by Quinn Priester (six in 2025). Miz also allowed just two runs (one earned) on five hits and one walk.
Cooper Pratt continued to make a case for NL Rookie of the Month, as he led the team with nine hits in 18 at-bats this week (.500 batting average), including a pair of homers — the first and second of his career — and a double, driving in six. He also swiped a pair of bags.
Honorable mentions to Andrew Vaughn (two homers, .313/.333/.750 line), Joey Ortiz (seven hits, including two doubles, two triples, and a homer), Brice Turang (eight hits, including a pair of doubles and a homer), and Luis Lara (four hits, including three doubles, and five RBIs), as well as to known hitter Randy Wolf, who slugged the deciding two-run homer in the Brewers Alumni Legends Game.
Infielder David Hamilton made his return to the roster on Friday ahead of the series with the Rockies, as he missed just over two weeks with a strained hamstring. Infielder Braden Shewmake, who the Brewers acquired from the Astros for cash considerations in the wake of Hamilton’s injury, was designated for assignment.
Just over a week after acquiring him (along with left-hander Colton Gordon) in a trade for Jadyn Fielder and cash considerations, the Brewers designated right-handed pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. for assignment. McCullers looked great in his first couple of innings as a Brewer (pair of 1-2-3 innings with three strikeouts), but he struggled overall, totaling 4 2/3 innings with five runs allowed (just two earned) as he gave up three hits and four walks. Right-hander Garrett Stallings was recalled to replace him on the active roster, but McCullers’ DFA means the Brewers now have two 40-man spots open.
Left-handed pitcher DL Hall and outfielder Brandon Lockridge were both sent on rehab assignments with the Triple-A Nashville Sounds, as we could see both make their return to the majors in the next couple of weeks.
Outfielder Sal Frelick, who went on the IL last weekend with a right shoulder strain, was shut down from baseball activities for the next week. His return is still listed as TBD, but it’s looking like we won’t see him until at least mid-August.
Right-hander Joel Kuhnel threw his first bullpen session on July 21, and left-hander Kyle Harrison threw four “ups” in a live batting practice session on Saturday. Next steps for Kuhnel are TBD, while Harrison is expected to either make a rehab appearance in the minors or directly return to the rotation.
Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal delivers against the Kansas City Royals on July 24. Don't count on the Dodgers acquiring Skubal at the trade deadline. (Gregory Shamus / Getty Images)
Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal is one of the few players who could actually elevate the Dodgers’ roster at the trade deadline. And the Dodgers are one of the few teams that could reasonably part with the prospect capital it would take to acquire the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner.
That doesn’t mean it will come to fruition.
With a week to go before the MLB trade deadline on Aug. 3, the Dodgers don’t appear to be moving toward a trade for Skubal, according to people with knowledge of the situation not authorized to speak publicly. And it’s unclear whether the Tigers will indeed trade him; rival executives’ expectations appear to be inconsistent.
The Dodgers can never be fully counted out for a big swing, of course. They weren’t expected to sign closer Edwin Díaz or right fielder Kyle Tucker during the offseason, either.
But having a strong farm system supplements big spending. And part of the reasoning behind those indulgent offseason moves was to make a big trade-deadline move unnecessary. So, barring a significant shift either in rotation health or in the market, don’t count on Skubal joining the Dodgers in their quest for a three-peat.
The Dodgers have shown a willingness in the past to give up top prospects for starting pitching when they see a need. Look no further than 2024, when they pursued then-White Sox ace Garrett Crochet before pivoting to a different Tigers starter, Jack Flaherty, who they acquired for catcher Thayron Liranzo and shortstop Trey Sweeney — top-25 prospects, according to MLB Pipeline.
Between the Dodgers’ position in the standings, and the amount of talent they expect coming off the injured list, however, they don’t need to add Skubal to still be widely considered World Series favorites.
Despite injuries to key players, the Dodgers (67-39) have the best record in the majors and a 12-game lead in the National League West entering Monday.
The signings of Díaz and Tucker haven’t gone as the Dodgers pictured. Neither elevated the team in the first half. Díaz was hurt for most of it, and Tucker has had an underwhelming offensive season.
But when Díaz (loose body elbow surgery) returns from the injured list — manager Dave Roberts said the Dodgers plan to reinstate Díaz on Wednesday — and if Tucker can break out offensively, as he showed signs of over the weekend, they could essentially function as major trade-deadline additions.
The same goes for utility player Kiké Hernández and starting pitchers Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow. Hernández (strained left oblique) is expected to return from the IL on Tuesday. Snell (elbow surgery) is scheduled to make at least one more rehab start this coming week. And Glasnow (back spasms) is in the live batting practice phase of his build-up.
Dodgers starting pitcher Blake Snell puts on his cap before a game against the Atlanta Braves on May 9. (Caroline Brehman / Associated Press)
So, off the IL alone, the Dodgers are expecting to add two well-established starters, a closer, and a versatile position player in the second half.
Shohei Ohtani’s lingering left knee problem, which is holding him out of the rotation even after he received an Orthovisc injection to lubricate the joint going into the All-Star break, doesn’t change the team’s trade deadline calculus, according to people with knowledge of the matter not authorized to speak publicly.
Roberts all but confirmed as much Sunday.
“I don’t think so,” Roberts said when asked if his view of the team’s deadline pitching needs has changed. “I really don’t. We expect him to be pitching. ... So I don’t think that our approach to the deadline has changed given these last three weeks with Shohei.”
The Dodgers’ MLB-leading payroll (estimated by Roster Resource to be $397 million) draws a lot of attention. But their commitment to player development has helped extend their run of postseason success. The Mets (44-62), No. 2 in payroll ($366 million) are proof that big spending doesn’t guarantee winning.
The Dodgers will weigh the upside of adding someone such as Skubal — even better World Series odds, not having to face him in the postseason, etc. — against the blow to their young talent pool. Though the Dodgers do have an excess of prospect talent, especially in the outfield, the Tigers aren’t going to settle for anything short of a robust return.
If the Dodgers don’t trade for Skubal, what will they do?
Most likely, the Dodgers’ deadline moves will be around the periphery. They approached last year’s deadline similarly, when they traded for reliever Brock Stewart and outfielder Alex Call. This year, the Dodgers have even fewer obvious needs.
To borrow a favorite buzz word of executives across baseball, they’ll be opportunistic, as they look for ways to solidify the roster for the stretch run and into the playoffs. And if they see a way to upgrade their roster for future years without hurting their 2026 championship odds, they would be open to taking it, according to people with knowledge of the team’s stance not authorized to speak publicly.
The Dodgers’ catching depth, with Will Smith still sidelined with a lingering neck injury, is the most obvious roster soft spot. But the Dodgers are comfortable with backup catcher Dalton Rushing taking the bulk of the innings until Smith returns.
Smith’s recent recovery progress, since shutting down baseball activities and receiving an injection to address the discomfort and inflammation, has been encouraging enough for the team to feel confident in his return.
Still, the Dodgers could benefit from at least another third-string option at the physically and mentally demanding position.
If this all sounds boring compared to adding Skubal to a rotation that’s full of star power when healthy, that’s by design. For perennial postseason contenders, a splashy offseason ideally sets up a low-key trade deadline.
The Detroit Tigers had to settle for a split in their four-game home series against the Kansas City Royals last weekend, succumbing to the visitors in a 5-4 finale on Sunday afternoon. Framber Valdez was far from efficient and the bullpen once again squandered a late lead, resulting in the team’s 56th defeat this season.
Opening things up against the Baltimore Orioles this week for the Motor City Kitties is right-hander Keider Montero, who will make his second start since being brought back out of the bullpen. The 26-year-old justified his return to the rotation by throwing 5 1/3 frames of one-run ball on three hits — including a solo home run — and zero walks while matching his career high of eight strikeouts.
For the O’s, fellow righty Kyle Bradish will climb the hill looking to continue his recent stretch of success that saw him toss quality starts in five of his last six outings and his last three straight. The 29-year-old posted a 2.03 ERA and 2.56 FIP over his last 40 innings of work, allowing 23 hits (one home run) and 12 walks against 37 strikeouts, earning wins in four of those six games.
Here is a quick look at the matchup on paper ahead of the showdown in the D.
Detroit Tigers (50-56) vs. Baltimore Orioles (51-55)
Time (ET): 6:40 p.m. Place: Comerica Park, Detroit, Michigan SB Nation Site:Camden Chat Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Game 107: RHP Keider Montero (7-5, 3.14 ERA) vs. RHP Kyle Bradish (7-9, 3.49 ERA)
Jul 26, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Atlanta Braves first baseman Matt Olson (28) gets Baltimore Orioles first baseman Pete Alonso (25) out at first after the play was challenged by Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Lexi Thompson-Imagn Images | Lexi Thompson-Imagn Images
Happy Monday, Camden Chatters. It wasn’t a great weekend to be an Orioles fan, I have to say. The Orioles lost two out of three to the Braves in what felt like it could have been a series sweep (either way, honestly). Every game was exciting, I’ll give them that. But ultimately it was just a whole lot of frustration.
Two of the games went into extra innings, and the lone win was a walk-off after they blew the lead in the eighth inning. Yesterday, the Orioles fell behind 2-0, then scored one run in each of the 8th and 9th innings to send the game to extras. But they were unable to score a single run in the 10th after loading the bases with no outs. Gunnar Henderson hit the ball hard, but it just happened to go right to Matt Olson at first base. Olson was able to double up Pete Alonso at first. The O’s did a lot of things wrong this weekend, but in my mind that wasn’t one of them. It just really stunk.
After the 10th inning failure, the Orioles fell behind 3-2 in the 11th. They had two runners on in the bottom of the inning, but when Jackson Holliday came to the plate, they walked him to get to Sam Huff. Huff, shockingly, did not come through. I clipped a link about the team’s options at catcher below, but suffice it to say the current situation is untenable. Either Huff or Chadwick Tromp has to go for a better option. Bring up Creed Willems, at the very least. Maybe he’ll be terrible, but maybe he won’t. Those other guys will definitely be terrible.
In better baseball news, yesterday we watched the classic film A League of Their Own. It was the first time my nine-year-old daughter had seen it. She seemed to enjoy the baseball parts but was a little bored by the non-baseball parts. That’s ok, she’ll learn. A League of Their Own is my favorite baseball movie, but is it the best baseball movie? Maybe, maybe not. But I can say for certain that any conversation about the best baseball movie that doesn’t mention it is illegitimate.
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! You have four Orioles birthday buddies, including Rich Dauer (b. 1952, d. 2025). Dauer had a 10-year MLB career, all with the Orioles. He was a first-round draft pick in 1974 and played 1140 games from 1976-85.
Also born on this day in history are Floyd Rayford (69), Preston Guilmet (39), and Ryan Flaherty (40). Ryan Flaherty is 40? We are all getting so old.
On this day in 1959, the Orioles beat the Tigers 5-2 and Gene Woodling knocked in all five runs, including with a grand slam. The day before, Woodling drove in all four runs in a 4-0 victory over Chicago. Pretty good few days for ol’ Gene!
In 1969, the Orioles beat the White Sox 17-0. Frank Robinson hit two home runs. Boog Powell and Jim Hardin also homered. Don Buford, Paul Blair, and Davey Johnson had three hits apiece. Hardin, the starting pitcher, had a complete-game two-hit shutout.
In 1996, the Orioles defeated Cleveland 14-2 at Camden Yards. Rafael Palmeiro hit a grand slam off Orel Hershiser. Bobby Bonilla and Mike Devereaux also homered. B.J. Surhoff had three hits and three RBI. David Wells started and pitched 7.2 innings. The win brought the Orioles to .500 at 51-51.
In 2020, a bunch of COVID-related shenanigans broke out. The Marlins were playing in Philadelphia when several of their players tested positive for COVID. Instead of traveling home to Miami to play the Orioles, they had to quarantine in Philly. Those games were postponed. The Orioles flew home from Miami, and by the next day basically the entire Marlins team had COVID. The Yankees were supposed to go to Philadelphia, but that got scrapped as well. Since neither the Orioles nor the Yankees had anything to do, the Yankees decided to come to Baltimore to play instead. 2020 was so weird. O
And on this day last year, the Orioles beat the Rockies 5-1. Tomoyuki Sugano allowed one run in six innings. He struck out eight. Tyler O’Neill homered and Dylan Carlson knocked in two runs.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JULY 26: A general view of Citizens Bank Park during the game between the New York Yankees and the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday, July 26, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Actual offense was on display last night in Philadelphia, but this defense, if it doesn’t get cleaned up fast, is going to be the downfall of this team.
Happy birthday to Joe Tinker, and a mighty host of others.
Today in baseball history, in 2012 – Wally the Green Monster, the Red Sox’smascot, goes missing before today’s game with the Yankees, making the team suspect a dastardly deed by Yankee fans. Boston Police issue an all-points bulletin looking for a “green and furry [character] … and sporting a permanent grin to the face on an extremely large head.” It turns out to be a misunderstanding as Wally is located a few hours later, taking an unauthorized tour of his home city, and other stories as well.
Today in baseball history:
1927 – Mel Ott, 18 years old, hits his first major-league home run, an inside-the-park round-tripper. It is the only inside-the-park homer he will hit of his 511 career homers.
1928 – At Chicago’s Comiskey Park, A’s outfielder Ty Cobb starts for the last time in a regular-season game. The 41-year-old “Georgia Peach” singles and doubles before he is hit in the chest with a pitch and leaves the game hitting .332.
1938 – Hank Greenberg of the Tigers, who had hit home runs his last two at bats the day before, homers his first two times up to tie the major league record of four in a row. Greenberg has a record-setting eleven two-home run games during the season.
1961 – The Giants’Juan Marichal fires his first shutout of the year, stopping the Pirates, 2-0, on five hits. Manager Alvin Dark says before the game that “Marichal will go all the way” and keeps his relief pitchers in the dugout to emphasis the point. Bob Stevens of the San Francisco Chronicle writes: “Later, Dark explained to questioning reporters: ‘I’m sick and tired of watching pitchers bow their necks for four-five innings and then look around for Stu Miller to bail them out.’ As far as press box historians could guess, last night was the first time in modern baseball history that a major league bullpen was left unattended.”
1966 – In Los Angeles, Jim Bunning and Sandy Koufax battle for 11 innings before both exit with the score locked at 1-1. Koufax allows four hits and fans 16, while Bunning gives up six hits and strikes out 12. Los Angeles eventually tops the Phillies, 2-1, in 16 innings.
1983 – While picking up his first win as a member of the Royals, Gaylord Perry joins Nolan Ryan and Steve Carlton as the third pitcher this season to reach 3,500 career strikeouts, fanning four Indians in a 5-4 victory to raise his total to 3,501.
2011 – The Giants get one of the top players available at the trading deadline, MetsAll-Star CF Carlos Beltran, who is set to become a free agent at the end of the season. The Giants send top pitching prospectZack Wheeler to New York, but the Mets will be responsible for a significant portion of Beltran’s remaining salary.
Today in Cubs history:
1945 – The Cubs purchase P Hank Borowy from the New York Yankees in an unexpected waiver deal. Borowy, 10-5 with the Yankees, was put on waivers, apparently to solve a roster problem, and was passed over by 15 teams. The Cubs snatch him for $97,500, and he will help the Cubs win the pennant with an 11-2 record, including three wins over the Cardinals down the stretch
1992 – In his first start at Wrigley Field since his announcement that he’s leaving Chicago, Greg Maddux beats the Pirates, 3-2. In the eighth inning, the Wrigley faithful give the ace pitcher a standing ovation.
1998 – Sammy Sosa hits his 248th career homer – and his first grand slam – as the Cubs beat the Diamondbacks, 6-2. Sosa went to bat 4,428 times before drilling the sacks-full homer. His 247 homers without a slam is a major league record: the previous mark was 210 homers by Bob Horner. Sosa also tops the 100 RBI mark with his four ribbies, to back Steve Trachsel‘s pitching.
1586 – Walter Raleigh brings the first tobacco to England from Virginia.
1866 – First transatlantic telegraph cable comes ashore at Heart’s Content, Newfoundland, after being laid out 1,686 miles by Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s Great Eastern steamship.
1890 – Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh shoots himself in Auvers-sur-Oise and dies of his injuries 2 days later.
1940 – Billboard publishes its first singles record chart; “I’ll Never Smile Again” by Tommy Dorsey, with vocals by Frank Sinatra, is ranked No. 1.
1940 – Bugs Bunny, Warner Bros. cartoon character created by Tex Avery and Bob Givens for the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series, debuts in “A Wild Hare”.
1981 – Modern/Atco Records releases “Bella Donna,” the debut solo album by singer-songwriter Stevie Nicks of Fleetwood Mac; hit singles include “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” with Tom Petty, “Edge of Seventeen,” and “Leather and Lace” with Don Henley.
2021 – American gymnast and four-time Olympic gold medallist Simone Biles withdraws from the women’s team final at the Tokyo Games citing need to focus on her mental health; also misses individual finals.
Jefry Yan of the Syracuse Mets celebrates during a Minor League Baseball game at Coca-Cola Park in the United States on June 26, 2026. (Photo by Dan Squicciarini/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images
Christopher Morel gave Syracuse an early lead with an RBI double in the top of the first, but Jordan Geber gave that up and then some in the bottom of the fourth, allowing two RailRider runs to score. Scranton scored an insurance run off of Jefry Yan in the bottom of the eighth, and that insurance run proved to be crucial, as Morel struck again, this time swatting a solo homer to make it a 3-2 ballgame. With the RailRider bullpen teetering but not totaled, Ryan Clifford and Christian Arroyo struck out back-to-back to end the game.
Early on, both teams kept pace with each other. Portland scored a run in the top of the first? Binghamton scored a run in the bottom of the first. Portland scored two runs in the top of the third? Binghamton scored two runs in the bottom of the third. Portland scored a run in the top of the fourth? Binghamton scored a run in the bottom of the fourth. That was where the Rumble Ponies began pulling away. After that first run to tie the game at 4-4, they plated an additional two in the inning to take a 6-2 lead. Both teams settled down at that point, with Binghamton scoring an additional pair of insurance runs in the eighth on a Jose Ramos homer that ended up unneeded.
The Cyclones came oh-so-close to shutting out the BlueClaws on getaway day, but Rafi Vasquez gave up back-to-back doubles to lead off the bottom of the eighth, giving Jersey Shore their lone run of the game. The Cyclones had contributions from the top, middle, and bottom of the lineup alike, with Mitch Voit logging his second-consecutive multi-hit game, hopefully getting him off the schneid that he has been on since the All-Star break.
Finding themselves down 5-0 thanks to a disastrous start from Nathan Hall and a bullpen that was quickly and unexpectedly thrown into the fire early, the St. Lucie offense exploded for 8 runs in the bottom of the second inning, turning the momentum of the game around instantly. St. Lucie sent twelve men to the plate in the inning and not a single batter logged an extra base hit- every one of those eight runs were a result of five singles, three walks, and a HBP chained together. The offense plated three more runs in the third to extend St. Lucie’s lead to 11-5, and those runs turned out to be very important insurance runs, as Luis Sotillo allowed three Mighty Muscle runs in the seventh inning.
BALTIMORE — What does it look like when nine seasons of toil comes down to six games?
For the Baltimore Orioles, it looks like this: Three 100-loss seasons amidst front office regime change, an influx of insanely talented young players, a 101-win season, a sale of the franchise, a desultory regression, a managerial firing and finally, this fence-sitter of a season, stuck in a quagmire of American League mediocrity at 51-55.
The crucible: A three-game series at Detroit that looks like a trade deadline play-in match - winner to buy, loser to sell - followed by a three-game set at Camden Yards against the eternally contending Philadelphia Phillies.
And then, the Aug. 3 trade deadline, where their performance in the next six games very likely will determine their stance: Buy aggressively, sell off parts or play the middle.
Oh, the franchise won’t collapse if these Orioles miss the playoffs for a second consecutive year. They are poised to be at least serviceable in coming years, even as their prized young players march toward free agency.
It’s just that 118 losses in 2018, and 110 losses in 2021, followed by club president Mike Elias’s promised “liftoff” after 2022 was supposed to mean much more.
Those 101 wins in 2023 bought a playoff bye and two home games at Camden Yards. And then five consecutive losses over two postseasons.
It’s enough to add a jolt of urgency for franchise cornerstones.
“We haven’t won a playoff game since I’ve been here,” Gunnar Henderson, the 2023 Rookie of the Year and two-time top-10 MVP finisher, tells USA TODAY Sports. “That’s something a lot of guys in this room, including myself, want to do, want to get past, and make a run.
“I feel like we got the group to do it. It’s just a matter of doing it.”
For these Orioles, the doing has been challenging. After last year’s 15-28 start cost manager Brandon Hyde his job on the way to an 87-loss season, this year was supposed to be different. Elias augmented the club well in the offseason, most notably his first nine-figure commitment in first baseman Pete Alonso.
But an improved squad has performed arrhythmically. Injuries have not helped, but sloppy play and failures at various points in all departments has dragged them into the mire.
Now, they are 2 ½ games out of a playoff berth and one of 22 teams – 11 in each league – across the majors within 3 ½ games of the postseason.
Limbo, basically. And one week to ensure they emerge with hope.
Playing spoiler against Skubal
Wednesday, July 29 at Comerica Park will mark a most dramatic time: It is possibly the final home start for Detroit Tigers ace and two-time reigning Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal. And the pitching matchup epitomizes the volatility of this trade deadline.
Opposing Skubal will be another left-hander, Baltimore’s Trevor Rogers, in a similar but scaled-down situation.
Like Skubal, Rogers is a pending free agent and was his club’s opening-day starter this season. Like Skubal, his team could view him as a crucial piece of a playoff push – or an asset to be sold for future parts.
And while Rogers’ up-and-down journey to the verge of free agency lacks Skubal’s dominance and accolades, his performance the past two months - a 1.80 ERA, a 45-14 strikeout-walk ratio and the Orioles’ 6-3 record in his nine starts – would make him more than a consolation prize for a team that can’t land Skubal.
With the Orioles a game up on Detroit (50-56) entering the series, Rogers-Skubal is one of just dozens of mini-battles that will play out within the vaster landscape of the deadline: Buyers and sellers and losers who get caught on the wrong side of that line.
“We know where we’re at, standing-wise,” says Rogers. “These games really matter this close to the deadline. If we play really good ball and make that gap a little bit closer, change the front office’s mind, maybe we add a couple pieces. (Unlike) last year, getting rid of some guys.
“We know where we’re at in terms of the season.”
Rogers hit the accelerator at a perfect time for himself and the Orioles. He had a 6.96 ERA through nine starts, at which point the Orioles were 23-30 and their pitching staff ranked 28th with a 4.87 ERA.
Yet Rogers figured it out, improving his command to both sides of the plate in this two-month run, and so, too has the Orioles staff. They rank third in the majors with a 3.42 ERA since that point, giving them a chance.
So long as they win enough this week to keep the band together.
“The standard we’re trying to create here, especially what they did in ’23 and ’24 – we have the talent to do it,” says Rogers. “There’s just been times we haven’t been consistent doing it every single day.
“Hopefully, we can continue that. The trust in here is really high. We all know what we’re capable of and where we can go with this team.”
Time to clean it up
Rogers is in some ways symbolic of this close-but-not-quite era in Baltimore. He was a trade-deadline acquisition in July 2024, Elias’s first major burning of club assets by shipping future All-Star outfielder Kyle Stowers and infielder Connor Norby to Miami.
And then Rogers was hit hard in four starts, posting a 7.11 ERA, and optioned to Class AAA in mid-August. The Orioles would get swept at home by Kansas City in a two-game wild card series, giving them five losses in as many playoff games over two seasons in which they won 192 regular-season games.
Over those two deadlines, Elias did not shine on the buy side, bringing in starting pitcher Jack Flaherty and reliever Shintaro Fujinami in 2023. Rogers, starter Zach Eflin, relievers Seranthony Dominguez and Gregory Soto and outfielder Eloy Jimenez were 2024 adds.
None save for Eflin factored heavily into postseason plans. All of which contributed to the strong feeling Elias could build a team, yet perhaps not act aggressively enough on the buy side.
Third-year owner David Rubenstein remains publicly effusive of Elias.
“Mike was the baseball executive of the year a few years ago. Widely regarded as outstanding by his peers. I’m very very happy, couldn’t be more pleased,” Rubenstein said Friday at a news conference announcing a $90 million contract extension for starter Kyle Bradish. “We’ve had some injuries, but that’s not Mike’s fault.
“In the end, we’re very pleased and happy to have such a talented executive leading our baseball team.”
Elias, aware of the perception he’s perhaps too protective of young organizational talent, has sounded bullish on the trade deadline even when the Orioles were well below .500. Hours before the Orioles dropped the first of two games against Atlanta, he cast an eye toward what they have – and can be.
“We have so much talent on this team. I think we all look at our record and it should be better,” says Elias. “Where we’re at right now, we’re within arms’ reach of a playoff spot, have enough time to get there.
“We’re coming up on the deadline so the next several games are really important and everyone’s focused on that. But I look at the talent on this team and we’re extremely optimistic we’re going to get where we want to go.”
For now, they’ll have to do so without catchers Adley Rutschman and Samuel Basallo, both on the injured list with wrist and shoulder injuries, respectively. Their absences were felt in losing two of three games this weekend to Atlanta, including a particularly aggravating 3-2, 11-inning loss Sunday.
It was more of the same: Inopportune hitting and two runs given away when simple defensive plays – a booted ball in the outfield, a shallow fly falling – were not made.
“We’re way better than what our record shows,” says Alonso, who has upheld his end of the bargain with 22 home runs and an .812 OPS. “But we’ve given a lot away collectively, through mistakes. That’s why our record is what it is.
“But we have the ability to go on a run. To do damage and win a lot of games.”
If Rutschman were healthy and the Orioles deeper below .500, he’d likely hear his name bandied about even more in trade rumors. As it is, Rutschman’s eventual departure would leave Henderson as the significant symbol of Elias’s transformative 2019 draft. Yet as Henderson eases into his mid-20s – he celebrated his 25th birthday last month – the game has come harder.
In his four full seasons, Henderson’s OPS has gone from .814 his rookie to season to .893, .787 and now .701. His adjusted OPS was a whopping 155 in 2024; now, he’s a slightly below league average hitter.
At times – particularly in the lost 2025 season – Henderson has worn his frustrations outwardly, as if the burden at times became too much. He notes that dealing with failure is something every player must navigate himself.
“It’s something that’s been a long learning curve for me,” Henderson says of managing disappointment. “Still trying to break through that. I obviously have high expectations of myself. When you don’t really, to my standard, achieve that, it’s hard to not be hard on yourself.
“That’s something that’s definitely been tough, for me. And definitely something to work on.”
Henderson himself will have two seasons remaining before free agency after this year. It’s not so much do-or-die time for him as much as it is an inflection point in his tenure and, more broadly, this Orioles era.
The franchise must work to ensure their missed opportunities in 2023 and ’24 weren’t the high-water mark after years of ugly, ugly baseball. This year may offer another bite at the apple.
This week will determine whether that occurs.
“The ground that we need to make up – we honestly need to win every game we can,” says Henderson. “We want to make the playoffs. We’re close, but not in there. We gotta keep winning games.
Lael Lockhart worked through a pair of homers in the first two innings — one being of the inside-the-park variety — and then it was smooth sailing for Toledo’s pitching staff in this one.
Ivan Johnson took Lockhart deep on the very first pitch of the game, and Carlos Jorge got around the bases in about 16 seconds after Javy Baez misplayed a ball in center field. Lockhart was fine after that, retiring 10 of the next 11 batters.
Baez took a decent route to the ball, but it got over his head and bounced off the higher fence that starts to the right of the batter’s eye. Some slight hesitation occurred, as it looked like Baez was expecting a ground-rule double, and that cost Toledo the run. We’ll chalk it up to not knowing the outfield very well at this park, but it’s not a great look for Javy.
Carlos Jorge hits a fly ball over Javier Baez in center field and speeds all the way around the bases for an inside-the-park home run. pic.twitter.com/gFuiDuu2ni
The Hens had their chances early, loading the bases in the first and stranding two runners in the second. They finally broke through in the third with a Max Anderson double and RBI single from Corey Julks. Andrew Navigato and Gage Workman had back-to-back singles to tie the game up in the fourth. A fielding error on Workman’s ball helped move things along with two outs.
Three more base hits, courtesy of Julks, Trei Cruz and Tyler Gentry, gave Toledo the lead in the fifth. Another set of consecutive singles from Baez, Anderson and Eduardo Valencia made it 4-2 in the sixth. Toledo had 18 hits on the day, but only four went for extra bases.
Yilber Diaz took over for Lockhart in the sixth. He faced the minimum, erasing a leadoff walk with a pickoff. Andre Granillo got the seventh and eighth, working around a base hit in the former. Nick Sandlin closed things out in the ninth, allowing a one-out double, but not before a big eighth inning for the offense.
Valencia put the game away with a grand slam, and Gentry hit a two-run shot a couple of at-bats later. Cal Stevenson also doubled in the inning, which means three of the four extra-base hits for Toledo came in the eighth.
Erie couldn’t claim the series win on Sunday, as the SeaWolves struggled to figure out Chesapeake Baysox starter Luis De Leon, who went 6.1 innings and only allowed one run.
Carlos Pena did his best to match that performance, but a two-run homer in the second put him in line for the loss. Pena made it through 4.2 innings, striking out six and walking none along the way.
Erie only had five hits on the day, but three went for extra bases. Garrett Pennington couldn’t score after doubling in the second, but Bennett Lee found his way home after leading off the third with a triple. Seth Stephenson hit into a fielding error at first base to bring Lee across.
Things stayed pretty quiet for both teams until the sixth. Yosber Sanchez, who came in for Pena to get the last out of the fifth, had some command issues before getting the third out. His struggles continued with a leadoff double in the sixth and a two-out walk, so Erie turned to Johan Simon, who gave up a two-run double to the first batter he faced.
Simon pitched through the seventh, working around a pair of baserunners. Eric Silva was next out of the bullpen, but he couldn’t hold the score at 4-1. A solo homer and two base hits led to two more runs for Chesapeake.
Patrick Lee homered in the ninth, but the SeaWolves needed much more for a comeback. The series ends tied at three games apiece.
Patrick Lee crushes a 418-foot home run to center off former Tigers prospect Micah Ashman. It’s Lee’s 2nd homer with Erie, and his 9th overall this year. It’s also just the 2nd home run allowed by Ashman, who leads the minors in FIP (min 30IP). pic.twitter.com/y9Va2N0aaP
Despite the final score, things were closer than they appear in this one. West Michigan trailed halfway through the game and only led by one run going into the eighth. If it weren’t for a massive eighth inning, Peoria’s two runs in the ninth could’ve been a walk-off.
Fortunately, the Whitecaps scored eight in the eighth. Chiefs reliever Dylan Driessen was the victim of four straight hits to start his outing. Andrew Sojka doubled to start things off, Juan Hernandez scored him with a single, Woody Hadeen doubled, and Bryce Rainer brought both runners home with a single.
Bryce Rainer with a hard single to right that brings home two more runs and gives West Michigan an 8-4 lead. pic.twitter.com/5DPSXjxC4G
Clayton Campbell flew out, the first of the inning, and Samuel Gil singled in Rainer. The Whitecaps made it one time through the order, bringing Sojka back up to the plate, and he smashed a grand slam to make it 13-4. West Michigan outscored Peoria in this inning alone.
Andrew Sojka blows the game open for the Whitecaps with an opposite field grand slam against his former club. West Michigan leads 13-4 in the 8th. pic.twitter.com/6gOdOIBR18
Campbell and Zach MacDonald both had homers earlier in the game, the former coming with two men on base. Luke Shliger also had an RBI single in the seventh.
Clayton Campbell smashes a 3-run homer to deep left to give the Whitecaps the lead. It’s his 7th home run of the year. pic.twitter.com/uENbE9hcOb
On the pitching side, Connor Fenlong got the start. He had some control issues in the second, walking the bases loaded and hitting a batter for the first run of the game. A leadoff solo homer in the fourth made it 2-0 at that point, but Fenlong didn’t allow a baserunner otherwise.
Eliseo Mota took over in the sixth. He loaded the bases before recording an out but worked his way out of the jam without giving up a run. Juanmi Vasquez got the seventh. Back-to-back two-run homers made it a one-run game, but we know what happened after that.
Luke Stofel went 1-2-3 in the eighth, and Zack Lee gave up a pair of inconsequential runs in the ninth. West Michigan takes the series, 5-1.
Rainer: 2-6, 2 R, 2 RBI
Sojka: 2-5, HR (6), 2, 4 RBI, K
Campbell: 1-3, HR (7), R, 3 RBI, BB, K
Fenlong (W, 1-0): 5.0 IP, 2 ER, H, 3 BB, 3 K, HR
Coming Up Next: The Whitecaps are back home next week against the Beloit Sky Carp, starting Tuesday at 6:35 p.m. ET.
So… the pitchers were just kind of there for this one. Lakeland and Jupiter combined for 31 runs on 30 hits and 21 walks, so, yeah…
Owen Hall and Donye Evans gave up six and five runs, respectively, but it’s Jan Caraballo who takes the loss for giving up a three-run homer in the ninth.
Caleb Leys got the start, striking out five over two innings of one-run ball. Jose Guzman went 1-2-3 in the third. That’s when things fell apart. Jupiter scored runs in each of the next six innings, putting a crooked number up in four of them. It was bad…
Lakeland’s runs were a bit more concentrated, with eight coming in the seventh, all with two outs. Nick Dumesnil, Jesus Pinto and Hunter Dobbins strung together consecutive hits to put Lakeland ahead after entering the inning down by one.
Anibal Salas extended the lead with an RBI single, and Jack Goodman took a bases-loaded walk to make it 13-9. Jordan Yost joined the party with a two-run double, and things looked good for a moment.
Jordan Yost gets 98 and flops it down the left field line for a 2-run double. Lakeland leads 15-9, and they have scored 9 runs this inning, all with two out. pic.twitter.com/fPKGns1ZJl
Evans gave four of those runs right back in the top of the eighth, and Caraballo gave up the deciding blow in the ninth.
Good gravy. Echedry Vargas crushes a 3-run homer 446 feet to left center and Jupiter has taken a 16-15 lead over Lakeland with 2 out in the 9th. pic.twitter.com/zLPuILe86R
Javier Osorio and Jude Warwick both hit homers earlier in the game. Warwick’s was more impactful, coming with two runners on and the Flying Tigers trailing, 7-3, in the fifth.
Jude Warwick smashes a 3-run homer to right to pull Lakeland back within a run. It’s his 8th home run of the season, and it snaps a 7-game hitless streak. @AaronArnstein on the call. pic.twitter.com/MUypoKMUK0
There’s too much going on to cover every detail here, but the bottom line is pitching bad, hitting good (but not good enough). Classic Single-A ball on a Sunday, really. This is why they say the SEC is comparable to Double-A; even college isn’t this wild.
The series ended in a 3-3 tie.
Yost: 1-4, 2B (11), 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB
Pinto: 4-6, 2B (14), 2 R, RBI
Warwick: 2-4, HR (8), 2 R, 4 RBI, BB, K
Leys: 2.0 IP, ER, 2 H, BB, 5 K
Coming Up Next: Lakeland is in Tampa next week, starting Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. ET.
Aug 30, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; New York Yankees players celebrate team's win against the Chicago White Sox in a baseball game at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
A fun weekend in Philadelphia ended with a dud, Will Warren getting knocked around by the Phillies as the Yankees fell on Sunday Night Baseball. A road series win against a strong opponent is still a fine outcome, though, and we’re onto the next, with the Yankees set for a lengthy date in Chicago. It’s a four-game set with the first-place White Sox, who enter the series looking much more formidable than they have in recent years.
On the site today, get prepped for the four games in Chicago with Josh’s preview, and get the rundown on what happened on Sunday with Kevin’s Rivalry Roundup. Later, Jonathan analyzes Jo Adell as a plausible trade target should the Angels decide to make some moves, and John writes up the one and only Alex Rodriguez, today A-Rod’s 51st birthday.
Today’s Matchup:
New York Yankees at Chicago White Sox
Time: 7:40 p.m. EST
TV: YES Network, Chicago Sports Network
Venue: Rate Field, Chicago, IL
Questions/Prompts:
1. How big of a blow do you think Cody Bellinger’s hamstring injury will be?
2. How surprised are you to see the White Sox leading the AL Central? Do you think they’ll see it through and win the division?
Has there ever been a more calamitous trade-deadline collapse than the Miami Marlins' pratfall the past two weeks?
The Marlins went from National League East contenders to almost certain trade deadline sellers over the course of a franchise-record 12-game losing streak, taking them from 52-42 and three games out of the division lead to 52-54 and the No. 8 position in the NL wild card chase. Suddenly, the hottest team in baseball - the Marlins were 26-8 from June 1 until July 9, their last win before this cold spell - could be poised to sell one of the most cherished assets on the market.
Yes, former Cy Young Award winner Sandy Alcantara, long a subject of trade conjecture until the Marlins' hot streak, is very much back in play. That's what made the Marlins' 12th loss in this skid even stranger: The San Diego Padres rallied for four runs in the eighth inning, setting up Mason Miller for his 27th save. Miller, too, has been targeted as potential trade fodder with the Padres slipping from contention.
But a weekend with the Marlins vaulted them ahead of Miami - not just in the NL standings but USA TODAY Sports' power rankings. Miami has tumbled nine spots to No. 18 - and who knows how far it may fall once the deadline is done.
New York Post | Greg Joyce: The Yankees, already missing Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, suffered another blow on Sunday, as fellow outfielder Cody Bellinger was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left hamstring strain. The former 2019 NL MVP suffered the ailment while running the bases on Saturday night.
Spencer Jones has been called up to replace Bellinger in the lineup. With so many top performers down with injuries, the Yankees now have even more pressure to add an impact bat or two before the August 3 deadline.
Bellinger’s injury doesn’t appear to be overly serious, though. At least he was able to perform some light agility drills on Sunday:
Cody Bellinger (placed on the 10-day injured list today) is performing light agility drills in left field: pic.twitter.com/WuH0yRF8C7
CBS Sports | Mike Axisa: The Yankees need a catcher badly and have been linked to Ryan Jeffers and Tyler Stephenson in the last few days. Shea Langeliers, however, won’t be an option because he suffered a serious knee injury and might be out for the season.
Langeliers was a long shot to be traded, anyway, as he is one of the Athletics’ top players and building blocks. Still, you never know with that organization. He has 23 home runs, a 127 wRC+, and 2.8 fWAR in 2026.
MLB.com | Dan Cichalsky: The National Baseball Hall of Fame welcomed its three newest members: Jeff Kent, Carlos Beltrán, and Andruw Jones, on Sunday. The last two played for the Yankees when they were past their prime, but are still part of franchise history.
Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home: Alice ‘Betsy’ Richardson, the longtime wife of former Yankee Bobby Richardson, passed away last week. They were married for 70 years. Reading the condolences and testimonies of those who knew her, it’s safe to say she left a huge mark on their lives. Our thoughts are with the Richardson family.
COVERS INTEL:
