In his first game with the Boston Red Sox, infielder Curtis Mead was forced to exit early after being hit on the hand by a pitch.
Mead, who was just acquired from the Washington Nationals on July 26, took a 95 mph fastball from Athletics starting pitcher Jack Perkins off his left wrist in the top of the fourth inning Monday night and initially remained in the game. However, he was replaced at second base in the bottom of the fifth by Anthony Sigler.
Mead told reporters after the game that X-rays showed "everything looks OK" and he's hopeful he'll be able to play on Tuesday in Sacramento.
Curtis Mead left his Red Sox debut early with a left wrist contusion.
"Walking in the clubhouse (I was) just super disappointed. I wanted to come here and help the team and wanted to play, so yeah, it's frustrating," Mead said.
He said he tried to swing a bat after he was hit, but "it didn't really feel great."
Red Sox manager Chad Tracy admitted afterward that it "looks like we dodged a bullet, maybe." Mead will undergo more tests on Tuesday.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 26: Enrique Hernandez #8 of the Los Angeles Dodgers rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run in the third inning against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium on May 26, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) | Getty Images
‘Tis the season. Just one week remains until the 2026 season’s trade deadline, which this year is August 3rd. The Dodgers are expected to be sellers as opposed to buyers, as this year there are more teams still involved in a playoff run.
The Dodgers also will have a little trade deadline action of their own, so to speak. Edwin Díaz, Kiké Hernández, and Blake Snell are all expected back soon, with Hernández slated to return to the team on Tuesday. As always, the Dodgers will be in on any big-name players, such as Tarik Skubal, should he become available. But for the most part, the team could be looking to part ways with some current players to bolster their farm system.
Eric Lauer and Alex Call are two names that could potentially be shopped, according to Katie Woo at The Athletic. Lauer came over in a trade in mid-May when Tyler Glasnow hit the IL. He has handled being an inning eater well- the team has yet to lose a game that he starts. While keeping him for depth would be the prudent thing to do, the Dodgers could flip him for some prospects like they did with Dustin May last season.
Call being traded makes a little more sense, now that both Hernández’s are back from the IL. His being another handed bat makes him redundant, and the Dodgers are looking to add to their farm system.
Shohei Ohtani is not currently pitching, and the front office and manager Dave Roberts insist that that will not affect their actions at the deadline. Meanwhile, he remains in the lineup.
“From his words, the hitting, the running, as he has done the last couple nights, doesn’t affect him,” Roberts said. “I can only go by what he and the training staff are telling me. So, unless I hear otherwise, that hitting compromises his health, then I’m going to keep putting him in the lineup.”
Edwin Díaz is slated to return to the team on Wednesday. Tyler Glasnow faced live hitters on Friday, and he is expected to make one rehab part before he returns to the rotation. Blake Snell is slated to make his third rehab start on Wednesday in Triple-A Oklahoma City. This outing will be about 60 pitches, and the team would prefer to have his get up to 75 pitches before he comes back. However, as Katie points out, the Dodgers do not have another off day until August 6th and might prefer to bring him back before he reaches that threshold.
The 2026 MLB offseason reset the market in a way the sport hasn't seen before.
Kyle Tucker's four-year, $240 million deal with the Dodgers set a new AAV record at $57.1 million, while Dylan Cease's seven-year, $210 million pact with Toronto and Alex Bregman's opt-out-fueled move to the Cubs showed just how aggressively contenders were willing to spend to close roster gaps. Six months later, the ripple effects are still shaping how teams build around this year's trade deadline and next winter's market.
With the 2026 season now into its second half, attention is already shifting to the star power set to hit free agency after this year. It's a deep class headlined by reigning AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal, who's extension-eligible in Detroit but could become the most coveted arm to reach the open market in years if a deal doesn't get done before October. George Springer, Trent Grisham and a rotation-heavy group of arms give bettors plenty to work with on next team and re-signing markets well before free agency officially opens.
Below, we break down the top names in the 2027 free agent class, track next-team odds for where they could land, and revisit the biggest signings from this past winter that reshaped the league. We'll also walk through how to actually bet these markets, from moneyline-style next-team props to over/under win total shifts tied to star player movement.
Notable 2027 MLB unrestricted free agents
(Previous average annual value courtesy Spotrac)
Player
Position
Team
Previous AAV
Anthony Rendon
3B
Angels
$35,000,000
Tarik Skubal
SP
Tigers
$32,000,000
George Springer
RF
Blue Jays
$25,000,000
Robbie Ray
SP
Giants
$23,000,000
Trent Grisham
CF
Yankees
$22,025,000
Gleyber Torres
2B
Tigers
$22,025,000
Brandon Woodruff
SP
Brewers
$22,025,000
Zac Gallen
SP
Diamondbacks
$22,025,000
Shota Imanaga
SP
Cubs
$22,025,000
Kevin Gausman
SP
Blue Jays
$22,000,000
Ian Happ
LF
Cubs
$20,333,333
Ha-seong Kim
SS
Braves
$20,000,000
Chris Bassitt
SP
Orioles
$18,500,000
Jack Flaherty
SP
Tigers
$17,500,000
Seiya Suzuki
RF
Cubs
$17,000,000
Rhys Hoskins
1B
Guardians
$17,000,000
Lance McCullers
SP
Astros
$17,000,000
Jameson Taillon
SP
Cubs
$17,000,000
Randy Arozarena
LF
Mariners
$16,000,000
Raisel Iglesias
RP
Braves
$16,000,000
Tarik Skubal headlines the class by a wide margin. The Detroit Tigers ace is coming off a $32 million AAV and has already established himself as one of the sport's premier arms; unless Detroit locks him up with an extension, he'll set a new benchmark for starting pitcher contracts.
The position-player side is led (in terms of 2026 salary) by Anthony Rendon, whose $35 million AAV with the Angels makes him the highest-paid player entering the class, along with George Springer, who's spent his current deal as a middle-of-the-order fixture in Toronto. Trent Grisham and Gleyber Torres, both coming off age-27-or-younger platform seasons, represent two of the more team-friendly bets in the group, while Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki give the Cubs a pair of outfield decisions to make almost simultaneously.
Further down the board, names like Ha-seong Kim, Chris Bassitt, Jack Flahertyand Rhys Hoskins round out a class with real depth at multiple positions. Raisel Iglesias stands out as the top reliever available, a group that tends to see some of the sharpest line movement on next-team markets since bullpen needs shift quickly at the deadline and into the winter.
MLB next team odds
Next team odds for the 2027 free agent class haven't opened yet; books typically wait until closer to the trade deadline or the start of the offseason to post opening lines, once there's more clarity on which players will actually reach free agency versus get extended.
We'll update this section with live odds as soon as they're available, so check back as the season progresses.
Notable 2026 MLB free agent signings
Framber Valdez, Detroit Tigers (3 years, $115 million):The left-hander signed with the Tigers on a deal that includes an opt-out after the second year and deferred money. Valdez's $38.3 million AAV sets a record for left-handed pitchers, reuniting him with Tigers manager A.J. Hinch, who managed him during his first two seasons with the Astros. The 32-year-old posted a 3.66 ERA over 192 innings in 2025 and will pair with two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal atop Detroit's rotation.
Eugenio Suarez, Cincinnati Reds (1 year, $15 million):The 34-year-old slugger returned to Cincinnati, where he spent 2015-21 and hit 189 home runs. Suarez comes off a monster 2025 season with 49 homers and 118 RBIs split between Arizona and Seattle. The deal includes a $16 million mutual option for 2027. Despite post-trade deadline struggles with the Mariners, Suarez provides significant right-handed power and will primarily DH for the Reds.
Kyle Tucker, Los Angeles Dodgers (4 years, $240 million):The top free agent of the class signed with the back-to-back World Series champions in a blockbuster deal. Tucker's contract includes opt-outs after the second and third seasons and carries the highest AAV in MLB history at $57.1 million after deferrals. The four-time All-Star joins a loaded Dodgers lineup featuring Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman.
Bo Bichette, New York Mets (3 years, $126 million):Bichette spurned the Phillies to sign with the Mets on a deal featuring opt-outs after the first and second years, a $40 million signing bonus, and a full no-trade clause. His $42 million AAV ties for sixth-highest in baseball history. The two-time All-Star will move to third base with Francisco Lindor at shortstop.
Cody Bellinger, New York Yankees (5 years, $162.5 million):The 2019 NL MVP returned to the Yankees after a lengthy standoff, securing a deal with opt-outs after the second and third years, a $20 million signing bonus, and a full no-trade clause. Bellinger hit .272 with 29 home runs and 98 RBIs in his first season with New York in 2025.
Pete Alonso, Baltimore Orioles (5 years, $155 million):The Polar Bear left the Mets after seven seasons, signing with Baltimore at the winter meetings. Alonso hit .272/.347/.524 with 38 homers and 126 RBIs in 2025, proving his 2024 struggles were an outlier. The Orioles added significant right-handed power to balance their lineup.
Kyle Schwarber, Philadelphia Phillies (5 years, $150 million):Schwarber returned to Philadelphia, turning down a similar offer from Baltimore to remain with the defending NL champions.
Dylan Cease, Toronto Blue Jays (7 years, $210 million):The Blue Jays bolstered their rotation by landing the ace starter of the 2026 free agent class.
Alex Bregman, Chicago Cubs (5 years, $175 million):The three-time All-Star opted out of his contract with Boston after one strong season and signed with the Cubs. The deal includes a full no-trade clause and represents the third-largest contract in Cubs history.
Ranger Suarez, Boston Red Sox (5 years, $130 million):The Red Sox addressed their rotation needs by signing Suarez after missing out on re-signing Bregman.
How to bet MLB free agent markets
Next team odds are the most common way sportsbooks let you bet on free agency, essentially a moneyline on which team a player signs with, including a "Field" or "Other" option covering every team not individually listed. These odds move constantly as reports and beat writer chatter surface, so line shopping across books matters more here than in almost any other MLB market; a player's odds to land with a specific contender can shift 100+ points within a single reporting cycle.
Futures and props tied to signings are the next layer. Once a player signs, sportsbooks often release updated win total futures for that player's new team, along with division and pennant odds shifts. Betting a team's win total before a marquee free agent signs (or fading it right after) is a common way sharp bettors try to get ahead of market overreaction in either direction.
Timing is the biggest variable. Next-team odds are most volatile in the weeks around the Winter Meetings, when the bulk of top-tier deals get done. Betting early can get you better value on a popular destination before the market catches up, but it also means betting with less information; a team's payroll flexibility, injury situations, and even ownership mandates can all shift a player's market in the final weeks.
For extension-eligible players like Skubal, keep an eye on in-season deadlines too, since a deal getting done in-season effectively settles the market before free agency even opens.
Monday, 2:30 PM MST — Instead of my trashing Jameson Taillon after his latest meltdown as I’ve been doing for a few starts, I was glad to let several writers do that job for me for once. That allowed me to concentrate on all the good things from the past weekend.
I had basically finished this article, left for a couple of hours for an appointment and returned to see if there was any new news to add in. Now, with Taillon being DFA, part of my article has been rewritten/reorganized.
This was quite the move by the Cubs. There was no messing around, but it was definitely needed, and time to move on. And if Jed Hoyer thought the price for SP was high last year, the Cubs are going to be put through the wringer this year.
Back to regularly scheduled comments:
The Cubs’ offense had multiple strong performances, including six hitters with at least one multi-hit game.
Let’s start with PCA, who posted 5-for-10, three runs, four RBI with two doubles, a triple and a home run. His big day was Saturday, going 4-for-5 with two doubles and a HR. Within that line, he went 2-for-3 against Paul Skenes, including a 400+ foot line drive off the center-field wall for an RBI double. Skenes did give up five runs in 5.1 innings, but rang up 11 strikeouts, so it wasn’t like he was flailing. Pete was a triple short of a cycle with three runs scored and three RBI in the game. PCA only had one hit Sunday, but it was that missing RBI-triple from the game before.
A bit overshadowed by PCA was Michael Busch’s 5-for-10 weekend with a double and walk (something PCA didn’t do), three RBI and a run scored.
Pedro Ramirez and Dansby Swanson had a nearly-duplicate pair of games. They each went 4-for-8 with three runs scored and two RBI. The only difference was Swanson’s RBI-double.
Miguel Amaya made his one game on Saturday count, going 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI.
Nico Hoerner went 3-for-8 in the pair of games with two runs scored and an RBI.
A big honorable mention goes to Seiya Suzuki. While he only managed going 1-for05 in each of the two games, he had four RBI, including his two-run home run in the ninth inning Sunday that cut the Pirates’ lead to 8-7.
On the mound Saturday, Shota Imanaga tossed six scoreless innings against Skenes, stranding four hits and a walk while striking out four. Imanaga has had one similar game in each April, May and June while having struggles in his other outings. But this is the first time he has had back-to-back scoreless outings this season.
It was almost a perfect three-game series. Almost.
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Tom Ley (The Defector): Pete Crow-Armstrong Is Good Enough To Raise The Forbidden Question. “Let’s acknowledge that there is no conversation to be had about who the best player in baseball is, so long as Shohei Ohtani is drawing breath and applying his skills as a two-way player.”
The founder of the eponymous Betty Fox Band fills the stage with smoky notes and a sultry presence, energizing crowds with smooth, powerful vocals. Born into a musical family, the Tampa native discovered her passion at an early age. Fox’s grandparents traveled around to churches with their kids, singing gospel hymns. Later, the family gathered around the piano every Sunday to sing harmonies, a tradition they continue now on holidays.
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DENVER, COLORADO - JULY 21: Cole Carrigg #16 (left) and Kyle Karros #12 of the Colorado Rockies look at a replay on a tablet in the dugout after the top of the sixth inning against the Washington Nationals at Coors Field on July 21, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Yesterday in The Athletic, Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon wrote about Colorado Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman’s questionable defensive skills and how they might affect his trade value going forward.
We’ve talked about that quite a bit already, but I just have to say to those executives who want to move Goodman out of the catcher role, “Have you seen his positional splits?” And to those who would consider moving him to another position, “Good luck!”
Ultimately, the piece struck me as part of front office bargaining. Here’s a tell: “The Yankees have a coach who possibly could draw more out of Goodman — Tanner Swanson, their major-league field coordinator and director of catching. Within the industry, Swanson is regarded as a top catching instructor.”
What are we even doing here (besides trying to depress Goodman’s trade value)?
Actually, that’s not what interested me about Rosenthal and Sammon’s article. This did:
As previously reported, the Rockies are telling teams they spent the first part of the season trying to figure out which players can be part of their next 90-win team. Barring an extension for Goodman, they must decide whether they can get to 90 wins with him by 2029, his final year of club control, or whether a trade for multiple prospects might accelerate their timeline.
The first sentence — “which players can be part of their next 90-win team” — caught my attention, and I began to wonder who might be on that next contending team. So today, I’m going to try to begin teasing that out.
A couple of prefatory notes are in order.
First, I’m limiting myself to the current 40-man roster and mostly prospects at Triple-A Albuquerque. Second, I’m going to assume that in terms of hitters, Paul DePodesta and Josh Byrnes are mostly interested in players who can get on base because they see it as a way to mitigate the Coors Effect. Third, based on what we’ve seen, I’m going to assume that the Rockies are looking for pitchers with big arsenals and funky deliveries.
That’s simplifying things — I know — but look at this as a pre-writing exercise rather than the final product.
Catchers
Currently, the Rockies have three catchers on their 40-man roster:
Hunter Goodman
Brett Sullivan
Braxton Fulford
I’ll start with the easy part: I do not believe Sullivan and Fulford are part of the Rockies core. However, I do think Sullivan, the archetypal backup catcher, has a future in coaching. But those two players are not key pieces when considering the Rockies future.
Goodman, though, I think is up for debate.
If the Rockies can get a haul for him that accelerates the team’s timeline to get back into contention, they’ll make the deal — and that haul will have to include significant pitching. If they keep Goodman, that’s fine, too, because the Rockies have a keen sense of his skill set (unlike some teams).
Looking forward, I think probably the Rockies have just drafted their catcher of the future in either Daniel Jackson or Jack Natili. And — file this one away — Jack O’Dowd, in addition to pounding baseballs, is also a catcher.
Infielders
Now things get more challenging. Here’s who’s currently on the 40-man roster:
I do not see Castro, Julien, and Stevens as part of the Rockies core. Castro, I think, will be traded while Julien and Stevens are released to continue the baseball journeys waiting for them.
Ritter and Tovar, I would argue, are placeholders. Despite Tovar’s struggles at the plate, he is the Rockies best option at shortstop in the near term. I suspect the Rockies hope to address his offensive issues and trade him. But Tyler Bell looks to be the future here though he has expressed a willingness to move to second.
Amador, I think, will get his second MLB audition in August. After the front office sees how he does, they’ll will decide his place in the lineup going forward.
Roldy Brito (No. 11 PuRP) and Ethan Holliday (No. 2 PuRP) fit in here somewhere. For Holliday, I am not sure where because I do not believe he’ll stick at short, but given that his season was cut short, we know less about his progress. (Frankly, I expect him to be moved to the outfield.)
So here’s my infield core: Rumfield and Karros with Charlie Condon (No 1 PuRP) providing a RH platoon for first base. Tyler Bell is the future shortstop with second base being up for grabs, and Amador having the first shot — but maybe that’s where they’re hoping for Landyn Vidourek.
For me, there are two for-sure names on this list: Cole Carrigg and Charlie Condon.
Veen and Thompson will be given an opportunity to show what they can do after the trade deadline.
And the other players will be used to fill out a roster, as trade chips, or DFA’d when the season ends.
One note on McCarthy. Yes, he’s a model of what the Rockies want to do, but I see him more as an experiment than as part of the future. DePodesta and Byrnes had an idea of what they wanted to see work at Coors Field, and McCarthy showed it can. (Plus, check out his even- and 0dd-year splits.) At this point, McCarthy becomes more valuable as a trade piece.
Starting rotation
This one is fairly straightforward. Here’s the current 40-man:
Of this list, only two are players to build around: Chase Dollander and Gabriel Hughes.
Other starters I expect to be traded or used to finish the season. This is a part of the roster that DePodesta and Byrnes will focus on improving during the trade deadline and offseason.
Feltner, I would argue, is not consistent enough, and Sullivan seems better as a bullpen fit.
Bullpen
Here, things get weird, and I’m hesitant to say much of anything given the volatility of bullpen arms. And there are so many that I’m not going to list them all.
There is one that stands out: Nick Frasso. He may illustrate what the Rockies have in mind going forward. The other bullpen arms I think will either be traded or used as needed. (Hey, you can never have too many arms.) But Frasso and perhaps Juan Mejia strike me as the only two with staying power.
Here’s the thing about Seth Halvorsen: Whatever his talents, the Rockies front office did not see him as part of their core going forward.
We should see more of those kinds of moves before the trade deadline.
Closing thoughts
So that’s where I am in terms of looking to the future. I think DePodesta and Byrnes are eager to get this team in contention, and they will take whatever steps are needed to make that happen.
But with that, I turn the discussion over to the Purple Rowers, who, I’m sure, will have their own strong opinions.
Who do you see the Rockies building around going forward?
Of course, Hunter Goodman receives attention in this one with Chris Kirschner questioning Goodman’s defense skills. Then there’s this line: “During daily meetings between the Yankees’ starting pitcher and catcher, the catcher delivers comprehensive scouting reports detailing the strategy for attacking the opponent’s lineup.” Apparently the conclusion is that the Rockies don’t do game prep on the opposing team? At any rate, the Hunter Goodman articles increasingly seem less an analysis of his skills and more about decreasing his trade value.
CLEARWATER, FL - MARCH 13: Baltimore Orioles Outfielder Ike Irish (97) and Infielder Wehiwa Aloy (95) walk back to the dugout before the spring training game between the New York Yankees and the Philadelphia Phillies on March 13, 2026 at BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Florida. (Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
It’s a weird week to look at the Orioles farm system. The trade deadline is now six days away. Perhaps the Orioles will play well enough between now and then that some of the names in this article will be gone a week from now. They may also play poorly enough that there are suddenly new names to start to focus on, beyond just the 2026 draft picks arriving. This all depends on how Mike Elias assesses the situation. His mind is unknowable.
There are a number of prospects, some notable in this series and some not, who will be headed for the next level of the minors starting with this coming week. The Baltimore Banner’s Andy Kostka reported on the following promotions:
Double-A to Triple-A: LHP Luis De León, RHP Juaron Watts-Brown
High-A to Double-A: IF Wehiwa Aloy, IF Victor Figueroa, RHP Joe Glassey, RHP Caden Hunter
Low-A to High-A: RHP Christian Rodriguez
Not headed to Triple-A for reasons unknown to me is Joseph Dzierwa. It’s time! Not headed to Double-A for reasons unfortunately known is Ike Irish. Last year’s first round pick tore the meniscus in his left knee this past week and is out for the season. I think Irish would have absolutely been among these promotions if not for that injury. It’s a bummer.
Here’s how things shook out for the rest of the top prospects this week:
Triple-A Norfolk Tides
Last week: 1-5 at Charlotte (White Sox)
Next opponent: vs. Worcester (Red Sox)
Second half record: 8-17, ninth place (10 GB) in International League East
This is a sad roster and the team’s record continues to reflect it. That’s not going to change much with De León and Watts-Brown arriving, though at least it makes the starting rotation more interesting to have them around. They’ll be joining a rotation that’s already got Nestor German, who remains modestly interesting. German added a start that’s fairly representative of his season: Two runs allowed in 5.1 innings, allowing six hits and a walk while striking out five. That could be useful for the back of the rotation.
The Tides will also be joined this week by Ryan Mountcastle and Chris Bassitt, each of whom is starting a rehab assignment. I would guess each will be pushed close to the maximum number of days for a rehab, 20 for position players and 30 for pitchers.
Creed Willems is back! You might want to see him at the major league level instead of the guys we’ve got catching. The Orioles have other thoughts. Willems did not put together a “force them to promote me” kind of week, collecting just four hits in 19 AB, all singles. Things went slightly better for Enrique Bradfield Jr., who had six hits in 19 AB, all singles. Bradfield stole five bases, giving him 21 steals in 48 games for the Tides.
One guy did not hit nothing but singles. Heston Kjerstad went 10-23 across six games, driving in nine runs in part thanks to hitting three homers and a double. He is OPSing 1.027 in the month of July.
Second half record: 15-11, second place (3.5 GB) in Eastern League Southwest
With Aloy joining the ranks here and Dzierwa inexplicably remaining, this might now be the most interesting affiliate in the system. They’re playing better in the second half, staying above .500. Keep at it, fellas.
My guy Aron Estrada was a big part over the party over the past week’s worth of games. The infielder racked up eight hits in 19 at-bats, including a double and a homer. Pretty good!
Fellow infielder and in my imagination syrup aficionado Brandon Butterworth matched Estrada with eight hits and three of Butterworth’s were homers. The 23-year-old, acquired in the Padres trade last year, has appeared in 38 games at the level this year; he missed some time with an injury. Things are going well in those games: .270/.377/.496 batting line. Outfielder Tavien Josenberger also hit three homers, and he showed patience in drawing seven walks as well.
De León’s final start here before the promotion was the kind of thing that shows why he’s going up a level. The 23-year-old lefty struck out nine batters while allowing just one run in 6.1 innings. Watts-Brown’s final start, not so good, with three runs allowed on seven hits in 5.1 innings. Also not to be forgotten is Dzierwa, who allowed a run in 4.2 innings with only three strikeouts. Pedestrian by his standards. Dzierwa has a 2.48 ERA and 0.957 WHIP in 11 games at this level.
Also of interest
LHP Micah Ashman – One might also wonder why this reliever didn’t get a promotion too. One run allowed in three innings, 1.93 ERA and 58 strikeouts in 37.1 innings for the season
RHP Patrick Reilly – First start back at an appropriate level after recovering from Tommy John surgery, three runs allowed in 5.1 innings, all thanks to solo home runs
Second half record: 17-12, second place (0.5 GB) in South Atlantic League North
The Keys are already guaranteed a postseason spot for their first half title
The just-promoted Aloy hit a pair of homers in his final week for Frederick, finishing with a .300/.371/.503 batting line in 84 games, with 15 homers. He’s cut the strikeout rate as the season has gone along, though he finishes with a high number at 25.6%. Not as good among the promoted is Figueroa, 5-17 hitting with no extra-base hits.
Things went well for the promoted pitchers too. Caden Hunter, a lefty starter drafted in the sixth round last year, tossed 5.2 scoreless innings with eight strikeouts. Gotta like that. Hunter began the season with Delmarva, so this is his second promotion. Joe Glassey, a reliever who was an undrafted free agent two years ago, pitched two scoreless innings across two games; he posted a 2.86 ERA with 50 strikeouts in 28.1 innings with the Keys. Crucially, unlike a number of guys in the system, these two are not walking too many dudes.
Not so fun is the injury news. Irish, as mentioned above, is done for the year thanks to the torn meniscus. Pitching prospect Boston Bateman exited his start this week after just one out due to what the team announced as right hip flexor discomfort.
Others of interest
OF Braylin Tavera – 21-year-old also hit two homers this week. He’s OPSing .760 for the season but it’s a lot of strikeouts, like, a lot (35.9%)
RHP Twine Palmer – One run allowed in three innings this week. There seem to have been some command issues. He walked three batters.
Second half record: 12-18, fifth place (4 GB) in Carolina League North
Christian Rodriguez, the pitcher who got promoted here, has not gotten a lot of focus from me in these articles because it’s his age 24 season and he’s been at Low-A. If he was two years younger, he’d still be old for this level. If he was at Double-A right now, he’d still be old for that level. That doesn’t make him much of a prospect, but I don’t want to take too much away from his results, which have been very good. He can only face the hitters the organization asks him to face. Rodriguez heads up to Frederick after five innings with just one unearned run allowed, giving him a 2.57 ERA across 19 games.
Among the hitters, the interesting duo continues to be infielders DJ Layton and Jaiden Lo Re, mid-round picks from high schools in the last two consecutive drafts. Although Layton managed to pick up six hits, including three for extra bases, over his 21 at-bats, he struck out 11 times. That’s tough. Lo Re only struck out one time, hitting 5-21 with a double. Lo Re has an .877 OPS through 34 games since getting promoted here.
Qualified for one-game league semifinals (wild card), lost 7-0 to FCL Astros
Now that this team’s season is done, a few players are also going from this level up to Delmarva for the rest of the season. That group, as noted by Orioles On the Verge, is: RHP KK Clark, IF Hector Campusano, LHP Francisco Morao, and IF Jemone Nuel. Campusano and Nuel are in their age 19 seasons, Morao is 20, and Clark is 22. Nuel, who just batted .283/.456/.483 over 50 games in this rookie league, is probably the most interesting of this bunch.
Our last minor league player of the week poll was two weeks ago, since the minor league teams were off during the MLB All-Star break. A majority of voters picked Luis De León as the winner in that poll, making him the tenth different winner chosen since we were able to create polls. Ike Irish is our only two-time winner. Unfortunately, we already know he won’t win a third this year.
Other single week winners that De León joins: Aron Estrada, Victor Figueroa, Payton Eeles, Braylin Tavera, Caden Hunter, Wehiwa Aloy, Jaiden Lo Re, and Joseph Dzierwa. Will there be a repeat winner this week? Three of the choices have won before. The choice is yours.
Baseball fans watch from the View Reserve level at Oracle Park during an MLB game between the San Francisco Giants and the Los Angeles Angels as the sun sets in San Francisco, Friday, July 24, 2026. (Photo by Stephen Lam/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)
Good morning, baseball fans!
Over the weekend, I saw an amazing social media post by a fairly new baseball fan who had a pretty inspiring idea to make baseball more interesting for the teams that are already statistically out of the running for the playoffs. I highly encourage folks to check that out before continuing, but just in case you aren’t able to, I’ll give a bit of a synopsis.
Essentially, she says that when teams are mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, they should have the option to go Evil Mode and begin pulling pranks on teams that are still in the running. Her ground rules were that pranks couldn’t be anything to do with trying to win the game, or doing anything that would harm anyone. But everything else was on the table.
Honestly, at this point, that would be the only thing that could make the San Francisco Giants a watchable baseball team this season and I love the idea. Some of her suggested pranks include a speaker hidden in the locker room that just plays random Michael Jackson vocals or swapping out their cereal for lug nuts.
My favorite joke of hers was that the scouting report for these teams would primarily consist of the amount of times they’d been spotted at a Party City in the last week.
As a fan of harmless shenanigans, I would absolutely be more invested in the rest of this awful season if we were watching for hijinks and tomfoolery. Maybe they slip a brand new red towel in with the other team’s laundry to turn all of their uniforms pink. Or replace their game tapes with nothing but copies of 2003’s The Room.
The possibilities are endless!
What about you? What would make the rest of this season more tolerable/watchable?
What time do the Giants play today?
The Giants continue this three-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers tonight at 6:45 p.m. PT.
Jul 22, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals designated hitter Salvador Perez (13) acknowledges the crowd after tying the all-time team record for home runs with former infielder George Brett (not pictured) and defeating the San Francisco Giants at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Aiken-Imagn Images | Peter Aiken-Imagn Images
More than anyone else, Perez says Garcia is the one who gets him ready to play every day with their routine.
“I’ve known him since 2006 in the Dominican in instructional league,” Perez said. “That was the first time I met Miggy. It’s been 20 years that I’ve been with him. All my career in the big leagues. A little bit in the Minor Leagues. He’s a guy who gets me ready, who knows when I’m struggling, sees the video and tells me what I’m doing wrong to try to fix it. I appreciate him a lot.”
So what is the routine that has allowed Perez to turn into the greatest power hitter in Royals history? Garcia says it hasn’t changed too much across all these years.
“The main focus has always been to feel fluid with his swing,” Garcia said. “To be able to feel good, and with a fluid swing, and to concentrate on the pitches that he knows he can hit really well, which is middle to the pull side. Don’t leave the cage without a good swing, good fluid swings hitting the ball that way.”
David Lesky appreciates that the Royals have been trying some new things recently amid the lost season.
This weekend was a perfect example. They had a struggling starter, so they changed a couple of things. Noah Cameron had been pitching exceptionally poorly for the better part of six weeks, so they gave him an opener (that part didn’t work) and had him call his own pitches (that part did, I’ll get to it). As someone who works in marketing, I will tell you that testing two variables is not the smartest thing in the world, but I like that they tried something different. They gave a big save opportunity to someone who I wanted to see in that role. They’ve already started playing Jac Caglianone and Carter Jensen against everyone, so that part is done, but I appreciate them doing things like that. First, it provides them with information. Second of all, it’s far more interesting to write about than a Randy Dobnak start, no matter how good he’s been.
SACRAMENTO, CA - JULY 27: Ceddanne Rafaela #3 of the Boston Red Sox celebrates during the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Athletics at Sutter Health Park on Monday, July 27, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Jacob Soriano/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Ceddanne Rafaela’s first career grand slam lifted the Red Sox over the A’s last night in Sacramento in a game that was otherwise a sleepy affair. Peyton Tolle gave up a first-inning solo shot to Tyler Soderstrom in the most anti-Fenway homer there is:
And then the bats on both sides went silent for a while. A’s starter Jack Perkins stymied the Sox despite an ERA over 6, but ran into trouble in the 6th after a Connor Wong leadoff double. Willson Contreras walked, which brought on José Suarez in place of Perkins, but the result was the same for Wilyer Abreu, who also walked. Then Ceddy called game, albeit just barely:
Here is what happens when you hit a grand slam against the A’s, btw:
Yep, that’ll do it. And did it. With the win, the Sox stayed 2 games ahead of the Guardians for the 2d Wild Card spot and kept pace with the repulsive Yankees. As I said in the preview, these are the games you gotta win. Nice to know they read OTM!
CINCINNATI, OHIO - APRIL 24: A general view of rainfall during the game between the Detroit Tigers and the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on April 24, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Guardians were rained out yesterday and will play at 1:40 and 7:10. Slade Cecconi and Gavin Williams will both pitch as the Guardians have an off day on Thursday to get the rotation back on track.
The Guardians have five players in FanGraphs’ new Top 100 prospects list. 11. Angel Genao, 37. Braylon Doughty, 38. Ralphy Velazquez, 67. Juneiker Caceres, 96. Aaron Walton. Khal Stephen also snuck on to the 11 players listed just outside the 100 at 111. Get well soon, Khal.
NEW YORK, NY - JULY 27: Zac Thornton #49 of the New York Mets pitches during the game between the Atlanta Braves and the New York Mets at Citi Field on Monday, July 27, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Evan Yu/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Meet the Mets
The Mets had themselves quite the night in the series opener against the Atlanta Braves, crushing their rivals to the tune of 14-3. Zac Thornton continued his run of success with his fourth straight quality start, and the bats slugged four home runs—including two from Francisco Lindor.
The Phillies entered the bottom of the ninth against the Marlins with a two-run lead, but Jhoan Durán then allowed six baserunners while recording just one out, culminating in a walk-off single from Griffin Conine to give Philadelphia an 8-7 defeat.
Speaking of Beltrán, it was fifteen years ago today that the Mets traded him to the Giants in exchange for a young pitching prospect named Zack Wheeler.
While theMLBGold Glove odds aren't out yet, it's never too early to speculate who baseball's sharpest defenders will be.
Established in 1957, the Gold Glove honors players who exhibit superior individual fielding performances at each position in the AL and NL. Overall, 18 Gold Gloves are handed out, making the Gold Glove odds a fun bit of speculation – and ultimately a lucrative market to bet.
As I said, we don't have odds, but we can offer a decent projection on potential winners based on Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) as of July 28.
AL Gold Glove Odds & Picks
Position
Player
Team
DRS
C
Dillon Dingler
Detroit Tigers
+8
1B
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Toronto Blue Jays
+5
2B
Cole Young
Seattle Mariners
+11
3B
Caleb Durbin
Boston Red Sox
+8
SS
Taylor Walls
Tampa Bay Rays
+14
LF
Cody Bellinger
New York Yankees
+19
CF
Cedanne Rafaela
Boston Red Sox
+17
RF
Wilyer Abreu
Boston Red Sox
+20
P
Brent Suter
Los Angeles Angels
+4
The AL board is loaded up the middle and in the outfield. Wilyer Abreu's +20 DRS in right field leads all AL fielders on this list, with Cedanne Rafaela (+17) and Cody Bellinger (+19) giving Boston and New York outfield candidates of their own. Taylor Walls (+14) paces infielders at short, while Cole Young's +11 stands out as the clear leader among AL second basemen.
NL Gold Glove Odds & Picks
Position
Player
Team
DRS
C
Luis Torrens
New York Mets
+12
1B
Ty France
San Diego Padres
+10
2B
Brice Turang
Milwaukee Brewers
+14
3B
Matt Chapman
San Francisco Giants
+16
SS
Geraldo Perdomo
Arizona Diamondbacks
+7
LF
Daylen Lile
Washington Nationals
+8
CF
Andy Pages
Los Angeles Dodgers
+17
RF
Corbin Carroll
Arizona Diamondbacks
+8
P
Nolan McLean
New York Mets
+4
The NL races center on the outfield and left side of the infield. Andy Pages tops this board at +17 DRS in center, with Matt Chapman's +16 keeping the hot corner competitive for San Francisco. Brice Turang's +14 leads NL second basemen, and Luis Torrens' +12 puts him ahead of every other catcher listed, a strong early marker in a position that's historically hard to grade defensively.
If you bounce around the majors, you'll find a variety ofMLBballparks, big and small. No two stadiums are alike, and that's a good thing.
Baseball sharps take note of which parks favor hitters or pitchers. There are betting advantages and disadvantages camouflaged within each venue's towering wall, short porch, dry air or deep alley. Here's everything you need to know about which MLB ballparks are good or bad for dingers.
Homer heaven: Best MLB ballparks for home runs
If you love the value of a home run player prop, take note of the ballparks that can make or break your bet.
Dodger Stadium remains the best home run environment in baseball, posting a 129 HR factor in the 2024–2026 window. That means the park is playing 29% more homer-friendly than league average, giving it a clear edge over the rest of the field. With dry conditions, limited wind disruption, and a lineup loaded with power, games at Chavez Ravine should stay circled for anyone betting dinger props.
Great American Ball Park (122)
Great American Ball Park has long carried a hitter-friendly reputation, and the latest HR factor data backs it up. Cincinnati checks in second at 122, making it one of the best parks in baseball for balls to leave the yard. The compact dimensions can turn well-struck fly balls into quick home runs, especially when the weather heats up. If you're shopping home run props, this is one of the first venues to check.
Yankee Stadium (117)
Yankee Stadium remains a prime target for home run bettors, especially when left-handed power is involved. The short porch in right field gives hitters a clear path to cheap or pulled home runs, and the park's 117 HR factor puts it third in the majors over the 2024–2026 sample. Matchups in the Bronx deserve extra attention any time a power bat gets a favorable handedness split.
Daikin Park (115)
Daikin Park also sits firmly in homer-friendly territory with a 115 HR factor. Houston's home park rewards hitters who can pull the ball with authority, and the Crawford Boxes can make life uncomfortable for pitchers who miss up or over the plate. It may not always get the same betting attention as Cincinnati or New York, but the park factor says it belongs in the same conversation.
Homer Hell: worst MLB ballparks For home runs
Maybe you love old-timey small ball? Maybe you're scanning daily picks and want to fade a team with tons of sluggers? Either way, this will help inform your next move.
Oracle Park (77)
Oracle Park sits at the bottom of the home run park factor rankings, posting a 77 mark in the 2024–2026 window. The cold air, deep right-center gap, and bay-side conditions continue to knock down fly balls that might carry elsewhere. If you're fading power props or looking for a reason to lean under on a slugging market, San Francisco is one of the first places to start.
PNC Park (78)
PNC Park remains one of baseball's toughest home run environments, checking in just ahead of Oracle Park with a 78 HR factor. The deep left-center gap can swallow fly balls, and the park rarely gives hitters the same cheap power boost they might find in Cincinnati, New York or Los Angeles. For bettors, Pittsburgh is still a strong fade spot for homer-heavy profiles.
Busch Stadium (81)
Busch Stadium also lands near the bottom of the list with an 81 HR factor. St. Louis has not played as a friendly home run park in this sample, which can matter when evaluating power props or game totals. The venue does not erase offense entirely, but it makes hitters earn their damage more than most parks on the board.
Jul 27, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Baltimore Orioles celebrate after defeating the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
Good morning, Camden Chatters.
The Orioles have less than a week to decide whether they’ll be buyers or sellers at the trade deadline. Their two series before that Aug. 3 date, a three-game trip to Detroit and three at home against the Phillies, could be critically important for deciding the near-term direction of the club.
Last night, the O’s looked like a team that plans to stay in the postseason race, winning the opener against the Tigers in a series with big wild card implications. Even with ace Kyle Bradish suffering a rare bad outing, the Birds used a 12-hit, three-homer offensive explosion and a superb combined effort from four relievers to secure an 8-5 victory. Check out Alex Church’s recap of the high-scoring affair.
With so many teams jostling for position on the fringes of the wild card race, we’re at the point where every win (and every loss) shuffles the Orioles’ status in the pecking order. Their victory last night pulled them back within two games of the rained-out Guardians for the final wild card spot, and inched them a game behind the idle Twins. The O’s also pulled even with the Mariners, who lost yesterday, and possibly a half game ahead of the Astros, who were trailing in Anaheim at the time of this writing. (Morning update: the Astros overcame a two-run deficit in the ninth to win, because the Angels are useless.)
When you see the standings laid out like that, it’s more than reasonable to think that the Orioles have a good shot at earning a postseason spot. But all it takes is another losing streak and suddenly the O’s could find themselves in a lousy position again. Two days from now, they could be four games out of wild card position and languishing behind three or four other teams once more. The margin for error at this point is incredibly slim, even with so many other AL teams struggling to get hot.
For now, the O’s have put two games of distance between themselves and the Tigers. Another Orioles win tonight would deal a further blow to Detroit’s fading playoff hopes. In fact, I think the Tigers might as well just call it a season and trade Tarik Skubal today. No need to let him face the Orioles in the series finale tomorrow. It’s the responsible thing to do.
Tonight, it’ll be Dean Kremer on the mound for the Orioles, hoping to bounce back from his six-run outing in Boston last week, while the O’s offense will hope to greet the Tigers’ Troy Melton with the same offensive firepower they brought yesterday.
Jackson Holliday had four hits, Coby Mayo homered against a righty, and even Tyler O’Neill had a pinch-hit dinger. It was a big night for some of the most-maligned Orioles hitters.
Some might say that getting Ryan Mountcastle and Chris Bassitt back is just like making trade acquisitions. They would be wrong, but they might say it anyway.
Kyle Goon is flummoxed about the Orioles owner’s recent vote of confidence for his GM. Is it possible that Rubenstein was just being so dryly sarcastic that we all missed it?
Craig Albernaz says, “The whole squirrel thing was nuts.” Alby’s got puns!
Orioles birthdays and history
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! Three former Orioles were born on this day: outfielder Drew Jackson (33) and right-handers Chad Paronto (51) and Bob Milacki (62).
A lot of stuff has happened on this date in Orioles history. In 1971, 16-time Gold Glover Brooks Robinson committed three errors in one game for the first — and only — time in the Hall of Famer’s 2,896-game career. The miscues led to two unearned runs against the Athletics, who took a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the ninth. But it turned out okay anyway when fellow Hall of Famer Frank Robinson hit a walkoff three-run homer against yet another Hall of Famer, Rollie Fingers.
In 1978, Rich Dauer set an Orioles record with his 10th consecutive multi-hit game, giving him a .583 average over those 10 games. It was a remarkable hot streak for a hitter who batted just .257 in 10 career seasons.
In 1990, Cal Ripken’s MLB-record 95 consecutive errorless games as a shortstop came to an end when he flubbed a grounder from the Royals’ Jeff Schulz in the sixth. It was Cal’s first error since April 13, the third game of the season.
The O’s have also made a bunch of trades on July 28. In 1995, they made a splash by acquiring slugger Bobby Bonilla from the Mets for outfielders Damon Buford and Alex Ochoa. Bonilla provided a big boost to the O’s lineup, batting .300 with an .877 OPS and 39 homers for the Birds from 1995-96. And he is still to this day getting paid by both the Orioles and Mets, thanks to a deferred-payment arrangement he made with each club. He’ll receive $1.19 million annually from the Mets through 2035 and $500,000 from the Orioles through 2028.
In 2000, the Orioles made another trade with the Mets, the only one of GM Syd Thrift’s fire-sale deals that season that paid any dividends for the Birds. They sent shortstop Mike Bordick to New York for three players, including 28-year-old utility man Melvin Mora. Mora blossomed in Baltimore, emerging as a versatile OBP machine with power over the next decade, and was inducted into the Orioles Hall of Fame after hitting .280/.355/.438 with 158 homers for the club.
And in 2017, the Orioles made a useless trade, sending fan-favorite outfielder Hyun Soo Kim and minor league southpaw Garrett Cleavinger to the Phillies for washed-up starter Jeremy Hellickson, who spoke openly about how much he disliked pitching at Camden Yards. Hellickson bombed to a 6.97 ERA in 10 starts for the Birds, while Cleavinger has since emerged as a solid lefty reliever, currently with the Rays.
Angels
Tigers
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Giants
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Braves
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