The Detroit Tigers opened up the back leg of their current homestand with an 8-5 loss to the Baltimore Orioles. Keider Montero was far from his usual self, surrendering six runs in four-plus innings, while the offense just did not have enough to dig out of the hole.
Taking the mound for Game 2 of the three-game series for the Motor City Kitties is right-hander Troy Melton, who has held his opponents to two runs or less over his last six games. The 25-year-old has posted a 1.31 ERA and 3.08 FIP over the past 34 1/3 innings, allowing 18 hits (three home runs) and 13 walks while striking out 41.
Melton faced Baltimore at Camden Yards in his first start of the 2026 campaign back on May 24 in the second game of a doubleheader, allowing just one run on two hits and three walks while striking out three over 5 2/3 frames for the win in a 4-1 final.
Opposite him for the Orioles is fellow righty Dean Kremer, who has struggled a bit over his last three starts. The 30-year-old has put up a 7.20 ERA and 6.58 FIP stretching across his last 15 innings, surrendering 18 hits (five home runs) and five walks while striking out 14, taking losses in two of those three appearances.
Kremer missed more than two months from the end of May to the beginning of July due to a right quad strain. His first game back was a beauty, throwing six innings of one-run ball on three hits — including a solo homer — and a walk while striking out four. However, it has been since then that he has hit that aforementioned rough patch.
Here is a look at how the two hurlers match up on Tuesday night in the D.
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 108: RHP Troy Melton (5-1, 1.95 ERA) vs. RHP Dean Kremer (1-3, 5.06 ERA)
| Player | G | IP | K% | BB% | GB% | FIP | fWAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Melton | 10 | 60.0 | 23.3 | 8.1 | 43.1 | 4.06 | 0.8 |
| Kremer | 6 | 32.0 | 26.2 | 6.2 | 34.5 | 5.79 | -0.2 |
MELTON
KREMER
Welcome back to the Minor League Roundup!
For the second week in a row, this week’s roundup is going to look a little different. This time, it’s because MLB Pipeline released its first midseason update to their Brewers’ Top 30 prospects list, and a lot has changed — including some major shakeups within the top half of the list.
Like last week, I’ll still include the week’s standout performances, but instead of the usual affiliate-by-affiliate breakdown, the rest of this roundup will focus on the new landscape: the system’s biggest risers, a couple of fallers, and a few prospects I think should have made the list.
Standout Performances:
Luke Adams: 8-for-19, 2 2B, 1 RBI, 4 BB, 2 K
Lyon Richardson: 5.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
Coleman Crow: 6.0 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 6 K
Thomas Pannone: 5.2 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 K
Tyson Hardin: 4.0 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 7 K
Blake Burke: 9-for-21, 1 2B, 5 HR, 11 RBI, 5 BB, 5 K
Josiah Ragsdale: 7-for-24, 4 HR, 4 RBI, 2 BB, 10 K
Jesús Made: 6-for-24, 1 2B, 2 RBI, 3 BB, 4 K
Andrew Fischer: 6-for-25, 3 HR, 6 RBI, 2 BB, 9 K
Yorman Galindez: 5.1 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
Braylon Payne: 8-for-23, 3 2B, 1 RBI, 4 BB, 9 K
Luis Castillo: 7-for-21, 3 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 2 BB, 4 K
Luis Peña: 6-for-20, 1 2B, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 2 BB, 4 K
Chandler Welch: 5.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 K
Garrett Hodges: 4.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
Daniel Corniel: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 1 K
Josh Knoth: 4.0 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 5 BB, 2 K
Brady Ebel: 8-for-21, 2 RBI, 6 BB, 4 K
Carlos Carra: 4.2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
Hayden Robinson: 8.0 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 9 K
Miqueas Mercedes: 7.2 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 5 K
Diustin Mayorquin: 5.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
The Top 10:
Most who follow the Brewers probably know who the organization’s consensus top four prospects are: SS Jesús Made, INF Luis Peña, SS Cooper Pratt, and OF Luis Lara.
Made is the consensus top prospect in baseball. He has a beautiful swing, great numbers, and a five-tool ceiling, while Peña (No. 18 overall) may have just as high a ceiling but has missed weeks at a time this season due to what have been reported as heat-related health issues. Lara and Pratt aren’t quite in the same tier as Made or Peña, but both have star potential. Both have already debuted, signed long-term extensions, and played well in limited time with Milwaukee.
Since so much ink has already been spilled on those four — along with Andrew Fischer (No. 7) — I wanted to focus on a few players I’ve been especially excited about over the last year and a half. It’s awesome to finally see three prospects I really believe in — Braylon Payne (No. 8), Josh Adamczewski (No. 6), and Tyson Hardin (No. 9) — ranked among the Brewers’ top 10 prospects.
When I started writing for BrewCrewBall, Adamczewski and Hardin weren’t on the Brewers’ Top 30 at all. Neither prospect is especially young, flashy, or toolsy, but both have been remarkably steady producers throughout their minor league careers.
The 24-year-old Hardin is a great story. He attended junior college out of high school before transferring to Mississippi State, where he posted an ERA over 5.00 out of the bullpen in his first season. He improved enough in his second year (3.22 ERA over 23 relief appearances and two starts) for the Brewers to select him in the 12th round of the 2024 draft.
Hardin is exactly what you’d expect from a Brewers pitching prospect who’s climbed the rankings through consistent production. He doesn’t throw especially hard, but he has a low release point, a flat approach angle, good extension, and a slider that’s become his best pitch. His fastball and cutter have both shown promise, and—most importantly—he gets results.
Last year, his first full professional season, Hardin posted a 2.72 ERA between High-A and Double-A. This year, he’s put up a 3.48 ERA in 12 Triple-A starts while striking out exactly nine batters per nine innings. Milwaukee has found another pitcher it can develop, and we’re seeing the results.
While their ace is throwing harder than any starting pitcher ever has before, the Brewers continue to churn out another type of pitching prospect: command-first starters with average velocity who consistently miss bats and get outs. Logan Henderson, Chad Patrick, and Coleman Crow have all pitched well for the Brewers this year, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Hardin was next.
Adamczewski has one of the prettiest swings in the farm system, and he’s hit .315 or better in each of his first three professional seasons. His power numbers — and his prospect stock — have risen after he lowered his hands to produce more line drives. Questions remain about his long-term defensive home (probably left field, maybe designated hitter), but the bat has played at every level.
While Adamczewski had already posted an OPS above .900 in each of the previous two seasons, Payne didn’t necessarily need to hit like that to justify his place among the organization’s top prospects. Milwaukee’s first-round pick in 2025 was drafted primarily for his speed, giving him a high defensive ceiling and making him a weapon on the bases. Scouts believed he could eventually grow into home-run power, and after showing flashes with 22 extra-base hits (nine home runs) in Single-A, he’s taken a huge step forward this season. In High-A, Payne has already hit 15 doubles and 18 home runs.
Payne’s profile isn’t perfect. He strikes out too much, is still somewhat unrefined defensively, and uses a leg kick that can throw off his timing, meaning a swing or approach adjustment could come at some point. Still, it’s hard not to be excited about a 19-year-old budding power hitter with 70-grade speed, and Payne has given the Brewers every reason to believe he’ll someday be an impact player.
INF/OF Jett Williams (No. 5) drops a spot after an underwhelming season at the plate (.726 OPS). Williams entered the year looking like a possible option at third base or a replacement if Milwaukee suffered injuries in either the infield or outfield. Instead, he watched both Pratt and Lara outperform him and earn the call before he did. He’ll be fine, and he’s picked things up lately, but it makes sense that he’s now behind both of them.
The Biggest Risers:
Even with Payne, Adamczewski, and Hardin all climbing into the top 10, the biggest jumps on the list belonged to Alexander Frias, Josiah Ragsdale, Josh Knoth, and Ricki Moneys.
Frias (No. 29 —> No. 12) has quietly put together one of the better seasons in the farm system. The 18-year-old outfielder, signed as an international prospect out of the Dominican Republic, hit .441 in Rookie ball before earning a promotion to High-A. With Wilson, he’s already collected eight extra-base hits in his first 92 at-bats. Frias boasts a 60-grade arm and an enormous ceiling thanks to his athleticism. There’s still plenty of development ahead of him, but it’s easy to see why MLB Pipeline is buying in. If he ends the year hot, he’ll be in the top-10 going into next year.
Ragsdale (No. 30 —> No. 14), a seventh-round pick last year, was drafted at 21 and was 22 by the start of this season, so he was expected to be a relatively developed prospect coming into this season. I don’t think many people expected a combined slash line of .319/.446/.554 through eighty games. Between his bat, his glove, and his 70-grade speed, he suddenly looks much more like a legitimate major league prospect than an organizational depth piece.
Knoth’s (No. 22 —> No. 11) rise is slightly surprising, even though he has some of the best pure stuff in the organization. Knoth debuted with the organization in 2024 and showed up on end-of-year prospect lists due to his filthy stuff and despite his 4.48 ERA. Unfortunately, he ended up missing all of last season due to Tommy John surgery.
The stuff — headlined by his 60-grade curveball and slider — is still there, but so is the high ERA, Knoth’s ERA is now at 5.49 through over 40 innings this year, although he’s striking out almost exactly a batter an inning and still has his 60-grade curveball and slider after surgery. Ranking him here could honestly look bad in a year —either way — but I’m willing to bet on the young prospect to bounce back and keep doing stuff like this.
A Few Notable Fallers:
On the bright side, most of the Brewers that fell more than a couple spots had more to do with the talent around them. Jeferson Quero’s arm isn’t yet what it used to be, but he has a .757 OPS and plays good defense. There’s also not a spot on the major league roster right now, and several younger prospects have taken big steps in the meantime. Because of his arm, Quero probably won’t be what the Brewers thought he would after 2023, but it wouldn’t be unexpected to see him end up as a solid starter when given a shot
The same is true for Marco Dinges. Dinges’ numbers (.838 OPS) are good, but they’re not quite as good as last year, and he’s not a standout defensive prospect, so he’s dropped a couple spots. Nothing to see here has continued to show the offensive approach that made him an intriguing prospect after last year’s draft, but other players have simply passed him on the list. Another player that fits this mold is Luke Adams, who has a .965 OPS in Triple-A, but dropped three spots to No. 16.
Finally, JD Thompson, picked in the second round last year, fell from No. 14 down to No. 26. Thompson’s stuff has looked as expected, with 25 strikeouts in 21 innings pitched. He’s also allowed 15 hits and walked 15 batters in those 21 innings. That’s a walk rate of 71.4%, which is about as bad as it can get. With that being said, Thompson still has the stuff to strike out more than a batter an inning while seemingly unable to find the zone, and he had great command in college. I have a feeling he’ll figure things out and end up closer to 14 by the end of the season.
Honorable Mentions:
— Matthew Wood, who’s quietly been great at the plate for Double-A Biloxi and, like Ragsdale, has played his way into being considered a legitimate prospect
— Mike Boeve, who’s had a bounce-back season at the plate (.289, .792 OPS) and nobody cares, maybe because he kinda reminds some people of Tyler Black.
— Daniel Dickinson, who fell off the list entirely after a rough start but has bounced back recently. The 22-year-old infielder now sports a .411 OBP and an OPS inching closer to .800 (.774). I wouldn’t write off the LSU alum after a slow start to his professional career.
Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders: Off-day
Double-A Somerset Patriots: Off-day
High-A Hudson Valley Renegades: Off-day
Low-A Tampa Tarpons: Off-day
Florida Complex League Yankees: Season over
Dominican Summer League Yankees:W, 9-8 vs. DSL Miami
CF Isaias Castillo 0-2, 1 RBI, 2 BB, 2 K, 3 SB — 20th stolen base of the year in 37 games with a major leap in power, a strong second season surge
SS Stiven Marinez 0-3, 2 R, 1 BB, 2 K
2B Juan Torres 1-3, 1 2B, 2 RBI, 1 R, 2 BB — second straight year tearing up the DSL with a 1.075 OPS at just 18 years old, could potentially see time stateside next year
C Cesar Lopez 2-4, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 2 K
DH Poly Ojeda 0-2, 1 RBI, 2 BB, 1 K
RF Manuel Aguilar 0-2, 1 RBI, 2 BB, 2 K
3B Abrahan Pichardo 0-1, 1 R, 3 BB, 1 K
1B John Rosillo 0-3, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K
LF Kendry Diaz 0-2, 2 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 2 SB
Hector Moreno 2 IP, 5 R, 4 H, 5 BB, 2 K, pickoff error — 10.06 ERA after eight starts, yeesh
Fredy Penuelas 5 IP, 3 R, 5 H, 3 K, 1 HR (win)
Dominican Summer League Bombers:W, 7-5 at DSL Rangers Blue
CF Ruben Castillo 1-4, 1 BB, 2 K, 1 CS
SS Dariel Santana 1-5, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 K
C Alessandro Rodriguez 1-5, 1 R, 2 K
DH Carlos Bello 0-4, 2 K
RF David Carrera 0-2, 1 R, 2 BB, 1 K
1B Kenneth Melendez 2-4, 1 RBI, 1 R, 2 K — capped off a 7-0 run with an RBI single in the eighth
3B Germayhoni Beltre 2-4, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 2 R, 1 SB, throwing error — got the scoring started with an RBI double in the second
LF Sebastian Pinto 1-4, 1 3B, 1 RBI, 2 R, 1 K
2B Alfred Ciriaco 1-4, 2 RBI, 1 K, 1 CS, throwing error
Andre Avila 3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 5 K
Randy Angomas 4.2 IP, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 H, 4 BB, 1 K (win)
Oscar Vasquez 0.2 IP, 4 R, 2 ER, 3 H, 3 BB, 2 K — an error, a wild pitch, and a passed ball combined to allow three runs through in the eighth
Ronald Tejada 0.2 IP, 0 R, 1 BB (save)
Sunday afternoon, Kyle Leahy pitched yet another great performance, going 6 innings, allowing 2 runs on 6 hits, while striking out a career-high 9 batters and only walking 1. On June 17th, Kyle Leahy entered his start against the San Diego Padres with a 4.64 ERA, and I, among many others, questioned whether or not this experiment of converting Leahy back into a starter at the big league level was plausible and if he was capable of giving the Cardinals a fighting chance on his turn. Since then, Leahy has made 7 starts, pitching to a 1.69 ERA in 37.1 IP. This drops his full-season ERA to 3.55.
During Leahy’s start, I was curious and wondered what his performance numbers looked like over this stretch, and when I looked at his profile on MLB.com, I noticed that Leahy was drafted in the 17th round of the 2018 MLB Amateur Draft. This, to me, is even more unbelievable to witness the results the Cardinals are getting from a late-round draft pick. Surely, this has to be one of the best 17th-round picks in Cardinals history? So, I researched because I’m a deranged baseball fan. I went over to the baseball almanac, which has listed every player drafted by the Cardinals since 1965; here’s what I found:
17th Round Picks since 1965
1965 – Bruce Hinkel
1966 – Dale Reed
1967 – John Carroll
1968 – George Greer
1969 – Andres Frank
1970 – Joe Ford
1971 – John Park
1972 – Gary Hernandez
1973 – Ronald Aront
1974 – Michael Murphy
1975 – Randy Rhodes
1976 – Frank Marsalan
1977 – Richard Murray – Debuted for Giants in 1980, played in 57 Games
1978 – Mark Smith – Debuted for Athletics in 1983, pitched in 8 games
1979 – Tony Hudson
1980 – Paul Cherry
1981 – Keith Gilliam
1982 – Ted Carson
1983 – Chuck McGrath
1984 – Joe Murtagh
1985 – Jim Puzey
1986 – Scott Hamilton
1987 – Kevin Robinson
1988 – David Richardson
1989 – Danny Davis
1990 – Ricky Kimball
1991 – Ron Warner
1992 – Scott Lair
1993 – Travis Welch
1994 – Mark Roettgen
1995 – Britt Reames – Debuted for Cardinals in 2000, pitched 6 seasons for STL, MTL, OAK, PIT. 101 GP 5.28 ERA
1996 – Keith Gallagher
1997 – Tim Davis
1998 – Michael Gargano
1999 – Michael Perkins
2000 – Kaulana Kuhaulua
2001 – Josh Merrigan
2002 – Chad Clark
2003 – Kevin House
2004 – Chris Noonan
2005 – Michael Cooper
2006 – Nathan Southard
2007 – Matt Arburr
2008 – Joshua Hester
2009 – Jonathan Rodriguez
2010 – Corderius Dodd
2011 – Dutch Deol
2012 – Christopher Perry
2013 – Richie Pedroza
2014 – Dustin Beggs
2015 – Chris Chinea
2016 – Matthew Ellis
2017 – Will Latcham
2018 – Kyle Leahy – Debuted for Cardinals in 2023, 117 GP, 3.62 ERA
2019 – Michael YaSenka
2020 – N/A
2021 – Elijah Cabell
2022 – Brody Moore
2023 – Trey Paige
2024 – Brandt Thompson
2025 – Cameron Nickens
Only 4 players in Cardinals history drafted in the 17th round have made an MLB debut. Kyle Leahy is only the 2nd player in Cardinals history to debut for St. Louis from that round, joining pitcher Britt Reames from the 1995 draft (the year I was born).
What Kyle Leahy is doing from a talent standpoint isn’t all that unusual; we’ve seen the arm talent for the last couple of seasons. To get the value of a potential mid-rotation starter out of the 17th round is an incredible coup for the Cardinals, considering that before the 2024 season the Cardinals paid 20+ million dollars for Lance Lynn and Kyle Gibson to get this type of production. From how St. Louis was able to bring Leahy into the organization, these are the types of marginal wins that can have long-term payoffs that will be cost-effective and allow the DeWitt ownership group to focus their financial resources on more valuable assets. Another Randy Flores win- who could have seen that coming?
How many 17th-rounders’ names do you recognize? I was at 7. Let me know in the comments!
-thanks for reading
The Yankees won their fourth game in five tries on Monday as they opened their White Sox series up with a bang, Ali Sánchez collecting his first career home run to put the game out of reach despite some late antics in the ninth making it closer than it should’ve been. Max Fried only lasted three innings, but the Yankee bullpen was largely up to the task of surviving six innings without worsening an early deficit and the team rallied for two big innings to take the game.
As fun as the outburst was to see, overall the Yankee offense has been struggling their way through most of their games and the absence of two-thirds of the starting outfield plays no small part in it. Cody Bellinger was the latest to fall victim to an injury scare, straining his hamstring on Saturday night, and Aaron Boone had an update on Monday that wasn’t promising: Bellinger sustained a grade 2 strain and will be out for four-six weeks. That means that the Yankees will be without him and Aaron Judge until the final stretch of the regular season at best, and there’s the real potential that the team will miss them both until the postseason. There’s been a heavy emphasis on upgrading at catcher to help the lineup regain some life, but now the question has to be raised whether they should look for an additional outfielder as well to help bridge the gap left behind by their All-Star bats being on the shelf.
To start, we have to look at the current options for the Yankees. Jasson Domínguez was already slotted in with Judge’s injury as one of their starting outfielders, and he’s had a rough go of it. Domínguez has cut down on his strikeout rate by over eight percent but at the cost of his lowest walk rate of his career, a measly four percent that has brought his on-base percentage down to a terrible .261 mark. Max Schuemann has been the utility man of the outfield, playing the most games he’s ever ventured out of the infield this year with 29 of them compared to the over 200 games he’s spent across the diamond when he was with the A’s. Despite being a light-hitting backup Schuemann has held his own at the plate working walks at a 15.2 percent rate, giving him a 114 wRC+ for the year, but he’s playing out of position and it tends to show. Finally, the team called Spencer Jones back up after Bellinger went down and likely will give him some runtime if all stays the same, the rookie working his fair share of walks while also owning a gaudy 39.3 percent strikeout rate. Jones is the best defender of the three, but that’s not a high bar as he also hasn’t exactly flashed Gold Glove defense.
That’s not an outfield corps that inspires much confidence, and its emphasized by the rumors floating that the organization is willing to include Domínguez and Jones in potential deadline deals this year after holding fast on them in previous conversations. Perhaps that gets dashed now that the team is down another outfielder, but even still bringing in a stopgap solution could be the best play to revitalize the offense and keep the team as close to the top of the standings as possible. Since they only need the reinforcements for another month or two, a rental would be the best option, but with Trent Grisham on the qualifying offer deal he received over the offseason it’s not impossible for the team to consider adding a bat that could carry over into 2027 as a flexible candidate to fill the gap or slide into a fourth outfielder role. Names like Lane Thomas, Jo Adell, and Spencer Steer all carry inexpensive contracts and are playing on dead last teams looking to sell, and could be the types of outfielders the team looks into if they go this route.
The Yankees will look into every avenue available to them over the course of this next week with the deadline approaching fast, but does the outfield now shift to the top of the queue? Is the priority still getting a catcher to support Austin Wells and some bullpen arms to solidify what has quietly turned into one of the team’s strengths? Personally, I think it slots right in the middle in terms of importance, but let us know what you think of the whole situation.
Today on the site, we’ll lead off with Jeff considering a reunion with an old friend in Luke Weaver as a bullpen upgrade. Sam will be up next with the Rivalry Roundup, Jonathan reminisces on the first Yankee to ever take an at-bat in a World Series on Elmer Miller’s birthday, Michael walks us through the last week down in the minor leagues, and then Peter gives Domínguez the At-Bat of the Week treatment.
New York Yankees at Chicago White Sox
Time: 7:40 p.m. EST
TV: YES Network, Chicago Sports Network
Venue: Rate Field, Chicago, IL
MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: By now, we’ve all heard the gut-punch news that Cody Bellinger will head to the IL for some time. While initially optimistic that the hamstring suffered while legging out an eighth inning double in Saturday night’s win over the Phillies wasn’t too serious, an MRI scan on Monday revealed a Grade 2 left hamstring strain that will keep Bellinger out of action for 4-to-6 weeks. Despite hitting a bit of a slump to open the second half, Bellinger has been one of the Yankees’ most valuable contributors on both sides of the ball, and his absence robs another impact bat from a shaky offense already suffering from Aaron Judge’s extended absence. Spencer Jones was called up to replace Bellinger on the active roster, and the performance of what has now become a ragtag team of assembled bats will likely make or break the Yankees season over the next month-plus.
The Athletic | Brendan Kuty ($): Despite the Yankees facing the weakest remaining strength of schedule of any AL East team, it’s hard not to feel there is rough water ahead as they weather the absences of Judge and Bellinger. There is a very real scenario where neither player returns for the remainder of the regular season, meaning the Yankees need serious reinforcements on offense if they are serious about keeping their division hopes alive. The biggest name that has surfaced in recent rumors linked to the Yankees is the Nationals’ two-time All-Star shortstop CJ Abrams. However, Abrams is in the midst of a career year, leading all shortstops with 27 home runs while also leading all of MLB with 82 RBI and placing in the top-eight in wRC+ (153) and fWAR (3.9), and would therefore cost a king’s ransom to pry from Washington, any prospective conversation guaranteed to start with Yankees top prospect George Lombard Jr.
MLB.com: Abrams is not the only position player the Yankees have been linked to in the wake of Bellinger’s injury. With the MLB Trade Deadline just a week away, the front office has called multiple teams to enquire on the availability of several right-handed hitting outfielders. Lane Thomas is the name that has popped up the most, the Royals outfielder on an expiring contract and posting a .799 OPS against lefties. Jo Adell, Taylor Ward, and Heliot Ramos have also been floated as potential targets. Among the players the Yankees are less likely to pursue are Luis Robert Jr. (injury) and George Springer and Jorge Soler (full-time DHs), while Spencer Steer might have been an option before landing on the IL with a right wrist sprain.
The Athletic | Chris Kirschner ($): The one name the Yankees have been most concretely linked to all summer is Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers, recently returned from a broken hamate and picking up right where he left off at the time of his injury. He is one of the best hitting catchers in the league this year with a 160 wRC+ in 185 plate appearances and is familiar with Yankees catching coordinator Tanner Swanson after the latter was instrumental in the Twins drafting Jeffers in the second round of the 2018 MLB Draft. However, messaging from the front office and Aaron Boone suggests that the Yankees still have faith in Austin Wells turning his season around and prize his framing and game-calling abilities above all else, which is steering them toward the pursuit of a platoon partner to split reps with Wells rather than take over primary catching duties. To that end, the Yankees may be more in the market for established backups including Tyler Stephenson and Luis Torrens, both of whom hit lefties better than the 11 wRC+ Wells currently sports against southpaws.
All the way back in December during the AAA phase of the Rule 5 draft, the Diamondbacks made three picks, RHP Antonio Menendez from Tampa Bay, RHP Sean Harney from St. Louis, and finally, infielder Danny Serretti from the Detroit Tigers.
To briefly discuss what the two pitchers have done: Sean Harney actually hasn’t pitched an inning with his new organization yet, as he’s had some kind of undisclosed injury that has him missing the entire 2026 season. Antonio Menendez was excellent in Amarillo (2.60 ERA, 4.19 xFIP), but has been hit extremely hard (12.74 ERA, 8.22 xFIP) after being promoted to Reno. That leaves us with the subject of this article, Danny Serretti, who has been outstanding in 2026, and deserve a closer look.
The Detroit Tigers selected Danny Serretti in the 6th round of the 2022 draft with the 177th overall pick. A switch hitting shortstop out of the University of North Carolina, Serretti would jump from A ball to AA in the span of just 27 games the same year in 2022. Across the three levels, he hit .315/.474/.472, a .442 wOBA and a 177 wRC+.
In 2023, the Tigers decided to put him in High A to begin the season. In 53 games he’d hit .284/.367/.441 with a .370 wOBA and 134 wRC+. This earned him a promotion to AA, and in 49 games he’d hit 205/.314/.269 .281 wOBA and a 70 wRC+. The next season, the Tigers had Serretti return to high A, where the struggles continued. In 87 games, he hit just .190/.287/.293, a .279 wOBA, and a 78 wRC+. Serretti would spend the last 12 games in AA, where he’d hit .206/.372/.206 with a 91 wRC+. 2025 wouldn’t go much better for Serretti, as he hit just .209/.313/.311 in 62 games.
Considering the struggles in AA, it’s no surprise that the Tigers would leave Serretti unprotected before the 2025 Rule 5 draft. It is somewhat surprising that Arizona took Serretti considering those same struggles, but it appears that move has paid off.
In 53 games in AA Amarillo, .283/.447/.553 with a .443wOBA and a 144 wrc+. In 21 games in AAA Reno he’s hitting .352/.465/.563 with a .461 wOBA, an expected wOBA(xwOBA) of .413, and a 153 wRC+. Looking at his minor league splits across both levels, Serretti is absolutely destroying left handed pitching as a right handed batter. In 102 plate appearances as a right handed batter, he’s hitting .345/.461/.679, compared to the .285/.453/.493 in 191 plate appearances against right handed pitching as a left handed batter.
One could write off Serretti’s success in Arizona’s farm system as a result of the extremely hitter friendly environments in the Texas League and Pacific Coast league, but I think there’s a few statistics that show that’s not the only reason for the turn around in 2026.
Firstly, as indicated by the wRC+ stats, he was 43% better than the average hitter in the Texas League, and 53% better than average PCL batter. Secondly, he’s dramatically increased his BB% from his previous high of 14% in AA up to 20.2% in AA and 17.2% in AAA with Arizona, while drastically cutting down on his strikeouts to a more reasonable rate of 21.6%(AA) and 20.7% in 2026. (Although this after getting his SO% down to 19.6% in 2025 from 25.6% in 2024)
Serretti has drastically count down on the frequency of pop ups, going from as high as 41.7% in AA back in 2024, down to 13.3% (AA) and 7.7% (AAA) this season. Finally, looking at the breakdown of his hit distribution, Serretti pulled the ball 46.1% in Amarillo compared to just 37.9% of the time in Erie the year before. While we don’t have any statcast data for Amarillo, we do for Reno, but it’s such a small sample that’s not worth going into too much depth.
While in Detroit’s farm system, Serretti played all four infield positions, as well as designated hitter. Since coming over to Arizona he has played only one game at first base and none at shortstop at all. He’s recieved the majority of his playing time at second and third, with some occasional starts at designated hitter.
Serretti is a solid, reliable fielder, who’s only defensive limitation is an underwhelming throwing arm. There were questions on draft day if that would keep him from sticking at shortstop, which appears to have been quite prescient.
I would not expect Serretti to put up anywhere close to the SLG% he’s put up in Arizona’s farm system, and his is expected slugging percentage of .477 vs his actual slugging of .563 in Reno backs that up. I do think he’s capable of being a lefty mashing utility infielder, as his swing in general looks better to me from the right side. His left handed swing isn’t bad enough to ditch entirely, but might be something to be considered in the future.
Serretti will have to be protected and placed on the 40 man roster at the end of the season if the Diamondbacks don’t want to leave him exposed in this year’s Rule 5 draft. If he is added at the end of the season, I think that will tell us a lot about how the front office views Serretti’s future outlook.
In this week’s Injury Report, Shea Langeliers will miss the remainder of the season with a knee injury. Juan Soto’s calf issue resurfaces. Cody Bellinger isn’t expected back for 4-6 weeks with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain. And Kyle Harrison is set to make what should be his only minor league rehab start this week before rejoining the Brewers’ rotation. All that and more as we cover all of the most relevant injury updates around baseball.
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In devastating news for both the A’s and fantasy managers, Langeliers was diagnosed with a torn meniscus in his right knee, an injury he apparently suffered while running the bases on Friday against the Twins. He was placed on the 10-day injured list, but his season is effectively over as he opted for surgery to repair the tear. The 28-year-old backstop has been one of the game’s premier catchers, hitting .263/.332/.497 with 23 homers, 55 runs scored, and 51 RBI across 416 plate appearances. There is simply no replacing that production at this stage in the season.
D.J. Short
Soto was removed from Friday’s game against the Dodgers with left calf soreness, an issue that forced him to miss time earlier this season. He’ll be sidelined once again as the team placed him on the 10-day injured list with a left calf strain. The 27-year-old star outfielder was diagnosed with a Grade 2 strain and is expected to be out for at least three weeks. Fantasy managers probably shouldn’t expect him back until late August or early September.
Despite remaining in the lineup as the everyday leadoff man and designated hitter, Ohtani hasn’t been able to make a start on the mound since July 3 as he tends to his ailing left knee. He threw a 31-pitch bullpen session last Wednesday, but didn’t come out of it feeling 100 percent and was held back from his next session, which was supposed to happen on Saturday. Manager Dave Roberts expressed optimism that the 32-year-old star would pitch again this season, but there’s really no reason for the Dodgers to push him until the playoffs. While nothing is ruled out, fantasy managers shouldn’t count on much pitching production from Ohtani over the final two months.
Steer came out of the game on Sunday in the fifth inning against the Cardinals after fouling off a pitch. He shook his right hand, prompting a visit from trainers, then departed in the middle of the at-bat. On Monday, it was reported by ESPN’s Buster Olney that Steer was dealing with a wrist injury and was heading to the injured list, set to miss “significant time”.
Bellinger was hobbled running out a double in the eighth inning against the Phillies on Saturday. He initially waved off trainers and stayed on the bases before he was replaced defensively. Bellinger came out of the game with left hamstring tightness, which he initially downplayed, but was ultimately placed on the 10-day injured list with a left hamstring strain. Word came down on Monday that he’s dealing with a Grade 2 strain and is set to miss 4-6 weeks.
Harrison, out since July 11 with forearm tightness, threw a batting practice session on Saturday in which he was aiming for four innings of work. Coming out of that without any issues, he’s now set to make one rehab start with High-A Wisconsin on Thursday. Harrison is aiming to go 5-6 innings and shouldn’t require any additional buildup before returning to the Brewers rotation next week, potentially against the Pirates on Wednesday or Thursday.
Early was involved in a bit of a surprise move as the Red Sox shipped him to the Nationals in exchange for infielder Curtis Mead. The 24-year-old left-hander has been on the injured list since July 1 with left elbow inflammation. In an update by Nationals president of baseball operations Paul Taboni, he announced Early would make his first rehab start in the organization on August 3. Early threw a bullpen session at Nationals Park on Monday and would likely need a few starts to build back up before making his team debut, so we’re looking at a potential mid-to-late August activation, barring any setbacks.
Schmitt was pulled early from Monday’s contest against the Brewers, leaving in the second inning with a trainer after pulling up awkwardly rounding first on a single. He’s set to undergo an MRI on his left knee on Tuesday, but manager Tony Vitello has already stated that the 27-year-old infielder is set to miss some time. He’ll presumably be placed on the injured list on Tuesday with an update on his imaging results. With Matt Chapman not quite ready to return from an abdominal strain, Christian Koss will likely handle third base duties.
Carpenter departed Sunday’s game against the Royals with a right heel injury, the same issue that caused him to sit out last Tuesday’s game against the Cubs. Set to miss Monday’s series opener against the Orioles, the team opted to give him extra time to rest by placing him on the 10-day injured list with left foot plantar fasciitis. Even in a strict platoon, Carpenter hasn’t found much success this season, slashing .208/.276/.416 with 13 homers and 36 RBI across 259 plate appearances.
Palencia, out since mid-June with right elbow inflammation, came away from a bullpen session without any issues and feeling great on Saturday. Cubs manager Craig Counsell iterated that the next steps would be an up-and-down session for Palencia, followed by facing live hitters, before embarking on a minor league rehab assignment next week. By the looks of it, barring any setbacks, Palencia could be in line to return to the Cubs’ bullpen in mid-August. The 26-year-old right-hander has been limited to 16 2/3 innings this season, converting three saves with a 2.70 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, and 19 strikeouts.
Garcia has spent the last month on the injured list with a left hand muscle strain. He’s finally ready to return to action as he begins a minor league rehab assignment with Double-A Northwest Arkansas on Tuesday. It’s an overall lost, down season for the 26-year-old third baseman. He’s hit .261/.320/.373 with only three homers and five steals across 294 plate appearances.
Seager took batting practice for the second straight day on Monday at Globe Life Field, ramping up the intensity and volume of his session. The 32-year-old slugger has been out since July 1 with lower back inflammation. Coming out of the batting practice feeling good, he could begin a minor league rehab assignment this week and possibly join the Rangers in early August.
With Ohtani not ready to return to the mound, the Dodgers are getting some reinforcements back soon. Both Díaz and Snell are coming back from elbow surgery to remove loose bodies. Díaz made his final minor league rehab appearance on Sunday and is set to be activated from the injured list by Wednesday. He’ll likely assume the closer role, or primary share of it. Meanwhile, Snell is aiming to go four innings or 60 pitches on Wednesday in a rehab start with Triple-A Oklahoma City. Concluding that start, he’ll be reevaluated and potentially join the Dodgers rotation during their upcoming stretch of 10 games in 10 days that starts on Tuesday and runs through August 6. After that stretch of games, they’ll play 13 straight, so getting Snell back would help keep the team on a six-man rotation.
The road trip for the Brewers started out with the offense mostly silent. They were shut out by the Giants 3-0 on Monday, the fifth time they have been shut out all season. However, it’s also the second time it’s happened in the last six games.
Scoring chances were very limited tonight. The first came in the second inning. Jake Bauers hit a one-out single, then Andrew Vaughn drew a walk following a challenge. It set up an early scoring chance, but Garrett Mitchell grounded into a double play to end the inning.
Meanwhile, Brandon Sproat worked through the first two innings scoreless, but did have to work around a couple situations. In the first, Heliot Ramos hit a fly ball to right, and Bauers appeared to have an easy catch. However, it bounced out of his glove, and Ramos reached second on the error. Ramos would steal third, but Sproat kept him there with a strikeout and groundout.
The Giants got two more baserunners in the second. Casey Schmitt lead off the inning with a single, but had to come out of the game with a leg injury. Pinch-runner Christian Koss stole second and Willy Adames drew a walk, but Grant McCray hit into a double play and Sproat got out of the inning.
Sproat got into more trouble in the third, but this time the Giants broke through. Jesus Rodriguez led off the inning with a double, and Luis Arraez followed it up with a single to drive him in. That gave the Giants a 1-0 lead.
The fourth started with a leadoff walk by Koss, but Sproat erased him with his fifth pickoff of the season. Two batters later, Adames singled to left, and that set up McCray to hit a two-run home run to left, extending their lead to 3-0.
That was all that Sproat allowed, and he got through his remaining couple innings with no other damage. Sproat added his sixth pickoff of the season in the sixth inning. Drew Gilbert singled with one out, but Sproat picked him off with two outs. The initial call was safe, but a challenge overturned it. He’s now tied for the league lead in pickoffs with his two tonight.
The stat line was overall decent for Sproat. He pitched six innings and allowed three runs on six hits and three walks. He also struck out five in the loss. Even though he did allow three runs, he made sure the Brewers would not have to dip much into their bullpen tonight.
As for the offense, they kept spoiling any scoring chances they had. A Vaughn single in the fifth was erased when Mitchell grounded into a double play for the second time tonight. In the next inning, Cooper Pratt drew a leadoff walk but he was erased when Joey Ortiz grounded into the team’s third double play of the night.
Giants’ starter Tyler Mahle was on point tonight. He pitched six innings and started the seventh, allowing only three hits and two walks. He was pulled for the night after Jackson Chourio hit a leadoff single. Chourio reached second on a wild pitch, but reliever Sam Hentges stranded him there.
The Brewers didn’t have another baserunner in the eighth or ninth. Meanwhile, Garrett Stallings was the only reliever the Brewers needed to use, as he pitched the last two innings and allowed just a walk.
Vaughn was the only Brewer to reach base twice — a hit and a walk. Bauers and Chourio had a hit each, and Pratt had a walk. That was all the offense could do tonight.
The series continues tomorrow night in San Francisco. Logan Henderson will face Landen Roupp in the second game of the series. First pitch is at 9:45 p.m.
Ali Sánchez's three-run homer with a full count, two outs and runners on the corners extended the Yankees' lead in the eighth inning of Monday's series-opening win at the Chicago White Sox while delivering a lifelong dream for the 29-year-old from Venezuela.
Sánchez, 29, hit his first MLB home run through 75 games -- 25 with Aaron Boone's team this season -- since debuting for the Mets in 2020 and subsequently bouncing around the big leagues until returning to New York as a Yankee.
"I mean, that's a moment that I always talk with my teammates about it -- it's just special," Sánchez told YES Network after the Yankees (60-46) earned the 9-5 final against the White Sox (55-50) at Rate Field in Chicago, winning for the 10th time in the past 14 games. "I felt like I was living a dream running the bases -- just a little kid running from Venezuela in a small town, just running the bases."
From Venezuela, Sánchez signed with the Mets as an international free agent in 2013. He spent the following seven years in the organization and made his debut Aug. 10, 2020, before the Mets traded him to the St. Louis Cardinals for cash Feb. 12, 2021.
Sánchez's stops from there included stints in the organizations of the Detroit Tigers, Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago Cubs, Miami Marlins, Toronto Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox. The 2025 season saw him go from the Blue Jays to Boston, back to the Mets via Triple-A Syracuse, and then back to the Red Sox before signing with the Yankees in December.
Through 25 games with the Yankees this season, Sánchez is slashing .255/.294/.355 and has seven RBI.
"Obviously, it a was a big home run, too," Boone said. "Just one of those games that was just had a back and forth, turned into bullpen kind of thing. Looked like we were going to be able to potentially add on there and they get a couple big outs and then Ali hits a no-doubter to give us some separation, so really cool.
"Everyone's journey's different, obviously, and there's so many tremendous stories to tell about different guys -- and Ali's one of those."
Wasn’t it 35 years ago when the Red-Hot Chili Peppers sang “Give it away, Give it away now?” That’s exactly what the Angels did on this night. They gave it away; fortunately for Houston. Astros 6. Angels 4.
In the ninth inning, the Astros would do it by a matter of inches. First, Isaac Paredes would be slightly grazed by a pitch with the bases loaded which would tie things up. Moments later LaMonte Wade Jr., by the narrowest of margins, would draw a walk which gave Houston their first lead of the night. A fielding error by Angels reliever Sam Bachman would allow Yordan Alvarez to score an insurance run and that would be your final. It was an improbable comeback, just like Friday night in Chicago.
Even with the jubilation of the end result, much of the night was painted by a sad commentary. The Astros were fortunate to only be down by two runs at the end of the first inning. That was the boat the Astros found themselves in, which actually seemed like more like a sinking ship. The culprit once again was Tatsuya Imai, who allowed four walks and received the quick hook from Manager Joe Espada after tossing just 33 pitches. The issue was 21 of those pitches were balls, which resulted in a disastrous start from Anaheim.
Upon Imai’s departure, AJ Blubaugh would get Angels 3B Denzer Guzman to fly out to end the first frame, stranding three Angels runners. However, in the bottom of the third, Vaughn Grissom would drive in his second run of the night, hitting a solo shot to center field. It was Grissom’s 7th home run of season. Josh Lowe would then reach on a throwing error by Jose Altuve. Moments later, Lowe would come around to score on a double by Jo Adell. By the time the third was in the books, the Angels had increased their lead to 4-0. Blubaugh would work 2 1/3 innings, allowing 2 hits, a run, while registering a strikeout.
In the fourth inning, Taylor Trammell would notch his fifth home run of the year on a two out blast to get the Astros on the board. In the bottom of the fourth, Christian Javier (W, 1-1) would enter in relief. Javier would go five innings, striking out seven while scattering three hits. Javier would strike out the side in the bottom of the 8th, throwing just 70 pitches through his performance. It’s possible that Javier’s outing will ultimately propel him back into the starting rotation next month.
In bottom of the 8th inning, Yordan Alvarez would end a 0-8 slump, driving in Jeremy Pena recording his league leading 78th RBI. Pena reached on a leadoff double. Pena will carry a 9-game hitting streak into tomorrow night. However, with a 0-5 outing, Jose Altuve is now mired in a 0-13 slump. The 9th featured ten Astros batters coming to plate in placing the four spot on the board to complete the comeback.
Josh Hader (S, 13) would make things interesting in the bottom of the ninth walking a pair but would eventually close the door. The Astros have now won 6 of their last 7 games.
Peter Lambert will take the hill tomorrow night. First pitch is set for 8:38pm CDT.
The A’s got a great pitching performance from their starting pitcher tonight. Unfortunately one swing of the bat was enough for the surging Red Sox to get past the Athletics tonight in the series opener in Sacramento.
The Athletics struck first tonight and it didn’t take long. Facing left-hander Jake Bennett for the Red Sox, the second batter of the game for the A’s connected on a solo blast as Tyler Soderstrom inflicted some lefty-on-lefty damage with his 17th of the year:
That also extended his team-leading hitting streak to 10 games, and he now has 4 long balls in his last 15 games.
That gave his starting pitcher some early room to breath. It was right-hander Jack Perkins on the bump tonight making his second start of the second half. After walking the first batter of the game, the young gun locked in. Over the first five frames tonight Perkins issued just two walks (one of which was immediately wiped out on a double play) and a hit by pitch. He looked as good as he had all year and looked confident on the mound doing it. And yes, he had a no-hitter going through five.
Boston got their first hit with a leadoff double in the sixth. A pair of ground balls and Perkins was almost out of it unscathed but a walk prompted a pitching change from the manager. Perkins would depart with a 1-0 lead but responsible for the two runners on base.
That’s the type of performance the A’s were hoping to see from their young right-hander. Hindsight is 20/20 but it would have been nice to let him work through the jam, especially considering his relatively low pitch count.
Alas, lefty Jose Suarez came on in relief of Perkins and gave the game away. Another walk loaded the bases and Boston center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela connected on a hanging slider for a go-ahead grand slam. Suddenly it was 4-1 Boston.
The A’s got one of those runs back in the bottom half of the frame though as new starting catcher Jonah Heim connected for his 10th long ball of the year to cut it to 4-2:
Still, the club was down two runs and needed more to catch up. The A’s went down in order in both the seventh and eighth innings before they managed to get the tying run on base in the ninth against Boston closer Aroldis Chapman. Sadly rookies Henry Bolte and Alika Williams struck out to end the late rally and secure the defeat in front of the home crowd.
Another tough loss, which drops the club to 44-62. Perkins was pitching great tonight and probably deserved a win. Alas, it’s hard to win a game when you only collect six hits. Soderstrom and Heim did their jobs at the top of the lineup but the 5-9 hitters went a combined 2-for-16 with two singles. Not a great performance from the offense tonight, even without Nick Kurtz and Shea Langeliers.
The series continues tomorrow night, same time same place. It’s going to be a battle of left-handers as Gage Jump gets the ball for the Athletics while Boston will turn to Jake Bennett. Jump is set for his third start here in the second half; his first one was solid but he got roughed up for six runs against the Diamondbacks last time out so he’ll be looking for a bounce-back performance. Bennett meanwhile comes into this one on a roll, posting a pristine 1.64 ERA over his previous seven starts. Not an easy assignment for either lineup tomorrow so runs will surely be at a premium.
The St. Louis Cardinals entered Monday night’s game against the Chicago Cubs with an urgent need to turn their recent downward spiral around. The Chicago Cubs and specifically their bats seemed determined to not allow that to happen.
Matthew Liberatore started the game for the Cardinals who planned to piggyback his start with Hunter Dobbins for the final half of the game. David Peterson, who the Cardinals hit hard in their last encounter, made that seem like a distant memory as he held St. Louis and their struggling offense to a minimum of opportunities.
The Cubs scored on Matthew Liberatore in each of the first 3 innings. In the top of the 1st inning, Liberatore walked Pete Crow-Armstrong, but then picked him off of first to the delight of the “Tarps Off” crowd in right field. Chicago got the last laugh, though, as Suzuki and Bregman hit back-to-back doubles giving the Cubs a 1-0 lead.
Chicago would score again in the top of the 2nd inning as Nico Hoerner led off with a single. After Ian Happ struck out, Dansby Swanson singled giving Chicago runners at first and second with just one out. Amaya then smacked a single to right doubling the Cubs lead to 2-0.
The Cardinals would get one run back in the bottom of the 2nd inning when José Fermín would become the Fermínator muscling up for a 407 foot shot into Big Mac Land reducing the Cubs lead to 2-1.
The top of the 3rd started with Alex Bregman getting that run right back taking a 94 mph Liberatore sinker the other way into the right field stands for a homer and a 3-1 Cubs lead. It was obvious that Matthew wasn’t fooling anyone Monday night.
Hunter Dobbins entered the game in the top of the 4th inning getting out of a jam created by Matthew Liberatore, but he would surrender two runs of his own in the top of the 5th inning when Nico Hoerner singled to knock in Bregman and Kelly who had reached on singles making it 5-1 Cubs.
The Cardinals offense would finally find some life in the bottom of the 6th inning when Jordan Walker drew a walk to get St. Louis started. Iván Herrera then struck out when umpires ruled he called two timeouts which resulted in an automatic strike which was confusing because it seemed the first timeout was called by the home plate umpire. Go figure. That awkward moment fortunately didn’t kill the Cardinals momentum as Jordan Walker advanced to second on a groundout by Alec Burleson and then scored on a single by Masyn Winn reducing the Cubs lead to 5-2. The Cardinals would get another run when Bryan Torres hit a ground-rule double which scored Winn who had advanced to third on a wild pitch making a game of it with the Cubs still leading 5-3.
The Cardinals had their chances in the late innings. Jordan Walker came SO close to tying the game in the bottom of the 7th. After Blaze Jordan drew a very rare walk, two batters later, Walker caught a 95 mph and flew out to deep left as Ian Happ caught the ball up against the wall. So freaking close, but no cigar. Iván Herrera also led off the bottom of the 8th inning by knocking a ball off of the right field wall, but was thrown out by Ian Happ trying to stretch it to a double.
Nico Hoerner put the game out of reach with 2 outs in the top of the 9th inning when he followed an Alex Bregman double with an 80 mph sweeper that he launched 382 feet into the left field stands giving the Cubs a 7-3 lead. Stuff happens and lately it’s all breaking wrong for the Cardinals.
The St. Louis Cardinals will see what they can accomplish against the Chicago Cubs again Tuesday night at Busch Stadium. The Chicago Cubs have announced Colin Rea as their starter while the Cardinals have yet to announce who’ll start for them. First pitch scheduled for 6:45pm central time with the TV broadcast available through Cardinals.tv.
The San Diego Padres starters’ ERA was at 4.69, 27th in baseball, going into the series against the Miami Marlins on July 24. The day before, in the last of the Atlanta Braves series, Griffin Canning had an opener (Kyle Hart) and still only lasted 2.2 innings after allowing five runs on five hits with three home runs given up.
The situation with the starting rotation has been desperate for quite some time. For that reason, the Padres coaching staff changed their approach. For the three-game series with the Marlins, the team adopted an 11-man bullpen with only Michael King and Walker Buehler reserved as traditional starters.
For the first two games, the team employed bullpen games using a mix of former starters and relievers in a mix-and-match fashion to cover their nine innings. For the third and final game of the series, Walker Buehler made a traditional start and completed 5.1 innings with two earned runs. The Padres used Yuki Matsui, Wandy Peralta, Adrian Morejon and Mason Miller to finish things off.
The Friars finished the road trip through Kansas City, Atlanta and Miami with a 5-5 record after sweeping the Marlins and are now back to a .500 record at 53-53. President of baseball operations A.J. Preller will have to decide over the next week how the organization will handle the rest of the season and the trade deadline on Aug. 3. This is not an ideal approach to a pitching staff, but one built on need, in an attempt to give the newly resurgent Padres offense a chance to best the other team’s pitching and win some games.
The Padres offense, long lingering dead last in many offensive categories in MLB, has battled its way back. They are still in the bottom five in all batting averages, but are 19th in home runs, 20th in RBI, and have several of their players surging offensively.
First baseman Ty France, a rumored trade piece should the Padres sell, is leading all regulars with a .286 average and .886 OPS. He has 16 homers and 46 RBI.
Third baseman Manny Machado, who admitted to altering his hitting approach during the offseason, has battled his way back to a .210 average and .734 OPS. Amazingly enough, his slugging has been consistent despite his struggles, and he has a team-leading 23 homers and 62 RBI.
Jackson Merrill recently admitted to going back to his high school videos to fix his swing. Over his past 15 games, he is hitting .305/.344/.593 with five homers and 11 RBI. That has raised his season average to .231 with a .675 OPS.
Fernando Tatis Jr. was the first one to address his hitting and has been going along at a steady pace since May. His power outage turned around over the past month as he finished June with four homers and has three in July. For the seven weeks over those two months, he has 29 RBI versus 17 RBI in March through May.
With the big three producing more, and the rest of the hitters making contributions, the offense is averaging 6.71 runs per game post-All-Star break versus less than five before the break.
Since returning from the injured list with a serious concussion, infielder Jake Cronenworth has gone on a tear. He is hitting .324/.398/.446 in the past 21 games. Overall, his average went from .144 before going on the IL to .217/.318/.297 with a .616 OPS.
It was a thought before the season that many of the pitchers signed to compete for the Padres rotation this season would be better suited as relievers. They were pressed into the rotation because of the injuries to Joe Musgrove and Nick Pivetta.
It has been pretty clear that Germán Márquez, Griffin Canning and Lucas Giolito are not traditional starter material. Randy Vásquez started strong but has since lost his way. Only Michael King and Walker Buehler have been able to maintain any semblance of consistency and the length that is needed in a rotation.
With the revamped pitching plan, the Padres were able to limit the damage against a struggling Miami Marlins team and come away with a sweep. Time will tell if this new plan can sustain itself against other teams.
The next two series are versus the Colorado Rockies and the San Francisco Giants over a six-game home stand. Then they go back on the road against the Diamondbacks, which also coincides with the trade deadline on Aug. 3.
We will know by then which way the Padres front office has decided to go with the buy or sell decision. If the team is in the Wild Card hunt and pieces are added, then the pitching staff stands to be improved.
Playing into this equation is the status of both Musgrove and Pivetta. Both are in Arizona, throwing against minor league hitters for live BP. Musgrove threw 23 pitches, and Pivetta threw 20 against those hitters on Friday. Both should throw again this week. If all goes well, rehab stints will begin soon. Both will have to be built up over four or five starts to be available to assume a spot in the rotation (info per Kevin Acee’s July 27 newsletter).
Barring complications, Padres fans could see one or both before the end of August. That would make a significant improvement in the status of the rotation for the rest of the season.
Reliever Jason Adam has been on the injured list since July 2 with a right shoulder strain and is not yet on a rehab assignment.
Reliever Jeremiah Estrada is pitching with the El Paso Chihuahuas after starting his rehab with the ACL team. He could return within the next one to two weeks. He has been on the injured list since June 5 with right knee inflammation.
RHP Lucas Giolito is working with the training staff and has not been sent on a rehab assignment yet.
RHP David Morgan is on a rehab assignment in the minor leagues. He made his first appearances with the ACL team. He was placed on the injured list June 29 with left knee inflammation.
Infielder Miguel Andujar was placed on the injured list on July 20 with a broken wrist. He is currently in a brace and is not ready for rehab.
Outfielder Samad Taylor was placed on the injured list on July 8 with a right oblique strain. He has not begun a rehab assignment.
The Padres traded Ron Marinaccio to the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for international bonus pool money.