OAKLAND, CA - SEPTEMBER 25: Oakland Athletics mascot Stomper greets fans during the game between the Texas Rangers and the Oakland Athletics at RingCentral Coliseum on Wednesday, September 25, 2024 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Nine straight series wins was just what the doctor ordered. And every Red Sox fan. They’re pitching, hitting homers, playing defense. They look like the best team in baseball. And for the last month or so, they’ve been the best. They won two of three against the Athletics in Sacramento, possibly hindered by the sun angles, and will get three games to test themselves against the team at Fenway Park. This weekend will help answer if it was the Athletics pitching – which hasn’t been great – or the batter’s eye that proved challenging for the Sox in that series.
Jack Perkins allowed just 2 runs in 5.2 innings to Boston as part of a three-game stretch where he allowed 8 runs over 13.2 innings. Which isn’t great but he gave up 7 to the Marlins before that stretch and 6 to the Tigers right after. Now the righty faces Boston again. Payton Tolle rolled out a 6.0 inning, 7K, 2 run outing against the Dodgers last time out. Almost the same as he put up against these Athletics. Let’s see the rematch!
Gage Jump provided the lone win for the A’s in Sacramento. He went 6.0 innings, struck out 7, didn’t allow a run. But surrounding that start: 4.2 innings and 6 runs against the Diamondbacks and 3.2 innings and 6 runs against the Tigers. Jake Bennett, like Tolle, just keeps rolling along. Around 6.0 innings per start, 3 runs or fewer. What a steal from the Nationals.
J.T. Ginn missed Boston when they were in Sacramento. A righty, he’s been all over the place in the last month. But an 8-run outing against the White Sox sticks out the most. The Red Sox will feature a bullpen start to close out the weekend. The exact makeup of this game isn’t known at the moment so it could be an opener and Bello or it could be a more traditional 1-2 inning per guy event.
Shea Langeliers, Nick Kurtz, and Zack Gelof are all on the IL now.
Since the win against Boston the A’s have lost 8 straight games. Boston has won 8 straight.
Probable Pitching Matchups
Friday, August 7: Jack Perkins (6.72 ERA / 4.61 FIP) vs. Payton Tolle (3.30 ERA / 3.41 FIP)
Saturday, August 8: Gage Jump (4.59 ERA / 3.80 FIP) vs. Jake Bennett (2.90 ERA / 3.23 FIP)
Sunday, August 9: J.T. Ginn (3.51 ERA / 4.22 FIP) vs. TBD Bullpen (— ERA / — FIP)
American baseball player Don Larsen poses in the uniform of the New York Yankees, mid 1950s. (Photo by Phil Burchman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The imperfect man pitched a perfect game yesterday.
So read Joe Trimble’s lead on October 9, 1956 in the New York Daily News. The day prior, a man who was an afterthought on a team in the midst of winning its seventh championship in 10 years, a man known more for his carousing off the field than his performance on it, had achieved the unthinkable. He’d held a Brooklyn Dodgers lineup stacked with five Hall of Famers to 27 plate appearances, permitting none to reach base safely in the first and last perfect game in World Series history.
Don James Larsen Born: August 7, 1929 (Michigan City, IN) Died: January 1, 2020 (Coeur d’Alene, ID) Yankees Tenure: 1955-59
Don Larsen grew up on the Indiana side of Lake Michigan. His father, James, played sandlot baseball and passed along the game to young Don, who began playing ball with his father at the age of four. While he was in high school, the family moved to San Diego, where Larsen made the All-Metro Conference basketball team at Point Loma High and garnered several college basketball scholarships. The fun-loving Larsen declined. “I was never much with studies, and I didn’t really have an interest in going to college and studying my life away,” he would later say of his decision.
Instead, Larsen signed a contract with the St. Louis Browns, spending four seasons in their minor-league system before he was drafted into the Army in 1951. He played baseball for an Army team at Fort Shafter on Oahu for two years, returning to the mainland in time for spring training in 1953. The 23-year-old pitched well enough to earn a spot out of camp, an achievement he likened to “Christmas in springtime.”
Larsen was a bright spot on the 100-loss Browns as a rookie, tossing a team-high 192.2 innings with a 4.16 ERA. His teammates gave him a delightfully ’50s nickname that would stick with him throughout his career: Gooney Bird. Depending who you ask, the origin of the moniker was either Larsen’s gangly appearance or his outside-the-lines antics.
The Browns moved to Baltimore for the ‘54 season. The newly christened Orioles once again lost 100 games, with Larsen taking the decision in an MLB-high 21 of them. He won only three games but two came against the mighty Yankees, drawing the attention of the team’s manager, Casey Stengel.
Following the season, he was traded to New York in a mammoth 17-player deal that also netted the Yankees future Cy Young Award winner Bob Turley. Larsen was injured to start the year but pitched well once recalled, going 9-2 in 19 games (13 starts) to help his new team to the pennant. He drew the start in Game 4 of the World Series against the Dodgers. With the Yankees up two games to one and the chance to stake them to a commanding series lead, Larsen faltered, allowing five runs — including two long balls — in four innings as the Dodgers coasted to victory. After the Yankees lost to their chief NL rivals in Game 7, Larsen remained positive about his experience. “I had stretched beyond my childhood dreams by playing for the Yankees in the World Series,” he would later recount. “Even though we lost the championship to the Dodgers, I was thankful to have been even been there in the first place.”
The next year shaped up similarly. An 11-5 record in the regular season as the Yankees repeated as AL champs, followed by an even more frustrating World Series outing against the Dodgers in which he walked four in 1.2 innings as the Yankees coughed up an early six-run lead.
This is where reality and myth start to become inextricable. There’s as much lore around Larsen’s perfect game as any event in Yankees history. New York Daily Mirror writer Arthur Richman later relayed that Larsen told him the night before on the way back from the bars that he would pitch a no-hitter. This was likely impossible given Stengel’s habit of informing pitchers whether they would start on game day, employing his coach, Frank Crosetti, to place a baseball in the starter’s shoe. Much like David Wells, the next Yankee to reach perfection, there’s been much written about the extent of Larsen’s hangover that game day as well.
Whatever the merit of these stories, Larsen took the mound at Yankee Stadium on October 8 prepared to face a lineup that had twice torn him to shreds. The outcome would be different that day, with the 27-year-old needing just 97 pitches to carve up one of the most potent lineups ever assembled. After throwing his improbable perfecto, Larsen jogged off the mound and was intercepted by a euphoric Yogi Berra, the catcher who he hadn’t shaken off a single time all day. Yogi jumped into Larsen’s arms, and a piece of Americana was born.
Larsen would pitch for 10 more seasons but, naturally, never match the majesty of his finest achievement. He embraced the narrow scope of his baseball legacy. “I have thought about that perfect game, more than once a day, every day of my life since the day I threw it,” he said in 2012.
Larsen spent three more years in New York, mostly serving as a mediocre swingman but making four more October outings. In the ‘58 Fall Classic, he held Milwaukee off the board for seven innings in an eventual 4-0 victory and pitched 2.1 more innings of one-run ball in the decisive Game 7 to earn his second ring. He’d pitch for six more teams after departing New York at the conclusion of the ‘59 season, including a return to the World Series as a member of the Giants in 1962, pitching back at Yankee Stadium in Games 3 and 4. Larsen made his last appearance with the Cubs in 1967, weeks before his 38th birthday.
After the conclusion of his playing career, Larsen moved to San Jose, where he worked for many years as a paper salesman. After retiring, he moved to Idaho, though he was always a safe bet to return to the site of his former glory each Old-Timers’ Day. Larsen also formed a kinship with the two other pitchers who spun perfect games for the Yankees in the 20th century: David Wells, who coincidentally also went to Point Loma High, and David Cone, whose gem Larsen actually attended since there were pregame festivities celebrating the return of Yogi Berra to Yankee Stadium. Larsen threw the ceremonial first pitch to Berra, and Cone threw the last to Joe Girardi.
Larsen died on the first day of 2020 at the age of 90. Please join us in remembering perhaps the most unlikely of Yankee legends, the everyman who for one day was perfect.
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JULY 12: Theo Gillen #14 of the American League Futures team looks on during the 2026 All-Star Futures Game Presented by Nike at Citizens Bank Park on Sunday, July 12, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Baseball America updates their Top-100 MLB prospects list with some regularity throughout the year, but the most meaningful mid-season update follows the conclusion of both the MLB Draft and MLB Trade Deadline. Now that the dust has settled, the Rays have seven prospects ranked in the new Top-100, including two in the top twenty.
5. Theo Gillen, OF
The jump in Power has turned Gillen’s profile into one of the best in baseball. This morning in the Slack chat Cole Mitchem comped Gillen’s current profile to Brewers CF Garrett Mitchell or Phillies CF from 2023-2025 Brandon Marsh. Gillen is 8 years younger than both.
A prep short stop was a prototypical Rays selection at No. 2 overall, but the offensive profile at 17-years young made this the obvious choice as well.
The 30th overall selection of the 2025 draft, Bodine might be the star of the loaded Shane Baz trade return, having already rocketed up to Double-A after demolishing the A and A+ levels.
The team’s 2nd round pick from last season (53rd overall in 2025) boasts a 130 wRC+ in Low-A, outpacing fellow draftees SS Daniel Pierce (100 wRC+, 14th overall in 2025) and OF Brendan Summerhill (98 wRC+, 42nd overall), and in lock step with…
… last season’s third round selection, the switch hitting Gray (128 wRC+, 86th overall in 2025). He’s a bit positionless at the moment, and needed a minor elbow surgery to clean up loose bodies, but the bat is real at 18 years young.
The key return in the Randy Arozarena trade (now that OF Aidan Smith — who was not a Top-100 prospect — has been traded), Hopkins has seen his walk rate spike to 22% in 85 innings at Triple-A while the Rays try to simplify his delivery mid-season, but the quality of his stuff is still respected.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 10: The San Diego Padres mascot Swinging Friar and the mother version of swinging Friar pose on the field for Mother's Day before the game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Petco Park on May 10, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Matt Thomas/San Diego Padres/Getty Images) | Getty Images
They’ve played three series this season. And, after the Padres’ 5-1 victory Thursday night, they’ve split all three of them. It sure looks like this race might go down to the wire — a season-ending three-game series between the two NL West rivals at Petco Park.
“We’ve played these guys pretty even all year round,” Padres manager Craig Stammen said. “We’ll see them again later in the year in a three-game series. Could be the decider of it all.”
But then the magnitude also shrunk in the shadow of the 46 games that remain.
“Uh, yeah, probably,” Padres manager Craig Stammen said Thursday afternoon when asked if he viewed that night’s game as having added consequence. “I mean, right now, the space that we’re in, we’re two games behind these guys. So the best way to get closer is to beat them. So I think that’s the number one priority today.”
The Diamondbacks (61-55) and Padres (60-56) remain neck-and-neck in a race for the third NL Wild Card spot with 46 games left. Their final series will close the regular season at Petco Park to determine the head-to-head tiebreaker.
Over the past two seasons, the D-backs took on the Padres at the end of the campaign with their playoff fate in the air. The chance of that happening again is legitimate.
“It started with Bryce Harper,” Dombrowski said of the bold Arraez trade. Stark noted that, “But Harper opened the door to the Arraez trade by telling Dombrowski multiple times he’d make that move, from first base to right field, if they needed him to.”
Well, it wasn’t to acquire a first baseman, but rather a new second baseman. But the shift for Harper was all the same.
By adding Arraez, Harper would have to move from first base to the outfield, back where he played the majority of his MLB career.
In addition to the usual Stock Watch measurements, I’ve taken a stab at looking how complete each team’s roster is, expressing it as a percentage. The basic details are in the methodology box. The idea is that for contenders, it’s a look at how well-situated a team is for the playoff push and a potential October run. For the noncontenders, it’s a glimpse at just how much work they have to do so that their future Augusts and Septembers are a little more dramatic.
Spencer Arrighetti, who the Blue Jays acquired at the Trade Deadline for outfielder Daulton Varsho, made his first rehab appearance in Toronto’s system on Thursday, but he left early with an apparent injury.
The 26-year-old Arrighetti, who has been on the injured list since July 25 with right foot nerve irritation, was removed after 2 1/3 hitless innings with Triple-A Buffalo. He threw 39 pitches before he was lifted from the game.
CINCINNATI, OHIO - JULY 29: Chase Petty #61 of the Cincinnati Reds pitches during the game against the Cleveland Guardians at Great American Ball Park on July 29, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Cleveland defeated Cincinnati 6-1. (Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With a free spot on the team’s 40-man roster (and another freed up by the move of Blake Dunn to the 60-day IL), the Cincinnati Reds made a pair of roster claims on Thursday afternoon.
Right Ron Marinaccio was claimed off waivers by the Pittsburgh Pirates, while the club also announced the addition of righty Chase Solesky off waivers from the Tampa Bay Rays. Solesky was officially optioned to AAA Louisville after the moves, while Marinaccio was held on the active roster as a potential starter for Friday’s series opener against the Washington Nationals in the wake of Hunter Greene’s move to the 15-day IL.
As it turns out, though, that won’t be the case. Marinaccio will be on the roster as a depth option, but it will be another Chase – Petty, in this instance – who’ll get the nod for the Bottom of the 1st for the Reds on Friday night in Washington. That’s according to C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic.
Petty, long considered a starting pitching prospect, has mostly worked as a reliever in his time with the Reds so far this season. That’s also been the case in his most recent outings with AAA Louisville, as he hasn’t pitched more than 2.1 IP with them since back on June 4th. So, the Reds will effectively be employing a bullpen game on Friday, with Petty leading the line first among the troupe.
The Reds will take on the Nationals at 6:45 PM ET on MLB.tv this evening.
PORT ST. LUCIE, FL - MARCH 14: Brett Gillis (78) of the Houston Astros pitches against the New York Mets during a Minor League spring training game on March 14, 2026 at Clover Park in Port St. Lucie, Florida. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Another day of minor league baseball is in the books. See the results below. Check out the previous day’s recap here.
AAA: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (58-52) lost 5-3 (BOX SCORE)
Alexander started for Sugar Land and went 4 innings allowing 3 runs. He was relieved by Weiss who allowed one unearned run over 2.1 innings. The offense got on the board in the 8th inning on a Delgado RBI double, Loperfido groundout and Whitcomb sac fly. The pen allowed one more run and the offense was quiet the rest of the way as Sugar Land fell 5-3.
Ryan Weiss, RHP: 2.1 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
Kai-Wei Teng, RHP: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (50-55) lost 9-4 (BOX SCORE)
Gillis started for the Hooks and pitched well allowing 2 runs over 5.2 innings while striking out 7. The offense got on the board in the third inning on a Holy solo home run. In the 5th they scored 2 runs on a Call RBI double and Hernandez RBI single. The pen struggled allowing 7 runs as the Drillers took the lead. The offense got one back in the 8th on a Whitaker RBI single but that was it as the Hooks fell 9-4.
Jose Guedez, RHP: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
A+: Asheville Tourists (34-69) lost 14-7 (BOX SCORE)
Asheville got on the board in the first inning scoring 2 runs on an error. Oakes started for Asheville and went 3 innings allowing 5 runs. The pen struggled too allowing another 7 runs as the Dash opened up a big lead. Asheville got 4 runs back in the 7th on a wild pitch, Powell groundout, Frey sac fly and Monistere RBI single. Batista added an RBI single in the 9th but the deficit was too much to overcome as Asheville fell 14-7.
A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (53-50) won 10-9 (BOX SCORE)
The Woodpeckers got on the board in the first on a Wakefield groundout. They got 2 more runs in the third inning on a Wakefield 2 run double. Beck got the start and went 4 innings allowing 3 runs. In the 5th, Wakefield added a sac fly. The pen allowed a few runs but in the 7th, the Woodpeckers rallied for 6 runs on a Cauro hit by pitch, Flores 2 run single, Fielder RBI single and Ramirez 2 run double. The pen was able to hold on as the Woodpeckers won 10-9.
Note: Luciano has a .889 OPS in Single-A this season.
DUNEDIN, FLORIDA - MARCH 20, 2025: Émilien Pitre #4 of the Tampa Bay Rays takes batting practice prior to a spring training game against the Toronto Blue Jays at TD Ballpark on March 20, 2025 in Dunedin, Florida. (Photo by George Kubas/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Now that the dust has settled on the trade deadline and we’ve had some time to reflect on the Mets’ deals, let’s put a grade on how well they did.
Revising our priors
We discussed what the value on the Mets’ pieces was likely to be in our trade deadline primer in the week before the deadline. By and large, those assessments held up and serve as a good baseline for what the Mets should have received, with two notable exceptions.
Both Brooks Raley and A.J. Minter returned well below what was suggested in the primer, where I floated a lighter version of the Ryan Helsley deal from 2025. Upon further digging and conversations with other experts, that was far too aggressive a position. Neither Minter nor Raley rate well in either contact suppression or – more importantly – in-zone whiff generation at this juncture. Smarter teams were likely not valuing either as more than a 2nd lefty option, and the return for both players reflects that.
This deal obviously came several weeks before the deadline, but it merits mention here as part of the Mets’ broader sell off. Peterson was absolutely terrible in New York this season, and that includes his peripherals. He was trending towards being DFA’d in order to clear room for better / more interesting / more long term-relevant arms. Somehow, the Mets managed to pull a legitimately exciting prospect in return for making Peterson available early, taking the risk on Cole Mathis’s injury history to capture the upside. Very nice move.
Freddy Peralta to the Rays
Mets receive: 2B Émilien Pitre RHP Gary Gill Hill OF Aidan Smith
This is not a slam dunk return, but it’s a very nice one for what Peralta is. Pitre in particular has become significantly more interesting this year, improving his EVs despite no clear uptick in home run total (somewhat akin to A.J. Ewing in the minors). It’s quite possible the public consensus rankings are lagging behind a real improvement in true talent level. Aidan Smith might not be able to hit and Gary Gill Hill has an ugly ERA, but both have promising underlying traits of their own.
So again, not a robbery, but a nice package of players, and one that is indeed more valuable than what the players the Mets gave up have turned out to be for the Brewers. Not a bad place to wind up.
As discussed above, this return is broadly appropriate return for a reliever of A.J. Minter’s caliber. The shape of this return, however, is not something I’m a fan of. Billy Amick has far more name value than actual and isn’t actually much of a prospect. Agbayani is equivalent to your stereotypical, overslot mid-round prep pick. It’s not awful, but an interesting DSL flier (such as Jhomnardo Reyes, who was moved for 1+ years of Dean Kremer) or an intriguing traits arm (such as personal cheeseball Matt Barr) would’ve been more both better and potentially attainable.
Huascar Brazoban has not fundamentally changed as a pitcher, suggesting that his stronger top-line this year is more a small sample size aberration than a true jump. Getting a guy like Zach Franklin who has arguably better stuff and is a decade younger as well as a recently interesting college arm in Gabe Davis is a very nice move. There’s a reason the Mets linked up with the White Sox for this deal and not, say, the Dodgers or Brewers. Read into that what you will.
As stated above, this is a fine return for what Brooks Raley is. Throw another interesting trait arm in the dev machine and let it churn, and add a gamble on an elite defender to boot.
This deal didn’t get a breakdown, but it was one of the better deals the Mets made even if it was a small magnitude one. Rortvedt is a 4th catcher the Mets’ had no utility but who is familiar with the Dodgers’ staff and clubhouse. McDermott is a few years removed from being a top pitching prospect and still has some crazy spin capacity. The Dodgers don’t have the playing time available to give McDermott the runway to iron out his control, but the Mets clearly do and he’s already up in the major league bullpen. He’ll either figure it out and become a potentially valuable relief arm or he’ll walk 8 batters per 9 and help the Mets’ tank – a win either way, and it cost nothing.
Nice bit of work by the Mets here, and kudos to them for being willing to pay down some of Weaver’s contract to get a better return. Stafura has serious contact concerns that really lower the floor, but has the power, speed, and defensive abilities – as well as recent minor league performance – where you can dream on a really exciting player. He’s in the right range of prospect quality for a reliever of Weaver’s quality too.
Repeating a bit of what we covered in the breakdown, Jefferson Rojas is a decently rated prospect that I suspect is overhyped publicly. There is no standout tool here, nothing exciting to hang your hat on, and guys like that often cap out as second-division regulars. This is also a broadly appropriate return for what Clay Holmes and Tyrone Taylor (who remains a marginal platoon bat on an expiring deal, recent HR binge notwithstanding) are. Totally fine, no real drama in either direction.
Conclusion
The overarching theme of the Mets’ deals is that they broadly aligned with the value they should have received. Yes, that value was often a bit lower than what fans might’ve expected (who can blame us for having rose colored glasses at times?), but that doesn’t change the reality of how major league teams evaluate players.
There were certainly a couple nice wins. David Peterson returned a better prospect than he had any right to. Scooping up Chayce McDermott was a tidy bit of business. The Peralta return looks good. All of these wins were either marginal or in smaller magnitude deals, however, meaning the impact on the overall grade is not huge.
It is also important to consider the broader market context, against which the Mets’ returns again look fairly reasonable. Most starters and relievers of similar quality were traded for similar packages, and the Mets’ arguably did a bit better in spots by targeting less intelligent teams. There is one notable exception, that being the Cardinals receiving at least one and likely two top-100 prospects from the Brewers in exchange for Dustin May and JoJo Romero. Now, Dustin May is a more valuable starter than either Peralta or Holmes, but it’s worth wondering if the Mets could’ve snagged one of those top-100 names (Josiah Ragsdale in particular would’ve been very exciting) by packaging one of their lefty rental relievers with a starter and routing them to Milwaukee.
Dinging the Mets because of one outlier deal this deadline is a bit unfair, particularly when we don’t know what conversations were had behind the scenes or what preferences other teams had. However, the bottom line is that the Mets did not do anything particularly creative, nor did the score any huge wins. By and large, they got what they were supposed to.
Coming home from a successful roadtrip going 6-4 against some tough competition, the Diamondbacks found themselves a couple of even tougher divisional opponents on the horizon in the San Diego Padres and the Los Angeles Dodgers. While the trade deadline didn’t go as most Dbacks fans had envisioned, they had to put that behind them and look ahead towards the rest of the season with as much optimism as we possibly can. This team is still a very talented group and with reinforcements on the horizon in the likes of Michael Soroka, Corbin Burnes and even Justin Martinez, the snakes would need to continue to play the same style of ball that had them go 15-10 throughout the month of July in hopes of staying in playoff contention and returning to October for the first time since their magical 2023 World Series appearance.
The Friar Split
Entering play on Monday the Diamondbacks and Padres found their season matchup tied even at 3 wins a piece, with a big 4 game set on the horizon. A series victory or even a sweep of the Padres would have been the most ideal outcome for the Snakes, splitting the series is far from the worst thing we could have asked for, as the fellas and I agreed that it might not be the most satisfying outcome, they avoided losing any ground in both the NL Wild Card race but also in the NL West standings.
There were some very good things to come from this series like Brandon Pfaadt continuing his dominant stretch or Mitch Bratt getting his first career MLB win behind a 10-Run offensive outburst, there were also some moments that were frustrating to witness like the sloppy defense (especially in Tuesday’s Game 2 defeat) or Kohl Drake failing to reach 5 innings for the third outing in a row.
Noot Noot De-boot
The Dbacks lone move from Monday’s trade deadline in Lars Nootbar got to have an impact throughout this whole series and immediately felt like he was going to fit this Dbacks scheme well and improve the team in ways that might not be the flashiest, but effective none the less.
Gabe and Brandon both mentioned that while the .200 batting average (only 10 at bats so obviously not anything to dive deep into) doesn’t appear on paper to be the most impactful, the 3 walks Nootbar worked along with the actual tape showed that Nootbar brought a refreshing approach from a DBacks hitter that we don’t really get to see outside of Geraldo Perdomo. Lars showed off his plate discipline and ability to make the pitcher really work to earn his out, especially in his first inning at-bat against Walker Buehler where he worked it full and made Buehler throw 8 pitches to him alone. The 3 of us agreed that he might not be the slugging bat that we all wanted at the deadline, if he can be a .250 hitter with an OBP around .350 or better then he will be a very solid addition to a lineup that at times has a tendency to have quick and unproductive outs that can lead to the opposing pitchers settling in and going deeper into games.
It’s A Bratt Summer
The fellas and I wanted to focus on the more positive results from this series split, and yes the big offensive outburst that saw the Dbacks spoil Casey Mize’s Padres debut and chase him before he could even finish the 4th inning, we agreed that the Player of The Game and one most deserving of praise was Mitch Bratt. Not only was this the most efficient outing in Bratt’s young MLB career (92 Pitches in his 7 IP of work), it was also his first (of hopefully many) career wins as a Major Leaguer!
The thing that was most impressive to us was the difference in fastball location in this start compared to the other starts in Mitch’s career. Brandon mentioned that his near perfect pinpoint location of his fastball helped his breaking stuff play more effectively and lead to the Padres offense being caught off guard by that low 90’s fastball multiple times, as even the Padres Manager Craig Stammen would admit to in his post game presser.
Gabe also brought up Bratt’s age (recently turned 23) and how with him being so young still, he still has so much potential to grow as a starter and this outing could be the spring board he needed to build that confidence and show himself that he has the stuff that will play at the big league level. Age is a big factor to keep in mind as young arms aren’t always going to break into the bigs on a Paul Skenes type of level and dominate, sometimes it takes them a few years to find their footing and what really works for them. Take new Dodgers lefty Tarik Skubal for example, the Kingman native’s first full season came in 2021 as a 24 year old and didn’t become a well known name to even the most casual baseball fans until his 1st CY Young season in 2024 at the age of 27. I’m not saying Bratt will be a Skubal 2.0 (Bratt doesn’t throw nearly as hard as Skubal) but just that young arms can sometimes need a year or two to really blossom into their true potential.
The Enemy in Blue
The fellas and I wrapped up our show with a look ahead as they have what could be a very important 3 game series against the NL West leading Los Angeles Avenge- uhhh I mean Dodgers come to town. Normally around this time of year we look at the divisional standings and see the Dodgers have a double digit plus lead and can basically just wrap up another divisional title for them, but this year it is not the same story. A mixture of both the Padres and Dbacks playing well alongside the Dodgers going on a season long 6-game losing streak and coming off a sweep at the hands of the Chicago Cubs, the Dbacks find themselves only 8.5 games behind the Dodgers for the NL West lead.
While the possibility of dethroning the Dodgers as NL West champions isn’t very high, it’s most definitely not zero and if there was ever a year to do it, this might be the best shot. It’s going to be a hostile environment this weekend at Chase and the matchups lean more in favor of LA, as the Dodgers not only have 2 splitter heavy starters in Roki Sasaki and Yoshinobu Yamamoto starting games 1 and 2 (The Dbacks struggles against the splitter have been well documented this year), The Dodgers also have had their way against the Mainstay Merrill Kelly in their matchups, with Merrill being 0-11 with a 5.56 ERA in 17 regular season starts against LA.
Even with a tough matchup ahead of the Snakes, Gabe believes that even if they don’t end up taking the divisional crown from LA, making the race to win the West take as much of the 162 game slate to do it could pay dividends in October as the Dodgers might not have the opportunity to rest their stars in hopes to keep them as fresh for their quest for a 3-peat.
Its A Dispatch Giveaway
We also revealed at the end of the show that the fellas and I have a special giveaway planned that includes bobbleheads, jersey giveaways, Dbacks trading cards and even a baseball bat signed by a DBacks legend and fan favorite. So make sure to stay till the end to get a sneak peak and also hear how and when to enter!
CINCINNATI, OHIO - JULY 12: Manager Terry Francona #77 of the Cincinnati Reds looks on from the dugout during a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs at Great American Ball Park on July 12, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Jeff Dean/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cincinnati Reds took down the A’s yesterday by the score of 6-5, in doing so wrapping up a series sweep at home. The win also dug them out of last place in the National League Central for the first time since the Republic of Sienna surrendered to the Florentine-Imperial army, and it clawed the club back to within 4.0 games of the final NL Wild Card spot.
They’ve won 5 of 6 series out of the gate after the All Star break. They have rediscovered the ridiculous form they had in 1-run games through the first electric month of the season. Elly De La Cruz is playing at an MVP level, Sal Stewart simply cannot miss, and the duo of Brady Singer and Rhett Lowder have gone from the afterthought 5th starters they performed like earlier in the season to viable, if not dependable upper-tier starting pitching options again. Even Tyler Stephenson has emerged as a legitimate force in the lineup again, the veteran backstop shrugging off weeks of trade rumors to blast his way back into a deserving role in the middle of the order.
The Reds are, quite simply, on a roll. All this despite being moderate sellers during this week’s trade deadline and realizing they’ll likely be without starter Hunter Greene for an extended period once again.
It is still a very imperfect club, to be sure. They’re also about to head out on a 6-game road trip, one that will test the very resolve they’ve displayed in the season’s second half thusfar.
Still, that’s a road trip where they could well find themselves with the upper hand. The Washington Nationals are up first, and they’ve stumbled to just a 2-8 record over their last 10 games while dealing starter Foster Griffin away at the deadline earlier in the week. Then, they head west to face a Chicago White Sox club that’s nominally a first place club (albeit in a sluggish AL Central), one that saw deadline addition Joey Bart hurt immediately after being acquired and who has also stumbled to just a 4-6 record out of the gate.
The Reds, as currently constructed, still aren’t a fully put together team. Thing is, there are still a ton of teams out there who can be described the very same way, yet the Reds have found a way to simply play a lot better baseball than the rest of them for several weeks in a row now. The results have been good enough to drag them back into the periphery of The Discussion, something that’s a direct byproduct of the playoff system being so damn inclusive these days.
I don’t expect this Reds club to go hang a banner this year. Let’s make that point quite clear. But if you can find a way to sneak into the playoffs at all, well, you technically have a chance to make a miracle happen, and the Reds have inched their way back to within screaming distance of the chance to do just that.
It’s been admirable, if nothing more, but the Cincinnati Reds have reeled us in just enough to break our hearts again, something that didn’t even seem on the table when they rolled into the All Star break at 9 games under .500 and buried in every standings available.
We’re fading Texas Rangers starter Nathan Eovaldi in my Orioles vs. Rangers prediction tonight - he’s struggled mightily against this Baltimore lineup over the course of his career.
The Baltimore Orioles walk into Globe Life Field as massive +133 underdogs at Polymarket, and while I think they have an opportunity to win, we’re going to keep it safe on the run line (-163).
Let’s get right into my MLB picks for Friday, Aug. 7, and try to fatten that wallet before the weekend.
Who will win Orioles vs Rangers today: Orioles +1.5 (-168)
The Baltimore Orioles have had an underwhelming season against expectations, but they’re in a solid get-right spot against Nathan Eovaldi and the Texas Rangers in a series they have to win.
Eovaldi has regressed this year, and it won’t get any easier against the Orioles, who own a .316 xBA (.447 AVG) and .386 xwOBA against him across 43 plate appearances. If you’re looking for damage, Pete Alonso is a good place to start - he’s a career 3-for-4 against the righty with a .852 xSLG.
On the other side is Shane Baz, and while he has a limited sample size against the Rangers (19 at-bats), he’s dominated, limiting the offense to a .173 xBA and .267 xSLG, which includes a 2-for-10 line between Corey Seager and Wyatt Langford.
Baz is on an absolute heater, too, allowing just five earned runs across his last 20.1 innings pitched. With the Orioles just one game back of the Wild Card, expect them to bring their best.
COVERS INTEL: Nathan Eovaldi has a problem with Gunnar Henderson, too. The stud shortstop is 7-for-13 with an xBA of .368 against the righty over the course of his career. If the Orioles win, he'll be the reason why.
Orioles vs Rangers Over/Under pick: Under 7.5 runs (-120)
Baz is coming off his best outing of the season against a potent Phillies offense (6.1 IP, 1 ER), and should be able to stifle the bats of the Rangers, a team he’s found tremendous success against.
When looking at the MLB trends, it’s easy to see why the Under is a must-bet today - it’s hit in all six games when the Orioles play AL West opponents, and is 6-1 in Baltimore’s last seven road games.
Globe Life Field is one of the most pitcher-friendly ballparks in the bigs, coughing up just 94 long balls this year - good for 21st in baseball. Let’s sweep the board before the weekend, shall we?
Dustin Saracini's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 0-4, -4 units
Over/Under bets: 1-3, -2.9 units
Orioles vs Rangers weather
Globe Life Field is a climate-controlled dome - the weather won't have any impact on playing conditions tonight.
Orioles vs Rangers odds
Moneyline: Orioles (+129) | Rangers (-142)
Run line: Orioles +1.5 (-168) | Rangers -1.5 (+146)
Over/Under: Over 7.5 (+114) | Under 7.5 (-120)
Orioles vs Rangers trend
All signs are pointing toward the Under today - it's hit in the Rangers' last four games against the American League East, and six of seven in the Orioles' last seven road games. Find more MLB betting trends for Orioles vs. Rangers.
How to watch Orioles vs Rangers and game info
Location
Globe Life Field, Arlington, TX
Date
Friday, August 7, 2026
First pitch
8:15 p.m. ET
TV
Apple TV
Orioles starting pitcher
Shane Baz (4-10, 3.86 ERA)
Rangers starting pitcher
Nathan Eovaldi (10-9, 4.31 ERA)
Orioles vs Rangers latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Carter Kieboom of the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs signs autographs before a Minor League Baseball game at Coca-Cola Park in Allentown, United States, on June 28, 2026. (Photo by Dan Squicciarini/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images
How did the kids do?
Worcester 10, Lehigh Valley4
Remember Tommy Pham? I completely forgot that that guy was in Lehigh Valley with the Phillies. I know that they needed solid depth to help in the minors in case whatever they had at the major league level had a problem. Well, Pham homered last night, so he’s still got it apparently. Unfortunately, that wasn’t enough as the pitching was bad enough (Drake Fellows: 5 2/3 IP, 6 H, 6 R) that any offense simply wasn’t going to be enough to overtake it.
Reading 6, Richmond 4 Reading 8, Richmond 3
Caleb Ricketts and Bryan Rincon had two hits a piece in game one, leading the offense to the win. Luke Russo had a solid pitching performance to help preserve a bullpen that had a doubleheader ahead of them, throwing 5 1/3 innings and only giving up four runs. In game two, the offense was a little bit better, Ricketts and Aroon Escobar have three hits a piece, Escobar sneaking a home run in there. Alex Binelas continued his solid season by homering as well while on the mound, Andy Seminaris had six innings in which he allowed only the three runs that Richmond scored. Sweeping a doubleheader is always a good day.
Frederick 9, Jersey Shore 7
Home runs by Robert Phelps and Mark Kolozsvary weren’t enough on this day as the Keys tagged a leaky BlueClaws bullpen for six runs, blowing a solid effort from Cody Bowker on the start of the game to give it away. The bullpen, in five innings, allowed six runs on only four hits thanks to nine walks allowed, something close to incomprehensible.
With the dominant Parker Messick taking the bump, the Cleveland Guardians sit as a clear -138 moneyline favorite tonight against the Chicago White Sox.
With a vulnerable starter on the other side, my Guardians vs White Sox predictions and MLB picks expect Cleveland to walk away with a win here.
Who will win Guardians vs White Sox today: Guardians (-137)
Parker Messick continues to have a terrific campaign. He owns an impressive 1.35 FIP across his last two starts, and he has not allowed a single barrel during that span.
As for Chicago, it hands the ball to Noah Schultz. He has a 4.64 xERA over the last month, which isn't horrible. However, Schultz has given up a 45.6% hard-hit rate during that span.
The Guardians also enter in good offensive form, collecting a 104 wRC+ over the last week. Cleveland has the clear edge behind Messick.
I’ll play this pick up to -150.
COVERS INTEL: Chicago owns just an 89 wRC+ over the last two weeks, well below its season-long 102 mark. That cold stretch gives Messick a favorable matchup as he looks to keep missing barrels.
Guardians vs White Sox Over/Under pick: Over 7.5 (-112)
This total sits at just 7.5, and the Over has the better path. Cleveland is already swinging it well, and Schultz’s hard-contact issues give the Guardians a chance to create early offense.
Chicago’s lineup is also more dangerous at home, producing a 106 wRC+ compared to a 97 mark on the road. That matters against a Cleveland bullpen that has been awful lately, posting a 6.44 FIP over the last week while allowing 1.95 HR/9.
The White Sox bullpen has been steadier with a 3.88 xERA during that same span, but Cleveland’s current offensive form gives them enough of a path to contribute late.
With both lineups having realistic scoring lanes, I'd lean to the Over.
I'll play this pick up to -130.
Quinn Allen's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 44-55, -17.06 units
Over/Under bets: 54-42, +5.96 units
Guardians vs White Sox weather
The weather looks solid at Rate Field tonight, with partly cloudy skies and temperatures falling from the mid-80s to the upper 70s. Winds should sit around 7–8 mph, and rain chances remain low throughout most of the game. Conditions are warm enough to slightly help carry, but nothing extreme.
Guardians vs White Sox odds
Moneyline: Guardians -138 | White Sox +133
Run line: Guardians -1.5 (+122) | White Sox +1.5 (-127)
Over/Under: Over 7.5 (-112) | Under 7.5 (+101)
Guardians vs White Sox trend
The Chicago White Sox have hit the Game Total Over in 23 of their last 40 games at home (+5.35 Units / 12% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Guardians vs. White Sox.
How to watch Guardians vs White Sox and game info
Location
Rate Field, Chicago, IL
Date
Friday, August 7, 2026
First pitch
7:40 p.m. ET
TV
CleGuardians.TV, CHSN
Guardians starting pitcher
Parker Messick (8-6, 2.57 ERA)
White Sox starting pitcher
Noah Schultz (3-8, 5.82 ERA)
Guardians vs White Sox latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
WICHITA, KS - JULY 01: Mike Sirota #53 of the Tulsa Drillers looks on prior to the game between the Tulsa Drillers and the Wichita Wind Surge at Equity Bank Park on Wednesday, July 1, 2026 in Wichita, Kansas. (Photo by Lathe Cobb/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
Splitting four games on the road, the two higher levels took the win while the Loons and Tower Buzzers were both beaten.
Player of the day
Getting better at a higher level isn’t normal, at least not unless your name is Mike Sirota, who has taken his in-season promotion to Double-A in stride, absolutely thriving as one of the Drillers’ most dangerous hitters.
Sirota was heavily involved in an 8-4 win on the road, reaching base safely a team-high five times, including hitting his 10th home run in only 56 games with the Double-A squad.
Leaving all of their scoring until the final third of the game, the Comets came from behind to beat the Bees 6 to 3. This win came with crucial contributions from the bottom of the order, particularly shortstop Hyeseong Kim and designated hitter Ryan Fitzgerald, each with two RBI.
Returning from such a lengthy absence, nearly two full years without appearing in a game, Gavin Stone lasted only an inning and two-thirds, but he encouragingly punched out three batters.
Veteran reliever Charlie Barnes, who pitched three scoreless innings near the end of this game, ended up with the win. Recently acquired reliever Seth Halvorsen earned the save, punching out the side in the ninth to power his way past a hit and a walk.
Double-A Tulsa
Much like the Comets, the Drillers also left most of their scoring for the seventh and eighth innings—a grand slam from Jake Gelof and a solo shot from Frank Rodríguez helped them easily handle the Hooks in a victory away from home.
Making his second start in Double-A, Zach Root vastly improved on a short outing he had last time out, delivering six innings of three-run ball with double-digit strikeouts.
High-A Great Lakes
Should is a dangerous word in sports, but at the very least, a team loses a lot of sympathy when it commits an absurd six errors. Even though the Dragons didn’t fully capitalize on all of those gifts, the Loons hardly produced enough offensively to avoid an 8-to-2 loss away from home.
Half of those six errors came from first baseman Jose Meza, who had a miserable day on both sides of the ball, going 0 for 4 with the bat and striking out three times. Charles Davalan, who also committed an error, didn’t score a run or drive one in despite reaching base three times out of the leadoff spot.
For the third time this season, Jacob Frst had a 5+ BB performance, ultimately leading to a rally in the third inning that chased him out of this game, allowing six runs in 2.1 innings.
Single-A Ontario
When your leadoff batter strikes out three times and doesn’t reach safely once in five at-bats, that’s probably as big a sign of a lousy offensive performance as one might find—the case for Kellon Lindsey in a 5-2 loss against the Storm.
One of the few Tower Buzzers who had a productive day at the plate was ninth-hole hitter Javier Herrera. The right fielder recorded three hits in four at-bats and is now up to an .856 OPS in 46 games in Single-A.
While Luis Gamez had a great performance as Ontario’s starter, allowing just two hits, reliever Luis Carias couldn’t command the baseball and gave out five free passes to take the loss.
Transactions
Right-handed pitcher Gavin Stone began a rehab assignment with the Comets, who also activated veteran left-hander Cole Irvin. The Tower Buzzers were assigned shortstop Caleb Johnson and right-handed pitcher Devin Bell while releasing right-hander Jhonny Jímenez and Peter Bonilla.
Thursday’s scores
Salt Lake 3, Oklahoma City 6
Corpus Christi 4, Tulsa 9
Dayton 8, Great Lakes 2
Lake Elsinore 5, Ontario 2
Friday’s schedule
4:05 p.m. PT: Great Lakes (Sean Patick) at Dayton (Edgar Colon)
4:35 p.m. PT: Tulsa (Christian Zazueta) at Corpus Christi (Nolan DeVos)
5:35 p.m. PT: Oklahoma City (Cole Irvin) at Salt Lake (TBD)
6:05 p.m. PT: Ontario (TBD) at Lake Elsinore (Kruz Schoolcraft)
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - AUGUST 06: Caleb Durbin #5 of the Boston Red Sox hits a walk off RBI single against the Chicago White Sox during the thirteenth inning at Fenway Park on August 06, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Brian Fluharty/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Yankees were off on Thursday, along with the Rays and several other teams. That left the Red Sox as the center of attention for this roundup, and boy did they make the most of having the stage all to themselves. The Battle of the Sox went on for 13 long innings, featured nine runs combined in extra innings, and had plenty of drama to go around.
Boston Red Sox (63-51) 12, Chicago White Sox (59-55) 11 (13 innings)
Thursday’s pitching matchup of Ranger Suarez for Boston and Luis Castillo making his first start as a member of the White Sox probably had folks expecting an intense duel, even if Castillo’s been rather ineffective this year compared to his career numbers. They got the complete opposite, with both starters knocked out of the game by the fourth inning with nine runs (eight earned) on the scoreboard by the time they were both hitting the showers. The Pale Hose lit the first batch of fireworks with a four-run third inning punctuated by Chase Meidroth hitting a two-run blast, but Connor Wong got two of those runs back for Boston with a blast of his own in the bottom half.
Chicago pushed their lead to 5-2 in the top of the fourth against new pitcher Greg Weissert on a pinch-hit RBI double from Sam Antonacci, just to see the lead vanish as Castillo allowed a pair of run-scoring doubles to Andruw Monasterio and Anthony Seigler. The White Sox answered right back in the fifth with a two-run single from Braden Montgomery, this time off of Justin Slaten and aided by a throwing error from the pitcher. The Red Sox got back-to-back doubles to lead off the sixth and cut the deficit in half, but despite getting a wild pitch to advance the tying run to third they couldn’t bring him home.
Both the seventh and eighth innings were quiet as both bullpens finally collected some outs without incident, but Boston had a rally in the ninth. Huascar Brazobán, a Trade Deadline addition from the Mets, had entered to get the final out of the eighth inning and stayed on to try and close out the game. Ahead 1-2 to the first batter of the inning in Wong, Brazobán hung a 90 mph changeup over the middle of the plate and Wong ripped it off of the Monster for a leadoff double. Eli White came in as a pinch-runner and got moved over to third on a sacrifice fly, but Ceddanne Rafaela struck out bringing Boston to their last out. Wilyer Abreu took a sinker down and out of the zone back up the middle for a base hit to tie the game and send it to extras, where the runs just kept coming.
Aroldis Chapman was summoned to start the 10th inning, and after getting a grounder for the first out Meidroth fought off four foul balls before crushing a middle-in splitter into the Monster seats for a two-run blast, his second of the night and the first multi-homer game of his career. The home run was Chapman’s first run allowed since July 5th, and the White Sox were in prime position to come away with a wild win. However, after a one-out walk put runners on for Monasterio in the bottom half, he delivered an RBI double to score the Manfred runner and make it runners on second and third with just one out. Anthony Seigler lifted a fly ball to center field and there was no throw to the plate as the runner advanced, tying the game again and sending us to an 11th inning.
There again the White Sox capitalized on the free man, advancing on a wild pitch from Garrett Whitlock before lifting a sacrifice fly of their own. And again the Red Sox answered, Rafaela singling to put runners on the corners before a sac fly tied the game once more. Rafaela then stole second base to get in scoring position and Caleb Durbin walked to pass the baton over to Jahmai Jones, who hit an infield single that loaded the bases. Monasterio couldn’t find another clutch hit this time, popping up to left, and Jarren Duran flew out to bring about a 12th inning.
Brayan Bello was on to handle this frame, and Tristan Peters greeted him with a single to put runners on the corners immediately. Braden Montgomery grounded into a forceout but managed to beat out the potential double play, and then Antonacci singled to left to put Chicago up for the fifth time in this game. Meidroth followed up with a single through the infield to left, but Montgomery wound up getting easily thrown out going for home for a crucial second out. After an intentional walk, Miguel Vargas grounded out to end the threat of a crooked number, and a wild pitch plus a sacrifice fly in the bottom half kept Boston alive for yet another inning.
In the 13th, Chicago’s luck finally ran out. They failed to convert their Manfred runner, hitting a pop up and groundout with a strikeout in-between as Bello stayed out for his second inning of work. Erick Fedde was the choice to pitch the bottom of the 13th, and though he got Rafaela to pop up for the first out, that was the last one he’d record. Abreu was intentionally walked to face Durbin with a potential force play, but he hit a grounder up the middle to walk it off. That makes eight straight wins for Boston, and they’ve now taken 31 of their last 36 games, an absolutely torrid streak that has them just a half-game behind the Yankees for the top Wild Card spot now.
Cleveland Guardians (57-59) 6, New York Mets (50-66) 13: Our other game of note featured a hefty dose of offense as well, though they packed all of theirs into nine innings. The Mets absolutely bludgeoned the Guardians, collecting 18 hits and scoring 13 runs off of them, but it was Cleveland that struck first when a pair of walks and a single loaded the bases for Angel Martínez in the first. Martínez ripped a single up the middle to plate two of them, but Marcus Semien and Luis Torrens both homered in the second inning to take the lead for New York. The Mets added two more in the third when Carson Benge tripled a run in and later scored, and Jared Young singled in another in the fifth to make it 6-2 Mets.
Cleveland did have a big rally in the bottom of the fifth, Nathaniel Lowe crushing a three-run homer to bring the Guardians within a single run. From there though the Mets went back to bashing Cleveland’s pitching staff, scoring three in the seventh as Francisco Lindor launched a home run against his former team. They tacked on four more in the eighth via a parade of singles and walks to put it truly out of reach, and the Guardians managed only a single run in the ninth before bowing out.
PITTSBURGH, PA - JULY 28: Brandon Lowe #5 of the Pittsburgh Pirates celebrates after hitting a two run home run in the ninth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at PNC Park on July 28, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The New York Mets (50-66) travel to the best stadium in baseball, PNC Park, to take on the Pittsburgh Pirates (57-60). The Pirates find themselves four and a half games out of the last Wild Card spot, but went hard after relief pitching at the deadline, acquiring four bullpen arms, including Luke Weaver from the Mets, in an effort to close the gap in the Wild Card race.
The Mets took the opposite approach, giving up on their (far fetched) postseason dreams and trading away (almost) everyone who wasn’t looking to be a part of their 2027 and beyond plans. The Mets traded eight players from their big league roster (and one minor leaguer) over the deadline long weekend, restocking their minor league rosters and admitting that 2026 just wasn’t their year.
Apparently, the players on both teams didn’t get the memo from their front offices.
Now, extremely small sample size caveats apply here, but the Mets haven’t lost since the deadline, scoring 25 runs in three games, sweeping the (presumably) playoff bound Guardians. The Pirates on the other hand, lost three of four and scoring just 12 runs in four games against the owners of the best record in baseball, the Milwaukee Brewers.
Do I think this trend continues? I do not; the Pirates are a much more complete team than the Mets, and the Mets are about to play a stretch where they are going up against much better teams. But it’s been fun to watch the Mets’ new, young bullpen be solid and see some of the bats lock in. I do not think that the Mets will lose their position in the basement of the NL East, but it is admittedly fun to watch them play better baseball.
Robert Stock’s second Mets’ start should be fun this weekend, and getting to watch Carson Benge continue to grow and impress has been a real treat. The rest of this season matters so little that we need to recalibrate our expectations beyond just wins and losses. The final 45 games of the season are an opportunity to answer some questions and get a sense of what the team has before looking to free agency and trades in the offseason to ensure that next August isn’t as pointless as this one.
Friday, August 7: Zac Thornton vs Carmen Mlodzinski, 6:40pm EDT on PIX11
Watching Thornton pitch, at least up until now, has been watching someone work through and around his limitations in real time. Unlike his rotation makes Christian Scott and Nolan McLean, the stuff isn’t overpowering, but Thornton has proven himself fairly adept at the tight-rope walk thus far. His ERA, nearly a full run lower than his FIP, shows that some regression is likely, but even a mid-threes ERA for a soft-tossing lefty would be a good result for Thornton.
After nine starts earlier this season, Mlodzinski has been working primarily out of the bullpen since mid-May. He’s been a consistent and effective multi-inning reliever for Pittsburgh, but he’s not entirely stretched out, so it’s unclear how long he’ll be able to go tonight.
Saturday, August 8: Robert Stock vs Bubba Chandler, 6:40pm EDT on SNY
It’s hard not to root for guys like Stock. A veteran, a guy who had Thoracic Outlet Syndrome treatment earlier this year, and a player dedicated to sticking around baseball as long as he can, Stock’s start on Sunday was the culmination of a dream. If he can have a strong start on Saturday, that dream changes and adapts yet again, from a one-shot deal to, maybe, someone who can sustain this success over a few starts. If he succeeds at that, well then who knows?
With an average fastball velocity of 98.5 MPH, there’s a lot to dream on with Chandler. However, a high walk rate and sky high exit velocity has somewhat limited Chandler’s success this season. For a team with playoff ambitions that seem to be slipping away, Chandler racking up a string of good starts in a row would go a long way towards that postseason dream.
Sunday, August 9: Sean Manaea vs Jared Jones, 1:40pm EDT on SNY
Manaea’s season has been so weird, but with the emptied ranks after the trade deadline, Manaea is the veteran presence in the starting rotation, and his ability to scrape and adapt this season is a great lesson for the kids trying to learn how to sustain a big league career. While his fastball velocity is (mostly) back, its more about how he’s been able to navigate that process than the results themselves. Whether or not Manaea has a role on the 2027 team remains to be seen, but for now, we should be grateful that he’s been able to turn himself into a cromulent starting pitcher for August and September, because it sure didn’t look like that in March and April.
Since his return from Tommy John Surgery in late May, ones has been solid for the Pirates. Another flamethrowing righty, what sets Jones apart from Chandler is his much better control. Jones is still working off the rust of not pitching in a professional game for a year, but he’s had a few fantastic starts that point towards what Jones has the potential to be, as he just turned 25 years old on Thursday (happy belated birthday, JJ).
COVERS INTEL: Nathan Eovaldi has a problem with Gunnar Henderson, too. The stud shortstop is 7-for-13 with an xBA of .368 against the righty over the course of his career. If the Orioles win, he'll be the reason why.
