Category: Baseball

What a great turn of events. Logan Webb’s season looked like it was heading into a ditch at full speed after pitching to a 5.06 ERA (3.57 FIP) and an IL stint. One silly writer even speculated that he might be cooked. Instead, he’s been named the National League Pitcher of the Month for June after going 3-1 with a 0.71 ERA (2.24 FIP) in 5 starts.

He was his dominant old self. The face of the Giants. The ace of the team. One of the best pitchers in the sport. This compelled one fabulist writer to suggest that the Giants should look into trading him at this year’s deadline.

Major League Baseball’s press release also cites these meaningful stats:

– The two-time All-Star dealt at least 7.0 innings in all five of his starts, becoming the first Giants pitcher to make five consecutive starts of at least 7.0 innings since Ty Blach did so twice in 2017. Webb permitted two-or-fewer runs in all five starts, becoming the first Giants pitcher since Madison Bumgarner in 2013 (6 GS) to make at least five consecutive starts of 7.0 innings and two-or-fewer runs permitted. Overall, his eight starts of at least 7.0 innings this season are tied with Nathan Eovaldi, Sánchez and Michael Wacha for the most in the Majors.

– The 2025 Rawlings Gold Glover became the third Giants pitcher in the Divisional Era (since 1969) to throw at least 35.0 innings in a single month and maintain an ERA under 0.75, joining Kevin Gausman (37.0 IP, 0.73 ERA in May 2021) and Noah Lowry (39.1 IP, 0.69 ERA in August 2005). Of the group, Webb’s four walks were the fewest.“

But Webb has looked like the best version of himself since returning from the injured list and it has been a rare respite from the hellacious viewing experience that has often been the San Francisco Giants here in 2026. His starts make it feel as though anything is possible.

Remarkably, his rotation mate Robbie Ray also received votes (4-0, 1.36 ERA). His resurgence has timed out nicely with the trade deadline, too…

But anyway, Logan Webb returning to out-pitch the likes of Jacob Misiorowski, Max Meyer, and Chris Sale is a great story, whether you’re just rooting for the Giants or rooting for the Giants to make some big deadline deals. Well, okay, there’s also the conversation about Logan Webb becoming an All-Star now, and either serving as the team’s lone representative or as a travel partner for somebody else (Luis Arraez, Casey Schmitt)?

Congratulations to Logan Webb on another career achievement. He’s sort of building a ground-up case to someday win a Cy Young Award, creating a reputational aura that might push him to be top of mind come that award in the future. But here in the present, it’s good enough to know that he was never really gone but now he’s incredibly back and, as the players say, shoving.

Shi Davidi tells us that Kazuma Okamoto was named AL Rookie of the Month. Only slightly unfair, as he’s not a 30-year-old rookie who played several seasons in the majors in Japan. But we aren’t going have many guy get awards, this year, so lets enjoy.

Okamoto had 7 home runs, 20 RBI, 4 doubles and 8 walks with a .286/.353/.560 batting line in 25 games. And played very nice defense, which I wasn’t expecting. I don’t think he’s going to be a Gold Glover, or anything (though if Vlad can be, who knows) but he seem serviceable to me.

The pitching matchings:

• Today: Dylan Cease (4-4, 3.02) vs. Luis Castillo (3-6, 4.93). That’s a 10:00 Eastern start.
• Tomorrow (July Fourth): Shane Bieber (0-0, 6.00) vs. Logan Gilbert (6-5, 3.42). 4:00 Eastern
• Sunday: Trey Yesavage (4-3, 3.34) vs. Clay Kirby (7-7, 3.91). 5:00 Eastern start.

Then the Jays are off to San Francisco for three games, with Thursday off after.

And Max Scherzer starts Friday for the Vancouver Canadians. They are saying that he’ll need a few rehab starts.

June was not a great month: 11-15. Our pitchers had their worst month by ERA at 4.56. There were a few starters who had some disappointing starts. The starters had a 5.73 ERA on the month and averaged just 4.6 innings per start. The relievers had a better time, 3.33 ERA, their best month, but they threw a ton of innings.

The batters had their best OPS by month of the season. .710. But they averaged 3.9 runs per game. In May they averaged 4.2 runs and in April 3.9.

Rowdy gets DFAed. He’s only had 11 PA with the Braves, but hit will in AAA, .259/.367/.483 with 8 home runs in 49 games.

During his most recent stint with the Cubs, left-hander Jordan Wicks threw pretty well: Four innings of relief, one run allowed, a pair of strikeouts. He also picked up two saves.

Wicks threw 40 pitches in Wednesday’s win over the Padres, and so the Cubs optioned him to Triple-A Iowa on the off day Thursday, per the team’s transactions page.

To replace Wicks on the 26-man active roster, the Cubs added left-hander Drew Pomeranz, who they signed to a minor-league deal June 22 after he was released by the Angels June 18. Pomeranz has thrown two scoreless innings at Iowa, with three strikeouts. He last pitched Wednesday, throwing 18 pitches. There was an open spot on the 40-man roster to add Pomeranz, so the 40-man is now full.

Pomeranz had a really good year for the Cubs in 2025, posting a 2.17 ERA and 1.067 WHIP in 57 appearances covering 49.2 innings. He walked 15 and struck out 57 in those innings. The Cubs declined to re-sign him and he signed a one-year deal with the Angels for $4 million.

He got off to a rough start in Anaheim (though he did throw 1.1 scoreless innings against the Cubs March 31 at Wrigley Field), but over his last 12 appearances for them he posted an ERA of 0.77 and a 1.286 WHIP, suggesting he could possibly get back to last year’s level. The Angels got rid of him anyway, and since he was released, the Cubs are only on the hook for a pro-rated portion of the MLB minimum salary for Pomeranz for the rest of this season.

Pomeranz and Caleb Thielbar were a pretty good 1-2 combo out of the pen last year. Granted, both are a year older and both have struggled at times in 2026, but perhaps this “putting the band back together” move can help a beleaguered Cubs bullpen.

As always, we await developments.

Thank goodness for the Angels. The Mariners climbed back over .500 with a sweep of their division rival after a brief dip below that mark following their series in Cleveland last weekend. The three wins against Los Angeles allowed Seattle to keep pace with the Rangers in the division and pull ahead of the faltering Athletics and Astros. They’ll wrap up this homestand with a jam packed weekend series against the Blue Jays.

This rematch of last year’s ALCS isn’t nearly as exciting as it could have been. Like the Mariners, the Blue Jays have largely scuffled to start this year following their deep postseason run last fall. Injuries have played a huge role in those struggles; Toronto currently has 10 players on the IL and has lost the second most total WARP of any team this season according to the Baseball Prospectus Injured List Ledger. The starting rotation has been hit particularly hard but the lineup has suffered plenty of impactful injuries as well. Combined with a pretty sizable playoff hangover from some of their stars, the Blue Jays are stuck in the morass of mediocre teams in the middle of the AL.

That’s not a typo: Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s isolated power currently starts with a zero. He’s hit just four home runs this year and is limping through the worst season of his career. His groundball rate is up slightly, though not outside the range he’s posted throughout his career, but his hard hit rate is down more than five points and his barrel rate has been cut in half. For whatever reason, his contact quality has taken a steep dive this year. George Springer, Alejandro Kirk, and Daulton Varsho have all taken pretty significant steps backwards this season as well. The good news is that Kazuma Okamoto has made a strong transition over from Japan; he’s blasted 19 home runs already and is running a 119 wRC+ even after a rough April when he was getting acclimated to MLB pitching. 

Probable Pitchers 

Updated Stuff+ Explainer 

• Stuff+ scores for Mariners starters

Dylan Cease was the Blue Jays’ headlining acquisition this past offseason when he signed a seven-year, $210 million free agent contract just before Thanksgiving. He’s long been one of baseball’s best strikeout artists, though all those punchouts come with some spotty command. He’s usually able to make it work because he can just work out of any trouble he gets into by avoiding contact altogether, but he can also be prone to big blowups from time to time if his command really slips. He primarily relies on a hard fastball and a nasty slider as his out pitches. He’s increased the usage of his changeup this year and it’s been nearly unhittable; the whiff rate on his offspeed pitch is over 66%!

Shane Bieber missed nearly all of 2024 and most of ‘25 after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Traded to the Blue Jays at the trade deadline last year, he was solid enough down the stretch, though Toronto’s deep run in the playoffs likely contributed to the forearm fatigue he was diagnosed with this spring. He wound up missing the first three months of the season and only made his return from the IL a few weeks ago. At his peak, he utilized pinpoint command of a pair of breaking balls to make up for a pretty mediocre fastball. His command has mostly eluded him after his elbow injury and his fastball quality has further deteriorated. That doesn’t bode well for his ability to stay productive until he can find a way to adjust.

In his first professional season, Trey Yesavage rose from Single-A all the way to the big leagues last year and ultimately helped lead the Blue Jays to their World Series appearance. It was a tremendous debut. A minor shoulder injury delayed his start to this season, but once he returned healthy, he picked up right where he left off. Everything is vertical with Yesavage’s profile. His extreme over-the-top delivery helps him produce a ton of carry on his fastball, and his two secondary pitches have very little horizontal break on them. His splitter continues to be a devastating pitch and he’s been able to improve the command of his slider this year.

The Big Picture:

The Rangers lost on Wednesday to allow the idle Mariners to slip into a tie atop the AL West, but won the first game of a three-game set against the Tigers yesterday. Texas and Detroit are off on Friday to accommodate a World Cup game in Arlington but will resume their series on Saturday. The Astros lost their series to the Twins this week and will play host to the hottest team in the AL this weekend, the Rays, winners of eight straight. The Athletics couldn’t keep up with the Dodgers, though they managed to salvage a win on Wednesday. They host the red hot Marlins this weekend, the team with the best record in baseball in June.

It was an interesting poll this week, me asking you which player should get a contract extension first were the Phillies to offer someone one. Here are the results:

That’s about as close to a 50/50 split as you can get.

If we’re focusing in on Jhoan Duran, I see why the team would want to make sure he is locked up for the foreseeable future. His dominance on the mound means some team is going to eventually pay for his services, his age also a factor in discussion as he’s still relatively young enough that good years are likely still ahead of him. At this point, a deal similar to the first one the Mets gave Edwin Diaz is probably the starting point for any kind of extension offer the Phillies would give to him in order to keep him off of the open market.

The looming issue in that is the CBA discussions happening right now. What if somehow there is a salary cap put into place? Would the Phillies even be able to extend Duran to a figure that would be commensurate with his ability and past comps to his profile? He still has another year of arbitration left, so nothing is particularly pressing, plus the team probably wants to see what the endgame of the negotiations looks like between the league and the player’s association before committing to anything substantial with Duran or Brandon Marsh for that matter. But if it were up to you, Duran would be the first choice to get a deal done.

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There’s really no way to sugarcoat the way the Yankees are playing right now. The offense is impotent, the starting pitching has been suspect, and the defense unacceptable. It’s all added up to a season-high seven-game losing streak and a plummeting from 3.5 games up in the standings to four games behind the Rays for first in a two-week span. There have been very few moments worthy of praise during this barren spell, but one that absolutely stands out was Yovanny Cruz’s two scoreless innings with three strikeouts against the Tigers on Tuesday in his first appearance since being called up from Triple-A for the second time this season.

We join Cruz to open the seventh inning with the Yankees already trailing, 9-2. It’s as much a mop-up role as it is an audition to see if he merits sticking in the big league bullpen for longer than the two games of his initial cup of coffee back in May. Stepping into the box to lead off the inning is Kerry Carpenter, a lefty presenting an immediate extra challenge for the righty Cruz. Carpenter has already homered in the first off a Cam Schlittler cutter, hinting at the danger of throwing a pitch that breaks toward him.

One of the most important things for Cruz — and indeed any reliever — is to get ahead in the count with the first pitch. The difference between 0-1 and 1-0, especially late in games, is enormous. As such, there’s no messing about here, Cruz hoofing his fastball in the zone.

Um, what did I just see? My attention immediately snapped to the TV when I saw 101 on the corner inside and at the knees for called strike one. That’s almost an un-hittable pitch. For the rest of this AB, and frankly the rest of Cruz’s outing, my antenna was up. I knew he had high octane stuff from his initial cup of coffee but this is another level entirely. It’s such a crucial pitch to garner the strike one call in that spot, opening up bountiful opportunities for chases on the back-foot slider.

That’s exactly what is on the mind of Cruz and Ali Sánchez, the backstop immediately calling for a slider below the zone.

Cruz misses his spot, but earns the strike two call by back-dooring the mislocated slider to the corner up and away. While he certainly did not intend that location, it reminds me of an interesting point that David Cone has brought up on recent broadcasts. He talked about how effective a weapon the high slider can be for called strikes — despite the age-old prescription that an elevated slider is a dangerous pitch to throw. Because the pitch looks like a ball high out of the hand, it is common for the hitter to give up on it early. And because a slider has later movement than other breaking balls like the curveball or sweeper, hitters often don’t have time to react upon seeing the downward break that brings the pitch into the zone. Again, I’m not sure this was the intention from Cruz here, but it worked exactly how Coney described.

With the count quickly 0-2, I expected Cruz to stick with his wipeout slider and focus on better execution down and in.

Wait a second, Cruz throws a splitter now?!?! Not only that, but it’s a totally disgusting pitch?!?! This looks like one of those classic Fernando Cruz splitters that just nosedives off the table about halfway to home, except this one is thrown at 90 mph. Carpenter somehow catches the slightest nick foul to stay alive, though Sánchez is convinced that it was a clean whiff.

When you can throw a splitter with that much late diving movement and command it to your spot, you just have to stick with that pitch and let the hitter get himself out, as we have seen from Fernando Cruz in some of his highest leverage spots.

This one isn’t executed quite as well as the first one, catching a fat part of the plate down and in. However, Carpenter is again fooled as I suspect the scouting report said nothing about Cruz throwing a splitter. He swings as if it’s a four-seamer at the belt, meaning he is way early and over the top and can only pound it foul into the ground around home plate.

Carpenter has shown zero indication that he is able to adjust to this splitter, so all Cruz needs to do is command one a bit lower than the last one and he should get the strikeout swinging.

That is exactly what Cruz is able to achieve, unleashing a filthy splitter on the corner low and away. Carpenter still hasn’t made the adjustment and he is made to look foolish whiffing way out in front of this pitch that would have been called strike three even if he had left the bat on his shoulder. You can’t get much closer to a perfect pitch than this.

Here’s the full sequence:

Is it possible Fernando Cruz helped teach his new bullpen mate his disappearing splitter? Cruz threw seven splitters on Tuesday, the pitch averaging 90.2 mph and 32 inches of drop. That would place his splitter immediately into the elite tier when it comes to movement, the nearest comp for the pitch being Roki Sasaki’s splitter, which exhibits the 13th-most vertical drop vs. average of any splitter in MLB. It’s the type of overwhelming movement that can make the pitch a platoon-neutral offering, nasty enough to elicit whiffs from both right-handed and left-handed batters.

Yovanny Cruz has been pretty much untouchable in his first three MLB appearances. He has faced 15 batters and allowed one hit and no walks while striking out six. The question for him has always been his strike-throwing ability, and it certainly appears he has started to iron out those issues. After getting sent back down following his two appearances in May, Cruz slashed his walk rate from 12.2-percent to 7.1-percent with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, and the fact that he has yet to issue a walk at the big league level lends further credence to these improvements.

Although the Yankees’ bullpen has been crying out for better swing-and-miss stuff, they curiously made the decision to demote Cruz after the matinee on Wednesday. David Bednar needed to be activated off the paternity list, but one can’t help but wonder if perhaps they might have been better off dropping someone else instead.

The St. Louis Cardinals will celebrate the 4th of July weekend against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field this weekend. The Cardinals archrivals are nearly as hot as the weather the past two weeks and it will present a challenging weekend for St. Louis to be successful.

The last 10 games tell a completely opposite story for the St. Louis Cardinals and the Chicago Cubs. A couple weeks ago, the Cardinals were ahead of the Cubs in the National League Central standings, but the streaking Cubs have leapfrogged the Cardinals and are now within a handful of games of the front-running Milwaukee Brewers. The Chicago Cubs are 9-1 in their last 10 games while the St. Louis Cardinals are 4-6. That amazing come-from-behind win Thursday night gives them great momentum, though. According to MLB.com, here are the pitching matchups for St. Louis and Chicago this weekend:

Friday, July 3 – Andre Pallante RHP 9-5, 3.83 ERA, 68 SO vs David Peterson LHP 4-6, 5.86 ERA, 65 SO

Saturday, July 4 – Kyle Leahy RHP 6-4, 4.09 ERA, 67 SO vs Shota Imanaga LHP 5-6, 4.30 ERA, 92 SO

Sunday, July 5 – Matthew Liberatore LHP 4-5, 5.33 ERA, 79 SO vs Javier Assad RHP 6-1, 4.53 ERA, 31 SO

David Peterson won his most recent start against the Milwaukee Brewers going 5 2/3 innings allowing 2 earned runs and just 5 hits. Shota Imanaga earned a no-decision against the San Diego Padres on June 29 tossing 6 1/3 innings allowing 9 hits, but just 2 earned runs. Javier Assad only lasted 2 2/3 innings against the Padres on June 30 as he gave up 4 earned runs on 5 hits.

The Chicago Cubs offense has been on fire the past couple of weeks. Dansby Swanson hit 5 home runs over a 19-hour span driving in 11 runs during his outburst. Over his last 10 games, Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong hit .289, recording 11 hits (including 3 home runs), 9 RBIs, 9 runs scored, and 2 stolen bases. Ian Happ has been red-hot also over his last 10 games, batting .341 with 14 hits, 4 home runs, 14 RBIs, and 7 runs scored. Seiya Suzuki has been on a tear, batting .317 with 13 hits, 2 home runs, 11 RBIs, and 7 runs scored in his past 10 games. One Cub who hasn’t been hot is Alex Bregman. Over his past 10 games, Alex Bregman has batted .222 (7 for 32) with 1 home run, 4 RBIs, and 5 runs scored. He also drew 7 walks, boosting his on-base percentage to .368.

Based on recent trends, it would appear that the St. Louis Cardinals will have their hands full over the 4th of July weekend, but that’s why we play baseball games instead of just study their numbers. You never know what will happen between the bases especially when it’s the Cardinals and Cubs at Wrigley Field.

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Crack open a cold one because the long holiday weekend has finally arrived. To kick off the festivities, we're bypassing the heavy favorites and hunting for pure value on Friday's baseball board.

I'm backing multiple live dogs tonight, including the Twins and Padres, to cash some high-yielding tickets before the fireworks even start in my MLB moneyline predictions.

Here is my deep dive into Friday’s MLB picks for July 3.

Matchup	Pick
Cardinals vs Cubs	<<-120>>
Pirates vs Nationals	<<-133>>
Twins vs Yankees	<<+167>>
Orioles vs Reds	<<-113>>
White Sox vs Guardians	<<+122>>
Mets vs Braves	<<+106>>
Giants vs Rockies	<<+138>>
Rays vs Astros	<<+102>>
Red Sox vs Angels	<<-102>>
Marlins vs Athletics	<<-122>>
Brewers vs Diamondbacks	<<-141>>
Padres vs Dodgers	<<+228>>
Blue Jays vs Mariners	<<-117>>

Prices courtesy of Polymarket as of 7-3.

Expert MLB moneyline picks for July 3

Cardinals vs. Cubs: Cubs (-120)

Cubs win probability: 55%

Does anyone want to get in front of the red hot Chicago Cubs right now? The Cardinals in their last six games own a 40 wRC+, .494 OPS and .092 ISO. Meanwhile, the Cubs have a 156 wRC+, .399 wOBA and .923 OPS during that span.

Take the Cubs on the eve of this holiday weekend.

Pirates vs. Nationals: Nationals (-133)

Nationals win probability: 57%

Nationals right hander Foster Griffin has been on a tear over his last five outings, owning a 1.15 ERA, 0.80 WHIP and 27.50% strikeout rate. The Pirates have been very swing happy this past week, owning a 29.3% strikeout rate, while the Nationals have been no better, they have still one of the most lethal offenses in baseball. James Wood has gone cold as of late, but he is still producing a 92% hard hit rate. Insane. 

I like the Nationals here. 

Twins vs. Yankees: Twins (+167)

Twins win probability: 38%

I am going to keep this super short.

The  New York Yankees own a 1 wRC+ in their last six games. One. They are frozen solid.

Take the value in the Twins. 

Orioles vs. Reds: Orioles (-113)

Orioles win probability: 53%

Despite having a horrific start to the year, Trevor Rogers has turned this around as of late. The Orioles southpaw owns a 1.40 ERA, 2.07 xERA and 0.78 WHIP in his last three starts. I think his recent dominance continues and he leads the Orioles to a win this evening. 

White Sox vs. Guardians: White Sox (+122)

White Sox win probability: 45%

This feels like a clear bounce back spot after last night’s heartbreaking loss. Snagging the White Sox at +122 looks like the right angle, leaning into the power of friendship and a get right spot. Anthony Kay has also been steady lately, posting a 3.65 xERA over his last three starts. If he can deliver six solid innings, Chicago should be in a strong position to close it out and cash.

Mets vs. Braves: Mets (+106)

Mets win probability: 48%

I am already backing Juan Soto this evening, so why not take the entire Mets team? Christian Scott has been on a tear on the road, while Grant Holmes has been getting lit up by left handed hitters. I like the Mets as an underdog here, especially with how inconsistent both teams have been. Feels like the price is right, give me the value.

Giants vs. Rockies: Rockies (+138)

Rockies win probability: 42%

Sure, Logan Webb is on the mound for the Giants, and he has been nails, but so has the Rockies offense lately. Ryan Feltner for Colorado has also been solid in his recent starts, posting a 2.70 ERA over his last three outings.

I like the value on the Rockies.

Rays vs. Astros: Astros (+102)

Astros win probability: 50%

Rays starter Nick Martinez has slowly been regressing over his last five starts, as he owns a 5.14 ERA in that span. Spencer Arrighetti has not been much better overall, but at home he has been solid, posting a 3.56 ERA and 0.92 WHIP.

I think after a massive week at home, hitting the road could cool down a Rays offense that has been on fire lately. I am willing to take the risk here.

Red Sox vs. Angels: Angels (-102)

Angels win probability: 50%

Both offenses have been ice cold as of late, so we are going to have to back the better pitcher. Red Sox left hander Jake Bennett has been nails in his last three outings, but Reid Detmers has been consistent all season long, owning a 2.88 xERA on the year with a 1.06 WHIP as well.

Give me the hometown team to come through.

Marlins vs. Athletics: Athletics (-122)

Athletics win probability: 55%

The Athletics offense has been pretty cold this past week, but they draw Marlins right hander Tyler Phillips, who has a 5.00 ERA, 5.02 xERA, and 1.37 WHIP in his last five starts. Phillips allows a ton of hard contact, and this should be a good spot for the Athletics to get back on track.

Brewers vs. Diamondbacks: Brewers (-141)

Brewers win probability: 58%

The lone winner of the Rafael Devers trade, Kyle Harrison and man has he had himself a season! The left hander owns a 2.57 ERA and 1.03 WHIP on the year. He draws a very cold Diamondbacks offense, while having one of the hottest offenses backing him this evening. 

Brewers. Pay the juice.

Padres vs. Dodgers: Padres (+228)

Padres win probability: 30%

It is either the Padres come out with a chip on their shoulder after blowing an early 6-0 lead last night, or they tuck their tail. Either way, I think taking the Padres at +228 is worth the sprinkle. The offense has been hitting the ball very well this past week, and they could get their revenge this evening.

Take the value!

Blue Jays vs. Mariners: Blue Jays (-117)

Blue Jays win probability: 54%

Another game featuring two ice cold offenses, and I have to take the better pitcher, which means backing Blue Jays right hander Dylan Cease. On the season he owns a 3.02 ERA, 2.79 xERA, and a 1.24 WHIP. These numbers have been consistent all season long.

Luis Castillo on the other end has been a literal punching bag, and the Blue Jays offense should be able to break out against the heavy fastball pitcher.

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Worcester Red Sox 7, Syracuse Mets 5 (BOX)

It was bombs away for the Woo Sox on Thursday, hitting four home runs on the day, two of which came off the bat of Nathan Hickey. Hickey’s first home run, as well as Mickey Gasper’s, were off of Mets prospect Jonah Tong. Tong (5.90 ERA) has taken a major step back in Triple-A this season.

Trailing 5-4 in the eighth inning, Hickey’s second home run was a two-run shot, which put Worcester ahead for good over Syracuse (NYM).

Braiden Ward also had two hits and added an insurance run with a homer of his own in the ninth inning. Devin Sweet was the opener ahead of Tyler Uberstine, who threw three perfect innings, striking out five. Eduardo Rivers got the win, as he was also perfect in 2 1/3 innings, with four strikeouts. Wyatt Olds threw two hitless innings for his second save.

Jack Anderson (2-4, 5.26) will be on the hill for the Woo Sox Friday at 6:35.

Altoona Curve 10, Portland Sea Dogs 3 (BOX)

A six-run sixth inning for the Curve (PIT) off reliever Dalton Rogers did the Sea Dogs in on Thursday night. Rogers relieved starter Gage Ziehl, who struck out eight over five innings, allowing just one run. Ziehl has been excellent in his last seven starts, not allowing more than two runs in any of them. He is 3-0 with a 2.04 ERA and a 9:41 walk-to-strikeout ratio during that time.

Home runs from Jack Winnay (2) and Brooks Brannon (11) were the highlights for Portland offensively. Winnay was 2-for-4. Franklin Arias had the day off. One can only hope that it was to give him some time to pack his things to get to Triple-A. A rehabbing Nick Sogard went 1-for-2 with a walk and a run scored before being replaced.

John Holobetz (3-3, 4.67) is on the bump, Friday at 6:20.

Winston-Salem Dash 5, Greenville Drive 4 (BOX)

Another mediocre outing from Kyson Witherspoon put the Dash (CWS) ahead early in this one. Witherspoon allowed six hits and four runs over four innings. While the strikeouts are there (65 in 61 innings), Witherspoon has walked 30 batters and has a 5.02 ERA.

Two-RBI days from both Antonio Anderson and Stanley Tucker helped the Drive tie the game up at 4-4. A walk-off single by the Dash’s George Wolkow won the game, saddling reliever Matt McShane with the loss.

Greenville’s Alex Bouchard (1-2, 5.65) will get the ball on Friday at 6:30.

Salem RidgeYaks 16, Augusta GreenJackets 10 (BOX)

It must be really heating up around Hotlanta, as the RidgeYaks and GreenJackets (ATL) combined for 26 runs on Thursday. Salem had home runs from Skylar King, Adonys Guzman, and Louis Andujar, with King leading the way with three hits and four RBI as well. King, Guzman, Andujar, Andrews Opata, and Andruw Mussett all had multiple RBI for the RidgeYaks.

Naturally, the pitching wasn’t pretty on either side. Starter Jacob Meyers couldn’t throw strikes and was pulled after 1 1/3 innings, allowing five runs (four earned), on … zero hits? Brady Tygart was credited with the win, despite allowing three runs.

On Friday at 6:35, Salem will send Christian Foutch (0-5, 6.75) to the mound.

1901
With a 4-3 win in 11 innings at Cleveland, the White Sox won their 10th straight game, which remains one of only 15 double-figure win streaks in franchise history. The club was swept in an Independence Day doubleheader the next day. In this, their first year in the major leagues, the White Sox won the AL pennant with an 83-53-1 record.

1922
White Sox pitcher Ted Blankenship made his big-league debut in a big way. Blankenship relieved starter Ferdie Schupp in the second inning of a game against Detroit, then gave up nine hits over the next 12 innings before losing the game in the 14th, 7-6. The game took place at Comiskey Park and was the opener of a doubleheader. The Sox won the second game, 4-3.

1940
It was a wild ninth inning punctuated by a franchise first.

The White Sox came up with a seven-run final frame to put away the Tigers, 12-7, in a game in Detroit. The highlight of the rally was a pinch-hit grand slam off the bat of Taffy Wright.

It was the first time the Sox had ever recorded a pinch-hit grand slam.

Wright was batting for Eric McNair when he sent a Lynn Nelson pitch over the fence scoring Joe Kuhel, Moose Solters and Larry Rosenthal ahead of him. 

For the year Wright would only hit five home runs!

1973
In a 15-1 thrashing of Texas in the opener of a doubleheader Tony Muser tied a franchise record with five walks. The first baseman scored four times and added a single, meaning he reached base safely in all six of his trips to the plate from the 2-spot in the batting order.

As is the case often in such blowouts, the White Sox struggled to score in the nightcap, losing, 2-1. Muser did his part, however, going 2-for-4 with a double that gave him a 3-for-5 twinbill that saw him get on base eight times in 10 PAs.

Muser joined Dick Allen, who was walked five times in a game nearly a year earlier, along with Sammy Strang, Minnie Miñoso, Frank Thomas and Jim Thome in franchise annals.

1976
It was the first morning start for a game in the history of Comiskey Park, as the White Sox hosted Texas with the first pitch delivered at 10:30 a.m. The Sox didn’t care much for the novelty, as they lost, 3-0, to Nellie Briles, getting only three hits.

The White Sox would play another morning game the following season, in connection with McDonalds Egg McMuffin sandwiches, and hammer Cleveland, 18-2.

1984
The frequency of rooftop home runs dramatically increased after home plate was forward up eight feet after the 1982 season, and in no game was that as evident as in this 9-5 win over the Tigers.

In the fifth inning, Greg Luzinski sent a ball onto the roof in left field, the three-run blast off of Jack Morris extending the White Sox lead to 8-3. It was Bull’s fourth and final career rooftop home run.

The very next inning, Detroit’s Ruppert Jones trimmed the lead by one with a leadoff blast onto the right-field roof off of Tom Seaver.

It was one of only two Comiskey Park games with two rooftop homers, and also represented roof shots in back-to-back games for the White Sox, as Ron Kittle had put one out on July 2.

This was also the only game in which two roof shots were hit off of two different future Hall-of-Famers!

1993
Former White Sox announcer and Hall of Fame pitcher Don Drysdale was found dead in his hotel room in Montreal, due to a heart condition. Drysdale, then a Dodgers announcer, worked for the White Sox mostly on television from 1982-87. His broadcast partner, Ken Harrelson, broke down on air while making the announcement during a 9-6 White Sox loss to the Orioles at Comiskey Park that evening.

2012
Chris Sale earned his 10th win of the season as the White Sox ran out to a 19-0 lead and ended up crushing Texas, 19-2. That tied the franchise mark for the third-largest difference in a win, 17 runs. An Ian Kinsler error at second base helped propel Chicago to a nine-run fifth inning (seven unearned), capped by an A.J. Pierzynski three-run blast. Roy Oswalt started for the Rangers and surrendered 11 runs (nine earned) in 4 2⁄3 innings, for a game score of 1. Pierzynski, Alex Ríos, Kevin Youkilis, and Alexei Ramírez all collected three hits apiece in the game.

Also on that day, Will Ohman was released by the White Sox. The southpaw reliever was adequate in his first season out of the pen for the club (2011), but had given up six homers in just 26 2⁄3 innings and hadn’t pitched since three earned over two innings on June 27. The southpaw never pitched another game in the majors.

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The New York Yankees are heavy home favorites against the Minnesota Twins tonight, but I’m not laying a taxed price during a seven-game losing streak.

Although Gerrit Cole's name still commands respect, Minnesota’s offense is hot enough to test a pitcher coming off two shaky starts. The total also points Over with Mike Paredes bringing major contact-quality risk.

Here are my Twins vs. Yankees predictions and MLB picks for Friday, July 3.

Who will win Twins vs Yankees today: Twins +1.5 (-125)

I’m taking the Minnesota Twins at +1.5 and would play it down to -140.

Gerrit Cole still carries name value, but this New York Yankees team is hard to trust by margin. New York is hitting .137 during its seven-game losing streak and has been outscored 43-17 during that span. 

Cole remains the better starter, but his 21.3% strikeout rate is well below peak form, while Minnesota has scored 96 runs with 25 homers over its last 16 games.

Mike Paredes is shaky (to put it kindly), but current form makes this run line playable.

COVERS INTEL: Gerrit Cole's Whiff% ranks in just the fourth percentile of baseball in 2026, which is one of the league's worst numbers among starting pitchers.

Twins vs Yankees Over/Under pick: Over 9.5 (-122)

Paredes’ contact profile is hard to trust against any lineup with a pulse. He has allowed a 51.8% hard-hit rate this season while striking out only 11.8% of batters.

The Yankees are ice cold, but this is the right matchup to create traffic and end the drought. While the Twins will hang around, it won't come without simultaneously giving up runs.

Playable to 10 O/U.

Chris Hatfield's 2026 Transparency Record

Twins vs Yankees weather

Expect extreme heat conditions at Yankee Stadium, with temperatures hovering around 95F at game time. We could see the ball flying in the Bronx tonight. 

Twins vs Yankees odds

• Moneyline: Twins +158 | Yankees -186
• Run line: Twins +1.5 (-125) | Yankees -1.5 (+105)
• Over/Under: Over 9.5 (-122) | Under 9.5 (+100)

Twins vs Yankees trend

Minnesota has hit the game total Over in 28 of its last 40 road games (+17.10 Units / 39% ROI).

How to watch Twins vs Yankees and game info

Twins vs Yankees latest injuries

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The Cubs are the hottest team in MLB, having won 15 of their last 19, and the Cardinals, as you’ll see below, are on a skid. Here’s hoping the Cubs keep that skid going.

Standings update: The Reds did the Cubs a favor Thursday by defeating the Brewers, so the Cubs enter Friday’s action five games behind Milwaukee, six in the loss column. The Cubs also moved half a game ahead of the Phillies for the top wild-card spot when the Phillies lost to the Pirates on Thursday.

For more on the Cardinals, here’s Doc Holliday, manager of our SB Nation Cardinals site Viva el Birdos.

• Cardinals have been on a downward freefall, losing eight of their last 13 games
• JJ Wetherholt has gone through a mini-slump, 6-for-34 since June 23. Had two hits Thursday in Atlanta, though.
• Jordan Walker hasn’t completely fallen off the wagon, but he’s cooled off from his first two months of the season. Thursday, Jordan hit his first home run since June 13.
• Matthew Liberatore has been so off that there are many who think he should go back to mid-inning relief and be taken out of the rotation
• Since the last time the Cards/Cubs played, Nolan Gorman has been sent to Triple-A Memphis – Blaze Jordan is now manning third base and has provided better offense than Gorman
• Dustin May skipped his last start due to back tightness – he tossed one of the best games of the year a couple weeks ago, but got shelled the next
• Michael McGreevy is still producing best consistent results among the five starters – Andre Pallante also several solid starts and Kyle Leahy was great today

• The consensus among a majority of the fanbase now is that the rebuild will continue and Dustin May, Lars Nootbaar and JoJo Romero are likely to be wearing other uniforms after the trade deadline. It’s also 50/50 if the Cardinals move first baseman Alec Burleson.

Fun facts

It only took playing 87 other games first, but at long last the Cubs will welcome the Cardinals to Wrigley Field for the first time beginning Friday.

The Cards won two of three games at St. Louis on May 29-31.

The Cubs swept three games at Wrigley to close out last season, after having taken two of three July 4-6. In thefirst of those games, they hit eight home runs, setting a team record they tied on Wednesday against the Padres.

The Cubs are 715-551 at home vs. the Cards, a winning percentage of .565. They are .545 at home vs. all other teams.

In 2,529 total games between the teams since 1892, when the Cardinals joined the National League from the American Association, the Cubs have won only 54 more games than the Cards, 1,282 to 1,228, while scoring just 19 more runs, 11,057 to 11,038.

(Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)

Probable pitching matchups

Friday: David Peterson, LHP (4-6, 5.86 ERA, 1.588 WHIP, 3.92 FIP overall; 1-0, 3.18 ERA, 0.882 WHIP, 4.70 FIP in one start with the Cubs) vs. Andre Pallante, RHP (9-5, 3.83 ERA, 1.231 WHIP, 3.97 FIP)

Saturday: Shōta Imanaga, LHP (5-6, 4.30 ERA, 1.078 WHIP, 4.68 FIP) vs. Kyle Leahy, RHP (6-4. 4.09 ERA, 1.475 WHIP, 4.19 FIP)

Sunday: Javier Assad, RHP (6-1, 4.53 ERA, 1.123 WHIP, 5.24 FIP) vs. Matthew Liberatore, LHP (4-5, 5.33 ERA, 1.548 WHIP, 5.11 FIP)

Times & TV channels

Friday: 3:05 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network

Saturday: 7:08 p.m. CT, Fox-TV (regional — coverage map, scroll down to the bottom of that link). A reminder that if you subscribe to MLB.TV or MLB Extra Innings, you can watch this game via those services even if it’s not on the Fox affiliate in your market. Announcers: Joe Davis, John Smoltz and Ken Rosenthal.

Sunday: 1:30 p.m. CT, streaming on Peacock (full national broadcast, no blackouts). Announcers: Alex Cohen, Mark Sweeney and Taylor McGregor.

Prediction

As noted above, the Cubs are hot and the Cardinals are not. That should be enough for the Cubs to win two of three here.

Up next

The Cubs have Monday off, then travel to Baltimore to face the Orioles in a three-game series beginning Tuesday evening.

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year, we ask questions of the most plugged-in Kansas City Royals fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

Earlier this week, we asked who bore the most blame for the Royals becoming the “proud” owners of the American League’s worst record by the halfway point

As always, I find the results fascinating. To get this out of the way, the plurality blames the roster construction, but that is among the smallest pluralities I’ve ever seen at just 37%. Poor Management got 27% of the blame, poor coaching got 23%, and the players only took 13% of the blame.

I’m not surprised to see management so high, but when I gave you the choice to separate the coaching out from the managing, I wondered if everyone might decide, actually, the baserunning, hitting, and defense were a greater problem than the lineups and bullpen usage. It was close, but many of you still think this is somehow Matt Quatraro’s fault. I said this in 2023, and I’ll say it again now: You cannot blame a manager for bad bullpen decisions when there are no good ones to be made. But the lineup stuff was and continues to be frustrating. I get that they’re missing many of their projected starters, but Salvador Perez batting fifth or sixth every night despite a .568 OPS is just completely incomprehensible to me.

I agree with the plurality, though, that the biggest issue that has caused the downfall of the 2026 Royals is roster construction. Where I suspect I disagree with many of you, though, is that I believe the roster construction problems should be laid at the feet of John Sherman and the rest of the ownership team far more than General Manager J.J. Picollo.

The Royals made exactly two major league free agent signings before the season, adding Lane Thomas and Starling Marte to the roster. They also made trades to bring in Nick Mears, Isaac Collins, and Matt Strahm. Obviously, the trade additions haven’t worked out the way that anyone had hoped. I do feel obligated to point out that Collins has carried an OBP over .330 in every month this year. If the 2025 Royals had had an outfielder playing at that level last year, they might have made the postseason.

But, honestly, the free agent signings have been about as good as you could have hoped considering that they cost a combined $6 million. Thomas is slumping a bit right now while playing nearly every day since the injury to Kyle Isbel, but you paid for roughly half a Win Above Replacement, and he’s on pace to be worth that. Starling Marte has been almost as valuable at 1/5 the cost. The problem is that the Royals only had $7 million to spend on free agents.

Now, that absolutely begs the question of whether the Royals could have reallocated that Jonathan India arbitration money elsewhere. But that’s similar to what Rob Refsnyder and Cedric Mullins got. Would the Royals be better with either of those guys on the team? (The answer is no.) I also wonder if there are different rules in place for keeping guys versus adding them, because the Royals have forked out money to keep guys like India, Seth Lugo, and Michael Wacha.

I think Picollo’s front office and the pitching coaching staff have a lot of questions to ask themselves about why exactly nearly every reliever this team has added for the past three years has turned into a roiling inferno. But when Picollo was given significant money to spend in an offseason, he added Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha, who have been key parts of the Royals being good, and Hunter Renfroe, who was really good in 2024 outside of April. Even last season’s addition of Carlos Estévez ended up working out really well for the club until the second year of the deal kicked in.

I’m not saying everyone outside of Sherman is blameless, but we’ve seen good results from all other aspects of the club when larger amounts of money have been involved. Even the extensions to Wacha and Lugo have mostly worked out. I know Lugo isn’t living up to hopes this year, but he also had pitched quite well for the first two months, and we can hope he will rebound after a rough June.

Anyway, good voting, everyone. Let me know what you think of these results in the comments!

These survey results are sponsored by FanDuel.

George Steinbrenner was many things. Above all, he was passionate. Passionate about his Yankees and, according to those who knew him as a Thoroughbred owner, equally passionate about horse racing. So it was no surprise that when he met a horse breeder and future Harness Racing Hall of Famer named John Cashman, the two hit it off. In 1986, Cashman leveraged the relationship to net a Yankees internship for his teenage son. That simple favor would be among the most consequential decisions in Steinbrenner’s 37 years at the helm of baseball’s most iconic franchise.

Brian McGuire Cashman
Born: July 3, 1967 (Rockville Centre, NY)
Yankees Tenure (as GM): 1998-present

Brian Cashman grew up in Washingtonville, NY as one of John and Nancy Cashman’s five kids. The young Brian excelled at baseball in high school at Georgetown Prep before starting for all four years at Catholic University of America. The same man who was introduced to the world at large as a scrawny, bespectacled wunderkind 10 years later was a top-notch leadoff hitter for the Division III university, setting school records in both hits and steals in a season.

Upon graduating, Cashman began a rapid rise through the Yankees’ organization. Despite his connection to Steinbrenner, it was the mercurial owner’s banishment in 1990 that accelerated his rise. Gene Michael, the baseball savant who stewarded the club in Steinbrenner’s absence, took a liking to the detail-oriented Cashman, promoting him all the way up to assistant general manager by 1992. “Brian knew everything going on,” Michael said of his protege. “Nothing slipped by.”

“He was a mentor to many people in this office,” Cashman would later say of the man everyone called “Stick.” “He did it with me and plenty others. If you were interested, he would give his time and expertise to try and train you. He was a remarkable individual who was impactful.”

Michael was replaced by Bob Watson before the 1996 season. After two seasons working under Steinbrenner, he resigned. On his way out, Watson recommended his 30-year-old assistant GM for the job. Whether due to that endorsement or Steinbrenner’s own read on his old buddy’s son, the Boss agreed to make Brian Cashman the second-youngest GM in MLB history.

There would be no training wheels for the big job. Cashman was handed the reins of a team with World Series aspirations and a star-studded roster, with Steinbrenner breathing down his neck. A couple of months into the ’98 season, the trigger-happy owner was having second thoughts and put out feelers to see if Michael would return and displace Cashman. “Brian can do it,” Michael reassured Steinbrenner. “Just give him time.”

Of course, that team would go down as one of the best in baseball history. A roster mostly assembled by Cashman’s predecessors won 114 games and a championship. In the ensuing years, which saw two more titles and another two pennants by 2003, Cashman made his mark, acquiring key contributors like Roger Clemens, Jason Giambi, and Hideki Matsui while signing international prospects including Alfonso Soriano and Robinson Canó. He also developed a reputation for tenacity and resolve. “He and George (Steinbrenner) would have scream festivals for hours,” Jean Afterman said, the assistant GM of the Yankees. “I’d close my door but could hear them down the hall. Brian backs down from no one — that’s why George loved him.”

After a few lean years, a retooled roster including Alex Rodriguez as well as the newly signed CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, and Mark Teixeira took home the Yankees’ 27th title in 2009. This time, while the Core Four of the ’90s dynasty remained, Cashman could take the lion’s share of the credit for compiling a roster that rose to the top.

The 17 years since that title have been a mixed bag. In 2010, Cashman famously entered into a very public salary negotiation with Derek Jeter in which he encouraged the captain to test free agency and reportedly indicated he’d rather have Troy Tulowitzki playing shortstop in New York. In addition to souring his relationship with the face of his team, that fracas — which resulted in a three-year, $51 million deal — turned much of the fanbase against their GM. It didn’t help that the Yankees failed to return to the World Series in the years that followed.

By 2016, with the wheels falling off, Cashman engaged in his first ever honest-to-goodness sell-off at the trading deadline. It would be a turning point, with the ’17 “Baby Bomber” Yankees making a rare underdog turn the following year. A young roster led by Rookie of the Year Aaron Judge and other homegrown talent developed under Cashman made a run all the way to Game 7 of the ALCS. And, while that 28th ring has remained elusive, the team has remained competitive in the interim, missing out on the playoffs only once and making it as far as the World Series in 2024.

Where does that leave Brian Cashman’s legacy? For one thing, with the longtime GM only turning 59, there’s no reason to believe that legacy is fully written yet. Dave Dombrowski, the Phillies GM who still appears to be at the top of his game, turns 70 this month.

When it comes to regular-season success, though, neither he nor any other active GM can approach Cashman, who’s overseen winning teams for each of his 28 seasons at the helm. The only other team without a losing season in the 2020s is the Dodgers, for whom Ned Colletti and Andrew Friedman have ably carried the torch since their last losing season in 2005. While the title draught in which the Yankees remain mired is a legitimate pain point, that much winning is not to be taken for granted; for an example of another big-budget team unable to put a consistently competitive product on the field, look no further than across town.

Cashman has also earned superlative acclaim from those who know the challenges of his job best. “Based on Brian’s accomplishments, I would make the argument that he is the greatest executive in the history of the sport,” longtime A’s GM Billy Beane said. “He has four championships and the longest tenure. It’s not unlike Tom Brady’s career, from an executive standpoint. He is the Tom Brady of GMs.”

Brian Sabean, a Cashman protege who went on to helm the Giants during three championship runs before returning to the Yankees front office, agreed. “Cash doesn’t get enough credit,’’ Sabean said. “If there was ever a Hall of Fame for executives in all of sports, he’s on top of the list. They understand what the expectations are (in New York), which are greater than everyone, and they keep on winning.”

In addition to his work in baseball operations, Cashman has a long track record of supporting his community. The Yankees-Stonewall initiative awards $50,000 in scholarships annually to graduating LGBTQ+ student leaders from each borough, something he’s called the “most meaningful work” of his career. He’s taken an active role in amplifying Spanish-language media, hosting an annual Hispanic Heritage Media Day. He also sticks his neck out both literally and figuratively while spending the night outside in a sleeping bag each winter, inviting mockery from his detractors to raise awareness for the nonprofit Covenant House. Cashman has also quietly built a singular legacy in elevating women in sports, including Afterman, Kim Ng (who Jeter would later hire as the first female GM in American male pro sports) and Rachel Balkovec, who he brought on as the first female manager of an affiliated team, the Low-A Tampa Tarpons.

Whatever your view of Cashman’s performance over his long career, his accomplishments speak for themselves, and his staying power in baseball’s toughest market has given him the chance to build on those achievements. While I’m sure not all of you will partake, I invite you to join me in wishing a happy 59th birthday to one of the most consequential figures in Yankees history.

See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.