Category: Baseball

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The trade deadline has come and gone, and we’ve had some time to reflect on the week. The Rockies made four total moves — three on Monday — and overall, the majority of the community gave the Rockies a passing grade for their moves.

81% of voters gave the Rockies a “good or satisfactory grade” for their performance. 4% gave them an A, which indicates excellent or outstanding work. 13% gave them a D, which indicates “below-average work,” while 2% gave them a failing grade.

Do you agree with the results? Do you still agree with your own vote? Let us know in the comments!

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The Dodgers will turn to Yoshinobu Yamamoto on Saturday in hopes to end their seven-game losing streak, a stretch in which nothing really seems to match up properly.

Yamamoto pitched quite well last Saturday at home, allowing three runs in eight innings to the Boston Red Sox, but that was a game in which the Dodgers offense could only score twice. Much like Friday night in Arizona, Roki Sasaki allowed only two run in six innings and the Dodgers took a lead in the eighth inning, but a bad Edwin Díaz slider turned that into a loss, too.

The loss on Tuesday at Wrigley Field turned lopsided later, but that was another strong start wasted, with Tarik Skubal allowing only two runs in six frames in his Dodgers debut.

Major league teams are 803-358 (.692) when their pitcher provides a quality start this season. The Dodgers lead the majors with 61 quality start this season, 11 more than any other team, and that’s not even including the six hitless, scoreless innings Eric Lauer provided in bulk relief following an opener on June 22.

The Dodgers are 44-17 (.721) when receiving a quality start, but have lost three such games in the last week on this losing streak.

Offense has been a big culprit during the swoon, even dating back to July when the Dodgers were outscored during the month for just the third time in nine years. Through the end of June, the Dodgers averaged 5.36 runs per game, most in the majors, and hit .266/.347/.443 with a 118 wRC+, tops in the majors in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and wRC+.

Since July 1, the Dodgers offense has been entrenched well into the bottom half of the league:

• 21st in runs per game (4.20)
• 20th in wRC+ (94)
• 19th in slugging percentage (.395)
• 18th in on-base percentage (.314)
• 12th in batting average (.251)

The Dodgers are also tied for 20th since the beginning of July with 32 home runs, with only nine of those home runs coming from outfielders, a collective group hitting just .225/.310/.346 with an 84 wRC+ over the last 30 games.

Home runs aren’t the only way to score, of course, and the Dodgers have weirdly done quite well with runners in scoring position during the seven-game losing streak, hitting .273/.333/.500 with a 125 wRC+. But they have just 48 plate appearances with runners in scoring position, fourth-fewest in the majors at just under seven such PA per game. MLB teams as a whole average over 68 PA with runners in scoring position over the last eight days.

Saturday game info

• Teams: Dodgers at Diamondbacks
• Ballpark: Chase Field, Phoenix
• Start time: 5:10 p.m. PT
• TV: SportsNet LA
• Radio: AM 570 (English), KTNQ 1020 AM (Spanish)

At last Monday’s Trade Deadline, the Yankees had an opportunity to augment a bullpen that, despite ranking second in MLB in both ERA and xERA, seemingly had room for another high-end arm. Instead, GM Brian Cashman traded away Camilo Doval, Jake Bird, and Yovanny Cruz. The most charitable interpretation here is addition by subtraction. Doval and Bird — two of three relievers Cashman acquired at the 2025 deadline — had been major disappointments (while Cruz had made just four appearances this year and was more of a depth piece). Their ouster creates opportunities for others to take a step forward in the pecking order.

As I do each month in a given season, I’m going to take a look at the Yankees’ relievers to identify how manager Aaron Boone is deploying each and offer a verdict as to how much trust we can place in them moving forward using the following ranking system:

• 5: As confident as one can be in a reliever, the most fickle position in baseball
• 4: High degree of confidence, but some trepidation remains
• 3: Glass half full or glass half empty? The choice is yours
• 2: Major concerns here, though perhaps a glimmer of hope
• 1: Absolute zero — usually reserved for those with a minimal track record

Statistics below are from July 1-August 6.

The Closer

David Bednar

Recent stats: 14.2 IP, 1.23 ERA, 17 SO, 2.69 FIP, 9 Saves (in 9 opportunities)

Regardless of what happened at the deadline, with the possible exception of a Mason Miller acquisition, Bednar was going to remain the team’s closer, and for good reason. After an uneven start to the season, he’s allowed runs to score in just one of 25 outings since May 18th, a remarkable run of excellence that’s largely flown under the radar. In a bullpen that’s experienced some flux, he’s been low drama, exactly what you want out of your closer.

Confidence level: 5

Bednar is seventh among active players in saves, with everyone ahead of him older and longer tenured. The combination of his excellence this year and track record over his career makes him one of the most reliable closers in baseball.

The Set-Up Men

Brent Headrick

Recent stats: 18 IP, 1.00 ERA, 27 SO, 0.60 FIP

Over his first three seasons, Headrick pitched more at Triple-A than in the big leagues, appearing to be no more than a depth piece. This year? As Michael Baumann over at FanGraphs eloquently outlined on Thursday, he’s putting up one of the best reliever seasons in Yankees history. Among primary relievers, only Miller and Louis Varland have lower ERAs.

Confidence level: 5

I was skeptical of Headrick’s success early in the season, but he’s sustained this level of performance for long enough that it cannot be ignored. And his peripherals, including elite whiff and barrel rates, support that this is no fluke. He’s firmly entrenched in the late-inning mix, and rightfully so.

Paul Blackburn

Recent stats: 22.2 IP, 1.19 ERA, 23 SO, 4.24 FIP

Say what you will about the Yankees’ organization — they can take a washed up journeyman and turn him into a star reliever like no other team in baseball. Blackburn is the latest beneficiary of the Luke Weaver effect, transforming from a struggling swingman into a back-end option. After using him in long relief for most of the season, Boone has begun inserting him in the eighth, with strong early results.

Confidence level: 3.5

Blackburn deserves credit for his turnaround, but the jury’s still out on how sustainable it will be. While he’s not missing many bats, his 56.5 ground-ball rate suggests he may have a legitimate new formula. If he performs well in another month of high-leverage usage, I’ll feel much more confident he can be part of the path to Bednar moving forward.

The Middle Relievers

Fernando Cruz 

Recent stats: 14 IP, 3.21 ERA, 14 SO, 5.10 FIP

After working as a set-up man, Cruz has been deployed recently as the first man out of the bullpen to bail out a fading starter to get to the late innings. Wherever Boone uses him, he knows what he’s getting: a pitcher with a one-of-a-kind splitter who both misses bats and issues walks as much as anyone in baseball.

Confidence level: 4

Cruz is a known quantity at this point. His energy on the mound and ability to dominate on his best day more than make up for the days when he loses the strike zone and works himself into trouble. He remains very much in the high-leverage picture.

Tim Hill

Recent stats: 11.2 IP, 5.40 ERA, 5 SO, 9.10 FIP

After a remarkably consistent run through nearly two years in New York, Hill’s bag of tricks has begun to wear out its welcome. Since May 12th, his ERA has ballooned from 1.00 to 4.40 as he’s allowed 21 runs (19 earned) in 25 innings. Unsurprisingly, he’s slipped out of the inner ring of Boone’s circle of trust.

Confidence level: 2.5

Hill’s numbers remain strong against lefties, maintaining his value as a lefty specialist. Otherwise, though, his stock has taken a major hit.

The Long Reliever

Ryan Yarbrough

Recent stats: 10 IP, 1.80 ERA, 5 SO, 4.89 FIP

It’s been an odd season for Yarbrough, who has performed well despite intermittent usage. His hard-hit rate of 22.5 percent tops MLB (Cruz is second) despite — or, perhaps, because of — throwing one of the slowest fastballs in the game. Of note for his recent stats: Yarbrough has allowed six unearned runs this month.

Confidence index: 2.5

Yarbrough is perfectly suited for his long relief role, giving a different look than any other Yankees pitcher while eating some lower-leverage innings.

The Mop-Up Men

Yerry De los Santos

Recent stats: 9.1 IP, 5.79 ERA, 7 SO, 3.38 FIP (at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre)

This is where the Yankees’ bullpen starts to get scary. After moving Doval and Bird (and sending Angel Chivilli down to Triple-A), the Yankees promoted De los Santos, who had been getting absolutely torched at Triple-A. He does have a strong 2.84 ERA in 30 appearances with the Yankees over the past two seasons, but if the team had confidence that was indicative of his potential they’d have called him up earlier in the season.

Confidence level: 1

De los Santos has been useful as a Quadruple-A player, but the prospect of him becoming a mainstay in the bullpen is alarming. We’re one injury away from the 28-year-old starting to see action late in close games.

Kervin Castro

Recent stats: 3.1 IP, 0.00 ERA, 5 SO, 1.90 FIP

Castro has earned his shot. After last pitching in the bigs for the Cubs in 2022, the Yankees took a flier on him last year and he excelled at Triple-A, a run of success he continued this year. Over both seasons, he posted a 1.63 ERA at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The early returns with the Yankees have been strong as well, with three scoreless outings since he was recalled in late July.

Confidence level: 1

I’d love to see Castro’s Cinderella story continue, but success at Triple-A does not always translate at the big-league level. He’ll need to show a lot more before he gains any trust in Boone’s bullpen pecking order.

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

The Cubs made three major acquisitions before Monday’s MLB Trade Deadline: starting pitchers Kevin Gausman and Clay Holmes, and reliever Ryan Zeferjahn. These moves appear to be very positive in an effort to help bolster the oft-injured Cubs pitching staff.

Earlier this week I asked you to give a grade for Cubs President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer’s moves.

And in general, you approve:

That’s a huge vote of confidence in Hoyer, with 94 percent grading his moves at B or higher — and nearly a plurality with an “A” vote, very close to the number who chose “B”.

I can’t explain the one percent giving Hoyer a failing grade. Can you?

Here are the results of the two national questions asked in the SB Nation Reacts survey this week.

This vote, I presume, assumes that Tarik Skubal will somehow singlehandedly put the Dodgers over the top to win the World Series. Either that, or Dodgers fans stuffed the electronic ballot box.

The Cubs made a statement last Tuesday that they won’t be afraid of Skubal. They very well could face him again in October.

And again, Skubal carries the day in the individual player voting. Interestingly, voters picked Clay Holmes over Kevin Gausman for the Cubs acquisition who would have the most impact.

So far, Freddy Peralta hasn’t done much to warrant the deal that sent him to the Rays, as he got hit hard in his first start for Tampa Bay.

Thanks for participating in the survey this week, and let’s hope the voters are wrong about Skubal.

This edition of SB Nation Reacts is sponsored by FanDuel.

Monday’s trade deadline action didn’t exactly go on-script for the Cincinnati Reds. At least, it sure didn’t follow the script most everyone across the nation expected to see play out.

The Reds, mired in last place and with a New Jersey Turnpike full of teams ahead of them in the Wild Card race, looked like they should be sellers. Brady Singer is a pending free agent who’s been pitching lights out for months, and that always has value. Eugenio Suarez, though struggling this year after an oblique injury shut him down for a month and disrupted timing, was beginning to find his swing again, and some team surely would’ve taken a flier on him getting white hot again.

There was even a deep bullpen full of guys on expiring contracts. Still, the Reds made just minor moves of Nate Lowe and Caleb Ferguson, the latter not even bringing back an actual prospect (with international bonus pool cash coming to Cincinnati instead).

The Reds have been playing better of late, and even find themselves not in last place this morning by half a game. Still, the odds of making a miraculous playoff push seem outlandish, and now they’ve lost Hunter Greene (again) for the rest of this season and most, if not all, of next despite there having been significant interest in him pre-deadline.

All told, it sure doesn’t seem like the team navigated the deadline very well. And when we asked you to grade them on their work earlier in the week, well, you wholeheartedly agreed.

Most of you don’t just think they did poorly. Half of you think they flunked the test outright.

Perhaps more telling is that absolutely zero folks think they did a job worthy of an A, so that indicates that not even a single member of the Cincinnati Reds front office sneaks over to Red Reporter to skew polls anymore.

(Either that or they agree with you, too!)

The Reds have a long way to go to revamp both their roster and their front office, and they took precisely zero significant steps towards doing so at this trade deadline. That was obvious to us, and it’s sure looking obvious to you, too.

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I'm firing two units on the Atlanta Braves at -137 today. Forget the pedigree—this comes down to current form and matchup edges.

While Gerrit Cole remains a big name, his fly-ball and hard-contact tendencies give Atlanta’s heavy hitters a prime launchpad.

On the bump for ATL, Chris Sale brings a far superior whiffs-and-chase profile to keep New York guessing in my Braves vs. Yankees predictions and MLB picks for Aug. 8.

Who will win Braves vs Yankees today: Braves moneyline (-137)

I'm on the Atlanta Braves in this spot for two units down to -155. The New York Yankees were lucky to get a win last night.

The offense has remained dreadful for a few weeks now (just look at a wOBA near the bottom of the league over the last 30 days), and this is a strength-on-weakness matchup against Gerrit Cole. 

Cole has allowed a 9.5% barrel rate, 42.6% hard-hit rate, and 67% air-ball rate this season, which is not ideal against an Atlanta lineup that ranks fourth in baseball in barrel rate. 

We could debate who's the better pitcher long-term, but there's no doubt Chris Sale has had a better season than Cole on the other side. 

His strikeout-heavy profile matches up well against a lineup that is whiffing more than ever lately at a 26% strikeout rate over the last seven days. 

COVERS INTEL:Cole’s four-seamer is the specific pitch Atlanta can attack. He throws it 47.1% of the time, and it has allowed a 45.2% hard-hit rate this season.

Braves vs Yankees Over/Under pick: Under 7.5 (-116)

I'd play the Under to 7. 

Both starters can control the shape of this game. Sale gives Atlanta strikeout upside against a Yankees lineup that has been flat-out bad, while Cole is still more than capable of limiting traffic even if his barrel profile creates some concern.

If Sale handles the Yankees’ cold stretches and Cole avoids the multi-run homer, this profiles more like a lower-scoring road favorite script than a full offensive eruption. In fact, it could look a lot like last night.

Braves vs Yankees weather

The Bronx forecast is hot, with thunderstorm risk around the game window, so delay risk matters more than any clear wind-based run adjustment

Braves vs Yankees odds

• Moneyline: Braves -137 | Yankees +124
• Run line: Braves -1.5 | Yankees +1.5
• Over/Under: Over 7.5 | Under 7.5

Braves vs Yankees trend

The New York Yankees have hit the Team Total Under in 24 of their last 30 games at home (+17.35 Units / 48% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Braves vs. Yankees.

How to watch Braves vs Yankees and game info

Braves vs Yankees latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

15 Years Ago

Brandon Morrow pitched 8.2 no-hit innings, leading the Blue Jays to a 1-0 victory. It was likely the best pitching performance I have ever witnessed.

With two outs in the ninth, Evan Longoria hit a ground ball between second and first. Aaron Hill made an outstanding effort to reach the ball and got his glove on it, but it deflected into right field. Even if he had fielded it cleanly, he wouldn’t have had a play at first. Hill hoped the official scorer would call it an error, but it was ruled a hit.

Morrow struck out 17 batters—just one shy of Roger Clemens’ franchise record—and walked only two, facing four batters above the minimum. His 100 Game Score tied for the fourth-best since the start of the lively ball era in 1920. Only Kerry Wood (105), Nolan Ryan (101, vs. the Blue Jays), and Sandy Koufax (101) have posted better scores. That’s remarkable company.

He threw 137 pitches—risky for a pitcher with his injury history. I would have taken him out after the hit, but instead, he struck out Dan Johnson to end the game. Most managers would have pulled him after the single (and 132 pitches), but Cito Gaston wanted him to finish the complete game on the mound.

The no-hitter was nearly broken up in the top of the ninth when Jason Bartlett hit a fly ball to deep center, but Vernon Wells made a spectacular catch at the wall. If not for the no-hitter, I’m sure Vernon would have played it off the wall instead. He ended up with a dislocated toe but missed only one game. With 17 strikeouts, our defense wasn’t often tested, but Vernon’s catch was as good as any you’ll see.

Offensively, the Jays managed just five hits. Their lone run came in the first inning: Yunel Escobar drew a one-out walk after DeWayne Wise lined out, moved from first to third on a groundout, and scored on a single by Vernon Wells. Morrow made that early run hold up.

Another memorable moment was Jose Molina’s stolen base—his only steal of the season. He would go on to steal two more the following year and finished his 15-year career with 20 stolen bases.

Ultimately, it was Morrow’s day. In my recap, I wrote:

For Morrow, it was his first complete game and his first shutout. And he is just 26; he’ll have more days like this.

I was wrong.

Brandon went on to pitch in 100 games for the Blue Jays, making 93 starts and posting a 34-31 record with a 4.40 ERA over five seasons. After Toronto, he played for the Padres, Dodgers, and Cubs. Notably, he appeared in all seven games of the 2017 World Series with the Dodgers.

His final season was 2018. Over his career, he appeared in 334 games (113 starts), with a 51-43 record, 40 saves, a 3.96 ERA, 368 walks, and 877 strikeouts.

The Hill play:

Drake Baldwin leads off again, as Ronald Acuna gets a day off in the field, batting second and DHing. Mike Yastrzemski and Mauricio Dubon man the corner outfield spots around Michael Harris. Jim Jarvis returns to the starting lineup, batting ninth and playing shortstop.

Meanwhile, the Yankees lineup is as follows.

Join us as the teams face off in Yankee Stadium at 3:05 PM ET on BravesVision

Nats first round pick Chris Hacopian will be making his minor league debut tomorrow. Interestingly, it will not be in Fredericksburg. Instead, the local kid will be skipping over Low-A and will join the Wilmington Blue Rocks. The old regime would always send draft picks to Low-A first, even if it were only for a few games, but that has changed.

After being drafted 11th overall last month, it will be exciting to see Hacopian get started. That Wilmington team was already loaded, and now they are getting another top prospect. The likes of Eli Willits, Ronny Cruz and Miguel Sime Jr. are some of the players currently in Wilmington. Now, Paul Toboni’s first draft pick will join them.

This assignment is interesting for a couple reasons. First is that it is another change from the new regime. Even when Dylan Crews was drafted second overall, he played 14 games in Fredericksburg. After that, he skipped High-A and went to Harrisburg. Playing for the Fred Nats was like a rite of passage for Nationals prospects.

Wilmington is known as a bad place to hit, and the old regime was hyper-aware of that. The new regime has been more willing to send guys to Wilmington and let them stay there. It is a pitchers park, but if you can hit, you can thrive there. We saw that with the likes of Ethan Petry, Devin Fitz-Gerald and now Eli Willits.

Hacopian will be the next big bat in Wilmington. Toboni and the front office must have felt that the infielders bat was just too advanced for Low-A. There is certainly evidence for that, as Hacopian was seen as one of the best college hitters in the class. He has walked more than he has struck out wherever he has played. Now, he will take on Wilmington.

Getting to see the 2026 draft picks will be fun for fans of the Nats farm system. So far, the only player who has debuted is 9th rounder Cashel Dugger, who has played a couple games in Low-A. Now, we will get to see Hacopian.

I would imagine that second rounder Chase Brunson is next in line to make his debut. There is a chance he also goes to Wilmington, but I think a quick stop in Low-A is more likely. 5th rounder Daniel Cuvet is another exciting bat to watch down the stretch.

The high school duo of Luke Williams and Cooper Harris are unlikely to debut this year. High school pitchers almost never pitch in their draft years and Williams is still too raw to throw straight in Low-A. We saw Eli Willits go straight to Low-A and shine, but he was uniquely polished.

It will be very interesting to see how Hacopian does in his pro debut. I think he will hold his own at the very least, but this is an aggressive assignment in a tough place to hit. If he does struggle, it would not be time to panic just yet. However, with how polished the bat is, the front office clearly thinks he has the hitting chops to succeed right away.

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 you to grade how Royals General Manager J.J. Picollo’s trade deadline went:

Honestly, I’m a bit baffled by these results. Back when we asked how many players the Royals needed to trade away by the deadline, almost everyone agreed they needed to trade at least three, with five or more coming in just behind three to four. The Royals ended up trading only one player from the 40-man roster. And yet, 22% of respondents to this poll thought they managed at least a C at this trade deadline. 4% of you gave them a B! Please, I’m begging you, if you gave a B, I’d love for you to tell me why in a comment.

I’ve already written extensively about why I think this trade deadline is an F. So even the 54% majority of you who gave them a D are significantly higher on the Royals’ performance at the deadline than I am. To summarize my thoughts, it seems to me that the Royals made a massive mistake by not trading every expiring contract they have, including John Schreiber and Starling Marte. I also don’t think Michael Wacha and Seth Lugo are going to be the difference between next year’s team being a contender and not, and whatever trade value they have now will likely be greatly diminished by this time next season.

It’s possible the Royals talked to all of those players and came away with the impression that none of them wanted to be traded and the team didn’t get offers large enough to override those preferences. And I have some sympathy for the players involved, certainly. But if I were offered a few hundred thousand to do my job somewhere else for a few months, I think I’d probably figure it out. These guys can, too.

Anyway, what’s done is done. And, frustratingly, it seems like we are going to be stuck watching these veterans play out the string on the current MLB roster before departing for other homes this offseason instead of getting a look at anyone else who might offer more now or in the future. I guess that means we have the offseason spending spree* and lockout to look forward to instead. How exciting.

*If the Royals want to even pretend like they’re going to compete next year, they’re going to have to throw a lot of cash at a lot of players just to fill out the roster.

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The red-hot Boston Red Sox enter Saturday’s matchup against the Athletics as a heavy -257 moneyline favorite, with first pitch scheduled for 4:10 p.m. ET.

With Jake Bennett in solid form, my Athletics vs. Red Sox predictions expect Boston to roll to another convincing win against a shaky Gage Jump.

Read more in my MLB picks for Saturday, Aug 8.

Who will win A's vs Red Sox today: Red Sox -1.5 (-131)

The Athletics send Gage Jump to the mound at Fenway Park, and he’ll face a Boston Red Sox offense carrying a 158 wRC+ over the last week.

Jump is not in ideal form, posting a 4.55 xERA over his last two starts. While he has not allowed a homer during that span, the rookie has walked 9.31 BB/9, which is dangerous against a Red Sox lineup that is rolling.

Jake Bennett counters for Boston, and he continues to deal. The left-hander owns a 3.84 FIP over his previous two appearances while holding opponents to a 33.3% hard-hit rate and 2.6% barrel rate.

Boston should capitalize against Jump, while Bennett limits the damage.

I’ll play this pick up to -150.

COVERS INTEL: The Red Sox have thrived against left-handers, posting a 113 wRC+ this season. That's compared to a 94 mark vs righties. 

A's vs Red Sox Over/Under pick: Under 9.5 (-131)

The total is set high at 9.5, and I’m predicting the Under. The Athletics are doing very little offensively right now, and Boston’s bullpen has been lights out. Over its last 26.1 innings, the Red Sox relief corps owns a 1.93 xERA while surrendering just 0.34 HR/9.

I expect Boston to do most of the scoring, but Oakland’s bullpen is not in complete collapse mode, posting a 4.41 FIP across the last week. If the A’s pen can limit damage once Jump departs, this game can stay under 10 runs.

I’ll play this pick up to -140.

A's vs Red Sox weather

Weather looks warm at Fenway Park today, with partly cloudy skies and temperatures holding in the mid-to-upper 80s through first pitch. Winds should be moderate early, then ease later, and rain chances remain relatively low. The warm air could slightly help carry, but conditions should not be a major factor.

A's vs Red Sox odds

• Moneyline: A's +245 | Red Sox -237
• Run line: A's +1.5 (+127) | Red Sox -1.5 (-133)
• Over/Under: Over 9.5 (+122) | Under 9.5 (-127)

A's vs Red Sox trend

The Boston Red Sox have covered the Run Line in 27 of their last 40 games (+19.65 Units / 41% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for A's vs. Red Sox.

How to watch A's vs Red Sox and game info

A's vs Red Sox latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Diamondbacks News

Diamondbacks Win Most Playoff-like Game of Season
The Diamondbacks took the series opener in tis final series against the Los Angeles Dodgers with playoff rankings for both teams still on the line.

Kelly’s Cramping Issue Resurfaces Versus Dodgers
Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Merrill Kelly signaled to the dugout with two outs in the sixth inning after giving up a RBI single on Friday against the Los Angeles Dodgers, asking to be taken out of the game. The team later confirmed it was due to cramping in Kelly’s right leg, making this the fourth straight season the issues have flared up.

Waldschmidt’s Wild Walk-off Night
After the Diamondbacks lost starter Merrill Kelly to yet another cramping issue, they then lost the hard-earned lead over the division rival Dodgers. That brought Ryan Waldschmidt to the plate in the ninth with a runner on and Edwin Diaz looking to close out the game and earn the save for the Dodgers. Waldschmidt had other ideas and launched his second home run of his young career.

Other Baseball News

PCA has Real Shot to Win NL MVP
The debate is far from settled and Shohei Ohtani is not exactly just giving up on the award either.

Inside the Trade: Why the Tigers Chose the Dodgers
The Tarik Skubal controversy won’t go away, but things are starting to make a bit more sense at least.

A’s Part with David Forst
The embattled GM is out ahead of the inaugural season in Las Vegas.

Catching Lightning in a Bottle: The Adley Rutschman Trade
No offense to Tarik Skubal, but Adley Rutschman going to the Boston Red Sox was the big blockbuster deal of the deadline.

Hunter Greene to Undergo Elbow Surgery
The Reds announced that right-hander Hunter Greene will undergo elbow surgery, per Mark Sheldon of MLB.com. The extent of the procedure isn’t known just yet, but president of baseball ops Nick Krall tells the Reds beat that the surgery will pertain to Greene’s elbow ligament (via Pat Brennan of the Cincinnati Enquirer).

The Mets carry a four-game win streak headed into the second game of the team's three-game road series against the the Pittsburgh Pirates.

First pitch on Saturday night is set for 6:40 p.m. on SNY.

Mets Notes

• Robert Stock will take the mound for the Mets. The 36-year-old journeyman was rock solid in his first start of the season against the Miami Marlins on Aug. 2, allowing one earned run on three hits while striking out four and walking none across five full innings.
• In the series opener on Friday night, Mets rookie outfielder A.J. Ewing reached base in four of his five plate appearances, increasing his OPS on the season to .743.

Today's Lineups

Since Don Mattingly’s retirement after the 1995 season, the Yankees have generally filled the first base spot by bringing in an established veteran. First it was Tino Martinez, then it was Jason Giambi, before Mark Teixeira filled that role from 2009 through 2016. For five years after him, the position became a turnstile, with Greg Bird (the only homegrown player to man the position regularly in two decades), Chris Carter, Chase Headley, Luke Voit, Edwin Encarnación, and DJ LeMahieu tagging in, to mixed success. Finally, looking to improve the offense as the 2021 squad stumbled through the first half, the Yankees swung a deal with the Chicago Cubs, bringing in one of the legends that broke the 108-year curse: Anthony Rizzo.

Anthony Rizzo
Born: August 8, 1989 (Parkland, FL)
Yankees Tenure: 2021-2024

Born and raised in Parkland, Florida, Rizzo was selected out of high school by the Boston Red Sox in the sixth round of the 2007 MLB Draft. He made a cup of coffee in rookie ball that season, before starting the 2008 campaign with Single-A Greenville. Baseball, however, quickly became of secondary importance, as that May, the 18-year-old Rizzo was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. He did not return to the playing field until the end of the summer, when the Red Sox front office permitted Rizzo — recently declared cancer-free — to take one plate appearance; he doubled.

He spent two more years in the Boston system before being traded, along with Casey Kelly, Reymond Fuentes, and Eric Patterson, to the San Diego Padres for first baseman Adrian Gonzalez. He made his major league debut on June 9, 2011, tripling in his second time at the plate.

Two days later, he recorded his first big league home run.

Those would be his only true highlights as a member of the Padres, however. He generally struggled in his first run in the Show, slashing .141/.281/.242 in 49 games. When San Diego traded for Yonder Alonso that December, Rizzo became expendable and was traded again, this time to the Chicago Cubs for pitcher Andrew Cashner and outfielder Kyung-Min Na. Rather amusingly, both times Rizzo was traded as a youngster, Jed Hoyer was the general manager acquiring him (although in Chicago, Hoyer reported to President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein, who had final say on the deal).

Rizzo started 2012 with Triple-A Iowa, as Bryan LaHair began the year as the team’s first baseman. He quickly proved ready for the limelight, however, and made his Cubs debut on June 26th. Over the next three and a half seasons, he established himself as one of the Senior Circuit’s premier first baseman, slashing .268/.361/.480, receiving two All-Star nods, and finishing as a finalist for the Gold Glove Award at first base.

All of that would be a prelude to the highlight of his career, the 2016 season. His production was impressive in and of itself, as he slashed .292 /.385/.544, hit 32 homers and 43 doubles (the first Cubs left-handed hitter to do so!), and drove in 109 runs. And he piled on the regular season accolades, earning his first Gold Glove, his first and only Platinum Glove (to this day, the only first baseman to have won the award), his first and only Silver Slugger, and his first starting nod in the All-Star Game. More importantly, despite a slow start to the postseason, he went 17-for-50 with three homers, five doubles, and six walks between the NLCS and World Series. Thanks to Cleveland scoring once in the bottom of the tenth, his run in the top of the inning would prove to be the winning run, and rather fittingly, the player who had become the face of the Cubs would catch the final out of the 2016 World Series.

The Cubs never climbed the mountain again, but that was through no fault of Rizzo’s. From the start of the 2017 campaign until he was traded to the Yankees in July 2021, his 128 wRC+ ranked 28th in baseball among 92 qualified hitters, and his 14.0 fWAR ranked 34th; additionally, he won three Gold Gloves. Across that span, arguably only Freddie Freeman and Paul Goldschmidt were definitively better, with Joey Votto and Matt Olson also falling right around the same spot in the rankings as Rizzo.

Looking to shore up their infield defense and add another lefty bat in one swoop (remember, the 2019-2023 Yankees were notoriously heavy on right-handed bats), the Yankees spun a deal for Rizzo at the 2021 deadline, sending Kevin Alcántara and Alexander Vizcaíno to Chicago in order to steal him away from the Boston Red Sox. While Joey Gallo was the bigger name acquired at the time, Rizzo made an immediate impact, homering in his Yankee debut.

While the 2021 season ended in disappointing fashion, the Yankees saw enough in Rizzo — who slashed .249/.340/.428, provided great defense, and most importantly, slid right into a leadership role in the clubhouse — to make him a priority signing once the lockout ended that March (they did make a run on Freddie Freeman, but it was clear that Freeman preferred to either stay in Atlanta or head out to LA). Hitting behind Aaron Judge, Rizzo had his best season since 2019, with a 130 OPS+ and a career-high 32 homers in just 130 games. Unsurprisingly, he opted out of his contract, and equally unsurprisingly, he re-upped with the Yankees again, signing another two-year deal with a team option for 2025.

Rizzo’s career resurgence continued at the start of 2023, as through May 27th, he had a .303/.376/.507 slash line (149 wRC+) with 11 home runs in 52 games. Then, Fernando Tatís Jr. hip-checked Rizzo on a pickoff play, and while nobody knew until August 3rd, gave him a concussion. From that point on, the first baseman struggled, slashing just .174/.272/.227 with only one homer until he was finally shut down for the year in August.

The 2024 season wasn’t any better for Rizzo, as he struggled out of the gate, slashing .223/.289/.341 (82 wRC+) before breaking his arm in mid-June in a collision at first base. He returned to the lineup when rosters expanded on September 1st, and while he didn’t exactly light up the world, his 98 wRC+ gave the Yankees a definitive upgrade at first base over the rookie Ben Rice. Unfortunately, he was plunked on September 28th and fractured multiple fingers. After the Yankees managed to fake their way through the ALDS with Oswaldo Cabrera and Jon Berti learning first base on the fly, Rizzo returned for the ALCS and World Series, during which he went 6-for-14 in the ALCS and 2-for-16 in the World Series.

The Yankees declined Rizzo’s team option for 2025, and while he tried to latch on with a team, he ultimately decided to retire, joining the Cubs in an ambassadorial role. Rather famously, while hanging in the bleachers during his first game as a fan, a home run was hit right at him.

At the end of the day, Rizzo will always be remembered as a Cub, not as a Yankee. Even so, despite his lackluster performance towards the end of his career, he nonetheless managed to worm his way into Yankee fans’ hearts. Even so, he is only the second most popular member of his family:

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