PHOENIX, ARIZONA - AUGUST 05: Fernando Tatis Jr #23 of the San Diego Padres celebrates his solo home run with Gavin Sheets #30 against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the ninth inning at Chase Field on August 05, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. Diamondbacks won 10-4. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
San Diego Padres (59-56) at Arizona Diamondbacks (61-54), August 6, 2026, 6:40 p.m. PST
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EVERETT, WA - JUNE 07: Infielder Jhonny Level #23 of the Eugene Emeralds prepares to swing during a game between the Eugene Emeralds and Everett AquaSox on June 7, 2026 at Funko Field in Everett, Washington. (Photo by Henry Rodenburg/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Apologies for the late Minor League Baseball roundup, but the Mike Krukow news set me back a bit today, both emotionally and in terms of labor. So let’s speed run Wednesday’s games from the San Francisco Giants affiliates … it was a great day for players whose name starts with a J!
All listed positions in the roundup are the position played in that particular game.
News
Four pieces of news, all good: LHP Esmerlin Vinicio has been promoted from High-A Eugene to AA Richmond. And Richmond RHP RJ Dabovich, who has had awful injury luck, has been given a rehab assignment with Low-A San Jose.
And finally, AAA Sacramento outfielder Turner Hill was named Player of the Month in the Pacific Coast League, while outfielder Franco Willias earned those honors in the Dominican Summer League.
AAA Sacramento (62-45)
Sacramento River Cats lost to the Round Rock Express (Rangers) 13-10(11 innings) Box score
A fantastic day in the batter’s box for the River Cats, especially for the outfielders. It was a day that ends in “day,” so center fielder Turner Hill put on a show, hitting 3-5 with a home run and a double, though he had the ultra-rare (for him) strikeout as well.
With that, the 27-year old lefty’s hitting streak is up to 21 games, during which time he’s 39-87 with 10 extra-base hits, 8 walks, and just 7 strikeouts. My word, Turner! The undrafted free agent is doing everything in his control to ensure that he’s not just a feel-good story, but someone who could be helping a Major League roster … it’s now a .926 OPS and a 144 wRC+ for Hill, with 23 stolen bases and super solid defense. What a prospect he has become!
He was flanked by some exciting performances in the grass. Right fielder Scott Bandura had another stellar day, hitting 3-5 with 2 doubles, a walk, and a stolen base. After a slow start to his AAA campaign, Bandura has caught absolute fire: since June 26, the just-turned 25-year old lefty, taken in the 7th round of the 2023 draft, has hit 44-119 with 5 home runs, 8 doubles, and 28 walks. 28 walks!
That’s brought him up to an .838 OPS and a 121 wRC+, with 15 stolen bases. He’s now pretty much a slam dunk Rule 5 protection, in my eyes … which might mean he gets added to the roster before then.
And on the other side of Hill, in left field, was Victor Bericoto (No. 35 CPL), who began a rehab assignment! That was great to see, and Bericoto hit 1-3 with a double before getting subbed out. He probably won’t need too many rehab games before he’s manning left field for San Francisco on a near-daily basis.
Jonah Cox doesn’t technically get to join the outfielders for this game, as he was the designated hitter, but he’s always an outfielder in spirit, and he gets clumped with that trio due to his performance: Cox hit 3-5 with a walk, 2 stolen bases, and a strikeout. He’s done nothing but hit since making his AAA debut last week, first as a rehab assignment and now after being optioned. It’s important development for Cox after he looked overmatched in the Majors, but if he keeps hitting like this, he’ll be back soon enough.
Second baseman Diego Velasquez (No. 31 CPL) made his long-awaited AAA debut, and it went quite well, as he hit 2-4 with a hit by pitch, though he also struck out twice. Fantastic seeing him the switch-hitter finally get to test himself in the Majors.
Rough days for the top prospects, though, as left fielder Bo Davidson (No. 4 CPL) replaced Bericoto and hit 0-2 with a sacrifice fly, while third baseman Parks Harber (No. 17 CPL) went 0-4 with 2 walks, 2 strikeouts, and an error. Davidson has really struggled since getting promoted, while Harber was red hot but has since cooled down.
In exciting news, LHP Joe Whitman (No. 26 CPL returned to the rotation following a brief and confusing foray in the bullpen. Unfortunately, that’s where the good news ends, as Whitman did not follow the theme of the day, and was one of the few J names who struggled: he only made it through 2 innings, while giving up 5 hits, 4 extra-base hits, 2 walks, and 3 runs, with just 1 strikeout. It does seem like the River Cats were going to use him an as actual starter, though, as he threw 43 pitches (only 21 strikes, though).
Whitman’s day was better than RHP Alex Carrillo’s was, though. Carrillo, a 29-year old, made his organizational debut after signing on a Minor League deal a few weeks ago, and it was so rough that catcher Zach Morgan was called in to finish the inning (which he did without allowing a hit!). Carrillo registered just 1 out, while giving up 4 hits, 1 walk, 5 runs, and 4 earned runs.
But RHP Braxton Roxby had another great day, and was more than perfect. He didn’t allow a single baserunner, and needed to face just 8 batters to get 9 outs! Roxby entered in the 3rd after Whitman departed with 2 on and 0 outs, and got out of the inning cleanly, thanks in part to a caught stealing by he and catcher Thomas Gavello.
Roxby, who struck out 1 batter, has overcome his very slow start to the season. He had an 11.00 ERA after his May 1 outing, but since then has pitched 38.2 innings while giving up just 27 hits, 14 walks, and 10 earned runs, lowering his season ERA to 3.97, though his FIP is just 5.08.
Well, a pretty awesome performance on the mound from LHP Greg Farone. He had a dominant showing, giving up just 4 hits (all singles), 2 walks, and 1 run in 5.2 innings, while striking out 10 batters. 10!
— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) August 6, 2026
It’s been a bit of a rough 2nd season for Farone, who has a 5.78 ERA and a 5.54 FIP, but he’s been so much better lately, with excellent outings in 4 of his last 5 starts. He’s slowly starting to get the contact in check: on the year he’s allowed 87 hits in 85.2 innings, with 16 home runs, and those numbers need to keep coming down.
RHP Dale Stanavich had a nice game, giving up just 1 hit in 1.1 scoreless innings, with 2 strikeouts. Stanavich, a 27-year old Minor League free agent, is also giving up too many home runs, and has a 4.23 ERA and a 4.79 FIP … but he sure strikes people out!
A quartet of offensive performances to highlight: catcher Jancel Villarroel (No. 42 CPL) only hit 1-4, but connected for his 1st AA home run. Villarroel has taken a while to adapt to AA — he only has a .495 OPS and a 33 wRC+ through 9 games — but he’s just 21. And he’s a catcher!
— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) August 6, 2026
Also leaving the yard was third baseman Charlie Szykowny, who hit 1-3 with a walk and a solo blast. Szykowny had a brutal July, posting a .186/.220/.233 slash line with 26 strikeouts in 86 at-bats, but so far in August he’s 5-11 with 2 extra-base hits, 2 walks, and 0 strikeouts. Love to see it!
Charlie Szy-neaks one over the wall in left-center and we're out in front 👏
— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) August 5, 2026
Center fielder Trevor Cohen (No. 15 CPL) continues to look so comfortable in AA, as he went 3-5 with a stolen base. Since going 0-10 with a strikeout in his 1st pair of games at the level, last year’s 3rd-rounder has hit 26-61 with just 4 strikeouts. My goodness! That’s brought him up to an .877 OPS and a 134 wRC+ in AA, as he continues to fly up prospect lists.
And finally, second baseman Maui Ahuna (No. 33 CPL) went 1-2 with 2 walks, a stolen base, and a strikeout. Ahuna had a dismal slump over the summer, but has been much better lately, though his season numbers sit at just a .689 OPS and an 89 wRC+.
Ahh, and now we arrive at the 1st pair of star showings from the quartet of J names who shone on Wednesday: shortstop Jhonny Level (No. 3 CPL) and LHP Jacob Bresnahan (No. 11 CPL). The pair entered the year as highly ranked prospects, and have only added to how highly they should be ranked. And my goodness was that the case on Wednesday!
Bresnahan was the starter and tossed 6 shutout innings, allowing just 2 hits, 2 walks, and a hit batter, while striking out 5. Just a dominant showing from an increasingly dominant pitcher. Despite the 2 walks, Bresnahan was basically allergic to going outside the zone, as he threw a stunning 61 of 86 pitches for strikes.
What we’re seeing from the recently-turned 21-year old is downright special: over his last 8 starts, the southpaw has throw 47.1 innings and allowed just 25 hits, 12 walks, and 7 earned runs, with 57 strikeouts. He’s thrown at least 5 innings in all 8 of those starts, and at least 6 innings in 6 of them. If I didn’t know better, I would say it’s AA time for the 2023 13th-rounder, who has a 2.72 ERA and a 3.91 FIP on the year, with 10.7 strikeouts per 9 innings.
As for Level, he had one of his best games since getting promoted, hitting 2-3 with a home run, a triple, and 2 walks. The switch-hitter has been extremely hot and cold since getting promoted, which is to be expected given that he’s only 19 years old, competing against players much older than he is. Despite the cold stretches, he has an .820 OPS and a 115 wRC+ with Eugene, which is remarkable … and should earn him a spot inside the top 50 on a lot of offseason lists.
While Level’s day was stunning, it wasn’t the only superstar showing, as third baseman Walker Martin hit 2-5 with 2 home runs and a strikeout. Martin’s season has been a little disappointing, but he’s been heating up a bit lately: in his last 7 games, the lefty is 8-28 with 4 homers and 3 walks, bringing him up to a .746 OPS and a 95 wRC+. The power is finally firmly on display for Martin, though the contact ability remains a big concern.
Center fielder Lisbel Diaz (No. 32 CPL) rounded out the dinger party, hitting 1-4 with his 19th home run of the year … that ties him with Bo Davidson for the organizational lead!
San Jose Giants lost to the Stockton Ports (A’s) 11-6 (10 innings) Box score
If you were hoping that one of the star Js of the day was Josuar González (No. 2 CPL), well … sorry to disappoint. The top prospect in the organization didn’t play in this game.
But you know who did? First baseman Jeremiah Jenkins. And a day after hitting a walk-off home run, Jenkins was back at it with a stunning day, hitting 3-3 with a home run, a double, and 2 hit by pitches. Wowee!
With that, the 14th-round pick in 2024 has a .879 OPS and a 118 wRC+. The power is other-worldly — he has a .253 isolated slugging, with 15 loud home runs — but he continues to have contact troubles, as he’s rocking a 29.6% strikeout rate, and a .245 average.
Also going deep was left fielder Oliver Tejada, who hit 1-5 with a solo bomb. Tejada, a 19-year old righty, has struggled since a recent promotion, as he’s hitting below the Mendoza Line, with a 32.7% strikeout rate. But he’s hitting bombs, as he already has 4 homers in 24 games at the level.
Shortstop phenom Luis Hernández (No. 6 CPL) had a lovely game, hitting 2-5 with a double and a walk. The 17-year old has poor numbers through 9 San Jose games (.651 OPS, 58 wRC+), but it’s just exciting seeing him at the level.
Nothing good on the mound, really. RHP Argenis Cayama (No. 13 CPL) made his 2nd start since returning from the IL, and didn’t have his trademark command, as he walked 4 batters in 2.2 innings, while also giving up 3 hits. On the bright side, he limited the damage to 1 run, while striking out 4 batters.
Dominican Summer League Black (30-17)
DSL Giants Black lost to the DSL Tigers 1, 6-3 (7 innings) Box score
And now we arrive at our final “J” of the day: shortstop Joniel Hernandez. The 17-year old phenom, who came over in the Robbie Ray trade, starred in his 1st game with the organization on Tuesday. And on Wednesday? Just a casual 1-2 with a home run and a walk. Between his 2 teams, Hernandez — who had a $1.4 million signing bonus — has a .994 OPS and a 135 wRC+, making him one of the top performers in the DSL … despite being a 17-year old shortstop. He is so exciting.
Joniel Hernandez homers in his second game since joining the @SFGiants organization.
The Cuban native, who was MLB Pipeline's No. 13 international prospect for this year's signing period, was traded from the Padres in the Robbie Ray deal at the Deadline:pic.twitter.com/IbOJBoQHyZ
RHP Delvis Heredia had the best pitching performance, throwing 2 shutout frames with 1 hit and 4 strikeouts. The 21-year old has had a tough 3rd season, so nice to see a good outing.
Home run tracker
19 — Lisbel Diaz — [16 in High-A; 3 in Low-A] 17 — Walker Martin x2 — [High-A] 16 — Jhonny Level — [6 in High-A; 10 in Low-A] 15 — Jeremiah Jenkins — [Low-A] 12 — Charlie Szykowny — [AA] 8 — Turner Hill — [AAA] 8 — Jancel Villarroel — [1 in AA; 7 in High-A] 5 — Oliver Tejada — [4 in Low-A; 1 in ACL] 5 — Joniel Hernandez — [DSL]
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JULY 5: The tarp covers the infield during a weather delay before the game between the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets at Truist Park on July 5, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Brett Davis/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welp! Three innings have been played but the elements have won out for the time being and the tarp is now on the field as the Atlanta Braves are up 2-0 on the Miami Marlins.
Keep it right here for more updates, as we will have more information on a restart as soon as we get it. In the meantime, please check out this wacky home run that Ronald Acuña Jr. just hit at the expense of the Marlins.
Pete Crow-Armstrong went on a podcast last week and said with a laugh he likes the theory that Babe Ruth never existed. Baseball's internet treated it like a confession.
"This is gonna be crazy," the Cubs center fielder told Kristin Cavallari on her show "Let's Be Honest." Then he brought up the theory that the sport's greatest player may never have existed. He picked up the theory from Tayler Saucedo, a Mariners pitcher at the time, who floated it on a podcast in 2024 because he had barely seen any video of Ruth playing. Saucedo said this was a discussion in the Mariners bullpen and that they also decided that Ted Williams' legendary 500-foot home run never happened either.
Crow-Armstrong piled on Ruth saying the game has changed so much since then that pitchers back then might as well have been throwing underhand.
Then everybody lost it. One site used the quote to worry about American public education. Another brought up the plague of misinformation. A bunch of them criticized the young Cubs outfielder. It raised eyebrows and ruffled feathers! That's a lot of coverage for a 24-year-old answering a question about an unpopular opinion on a podcast hosted by somebody from "Laguna Beach."
The video thing has an actual answer, if any Millennial or Gen-Zer wants it.
Film in the 1920's was shot on nitrate, which is chemically unstable, burns easily and eventually turns to dust on its own. Studios also destroyed and recycled old reels, because before television there was no money in keeping last year's pictures. The Library of Congress studied it in 2013 and found that 70% of the roughly 11,000 American silent features made between 1912 and 1929 are completely gone. Only 14% still exist. Newsreel crews shot a couple of minutes of highlights, not whole games, because nobody was broadcasting anything.
The written record of Ruth is voluminous.
Every game he played was covered by competing newspapers in every American League city, with box scores and photographs and league records to go with them. Crow-Armstrong's real question about Ruth's greatness compared to the modern era is an old argument in clubhouses over the decades. Adam Ottavino took flack a few years ago for saying he could strike Ruth out. It's a time-honored tradition to argue about the eras of baseball players.
And for those paying attention, Crow-Armstrong is making a case for being considered among the great young players of his generation.
He leads the Cubs in homers (26), RBI (69) and hits (126). He has 29 stolen bases, including stealing third base in the bottom of the 11th inning on Thursday. He pressured the Blue Jays and forced Blue Jays catcher Brandon Valenzuela into a throwing error to score the winning run.
Crow-Armstrong is suddenly in the debate for the National League MVP, ironically battling the player that they call the modern day Babe Ruth: Shohei Ohtani.
The 2026 season hasn't gone how the Mets or Bo Bichette envisioned.
Bichette, who was so close to winning the World Series with the Blue Jays last season, signed with the Mets because he viewed it as an opportunity to win.
It's been tough sledding for Bichette and the team this season, though.
Even after signing the All-Star infielder to a lucrative deal this offseason, along with other notable additions, the Mets find themselves 16 games below .500, even after completing their three-game sweep of the Guardians on Thursday.
The team dealt many of their pieces at the deadline, leaving some veterans and kids to finish out the season.
Bichette, who signed a three-year, $126 million contract, has opt-outs after each of the first two seasons. MLB.com's Anthony DiComo asked Bichette about that option and whether he will use it this offseason, but the converted third baseman said he's focused solely on finishing the season strong.
“The way I look at it is, I think there’s no doubt this team is going to be better next year,” Bichette said. “I really believe that. There’s still a lot of talent in this room, a lot of young talent that’s really hungry, combined with guys that have been around who have done a lot of great things in this game. And then on top of that, typically when you have a season like this, people show up a little bit more motivated. So I think that this group is going to be well prepared to be better next year.”
If Bichette doesn't opt out, he'll make $55.3 million in 2027. After a rollercoaster 2026, Bichette will likely remain in Queens instead of testing free agency.
To Bichette's credit, he's overcome a terrible start to the season, but hasn't been consistent enough to hit the numbers he's put up in his career. After a successful series in Cleveland, where he went 5-for-14 with a home run and three RBI, he's slashing .257/.301/.370 with an OPS of .671.
The Mets are looking to compete in 2027 and if Bichette stays, he'll be one of the players looked upon to help make the turnaround happen. A strong finish will go a long way towards that.
“It hasn’t been my best season for sure,” Bichette said. “If I played better, maybe the season would be different for the team. But just focused on trying to finish strong.”
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - AUGUST 05: Michael Massey #19 of the Kansas City Royals is congratulated by teammates after the Royals defeated the Minnesota Twins 2-1 to win the game at Kauffman Stadium on August 05, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good evening, Royals fans.
It’s Thursday night, it’s been raining a lot today, but hey, at the time of this writing, there’s baseball to be played between the Kansas City Royals and the Minnesota Twins, the finale of a three-game series in which the Royals won the first two.
Tonight’s game is also the last of the season between the Royals and Twins.
On the mound for the Royals: Michael Wacha, still a Royal. Yes, many fans pined for Wacha to be moved at the deadline as he looked like the Royals’ best trade chip. And maybe he was. But he didn’t get moved, and takes the bump tonight looking to help the Royals sweep the Twins out of town.
Opposite Wacha is right-handed pitcher Bailey Ober, who is 7-3 on the year with a 4.45 ERA and 4.63 FIP. Not great numbers, but decent. In his last outing, he faced the Royals and limited them to three runs (two earned) over six innings while walking three, allowing four hits, and striking out three. He would’ve taken the loss had Kody Clemens not hit a walk-off Grand Slam.
Kyle Isbel and Michael Massey drove in the Royals’ two runs in last night’s victory. Isbel tied the game at 1-1 with a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded in the fifth. A few innings later, Massey, facing a lefty, scorched a homer to right to put the Royals up 2-1. The real story of the game was, of course, Noah Cameron, but, as I like to say, you can’t win if you don’t score. Thanks, at least in part, to Isbel and Massey, Kansas City prevailed, and in doing so improved their record to 48-67.
Still grisly, but not “20-games-under-.500” grisly.
And Wacha will face the following:
Twins 8/6
T. Larnach LF L. Keaschall CF K. Clemens 2B J. Bell DH R. Lewis 1B B. Lee 3B A. Roden RF V. Caratini C T. Gray SS
Last night’s loss pushes the Twins’ losing streak to four games as they currently sit 56-59 but only one game out of a Wild Card spot. Of course, this is the American League in 2026, so it’s a crowded field. Cleveland owns the last Wild Card with Seattle, Minnesota, and Baltimore all a game back, Detroit 1.5 games back, and Toronto three back. The Guardians themselves are only a half-game back of the Rangers for the second Wild Card. No, none of these teams mentioned having winning records.
Think about how much worse things would be for the Twins had Royce Lewis and Clemens not provided walk-off wins last week against the Royals.
First pitch tonight at 6:40. Let’s end the series on a high note, shall we?
Aug 6, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Detroit Tigers shortstop Kevin McGonigle (7) slides home in the second inning against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Tigers 11, Mariners 0
Sure, why not, he reached base twice: Randy Arozarena, +0.04 WPA
You can’t lose in the top of the first, but you can dig a large hole: Bryce Miller, -0.26 WPA
San Diego Padres SP Walker Buehler (Photo by Matt Thomas/San Diego Padres/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Timely hitting and quality starting pitching have defined the San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks’ four-game series. The teams are in a fierce battle for the final National League Wild-Card berth. Tonight, the Padres are seeking a series split in the final game.
Starting pitching has dominated the four-game set
At the trade deadline, the Friar Faithful hoped the club would acquire at least one starting pitcher to bolster the rotation. But Padres President of Baseball Operations and General Manager AJ Preller did one better; he acquired two serviceable starters.
Not surprisingly, pitching has dominated the four-game set in the desert this week. Each night’s winner threw a gem, as the games could not have played out any better for each fan base.
The series opener was highlighted by Diamondbacks starter Brandon Pfaadt’s pitching outing. The young pitcher earned his sixth win of the season by tossing 6.1 innings and giving up only five hits. The Friars could only muster one unearned run off of him. His pitching performance has set the standard for the series.
On Tuesday night, Padres starter Randy Vasquez turned in a much-needed dominant performance in the second game of the series. He fired six scoreless innings of two-hit ball for his seventh win of the season.
The D-Backs relied on rookie pitcher Mitch Bratt to secure the third game of the set. He struggled with his control in prior starts, but Bratt set the tone last night. The young left-hander threw strikes that earned him the victory and extended the Snakes’ Wild-Card lead over San Diego to two games.
Taking the mound: Walker Buehler (SD) vs Kole Drake (ARIZ)
Tonight’s game will be the 10th meeting between the Friars and the Diamondbacks in the season series. San Diego is looking to gain a split in the four-game set and will send out Walker Buehler (6-5, 5.18 ERA) to the mound. The right-hander hopes to remain consistent, especially after his rough stretch before the All-Star break. Over a brutal 11-inning span, Buehler was tagged for 20 runs.
He settled down in the second half, giving the Padres a chance to win each start. One pitching issue that has lingered all season is his control. Buehler’s command of the strike zone has been missing in 2026. It has allowed opponents to put the ball in play and increased his runners stranded on base rate for the season.
The Snakes will counter with rookie Kole Drake (0-0, 4.85 ERA), who is making his fourth career start in the majors. Injuries to the starting rotation have forced the D-Backs to call up their promising young starters. Drake has been very solid in each outing, but he must maintain consistency to remain in the majors.
The left-hander is vulnerable to giving up the long ball, as he averages over two home runs per start. The Friars’ middle of the order (Manny Machado, Ty France, and Jackson Merrill) will provide a challenge this evening.
Drake has pitched only 13 innings, so it is tough to decide if he is a swing-and-miss pitcher. But his strikeout numbers (12 Ks) are impressive.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - AUGUST 06: Kevin McGonigle #7 of the Detroit Tigers reacts after hitting a two-run home run during the seventh inning against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on August 06, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Jack Compton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Tigers’ offense was on fire in their 11-0 win against the Seattle Mariners.
The Tigers were looking to come away with a series win after a strange and difficult game two of their series against the Mariners. They were hoping to avoid more antics and ejections this time around and just come up with a nice win. To get the job done, they had Framber Valdez on the mound, up against Bryce Miller for the Mariners.
The Tigers wasted no time getting a man on base as Kevin McGonigle got a leadoff walk. Then, with one out, Dillon Dingler hit a two-run homer to center.
Spencer Torkelson walked, but he was followed by two outs to leave him stranded. However, the Tigers were up 3-0 after one. In the bottom of the inning with one out, Randy Arozarena walked. But Dominic Canzone hit into a force out to eliminate the baserunner. A third out then followed to leave a runner on base and end the inning.
With one out in the second, McGonigle singled. A Gleyber Torres groundout pushed McGonigle to second, then a Dingler singled brought McGonigle home to extend Detroit’s lead.
Cole Young took a leadoff walk in the third (that’s at least one walk per inning so far between the teams). Weston Wilson then hit into a double play to eliminate the baserunner, and a strikeout made short order of the side.
In the top of the third the Tigers went 1-2-3 for the first time in the game. In the home half the Mariners got a two-out single from Taylor Ward, but that was followed by a groundout to leave their baserunner stranded.
It was another 1-2-3 for the Tigers in the top of the fourth. Julio Rodriguez got a one-out single, with a well-placed line drive to center. But he was swiftly eliminated in a double play off the bat of Young.
After starting out hot, it was another three-up, three-down inning for the Tigers in the fifth. Valdez returned the favor, though, getting the Mariners out in order in the home half. Dare I say Valdez has been looking very efficient today? Don’t make me regret it, Framber!
Michael Rucker replaced Miller in the top of the sixth and he got the Tigers out in order. In the home half, Colt Emerson got things started with a single. Then, with one out, Arozarena singled. The Tigers were able to get out of the jam, though, getting the next two outs to leave two on and no runs scored.
In the seventh, Cole Wilcox was the new pitcher for the Mariners. With one out, Zach McKinstry walked. Then McGonigle hit a two-run homer, adding on some insurance runs.
Gleyber Torres singled, then Dingler singled behind him. Thanks to a fielding error from Taylor Ward and some heads-up baserunning from Torres, another run scored and Dingler ended up at second.
With two outs, Josh Simpson had to replace Wilcox as Wilcox appeared to have pulled something in his ribs while delivering a pitch to Greene. Keith singled, bringing Dingler in for another run.
In the bottom of the seventh with one out Wilson snuck a single into left. Valdez then did exactly what he does best and induced a ground ball to turn a double play to end the inning. His final line for the game was 7.0 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 5 K on 95 pitches. A really nice outing for him even though he started to show signs of struggle in the seventh; he was able to course-correct.
Javier Baez hit a beautifully placed single into left field. Then McKinstry was hit by a pitch in the leg, though it did look unintentional and there was no reaction from the benches. Ben Malgeri came in for McGonigle, and singled. Rodriguez completely lost the ball in the sun and it dropped on him. The play probably should have been ruled an error, but at the time was called a single. Hao-Yu Lee came up with bases loaded and got hit in the ankle with a pitch in the dirt. Rivas almost made the same error as Rodriguez catching Lee’s final foul. Dingler struck out, leaving the bases loaded. Kyle Finnegan was the new Tigers pitcher for the eighth. Leo Rivas singled, but was then eliminated thanks to a double play off the bat of Emerson, then a final out wrapped up the inning in short order.
Position player pitching alert as Victor Robles came in for the Mariners. A pinch-hitting James Outman got a leadoff single. Then Colt Keith singled. Robles should have studied at the Jake Rogers school of position player Eephus pitching. Spencer Torkelson singled to load the bases. Max Clark singled, bringing Outman home. Baez singled right down the left base line, scoring two more runs. With one out, Malgeri walked, re-loading the bases. Robles actually managed to get out of this jam, inducing two outs to end the inning.
Brenan Hanifee came out of the Tigers’ bullpen for the bottom of the ninth. Canzone got a one-out single into right. They were able to wrap up the inning and maintain the shutout, sealing the series win.
This game was lost, over, done, the Cubs totally dominated by Blue Jays pitching. And then Alex Bregman banged one off the ad sign in left field just over the basket for a game-tying homer and Pete Crow-Armstrong made the winning run happen by stealing third and drawing a bad throw in the 11th inning.
Wow. Just wow. Yes, I have more words, but those are pretty good, let me say it again: Wow!
This game did not start well. David Peterson struggled in the first inning, issuing a one-out walk and giving up a single. Then George Springer hit into a force play, pushing Kazuma Okamoto to third.
Now, you have to remember that Springer is nearly 37 years old. It’s the first inning. He’s not a base-stealing threat, yet Peterson kept throwing over. Once, twice, three times — well, you can’t do that if you don’t get the runner, and he didn’t, thus it’s what’s termed a “disengagement violation,” officially scored a balk, and a run scored. If you didn’t see it, watch [VIDEO].
I don’t know how often that happens across MLB but I don’t think I can recall a Cubs pitcher doing it, and it cost Peterson a run. About the balk, from BCB’s JohnW53:
The run-scoring first-inning balk by David Peterson was the Cubs’ second balk of the season. Colin Rea had one July 1 at Wrigley in the 23-3 demolition of the Padres. The Guardians, Orioles and Rangers also had one. The White Sox had the most, eight. The Athletics and Diamondbacks had seven, and three teams had six, including the Blue Jays.
Peterson had a lot of traffic on the bases through his five innings, but got helped by inducing a couple of double plays. Overall the line doesn’t look too bad — five innings, one run, three strikeouts — but it was a slog. Of his 15 outs, he did get the ground balls he’s known for, nine of them were on the ground.
Meanwhile, the Cubs could not do anything with Dylan Cease, and he’s done this before — two years ago he threw seven one-hit innings against the Cubs while with the Padres, striking out 12. That was pretty much what he did in this one, allowing just a walk to Miguel Amaya in the third, a fourth-inning single to Alex Bregman and a sixth-inning single by Amaya. Only Amaya, on the sixth-inning single, got past second base. He reached third with two out but Michael Busch struck out to end the inning.
The game went 1-0 into the seventh, thanks to a scoreless sixth by Ryan Rolison, and then Aaron Civale gave the Jays a second run in the top of that inning. Toronto executed a successful sacrifice bunt in that rally, something we don’t see around Wrigley much, as the Cubs are dead last in MLB in sac bunts this year with just five.
Civale then threw a scoreless eighth and ninth. The Cubs went down 1-2-3 in the eighth, so the last of the ninth was their last chance.
PCA led off with a single and one out later, went to second on a ground out by Busch.
You can hear the ball loudly bang off the metal advertising sign, land in the basket and then fall to the field. As was said on that video clip, what a moment for Bregman, who’s struggled much of this year. That was his 12th home run and as dramatic as they come. And it’s very rare — details from John:
Alex Bregman’s home run was just the Cubs’ 11th since 1910 that tied the score with the Cubs behind by two runs and two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning.
The previous one was nearly 13 years ago, on Aug. 22, 2013, by Donnie Murphy off Stephen Strasburg of the Nationals.
The others were by Vic Saier in 1913, Woody English in 1930, Zeke Bonura in 1940, Ernie Banks in 1954, Keith Moreland in 1986, Andre Dawson in 1987, Aramis Ramirez in 2005, Bryan LaHair in 2011 and Darwin Barney in 2012.
They have had six such homers on the road.
Beyond all that, Jays closer Louis Varland has been one of the best closers in MLB all year. That was just the second home run he’s allowed this year of 230 batters faced — and his first blown save.
So the game went to extras. Caleb Thielbar, who had a rough go of things Wednesday, entered to throw the 10th and he got out of it 1-2-3 — in part thanks to this fantastic catch by Bregman [VIDEO].
In the bottom of the 10th, Tyrone Taylor was sent in to run for Ian Happ as the placed runner. Nico Hoerner popped to short right, then Michael Conforto was intentionally walked. A wild pitch moved the runners up, but Dansby Swanson struck out.
Props to Clement, that was an absolutely outstanding play.
So, on to the 11th, with Trent Thornton pitching. He retired the first two Jays, with placed runner Clement taking third on the second out, a ground out. Andres Gimenez was intentionally passed, and he stole second uncontested.
Thornton then got a ground ball to short to end the inning.
Kelly was the placed runner in the bottom of the 11th. The Cubs had to do that because Amaya had been removed and no one else could catch. This proved to be important, for a moment, anyway.
PCA took second on that throw, and that proved to be very important. Suzuki was intentionally passed as the Jays tried to set up a double play situation. Then PCA took off for third on Brendon Little’s first pitch to Busch and… well, you know what happened, now watch [VIDEO].
This is the sort of thing that makes PCA such a strong MVP candidate. Beyond the homers, beyond the defense, beyond just the steals, he can create havoc on the basepaths and today, it gave the Cubs a crazy walk-off win. That completed the homestand with five wins in seven games and should set them up well for the upcoming road trip to Kansas City and Washington.
About winning a game in this fashion, from John:
The last time the Cubs earned a walk-off win on an error was on a nearly similar play, almost 30 years ago, on Sept. 27, 1996, vs. the Pirates. With the score 9-9 and two out in the ninth, Jose Hernandez walked on a 3-2 pitch and advanced to second on an infield hit by Luis Gonzalez. When pitcher Joe Boever threw a wild pitch on an 0-1 count to Mark Grace, Hernandez headed for third. Catcher Jason Kendall threw the ball past the base and Hernandez raced home.
If you were at Wrigley Thursday afternoon, you know the excitement felt by everyone at the ol’ ballyard. This was one of the best wins, if not the best win, of the entire season to date. The Cubs kept pace with the Brewers, who also won Thursday, and remain 5.5 games out of first place in the NL Central.
One more historic fact about this game from John:
With today’s win, the Cubs’ are 600 games above .500 in their 22,533 regular-season games since 1876, first year of the National League: 11,486 wins and 10,886 losses. They have tied 161 games.
This is the first time they have been +600 in more than 27 years, since June 16, 1999, when they were 9,324-8,724-160 following an 11-4 loss at Milwaukee.
Beginning the next day, they lost four straight games at San Francisco, to drop to .500 for the season and they never were above .500 the rest of the year.
The Cubs’ all-time peak was 1,179 games above .500 after a 6-3 win at home over the Phillies on June 14, 1947.
The Cubs open a six-game road trip Friday evening in Kansas City. As of now pitchers are not officially listed for either the Cubs or Royals, but it’s been generally known that Kevin Gausman should make his Cubs debut in this game. Hopefully I’ll have more info on Friday’s starters by the time Heroes and Goats posts tomorrow morning. Game time Friday is 7:10 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network.
Now go enjoy this win and watch that winning play as much as you want!
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - AUGUST 4: Leo Jiménez #19 of the Miami Marlins in action against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on August 4, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Jasen Vinlove/Miami Marlins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Every single time I clone the game coverage posts and for the game thread I don’t even have to erase Martin Perez’ name. Sigh.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JULY 17: Bailey Ober #17 of the Minnesota Twins delivers a pitch in the fourth inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on July 17, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Hirschuber/Getty Images) | Getty Images
FIRST PITCH: 640p Central TELEVISION: Entertainment and Sports Programming Network (ESPN), ESPN Application (why?) RADIO: WCCO 830 AM “News/Talk”, KMNB 102.9 FM “The Wolf”, Pablo López Baseball Network, Audacy Application KNOW THE FOE:Royals Review
The Minnesota Twins look to salvage something… anything… from this series with the Kansas City Royals. The series is lost, but they have one more chance to achieve a lot: leave K. C. with a win in their pocket, leave K. C. with the first win of the month, and, well, just leave Kansas City. Luckily, the American League Central teams the Twins are chasing are also hitting a rough patch: both the Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Spiders have lost their last two going into today; the Sox are 5-5 in their last ten games while the Spiders are 3-7, but the Twins can’t take advantage. Unluckily, the Baltimore Orioles and Seattle Mariners – who just took a series against Minnesota this past weekend – are now lock-step with Twins in the A. L. Wild Card race. Lastly, while the Twins may have had the Detroit Tigers by the tail (it was plain to see), the Tigers have Minnie and Paul by the tail as they’re a half-game behind them.
The Twins offense have a slightly better chance at getting to a Royals starter as Kansas City will call upon Michael Wacha. Minnesota touched him up in early June to the tune of eight hits, five runs (four earned), no walks, and only two strikeouts. Wacha had a bit of a struggle in July as well, putting up a 4.25 ERA/4.81 FIP in 29.2 innings of work during five starts; the Royals went 2-3 during his starts in that timeframe.
On the flip side, Bailey Ober will answer the call for Minnesota. He faced the Royals a week ago today and went six strong innings, allowing only four hits, a couple of walks, and three runs (two earned) while striking out three. The Twins offense were nowhere to be found until Kody Clemens’ super-cool grand salami put things to rest. Historically, Ober has been notoriously “Not Good” against the Royals in his career. He’s started against them 15 times and has a 4.60 ERA against them. The ERA jumps to 5.02 when it’s narrowed down to Kauffman Stadium.
Now in a new uniform, Luis Castillo gets his first start for the White Sox. | (MLB Photos/Getty Images)
As someone who has been to Boston and Fenway, I can say both are lovely. When I was there, the White Sox won, so I was able to leave happy. Unfortunately, this series has me so excited about the White Sox getting the hell out of there because it’s been nothing short of a disaster. The Red Sox managed to get red-hot in July, and they’re continuing the domination into August. (Thank goodness for the Mets right now, because they’re keeping Cleveland off our tails.)
Tonight, we’ll see our final trade deadline acquisition, Luis Castillo, on the mound. Also in the lineup are our newest catcher, Joey Bart, behind the plate and Brenton Doyle in center field. Despite Andrew Benintendi’s success this series, Randal Grichuk will DH instead. Maybe the change will actually help.
Ranger Suárez (4-3) will get the start for Boston. Their lineup stays consistent, with batters who can launch a ball over the Green Monster with ease.
First pitch is 6:10 p.m. CT. You can watch the game on CHSN or listen on ESPN Chicago 1000.
Carson Benge kept it short and sweet when asked about his approach at the plate of late.
“See ball, hit ball.”
That simple-swinging approach certainly seems to be working for the youngster.
Benge has been enjoying himself a spectacular rookie campaign, and he kept that rolling to help the Mets secure a sweep-clinching victory over the Guardians on Thursday.
He was retired his first time up but then picked up an extra-base hit for the third consecutive game, lacing an RBI triple 411 feet high off the center-field fence.
Marcus Semien brought him home with a sacrifice fly two batters later.
Benge was retired two more times but also singled twice on the afternoon, reaching base three times while also scoring a pair of runs across six plate appearances.
He finished the series 5-for-15, with three of those hits going for extra-bases.
“It’s just about being on time and getting a pitch I can handle,” Benge said.
While he’s battled through some tough stretches like any rookie would, the 23-year-old seems to just keep getting better and better as the season progresses.
Benge is now hitting .294 with six homers, 18 RBI, and a .809 OPS over his last 40 games.
“He’s doing a good job,” interim manager Andy Green said. “Shooting the ball to all parts of the park, putting together professional AB's -- it looks like he’s been around for a while instead of just four months, it’s a good start to a career.”
Legendary San Francisco Giants broadcaster Mike Krukow announced on Thursday, April 6, that he's calling it a career after 36 years in the booth. The voice of Giants baseball alongside his commentary partner Duane Kuiper, Krukow, 74, will retire at the end of the season.
The duo known as "Kruk and Kuip" have been a mainstay in the Bay Area over the past three decades that spanned some of the most memorable eras in the club's history. They called three World Series runs and Barry Bonds' road to surpassing Hank Aaron as MLB's all-time home run king, and they did so in their own unique way.
The pair coined so many terms that The Athletic published an in-depth glossary with all of their iconic sayings, from "Bettina Bunge backhand" to "Yarrraaaarraaarrrarrrahhhaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh" (the sound someone makes when they get caught yawning on camera).
Krukow and Kuiper are so legendary together, that Ken Rosenthal openly advocated on Thursday for the Pro Baseball Hall of Fame to make an exception to its longstanding policy of only allowing broadcasters to be inducted into Cooperstown one at a time.
Kuiper told The Athletic he plans on continuing next season.
"I just want to let everyone know that I will be retiring at the end of the season. I want to take this time to thank you for your incredible support," Krukow said in a statement released by the Giants. "Jennifer and I have been so blessed to be able to stay in the game for as long as we have and it’s really made it impossible to feel sorry for myself that my career is coming to an end.
"We are bracing for the emotional hits we know we are going to feel in the next few weeks. Jennifer and I are wondering if it is even possible to let everyone know how deeply we love and respect our Giants family. Our time together has been a gift. When Green Day asked, 'I hope you’ve had the time of your lives,' we certainly have."
In honor of one of baseball's biggest voices, here's a look back at some of Krukow's (and Kuiper's) most memorable calls:
'We are the Giants, we are San Francisco, and we are World Champions'
Ok, technically this one isn't a call, but it's just as iconic as any other moment Krukow has had in the booth. At the Giants World Series parade on Oct. 31, 2012, Krukow took the mic and gave an unforgettable speech to the thousands of fans in front of City Hall to celebrate their team's second title in three years.
Barry Bonds' 756th career home run to break Hank Aaron's record
On Aug. 7, 2007, Bonds swung on a payoff pitch from Mike Bacsik, sending it sailing into the San Francisco summer night. Kuiper and Krukow perfectly captured the intense fervor of Oracle Park (then known as AT&T Park) crowd as they witnessed history:
"Bonds hits one high! Hits it deeeeeeeep! It is... outta here! 756. Bonds stands alone."
'Time to drop trou, hog out'
Back in June this season when the "tarps off" trend of fans taking off their shirts was at its peak, Giants rookie Bryce Eldridge came to the plate with the bases loaded and San Francisco trailing the Washington Nationals 10-7 in the bottom of the ninth.
"It may be more than 'tarps off' if Eldridge knocks one out of here," Kuip quipped.
Krukow responded, "I'm gonna hold you to it. Time to drop trou, hog out."
Eldridge indeed walked it off with a grand slam that cleared the wall in right field to complete a comeback from a 9-1 deficit.
Kuip: "It may be more than 'tarps off' if Eldridge knocks one out of here."
Kruk: "I'm gonna hold you to it. Time to drop trou, hog out."
Two days later, Krukow explained the origin behind that phrase in an interview with Brian Murphy and Markus Boucher on KNBR.
"Most of what I’ve ever used on the show, during the game, is just vernacular that's in the clubhouse, something that you heard along the way and all of a sudden, it just seems like it was appropriate," Krukow told Murphy and Boucher. "Now, I don’t know if that was appropriate.
"Back in the day, when we had 'kangaroo court,' that was one of the fines. Games over and you have a big [food] spread in the middle of the clubhouse and everybody has a bite to eat. That’s when you have your meal. And guys are going in and out of the shower. Well, if you go from your locker and you’re heading to the shower and you’ve got nothing on and you walk by the spread and you reach over and grab a piece of salami or something, that’s a fine. The fine is 'drop trou, hog out,' that’s 50 bucks. Some guys would go to the shower and they’d get fined, well, at least they’d get written down. Then they’d come back and do it again.
"So, dropping trou and hogging out had to do with how you approached the spread after a game, but it kind of found its way into the game on Wednesday and it just felt appropriate. That’s all I can say."
