Category: Baseball

Through the rain drops, the Mets poured it on against the Atlanta Braves on Monday night, winning 14-3 at Citi Field.

Here are the key takeaways...

-- It was a back and forth affair in this one with the Braves drawing first blood against Zac Thornton in the first inning. Ronald Acuna Jr. and Drake Baldwin had back-to-back singles to lead off the game and after a double play by Matt Olson looked like the rookie would be able to get out of the inning unharmed, Ozzie Albies had a two-out, two-strike RBI single to put Atlanta ahead.

-- But New York had an equally eventful first inning against Martin Perez with A.J. Ewing getting aboard with a leadoff single and coming around to score on Francisco Lindor’s RBI triple that just barely missed being a two-run shot. 

The ball hit the orange line at the top of the wall in right field and bounced back in play and after Acuna made a leaping grab for it he jogged to the baseball which was still in play seemingly assuming the ball left the yard. The lackadaisical play allowed Ewing, who had to hold up between first and second base to see if Acuna came down with the ball, to score.

With two outs in the inning and Lindor still at third base, Francisco Alvarez hit one deep to right field that Acuna did catch to end the inning.

-- After striking out the final batter to end the first inning, Thornton struck out two more in a perfect second and another in the third to retire seven consecutive batters.

-- The Mets’ top of the order was at it again in the bottom of the third with Ewing getting things started with a single before stealing second base in front of Lindor who hit another one, this one to left field, towards the wall that had a little more lift than the one he hit in the first and went for a two-run shot. 

The call was reviewed by the umpires and upheld which gave Lindor all three RBI of the night up until that point.

-- New York’s lead was short-lived, though, after the Braves scored two during the next half inning on Albies’ two-run homer of his own. Albies has been a Met killer in his career and the home run was his 24th against New York.

-- Thornton settled down and limited Atlanta from there, getting helped out with double plays in the fourth and fifth innings as rain started to fall heavily. 

-- Dealing with the rain, the Mets were able to load the bases with two outs in the fifth inning against a visibly shaken Perez, but Jared Young struck out as New York failed to capitalize on a golden opportunity with the game tied at 3-3.

-- The game continued even as the rain persisted and the Mets were able to re-take the lead in the sixth thanks to Marcus Semien’s two-run home run off of reliever Connor Thomas who just entered the game for Perez. The home run was Semien’s second in as many games and his 11th of the season. He finished 3-for-4 with a walk, two RBI and three runs scored.

-- After a 1-2-3 sixth inning, Thornton, staked to another two-run advantage, went back out for the seventh and after retiring Michael Harris II, the left-hander was pulled for Huascar Brazoban.

Thornton’s final line: 6.1 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 5 K on 81 pitches (54 strikes). His ERA rose from 1.93 to 2.43 but the 24-year-old’s magnificent run in the starting rotation continues and he earned his second career win in five major league starts.

-- New York blew the game open in the seventh inning with a four-spot with three of those runs coming off the bat of Tyrone Taylor who went yard for the second consecutive day and the sixth time this month. 

Since returning from the IL in late-June, Taylor is 16-for-39 (.410 average) and has gone from hitting .186 to .250 – completely turning his season around and raising his stock as a trade piece. In just 135 at-bats this year, the outfielder has nine home runs and 26 RBI after hitting just two home runs with 27 RBI in 310 at-bats last season.

-- The Mets poured it on their division rivals in the eighth by scoring five more runs, all charged to Thomas who allowed 11 earned runs on 10 hits and five walks in just his second appearance this season. 

The first two runs came around to score without a hit (bases loaded walk and sacrifice fly), but the final three came on Lindor’s second home run of the night, a three-run bomb to left field to give him six RBI on the night, one RBI shy of his single-game career high.

-- New York banged out 19 hits with five players getting three hits each. Every single hitter in the lineup had at least one hit and the Mets’ top three hitters in Ewing, Lindor and Bo Bichette went 9-for-15 with a walk, eight RBI and four runs scored.

-- Daniel Duarte finished the game for New York, pitching two scoreless innings with three strikeouts. In six appearances spanning 10.1 innings this season, the right-hander has yet to allow a run.

Game MVP: Francisco Lindor

Honorable mention goes to Semien, whose two-run home run gave the Mets the lead in the sixth and at the time seemed like the biggest hit of the night, however in what ended as a blowout, Lindor's fantastic offensive night gets the nod.

Highlights

Francisco Lindor delivers an RBI triple to tie the game! pic.twitter.com/RJYPLKonaS

— SNY (@SNYtv) July 27, 2026

Tyrone Taylor fights through the rain and tracks it down at the wall pic.twitter.com/1Ai1lLnsqY

— SNY (@SNYtv) July 27, 2026

Francisco Lindor launches a two-run home run!

He's driven in all three Mets runs! 💪 pic.twitter.com/OVgK064r8J

— SNY (@SNYtv) July 27, 2026

Marcus Semien crushes a homer into the second deck!

His second straight day with a HR 🔥 pic.twitter.com/xPk8suz4ev

— SNY (@SNYtv) July 28, 2026

TYRONE TAYLOR CANNOT BE STOPPED 💥 pic.twitter.com/kLDTzIXxla

— SNY (@SNYtv) July 28, 2026

Second home run of the night for Francisco Lindor!

He's driven in 6 runs! pic.twitter.com/Jy7s5o1Njf

— SNY (@SNYtv) July 28, 2026

What's next

The Mets and Braves continue their three-game series on Tuesday night at 7:10 p.m. on SNY.

RHP Christian Scott (3-2, 3.13 ERA) will face off against LHP Chris Sale (11-6, 2.19 ERA).

The Mets started a new series against the Braves at Citi Field on Monday, after losing the weekend series to the Dodgers. The Braves had veteran Martín Pérez starting for them, while Mets rookie Zac Thornton was taking the mound in the midst of a great first season in the major leagues.

The night started with some adversity for Thornton. Ronald Acuña Jr. and Drake Baldwin led off with back-to-back singles, and a Matt Olson double play almost got Thornton through the inning, leaving a runner at third with two outs. But Ozzie Albies hit a single to Francisco Lindor to drive in the game’s first run and put the Mets behind early. Thornton got a strikeout to end the inning but he had already put the Mets in a small hole early. 

The Mets offense was clicking from the word go, so they weren’t down for long. A.J. Ewing led off for the Mets with a single, and Lindor hit a triple (that was very nearly a home run) to drive him in and tie the game. Pérez was able to stop the Mets offense there and get three consecutive outs to end the inning, but the Mets had shown some fight in the first inning. 

The game was quiet for a little while, with both sides getting through their halves of the second inning without allowing a run. The Mets did the same in the top of the third, but Perez was not as lucky. Another Ewing leadoff single (and subsequent stolen base to put him on second) led to a Lindor home run (that nearly wasn’t) to put the Mets ahead by two runs. The Mets didn’t plate any more runs in the third but they had the lead.

Not for long, though, as an Olson walk to leadoff the fourth inning led to an Albies two run home run to tie the game. Thornton allowed a Michael Harris II single to follow the home run but settled down after and got out of the inning with the game tied once again. 

Both teams were quiet for the next few innings, with Pérez eventually leaving the game after five innings. Connor Thomas, brought in to replace Pérez, immediately gave up a single to Tyrone Taylor (which maybe should’ve been ruled an error instead), and a Marcus Semien two-run home run to put the Mets back in front by two runs. He had a bit more traffic in the inning, giving up two more singles, but eventually got out of it without allowing another run to score.

Zac Thornton was pulled after getting the first out in the seventh, having allowed three runs on six hits and a walk while striking out five, adding to a stellar rookie season. Huascar Brazobán was brought in to relieve him, and got through the inning unscathed. 

The Mets offense absolutely exploded in the bottom of the seventh. A Francisco Alvarez walk and Jared Young single put runners on the corners with no outs, and they were both driven in by Tyrone Taylor, who hit yet another home run to put the Mets up by five runs. After the bases were loaded with just one out, Bo Bichette drove in the Mets ninth run of the game with a sacrifice fly, adding even more insurance for a hopeful Mets win. Thomas got out of the inning after that, but the Mets opened up a wide lead with just two innings left.

The bottom of the eighth featured even more fireworks from the Mets lineup. They were able to load the bases with just one out, and Luis Torrens walked to drive in the Mets’ tenth run of the day. Then A.J. Ewing hit a sacrifice fly to drive in yet another run, putting the Mets up by eight runs. Francisco Lindor then hit his second home run of the game to put the Mets up by eleven runs and drive Thomas from the game in favor of Jorge Mateo (the infamous position player pitching). Mateo eventually got a strikeout to end the inning, but the Mets had to simply keep the Braves from scoring eleven runs in one inning.

Daniel Duarte pitched two scoreless innings to end the game, striking out three in those innings. The Mets beat a first place team for the second day in a row, more of a moral victory than one of any real importance given their place in the standings. Still, in a slog of a season, these games stick out as much needed bright spots. The Mets face the Braves again tomorrow, with Christian Scott taking the mound for New York and Chris Sale getting the ball for Atlanta.

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Win Probability Added

What’s WPA?

Big Mets winner: Francisco Lindor, +28% WPA
Big Mets loser: Jared Young, -9% WPA
Mets pitchers: +7% WPA
Mets hitters: +43% WPA
Teh aw3s0mest play: Marcus Semien’s two-run home run in the sixth, +23.0% WPA
Teh sux0rest play: Ozzie Albies’ fourth inning game-tying home run, -19.6% WPA

The Orioles, fresh off a disappointing weekend series, hoped Kyle Bradish could play stopper this evening. Baltimore’s starter dealt with some uncharacteristic struggles, but the bats and bullpen picked him up in an 8-5 win over the Tigers.

The Birds jumped ahead by scoring in each of the first three innings. Pete Alonso punched a one-out double in the top of the first, and Gunnar Henderson followed with a base hit to right field. Alonso held up at third on the hard-hit single, but he came around to score on a soft grounder by Taylor Ward.

Jackson Holliday got the second started with a double to left, and Coby Mayo reached when third baseman Colt Keith failed to corral a bouncer at third. Jeremiah Jackson stepped in and delivered Baltimore’s second RBI groundout in as many innings, and Dylan Beavers plated the O’s’ third run with a base hit to right field. Alonso advanced Beavers to third with a two-out single, but Henderson flew out to end the threat.

Kyle Bradish danced around a pair of singles in the first, but Detroit broke through in the bottom of the second. Bradish was far from perfect tonight, but it’s difficult to blame him for the Tigers’ first run. Zach McKinstry punched what should have been a leadoff single to center, but Leody Taveras inexplicably made a diving attempt on the shallow liner. The ball fell in front of Taveras before skipping by him, and McKinstry raced all the way to third for a triple. The extra bases allowed Hao-Yu Lee drove in Detroit’s first run with a sacrifice fly.

Baltimore’s offense snatched the momentum right back in the next half inning. Taylor Ward worked a walk to start the third, and Holliday followed with his second knock of the day. Mayo stepped in with runners on the corners and delivered a base hit to left field to bring the lead back to three.

Holliday went first to third on Mayo’s single, and Jackson took a pitch off the hand to load the bases. The HBP brought up Chadwick Tromp with a force out available at every base, and you can probably guess what happened next. Tromp grounded into a 5-2-3 inning-ending double play. He finished 0-for-4.

Bradish used a double play to erase a leadoff single in the third, but the Tigers battled back in the fourth inning. The Tigers loaded the bases with a double, single and walk before Bradish managed to record an out. Lee drove in Detroit’s second run with an infield single that deflected off Holliday’s glove. The Tigers trimmed the lead to one with a sacrifice fly, but Bradish managed to strand runners on the corners to keep the game at 4-3.

With Bradish not quite looking like himself, it felt like the Orioles may regret leaving a few additional runs on the table. Instead, the offense responded with three runs in the fifth inning. Leody Taveras calmed the nerves with a LOUD solo home run to right field. Holliday chased Tigers starter Keider Montero from the game with his third hit of the evening, and Coby Mayo took right-handed reliever Brenan Hanifee deep to stretch the advantage back to four.

The insurance runs paid off as Bradish failed to deliver a shutdown inning. Dillon Dingler singled, Keith doubled, and Spencer Torkelson plated Dingler with a sacrifice fly. McKinstry followed with an RBI single, and Craig Albernaz came out to get Bradish with two outs in the fourth. Yennier Cano retired Lee to keep the game at 7-5.

Albernaz continued to make moves in the next half inning. The skipper sent out Tyler O’Neill to pinch hit for Dylan Beavers, and O’Neill delivered with a deep fly to left field. O’Neill’s seventh homer of the season made it 8-5 Baltimore.

The Orioles bullpen did the rest. Cano returned to record a pair of outs in the sixth, and Grant Wolfram recorded four outs without allowing a base runner. Andrew Kittredge allowed a single and benefited from a tremendous catch by defensive replacement Colton Cowser in the eighth, and Rico Garcia bounced back with a 1-2-3 ninth inning.

The win ensured that the MASN broadcast booth would have more to smile about than a rogue squirrel in the field of play. Kevin Brown and Ben McDonald tracked the black rodent for a half inning before home plate umpire Bill Miller instructed Detroit’s grounds crew to chase the animal from the field of play. Miller gave the crew a shoutout over the microphone, and the MASN booth met the moment with the type of humor we’ve come to expect from the duo.

The game marked a positive step for several Orioles players. Holliday, making a rare start at shortstop, recorded a hit in each of his first four at bats. Mayo watched newcomer Christian Encarnacion-Strand make an instant impact over the last week, but the third baseman had a big night against right-handed pitching. Taveras made up for some lousy defense with a loud home run, and Garcia notched his fifth save of the season.

The Orioles moved to 52-55 with the victory. Baltimore will attempt to win the series tomorrow Dean Kremer on the hill against Troy Melton.

Make your pick for the Most Birdland Player of the Day in the comments below.

Blue Jays 3 Nationals 2

A lot happened in that game. But that Kazuma Okamoto stole a base was the biggest surprise to me. And it led to a run. He singled with one out. Stole second and scored on a Myles Straw single (yes, there was a Luis Urías walk that would have moved him up anyway). That made the score 3-1.

Max Scherzer started and….well….wasn’t great, but he only allowed one run to score in his 2.2 innings. 75 pitches in 2.2 innings tells you that it was a struggle. He allowed 4 hits and 3 walks, but he also struck out 4. He had the bases loaded in the first (but all stranded, even though Alejandro Kirk dropped an easy popup). Had a single, a walk, and a double in the second, but just one run scored. And in the third, he gave out a leadoff walk to CJ Abrams (who stole second and third), but he was stranded too.

Max’s ERA is under 10! (9.49).

Mason Fluharty got the last out of the third and pitched a quick fourth.

Adam Macko started the fifth. He gave up a solo homer while getting two outs.

Spencer Miles got the last out of the fifth. Then gave up a leadoff single in the sixth, but got a double play (just a terrific play by Urías, catching a soft line drive, then seeing that Daylen Lile wandered too far off second and made a nice throw to Vlad) and a strikeout.

Tyler Rogers had a quick seventh: ground out, strikeout, ground out.

Jeff Hoffman got the eighth, which didn’t scare any of us. He got two strikeouts, gave up a double (good pitch) and got another strikeout.

Louis Varland got the ninth. He got a popup on a 100.5 pitch to start the inning. Then a strikeout. But then it went single and walk to make us sweat (it’s 30 C here in Calgary, I didn’t need help). A long fly was just foul. Then he got a called strike three, but it was overturned on a challenge. But a 100 mph fastball, at the top of the zone, got swinging strike three.

On the offensive side….as always, it would have been nice to score more but:

• We got two in the third: Urías had a one-out homer. Then Myles Straw and Ernie Clement had back-to-back doubles. Nathan Lukes walked, but Vlad lined out (380 feet, and he needed 390), and Springer popped out.
• And one in the fourth, that was mentioned above (I have seen Kirk steal and Okamoto steal; I can die happy).

We had 7 hits and 4 walks. Straw had 2 hits. Lukes (with a walk), Kirk (with a walk) and Varsho had 0 fors.

There was some terrific defence from both teams. CJ Adams made an amazing play on a ground ball in the ninth.

Jays of the Day: Varland (0.20 WPA), Hoffman (0.14), Rogers (0.11), Fluharty (0.11), Miles (0.10), Straw (0.13) and Urías (0.12).

Other Award: Well, Varsho had a -0.10.

We used 7 pitchers, but gave up just two runs.

Tomorrow is another 6:45 Eastern start time. Shane Bieber (2-1, 4.70) vs. Cade Cavalli (7-, 3.58).

This one started with a Bryce Harper homer, of the two-run variety. The ball went off his bat, and towards center field in the space-age dome that is LoanDepot Park; Fish center fielder Jakob Marsee began to run towards it, then stopped. Perhaps he saw the inevitable, or perhaps he was distracted by the absence of the Red Grooms home run statue that had once graced the outfield. I will never forgive Derek Jeter for overseeing that change during his time as GM of the Marlins. That may not seem meaningful from a Philadelphia sports fan, but given that I was raised in a Yankees family in the Torre-led dynasty years, and still retain much affection for the pinstriped heroes of that era, I assure you that it is a serious criticism indeed.

Serious criticism, too, must be made of the Phillies defense, which had yet another ugly moment in this game. Otto Lopez, having made it to first by single, dashed for second. The throw from Realmuto was off, and bounced away from Bryson Stott’s glove, and to Trea Turner, who flung it wide of Alec Bohm. Lopez, having expected to burgle only a single base, found himself collecting much more, like a thief who breaks into a home to take perhaps a TV or a game console and instead finds a collection of Renaissance paintings. He scored, and so did Heriberto Hernández a moment later, when he sent a Zack Wheeler sinker soaring over the left field wall.

In the next inning, Griffin Conine sent a curveball barely over the right field wall, but fence-scrapers count the same as moonshots, and so the Marlins had a 3-2 lead. And not long after, it was 4-2, as Wheeler, plagued by unusually low velocity, continued to allow hard contact. Soon after that, it was 5-2, as Justin Crawford attempted a sliding catch on a ball from Otto Lopez that he couldn’t reach; Lopez ended up on third, though he was stranded there.

The Phillies put their first two batters of the fourth aboard, via single and walk. But J.T. Realmuto grounded into a double play, and a subsequent fly out ensured no runs would score.

Wheeler’s night ended after the third; Kyle Backhus was called in, and navigated his innings effectively. Meanwhile, the Phillies struggled to solve Marlins starter Tyler Phillips, posting just three hits through five innings. They reached the bullpen in the sixth, and soon started to put the Fish on the hook. Harper walked to lead off the inning, and scored on a Bohm single. A single from Stott and a ground rule double from Realmuto put the Phillies just one run back, and a single through the left side of the infield from Justin Crawford appeared to tie it— until it was determined that the ball, having slipped past the Marlins backstop, had lodged underneath the padding on the wall behind him. An illuminating conversation about ground rules ensued, and the result was that Realmuto was awarded home and the Phillies a lead.

They worked on adding to it in the eighth, when Bryson Stott led off with a triple, bouncing a ball off the right field wall and scampering to third as the Fish flopped around trying to get to it. He scored on a Realmuto sac fly.

Orion Kerkering took the eighth, allowing a leadoff single, and nothing else. Having come all the way back, the Phillies had earned the opportunity to let Jhoan Duran earn the save. He allowed a single up the middle to Jakob Marsee to start his attempt, then another to Otto Lopez, past the glove of a diving Harper. Lopez stole second, Duran hit the next batter, and the bases were loaded, with none away. The Marlins, riding a long losing streak, would either break it in spectacular fashion or continue it in an agonizing one. A Hernández hit up the middle tied the game, and Miami still had runners on first and second with none out. Then, after a bunt, the bases were loaded.

A 3-2 putout then put the game in that gloriously nauseous position where a single play could either doom the Phillies or redeem them; the next contact between bat and ball could be the game-winner sending Marlins fans happily to the exits, or the GIDP that sent the game to extras.

It was the former. Conine slapped one right over the glove of Stott, and the contest ended unhappily for the Phillies. The game was defined by uncharacteristic pitching from two of the Phillies’ very best. It can be hoped that the performances of Wheeler and Duran will be like the ball getting wedged under the padding: oddities that will not often recur.

The Phillies are 57-50, and will continue the series against the Marlins tomorrow at 6:40.

Not an ideal outcome to the series opener against the Orioles as the Tigers lost 8-5. But hey, there was wildlife!

After losing their last two games over the weekend to the Royals, the Tigers really needed to win some games. Unfortunately, they were facing off against the Orioles, a sub-.500 team struggling in the AL East, and we know from this season the Tigers just can’t seem to get it together when playing against other struggling teams. So this was going to be a tricky series, because baseball makes no sense and nothing is reasonable. The Tigers had Keider Montero on the mound against Kyle Bradish for the O’s.

Pete Alonso got a one-out double, followed by Gunnar Henderson with a single. This put runners on the corners, so when Taylor Ward hit into a force out, Henderson was eliminated but Alonso scored. The O’s would have to settle for just the one run, but they were on the board first. Kevin McGonigle started the home half with a single. Then, with one out, Colt Keith singled. Two outs followed, though, leaving the baserunners stranded and the Tigers scoreless.

Jackson Holliday opened the second with a double. Then Coby Mayo reached thanks to a fielding error from Keith. This bumped Holliday to third, so a Jeremiah Jackson groundout was all it took to score another run. With two outs Dylan Beavers singled to score Mayo. Alonso got a single, but no additional runs scored. In the home half, Zach McKinstry got things started with a triple. Then a Hao-Yu Lee sac fly brought in the first Tigers’ run of the game. Two outs followed, but the Tigers were on the board.

Taylor Ward walked to start the third but was then eliminated in a force out off the bat of Leody Taveras. Holliday singled, pushing Taveras to third. Mayo then singled to bring in another run for the Orioles. Jackson was hit by a pitch (allegedly), but Chadwick Tromp hit into a double play to end the inning. McGonigle got a leadoff single for the second time in the game, but a lineout, followed by a double play off the bat of Keith, swiftly ended the inning.

Montero got the first 1-2-3 inning of the game for the fourth, which was much-needed. Riley Greene got a leadoff double in the bottom of the inning. Spencer Torkelson singled, but it was only enough to get Greene to third. A wild pitch allowed Torkelson to advance to second, then McKinstry walked to load the bases. Lee came through again with a single to score Greene. With one out, Matt Vierling hit a sac fly, scoring Torkelson. The two runs helped put them within one run of tying at the end of the inning.

within striking distance pic.twitter.com/Ow6lMbcIUG

— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) July 28, 2026

In the fifth, Taveras hit a one-out solo home run. Holliday then singled, and that was it for Montero for the game. Usually reliable, it was an unusually rough outing for him. Brenan Hanifee came out to replace him with a runner on first. Coby Mayo then homered, because the Tigers just want to make this last week before the trade deadline the most painful week of our lives. Hanifee got the next two outs, but the home run made Montero’s final line for the game 4.1 IP, 9 H, 6 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 HR on 80 pitches. Normally I can pull out some positives even from the most disappointing outings, but this one was just pretty bad. Dillon Dingler got a leadoff single to start the home half. Keith then doubled. With one out, a Torkelson sac fly scored Dingler. McKinstry then singled, scoring Keith. That was it for Bradish, who was replaced by Yennier Cano. Cano got the final out of the inning.

Tyler Holton came in and a pinch-hitting Tyler O’Neill won the battle of the Tylers with a leadoff home run. With one out, Henderson walked, and that was it for the short leash on Holton. Drew Anderson replaced him and got the final two outs of the inning. With two outs in the bottom of the inning, a black squirrel took to the field and became the most appealing part of watching this game. Bless ya, little guy. The O’s made a pitching change while the squirrel ran around the outfield. Someone made a makeshift sign for the squirrel. Grant Wolfram was the new Orioles’ pitcher while the squirrel was joined by a mourning dove. The final out ended the inning which is a bummer because watching the squirrel was truly the most fun I’ve had for this whole game.

In the seventh, the squirrel settled between third and home. After Holliday got a leadoff single, the squirrel moved into the infield for a bit before making its way back to right field. With one out, Holliday got mowed down trying to steal second by some nice, accurate throwing by Dingler. After the O’s were out, the entire Tigers’ ground crew banded together, with help from Leody Taveras, and worked as a dysfunctional and barely capable unit to finally catch the squirrel in a towel and certainly relocate it to some nice patch of trees somewhere downtown. Be well, furry little buddy.

In the bottom of the inning the Tigers went 1-2-3 despite bringing in Gleyber Torres to pinch-hit for Keith.

Jacob Waguespack was the new pitcher in the eighth and gave up a one-out walk to Colton Cowser. Paws brought out a “Free the Squirrel!” sign that got a chant going, and we learned the squirrel escaped and was not free in the belly of the stadium. Cowser stole second, but the Tigers got out of the inning with no additional runs scored.

Andrew Kittredge came in against the Tigers in the bottom of the inning, giving up a leadoff single to Torkelson. A frustratingly incredible catch by Cowser got the first out of the inning. Torkelson advanced to second on a wild pitch. The Tigers weren’t able to take advantage of a runner in scoring position, though.

Taylor Ward walked to start the ninth but was swiftly eliminated in a double play from Taveras. Waguespack got the final out of the inning, and turned it over to the lineup to try to stage a comeback. Rico Garcia came on for the O’s in the bottom of the ninth. McGonigle got a one-out walk, in theory, but the O’s challenged the ball call and it was overturned for strike three. With that opportunity shot, there wasn’t much left in the tank, and Dingler was the third out of the game. The Tigers dropped their third game in a row.

Final: Orioles 8, Tigers 5

After playing a week and a half at home following the All-Star Break, the Brewers are on the road and spending a week on the West Coast. They will open their trip against the Giants, with game one of a three-game series tonight.

Brandon Sproat opens this road trip for the Brewers. He’s been pitching better over the last month and a half, posting a 3.46 ERA in June and a 3.86 ERA so far in July. One issue is that he hasn’t been pitching deep into games lately. In his last three starts, he’s only pitched 11 2/3 innings and pitched into the fifth inning just once. In his last start against the Mets, he allowed two runs on four hits and four walks in 4 2/3 innings. He threw 99 pitches in that start.

For the Giants, Tyler Mahle gets the start tonight. Similar to Sproat, Mahle struggled to start the season but has been pitching better in the last month after returning from a left hamstring injury. He has a 3.76 ERA and 3.72 FIP in his last five starts. In his last start, he allowed three runs in five innings against the Royals. He allowed five hits and one walk while striking out four.

There was one roster note prior to tonight’s game. After being designated for assignment on Sunday, the Brewers officially released Lance McCullers Jr. today. This ends his short stint with the Brewers, and he becomes a free agent.

Here are the lineups for tonight’s game. The Brewers are starting the series with their regular lineup, with Jake Bauers starting in right field and Andrew Vaughn at first base. First pitch is at 8:45 p.m.

Baseball by the Bay

📺: https://t.co/eycfmE2vgm
📻: WTMJ@NicoletLaw x #ThisIsMyCrewpic.twitter.com/MnKkBqd17F

— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) July 27, 2026

Tonight's #SFGiants lineup ⬇️

⌚️: 6:45 p.m. PT
📍: @OracleParkSF
📺: @NBCSGiants
📻: @KNBR | KSFN#SFGiants | @CocaColapic.twitter.com/MxbXXmTolu

— SFGiants (@SFGiants) July 27, 2026

A rogue squirrel grabbed the spotlight in a showdown of teams desperately trying to stay relevant in the American League wild-card race.

As the Detroit Tigers faced the Baltimore Orioles at Comerica Park on Monday, July 27, a black squirrel managed to make its way onto the field. There was also a dove, but the squirrel had more lasting power and provided unexpected entertainment.

A squirrel and a dove watch the Orioles and Tigers 🤔 pic.twitter.com/3aQu7YNhT2

— MLB (@MLB) July 28, 2026

The squirrel navigated the warning track, displaying the kind of speed that would make a racing mascot proud.

Off to the races! pic.twitter.com/AwUIx5Oe4M

— Orioles on MASN (@masnOrioles) July 28, 2026

Before the bottom of the seventh inning, the Comerica Park grounds crew went out on the field in full force and managed to corral and remove the animal from the field. Orioles right fielder Leody Taveras even lent a hand, getting his glove on the squirrel, launching it into the air.

It took the entire Tigers grounds crew and Orioles outfielder Leody Taveras to remove this squirrel from the field

Home plate umpire Bill Miller even asked the crowd for a round of applause for the grounds crew 😂 pic.twitter.com/v1230aOIvj

— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) July 28, 2026

The squirrel's speed, ability to swiftly change direction and low center of gravity made it tough to round up. Tigers play-by-play broadcaster Jason Benetti gave an enthusiastic account of the situation.

The squirrel is breaking ankles out there 😭 https://t.co/VHSj8H0MbBpic.twitter.com/dkE6jld78m

— MLB (@MLB) July 28, 2026

A rally squirrel it was not, however, as the Tigers fell 8-5, losing a third consecutive game.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Squirrel runs on field during Tigers vs. Orioles game at Comerica Park

The San Francisco Giants welcome the Milwaukee Brewers to Oracle Park tonight to begin a three-game series.

Taking the mound for the Giants will be right-hander Tyler Mahle, who enters tonight’s game with a 5.31 ERA, 4.52 FIP, with 77 strikeouts to 33 walks in 83 innings pitched. His last start was in the Giants’ 3-2 loss to the Kansas City Royals last Tuesday, in which he allowed three runs on five hits with four strikeouts and a walk in five innings.

He’ll be facing off against Brewers right-hander Brandon Sproat, who enters tonight’s game with a 5.09 ERA, 5.21 FIP, with 91 strikeouts to 43 walks in 86.2 innings pitched. His last start was in the Brewers’ 4-0 loss to the New York Mets last Tuesday, in which he allowed two runs on four hits with four strikeouts and four walks in four and two thirds innings.

Game #106

Who: San Francisco Giants (44-61) vs. Milwaukee Brewers (66-39)

Where: Oracle Park, San Francisco, California

When: 6:45 p.m. PT

Regional broadcast: NBC Sports Bay Area

National broadcast: n/a

Radio: KNBR 680 AM/104.5 FM, KSFN 1510 AM

TONIGHT’S GAME: The Houston Astros (52-55) and Los Angeles Angels (42-64) begin a 3-game series tonight in Anaheim.

RHP Tatsuya Imai (6-4, 5.59 ERA) will start for the Astros vs. RHP Walbert Ureña (6-7, 2.78 ERA). Imai’s 1st career ML start was vs. LAA on March 29 at Daikin Park. He ended up with a no decision in a 9-7 Astros win (2.2 IP, 4 ER). This will be Ureña’s 4th career appearance and 2nd start vs. HOU, all this season. His most recent app. vs. the Astros was a start on June 9 at Angel Stadium (5 IP, 0 R in a 10-1 Angels’ win).

ABOUT IMAI: Tonight will be RHP Tatsuya Imai’s 15th start of the season. He was solid in his last start on July 21 vs. MIA, allowing just 1 run and 4 hits in 6.0 IP with 8 K’s to earn a 5-3 victory. The Astros have won 6 of his last 7 starts (he is 4-1 in that span). For the season, HOU is 9-5 in his 14 starts overall.

In 2025, Imai was an All-Star for the Seibu Lions in the Nippon Professional Baseball Organization (NPB), where he went 10-5 with a 1.92 ERA (35ER/163.2IP) in 24 games.

RECENT STROS: The Astros have won 5 of their last 6 games. Their recent 5-game win streak (7/20-25) matched their longest win streak of the season (other was 3/28-4/1).

ROAD WARRIORS: Tonight is the 4th game of a 6-game road trip for the Astros. HOU was 2-1 over the weekend at CWS on the first stop of the trip. The Astros are 19-13 (.593) on their last five road trips combined and are 25-19 (.568) on the road since going 1-9 on their first road trip of the season.

ROAD SLUGGING: The Astros have been one of the AL’s top offensive clubs on the road this season. They are currently ranked T-1st in the AL in road HR (76), 2nd in SLG (.418) and OPS (.742) and 3rd in road runs scored (259).

VS. THE HALOS: The Astros are 3-4 vs. LAA thus far in 2026. They dropped 2 of 3, June 8-10 at LAA in the most recent series. Over the years, the Astros have had success vs. the Angels. They are 141-92 all-time against the Halos, including a 67-48 record at Angel Stadium.

Note: The Astros were 2-0 vs. LAA in a 2-game, regular season series in Mexico, May 4-5 of 2019.

MEASURING UP: The Astros are 27-22 vs. teams currently over .500. Additonally, HOU is a combined 20-10 vs. the 6 AL clubs currently holding playoff spots, with a 10-5 record vs. the 3 AL division leaders (2-1 vs. TB, 6-4 vs. TEX, 2-1 vs. CWS) and a 10-5 record vs. the 3 current AL Wild Card teams (5-1 vs. BOS, 4-2 vs. CLE, 1-2 vs. NYY).

PLAYER OF THE WEEK!: Jeremy Peña was named AL Player of the Week today. Peña posted incredible numbers last week, hitting .500 (13×26) in 6 games with 5 HR, 8 RBI and 10 R while posting a 1.577. This is Peña’s 1st POTW Award. The Astros have won this award 4 times this season, with Yordan Alvarez winning the other 3 times.

Highlights from Peña’s week included:

*2 leadoff HR.

*2nd career grand slam

*collecting 3 hits in 3 straight games.

*homering in 3 cons. games.

PEÑA POWER: Jeremy Peña has hit safely in 8 straight games at a sizzling .516 (16×31) clip with 5 HR, 8 RBI and 12 R.

LEADING THE WAY: Jeremy Peña opened yesterday’s game at CWS with his 3rd leadoff HR of the season and the 8th of his career. He is one of 3 Astros to hit leadoff HR’s in 2026. Jose Altuve and Brice Matthews are the others.

THEIR KIND OF TOWN: After taking 2 of 3 games from the White Sox at Rate Field over the weekend, the Astros are 5-1 in the city of Chicago this season. They also swept a 3-game set from the Cubs at Wrigley Field, May 20-22.

CLOSE CALLS: The Astros are 31-20 in games decided by 2 runs or less: 22-12 in 2-run games, 9-8 in 1-run games.

MVP-CALIBER: Yordan Alvarez is a strong AL MVP candidate as he enters tonight leading the league in all three Triple Crown categories, ranking 1st in batting average (.323), HR (34), and RBI (77). Additionally, he currently leads all of baseball in OPS (1.074), OBP (.431), SLG (.643) and TB (245), and in the AL, he also ranks 1st in hits (123) and runs (72) and 4th in walks (70).

TAPPING FOR SUCCESS: Astros hitters have won an MLB-best 73 ABS challenges and lead the Majors in challenge success rate (58%).

HIT PAREDES: Isaac Paredes is hitting .324 (11×34) in his 9 games since the AS Break with 2 HR and 8 RBI while posting a .559 SLG and a .943 OPS. Since June 3, Paredes is batting .294 (48×163) with 22 runs scored, 6 2B, 1 3B, 7 HR, 33 RBI and 19 walks in 44 games.

BRYAN’S BACK: RHP Bryan Abreu has a 1.59 ERA (2ER/11.1IP) in his last 11 apps. with just 7 hits allowed and 13 K’s in that span. Additionally, since May 1, he has a 2.39 ERA (7ER/26.1IP) in 27 apps., and is 5-for-5 in save opp. in that span. Prior to May 1, Abreu had a 12.54 ERA in his 1st 11 apps. of the season.

ON THE DEFENSIVE: The Astros lead the AL in fielding pct. (.988) and have the fewest errors in the AL (44). 1B Christian Walker has led the way, as he has not committed an error in his 99 games played at 1B. Dating back to last season, Walker has not made an error in his last 128 games at 1B (last error was Aug. 23, 2025 at BAL).

TODAY IN ASTROS HISTORY: 1982 – RHP Nolan Ryan earns his 200th career win in style, going the distance in a 3-2 victory over the Reds in the Dome. Ryan also tallies 13 K’s in the historic win. He would end up with 324 wins in his HOF career, including 106 as an Astro.

Game Info

Game Date/Time: Monday, July 27, 8:38 p.m. CT

Location: Angel Stadium, Anaheim, CA

TV: SCHN

Radio: KTRH 740 AM; KBME 790 AM & 94.5 FM HD2; TUDN 102.9 FM HD2 (Spanish)

Astros-Angels tonight: pic.twitter.com/Me4tAGInkK

— Matt Kawahara (@matthewkawahara) July 27, 2026

Whether it be on the field or in the clubhouse, Mickey Moniak has made his presence known in his two seasons with the Colorado Rockies.

The outfielder—now in his seventh season as a Major Leaguer after stints with Philadelphia Phillies and the Los Angeles Angels—is slashing .277/.322/.553 this season, even though he missed nearly a month due to right ankle tendinitis.

His nine games with multiple extra-base hits are tied for the fourth-most in the Majors this season.

For his part, Moniak has helped Colorado avoid deficits and start well in games this season by displaying the ability to have success at the plate in early at bats.

For instance, he recorded a homer in the first inning in three straight games (June 30-July 2) to become the first player in franchise history to homer in the opening inning in three straight contests.

Moniak’s approach at the plate, no matter the situation, is straightforward.

“I just try to treat every at bat as the same,” said Moniak, whose 16 homers are second on the club only trail Hunter Goodman’s total of 31. 

“However it may fall, obviously, hitting those homers those three games in a row was cool but it’s not like there’s any more focus on the first at bat versus the last.”

“I think every at bat is just as important, keeping zeroed in and just having a good at bat every time,” he said.

Moniak—who was signed by Colorado as a free agent on March 27, 2025—made his presence on the field felt immediately by slamming a pinch-hit home run in his first plate appearance as a Rockie just three days later on March 30 at Tampa Bay.

But for all Moniak’s contributions on the diamond, his time spent mentoring Colorado’s youthful roster the past two campaigns—including players such as Cole Carrigg, TJ Rumfield and Kyle Karros this season—has been invaluable. 

Colorado manager Warren Schaeffer is quick to point why having someone with Moniak’s veteran experience is important.

“I wish you could see behind the scenes and see how much of an impact he has because it’s an enormous one,” Schaeffer said.

“Mickey is a team leader in the clubhouse every day. He shows up as the same guy every day, no matter what’s going on on the field, no matter what’s going on in his life. He comes and just sets the tone for the day, along with other guys. But he’s one of the main guys that does it and that just helps all the young players.”

Rumfield, who is vying for Rookie of the Year honors, spoke of Moniak’s influence in the clubhouse this season.

“Absolutely, he’s the leader,” Rumfield said. “I think we look to him and I think he does a great job of just setting an example, being a great teammate, great guy and also a great baseball player.

“He brings knowledge and wisdom to the game beyond his years,” he added. “It’s really unbelievable to watch every night. You know you are going to get a good at-bat.”

Moniak takes the role of being a mentor to young players in stride.

“It’s one of those things that nobody tells you that, ‘Hey, this year you’re the veteran; you’re the guy leading the team or in a leadership role,’” Moniak said. “I’ve been very fortunate to be around a lot of good leaders in my time in the big leagues in Philly and with the Angels. 

“I think just the biggest takeaway is to kind of lead by example. Go about your business, just be me,” he added. “I was a young player who had a lot of downs and a lot of learning to do. Just try to be a guy who guys can lean on. 

“We have a lot of young guys in this clubhouse. If they have any questions, they know I’m an open door.”

With the trade deadline approaching and Moniak and Jake McCarthy both rumored to be trade candidates, which player would be more important to a rebuilding team? Would you value Moniak’s leadership or McCarthy’s athleticism? Let us know in the comments!

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The Los Angeles Dodgers are in a position to make a big move ahead of the MLB deadline.

MLB pundits have been pointing to the Dodgers as a landing spot for Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal.

In fact, the Dodgers were linked to Skubal back in December, when Kyle Tucker also was being floated as a potential target in free agency. Tucker eventually did sign with the Dodgers in January.

The Dodgers remain serious about their quest for a World Series three-peat, which would add a 10th championship to the trophy case at Dodger Stadium.

Manager Dave Roberts and superstar Shohei Ohtani have led the way to back-to-back titles in 2024 and 2025. The New York Yankees and the Athletics are the only other franchises to win three consecutive World Series titles.

MORE: Tarik Skubal, Tigers win again. That's bad news for rest of MLB

Here's what the Dodgers will consider before the trade deadline:

Do Dodgers need Tarik Skubal?

Skubal, a two-time Cy Young Award winner, is one of the best pitchers in the league and the Dodgers could benefit from having him on the mound considering the injuries that have impacted the rotation this season.

Ohtani had a setback in his recovery from a left knee injury, delaying his scheduled bullpen session on July 25 in New York.

It remains uncertain whether Ohtani will be back on the mound in August due to inflammation and irritation in his left knee. The Dodgers are expected to take extra precautions with the two-way star during the second half of the season.

Roberts confirmed on July 25 that there was some “regression” with Ohtani's knee following his bullpen session in Philadelphia on July 22.

Tyler Glasnow (back injury) is expected to return some time in August from the 60-day IL. The 32-year-old pitcher was cleared to resume throwing off the mound in early July and was scheduled to face live hitters last week.

Blake Snell is also taking steps toward a return. The 33-year-old southpaw is expected to make his third minor league rehab start at Triple-A Oklahoma City on July 29.

The Dodgers will have to decide whether their rotation's health can coalesce for a deep playoff run, or if reinforcements are needed. Skubal had injury issues himself earlier this season, having missed about five weeks with an elbow injury. Skubal returned sooner than expected after undergoing a revolutionary procedure using the NanoNeedle Scope 2.0.

DODGERS TRADE TARGETS: Will Shohei Ohtani knee issues impact strategy at deadline?

What can the Dodgers give up in potential Tarik Skubal trade?

If Los Angeles wanted to continue to stockpile premier talent, the team has plenty to offer the Tigers.

In an effort to acquire Skubal, the Dodgers could consider offering an immediate starting pitcher in Emmet Sheehan, along with outfielder Zyhir Hope and shortstop Aidan West from the farm system.

Sheehan is viewed as a high-upside pitcher with an explosive fastball, while Hope and West have shown promise. 

What are the Dodgers other needs?

The Dodgers' biggest need might be at catcher. Will Smith has served as the team's primary catcher since 2019, but there’s been a level of uncertainty around Smith’s status for the rest of the season due to an inflamed disk in his neck.

Dalton Rushing has played in 62 games this season, but the second-year player still has room for improvement. Rushing has had a few passed ball incidents this season.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Do the Dodgers need Tarik Skubal? Latest on LA's rotation, injuries

The squad is back in Sacramento for some much-needed home games after a tough road trip featuring two series losses. Things don’t get any easier for the A’s though as they’ll welcome a surging Boston Red Sox squad that recently went on a massive winning streak. Maybe they’ve used up all their juice and the A’s will be able to put on their spoiler hats this evening in the first of four games against our AL East rivals.

Getting the ball for the series opener is right-hander Jack Perkins. His first half was a disaster as he struggled in his return to the starting rotation. He had a solid start to begin his second half when he went five full frames against the Diamondbacks while allowing just three runs off a three-run home run in the first inning. The A’s would take more of the same tonight.

Here’s the starting lineup for tonight’s series opener in Sacramento against the Red Sox:

new series on deck ‼️ pic.twitter.com/c44ON5AZWD

— Athletics (@Athletics) July 27, 2026

A healthy mix tonight, though no Nick Kurtz in this one as the club correctly isn’t going to push him too much when he just came off the IL. It’ll be veteran Jeff McNeil at first instead. We’ll get to see Tommy White at the hot corner again tonight. How he does on defense at third base is a major storyline to watch over the rest of the season. Jacob Wilson and Alika Williams will make up the middle infield duo tonight.

The squad is going with Jonah Heim behind the plate again and we can pretty much expect to see him there the rest of the season. The outfield situation is a bit interesting tonight as Lawrence Butler draws the start in right field against a left-handed pitcher. Might as well let him try to work through his struggles against same-handed pitchers over the final couple months. Regular left fielder Tyler Soderstrom will DH in this one. Rookies Colby Thomas and Henry Bolte flank Butler on the grass tonight in left and center field, respectively.

That lineup will be going up against Boston lefty Payton Tolle. The rookie is in the midst of his first full big league season and he’s impressed Boston up to this point. The former top prospect has a fantastic 3.31 ERA over 16 starts this season, rewarding Boston’s faith in the 23-year-old left-hander. This’ll be the second time the Athletics have ever seen him as he started a game last year against the Green & Gold and allowed a pair of runs in two innings of work in his third big league game last September.

And Boston’s batting order tonight against the right-handed Perkins:

Late night baseball in Sacramento! pic.twitter.com/YcLfGYQLig

— Red Sox (@RedSox) July 27, 2026

Let’s play spoiler and get a win tonight. Let’s go A’s!

Follow the Game:
Watch:
Athletics – NBCSCA

Listen:
Athletics – Talk 650 KSTE, KVMX 92.1/105.5, A’s Cast

The St. Louis Cardinals begin a crucial 4-game series versus their arch rivals the Chicago Cubs at Busch Stadium Monday night. According to MLB.com, the Cubs will start LHP David Peterson. The Cardinals starter is Matthew Liberatore according to MLB.com. First pitch set for 6:45pm Monday night at Busch Stadium with the TV broadcast available through Cardinals.tv.

It’s a new week and a new series, this time with the Bronx Bombers in town. With similar records, the White Sox will see a mostly dominant Yankees team for the second time this year.

Before the game, the White Sox returned outfielder Everson Pereira from his injury rehabilitation assignment at Triple-A Charlotte, reinstated him from the seven-day injured list and optioned outfielder Junior Pérez to the Knights.

Noah Schultz is on the bump tonight. Schultz (3-7) has had a tough transition back post-injury, with a 6.04 ERA, and the Yankees’ hitters will be tough. Former Yankee lefthander specialist Randal Grichuk and leads off tonight:

Max Fried (4-3) is starting for New York. The lefthander has an ERA of 2.97 but only 57 strikeouts this season. White Sox defense will also need to keep a close eye on Ben Rice, who is having quite the season.

You can watch the game on CHSN or listen on ESPN Chicago 1000. First pitch is at 6:40 p.m. CT.