Category: Baseball

The week before the All-Star break was almost like a 2026 season in miniature for the Orioles. They began the week with a losing streak that sent them to a new low point for the season, and broke out of that losing streak by setting a season-high winning streak. They finally won a fourth straight game in their eighth chance. Even that win came at a cost, with the news of Blaze Alexander’s hand fracture.

In this week’s podcast, I’m sad about Alexander, and in disbelief that things played out in such a way that anyone would be sad about Alexander. After getting past the sadness, I’m taking the opportunity of a few days break to look at the roster as a whole and think about each player: Is this guy meeting expectations, beating them, or falling below them?

This team has its share of problems, but going through the player performances, there’s a lot going right as well, and they probably only need a couple of the problems to play their way into solutions… plus maybe a trade or two, if the GM has the nerve to do it. Check out this week’s episode here:

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This is my weekly podcast about whatever is going on lately with the Orioles. If you enjoyed this episode, please make sure to subscribe. You can get the show on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you prefer to access your podcasts.

How are you feeling about the way things are going with the Orioles right now? Answers could make it into the mailbag section of a future episode of the podcast.

The debate for most teams every year is whether or not they should buy, sell or stand pat at the trade deadline. Teams have to evaluate what their team has, what it needs and what any potential additions or subtractions could mean for that season and future seasons. In the most recent Padres Reacts Survey, fans were asked to decide what they think the San Diego Padres should do at the deadline this season.

The team fought hard in the last two games of the ceremonial first half to get back-to-back wins to limp into the break with a .500 record on the season at 48-48. The roster is loaded with players who are injured or under performing and that is not a combination that instills confidence in the fanbase.

The starting rotation has been decimated by injury with Yu Darvish, Joe Musgrove, Nick Pivetta, Randy Vasquez and Lucas Giolito all currently on the injured list and Darvish is out for the season. The bullpen had remained relatively healthy throughout the year, but is now without Jeremiah Estrada, Jason Adam and David Morgan. The lineup has also been beat up in the first half of the season with Ramon Laureano out for the year, Freddy Fermin and Samad Taylor currently on the IL and Luis Campusano recently returning from an IL stint.

The players that have been healthy in the rotation and lineup in the first half have underwhelmed. Most fans wonder how the Padres have even played well enough to reach .500 at the break considering all the above-mentioned factors, which is why they are prepared for San Diego to sell at the deadline. There is not much confidence in the way the Padres have played, and the number of needs is too great to think the 2026 team is worth investing in. San Diego general manager and president of baseball operations A.J. Preller may see it another way, but the Friar Faithful are looking toward future seasons rather than a postseason run this season.

Padres News:

• Bradgley Rodriguez has been impressive throughout the 2026 season. At one point this season he was getting so much work that he was sent to the minors for some rest and time off. Thomas Conroy of Gaslamp Ball says the increased usage for Rodriguez is a result of the trust he has earned from manager Craig Stammen.

• The Padres added to their minor league depth with several picks on Day 2 of the MLB Draft. Most of the selections were college players who were further along in their development, which Cheri Bell of Gaslamp Ball says is a change from the usual approach San Diego has in the draft.

• Mason Miller, the lone Padres All-Star, was forced to field questions about a potential trade during media sessions at All-Star festivities on Monday.

• San Diego reportedly signed outfielder Dustin Harris to a minor league deal on Monday.

Baseball News:

• Jordan Walker of the St. Louis Cardinals spoiled the home run derby for the hometown slugger Kyle Schwarber. Walker beat the Philadelphia Phillies slugger to become the first Cardinals player to win the derby.

• The Chicago White Sox are moving quickly to sign the first pick in the MLB Draft Roch Cholowski and are reportedly signing the infielder to a record deal.

• Here is what you need to know about how to watch the 2026 MLB All-Star Game.

Hello and happy All-Star Game day, folks. The 96th Midsummer Classic in Philadelphia begins at 8 p.m. EST tonight…or at least that’s what we’re being told. I’m sure it’ll be a much later start time, but I digress.

Before the game, we had the Home Run Derby last night! The Red Sox’s own Willson Contreras had a good run into the semifinal round, but he wasn’t able to take it home. Congrats to (INSERT WHO WON).

The big headline outside of the winner, though, was the change of the format. Gone is the swing clock, as we’ve now gone to limiting the amount of swings a guy can take.

So, the question of the day is simple: Did you like the rule change for the Home Run Derby? I thought it was pretty good; I didn’t mind the clock, but the new format added some drama towards the end of the night. That was especially the case when Contreras was trying to tie Philly’s hometown boy and old friend of the Sox Kyle Schwarber in the semis.

Be good to each other and go Sox.

Good morning.

Kennedi Landry writes about where things stand for the first-place Texas Rangers at the All-Star break and what awaits them in the second half.

Shawn McFarland writes about what we’ve learned about the Rangers and their harrowing path to first place in the AL West at the break.

Landry writes about Jacob Latz losing a battle in March only to become Texas’ lone All-Star by July as one of baseball’s best closers.

Evan Grant notes that Latz’s first appearance of the year was in Philadelphia, starting the second game of the season for a scratched Jacob deGrom and now he returns an All-Star reliever.

Jeff Wilson writes that the Rangers are big Brody Bumila believers and are willing to wait through rehab for the third-rounder.

ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel offers up his thoughts on the most intriguing prospects from the Rangers’ draft class.

And, FanGraphs’ Brendan Gawlowski writes about the Futures Game prospects — including Texas farmhand Caden Scarborough — and MLB annually fumbling the event.

Have a nice day!

For some reason, the MLB Draft was over the weekend. But, it’s over now. Lots of teams made lots of picks. Who was your favorite?

I like to scan the draft tracker for things with even a vague personal connection, but there weren’t many of those this year, and those are harder to come by with the shorter draft. The Rangers took a guy from the same small town-ish area as my brother-in-law, but it’s not even the same school. Beyond that, I dunno. My sister went to and graduated from UCSB, but pretty much a billion draftees went to UCSB, so that’s not particularly interesting.

Anyway, who ya got?

The first Home Run Derby in Philadelphia in 30 years is over, and it was certainly a memorable one. Hometown hero Kyle Schwarber almost won it but ultimately fell in the final round to Jordan Walker of the Cardinals who had to earn it with home runs on six straight swings to capture the crown.

The Philadelphia crowd was into the event all night, thunderously booing everyone not named Kyle Schwarber or Bryce Harper, giving the event a type of pro wrestling feel right down to the boxing inspired ring that the players stood on to start the night. It probably won’t go over well with some, but it was Philadelphia displaying its passion in the only way it knows how. The players seemed to know it, as Schwarber urged the crowd on during his at-bats and others like Willson Contreras relished in the boos.

It was also the first time the derby was broadcast on Netflix and the first of a new format that features 15 swings in the first round and a potential for extra provided a player hit a home run with the final “magenta ball.” It was not timed like in recent years and did not feature head-to-head matchups until the second round, with the initial round being the best four totals advancing.

So, what did you think of the Home Run Derby? Did you like the new format, or do you prefer the old one?

As the Orioles head into the second half of the season and toward the August 3rd trade deadline, they have decisions to make on two prime trade candidates. Given the O’s perpetual need for starting pitching, LHP Trevor Rogers seems like an ideal extension candidate and should not be traded. Outfielder Taylor Ward represents a much tougher decision. 

The Orioles shipped out always-injured starter Grayson Rodriguez for the 32-year-old Ward in the offseason, knowing that the longtime former Angel was heading into the last year of his contract. The move was the first of two moves the Orioles’ front office made to take a serious swing at upgrading Baltimore’s right-handed power. With Ward and 1B Pete Alonso, the O’s thought they were adding 60-70 HRs and 200+ RBIs to a talented (but often inconsistent) lineup. 

And while Alonso has certainly lived up to his billing, Ward’s performance has been a bit more head-scratching. On one hand, he’s second on the team (behind Alonso) with a 2.0 bWAR, tied with the Polar Bear with 91 hits and is on pace to shatter the Orioles’ single-season walk record. Ward has certainly been a good player for the Orioles and well worth the price of a pitcher who may never make 25+ starts in a season. 

And yet, Ward also hasn’t been as advertised in terms of power output and run production. Last year  Ward’s .475 slugging percentage ranked 45th in all of baseball. Among outfielders with at least 400 PA, he was 16th in slugging, narrowly beating out All-Stars like Julio Rodriguez and James Wood. So far this year, he’s down to 163rd among all major leaguers. Among outfielders with at least 250 PAs, Ward’s .359 slugging percentage ranks 61st and is more in line with struggling stars like Jarren Duran and Jackson Merrill. 

The 32-year-old’s massive dip in power not only represents a 100+-point drop from last year’s slugging output, but it also represents a 70-point drop from his career slugging percentage of .429. Ward only just hit his first home run at Camden Yards this past weekend against the Royals, and is on pace for 10 home runs after hitting 36 last season. And while moving from the three hole with the Angels to the leadoff spot for the O’s also hurts his RBI opportunities, the lack of power is also a cause for his current 42-RBI pace. 

If the Orioles wanted to do an extension with Ward, it’d likely cost them around $15-20M—similar to what they’re currently paying Tyler O’Neill. Given that his current salary is just over $12M, the cost of an extension is likely negligible if you account for Ryan Mountcastle’s $6.8M salary coming off the books in 2027. However, Ward is also likely the second-best outfielder (behind Randy Arozarena) in the upcoming free agent class. That may mean his salary gets inflated if a bidding war breaks out. 

Ward also could be very desirable to a number of sure-fire playoff teams this season. The Phillies are the most heavily linked team with Ward, as they’ve struggled to get production from their outfielders (27th in OF Wins Above Average) and to hit left-handed pitchers (26th in OPS vs. lefties). The Diamondbacks, Guardians and Rays could also use corner outfield help, with the latter two also needing help vs. lefties. 

The O’s may be hesitant to deal Ward to a fellow AL team, especially if they can maintain their recent form. The four-game win streak before the All-Star break has the O’s only two games out of a Wild Card, and relative weakness of the American League means they should be in the mix into August or September. 

However, there will clearly be a market for Ward if the O’s choose to deal their outfield rental instead of offering an extension. Similar deals last year for Harrison Bader, Jesus Sanchez and Cedric Mullins netted each selling team 2-3 prospects. Given Ward’s potential impact, the O’s should expect 2-3 prospects of decent quality. 

The Orioles have the unenviable task of trying to balance the effects of a disappointing start to the season, the desire to push for a playoff berth and the long-term health of the franchise. The O’s were in a similar position two seasons ago with the pending free agency of Anthony Santander. At that time, Baltimore was practically a lock to make the playoffs, making the decision to keep the 29-year-old pending free agent defensible. 

The Elias-led front office can’t repeat that same strategy with Ward. Despite recent positive momentum, it’s far from a guarantee that the O’s overcome the four teams in front of them vying for the final AL Wild Card spot. Baltimore has the hardest remaining strength of schedule in the American League and is dealing with the recent injury to Blaze Alexander. Trading Ward would be a gut punch in that it’d be admitting the Orioles don’t see themselves as true contenders. 

However, keeping Ward on the roster only to let him walk at season’s end would be a mistake. The Orioles’ offseasons often feel reactionary in nature. The front office often seems like it is scrambling to replace a departing player after missing out on their ideal candidate. Too often, it seems that Baltimore is chasing the shadow cast by its past success instead of fortifying the foundation for a better chance at future prosperity. 

If the front office lets Ward walk for nothing, the Orioles will enter the offseason with corner outfield as one of their biggest needs—and less prospect ammunition for a trade. And while Ward may not be the perfect fit for a long-term deal, the Santander for Tyler O’Neill swap shows that replacing good players on the free agent market is a potentially greater risk. What Elias & Co. decide to do with Ward should be the toughest decision the Orioles face in the next three weeks. 

Over the weekend, Major League Baseball held its annual draft during which two Arizona players were selected. Pitchers Owen Kramkowski and Collin McKinney hope to join the long list of former Wildcats to make the bigs, a number that reached 95 earlier this year.

Of that group, 10 have spent time in the majors during the 2026 season, which is currently on the All-Star break, but only four are active and healthy. Here’s a look at how each has fared, along with an update on some other ex-UA players who are in the minors or playing overseas:

Active Major Leaguers

RHP Kevin Ginkel, Arizona Diamondbacks

The 32-year-old Ginkel is having one of the best seasons of his 8-year run with the D’Backs, sporting a 2.84 ERA along with a 3-2 record in 41 appearances. In 38 innings he’s struck out 40 against just 11 walks, and opponents are hitting just .223 against him.

Ginkel, who was part of the 2016 UA team that lost in the College World Series championship series, is earning $2.75 million this season as he approaches free agency. He was a 22nd-round pick in 2016, before the draft was reduced to 20 rounds in 2021.

OF Robert Refsnyder, Seattle Mariners

At 35, Refsnyder is the elder statesmen of ex-Wildcats in the majors and the only active player left from the 2012 NCAA title team that produced seven big league players. Seattle is his ninth organization he’s been with, seven of which have had him in the bigs.

The Mariners signed Refsnyder to a 1-year, $6.25 million deal after seeing how well he hit lefties during the previous four seasons with the Boston Red Sox, but that proficiency hasn’t carried over from the East Coast. In 49 games and 105 at-bats Refsynder is hitting just .133 with three homers and nine RBI, and two weeks ago he was put on the 15-day IL with knee inflamation.

With 1,669 career plate appearances, Refsnyder is 15^th among all ex-Wildcats and only 158 behind Terry Francona, who has become much more known for being one of the best managers in MLB history and who is in his 25^th season overall and 2^nd with the Cincinnati Reds.

RHP Chase Silseth, Los Angeles Angels

It took the 26-year-old Silseth less than a year of pro ball to make the majors, going from pitching with the UA in the 2021 CWS to being an 11th-round pick of the Angels a month later and then making his MLB debut in May 2022.

That was as a starter, which he did during most of his time in the bigs those first three seasons. He was converted to a full-time reliever in 2025 and this season has become one of the more effective bullpen arms in the American League.

Silseth, who is still four seasons away from free agency, is 3-1 with a 3.03 ERA in 42 games. He’s struck out 45 in 35.2 innings with an opposing BA of .227. He’s making $800,000 this season, a little better than the $485K he signed for out of the draft.

C Austin Wells, New York Yankees

The 27-year-old Wells is is the Yankees’ primary catcher, and has been since 2024, but he could be at risk of losing playing time if his team looks to upgrade at the position before the Aug. 3 trade deadline. It wouldn’t be a surprise if they did, seeing as Wells is hitting a miserable .155 in 66 games with six homers and 13 RBI.

Wells hit 21 homers last season in 126 games but is just a career .211 hitter, though his defense has kept him in the lineup. He’s eligible for arbitration this winter and would need a really good second half to land a nice raise from his current $866,200 salary.

Though best known for his time with the Yankees, Wells also played for the World Baseball Classic-winning Dominican Republic earlier this year thanks to his mother’s parents being from that country. He hit two homers in five games during the WBC and was a fan favorite.

The Dominican Republic squad is loving Austin Wells

(via @_losdominicanos) pic.twitter.com/muqQv23JqR

— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) March 14, 2026

MLB Injured List

LHP Andrew Nardi, Miami Marlins

A 16th-round pick of the Marlins in 2019, Nardi made his MLB debut in 2022 and a year later was one of the best left-handed relievers in the National League, going 8-1 with a 2.67 ERA in 63 games. His numbers dipped in 2024 when he also suffered an elbow injury that required surgery, robbing him of all of the 2025 campaign.

The 27-year-old Nardi returned to action this season and sported a 5.16 ERA in 25 appearances over 22.2 innings before going on the injured list again in late May. He was diagnosed with a stress reaction in his ribs, and with him on the 60-day IL he couldn’t return until the end of this month at the earliest.

Nardi, making $800 this season, enters his first year of arbitration in 2027.

RHP Jesse Scholtens, Tampa Bay Rays

While Arizona Baseball doesn’t list him in its media guide as a former Wildcat to make the majors, the 32-year-old Scholtens did play for the UA briefly in 2013. He appeared in two games as a freshman before transferring to a junior college and then Wright State, from where he was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 9^th round in 2016.

Scholtens never made it to the bigs with San Diego, which released him 2022. The Chicago White Sox signed him and got him into 26 games with 11 starts in 2023 before he missed the 2024 season due to injury, eventually ending up with the Rays in 2025 via waivers.

After two appearances that season, Scholtens has pitched in nine games this season with Tampa including a pair of starts. In 37.2 innings he’s gone 5-3 with a save and a 3.82 ERA but since late May has been on the IL with a wrist injury.

In the minors

IF Scott Kingery, Chicago Cubs

A 2nd-round pick of the Philadelphia Phillies in 2015, the 32-year-old Kingery is now with his third MLB organization after signing a 1-year, $1.25 million deal with the Cubs in November. He was on the Opening Day roster but appeared in only eight games with four at-bats, getting one single with a stolen base and two runs scored, before getting designated for assignment.

After clearing waivers, Kingery joined the Triple-A Iowa Cubs where he’s hitting .205 with three home runs and 12 RBI in 38 games.

Kingery spent parts of five seasons with the Phillies, who signed him to a 6-year, $24 million contract before he made his MLB debut, from 2018-22 and also played in 19 games with the Angels in 2025.

C Cesar Salazar, Houston Astros

Drafted by the Astros in the 7^th round in 2018, Salazar continues to be valued by that organization but not enough to keep him with the big club full time. Since making his MLB debut in 2023 he’s appeared in only 35 games, nine this season, and after a month in Houston he was DFA’d in June before getting outrighted to Triple-A Sugar Land.

The 30-year-old Salazar, who has also twice been used as a pitcher in blowouts, has hit .189 with 10 RBI in the majors but in the minors has clubbed 49 homers including one this season. He’s also played more than 230 games in the Mexican Pacific League with Hermosillo, a team the UA has faced multiple times in fall exhibitions the last few years.

C Daniel Susac, San Francisco Giants

The newest member of the ex-Wildcat MLB Club, Susac has been on the Giants’ 40-man roster all season after being unable to crack that list with the Athletics, who drafted him in the 1^st round in 2022. Because the Oakland/Sacramento/soon-to-be-Las Vegas A’s didn’t put him on the 40-man in the winter he was grabbed in the Rule 5 Draft by the Minnesota Twins, who then traded him to San Francisco.

Rule 5 picks have to stay on the MLB roster or the injured list all season that first year or be offered back to their original team. Susac is on the IL for the second time, dealing with a lower back strain, but is currently on a rehab assignment and could get back to the majors after the All-Star Break.

Susac debuted with a bang in April, going 3 for 3 and reaching base all four times in his first start, and was hitting .478 before his first IL stint. While he was gone the Giants traded away starting catcher Patrick Bailey but Susac wasn’t able to capitalize upon his return, hitting .200 in 26 games since coming back.

For the season, Susac is hitting .262 with 14 RBI and when he comes back he’ll likely take the place of fellow rookie Drew Cavanaugh, who can be sent to the minors.

Searching for a team

OF Jared Oliva

The 30-year-old Oliva made the Giants’ Opening Day roster alongside Susac, his first time in the majors since 2021 with the Pittsburgh Pirates, who drafted him in the 7^th round in 2017. He appeared in seven games for San Francisco, going 1 for 7 with a stolen base before breaking the hamate bone in his left hand and ending up on the 60-day IL.

After sending him to Sacramento for a rehab assignment, where he hit .241 in 14 games, the Giants DFA’s Oliva on June 20. The New York Mets claimed him off waivers on June 23 and sent him to Triple-A Syracuse, but on Saturday he was let go by that organization as well.

Thriving overseas

1B Bobby Dalbec

The highest-drafted player from the 2016 UA contingent, going in the 4^th round to the Red Sox, Dalbec played in more than 300 games with Boston from 2020-24 and had a cup of coffee with the Chicago White Sox in 2025 before spending time in the minors with two other clubs. Then, at the age of 30, he signed with the Yomiuri Giants of the Japanese Central League.

So far, the move is paying off. Dalbec is tied for 4^th in the league with 13 homers and 5^th in RBI with 51 for the Giants, who are a game out of first place.

Next ones up?

There are more than 60 former Wildcats active in professional baseball somewhere in the world, according to Baseball-Reference.com, and most of them are still seeking their first taste of the majors. Many were drafted or signed pro deals in the past five years.

Unfortunately, only one is at the Triple-A level: lefty Jackson Kent, who was a 4th-round pick of the Washington Nationals in 2024. He began this season at Double-A Harrisburg, going 1-1 with a 2.35 ERA in seven starts before getting promoted to Rochester in May, and since then has gone 5-3 with a 5.02 ERA in nine starts. If he sticks at that level the rest of the season the Nats might add him to the 40-man this winter.

Currently at the Double-A level are pitchers Clark Candiotti (Padres), TJ Nichols (Rays) and Tonko Susac (Texas Rangers), while outfielder Chase Davis was at Double-A in the Cardinals’ organization before getting injured and is currently rehabbing in Single-A.

Also recently getting promoted to Double-A is outfielder Aaron Walton, who was a 2^nd round pick of the Cleveland Guardians last July. He hit 15 homers and drove in 55 in 79 games at High-A Lake County before getting elevated to the Akron Rubber Ducks on Monday.

The 2026 MLB draft has concluded!

Here we will be keeping track of each draftee taken by the Tampa Bay Rays over the course of the draft, their projected signing amount, and how much they actually signed for.

The Rays have a bonus pool of $19,09,300 that they are alloted to spend on the selections they made over the first 10 rounds of the draft; for every pick after the 10th round, any amount over $150,000 will be counted towards a team’s pool. If a team overspends, they would face the following consequences:

• 0-5%: 75% tax
• 5-10%: 75% tax and lose future 1st round pick
• 10-15%: 100% tax and lose future 1st & 2nd round picks
• 15+%: 100% tax and lose two future 1st round picks

If you see any information regarding the Rays draft picks, please provide it in the comments and I will update the draft tracker accordingly.

Overall	Name	Round	Pos	Class	Status	Recommendation	Bonus	Difference	MISC	MISC
2	Grady Emerson	1	SS	HS SR	unsigned	$10,050,700	$0	FALSE	Rays Bonus Pool	$19,009,300
33	Taj Marchand		SS	HS SR	unsigned	$2,970,200	$0	FALSE	Bonus Pool Used	$0
49	Ben Blair	2	P	4YR HR	unsigned	$2,033,400	$0	FALSE	Bonus Pool Remaining	$19,009,300
85	Gavin Giese	3	P	HS SR	unsigned	$958,500	$0	FALSE
113	Collin Bland	4	OF	HS SR	unsigned	$691,000	$0	FALSE	Projected Pool Usage	$18,553,000
145	Owen Kramkowsk	5	P	4YR JR	unsigned	$506,100	$0	FALSE	Difference	$456,300
174	Kyle Johnson	6	P	4YR JR	unsigned	$386,500	$0	FALSE
203	AJ Rice	7	P	HS SR	unsigned	$304,800	$0	FALSE
233	Griffin Long	8	P	HS SR	unsigned	$242,700	$0	FALSE
263	Tai Jones	9	OF	HS SR	unsigned	$211,200	$0	FALSE
293	Tate McKee	10	P	4YR JR	unsigned	$197,900	$0	FALSE
323	Logan Georges	11	P	HS SR	unsigned	$150,000	$0	FALSE
353	Cole Stokes	12	P	4YR JR	unsigned	$150,000	$0	FALSE
383	Steven Gonzalez	13	P	HS SR	unsigned	$150,000	$0	FALSE
413	Mason Bixby	14	P	4YR JR	unsigned	$150,000	$0	FALSE
443	Amp Phillips	15	P	4YR SR	unsigned	$150,000	$0	FALSE
473	Alex Philpott	16	P	4YR JR	unsigned	$150,000	$0	FALSE
503	McCarty English	17	P	4YR JR	unsigned	$150,000	$0	FALSE
533	Nate Smithburg	18	P	4YR SR	unsigned	$150,000	$0	FALSE
563	David Horn Jr	19	P	4YR SR	unsigned	$150,000	$0	FALSE
593	Ivan Sabater	20	P	HS SR	unsigned	$150,000	$0	FALSE

Meet the Mets

Juan Soto talked to the media ahead of tonight’s All-Star Game. He discussed which Mets players he thinks he will be part of next year’s All-Star team, how it feels to represent the Mets in the game, helping A.J. Ewing and Carson Benge, the players he looked up to growing up, the player he’s most looking forward to catching up with during the festivities, and his message to kids who want to be All-Stars.

Soto also said the Mets are not yet eliminated and he and his teammates will keep grinding.

Soto being voted an All-Star team proves this is the place he deserves to be.

Soto will officially bat second for the NL All-Stars.

Bryce Harper was very complimentary of his former teammate, calling Soto “one of the best to ever do it.” Cody Bellinger was equally complimentary, calling Soto the “best bat in the game.”

Justin Verlander reflected on his time with the Mets.

Started from the top, now we’re here: The Mets began 2026 with an 86.6% shot at the postseason according to FanGraphs, and they enter the second half with a 0.8% chance. If you’re an optimist, you may view this as proof that they’re still not out of it.

And with that, the Mets will gear up for the trade deadline as their focus shifts to 2027.

The second half will be all about roster construction and will require improvements from their vets, starting with Francisco Lindor.

The Mets are facing the worrying reality of squandering another historic offensive season from Soto, though Joel Sherman thinks there may still be some reason for hope.

Danny Abriano argued that taking Devin Williams out of the closer’s role now makes no sense.

Around the National League East

Bryce Harper revealed the one player in baseball history he’d love to suit up with, and it happens to be a player who is currently active.

Harper denied he gave FanDuel the consent for a personalized video he made for a customer, who has since alleged that the sportsbook took advantage of his gambling addiction.

Kyle Schwarber felt the love in Philly despite getting walked off in the Home Run Derby.

Around Major League Baseball

Down to his final swing, Jordan Walker hit four straight homers to stun Kyle Schwarber and win the Home Run Derby. He became the first Cardinals player to do so.

It was a memorable Home Run Derby, and here are some incredible facts and stats to prove it.

Here’s a round-by-round breakdown of the Home Run Derby in case you missed it (or don’t have Netflix and couldn’t watch).

The full All-Star Game starting lineups were revealed ahead of today’s game.

The MLB.com staff dove into some trade rumors.

All-Stars talked about their opposition to a salary cap but believe there is still time to reach a deal.

No. 1 overall pick Roch Cholowsky is going to sign with the White Sox for for $10.35 million, breaking the record of $9.3 million which was set by Chase Burns & Charlie Condon in 2024.

The Yankees agreed to terms with first round pick Hunter Dietz.

The Bronx Bombers are eyeing upgrades at catcher and the bullpen at the trade deadline.

The Athletics dismissed pitching coach Scott Emerson. Their bullpen coach, Dan Hubbs, will serve as interim pitching coach for the remainder of the season.

Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue

Steve Sypa profiled Mets’ draft picks Aidan Keenan, Landon Koenig, Ryan Tayman, and Nate Isler.

Linus Lawrence provided a Monday Stat Party.

Linus also looked at the top ten Mets draft picks of all time by bWAR.

I offered a history of all the Mets who have previously participated in the Home Run Derby.

This Date in Mets History

Bobby Valentine picked up the 1,000th victory of his managerial career on this date in 2001 thanks to a combined one-hitter from Glendon Rusch and Armando Benitez.

We’re reaching an inflection point in the minor league calendar. None of the four full-season affiliates is going to play until Friday in a pseudo All-Star Break (remember when the minors used to have All-Star games?). The trade deadline is 2.5 weeks away. It won’t be long until several of these names are in different organizations. Replacing them will be a new crop of talent that includes 13 hitters in the 2026 draft class. Those who survive will likely be promoted to make room for them in A-ball.

This week, we saw a high-profile promotion, a high-profile rehab assignment, and some great individual performances across the system.

Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders

Record: 11-6 (48-43), 2.5 GB in the International League East after a 4-2 week against the Buffalo Bisons (Blue Jays)

Run differential: +36 (+39)

Coming up: Home vs. Worcester Red Sox (Red Sox)

The RailRiders opened their week with an utter evisceration of the Bisons over the first three games, outscoring them 32-5 through Friday. Getting swept in a Saturday doubleheader took a little bit of steam out of them, but they outlasted Buffalo in an extra-inning affair on Sunday to secure the series win.

With George Lombard Jr. still sidelined this week, the offense got a needed jolt from guys who’ve spent extended stretches on the big league roster and were pushed down due to roster shakeups. Spencer Jones (7-for-22, HR, 2 RBI, 3 XBH, 4 BB) and J.C. Escarra (8-for-26, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 2 2B) have raked since their demotions, and when you combine their performance with the clutch hitting of guys like Jonathan Ornelas and Ernesto Martinez Jr., you suddenly get a good offense. Shoutout to Tyler Hardman, who’s quickly getting himself on a major league radar in his first Triple-A stint.

I get the feel that Tyler Hardman will most likely be with a different organization come the end of July and will most likely be called up to get every day 1B reps when he is. I think dating back to the beginning of June, he's made a lot of really impressive improvements in his… pic.twitter.com/8YLySgPmPl

— Yankees Stats (@ChrisCoop_) July 13, 2026

The rotation is mostly whole again this week, but with a twist. The team appears to be switching around the likes of Dom Hamel, Alexander Cornielle, and Adam Kloffenstein on and off the Development List to get around the roster limit. The three prospects (Elmer Rodríguez, Brendan Beck, Kyle Carr) made another turn, and while the latter struggled on Saturday, the former two both got wins in solid, five-inning outings.

In the bullpen, the shuttle keeps moving. Yerry De los Santos and Yovanny Cruz have continued to produce as they wait their turn; Kervin Castro and Eric Reyzelman had positive weeks, and Double-A call-ups Chris Kean and Will Brian had scoreless outings. Bradley Hanner has arguably been the team’s best reliever, but he’s likely to exercise an opt-out and hit free agency this week.

Players of Note:

George Lombard Jr.: .231/.381/.385, 4 HR, 15 RBI, 16 XBH, 8 SB, 109 wRC+ (on rehab)
Spencer Jones: .275/.384/.567, 14 HR, 50 RBI, 10 SB, 31.0 K%, 143 wRC+
Tyler Hardman: .276/.369/.506, 9 HR, 26 RBI, 18 XBH, 126 wRC+
Brendan Beck: 7-2, 3.09 ERA, 3.73 FIP, 1.04 WHIP, 17.3 K-BB% (93 IP)
Elmer Rodríguez: 5-3, 2.85 ERA, 4.17 FIP, 1.30 WHIP, 11.9 K-BB% (66.1 IP)

Double-A Somerset Patriots

Record: 7-11 (44-43), 4 GB in the Eastern League Northeast after a 2-4 week against the Reading Fightin’ Phils (Phillies)

Run differential: -6 (+30)

Coming up: Away @ Portland Sea Dogs (Red Sox)

Somerset’s downturn over the last several weeks continued this week against Reading, with the team picking up wins only on Wednesday and Friday. In three of their four losses, they failed to score three runs.

The offense is still not having a fun time. Outside of the perennially raking Jace Avina, not many guys are stepping up. It doesn’t help that former Mexican League MVP Nick Torres was granted his release mid-week. The one guy who’s really emerged over the past few weeks has been an unexpected name in the 2025 draft: Connor McGinnis. The former 10th-round pick is slashing .390/.419/.683 with seven extra-base hits in the first half of July.

In the rotation, Xavier Rivas was tasked with the bookend starts and did terrific (more on him later). Jack Cebert had a so-so start to complete an inconsistent first half, Chase Hampton got roughed up on Thursday, Ben Hess went five innings in his longest outing since April, and Cade Smith allowed three runs with seven strikeouts in a choppy outing. This unit has a lot of potential, but there’s been a lot of inconsistency.

In the arm barn, Harrison Cohen got roughed up this week, but the stars continued to shine with Hayden Merda and Ben Grable (who got a brief cameo at the Futures Game), while guys like Tony Rossi and Geoffrey Gilbert are rounding into form after a promotion and an injury, respectively. Keep an eye on Kelly Austin, who’s had an inconsistent season but has good strikeout numbers.

Players of Note:

Jace Avina: .269/.357/.535, 17 HR, 48 RBI, 37 XBH, 28.0 K%, 135 wRC+
Jackson Castillo: .258/.345/.397, 7 HR, 34 RBI, 8 SB, 104 wRC+
Coby Morales: .273/.352/.490, 15 HR, 63 RBI, 12 SB, 124 wRC+
Xavier Rivas: 4-4, 4.20 ERA, 4.58 FIP, 1.15 WHIP, 23.4 K-BB% (64.1 IP)
Ben Grable (A+/AA): 3-1, 2.61 ERA, 1.99 FIP, 0.77 WHIP, 32.0 K-BB% (31 IP)

High-A Hudson Valley Renegades

Record: 11-10 (42-44), 2 GB in the South Atlantic League North Second Half after a 4-2 week against the Rome Emperors (Braves)

Run differential: +19 (+28)

Coming up: Away @ Brooklyn Cyclones (Mets)

The Renegades rode great pitching to start the week, allowing just two runs in each of the first three games to sweep the first three, but they only managed to win one of the final three in what was overall a successful week at home against the visiting Emperors.

Kaeden Kent popped up on the injured list on Tuesday, suddenly taking Hudson Valley’s consistent leadoff bat out of the lineup. With him out, the weight of the lineup falls on Core Jackson and Wilson Rodriguez, but a pair of other red-hot bats are definitely pulling their own weight. Eric Genther (5-for-18, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 4 BB) was a big-time bat this week, and former top prospect Roderick Arias has been incredible all summer after a horrendous start.

Roderick Arias last 28 games

.380/.418/.704 (1.122 OPS), 9 HR, 24.6 K%

Man… https://t.co/APVZyKHSZq

— . (@HalToHell) July 10, 2026

The rotation welcomed fast-rising prospect Henry Lalane, who earned a mid-week promotion, to a group with an underrated amount of prospect value. Lalane allowed two runs in 4.2 innings with eight strikeouts in a game the bullpen blew. Bryce Cunningham struggled with command in four innings, Allen Facundo had a very similar outing to Lalane with eight strikeouts, Rory Fox struck out nine in another strong outing, Franyer Herrera tossed five solid frames, and Luis Serna was the star of the show. The Mexico native struck out 10 in seven strong innings on Wednesday.

The bullpen started strong in the first half of the week, but it got smoked on Friday and Sunday. The latter was more of Sean Paul Liñan as a piggyback, but Andrew Landry and Bryce Warrecker licked their wounds after an ugly loss on Friday. Thomas Balboni Jr., Wilmy Sanchez, and Kevin Stevens had the best weeks.

Players of Note:

Kaeden Kent: .302/.359/.433, 6 HR, 43 RBI, 28 XBH, 20 SB, 107 wRC+ (injured)
Core Jackson: .250/.358/.456, 11 HR, 40 RBI, 27 SB, 112 wRC+
Wilson Rodriguez: .261/.381/.430, 8 HR, 43 RBI, 20 SB, 115 wRC+
Luis Serna: 4-4, 4.04 ERA, 3.76 FIP, 1.17 WHIP, 17.6 K-BB% (78 IP)
Bryce Cunningham: 2-4, 4.21 ERA, 5.24 FIP, 1.32 WHIP, 4.3 K-BB% (47 IP)

Single-A Tampa Tarpons

Record: 15-6 (46-35), 4 GA in the Florida State League West after a 4-2 week against the Clearwater Threshers (Phillies)

Run differential: +29 (+52)

Coming up: Home vs. Bradenton Marauders (Pirates)

The Tarpons continue to be the gold standard in the Yankees’ system with the most well-balanced roster from top to bottom. They’ve also benefitted from not many promotions disrupting their vibes, but that could change as the new draftees arrive and the FCL season ends soon. They lost two of their first three games, but swept a Saturday doubleheader and won via shutout on Sunday.

The offense stayed consistent with Jackson Lovich continuing to rake while the Monteros, Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek, and JoJo Jackson all complemented him in the lineup. Luis Puello has cooled off of late, and they’re not getting much from Engelth Urena and Brando Mayea, but they remain the third-best offense in the entire Florida State League.

Justin West opened the week with six shutout innings as he continued a strong recent stretch, Thatcher Hurd went another five solid innings, Wyatt Parliament had a bounce-back start with five one-run innings, JT Etheridge tossed four shutout innings, and Tyler Boudreau went six strong innings. Sabier Marte was called up for his Single-A debut on Saturday and got shelled, while the team placed Brennan Stuprich on the injured list.

It was opposite day for the bullpen. Their three best relievers in the first half were probably Pedro Rodriguez, Jose M. Rodriguez, and Jose Martinez, but all three got shelled this week. Meanwhile, long-struggling pitchers Jose Ledesma and Jordarlin Mendoza did great. Brian Hendry also pitched an inning, and I openly wonder if he’s transitioning to a reliever to expedite his trip up the minor leagues.

Players of Note:

Jackson Lovich: .289/.360/.532, 14 HR, 52 RBI, 30 XBH, 20 SB, 132 wRC+
Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek: .258/.374/.411, 9 HR, 37 RBI, 25 SB, 114 wRC+
Hans Montero: .242/.366/.426, 8 HR, 40 RBI, 27 XBH, 21 SB, 114 wRC+
Tyler Boudreau: 5-2, 3.16 ERA, 3.72 FIP, 1.05 WHIP, 18.9 K-BB% (74 IP)
Thatcher Hurd: 1-3, 4.34 ERA, 5.09 FIP, 1.14 WHIP, 18.7 K-BB% (29 IP)

FCL Yankees

Record: 27-25, 7.5 GB in the FCL North after a 4-1 week.

Run differential: +11

The season is just about over for the FCL Yanks. There are only eight games left, and they trail the FCL Orioles by 4.5 games for the final wild card spot. They got off to a nice start on an unlikely climb this week with four wins, but there’s a long way to go.

The most prolific home run hitting team in rookie ball has a lot of names to talk about, but there’s one big storyline to watch in the final week and a half. Wilberson De Pena has tied the all-time FCL record in home runs with 15 and is three off from the all-time rookie ball record of 18. Can he get there?

The other big news was the return of George Lombard Jr. in a rehab assignment on Monday afternoon in the backfields of the FCL Phillies’ complex in Florida. Of course, he blasted a 106-mph homer in his first at-bat since spraining two of his fingers in June.

🚨George Lombard Jr CRUSHES 2nd pitch of his rehab for a solo shot!

106 MPH EV
397 Ft#RepBx#Yankeespic.twitter.com/K3hi9BcHKt

— YankeesFarm (@YankeesFarm) July 13, 2026

The two most notable pitchers on the staff got promoted to Tampa, including stellar Tennessee UDFA reliever Austin Breedlove. The new names to watch? Edinzo Marquez, Enixon Sanchez, Jerson Alejandro, and Danny Flatt.

Players of Note:

Wilberson De Pena: .342/.399/.663, 13 HR, 53 RBI, 31 XBH, 18 SB, 148 wRC+
Jose Castro: .297/.492/.538, 6 HR, 24 RBI, 25 SB, 158 wRC+
Richard Matic: .309/.427/.481, 20 XBH, 27 RBI, 14 SB, 126 wRC+
Sabier Marte: 34.1 IP, 5.77 ERA, 4.85 FIP, 1.46 WHIP, 16.3 K-BB%
Austin Breedlove: 21 IP, 1.71 ERA, 3.10 FIP, 1.14 WHIP, 18.0 K-BB%

DSL Yankees & Bombers

DSL Yankees:
Record: 19-10, 1 GA in DSL East after a 4-0 week
Run differential: +107

DSL Bombers:
Record: 13-18, 7.5 GB in DSL Southeast after a 2-3 week
Run differential: -25

The DSL Yankees are the best team at that level. They’ve finally taken the lead in the DSL East division and their offense is right at the center. They’re averaging over 10 runs a game with a team OPS of .954, buoyed by a Big Three of Isaias Castillo, Juan Torres, and Stiven Marinez. They even got the best DSL pitcher in the system, as Fredy Penuelas has a sub-1 ERA in 30 innings.

The DSL Bombers are down in the doldrums. Their average game sees them commit three errors, score a bunch of runs on 10+ walks, and lose via pitching implosion. So it goes.

Players of Note:

Isaias Castillo: .330/.444/.699, 8 HR, 27 RBI, 20 XBH, 10 SB, 159 wRC+ (124 PA)
Juan Torres: .373/.436/.686, 5 HR, 33 RBI, 20 XBH, 11 SB, 151 wRC+ (117 PA)
Stiven Marinez: .289/.420/.567, 5 HR, 30 RBI, 18 SB, 145 wRC+ (119 PA)
Fredy Penuelas: 20.1 IP, 0.44 ERA, 2.68 FIP, 1.03 WHIP, 26.8 K-BB%
Yunior Jerez: 20.2 IP, 3.05 ERA, 3.63 FIP, 0.87 WHIP, 17.7 K-BB%

Prospect of the Week: Xavier Rivas

Weekly Stats: 12 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 4 BB, 16 K
Season Stats: 4-4, 4.20 ERA, 4.58 FIP, 1.15 WHIP, 23.4 K-BB% (64.1 IP)

Rivas made the rare two-start week, tossing a quality start on both Tuesday and Sunday. It’s rare that a lineup does worse the more they see a pitcher in quick succession, but Rivas managed to do that to Reading this week. He started with a basic six-inning, two-run showing on Tuesday:

But his masterpiece was on Sunday, where the former 16th-round pick out of Ole Miss tossed six no-hit innings with 10 strikeouts to close the week. Unfortunately, his bullpen not only soiled the no-no, but the shutout and the win.

Since a disastrous 11-run outing in late May, Rivas has a 1.41 ERA across 32.2 innings with 46 strikeouts to 13 walks. He’s slowly turned into a real starter after being reduced to a piggyback or four-inning starter to start the season, and that could mean his stock is up both internally and externally.

After the Jays won the 1992 World Series, Cito Gaston was named manager of the American League team for the 1993 All-Star Game. Three Jays—Joe Carter, John Olerud, and Roberto Alomar—were selected as starters by fan vote, a testament to the enthusiasm of Blue Jays fans. Cito further demonstrated his loyalty by adding four more Jays to the roster: Paul Molitor, Devon White, Pat Hentgen, and Duane Ward. This move didn’t sit well with fans of other teams, but Cito has always stood by his players.

The game took place at the new and impressive Camden Yards in Baltimore. The Orioles had a strong team that year. Cal Ripken was selected by the fans, and Cito also included Mike Mussina on the roster. In hindsight, knowing how events would unfold, Cito might have chosen someone else for that spot.

I got to ask Pat Hentgen about that game and not getting to pitch, and he said this:

Yeah, that was when Cito called us into the office prior to the All-Star game and said, ‘Hey listen, you guys are young; I’ve got some other veteran guys that made the All-Star team, I’m going to pitch them and save you for backup in case we go extra innings. So you basically are not going to pitch. The way I see it, you are young, and you’ll be back another one. I remember walking out of his office thinking, ” Darn, I can’t believe he is thinking that.” But he was right. At that time, did I think I’d make another one? I wasn’t so sure; I didn’t know. You have many doubts as a professional athlete. Not everyone is super super confident. He was right, I made another one and pitched in 94 and 97. That 93 one was a great experience.

Now Pat uses the term ‘we’, which, though he doesn’t say it, suggests to me that Mike Mussina got the same talk. Mussina was in his second full season in the majors. Cito always preferred veteran players. Hentgen was disappointed to be told that he wasn’t likely to play in the game. Mussina would have the additional disappointment of not playing in the game in front of his hometown fans, though he had played in the 1992 All-Star Game. What are the chances of him getting into another All-Star game at his home field?

The game didn’t go into extra innings, and neither Hentgen nor Mussina were used. In Pat’s case, it was barely noticed. In Mussina’s?

Baltimore fans understandably wanted to see their pitcher take the mound. What’s harder to grasp is Mussina’s decision to warm up in the bullpen during the ninth inning without being asked by Cito. By doing so, he turned the crowd against Cito—and it worked. It was a questionable move. Cito’s response:

“By standing up, he (Mussina) showed me he’s a person with little class. Screw him. I just won’t take him next year”.

Cito didn’t follow through on his threat; he took Mussina to the 1994 All-Star Game and used him. Still, Oriole fans have never forgiven Cito, and the tension between him and Mussina lingered. Fans continued to wear ‘Cito Sucks’ T-shirts, and Cito even received death threats when the team visited Baltimore. Not exactly a proud chapter for anyone involved.

So, who was at fault? Honestly, both were. Cito should have put Mussina in—it was his home crowd, and All-Star Games are supposed to be for the fans. Cito wanted to save Mussina in case of extra innings, but with the AL leading 9-3 in the ninth, that was unlikely. I think Cito should have let Mussina pitch.

But Mussina wasn’t blameless either—his actions put Cito in a tough spot. Maybe youth was his excuse, but it wasn’t the right way to handle things. Once Mussina started warming up on his own, there was no way Cito would be pressured into using him. Mussina’s best approach would have been to ask his own manager, Johnny Oates (who was coaching on the AL staff), to speak to Cito. That might have worked—Cito is a reasonable guy.

In the end, the situation couldn’t have played out much worse. Mussina didn’t help matters after the game, saying:

“It was the biggest ovation I ever got for never being in a game,” Mussina said. “I knew I wasn’t going to get into the game. There was nothing said. They [the fans] all wanted to see me pitch. They’re die-hard Baltimore fans. They waited 35 years for this game.”

Oriole GM Frank Robinson had the proper response:

“I’m disappointed in the fan reaction. I don’t think it’s right,” said Robinson, who played in 11 All-Star Games and was honorary co-captain of this year’s AL team. “I’d like to have seen Mussina get in. But there was no reason for that. It’s an All-Star Game, an exhibition.

I don’t think anyone came out of this looking good.

How did the Jay players do in the game?

Roberto Alomar: Started the game, hitting leadoff. He went 1 for 3 with a solo home run in the 3rd off Andy Benes.

Paul Molitor: Started the game, batting second. He went 0 for 1 with a walk.

Joe Carter: Started the game, hitting cleanup. He went 1 for 3 with a strikeout.

John Olerud: Started the game, hitting 5th. He went 0 for 2.

Devon White: Replaced Ken Griffey in the top of the 6th. He went 1 for 2, with a double, run, RBI and stolen base.

Duane Ward: Pitched the 9th (yeah, while Mussina threw in the bullpen). He got 3 quick outs, 2 strikeouts and a ground out.

The lone Oriole to play, Cal Ripken, went 0 for 3 with a strikeout.

With the All-Star Break here, much of the baseball world has a bit of time away from the diamond. However, there are still some games going on in the minors. And for the Braves, that meant the return to action for Ronald Acuna Jr. and Ha-Seong Kim.

Ronald Acuña Jr. and Ha-Seong Kim today begin rehabilitation assignments with the FCL Braves.

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) July 13, 2026

Both Kim and Acuna Jr. had multiple at-bats on the day, and Kim hit a home run in his first plate appearance. While the results will hopefully come for Acuna Jr., it was just great to have him back in action. His return should be a big boost for a Braves team looking to make winning a habit once again.

Braves News

Ozzie Albies will be batting sixth and Drake Baldwin ninth in the NL All-Star starting lineup.

Tate Southisene had a good weekend at the plate.

Here is a full recap of the Braves 2026 Draft Class.

MLB News

Jordan Walker and many other sluggers created a memorable Home Run Derby on Monday night.

Number 1 overall pick Roch Cholowsky signed with the White Sox.

Five Dodgers are in Philadelphia for the All-Star game on Tuesday, two of them first timers in Andy Pages and Justin Wrobleski.

Sonja Chen of MLB.com covers why it should be Pages’ second All-Star nod.

“It should be his second. I think he should have had it last year,” said Freddie Freeman, who will be in the NL’s starting lineup alongside Pages at his 10th All-Star Game. “Andy has been great for a couple years now. So I’m glad he’s getting the recognition. I’m glad the fans are gonna get to see him in Philadelphia.”

Last year, the Dodgers centerfielder was one of three finalists for the fan vote to make the Midsummer Classic. He was not chosen by the fans, nor was he added as a replacement. Did that give him motivation to make it this season?

“I think it did affect me,” Pages said through interpreter Juan Dorado. “But obviously, coming into this year I’m trying to focus on the things that I can control, the things that I need to do, and kind of learn from what happened last year and put myself in a better spot this year.”

Andy didn’t talk much about it, but focused on being better and getting to the All-Star team, in addition to being better overall for the team. While he’s had his ups and downs, he’s proud of the work he’s put in that has resulted in him being the starting centerfielder for the National League.

“This is one of those things that … you feel proud of all the work you’ve done,” Pages said in Spanish. “It’s doing those little things that you think can make you better, keeping working and trying to do the best every day.”

Max Muncy is on his third All-Star team, but it’s been five years since his last appearance, and he’s had to work through some significant injuries in the meantime.

“It’s coming back from injuries, finding ways to stay healthy – regaining form I guess you’d call it,” Muncy said. “Just getting back to the player that I had been for several years before I started getting hurt. For me, it’s just a recognition of that.”

This time around, Muncy is very much looking forward to the family aspect of it, and for his kids to experience this with their dad.

Over the offseason, Muncy put a lot of effort into making sure his body was in the best shape for this season, knowing that being the Dodgers’ third baseman was his only path to staying on the team which whom he hopes to retire.

“The reality of the situation was if I want to continue being a Dodger I had to learn to play third base. There really is no ifs ands or butts about that. I had to get better.”

His offseason work has paid off, as Muncy leads all NL third basemen in slugging and OPS, and is tied for second in home runs with 17. He’s ranked third among third basemen in defensive runs saved, even with his two errors in his last two games.

“For me, it was never about getting the money. It was always about getting the opportunity to win,” he said. “That was the thing for me. If I’m going to play this game that I love, the reason I love it is because I love to compete, I want to be in the best spot to compete to win and there’s no better spot than here. That was always the deciding factor in those decisions. That’s why it’s always been a no-brainer for me. The money didn’t really matter. It’s the chance to compete and win and I get that every day here.

Bill Plunkett of the OC Register covers more of Muncy and manager Dave Roberts’ thoughts on his season and what he means to the team here.

Jac Caglianone was bounced in the first round of the Home Run Derby last night, but not before he unleashed some truly magnificent homers.

Caglianone belted eight home runs in the first round of the annual tournament. He got off to a slow start before settling in with some mammoth homers.

In his session, Caglianone blasted homers well into the third deck at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He also hit a baseball over the batter’s eye in center field before bowing out after 20 swings.

However, Caglianone wouldn’t move forward. He was not one of the final four participants after Willson Contreras (13 homers), Jordan Walker (13), Junior Caminero (12) and Kyle Schwarber (10) advanced in the competition.

Matthew Leach at MLB dot com also covered Caglianone’s performance in the Derby.

Caglianone finished tied for sixth among the eight contenders with eight home runs, and only the top four advanced. While CBP doesn’t have a reputation as being especially friendly or unfriendly to right- or left-handed hitters, it certainly seemed the righties had the most fun in the first round. All three right-handed hitters — Willson Contreras, Jordan Walker and Junior Caminero — launched at least 12 homers, placing first, second and third in the opening round. Meanwhile none of the five lefties — Kyle Schwarber, Ben Rice, Caglianone, Bryce Harper and Munetaka Murakami — tallied more 10, and among them, only Schwarber advanced to the second round.

The Royals slugger found himself in fourth after four batters, but withstood a challenge from Rice. However, when Caminero hit his ninth on the way to 12 total, Caglianone was eliminated.

Ultimately, Jordan Walker prevailed in the Derby on a thrilling walk-off finish against Philly favorite Kyle Schwarber.

After Schwarber clubbed 11 homers to send the crowd into a frenzy, Walker found himself sitting on eight with one swing left in the finals. Batters who end on a homer are allowed unlimited swings after that until a ball doesn’t go over the fence, and Walker took full advantage, hitting four in a row to upend Schwarber.

In doing so, he became the first Cardinals player to win the Derby.

Pete Grathoff talked to the Caglianones about Jac’s father, Jeff, throwing to Jac in the Derby.

No matter the outcome Monday night, Caglianone will be a winner because of who will be throwing to him: Jeff Caglianone, his dad. Father and son practiced on the Camden Yards field on Sunday, a day later than planned. They hoped to do it Saturday but were rained out. So they worked in the cages and began forming a plan.

“It’s funny. We talked about that yesterday,” Jeff Caglianone said Sunday. “He was looking (for pitches) a little bit up and in, and then I was throwing him some pitches down, and he was hammering them. As long as he gets a barrel to it, we’ll be OK.”

The Caglianones have Home Run Derby history, as dad pitched to his son at the 2024 Arizona Fall league event.

David Lesky ruminates on the first half of the season.

There has absolutely been some good. We’ve seen some of those young hitters have big moments. We’ve seen great moments like Stephen Kolek’s complete game, the crazy game against the Phillies, the walkoff against the Angels and others. But this was supposed to be a year to compete for the division title, not be the worst team in baseball. The Rockies are a half-game better! Some of it is injuries. The start was just bad baseball. Cole Ragans, Vinnie Pasquantino, Salvador Perez and the bullpen in general just weren’t good enough. But as I’ve said, the injuries piled up, and they couldn’t really overcome that brutal start. The 40-48 first half of 1986 might be more disappointing than this, only because they were coming off the title, but even so, this is pretty close.

Mike Gillespie at Royals Keep raises three questions the Royals should think about during the break.

The White Sox are going to sign number one overall pick Roch Cholowsky to a big deal, apparently a record bonus.

We got some more contract details on JJ Wetherholt’s deal with the Cardinals.

Luis Arraez wants to stay at second base if he is traded.

The Athletics fired their pitching coach.

FanGraphs is kicking off their annual replacement-level killers series, which identifies the worst-performing positions on contenders.

ESPN’s annual best player rankings for the NFL are out, and Patrick Mahomes is not the number one QB.

Supposedly a FIFA official acted alone in overturning Folorin Balogun’s red card in the World Cup (mmhmm, sure).

Senegal fired their men’s national team coach and the whole technical staff in the wake of the collapse against Belgium.

Actor Sam Neill, who starred in Jurassic Park and The Piano among many other movies, died yesterday.

Your song of the day is She’s In A Frenzy by Jack White from his new album Frozen Charlotte.