MLB News
Hey all, here’s your open thread for Wednesday.
The Arman Effect.
Sure, I’ll buy it.
Kinda wish I could have been a skater.
Some great pics here, can you add anyone to this list?
Happy Canada Day to those who celebrate.
Enjoy!
Rangers 4, Guardians 2
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Pirates fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
As of this morning, the Pittsburgh Pirates are 43-43. Certainly an improvement over the Bucs teams of years past, but not quite good enough for the MLB Playoffs. They currently sit at 3 games back of a Wild Card spot. What we want to know is if you think the Bucs can battle their way into the Wild Card?
Cast your vote, tell us in the comments, and we’ll be back soon with the results!
On Monday, the wind was blowing out at Wrigley Field at 15 miles per hour on a hot evening. Not a single home run left the yard.
On Tuesday, the wind was blowing out at Wrigley Field at 19 miles per hour on a hot evening, 92 degrees at game time. Nine home runs – five by the Cubs and four by the Padres – headed to the bleachers (and Waveland!). The wind didn’t actually have much to do with it, as only one of the home runs Tuesday was wind-aided. The Cubs outlasted the Padres 9-7 during this home-run festival, their fourth win in a row and 14th in their last 18 games.
The long balls began on the fifth pitch of the game by Matthew Boyd. Fernando Tatis Jr. deposited that baseball on Waveland:
But that’s all the Padres would get in that inning. Boyd set down the next three hitters on just seven pitches.
The Cubs wasted no time getting that run back. With one out, Alex Bregman walked. He was forced at second by Seiya Suzuki, but when Tatis’ throw went into the Padres dugout, Suzuki took second.
Carson Kelly singled in Suzuki [VIDEO].
In the top of the second, Nico Hoerner flashed some glove [VIDEO].
Nico stole a hit from Jackson Merrill and turned it into an out. This is just another example of how good the Cubs defense is.
The Cubs took the lead in the second. With one out, Swanson sent a ball deep into the left-field bleachers [VIDEO].
After that, Kevin Alcántara singled and Pete Crow-Armstrong walked.
Then Alex Bregman launched one [VIDEO].
That was Bregman’s first home run since June 11 and just his second of the month. Maybe, just maybe, this will begin a good run for him.
The Padres made it 5-3 off Matthew Boyd in the third with another long ball, this one a two-run shot by Manny Machado. That could have been more if not for yet another diving play by Nico [VIDEO].
After that, Boyd settled down and didn’t allow any further runs into the sixth. He helped himself out with his own defense to end the fifth [VIDEO].
Meanwhile, the Cubs extended their lead in the bottom of the fifth with more long balls. With one out, Michael Busch hit his 10th [VIDEO].
One out later, Ian Happ singled and Swanson smashed his second home run of the evening [VIDEO].
Swanson had a huge series in New York, didn’t do anything in Milwaukee and now has had two good games against the Padres. Over his last 12 games: .340/373/.830 (16-for-47) with three doubles, a triple, six home runs, 21 (!) RBI, four stolen bases and 12 runs scored. In that span he’s raised his season OPS from .587 to .691.
Boyd allowed two singles leading off the San Diego sixth and was lifted for Javier Assad, who immediately got Xander Bogaerts to hit into a double play, then got another out to end the inning. The Cubs made it 9-3 in the bottom of the inning on PCA’s 18th home run [VIDEO].
Okay, that one needed a bit of help from the wind.
Assad threw a scoreless seventh and then ran out of gas in the eighth. Gavin Sheets smacked a three-run homer and Tatis went deep for the second time to make it 9-7. A walk brought Machado to the plate as the potential tying run. Tyler Ferguson entered the game and struck him out [VIDEO].
The Cubs got two runners on leading off the bottom of the eighth, but could not score.
Ferguson began the ninth inning by getting two fly balls to left. With Merrill coming to bat, Craig Counsell summoned Ryan Rolison to finish things off. It took Rolison just three pitches to get another fly to left to end the game [VIDEO].
For Rolison, it was his first career MLB save. The Cubs have now had 10 different pitchers record saves this year. In addition to Rolison: Daniel Palencia, Jacob Webb, Caleb Thielbar, Colin Rea, Hoby Milner, Ben Brown, Trent Thornton, Jordan Wicks and Corbin Martin. The leader is still Palencia… with three.
About the Cubs’ five-homer game, from BCB’s JohnW53:
The Cubs had hit three home runs in nine of their 85 games this season before this game. This is their first with more than three.
Last year, they hit at least four in 17 games, eight of them at home. Their longest stretch with no more than three was 36 games.
They went 92 games between four-homer ones in 2024, 80 in 2023, 69 in 2022 and 64 in 2021.
Their last game before this one with at least five homers was the one where they set the franchise record of eight, July 4, 2025 against the Cardinals.
Here’s Dansby on his two-homer game [VIDEO].
And here are Craig Counsell’s postgame comments [VIDEO].
The Cubs thus finish June on a roll. After a rough start to the month they end it with a 16-10 record, and as noted earlier, a four-game winning streak and a 14-4 run. The Brewers also won Tuesday so the Cubs continue to trail them by 5.5 games in the NL Central.
The Cubs will go for a series sweep over the Padres Wednesday afternoon at Wrigley Field and it’s supposed to be hot and windy again. Colin Rea will start for the Cubs and Walker Buehler goes for San Diego. Game time is 1:20 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network.
The Orioles keep finding ways to beat themselves. This isn’t a hot take or even a fresh one. The book is out on the Baltimore Orioles. There are several talented players, but they will not beat you with sound baseball. They are the opposite of those pesky teams that play the game the right way and sneak out close wins. They are 6-13 in one-run games.
Still, the woeful American League has kept Baltimore within five games of a playoff spot. The third wild card, paired with a potentially desperate Mike Elias, has kept the concept of competing in 2026 alive. There is enough talent to see an above .500 baseball team if you look through the right lense, but it’s growing more difficult by the day.
I can’t manage an optimistic approach right now, but I can point out that several things need to change if this team is going to get hot in the second half. It feels like a cop-out to just say hit better, pitch better, and play better defense, so here’s my best crack at some changes that the team can implement starting today.
Offensive catchers have been described as a “cheat code.” The Orioles have two of them. Both Adley Rutschman and Samuel Basallo possess legitimate middle-of-the-order bats, and the team routinely pencils them both into the lineup. It’s a luxury to have one catcher that can handle himself at the dish, but having two is extremely rare. On paper, Baltimore should receive a legitimate boost on day games when other teams are forced to implement a traditionally light-hitting backstop.
The Orioles are currently using an additional roster spot on catcher Chadwick Tromp. The Birds were happy to get Tromp back in the organization with Rutschman on the 7-day IL, and the team elected to keep Tromp over Sam Huff.
It’s easy to understand why the Orioles want to provide Rutschman and Basallo extra rest. Baltimore gave Rutschman a breather last night, but Tromp remained on the bench. Basallo is obviously capable of catching when Rutschman gets the day off, and the team could use the roster spot on the recently optioned Jeremiah Jackson or another position player.
I’ve spend an unhealthy amount of time wondering how a healthy Jordan Westburg could help this team, but he’s not walking through that door. Right now, the Orioles only have Coby Mayo and Blaze Alexander for the hot corner. Mayo’s defensive woes have been well documented, but Alexander recently stepped into the spotlight. Alexander’s late error brought boo’s from the crowd on Monday night, and he holds a -4.2 UZR/150 rating at the position this year.
Coby Mayo was always going to be a bat-first baseball player. The corner infielder holds a .295/.368/.721 slash line against left-handed pitching this season. He’s hitting .148/.215/.235 against the righties. It’s fine if the Orioles want a bad defender on the field because of a 1.089 OPS, but they simply have to stop putting Mayo on the field when facing a right-handed pitcher.
I get that Gunnar Henderson doesn’t want to play third base, but he probably doesn’t want to keep losing games either. The Orioles probably do not trust Jackson Holliday’s defense at shortstop either, but it’s time to try something different. Sliding the two infielders to their right would allow Alexander and a recalled Jackson to split time at second.
If the team really is a buyer, they could strike a deal for a third baseman or a shortstop capable of hitting right-handed pitching. There’s no rule that you have to break the bank for a guy like Matt Chapman or wait until the end of July.
The Orioles have forfeited their buffer when it comes to keeping Trey Gibson in the starting rotation. Gibson has pitched like a rookie that’s still figuring things out, and that’s completely reasonable. Craig Albernaz clearly does not trust the rookie to face opponents a third time through the order, and that’s something that really only comes with time.
Unfortunately, the Orioles are out of time. Gibson could use the reps, and Kyle Bradish could probably use an extra day of rest every once and awhile, but the team needs its best five guys taking the ball every five days. Kremer should return from the injured list this week, and Gibson should probably return to Norfolk’s starting rotation.
Kyle Schwarber has more home runs than anyone else in baseball this season. If you are surprised by this, you are probably also shocked on a daily basis by things like the sky being blue or your stove being hot. It must be nice, one supposes, to have such an vast capacity for wonder.
But even those of us who have a somewhat more reasonable capacity for it can do some wondering. We know that Kyle Schwarber is one of the finest home run hitters of his generation. We know that he strikes fear into the hearts of opposing pitchers, cowardly and superstitious lot that they are. But we do not yet know if he will hit 500 home runs. He currently stands at 370. Someday, in a bittersweet moment that will not be recognized for what it is until it has past, he will hit his last. That is certain. The number assigned to that final round tripper, however, is uncertain.
Today’s question is: Will Kyle Schwarber hit 500 home runs before he retires?
The Hall of Fame Indexwas first published in 201o. It had been in the works for nearly a decade at that point. The whole point was to establish a systematic way of looking at Hall of Fame candidates and those already in the Hall of Fame. At its best, it measures fitness for the Hall of Fame and aims to put players into groups with other similar players so we can compare them.
The sequel was published in 2020. It obviously updated numbers for players that were currently active, but also adjusted the formula as we got more information. One of the key things in statistical analysis is that we are always learning something new. The formula is similar to JAWS, but has a couple of key differences. First, it combines baseball-reference.com WAR and Fangraphs.com WAR into one number. I do that for two main reasons. First and foremost, the more data the better in most instances. It gives us a cross-section of what keen sabermetric minds feel about a player.
The second reason is that there is always an intellectual divide on these things. The old formulas included win shares, but since Bill James retired, there is no longer an update on current win shares, so that one has been dropped from the formula. Like JAWS, the index includes a peak value element. However, the peak value is made up of ten seasons. I have gotten push back on this and the push back is perfectly reasonable. I chose ten years because you need to play at least ten years to get into the Hall of Fame and ten years gives you slightly more data than the seven years that JAWS brings.
That is important distinction because I do not profile any players until they have been in the league for at least ten seasons. So, as we compare Alex Bregman to his contemporaries, there are five third baseman that make the list. I will not speak for Jay Jaffe (the creator of JAWS) but the index was never meant to rank order players. It was meant to place players into groups with other similar players so that we can directly compare them using other means. I have done this before with Bregman, but since we are at the midway point of the 2026 season, it is a good time to revisit it.
| BWAR | FWAR | BWAR10 | FWAR10 | Index | |
| Jose Ramirez | 60.1 | 59.9 | 54.8 | 55.9 | 230.7 |
| Manny Machado | 61.3 | 57.6 | 52.9 | 49.5 | 221.3 |
| Nolan Arenado | 59.2 | 52.5 | 53.0 | 48.5 | 211.0 |
| Alex Bregman | 45.1 | 49.5 | 44.1 | 43.2 | 176.9 |
| Matt Chapman | 44.5 | 36.3 | 44.5 | 36.3 | 161.6 |
It’s at this point where I feel the need to reiterate the idea that the index was not meant to rank order players. I would argue that Ramirez is better because he is still trending up where Machado seems to be spinning his wheels, but the numbers by themselves do not prove he is better. They show he is slightly more fit for Cooperstown and that is an important distinction. It is the other tests that will show who is actually better.
As for Bregman, these scores are meant to peg him historically so that we can talk about his career in the proper context. Ironically, he is most similar to another well-known third baseman that finished his career with the Cubs. Ron Cey finished with a higher career value than Bregman, but Bregman is still going. When the dust settles they will probably sit right next to each other and almost look like the same player.
I should point out that Chapman is officially in his tenth season, so anything he does for the remainder of the year will be added to the career and peak value categories. So, he is also close to Bregman in terms of value. If you read the Altuve article, you know we will look at offensive numbers, fielding numbers, MVP voting, and playoff numbers to give us an idea of who might belong and who might not.
| OPS+ | rOBA | Rbaser | ROV | OW% | |
| Jose Ramirez | 130 | .369 | 49 | .327 | .658 |
| Manny Machado | 122 | .353 | 1 | .291 | .574 |
| Nolan Arenado | 118 | .362 | -3 | .295 | .606 |
| Alex Bregman | 130 | .363 | -5 | .308 | .631 |
| Matt Chapman | 118 | .340 | 7 | .290 | .558 |
I really invite you to read the Altuve article from Monday for a help with the statistical breakdowns. To put it in simple terms, rOBA can be compared to on base percentage and ROV can be compared to batting average. They both include both on base and slugging elements, but in terms of what is good or not good, they are fairly easy to interpret that way. Even without the explanation, we can clearly see that these guys are all fairly similar for the most part.
In a historical context this makes things challenging. How many Hall of Famers should an era have at any one position? If you are the fifth best third baseman from an era are you really a Hall of Famer? That’s a nuanced and difficult question to answer. Each period has strong positions and weak positions. We saw that second base is relatively shallow at the moment. We will see on Friday that shortstop is similar to third base in terms of depth. So far, none of these guys is really distinguishing themselves as above the rest. Ramirez comes closest in some categories, but we will need to look at fielding first.
| Rfield | DRS | OAA | FRV | |
| Jose Ramirez | 34 | 36 | 57 | 43 |
| Manny Machado | 93 | 93 | 25 | 23 |
| Nolan Arenado | 172 | 172 | 113 | 94 |
| Alex Bregman | 34 | 36 | 57 | 43 |
| Matt Chapman | 121 | 121 | 71 | 64 |
Perceptive people will notice one thing immediately: Rfield and DRS are basically the same. It’s because they are the same. Why do we include both? BWAR officially bases the fielding part of the formula on Rfield. If you go to Fangraphs, you will see defensive runs saved (DRS), outs above average (OAA), and fielding run value (FRV). Those two numbers are usually lower because they are more recent and have some seasons missing, but also because they are compiled differently. FWAR is built using OAA and FRV and not DRS.
I’ve made no bones about the fact that I refuse to take sides in the debate over which metric is best. All three are designed by people far smarter than me. What we can see in a general sense is that all of these guys are considered to be at least above average with the glove. Arenado and Chapman are clearly head and shoulders above the other three.
Arenado is likely in the finishing stages of his career, so his defensive value will be fairly fixed. Chapman is still close to the prime of his career, so he still could add some value on the back end. Similarly, Ramirez is also closer to his prime, so he could add some value there as well. As an analyst, I would stay these numbers tend to put Arenado’s career in a much different light.
| Voting | BWAR | Diff | Top | |
| Jose Ramirez | 37 | 29 | 8 | 1 |
| Manny Machado | 26 | 26 | 0 | 0 |
| Nolan Arenado | 26 | 33 | -7 | 1 |
| Alex Bregman | 12 | 15 | -3 | 0 |
| Matt Chapman | 7 | 15 | -8 | 0 |
The MVP points test is important for two reasons. First, it is a different way of expressing peak value. It answers the question of whether a player was ever the best player in the league. According to BWAR, Bregman and Arenado led the league once in BWAR. Neither won an MVP. That spills us into the second reason why this test is valuable. It shows us the difference between how a player was perceived and how he actually performed. Four of the five third basemen here were under-appreciated.
The points are weighted more heavily the higher in the MVP standings you finish. Baseball-reference also does us a solid by enumerating how many times a player finished in the top ten in BWAR. In his landmark book “Whatever Happened to the Hall of Fame,” Bill James asks a series of questions. Usually it starts with how often you are the best player on your team? How often were you the best player at your position? Were you ever the best player in the league?
Answering no to any of those questions is not an automatic no. For instance, Tony Perez was never the best player on those Big Red Machine Reds teams, but fans and analysts alike would agree they aren’t who they were without him. However, an answer of yes in Bregman and Arenado’s case is a feather in their cap. It is another check mark on a spreadsheet of questions you ask if someone is trying to get into the Hall of Fame.
| PA | SLASH | HR | Runs | RBI | SB | |
| Jose Ramirez | 190 | .234/.316/.365 | 4 | 17 | 19 | 2 |
| Manny Machado | 218 | .209/.259/.423 | 12 | 23 | 27 | 1 |
| Nolan Arenado | 35 | .152/.143/.242 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Alex Bregman | 447 | .239/.349/.442 | 19 | 63 | 55 | 3 |
| Matt Chapman | 26 | .273/.346/.318 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
The spreadsheet motif fits here. I have a hard time taking anyone knocking Arenado based on 35 plate appearances seriously. He does not check the postseason success box. Chapman doesn’t either even those his numbers are not awful. Postseason performance is a function of opportunity and we could say Bregman has made the most of his opportunity. At least we could say he has done more with his opportunity than any of these players did.
Postseason success is a tiebreaker. If you aren’t sure where to go on a player then the success in the playoffs can push him over the top. Bregman is not a borderline Hall of Famer yet. He could be depending on what he does for the next few seasons in Chicago. If he finds his way into the neighborhood where Ramirez, Machado, and Arenado are swimming then his postseason numbers will help considerably.
Alex Bregman is closest to Matt Williams and Larry Gardner historically. Who is Larry Gardner you ask? If you have to ask then that tells you Bregman is not quite there yet. He will likely be close to the likes of Toby Harrah and Josh Donaldson at the end of the season. That’s good, but not quite good enough. If he throws a few more three or four win seasons on the board then we can start talking. Like everything else, it will all depend on how he ages.
The Mets beat the Blue Jays 3-0 behind a dominant pitching performance by Nolan McLean, who struck out seven batters in six scoreless innings.
Choose your recap: Amazin’ Avenue, Faith and Fear in Flushing, MLB.com, New York Daily News, New York Post
The Mets signed Christopher Morel to a minor league contract after his release by the Marlins last Friday.
John Harper dealt a midseason grade to the Mets defense, and in a surprise to no one, he didn’t give them high marks.
Clay Holmes will throw a bullpen session in the coming days, which puts him ahead of schedule in his recovery process (and could provide him with more value on the trade market).
The Mets need to take special care with the mental fortitude of their young players in the midst of a lost season.
Steve Gelbs reviewed the Rogers Centre hot dog as part of his Let’s Be Frank series, and he gave it a number right down the middle.
Nolan McLean threw a curveball last night that seemed genuinely unreal by the numbers.
McLean’s start was one of his best all year, and he’s been looking better on the whole as of late.
Luis Robert Jr. began his rehab assignment in Syracuse last night, playing five innings in center field and going 1-for-2 with a walk.
The benches cleared during the Nationals game against the Red Sox after Willson Contreras struck out and was told by Cade Cavalli to “sit down, boy!”
The Nationals ended up handily defeating the Red Sox 8-1. Cavalli went seven innings, allowing a single unearned run, giving up one hit, and striking out thirteen batters.
The Phillies dominated the Pirates 8-0. Cristopher Sánchez spun another gem, going seven scoreless innings while giving up three hits and two walks while striking out nine.
The Braves were bested by the Cardinals 5-3. Martín Pérez gave up four runs in five innings, allowing five hits and walking three batters.
The Marlins humiliated the Rockies 14-3. Griffin Conine and Xavier Edwards each collected four hits, as Conine drove in two runs and Edwards drove in one.
Harborfield native Sean Keys’ power propelled him to the majors, and he got the start at first for the Blue Jays last night.
The Dodgers’ plans ahead of the trade deadline aren’t focused on Tarik Skubal or major league talent generally, but improving their minor league depth.
The Red Sox have found themselves back in the playoff race, thanks in no small part to the general quality (or lack thereof) of teams in the American League.
MLB and the MLBPA have donated $1 million to Venezuelan earthquake relief efforts.
WAR has become a top statistic within baseball, to the chagrin of some fans, but there are some changes it must make to keep from harming certain players in pre-arbitration pools and awards voting.
MLB has lost its bid to trademark the phrase “play ball” as the phrase was deemed too commonplace.
The first competitor in this year’s Home Run Derby is the red-hot Junior Caminero.
Aaron Judge is a “couple weeks” away from re-imaging on his fractured rib, putting him closer to the latter end of the original four-to-six week timeline.
Shohei Ohtani’s next start has been pushed back to Friday against the Padres, in an attempt to give him more rest between starts.
Brandon Nimmo will likely avoid the injured list after suffering an AC joint sprain.
Cam Schlittler gave up six earned runs in the worst start of his young career.
Jacob deGrom looked like his vintage self in a Rangers win over the Guardians.
A Pod of Their released another episode.
Seth Ashby looked at where Carlos Mendoza ranks in Mets managerial history.
Steve Sypa put out the fourteenth edition of Mets Minor League Players of the Week.
Seth Ashby shared the Pitcher Meter for the last two weeks of Mets baseball.
In an often depressing and demoralizing Mets season, Brian Salvatore writes that Carson Benge and A.J. Ewing have been a much needed bright spot.
It’s a big day for Mets players hitting homers, with two milestone home runs on this date in the 80s alone.
Tuesday marked the fourth straight victory for the Dodgers on what has been a tremendous road trip, and it was an even more impactful game for manager Dave Roberts.
Now into his 11th season as Dodgers manager, Tuesday’s 9-3 victory over the Athletics marked the 1,000th win of Roberts’ managerial career, becoming the fastest manager to achieve that milestone in the live ball era and becoming the fourth manager in team history to accomplish that feat.
When asked about what it means to achieve 1,000 managerial wins, Robert described it as “mind-blowing,” per Sonja Chen of MLB.com.
“I mean, 1,000 didn’t even seem on my radar,” Roberts said. “That’s a long time of consistent winning, let alone keeping a job for 11 years. That’s just kind of the life I chose. But yeah, to kind of put your head down and look back and go, ‘Oh my god, I’m here,’ it’s mind-blowing.”
Roberts later shared a speech in the clubhouse following Tuesday’s victory, where he expressed his gratitude for his players, both past and present, on helping him reach 1,000 wins.
“What makes a great coach or manager? Great players, and I’ve been blessed with great players.”
Justin Wrobleski started the game that would eventually become Roberts’ 1,000th win as Dodgers manager, as the left-hander struck out a career-high 11 hitters while becoming the first Dodger pitcher since Clayton Kershaw in 2023 to have 10 wins before the All-Star break.
Wrobleski felt honored to be the winning pitcher in Roberts’ milestone game, as he spoke with Kirsten Watson of SportsNet LA about the impact Roberts has had on his career.
“I want to do that for Doc. He’s done a lot for me in my career. Getting the chance to be the winning pitcher in his 1,000th win is super cool… Can’t thank him enough for everything he’s done for me in my career and my development. I really wanted to get this done for him.”
Tommy Edman has been a contact machine since being activated off the injured list, as the switch hitter is slashing a robust .395/.452/.579 over his first 11 games of the season. Edman was a driving force in Tuesday’s win over the A’s, going 4-5 while connecting for his first home run of the season and driving in four runs.
Before Edman spoke with Watson about his brilliant day at the plate, he also showed his gratitude towards Dave Roberts acknowledged the privilege it is to play for the Dodgers with him at the helm.
“It really is an honor to just be a part of this team. It’s such a crazy accomplishment– 1,000 wins is just unbelievable if you really think about it. Couldn’t happen to a better guy. I’ve just loved every minute playing for him since I’ve gotten here. He’s so personable and makes it really easy to play for. He keeps things loose, and there’s a reason for why he’s won 1,000 games.”
The first half of the season has flown by, as has the first half of 2026. As ever, a new page of the calendar brings the latest installation in our GM approval poll monthly. I’m certain that opinions will be particularly fierce as we ask you to consider what has reliably and consistently been the most controversial month in this era of Yankees baseball: June.
However, before we get to June, it might be instructive to see how GM Brian Cashman’s approval rating has tracked in the first two months of the campaign. He started the season off relatively strong for his standards, polling at a 41-percent approval rating as his team sat atop the AL East standings having won their first three series and ripped off an eight-game winning streak toward the end of the month. Despite finishing the following month in second place behind the Rays, Cashman’s approval rating remained at 41-percent in May as the team continued to boast to AL’s top offense and starting rotation. They enter the final day of June in exactly the same position as they entered it, a game-and-a-half behind the Rays, though with considerably greater concern over the roster.
The month started with a series loss to the Guardians and a split of two games with the Red Sox. However, the Yankees then ripped off three straight series wins against the Guardians, Blue Jays, and White Sox to provide a mirage of hope that maybe just maybe they could avoid their annual June Swoon.*
*Narrator: They did not.
Starting with the middle game of their series against the Reds, the Yankees have lost 9 of their last 11 games (including their last six in a row). They were swept in four games at Fenway by the last-place Red Sox, getting no-hit through five innings in each of the final three games. They’ve been one-hit through seven in their last two games and have 16 hits across their last five games, which is the lowest hit total in any five-game stretch in franchise history.
The most alarming part of June has been the sharp regression from the three units that powered their hot start: offense, the starting rotation, and defense. Through the first two months of the season, the Yankees boasted the second-best offense in MLB by wRC+ (115) and fWAR (12.1). In June, their offense ranked 26th in wRC+ (89) and 24th in fWAR (2.8). Similarly, their starting rotation was the best in baseball by ERA (2.97) and fWAR (7.7) and second in FIP (3.37) through the end of May. In June, they’ve sunken to 19th in ERA (4.69), 21st in fWAR (1.1) and 20th in FIP (4.57). Surprisingly, the one unit that stepped up in June was the bullpen, who led the AL in ERA (2.39), FIP (2.96), and fWAR (2.0)
And that brings us to the defense. Entering play yesterday, the Yankees had committed 16 errors in their last 11 games and 34 total in June — third-worst in MLB. All those errors meant they had allowed 17 unearned runs in their last 9 games as well as the fourth-most unearned runs in MLB at 42. Playing several guys out of position hasn’t helped (neither has the absence of Ryan McMahon since June 21st due to an infection), but the majority of errors came from a lack of a lack of concentration rather than a physical limitation.
Obviously, the mounting injuries are the primary culprit for this putrid stretch. The Yankees didn’t have Aaron Judge (broken rib), Max Fried (left elbow bone bruise), and Giancarlo Stanton (right calf strain) for the entire month of June. A hamstring injury also robbed them of Trent Grisham for more than half the month right in the middle of a searing hot streak. It also hasn’t helped that two of their offensive pillars in Ben Rice and Cody Bellinger have gone ice cold. Rice batted .196 with an 81 wRC+ and Bellinger .228 with an 87 wRC+ in June after both placed among the league’s top-25 hitters through the end of May. However, it is the job of the general manager to assemble depth should injuries occur, and the simple fact is that the replacements have fallen well short of the mark in June.
That brings us to today’s task. Do you approve of the job Brian Cashman has done through the end of June? On one hand, the Yankees have stayed within touching distance of the Rays despite their struggles. On the other hand, their June Swoon sheds serious doubt on the true identity and ability level of this team in the second half of the season. The polarizing GM certainly elicits stronger feelings than can be captured in a one-word response — you may feel a question such as the one being posed requires more nuance, greater elaboration, or a wider selection of options than just a “yes” or a “no,” however for the sake of this exercise, a binary question works best.
Note: This is the same poll that is currently appearing on the Feed, so if you’ve voted there, that should already be counted.
There was a time in Colorado Rockies’ history when it was normal to expect a miraculous late-game rally, particularly at Coors Field, because of the offense’s power. They could strike fear in the heart of an opposing pitcher because of the certainty that no lead was ever truly safe.
However, over the years of losing since 2021, there were instances of incredible comebacks, but they seemed few and far between as the offense’s inconsistencies and ineffectiveness ruled above all.
The ineffable phenomena of “LoDo Magic” appeared to have waned into nothingness, a mere casualty of the frailties of the offense. However, the 2026 Rockies appear to have tapped into something from the past and may have found a way to conjure the vibes of that late-game magic.
The Rockies have proven to be one of the best late-game hitting teams in baseball this season.
In the eighth inning or later entering Tuesday, the Rockies are first in team batting average (.295), third in on-base percentage (.358) and first in slugging percentage (.481). They have also scored the most runs (114) and have the most hits (189). Those two stats aren’t particularly close either, as the Milwaukee Brewers rank second with 106 runs scored, and the Toronto Blue Jays are second with 164 hits. While their efforts haven’t necessarily always resulted in wins, it’s clear that the Rockies’ offense never knows when to quit.
The split between the eighth and ninth innings is rather similar, but the team is much more successful in the former. The Rockies are slashing .298/.366/.485 with 63 runs scored in the eighth inning while slashing .288/.375/.500 with 44 runs scored in the ninth. They also have 15 home runs in the eighth and 11 in the ninth, both of which rank near the top in baseball.
What is even more impressive is that this Rockies team could end up being one of the best late-game hitting teams in franchise history. Since the installation of the humidor at Coors Field in 2002, the 2026 team’s AVG ranks first in franchise history, ahead of the .268 AVG of the 2004 Rockies. Halfway through the season, the Rockies are at 107 runs in the late-game regulation innings, which may only rank ahead of the shortened 2020 season at the moment, but the top mark since 2002 is 163 by the 2004 team. The current trajectory as the 2026 club has a chance to take the top spot in runs scored, among several other categories, when all is said and done.
We’ve focused most only the eighth and ninth innings, but it’s worth mentioning their performance in extra innings. The Rockies have played five games that went into extras, so it’s a rather small sample size. Still, they are batting .296/.424/.370. They are 8-for-27 with two doubles and seven runs scored. That places them in the bottom half of the league in most things, but they can at least hang their hat on a good stat line, even if the runs aren’t coming.
“LoDo Magic” is often reserved for games at home. Coors Field lends itself to offensive rallies because of the elevation and the expanse of the outfield. The 2026 Rockies have taken full advantage of their home confines in the late innings to keep up pressure and even pull off a few miracles.
A slashline of .308/.361/.492 places them roughly in the top-five Rockies teams at home in the eighth and ninth innings. Their average is notable as the second-best at home, behind the 2010 team, which batted .314 at Coors. Surprisingly enough, the 2024 and 2025 teams rank fairly high in runs scored, home runs, and hits. As mentioned, there were hints of that “LoDo Magic” over the years, but nothing that seemed to matter much or was too little, too late.
As for their place among teams across the league, the Rockies are first in AVG and SLG at home, while they rank second in runs scored at home in the later innings (64) as well as hits (80). Teams will typically play better at home, but the Rockies have excelled more than most with the clock running out, and that’s a major testament to fighting until the very last out.
The truly incredible outcome is that the Rockies aren’t just doing it at home. They also lead the league with a .286 AVG and .482 SLG on the road, alongside leading the league in hits (101) and runs scored (61). Add in their 14 home runs, which rank 14th in baseball. Somehow, the 2026 Rockies have done something unimaginable: carrying that “LoDo Magic” on the road.
A .286/.350/.482 slash on the road leads every Rockies team since 2002. To put that in context, the previous highs were a .247 AVG by the 2008 Rockies, a .321 OBP by the 2004 Rockies, and a .400 SLG by the 2020 Rockies. They already have the 10th most runs scored (61) and are on their way to overtaking the hits, runs, and home runs in the later innings.
Being able to consistently hit at home and on the road is a massive step forward for a team that has historically done well in one area and poorly in the other. There is a balance that has never been there before and shouldn’t be overlooked.
The definitive figure of late-game heroics in franchise history has to be Mr. Late Night himself, Seth Smith. He had a penchant for delivering a clutch hit, often a home run, late in games, and you knew good things would happen late in the game at Coors Field. So, who are the heroes of the current Rockies?
As you’d expect, the Rockies’ late-game statistics are as good as they are because a greater number of players have found success late in the game. The Rockies have 10 players batting at least .280 in the eighth inning or later, eight of whom are batting over .300. Eight players are also slugging over .500, and six players have an OPS of 1.000 or better.
The main breadwinners late in games are names that have been exceptional all season. Hunter Goodman and TJ Rumfield have excellent slash lines, with Rumfield’s .365 AVG leading all qualified hitters. Both had six home runs late in the game and have combined to drive in 32 runs. Jake McCarthy has 12 RBI and 11 runs scored, both of which rank third on the team. Kyle Karros may be a surprise as he is slashing .308/.368/.558 with three home runs, four doubles, eight RBI, and 12 runs scored.
What’s great to see is that rookie newcomer Cole Carrigg has proven capable in the final innings of a game. Through 15 games, he is 5-for-12 with two doubles and a home run as well as four walks against one strikeout.
A talking point for manager Warren Schaeffer, dating back to his tenure in 2025, has been about fighting to the very end. There was also something mentioned on a Rockies broadcast recently that the team isn’t just hoping to come back and win games, but actively believes they can and will win games. That mentality shift is emblematic of the progression from one of the least productive offenses in baseball to one of the better offenses in baseball. There is growth, and I find myself excited and confident that the Rockies will manage to tap into that “LoDo Magic” on any given night.
Triple-A:Round Rock Express 9, Albuquerque Isotopes 8
An eighth-inning collapse proved the difference maker as the Albuquerque Isotopes dropped their opener for the week. Leading 6-5 heading into the bottom of the eighth, reliever Blake Adams ended up being responsible for three runs and the loss after he loaded the bases and was replaced by veteran reliever Jordan Romano, who gave up a grand slam. The Isotopes scored two runs in the top of the ninth on a Sterlin Thompson home run, but the rally ended there. Charlie Condon also hit another home run in the game as part of a three-hit day, while Zac Veen hit his 14th home run of the season. Jordan Beck also contributed a three-run homer for his first of the year in Triple-A.
Double-A:Somerset Patriots 5, Hartford Yard Goats 2
It was a slower night for the Hartford Yard Goats as they dropped the opener to the Somerset Patriots. Hartford collected just five hits, utilizing a pair of solo home runs to score all of their runs. Jack O’Dowd slugged a home run in his very first Double-A at-bat to lead off the third inning. Roc Riggio had a great night against his former club, going 3-for-4 with a solo home run in the ninth inning. Jackson Cox made the start for the Yard Goats and fired six innings, allowing four runs on seven hits, including two home runs. He also struck out eight and walked two. Michael Prosecky followed with two innings of relief, allowing a run on three hits, with two strikeouts.
High-A:Spokane Indians 2, Hillsboro Hops 0
It was a rather uneventful night for the Spokane Indians, but they managed to squeak out the win nonetheless. The Indians scored two runs on three hits with Tommy Hopfe going 2-for-3. Roynier Hernandez drew a bases-loaded walk in the eighth to drive in the first run of the game and Ethan Hedges had a sacrifice fly to bring in the second run. Yujanyer Herrera started on the mound and fired six shutout innings with six shutouts and allowing just three hits. Francis Rivera followed with two scoreless innings to get the win while Hunter Mann shut the door for the save.
Low-A: Ontario Tower Buzzers 7, Fresno Grizzlies 4
The Fresno Grizzlies scored all their runs early, but couldn’t muster much else after the third inning as they had just five hits in the loss. Jesus Freitez led the way with three hits and two RBI, but the team went 1-for-19 with runners in scoring position as they drew 12 walks against nine strikeouts. Riley Kelly made the start for Fresno, giving up five runs on eight hits in 4.2 innings with five strikeouts. Bryson Van Sickle followed with three solid innings, giving up one run on five hits with six strikeouts. Manuel Olivares closed things out with 1.1 innings, allowing one run. In total, Fresno gave up 15 hits while Ontario went 5-for-10 with RISP.
Affected by Altitude Episode 216: He’s pretty good, man | Rocky Mountain Rooftop
In this episode, Evan Lang and I talk about Hunter Goodman’s incredible play of late, talk trade deadline ideas, and talk late game hijinks for the offense.
Jack O’Dowd has been a fun story in the minors this season for the Rockies. Signed after a great season in independent ball last year, O’Dowd has ascended quickly through the system to Double-A. However, he participated in a Q&A session in Spokane recently to talk about his season so far.
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Good morning, baseball fans!
Phase two of voting for the 2026 All-Star Game has begun, and unfortunately the San Francisco Giants have zero players among the top vote getters this year. I’d say it’s a shame, but given the way the team has…well, done everything this season, it’s not that big of a surprise. But it is a bummer, because I really wanted to Luis Arraez to at least be in the mix.
However, that doesn’t mean there is no reason to still vote. Because the Los Angeles Dodgers currently have players in almost every category. So maybe go support their competition instead. You can vote here for the next couple of days. Phase two ends on July 2nd, but you can cast up to five votes per day.
The Giants conclude this three-game road series against the Arizona Diamondbacks tonight at 6:40 p.m. PT.
Happy Wednesday, everyone, and a very happy Canada Day to any of my fellow Canucks out there! In today’s news breakdown, we’re still looking at the fallout from the big shakeup with the Angels ousting Perry Minasian and the Mets booting Carlos Mendoza.
We also take a look at what’s going on with Aaron Judge, and which AL players might now stand a chance to be the AL MVP because Judge has missed a good chunk of playing time.
Along with all that, we take a look at the unexpected boost baseball is getting with the influx of soccer fans all over Canada and the US, and how it’s creating a whole new fanbase for the sport.
All that and more, so let’s get right into it.
And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster. Make it so.
The first day of July marks Bobby Bonilla Day, an annual celebration of one of the strangest deals in the history of Major League Baseball.
Bonilla, a six-time All-Star who played his last game in 2001, has been receiving a $1.19 million check from the New York Mets every year since 2011, the result of a decision 25 years ago to delay paying the $5.9 million they owed him.
Looking to dump Bonilla after the 1999 season, the Mets opted to defer his payment — with 8% interest — giving him $1,193,248.20 annually on July 1 from 2011-2035 — adding up to nearly $30 million.
“It’s bigger than my birthday," Bonilla told USA TODAY Sports. “When that day comes, I get texts all day long, and couple of days after and maybe a day or two before. Everybody just seems to love that day and have fun with it. It’s become a pretty big thing."
Contract deferrals weren't new in baseball at the time and have been deployed heavily in the 25 years since Bonilla left the Mets, but the fact that he will be getting seven-figure checks until he's 72 years old is what most captivates the baseball world.
“There’ll be plenty of other deferred contracts," Bonilla's former agent Dennis Gilbert told USA TODAY Sports in 2023, “but for a guy to be paid that long into his life, into his 70s, I don’t think we’ll ever see that again.
“That’s why Bobby Bonilla Day should be celebrated."
Bonilla signed a four-year, $23.3 million contract with the Marlins prior to the 1997 season and helped the team win its first World Series that year, but was traded to the Dodgers in 1998 as part of the club's infamous fire sale.
Before the 1999 season, the Dodgers traded Bonilla to the Mets, who were looking for a new right fielder at the time — with New York assuming the remaining two years and $11.65 million on Bonilla's contract.
Then 36 years old, Bonilla played just 60 regular season games for the Mets in 1999, batting .160. He was constantly booed by fans and clashed with manager Bobby Valentine over his playing time and was relegated to the bench for the team's postseason run.
The Mets released Bonilla after the 1999 season but still owed him $5.9 million for 2000. The team worked with Bonilla's agent (Gilbert) to defer the $5.9 million – with 8% interest – to annual payments of $1,193,248.20 on July 1 from 2011 to 2035.
“It’s funny how the Bobby Bonilla thing has blown up," agent Nez Balelo told USA TODAY Sports in 2023, months before negotiating Shohei Ohtani's historic $700 million deal with $680 million deferred. “I just think it’s because someone has been out of the game for so long, making that much money every year, it fascinates people."
The Mets' final "Bobby Bonilla Day" payment is set for 2035, when the six-time All-Star will be 72 years old.
Though Bobby Bonilla Day remains something of a punchline and opportunity to laugh at the Mets, the team has embraced the situation since Steve Cohen bought the team. New York's new owner immediately joked about holding a Bobby Bonilla Day celebration at Citi Field, complete with an oversized check.
Bonilla played 2,113 career games in 16 seasons from 1986 to 2001, finishing with 287 home runs, a .279 average and an .829 OPS.
Bonilla's best years came with the Pirates from 1987-1991, averaging 23 home runs and 97 RBIs per season.
He was an All-Star four years in a row, winning three Silver Slugger awards, and was the 1990 NL MVP runner-up and finished third in MVP voting in 1991, his final year in Pittsburgh. He was also named an All-Star in 1993 and 1995 during his first tenure with the Mets.
Bobby Bonilla played his final career game on Oct. 7, 2001, with the St. Louis Cardinals against the Houston Astros.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Happy Bobby Bonilla Day! 'It’s bigger than my birthday' former Met says
Atlanta Braves right-hander AJ Smith-Shawver returned to the lineup card and made a rehab appearance for the Augusta GreenJackets on Tuesday evening. He underwent Tommy John surgery a little over a year ago and is ramping up just in time to contribute to the struggling Braves’ rotation.
During Tuesday’s outing, Smith-Shawver threw three innings of one-run ball. He gave up three hits, one of them a homer, and recorded four strikeouts.
Overall, it was an encouraging first step back for Smith-Shawver, who could factor into Atlanta’s rotation later this season if his rehab continues to go smoothly.
The Braves ended the month with a 5-3 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals.
The Miami Marlins placed reliever Anthony Bender on the 15-day injured list with a stress fracture in his right shin. Zach Brzykey has been called up to take his place in the bullpen.
Washington Nationals lefty Mitchell Parker has been diagnosed with a Grade 3 UCL sprain and will likely require Tommy John surgery.
Ronald Acuña Jr. continues to work his way back and had a full workout ahead of Tuesday’s contest.
Do you think July will shape up to be better than June?
