Category: MLB

After a handful of days off to rest and regroup, the Cincinnati Reds hit the ground running on Friday as the second half of their 2026 season began. It helped that they landed in Denver to face the woeful Colorado Rockies, but they wasted little time in establishing that they were still here on business, swatting four homers behind an excellent start from Brady Singer in what became a 7-2 victory.

Elly De La Cruz immediately got the party started in the Top of the 1st with his first hit of the night, and he scored a batter later when Sal Stewart smashed a double in to the left field gap. Elly poured in a 4 for 5 night that eventually featured a 9th inning homer to wrap the scoring, while Sal drove in his customary pair of runs on the night.

It was the Top of the 6th, though, where things got fun for the Cincinnati offense. Spencer Steer hit his first of two dingers – this one a laser over the wall in LF – only for Eugenio Suarez to flip a pitching wedge over the wall in LF right behind him for back to back shots.

Not to be outdone, Steer smashed a 421 missile off the wall in the deepest part of the Coors Field outfield in the Top of the 8th, and busted it out of the batter’s box the moment he hit it. That proved prescient, as the ball ricocheted off the wall towards LF and gave Steer enough time to motor all the way around the bags for an inside-the-park dinger, his second of the game.

Steer, whose intrigue on the trade market we documented earlier in the week, now sits at .250/.330/.441 with 16 homers and 40 runs batted in, work that’s good for a 109 OPS+ and 108 wRC+ as of this morning. First and foremost, I’m saying that the Cincinnati Reds need to go on a historic, miracle run to finish this season and win some playoff series. Beyond that, though, I’m saying that now may never be a more ‘right’ time to move Steer as he’s playing quite well amid a dearth of right-handed hitting outfield options, with five of the biggest teams in the sport needing just that this trade deadline.

Anyway, the Reds toppled the Rockies and moved to just 8 games under the .500 mark on Friday evening, with a matinee in the extreme heat in Denver set for 3:10 PM ET on Saturday.

The Yankees of the mid-to-late 1990s are the standard. Every single team the Yankees have constructed since that era of stardom for the pinstripes has had the cloud of comparison hovering above it. Those teams dominated, and the Yankees faithful expect every aspect of the current teams to be similar to those squads who could suit up every game and come out of the clubhouse with the “we are going to win every game, and we’re going to win in every important moment” attitude.

Just as Yankees fans expect the players and management to have that attitude, they also expect the manager to instill confidence in the players and the fanbase. And the comparison for Aaron Boone (and every bench boss after him) is Joe Torre, a four-time World Series champion, six-time American League pennant winner, and one of the most decorated leaders in the history of the game of baseball.

Joseph Paul Torre Jr.
Born: July 19, 1940 (Brooklyn, NY)
Yankees Tenure: 1996-2007 (Manager)

Before Torre became a well-decorated manager, he spent his fair share of time gathering accolades in his own major-league career. He was native New Yorker who was steeped in just about as much baseball as one could imagine. Although he grew up on the sandlots of the Brooklyn, he was a Giants fan, but also was enough of a diehard that he was attendance as a fan at a Subway Series game that didn’t even feature his preferred team: Don Larsen’s perfecto in Game 5 of the 1956 World Series.

Torre had a tough background, as his father was the center of an abusive household for years until Joe’s older brother Frank confronted his dad and told him to leave for good. These experiences later motivated Joe to establish the Safe at Home Foundation to aid youth in abusive households. Thanks in part to his brother, Joe was in a better situation to thrive, and he did so at St. Francis Preparatory School in Queens. He was well-built for his age, garnering the attention of scouts from clubs including Frank’s Milwaukee Braves, with whom he would eventually sign his first pro contract.

Torre began his MLB journey at the age of 20 on September 25, 1960, against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He recorded a hit in his only at-bat as a pinch-hitter, and he appeared just one more time that season. The next year, though, he finally received a real shot at the highest level. As a younger kid, Frank told Joe that if he switched to catcher, then he would be recognized more. And that was the position he played for his first MLB season, over 100 games, and exclusively until 1963, when he played first base as well.

In 1961, Torre finished second to Cubs Hall of Famer Billy Williams in the NL Rookie of the Year. He went on to play four more years with the Braves before they moved to their present-day location of Atlanta, garnering his first three All-Star appearances and then a Gold Glove in ’65.

From their 1966 inception down south, Torre would play another three full seasons with Henry Aaron and company. He added two more All-Star appearances to his name before being traded in spring training the following season to the St. Louis Cardinals.

Torre began his time in St. Louis at age 28 and collected four more All-Star appearances to bump his career total up to nine. The zenith of his Redbirds career was an MVP win in 1971 after leading the major leagues in hits (230), RBI’s (137), and batting average (.363). His final OPS+ for the season was 171, the highest of his career. He beat two NL legends in the race that year: his former teammate Aaron and the Pirates’ Willie Stargell.

For the final time in his career in 1974, Torre was traded, this time to the New York Mets. He played three seasons with them before retiring as player/manager in 1977 with nine All-Star appearances, a Gold Glove, a batting title, an MVP, and a TSN Major League Player of the Year Award. However, playoff success—or even an appearance in the postseason at all as a player—eluded Torre. So, when he found his way back into baseball, he was looking to write and finish that chapter.

Long before Torre became the Yankees’ skipper, he returned to all three of his former teams as bench boss. First, he started with the Mets from 1977 to 1981, but in his five years as manager (including a strike-shortened 1981), he never finished with a winning record. He was fired and moved on to Atlanta, replacing Bobby Cox as manager for the ’82 campaign. Led by MVP Dale Murphy, the Braves won 13 consecutive games to open the year, and the team finished with an 89-73 record that was good enough for the NL West division title. But Atlanta didn’t win a single playoff game, as the eventual champion Cardinals swept them away in the NLCS. Still, Torre was voted the Associated Press Manager of the Year as a result of his work in his first season.

Torre finished his final two years in Atlanta with slightly worse records than his first season, with 1983 at 88-74 and ’84 at 80-82. He was fired and had to spend the next few years away from the dugout, broadcasting games for the California Angels. In 1990 though, his old Cardinals gave him another shot. Success remained difficult to come by, as his career managerial record with St. Louis was 351-354, sitting around the 85-win mark for most of his tenure there. His best season was 1993, when his club posted an 87-75 record, but the Cards went 53-61 in the strike-shortened ’94 and got off to a 20-27 start in ’95. For the third time in his career, Torre was fired, and he figured he was out of chances since all his old teams had tried him out and let him go.

Nonetheless, the chance of a lifetime fell in Torre’s lap. Despite breaking their 14-year playoff drought in 1995, disagreements with Yankees owner George Steinbrenner over his coaching staff motivated manager Buck Showalter to turn down his contract offer. So a talented team was looking for a new skipper, and it just so happened that one of Torre’s old friends from his Mets days, Arthur Richman, was working for Steinbrenner. He encouraged the Boss to give Torre an interview, and the rest is history.

Yankees fans were initially opposed to the idea, given his unsuccessful track record, but with the winning that followed his hire, opinions quickly turned. In 1996, the Yankees finished with a 92-70 record and their first division title since 1981. They dispatched Texas and Baltimore in the playoffs to win the pennant and finally get Torre to his first-ever World Series after over 4,000 games between his playing and managerial careers. It was an emotional scene at Camden Yards when rookie Derek Jeter threw to first base for the final out of the ALCS.

That made for a nice story, and many thought that it would end right there. After all, Torre’s Yanks were stacked up against the then-consensus Team of the ’90s, Torre’s old Braves. Cox had returned to Atlanta and helped build an outstanding club that was laden with future Cooperstown honorees. Entering the ’96 Fall Classic, they’d won four pennants already in the decade and captured their first championship in ’95, silencing an overpowering Cleveland offense in the process with their Greg Maddux/Tom Glavine/John Smoltz pitching staff.

Atlanta was red-hot coming into Game 1 of the World Series in the Bronx. They’d overcome a 3-1 NLCS deficit against St. Louis by outscoring the Cards 32-1 across the final three games, and at first, the Yankees didn’t have an answer. Cy Young contender Andy Pettitte was clobbered in the Fall Classic opener, 12-1, and Maddux led a 4-0 shutout in Game 2. The World Series shifted to Atlanta with the Yankees already in an 0-2 hole and season obituaries already written. Torre later recounted a story where he told a doubting Steinbrenner that they would win the next three games in a row in Atlanta, return to New York, and win it in Game 6. The skipper said the Boss “looked at him like he had three heads.”

But Torre proved prescient. His team had a stirring comeback, taking Game 3 before rallying from a 6-0 deficit to win Game 4 on the back of Jim Leyritz’s big homer in the eighth, and then ekeing out a 1-0 win in Game 5 with 8.1 brilliant innings from Pettitte. The Yankees beat Maddux in Game 6 back in the Bronx, and they were champions for the first time since 1978. The man who was dubbed “Clueless Joe” when joining the team on November 2, 1995 was named 1996 Co-AL Manager of the Year Award alongside the surprising Rangers’ Johnny Oates.

The Yankees actually improved in the 1997 regular season to a 96-66 record, but had to settle for a Wild Card spot behind Baltimore and then suffered a early elimination at Cleveland’s hands in the ALDS. The shocking loss—one that featured a Game 4 comeback against no less a force than Mariano Rivera—set the stage for one of the greatest dynasties in baseball history to be born.

The Yankees of 1998 would become the winningest team in baseball under Torre’s calm leadership, always a strong shield to his team’s owner’s barbs in the press. Of course, he had an incredible core of players to lean on and lead by example on the field and in the clubhouse, but 114 wins aren’t just stumbled upon. The club finished with just 48 losses in the regular season, then went on to dominate the postseason, dropping only two games throughout October. Torre won his second American League Manager of the Year Award in three years as a result.

While it was going to be almost impossible to replicate the success of the 1998 season, the goal remained the same for everyone involved: win the whole thing. Yes, the regular season record dropped back to Earth (although 98 wins and 64 losses is still a heck of a bargain), but it was still the same Yankees who had won two championships in their last three seasons, and it was the same manager who was voted best amongst his peers two of the last three seasons as well. It wasn’t an easy season for Torre personally, though, as he was diagnosed with prostate cancer in spring training, and when he came back after making a full recovery, he had to help some of his players who were going through their own struggles. But they still found a championship, sweeping the Braves in the process.

Despite an 87-win season in 2000 with his aging and somewhat-underperforming club, the Yankees took the division anyway and Torre still managed the Yankees through the water rushing against them. Everyone wanted to dethrone the kings, but Torre, along with his core group, would not let that happen. They came up against the crosstown rival Mets (the second of two former clubs Torre would face in a World Series), and bested them in five games for their third consecutive title. Torre is one of only three managers to achieve that feat, alongside Yankees legends Joe McCarthy and Casey Stengel.

The 2001 season was extremely difficult, particularly toward the end of the year. The Yankees had an easier road to the division title with 95 wins, but the attacks of September 11th left the entire city scarred and shaken. Under Torre, the Yankees helped lead the way to bringing light and soul back into the city. In the 2001 ALDS, Jeter made one of the most legendary plays of his career — the backhand flip to Jorge Posada against Oakland, giving hope to all fans that this team could do the impossible. And the Yankees followed that 0-2 series comeback by defeating the 116-win Mariners in the ALCS. However, the hope would run dry in the 2001 World Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks, despite incrediblystirringwins in the Bronx. In Game 7, it was the person you would least expect—Rivera—who gave up the winning run in the most heartbreaking of ways. And although the Bombers were not going to remain kings of the hill forever, it was a brutal way to go in a season that meant so much to the city of New York.

Following all that postseason success from 1996-2001, the remainder of the 2000s decade was a challenge. In 2002, the 103-win Yankees were upset in a four-game ALDS loss to the Angels, and while they returned to the Fall Classic in 2003 in dramatic fashion, they were again dispatched by a surprising club. The Marlins won three in a row to shock the Yanks in a Game 6 shutout clincher, and the first of those three featured an infamous Torre decision to not use Rivera in extra innings on the road. Instead, it was Jeff Weaver who gave up a walk-off homer to Alex Gonzalez, sparking the Florida comeback.

2004 was the hardest loss of them all — blowing a 3-0 series lead to the rival Red Sox on their way to winning their first World Series since 1918, thus breaking the Curse of the Bambino. Then from 2005-07, the Yankees lost in the first round for three years in a row. Torre was facing more criticism than ever for his tactics, and the non-Rivera relief aces like Tom Gordon, Paul Quantrill, and Scott Proctor were getting gassed down the stretch. 2007 marked the end of Torre’s career with the Yankees, as he turned down what he believed to be an insulting contract offer from the club to return.

Torre went on to manage the Dodgers from 2008 to 2010 and winning two more division titles. The Phillies eliminated them in the NLCS both years, and he stepped down after 2010 with 2,326 career wins. Since 2011, he has worked in the commissioner’s office, handling all kinds of managerial work across MLB. Time heals all wounds, and Torre received a big ovation when his No. 6 was retired in 2014.

Torre served as the Yankees’ manager for a dozen seasons. He managed 1,942 regular-season games, with a win-loss record of 1,173–767. In all 12 of those seasons, the Yankees reached the playoffs; during that time, they won six American League pennants and four World Series. He is one of the most legendary managers in all of baseball history for the turnaround he helped guide the Yankees through, and his playing days weren’t short of impressive as well.

As one of the most influential people in Yankees history, it’s always exciting for fans to see him around the Yankees today whenever he’s able to help as well. Happy birthday, Joe!

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

Another day of minor league baseball is in the books. See the results below.

AAA: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (46-47) won 5-3 (BOX SCORE)

Sugar Land got on the board in the first inning on an error. They scored another run in the 2nd inning on a Biggio sac fly. Wesneski got the start and went 4 innings allowing 3 runs. The pen was solid keeping the game at a score of 3-2. In the 9th, Sugar Land took the lead when an error led to 3 runs. Ullola struck out 2 in the 9th as he closed out the 5-3 win.

Note: Ullola has a 1.56 ERA with 29 K over 17.1 innings in relief.

• Cavan Biggio, 1B: 0-for-2, 2 R, RBI, SB
• Shay Whitcomb, LF: 1-for-4, 2B
• Ray Delgado, 2B: 1-for-4, R, SB
• Cesar Salazar, C: 3-for-3, R

• Hayden Wesneski, RHP: 4.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
• Trey McLoughlin, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
• Christian Roa, RHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
• Alimber Santa, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
• Roddery Munoz, RHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K (WIN)
• Miguel Ullola, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K (SAVE)

AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (40-48) lost 4-3 (BOX SCORE)

The Hooks got on the board in the second inning on a Sullivan RBI groundout. Mancini got the start and was solid allowing 2 runs over 4.2 innings while striking out 4 batters. The Hooks tied the game in the 7th when Call scored on a double steal. In the bottom of the 7th, the Missions scored 2 runs as they took the lead. The Hooks rallied in the 9th and got one run on a Whitaker RBI single but the comeback fell short as the Hooks lost 4-3.

Note: Mancini has a 2.25 ERA in Double-A.

• Cameron Sisneros, 1B: 0-for-3, R, BB
• Chase Call, LF: 1-for-2, 2 R, 2 BB
• Joseph Sullivan, CF: 1-for-3, RBI, BB
• Tyler Whitaker, RF: 2-for-5, RBI

• Joey Mancini, RHP: 4.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
• Nic Swanson, RHP: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
• Alex Santos, RHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
• Ramsey David, RHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K

A+: Asheville Tourists (31-56) won 4-0 (BOX SCORE)

Taylor got the start for Asheville, his first outing in High-A since April 8th, and pitched really well tossing 4 perfect innings with 3 strikeouts on 42 pitches. Asheville got on the board in the 5th inning getting back to back home runs from Moss and Huezo. Rodriguez relieved Taylor and tossed 2 scoreless innings. Asheville got another run in the 7th when a run scored on a wild pitch and one more in the 8th on a Frey RBI single. Cruz tossed 2 scoreless innings and Frias closed it out with a scoreless 9th inning as Asheville won 4-0.

Note: Moss is hitting .381 in Asheville this season.

• Justin Thomas, CF: 0-for-4, R, BB, SB
• Xavier Neyens, 3B: 1-for-4, 2B
• Ethan Frey, LF: 2-for-4, RBI, SB
• Jack Moss, 1B: 2-for-4, R, HR, RBI
• Anthony Huezo, RF: 1-for-4, R, HR, RBI
• Zach Daudet, SS: 2-for-4, R, 2B, SB
• John Garcia, C: 1-for-3, BB

• Andrew Taylor, RHP: 4.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
• Raimy Rodriguez, RHP: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K (WIN)
• Anthony Cruz, RHP: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
• Francisco Frias, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K

A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (43-43) won 3-2 (BOX SCORE)

Potter started for the Woodpeckers and was great tossing 2 scoreless innings with 3 strikeouts. The offense got on the board in the first inning scoring 2 runs on a Luciano sac fly and Fielder hit by pitch. Fraide tossed a scoreless innings before being relieved by Beck who allowed 1 run over 2 innings. After the GreenJackets tied the game in the 7th, Flores responded with a go-ahead RBI single in the bottom of the inning to give the Woodpeckers a 3-2 lead.

Note: Potter has a 2.10 ERA this season.

• Josh Wakefield, RF: 1-for-3, BB
• German Ramirez, SS: 2-for-4, 2 R, 2 SB
• Kevin Alvarez, CF: 1-for-4, R
• Waner Luciano, 3B: 0-for-2, RBI, BB
• Arturo Flores, C: 2-for-3, RBI, BB
• Jadyn Fielder, DH: 0-for-2, RBI

• Nick Potter, RHP: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
• Juan Fraide, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
• Jagger Beck, RHP: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
• Ryan Forcucci, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
• Rafael Gonzalez, RHP: 3.0 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 5 BB, 5 K (WIN)

Today’s minor league starters:

SL: Jackson Nezuh – 7:35 CT

CC: Bryce Mayer – 7:05 CT

AV: Parker Smith – 5:45 CT

FV: TBD – 6:05 CT

Bucking the trend established in March, these 2026 Goofs started the second, and smaller, half of the season on the right foot with a 7-0 win over the Seattle Mariners.

A quality start and seven scoreless tossed by Landen Roupp, a grand-slam slammed by Willy Adames — is this the first step in the Giants’ journey back to respectability???

Haha!

These odd, mid-year, longer than a weekend, less than a week vacations like the All-Star break can be restful but not baptismal. Rebirth might be a lot to ask for from just a four-day holiday. Taken out of their rhythm and routine, it’s quite possible that this team forgot how to be bad together. Give it a couple of days. Or a day. Or until later this afternoon… 

For many teams in the Giants situation, late-July is not the time for hope, but acceptance. Peace and freedom come with knowing exactly where you are and understanding there is little you can do to change that. This kind of perspective was on full display Friday night. The players didn’t get immediately pulled back into the rushing and crushing current of the season, but embraced the pace of a lazy river, showcasing a more laissez-faire approach. Sit back on the tube, no need to rush, let the game happen.

It was the right mindset when facing a guy like Seattle’s Bryce Miller, who works fast, throws a lot of strikes and gets a lot of strikeouts. He’s going to be effective and in control. Miller pitched as advertised with pinpoint accuracy and a fearlessness to live in the zone and trust the stuff of his rising four-seam and banana-peel splitter. He struck out four Giants in a row across the first couple frames. A one-out walk by Drew Cavanaugh and single by Luis Arraez in the 3rd set up runners at the corners for Bryce Eldridge. What felt like a huge opportunity to scratch across the game’s first run fell by the wayside when Eldridge weakly popped up to second, defusing the offense’s only scoring threat against Miller over the first four innings.

Eldridge was frustrated of course. He lunged at a 1-0 splitter and golfed it into the air off his front foot. But the plate appearance served as reconnaissance for the next one. The offense grew into the game, they trusted they had time to figure things out, and what Eldridge figured out about Miller in the 3rd helped him in the 5th. One, Miller will throw the split-finger in the zone — it’s not a chase pitch. Two, he’ll throw it when he’s behind in the count, or any count, because he trusts it over the plate, because he knows it’s nasty (opponents were hitting .119 against it). Three, it’s something he can hit. The pop-up contact didn’t look impressive, but I imagine feeling it leave his bat emboldened Eldridge. He wasn’t flabbergasted, he just missed. A better timed swing, and he could drive it. 

Drive it, he did. 

Same sequence as the 3rd — slider, splitter — just a different count, and not located as well. The pitch stayed up and Eldridge stayed back, sending it just over the wall in center field for a tie-busting two-run homer. 

The whole line-up continued to evolve against Miller. They fanned four times across the first two innings, then only struck out twice more over the next six frames. A walk, hit-batter, and some sloppy defense by the typically resolute Seattle middle-infielders would help add another run on Miller and chase him from the mound in the 6th. And in the 7th, Willy Adames busted the game open with a grand slam off reliever Nick Davila. 

Fourth time was the charm for the shortstop. He had come up hitless in his previous three at-bats, all with a Jung Hoo Lee on base. In the 6th, with Lee in scoring position, Adames fouled off six pitches in a 9-pitch scruff against Miller before he went down chasing a splitter. Tellingly, Adames didn’t swear angrily after the strikeout. He didn’t kick dirt, slam his helmet, or disgustingly toss his bat. That’s never really his style, but Adames actually ended his gigantic whiff with a deferential gesture and nod back to the mound. He smiled at Miller as he turned back to the dugout. A good at-bat ended by a better pitch. 

Perspective. There will always be more chances. For these Giants specifically: there is nothing left to lose. The luxury of late-summer, the spoils of the losers, is exactly this. An inning later with the bases loaded, Adames put the game out of reach with San Francisco’s eighth of the season, and his 16th homer.    

The other obvious reason the offense could bide their time and hit with patience and such consequence is because Landen Roupp’s pitching kept them in the game.

Well-rested after ten days, still jazzed after his impressive 8-inning performance against the Blue Jays before the break, perhaps, egged on by Miller’s early dominance — whatever it was, Roupp stymied Seattle’s bats over seven innings. It wasn’t dominant by way of the swing-and-miss or strikeout: he walked more batters (3) than he K’ed (2), and Miller out-whiffed him 15 to 5. The performance was dominant by how he trusted his offerings to dictate contact.

Roupp has one of the lowest hard-hit rates of any starter in the Majors, and he’s at his best when hitters bat the ball in play on his terms. Pitching isn’t about withholding the baseball, but sharing it. Roupp owns a sinker, curve, change trail mix. The question before each hike out to the mound is will he let hitters pick-and-choose what they want from his bag, or is he going to make them close their eyes and submit to the unpredictability of the blind handful?

Friday night, Roupp kept Seattle guessing.The first time through the order Roupp leaned heavily on his sinker and change-up. Second and third time, he eased off the sinker, feathered in more of his cutter, kept the offspeed consistent, and increased his curve usage from 19% to 26% to 45%. 

That game plan worked pretty well. The heavy dose of breaking stuff and off-speed led to most contact being driven into the ground. The Mariners managed just two singles off Roupp, their first coming with two-outs in the 4th, and a runner never reached second base. While Roupp walked three, he was discerning when he got stingy with the zone. Two of the three walks, and three of their five Seattle baserunners overall, reached with two outs already recorded. 

Eldridge and Adames homered, Roupp framed the All-Star break with another great outing, but the player starring behind the scenes was the man behind the mask, Drew Cavanaugh.

Before the game, Daniel Susac was recalled from the IL and Eric Haase was designated for assignment, effectively thrusting back-up catcher Cavanaugh into a meatier role. He repaid the vote of confidence by reaching base four times with two walks and two singles while batting out of the 9-hole. He singled before Eldridge’s 5th inning pop. His walk (his second against Miller) loaded the bases, and his savvy base running screen on Arraez’s bounder probably forced second baseman Cole Young’s bobble. On top of all that, he threw out Victor Robles trying to steal second in the 5th.

A week and a half of rest for the starter, the whole team getting four days off — this team seemed to appreciate the break. How ’bout another one, please?

The Colorado Rockies are a team in the midst of a rebuild. With this in mind, the staff at Purple Row thought it would be useful to revisit the “State of the Position” series that we ran in March to see where things stand. We’ve asked authors of the spring articles to re-evaluate their earlier remarks with an eye toward the August 3 trade deadline.

With his second consecutive All-Star selection this season, Hunter Goodman has already proven he’s no one-hit wonder. 

The 26-year-old catcher followed up a breakout campaign in 2025 — when he hit 31 homers, drove in 91 RBIs, hit 28 doubles and batted .278/.323/.520 — by bringing power to the plate again so far in 2026. In doing so, along with his keen eye behind the plate that creates successful ABS challenges, Goodman, the Rockies fourth-round pick from the 2021 Draft, has arguably made catcher the strongest position for the Rockies.

In the first half, the Rockies are tops in MLB stats for all catchers in terms of homers (25), slugging percentage (.527) and OPS (.846), in addition to being second in batting average (.262) and runs scored (97). And that doesn’t include when Goodman is slotted in as DH. With all the injuries and unknowns this season, at least the catcher production has remained accurate from the pre-season catcher outlook.

Goodman, the anchor

Coming out of the All-Star break, Goodman already had 27 homers — just four shy of his total from 2025. His homers lead the team, as do his 59 runs scored and .528 slugging percentage. He’s second in RBI with 51 and OPS at .862.

However, with great power, often comes an increased strikeout rate and lower batting average. His strikeout rate in 2025 was 26.3%, but it’s increased to 32.2% this season. He’s dropped his batting average .024 points, but his on-base percentage is one point higher than last season at .324. A big part of that is an increased walk rate from 5.7% last season to 8.5% now.

Goodman, 26, has also proven to be a reliable bat, able to serve as DH when his knees need a break on the field. He played 90 games (62 starts at catcher, 23 at DH, and a few late-game subs) before going to Philadelphia, which was five more than before the Midsummer Classic last year. 

Three of Goodman’s homers came in one game, an 8-5 win over the Twins on June 27 at Coors Field.

In addition, Goodman has become one of the best in MLB at tapping his helmet to challenge a strike called a ball or ball called a strike. Among MLB catchers, he is fourth-best with 53 correct calls as he gets it right 67.1% of the time.

Sometimes the challenges make a big difference, like this ball turned into a strikeout of San Francisco’s Victor Bericoto by Juan Mejia on July 4.

Goodman’s eye accounts for why the Rockies are tied for the sixth-best rate at 64% and tied for second with 86 correct challenges. 

The backups

The Rockies drafted Braxton Fulford two rounds after Goodman in 2021. He seemed to have the backup role locked in until the Rockies signed journeyman catcher Brett Sullivan, 32, in December. Sullivan made a splash in spring training and has continued to play very well in the first half. 

When Goodman is not behind the plate, Sullivan has made 30 starts, while Fulford has only made six. Sullivan has been better, hitting .221/.265/.385 with four homers, eight doubles, 15 RBIs and 23 strikeouts in 122 at-bats. Two of those homers came in one game against the Cubs on June 11.

In addition, Sullivan has added the extra benefit of being the position player pitcher for the Rockies, filling in when the Rockies are down and don’t want to waste bullpen arms. 

Fulford, 27, has struggled offensively, hitting .193/.273/.324 with one homer, four doubles, seven RBI and 27 strikeouts in 57 at-bats. Despite being on the Opening Day roster, Fulford was sent down to Triple-A Albuquerque on April 1 before being called back on May 18. The Rockies have stuck with a three-catcher roster since.

On the farm front, 22-year-old Bryant Betancourt has been making waves. The catcher, who the Rockies signed out of Venezuela in 2021, climbed from Double-A Hartford to the Isotopes on June 30 after he hit .269/.337/.513 with 14 HRs and 44 RBIs in 65 games. He’s still adjusting to Triple-A, having hit one homer and one double with three RBIs in 9 games while hitting .125/.200/.250.

The Draft 

The Rockies selected two catchers early in the MLB Draft, fueling speculation that Colorado could trade Goodman. However, Double-A catcher Cole Messina (No. 26 PuRP), who is currently playing for Double-A Hartford, would be much more likely to see MLB time before any of the new draftees.

With the supplemental pick at No. 37, the Rockies took Daniel Jackson, a junior out of the University of Georgia. In the third round, Colorado selected Jack Natili, a junior out of the University of Cincinnati. For good measure, they also picked up undrafted catcher Talmadge LeCroy out of the University of South Carolina.

The things to remember are the importance of versatility and the possibility of change. 

Goodman was drafted as a catcher, but Colorado tried him out at first base and outfield to play up his athleticism and to best fit the team’s needs. He went back to catcher when he came to MLB, which has clearly been the right call. 

Cole Carrigg was also drafted as a catcher with the No. 65 overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft. After playing every position on the field in college and most in the minors, Carrigg has shown that with his rifle arm, he can play nicely in the outfield, while also being able to fill in at shortstop. Truly, anything can happen.

While the future is always unknown and we could all be surprised by a big move before the MLB trade deadline on Aug. 3, it seems like the Rockies are set at catcher.

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The other day, I asked the question of you believed to be the Phillies’ “first half” MVP, giving you several options or letting you choose someone on your own. The results:

Saying that Sanchez is the MVP would be a worthy decision. He’s been outstanding this season, even with a few blips here and there. His stabilization of the starting rotation should be duly noted, keeping that unit intact until they had Zack Wheeler join them to go on the run they have been on.

However, each of the other candidates has a case to be made as well. Brandon Marsh’s season has provided a third musketeer to Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber and provided the team with a threat in the lineup that would make sure consistent production is being had outside of that top two. Harper and Schwarber’s contributions make their own cases; they not only can make a case for their team MVP, they can make a case for a National League MVP. Jhoan Duran being able to make sure the ninth inning of any game he appears in is locked down is an assurance that the team has badly needed with a bullpen that is currently limping quite a bit.

You could even make the case that Wheeler himself is the MVP as the team’s fortunes seem to have turned around the minute he made his return to the team and started putting up Cy Young worthy numbers.

Yet saying that Cristopher Sanchez is the team MVP for the “first half” is something no one really could get too mad about. He’s been great.

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We have a pretty interesting pitching matchup today, as Owen Murphy gets his first major league start for Atlanta and major offseason trade acquisition MacKenzie Gore will start for the Rangers.

Murphy was the Braves’ 2022 first round pick, ahead of JR Ritchie, but injury timelines and development curves meant that Ritchie beat him to The Show. Ritchie is more of a prototypical pitcher, but Murphy has some intriguing traits that led him to be that first round pick. His low/mid 90s fastball has exceptional induced vertical break, coming out of the arm of a shorter pitcher in Murphy, allowing it to play up as a swing-and-miss pitch. He throws a four-seamer, curveball, slider, changeup mix, with the slider being the least used pitch so far in his two major league appearances out of the bullpen. While he’ll almost certainly have to be less fastball-reliant than he has been out of the bullpen, his results have been solid, with 4.0 scoreless innings, 4 strikeouts, and no walks in the majors. His stats in the minors haven’t been especially impressive this year, but he has the prospect pedigree and traits to hope that he can be a solid major league pitcher, which would go a long way to bolstering Atlanta’s struggling rotation as we exit the All-Star break.

While Gore has a 4.63 ERA on the season, his xERA, xFIP, and FIP all indicate that he is more or less the same quality pitcher that he was when the Rangers traded for him, all sitting in the mid/high 3s. The Rangers’ lefty pitches primarily off of his four-seamer and curveball, which he throws a couple ticks above league average in terms of velocity and with great extension, despite average movement. He mixes in four other pitches (changeup, slider, cutter, and sinker) for the rest of his pitch usage. His changeup and slider have been quite effective in a smaller sample, and his fastball has been good as far as fastballs go. This will be a challenging matchup for Atlanta, but perhaps Drake Baldwin has found his form again and can get back to absolutely crushing lefties with his reverse splits.

Game Info

Game Date/Time: Saturday, July 18, 4:10 p.m. ET

Location: Truist Park, Atlanta, GA

TV: BravesVision

Streaming: MLB.tv

Radio: 680 AM / 93.7 FM The Fan, Los Bravos

It’s only a few days following the 2026 All-Star Game, hosted by the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park.

So it’s time for MLB to turn its attention to next year’s Midsummer Classic, which will be hosted by the Cubs at Wrigley Field, the ballpark’s first turn at hosting since 1990.

Before Friday’s game, the team held a ceremony to unveil the logo that will be used for promoting the game over the next year. (And, of course, it will be all over merchandise which I’m sure you can pick up soon.)

The Cubs honored each of the previous All-Star Games at Wrigley Field, which were held in 1947, 1962 and 1990. For the 1947 game, Phil Cavarretta’s niece represented the former Cubs star, along with a high school athlete from Cavarretta’s school, Lane Tech, which is located just a couple of miles west of Wrigley Field.

In 1962, Billy Williams was among three Cub All-Stars, and he was on the field representing that team, along with another local high school athlete. And in 1990, Andre Dawson and Shawon Dunston were among three Cub All-Stars (along with the late Ryne Sandberg), and both were there, with a third high school athlete.

Those groups planted a base with their year’s All-Star logo at first, second and third base, respectively, then Pete Crow-Armstrong helped unveil the 2027 logo, which you can see at the top of this post.

The Cubs and MLB did a nice job on this logo. It evokes Wrigley Field’s famous marquee and in between “All” and “Star,” the six-pointed star is similar to the stars on the city of Chicago flag. Nicely done.

Wrigley Field will become the only current ballpark to have hosted the All-Star Game four times. Two other parks no longer in use also hosted four times: Municipal Stadium in Cleveland (1935, 1954, 1963 and 1981) and the original Yankee Stadium (1939, 1960, 1977 and 2008).

Of course, there’s the specter of the MLB/MLBPA collective bargaining agreement expiring at the end of this year and the possibility that games might be lost in 2027, including this All-Star Game. Cubs President of Business Operations Crane Kenney addressed that, quoted in this Tribune article by Meghan Montemurro:

“The All-Star Game is a whole different animal, so we’re going to have to operate as if there is no end of the CBA and that there is no pause in play, which we still hope is the case,” Kenney said. “There’s a great case to be made that both sides will come together, we’ll get something done and there’ll be no interruption to play, and we just have to operate with that as our strategy.

“It’s not like we’re going to plan to have concerts. Normally the All-Star break is a really lucrative concert window for us, which is very helpful to putting a great payroll together for Jed (Hoyer). We won’t have that next year, and we won’t be loading shows in as a contingency. And what we learned through COVID and the last lockout and sort of a quick start to play is that we can spin up our operation with 30 days’ notice.”

If all goes as scheduled, the stars will meet at Wrigley Field on Tuesday, July 13, 2027.

Here’s the entire pregame ceremony, which was very nicely done:

There will be another Cubs ceremony held this morning, beginning right around the time this article is posted. It will officially dedicate Champions Gate at Gallagher Way, an entry to the area that honors all three Cubs World Series champion teams. BCB’s Sara Sanchez will have a full report on the ceremony here tomorrow.

After the smoke issues yesterday, the Guardians will play two games today. Gavin Williams will face off against the Pirates’ Jared Jones at 1:10 and Logan Allen is up as the 27th man to face TBD at 7:10.

There are thunderstorms around all day, so that’s something to be aware of, also.

We got some injury updates yesterday:

-Angel Martinez began his rehab assignment in Columbus

-Jose Ramirez is progressing well and may not need a rehab assignment.

-Ben Lively has been facing live batters and may go on his rehab assignment soon.

-CJ Kayfus broke his ankle and tore a ligament right before the break and is out for the rest of the season.

AROUND MLB:

White Sox, Tigers and Twins all won.

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The Boston Red Sox enter Saturday on an 11-game win streak – their longest since 2016 – and will look to keep it rolling against the Tampa Bay Rays this afternoon at Fenway park.

The Red Sox come in as the favorites (-113) against the Rays (+108), and I’m taking the hosts to keep their streak alive in my Rays vs. Red Sox predictions due to their dominance vs. left-handed pitching.

Find my free MLB picks for Saturday, July 18 below.

Who will win Rays vs Red Sox today: Red Sox moneyline (-116)

The Boston Red Sox have outscored the Tampa Bay Rays 15-3 through the first two meetings of this four-game set, and I’m taking the hosts to win a third straight this afternoon.

Boston is batting .262 and slugging .432 against southpaws, putting the Red Sox within the top four among all MLB teams in both categories.

Rays starter Ian Seymour is trending in the wrong direction with a 5.52 ERA over his last three outings, and his changeup-heavy arsenal will leave him vulnerable against a Red Sox squad that’s been feasting on off-speed pitches.

Play Boston up to -120.

COVERS INTEL: The Red Sox have a 37.1 hard hit percentage against changeups from left-handed pitchers – the fifth-best mark in the majors.

Rays vs Red Sox Over/Under pick: Under 9.5 (-107)

The Red Sox and Rays are two of the stingiest teams in the MLB, ranking fourth (3.55) and ninth (3.88) in team ERA, respectively. Boston’s bullpen owns the third-best ERA in baseball (3.13), so this projects as another quiet game for Tampa Bay at the plate.

Tampa Bay has cashed the Under in four of Seymour’s last five outings, while Boston starter Patrick Sandoval allowed just one run in his only appearance of the season.

I’m playing the Under to -115.

Rays vs Red Sox weather

Rays vs Red Sox odds

• Moneyline: Tampa Bay (+108) | Boston (-113)
• Run line: Tampa Bay -1.5 (+163) | Boston +1.5 (-170)
• Over/Under: Over 9.5 (-100) | Under 9.5 (-104)

Rays vs Red Sox trend

Boston is 10-2 in its last 12 home games against Tampa Bay. Find more MLB betting trends for Rays vs. Red Sox.

How to watch Rays vs Red Sox and game info

Rays vs Red Sox latest injuries

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

Worcester: L, 6-7 (BOX SCORE)

Allan Castro continues his hot streak after the break with three knocks in Scranton (Yankees AAA). The WooSox had a pretty awesome day at the plate all things considered. Nate Eaton hit a home run off a rehabbing Max Fried, the eighth inning featured homers from Mikey Romero and Bret Harris, and the team as a whole had thirteen hits on the night. That was not enough to overcome a rough pitching night from Raymond Burgos, who’s for sure this year’s Jose De Leon – a pitcher with some Major League experience who just takes the brunt of some starts. Either way, the two home runs (and five runs) he allowed in four innings were the albatross around the neck that ended up costing the WooSox Friday.

Portland: L, 2-7 (BOX SCORE)

Dalton Rogers also had a pretty rough start against Somerset (Yankees AA), lasting just three innings and allowing seven runs, but the Sea Dogs did not have the same night offensively as the WooSox did and scored in just one inning (the sixth), after the game was already 7-0, so this game was never even close. Brooks Brannon did hit a home run in that sixth inning, his fourth in six games, and Ronald Rosario had a double and ended up subsequently scoring on an error. But outside of that, the team had just two other hits on the night and struck out fifteen times. Brannon has looked awesome for a while, though, and his OPS hovers closer back to that 1.000 mark he was eclipsing for much of the spring.

Greenville: W, 8-7 (BOX SCORE)

It looked like a lost cause after Joe Vogatsky went probably two more outs longer than he should have and ended up blowing a save. Devin Futrell also went just a bit too long despite striking out eight Keys (Orioles High-A) on the night. The Drive should not have won this game, but they did thanks to some early offense; they scored five runs in first three innings including Mason White’s fourth home run in the month of July and capped the night off with an Enddy Azocar walk-off double.

Salem: L, 11-14 (BOX SCORE)

In a game where 25 total runs were scored and seven total errors were committed, it’s usually the team that allows the most destructive innings that loses. This was the case in Salem, as the Shorebirds (Orioles A) had an 8-run fifth inning, getting to Jay Allmer for seven runs (four earned.) The RidgeYaks were far from stagnant at the plate, though; Avinson Pinto had two doubles, catcher Franklin Primera went 4-for-4 and Louis Andujar had 4 RBI’s including a home run in the 9th to make it a sweat for Delmarva. But Salem had also let some runs go in the 9th, which ended up being the difference here.

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George Springer is locked in, and a weak four-seamer from Davis Martin is the pitch to attack.

The Toronto Blue Jays try to bounce back from a 12-4 drubbing on Friday as they host the Chicago White Sox in a virtual pick-em, with Shane Bieber on the mound against Davis Martin. 

Toronto’s bats will look to attack Martin’s fastball, and George Springer headlines my card after a hot week.

Read on for my White Sox vs. Blue Jays predictions and MLB picks for this Saturday, July 18 matchup.

White Sox vs Blue Jays predictions

White Sox vs Blue Jays best bet: George Springer Over 1.5 total bases (+145)

Big George is chugging along.

George Springer ran into one on Friday, cashing our home run prop, but since I don’t believe lightning strikes twice, I’ll play his total bases prop on Saturday against Davis Martin and the Chicago White Sox.

Martin carved up the Toronto Blue Jays earlier this year, tossing six shutout innings, but he isn’t unbreakable.

Martin’s four-seam fastball grades out at a -3 run value, per Baseball Savant, and Springer owns a +3 run value against the same pitch, slugging .484.

That’s the matchup edge I want.

I’d play Springer’s total bases until +125 today.

COVERS INTEL: Springer has at least one hit in six of his last seven games, including three extra-base knocks during that span.

White Sox vs Blue Jays same-game parlay (SGP)

For the same-game parlay, I’m chasing +300 and betting on offense. Friday’s game sailed over the total, and with Shane Bieber and his 7.64 ERA still searching for his old form, I like over 8 total runs again.

I’ll add the Blue Jays moneyline as a live home play in a near-pick’em, and cap it with Kazuma Okamoto Over 0.5 hits, since Toronto’s best bat should have no trouble reaching base against Martin’s shaky four-seamer.

White Sox vs Blue Jays SGP

• Blue Jays moneyline
• Over 8.5
• Kazuma Okamoto Over 0.5 hits

White Sox vs Blue Jays home run pick:  Kazuma Okamoto (+370)

Kazuma Okamoto is the King of Sting in this Blue Jays lineup with 22 home runs, and he happens to mash four-seam fastballs to a .588 slugging mark with a +12 run value, right in line with Martin’s biggest weakness.

I also love the value here. Okamoto goes on torrid homer stretches, and the books shorten his line during those runs, so a +370 price feels generous. 

I’ll play this until +325 and keep it to a quarter unit.

White Sox vs Blue Jays odds

• Moneyline: White Sox -110 | Blue Jays -110
• Run line: White Sox -1.5 (+150) | Blue Jays +1.5 (-175)
• Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-120) | Under 8.5 (+100)

White Sox vs Blue Jays trend

The total has gone Over in six of the Toronto Blue Jays’ last seven games, supporting the over in Saturday’s same-game parlay. Find more MLB betting trends for White Sox vs. Blue Jays.

How to watch White Sox vs Blue Jays and game info

White Sox vs Blue Jays latest injuries

White Sox vs Blue Jays weather

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Another busy slate across the Majors presents lots of opportunity for long balls in my MLB player props home run analysis. 

I'll get things started with Heriberto Hernandez, followed by James Wood and Yordan Alvarez. 

Read more in my MLB picks for Saturday, July 18. 

Best MLB home run props today

Player to hit a HR	Odds
Heriberto Hernandez	+370
James Wood	+243
Yordan Alvarez	+296
💲Today's HR parlay	+6528

Home run pick: Heriberto Hernandez (+370)

Heriberto Hernandez is one of the hottest hitters in baseball right now. He owns a .571 ISO across his last nine games, homering four times during that span. Hernandez is also averaging a 20.4-degree launch angle and 30% barrel rate in the last two weeks. 

He'll face Milwaukee Brewers left-hander Shane Drohan today, who is only allowing 0.99 HR/9 over the last month. However, Hernandez has showcased power against southpaws, posting a .338 ISO. 

Milwaukee’s bullpen has also limited home runs lately, but its 43.3% hard-hit rate across the last 40 innings provides some vulnerability.

I'll play this pick down to +300. 

• Time: 4:10 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Brewers.TV, Marlins.TV

Home run pick: James Wood (+243)

James Wood enters the second half in impressive power form, clubbing six home runs across his last nine games. The slugger has a mind-boggling .633 ISO during that span, and 59.1% hard-hit rate. 

Tonight's matchup happens to be a favorable one. He'll face Athletics right-hander J.T. Ginn, who has allowed 1.75 HR/9 over his last five appearances. The A's bullpen has struggled with long ball lately as well, giving up 2.55 HR/9 in the last two weeks. 

Sutter Health Park in Sacramento happens to also be hitter-friendly, although Wood's raw power doesn't exactly need help. 

I'll play this pick down to +200. 

• Time: 10:10 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: NBC Sports California, Nationals.TV

Home run pick: Yordan Alvarez (+296)

Yordan Alvarez continues to punish opposing pitchers. He carries a .400 ISO over his last nine contests into tonight's matchup against Trevor Rogers, homering four times during that span. He's consistently squaring up the baseball as well, posting a 51.7% hard-hit rate over the last month. 

I won't sit here and say this is going to be an easy matchup. Rogers isn't allowing many bombs lately, and the Baltimore Orioles bullpen has limited power as of late. However, it's hard to overlook Alvarez's success against left-handers, carrying a .286 average and .265 ISO. 

I'll play this pick down to +250. 

• Time: 4:10 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: SCHN, MASN

Today’s HR parlay

Heriberto Hernandez	Bet Now +6528
James Wood
Yordan Alvarez

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Good morning, LSB.

The Rangers got destroyed by the Braves in their first game back from the ASB.

Kennedi Landry writes about Chris Sale good and Cal Quantrill ungood.

Evan Grant has fan reactions from the switch to BZZR, which didn’t exactly shine in its debut.

Elsewhere Grant says the Rangers face a key 16-game stretch that will determine their fate at the trade deadline.

Sebastian Walcott made his season debut with the RoughRiders last night.

And finally, MLB is cracking down on teams using AI to make in-game decisions such as “You’re so right — a fastball down the middle is likely to take Yordan Alvarez by surprise.”

That’s all for this morning. Have a good weekend!

David Lesky has a Royals trade primer that includes the possibility they trade Michael Wacha.

The Royals have said that they will listen, but the offer would have to be astronomical. First of all, that’s probably the correct mindset to have this far from the deadline, at least on what they’d accept. But I hate the idea that they aren’t doing some of the shopping as well. I mentioned above that this would be a good time to jump the market. It’s risky, but if they wait, teams could get more desperate too. But either way, they should at least be actively reaching out and telling teams what they want for Wacha.

I’m fine if they don’t trade him because a deal just didn’t materialize. All the reasons he’s attractive in a trade are reasons the Royals would want to keep him. His salary goes down to $14 million next year, and then he has an affordable $14 million team option in 2028. Now, he’s 35 years old and age doesn’t typically help a pitcher once they get to the mid-30s. But he’s having another pretty solid season, though he’s struggled lately. He’s steady and gives you innings. Teams would be lining up to get Wacha.

Anne Rogers has some injury updates and reports that Stephen Kolek won’t be activated for today’s game.

Jim Bowden of The Athletic previews the trade market for sellers like the Royals.

Potential trade chips: Veteran starters, relievers, Lane Thomas

The Royals have been one of the most disappointing teams in baseball this year, and they really have no choice but to sell. The most likely Royals to be traded are All-Star right-hander Michael Wacha and veteran right-hander Seth Lugo….

This is an important trade deadline for Kansas City, and they need to take advantage of the sellers’ market.

Royals prospect Angeibel Gomez is a Dominican Summer League All-Star highlighted by Baseball America.

Gomez signed with Kansas City this past January and immediately translated his strong amateur track record to pro ball. He’s been one of the league’s most electric players in the first half of the season and has a good chance to rank No. 1 in the league after the year concludes. His plus-plus speed and plus arm strength give him a strong chance to stick in center field, and he’s been one of the league’s standouts in the batter’s box as well. Gomez has already posted exit velocities better than 110 mph, and he rarely misses or chases. Through 27 games, the 17-year-old is hitting .330/.459/.602 with nine doubles, five home runs and 10 stolen bases. He’s also racked up more walks (18) than strikeouts (13).

MLB Pipeline adds Royals prospect David Shields to its top 100 prospect list.

The Orioles acquire outfielder Rudy Martin from the Royals.

The Pirates/Guardians games is postponed due to poor air conditions from Canadian wildfires.

A’s slugger Brent Rooker has season-ending knee surgery.

Dayn Perry ranks the top 50 players in baseball.

Are the Red Sox for real?

Adam Ottavino accuses the Mets of being the reason why MLB is cracking down on iPad usage.

Dan Szymborski at Fangraphs updates ZIPS standings.

The Brewers will use newly-acquired pitcher Lance McCullers in the bullpen.

Jeff Passan has the latest he is hearing on the trade market.

Aaron Judge is not ready for baseball activities.

FOX, ESPN, and Netflix are reportedly interested in bidding on MLB World Series rights.

Former Mets All-Star Ron Hunt dies at age 85.

The NFL suspends a Cardinals executive for gambling.

Caitlin Clark scores a career-high 45 points in a Friday comeback win.

Apple unseats Nvidia as the world’s most valuable company.

Astronomers say a meteorite that hit a home in New Jersey contains “alien world chemistry.”

Chipotle opens its first location in Mexico.

Your song of the day is The Four Tops with It’s the Same Old Song.