Category: MLB

It’s trade deadline season, and though this has been a tame deadline period so far, the continuous swirl of rumors and (eventually) actual transactions will be the focus of much of the baseball world in the coming days. Yesterday, we discussed which players the Yankees were most likely to move, and today, we ask: what weakness do the Yankees most need to address, and which one are they most likely to address?

The answer to this question has been fluid throughout the year. Early on, it seemed obvious to most that the Yankees would need to make big additions to their bullpen, yet here we are at the end of July, and the Yankee relief corps has the second-best ERA in the majors. Paul Blackburn has proven to be the second coming of Luke Weaver, Brent Headrick almost never allows runs, David Bednar has been the top-tier closer the team envisioned, and Matt Blake’s latest reclamation project, Angel Chivilli, has looked dynamite since his most recent call-up. Add in the fact that players like Will Warren and Ryan Weathers (and perhaps Carlos Lagrange?) could get shifted to the bullpen if they’re not traded, and the unit looks like an area of strength, not weakness.

At other times, the matter of the infield appeared to be most pressing. Ryan McMahon and Jazz Chisholm Jr. each got off to nightmarish starts, and the shortstop duo of Anthony Volpe and José Caballero has had its ups and downs. But even on the dirt, things don’t look nearly as shaky as they did two or three months ago. Since seeing his OPS bottom out at .498 on April 22nd, Chisholm has played exactly as expected, with a .239/.309/.463 slash line and 16 homers plus 21 steals. McMahon has run a roughly .750 OPS over the last two months while bringing his usual quality defense at third base. And despite his penchant for high-profile miscues, Volpe’s combination of high-OBP and good range at short has made him a valuable contributor.

Then, there’s the most obvious need now, at catcher, with Yankee backstops having combined to “hit” .181/.261/.284. But even adding a catcher comes with major complications, as most teams are loath to make significant changes to their caching room midseason. For as awful as Austin Wells and Co. have been with the bat this year, a catcher’s primary job is to catch, to field his position, to manage his pitching staff. The Yankee backstops have done that portion of their job with aplomb this year (it’s probably not a coincidence that the Yankees prioritize defense at catcher and have the best team ERA in baseball), and it’s not trivial to just add a plus bat to that room without shaking things up on the run-prevention front.

Add it all up, and it leaves the Yankee roster in a weird spot heading into a crucial deadline. The roster has been slammed by injuries and has some seemingly clear places to upgrade, but actually making those upgrades is less straightforward than it might appear. What do you think? Where are the Yankees most likely to make moves in the next four days?

On the site today, Josh analyzes Matt Chapman as a possible hot-corner target, and Jeff writes up the great Casey Stengel as part of our Yankee Birthday series. Also, Andrew provides the day’s Rivalry Roundup, Matt delivers the All-July Team, and Peter provides his Sequence of the Week, which features great work from David Bednar.

Today’s Matchup:

New York Yankees at Chicago White Sox

Time: 2:10 p.m. EST

TV: YES Network, Chicago Sports Network

Venue: Rate Field, Chicago, IL

ESPN | Jorge Castillo: The two New York teams are expected to have wildly different trade deadlines, with the Yankees presumed to be buyers and the Mets perhaps the biggest sellers. While there’s a couple possible deals to be had between the two clubs — hello, Luke Weaver? — the largest possible splashes for the Yankees look like they could come from the West Coast. The San Diego Padres offer two relievers that could reinforce the bullpen, and the Angels feature both Zack Neto and Reid Detmers as alluring trade targets.

FanGraphs | Jay Jaffe: With Cody Bellinger out 4-6 weeks with a hamstring strain, the Yankee lineup and outfield are starting to look pretty bald. The team is already suffering significantly without Aaron Judge in the lineup, and while they still have a chance to win the AL East, they need someone to step up and start hitting, or they have an increased need to bring in an impact bat before the Trade Deadline.

Front Office Sports | Eric Fisher: As a longtime lover of MLB.tv, I get to benefit from what might be sports’ best livestreaming experience. From what I’ve heard from New York locals, the Gotham Sports App has not been a very good livestreaming experience. The platform has repeatedly had playback, UI, and general quality issues over the past two seasons, and it seems it is being sunsetted by the YES and MSG networks. Streaming service DAZN is being tapped as the replacement for Gotham Sports, and I’ll keep using MLB.tv.

MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: The Yankees announced who will be coming back to the Bronx on August 8th for the 78th edition of Old-Timers’ Day. Hall of Famers Joe Torre and Mariano Rivera lead the way, and they’ll be joined by Monument Park honorees Ron Guidry, Willie Randolph, Bernie Williams, Tino Martinez, Paul O’Neill, Jorge Posada, and Andy Pettitte. The first-time Old-Timers are Dellin Betances (born in 1988, gulp), Todd Frazier, David Weathers, and Adam Ottavino (who just pitched last year). Check out the full list!

TSN: If you know me, you know I’m a born hater. I want Shohei Ohtani to grow old and die warm in a bed surrounded by loved ones and I hope he has a rock in his shoe every single time he steps on a baseball field. Yesterday was a win for the haters, as Alek Manoah was released by the Angels. One imagines Gerrit Cole opened a particularly special bottle of wine last night’s game with the White Sox.

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The New York Yankees are slim underdogs at nearly pick-em prices when they meet the Chicago White Sox in Game 4 of a four-game series.

Chicago rakes against lefties, and my Yankees vs. White Sox predictions and MLB picks expect a high-scoring White Sox victory. 

Who will win Yankees vs White Sox today: White Sox moneyline (-112)

The Chicago White Sox offer clear moneyline value when they host the New York Yankees. 

Chicago starter Sean Burke’s 83rd-percentile extension (6.8 feet) allows his 94.9 mph heater to play like 96+ mph, lowering hard contact (35.0% Hard-Hit rate), which should slow a longball-reliant Yankees lineup. 

Conversely, Yankees starter Ryan Weathers' shorter extension (5.8 feet) leaves his four-seamer sitting in the zone, exposing him and his .441 xSLG to Chicago's .168 ISO against lefties. 

I am fading Weathers' poor fastball optics and backing the White Sox moneyline, playable to -125. 

COVERS INTEL: New York's bullpen has surrendered a 13.0% walk rate over the last 14 days. Facing a White Sox order slugging .407 with RISP, unearned traffic makes Chicago a solid choice. 

Yankees vs White Sox Over/Under pick: Over 7.5 Runs (-116)

The White Sox and Yankees present strong value on the Over 7.5. 

Weather's short extension robs his fastball of late deception, and Chicago's lefties are recognizing it early, exposing his 1.42 HR/9 to their .168 ISO against southpaws. 

Burke isn't airtight either: a 3.81 home xFIP and 1.11 HR/9 should allow the Yankees bats to do their share of the scoring today. 

Both bullpens raise the floor even further; Yankees relievers are walking 13.0% of hitters over the last 14 days, while Chicago's pen carries a 4.09 ERA. 

I am taking the Over to  8.5 runs. 

Yankees vs White Sox weather

It will be a warm and humid day with light winds blowing in from centerfield. 

Yankees vs White Sox odds

• Moneyline: Yankees -104 | White Sox -100
• Run line: Yankees -1.5 (+156) | White Sox +1.5 (-178)
• Over/Under: Over 8.5 (+104) | Under 8.5 (-117)

Yankees vs White Sox trend

White Sox are 5-0 in their last 5 during game 4 of a series. Find more MLB betting trends for Yankees vs. White Sox.

How to watch Yankees vs White Sox and game info

Yankees vs White Sox latest injuries

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The Athletics went into the 10th inning before falling to the Boston Red Sox at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento, California, on July 29.

Red Sox infielder Andruw Monasterio had the heroic moment in the top of the 10th inning with a leadoff, two-run home run, taking a 91 mph, four-seam fastball 428 feet off the bat across left center to give Boston a 4-2 advantage. He finished the game going 3-for-4 with a home run and 2 RBIs.

The Red Sox improved to 56-51. They have the third-best record in the American League East.

"Really, since the road trip before the All-Star break, we gave him some run there. He started playing more, and he started playing very good defensively. He's taken some good swings against both left and right," Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy told reporters of Monasterio. "He's hit some home runs, a lot of doubles, but he's been huge for us."

It was a homecoming for Red Sox third baseman Nick Sogard, who is familiar with the Sacramento region. Sogard, 28, attended Jesuit High School in Carmichael. Naturally, he had dozens of fans out at the West Sacramento ballpark to root him on.

He didn't disappoint.

Sogard went 2-for-5 in the ballgame and accounted for an RBI in the sixth inning, which tied the game at 2.

"You feel the game going along, and actually the series, like we've had some runners, we've had some trouble getting them in, so you only get so many chances. So when you get get an opportunity, you can get a two-out hit and get the game tied, and now you've moved at that point, you've moved towards the back end of your bullpen. So, just a really, really good at-bat there," Tracy said of Sogard's timely hit.

But it was the veteran pitching of nine-time All-Star and two-time World Series champion Aroldis Chapman that stole the show and set up Monasterio's moment in the 10th.

In the ninth inning, it looked as if the A's were going to go ahead. Lawrence Butler hit a 85 mph slider that looked like it would have been a walk-off homer, but it stayed in the park and got down. Butler was caught watching the spectacle, hoping it would go over the wall, but Boston got it back in play as Butler settled on a double. Butler finished the game 2-for-3 with a home run and RBI.

Donovan Walton took a sacrifice bunt to get Butler to third, but that's where it ended as Chapman delivered a series of four-seam fastballs and splitters, racking up strikes. Jacob Wilson struck out swinging − the splitter got him. Jeff McNeil struck out on a 99 mph sinker.

Jonah Heim had a really good bat for the A's, despite the losing effort. Heim, who went 3-for-4 at the plate, hit a home run in the bottom of the second inning.

A's first baseman and slugger Nick Kurtz left the game in the first inning after taking a fastball to the elbow.

The A's fell to 45-63 and have the second-worst record in the American League West and AL overall. Their next game is Thursday, July 30 against the Red Sox at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento, California. First pitch is at 6:40 p.m. PT (9:40 p.m. ET).

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Red Sox get 10-inning win vs. A's in homecoming for Nick Sogard

Even beat writer Steve Gilbert seemed exhausted by last night’s nailbiter and it’s hard to blame him for being physically and emotionally worn out after a 12-inning, four hour marathon game. It’s also understandable for the players themselves to feel similarly and I fully expected some kind of hangover effect for one or both of these teams coming into today. While it wasn’t the most glamourous game of baseball that’s ever been played, there was little evidence of any lingering effects from last night’s game – at least for the D-Backs who looked focused and prepared throughout the afternoon. That goes doubly for Eduardo Rodriguez who continues to put his worst outing of the season in the rearview mirror with his best start of the season and one of the best starts of his career with eight innings of scoreless ball.

Rodriguez’s teammates weren’t quite as dominant with the bats, but with that kind of performance from their starter, they quite literally didn’t need much offense to secure the win. After being held hitless their first time through lineup against youngster Jared Jones, the D-Backs made some adjustments on their second opportunity. Corbin Carroll opened the fourth inning with a leadoff double and then stole third for good measure to put himself within sacrifice fly range, but Gabriel Moreno had other ideas. Instead of settling for one run, Moreno crushed a low and away slider to dead center and nearly crushed one of the Pirates’ bushes by the batter’s eye in the process. That blast constituted the entirety of the Arizona offensive attack until the sixth when they built a nice two-out rally that started with the bane of relief pitching: a two-out walk. The recipient, Moreno again, advanced to third on a bloop single from Ketel Marte and then scored on a Max Kepler single that just evaded second baseman Brandon Lowe. It was a beautiful rally and one they’ll need to continue creating in their postseason pursuits.

Regardless, today was Rodriguez’s day. He looked completely unfazed for most of the game and had sharp command of all five of his pitches. His changeup was particularly devastating with seven of his 15 whiffs coming on that pitch alone. It wasn’t a strikeout heavy afternoon with just two on the afternoon, but he induced plenty of weak contact with just five balls put into play that are considered “hard hit” (95 MPH or higher) for the entire afternoon. He was also especially efficient in his pitch count as the Pirates were aggressive very early in the counts throughout the game and he dialed up two crucial double play groundouts to extinguish rallies before they could even get started in the first and fourth innings. Amazingly, the lefty only allowed six baserunners total in the outing including just one walk – an important secondary marker for Rodriguez who has been a bit walk-prone this season at times.

I think a special note of appreciation towards the Arizona starting pitching in this series is warranted. Merrill Kelly, Brandon Pfaadt, and Rodriguez combined for 20.2 IP in three days against the Pirates and allowed just one unearned run in that span. There are certainly complaints about the bullpen – particularly in last night’s near debacle – but you would be hard-pressed to find much room for protestation with run prevention like that from the starting pitchers. It’s especially encouraging to see from Pfaadt and Kelly who have both had their well-publicized struggles at various times this season. The Pittsburgh offense is sneakily good too, tied for second in the majors in runs per game with 5.21, third in OPS at .759, and their 980 hits is the most in the entire major leagues. The whole team will need to keep the positive momentum rolling if they want to keep pushing for a postseason berth.

I wish I had more to say, but all the Rays’ offensive prowess came in the first inning this evening — and nothing else after that!

Casey Legumina was tonight’s opener, working a 1-2-3 first inning, and his night would be finished thereafter.

On pitch one in the bottom of the first, Yandy Diaz swatted a solo shot to right field, his 15th of the year, to put the Rays up 1-0.

Jonathan Aranda doubled right after him, Junior Caminero struck out, and Ryan Vilade (cue the Big Rig horn) hammered a Mackenzie Gore changeup of of the C-ring catwalk to give the Rays a crooked number.

Ian Seymour gets the win, going 4.2 IP, walking one, striking out four, and only allowing two hits.

Garrett Cleavinger and Kevin Kelly would earn holds, respectively, creating the bridge to Brian Baker.

The lights would turn off at Tropicana Field, fans were instructed to turn on the lights on their cell phones, and Baker would enter the game to a light show accompanied by the song Lights by Avicii.

Other than a one out double by Brandon Nimmo, the ninth was tame with Baker earning his 29th save of the season. Rays win 3-0, and earn their third shutout in four games.

Quick turnaround tomorrow, with Cole Winn and Shane McClanahan as the probable starters and a 12:10 EST first pitch for the matinee against the Rangers.

The Mariners lost another one of these.

The lineup struggled for most of eight innings on Wednesday, before the bottom of the order scratched a run across in the eighth. They’d get another in the ninth. But the Dodgers lineup put tons of pressure on Emerson Hancock and the Mariners defense, eventually taking game two of the series 4-2.

Hancock got the ball in what could be his final game with the team. The Mariners are reportedly willing to trade a starter, and that could very well be Hancock. I’m not sure he did much to change his trade value. He was solid and unspectacular. He worked five innings, picked up five strikeouts on five whiffs, and gave up three runs on eight hits, including a homer. The defense behind him was bad, which didn’t help. Some of the shock value from his surprising season has worn off, but that there’d be a whole “Emerson Hancock trade deadline” storyline to this season is latest thing that would have liquified my brain not four months ago.

In the bottom of the first, Hancock hung a sweeper to Andy Pages, who yanked it into the left field seats. He also struck out three batters in the inning, including Shohei Ohtani. 

In the third, a pair of singles put runners on the corners with one out for Freddie Freeman. Hancock exploded his bat producing a squibbed at Weston Wilson, who dove on the ball like a grenade. While heroic, this isn’t generally the way you want to dive on a ball as an infielder, and the Dodgers scored a second run. Hancock would wrestle out of the jam.  

In the fourth, Mookie Betts singled up the middle to lead off, and Teoscar Hernandez doubled to right center on a ball that Julio Rodríguez might have caught in previous years — he met the ball just ahead of the warning, track, but seemed to pull up while checking the fence and let it drop. Hancock then intentionally walked Ohtani to load the bases. This time, Pages hit the ball that gave Wilson fits, making the game 3-0.

The bullpen was fine, aside from Michael Rucker giving up a single and an RBI double to Ohtani to make the game 4-0.

The Mariners struggled against crafty lefty Eric Lauer, who gave up one hit and one walk in six innings. The Mariners would get there second hit when Wilson doubled off Tanner Scott in the eighth. Mitch Garver looked like he’d immediately picked up another with a hard liner deep to left. But Hernandez flagged it down with an awkward leap into the chainlink fence, snaring it from the top of the wall.

Cole Young would follow with a single to give the Mariners their first run. And they’d get a second in the ninth inning on a doubles from Dominic Canzone and Josh Naylor. But they couldn’t figure things out in time. They’ll have a chance to take a series from the Dodgers in Los Angeles on Thursday.

The Athletics faced the Boston Red Sox in the third game of a four-game series at Sutter Health Park. The Red Sox won 4-2 in ten innings, giving them a chance to claim the series with a victory in the finale. The back-and-forth game featured missed opportunities from both teams, as the A’s were unable to get a clutch hit in several key situations.

Early Scoring Chances Wasted

A’s starter Jacob Lopez worked around two walks in a 27-pitch scoreless first inning. In the bottom of the first, Red Sox pitcher Patrick Sandoval hit A’s first baseman Nick Kurtz on the wrist, causing discomfort for the hosts’ star slugger.

The A’s left Kurtz at second base, as Sandoval struck out Tyler Soderstrom to end the inning. Because of his forearm contusion, Kurtz did not take the field in the second inning. Jeff McNeil replaced him at first base. Second baseman Alika Williams made a diving catch to end the top of the second.

Heim Time

Catcher Jonah Heim led off the bottom of the second inning with a solo home run, the 500th hit of his career and his 11th homer of the season, giving the A’s a 1-0 lead.

In the fourth inning, three singles set up a bases-loaded, one out situation for the Red Sox. Lopez escaped unscathed by getting Red Sox’ catcher Connor Wong to ground into an inning-ending 4-6-3 double play.

The Red Sox tied the game in the fifth inning. Left fielder Jahmai Jones led off the frame with his fourth home run of the season, a solo shot to left field off Lopez. The A’s starter responded by striking out the next three batters, keeping the game tied at 1.

Butler Resurgence

The A’s immediately re-took the lead in the bottom of that inning. Facing Sandoval, right fielder Lawrence Butler led off the inning with a solo home run to center, his sixth of the season, putting the hosts up 2-1. With one out, shortstop Jacob Wilson singled. He then moved to second on McNeil’s single. Sandoval limited the damage by striking out the next two hitters, ending the inning with the A’s unable to add to their lead.

Red Sox Strike Back

Lopez exited with a runner on second and one out in the sixth inning. He turned in another strong start, allowing two runs, one earned on seven hits in 5 1/3 innings. He walked two batters, while striking out eight.

Right-hander Hayden Juenger entered out of the A’s bullpen and could not strand his inherited runner. With two outs, second baseman Nick Sogard singled to center, bringing home the tying run. A’s third baseman Tommy White’s dropped foul popup hurt his team that inning. Boston’s runner would not have advanced to second base if the ball had been caught.

High-Stress Innings

Juenger stayed in the game to pitch the seventh inning with the score tied at 2. He got two outs, although gave up a double and a walk. Right-hander Elvis Alvarado replaced Juenger and induced Red Sox designated hitter Romy Gonzalez to ground out with the bases loaded. For the second time tonight, the A’s prevented Boston from scoring with the bases juiced.

Red Sox reliever Justin Slaten pitched the bottom of the seventh. With two outs, Wilson reached on a fielding error, and McNeil followed with his second single of the night. White struck out for the third time, stranding two runners in scoring position.

The visitors got a runner on second with no outs in the eighth inning against Alvarado. The hard-throwing reliever struck out the next two batters before giving way to left-hander Brady Basso, who recorded the final out. Basso remained in the game and pitched a scoreless ninth, escaping trouble after allowing back-to-back singles with two outs.

A’s Blow It

Butler led off the bottom of the ninth with a double against Red Sox closer Aroldis Chapman. Donovan Walton followed with a sacrifice bunt, advancing Butler to third. The hosts squandered that golden game-winning chance, as Chapman struck out Wilson and McNeil to send the game to extra innings.

The Red Sox took advantage in the tenth inning. Shortstop Andruw Monasterio hit a two-run home run against A’s left-hander Jose Suarez to give the visitors a 4-2 lead. That was the final score, as the A’s went down one-two-three in the bottom of the tenth against Boston reliever Greg Weissert, who recorded his first save of the season.

Analysis and Look-Ahead

The Athletics finished the game 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position, leaving ten on base in another frustrating offensive display. Wilson needs to stop swinging at everything, as that approach is not sustainable for long-term success and it cost his team tonight. Additionally, another takeaway was the disparity between the two bullpens. Boston’s relief corps threw five shutout innings, while the A’s beleaguered bullpen surrendered the lead and faced several high-pressure situations through the final few innings.

The A’s will look to salvage a series split tomorrow evening. The pitching matchup will feature former A’s player Sonny Gray against Mason Barnett.

It took 110 games, but the Astros have finally returned to the .500 mark.  Astros 7    Angels. 4.    The victory would represent a sweep in Anaheim, while securing a 5-1 road trip.    The Astros (55-55) have now won 8 of their last 9.    In contrast, after suffering the loss, the Angels (42-67) are now 25 games under .500.     

Hayden Wesneski’s (W, 1-0) return from Tommy John’s surgery was initially problematic.    Zach Neto drew a leadoff walk and moved over on Mike Trout ‘s double.    They’d each score on Vaughn Grissom’s double.  Grissom would come home on Jo Adell’s 61st RBI of the season and just like that, it was 3-0.     All told, five of the first six batters would reach safely.    

In the top of the 2nd, Yanier Diaz would launch a 425-foot blast to get the Astros on the board.    It was Diaz’s 7th homer of the season.    The next inning, Jeremy Pena would take a hanging slider from Grayson Rodriguez and deposit it over the centerfield wall.    Pena has now hit 6 home runs over the last week and is riding an 11-game hitting streak.    Rodriguez would eventually load the bases that inning, but the Astros failed to do additional damage.   He would exit after five innings of work.    Mitch Farris (L, 0-3) would come on for Rodriguez and immediately run into trouble, the biggest hit coming off the bat of Cam Smith.   His two-run double would give Houston their first lead of the night at 4-3.      Prior to that double, Cam was mired in a 2-42 slump.     Farris would allow a total of three earned runs in the 6th, while walking three.    

Wesneski would eventually get into a rhythm and settle down after the opening nerves took hold.    He’d come out after 79 pitches in the bottom of the 6th inning.    His return to the mound took 451 days.    Final stat line:    5 2/3 innings with 3 ER on 7 hits.   He’d allow a pair of walks and strike out four, receiving praise from Joe Espada and teammates alike.    

In the 7th, Houston would add an insurance run.   Yanier Diaz would bring home a hustling Jose Altuve who’d score all the way from first on an RBI single.    That made things 6-3.      Yanier for the night would register four hits.   The Angels would score in the bottom of the 8th on Jo Adell’s second RBI of the night.    Houston reclaimed that run on Denzer Guzman’s throwing error in the 9th which allowed Christian Walker to score.    

Bryan Abreu (S, 7) would come on and record four outs in earning the save.    

What a difference a week makes.    The Astros now sit just 1 game back from the Rangers for first place in the AL West.   Houston begins a 3-game series with Texas Friday at Daikin Park.

Odds & Ends:

The last time the Astros swept a series in Anaheim was back in September of 2024.    

With an intentional walk in the 6th inning, Yordan Alvarez now has 19 on the season.    He leads the majors.    

Jose Altuve registered a pair of hits for a second consecutive game.    

The Astros begin a 6 game homestand on Friday Night vs the division-leading Rangers.    Hunter Brown will take the hill in search of his third win.  

Clay Holmes’ next start could be in the minor leagues, for the Mets or for another major league team.

All options remain in play for the right-hander as he nears his return from the injured list, with the trade deadline arriving Monday.

Holmes, in his second minor league rehab appearance in his comeback from a broken fibula, fired four scoreless innings for Single-A St. Lucie on Tuesday. He will throw a bullpen session later in the week before a next step is determined, according to interim manager Andy Green.

“Obviously anybody can count out and see where we are five days [from Tuesday] and it’s Sunday before the deadline,” Green said before the Mets beat the Braves 3-2 in Game 1 of a doubleheader split. “There is a decision to be made around that.”

Holmes and Freddy Peralta are the Mets’ primary starting pitchers that figure to be dealt. Holmes, who has pitched to a 2.39 ERA in nine starts this year, can opt out of his contract after this season.

Francisco Alvarez had a .981 OPS in 15 games since July 3 as play began in the doubleheader nightcap. Alvarez delivered an RBI double in the fifth inning to break a scoreless tie in Game 1.

“Since I have sat in this seat over the last month, he’s had really good at-bats,” Green said. “I see someone who swings with confidence. He impacts the ball like very few guys in the game. It comes off hot. There’s power — a huge hit in the gap for us today.”

Carson Benge’s RBI double in the seventh inning gave the Mets a 3-2 lead in Game 1. It was the fourth go-ahead RBI for Benge this season in the seventh inning or later, which tied him for fourth in MLB in that category.

Mets pitchers had compiled a 3.09 ERA, the third-lowest mark in MLB since the All-Star break, heading into the nightcap.

The bullpen’s 2.23 ERA was the lowest in the National League and third lowest in the major leagues.

The Dodgers had waited three months to see Edwin Díaz back on the mound, and all year for him to look like himself.

So on Wednesday night, when the trumpets began to blare and he came trotting out of the bullpen to begin the ninth inning, it almost felt like the trade deadline had come early at a jubilant Chavez Ravine.

 “I was trying to calm my emotions,” Díaz said. “And as soon as I got to the mound, it was, ‘Let’s go. Let’s make pitches. Let’s win the game.’”

In the Dodgers’ 4-2 win over the Mariners, Díaz and the Dodgers did.

In what marked his first appearance since April 19 –– having been activated from the injured list pregame following a three-month absence recovering from an elbow procedure –– Díaz was not flawless in a one-run ninth.

He gave up a ground-rule double to Dominic Canzone with one out. Then he watched another double off the bat of Josh Naylor sail over Kyle Tucker’s glove in right field.

Still, given a soft landing spot with a three-run lead in his first outing back, he limited the damage there, collected his fifth save of the season, and took a long-awaited first step in what he hopes is a resurgent closing stretch to the year.

“My first game back, I was a little bit anxious,” Díaz said. “But I threw strikes, I made pitches, and at the end of the day got the W.”

Most encouraging for Díaz on Wednesday was the renewed life behind his trademark fastball, which was up more than a full tick from his early-season struggles (averaging 96.9 mph) and topped out at 98.9 mph (harder than any he had thrown in his 10 outings at the start of the year).

The Mariners, who have seemingly been hunting fastball all series, did connect for plenty of hard contact, including a couple deep flyouts that were hit over 100 mph off the bat.

But then, Díaz adjusted, ending the game with a slider that Luke Raley rolled over to first.

“The velocity, the stuff was really good,” manager Dave Roberts said. “Obviously he gave up a run. But again, just kind of getting our bullpen back to being whole, closer to being whole, was great. Just getting him back on the team was exciting.”

Indeed, Díaz showed no ill signs of the elbow injury that had sidelined him since April, when he underwent a procedure to have loose bodies removed from his elbow.

He said pregame that both the elbow and knee discomfort that plagued him back then –– when he had a 10.50 ERA before going on the injured list –– had finally dissipated.

“I feel great,” Díaz said. “Just keep grinding. Keep getting better.”

The best part of his outing came before he even threw a pitch, with Díaz’s iconic entrance music –– “Narco” by the appropriately named Timmy Trumpet –– prompting a standing ovation from a raucous Dodger Stadium crowd.

Most fans –– who had been gifted Díaz bobbleheads on his serendipitous giveaway night –– pulled out their phones to record his entrance.

One spectator got more creative, holding a plastic beer bat to her lips to imitate the trumpeting tune.

“The fans were into it,” Díaz said. “So that’s really good.”

It was the kind of scene that, for so much of the summer, the Dodgers had missed.

The kind of result that, as the stretch run commences, they hope to get again and again out of their $69 million offseason signing.

“I don’t think anyone expected him to be lights-out, but I think that the pain-free part of it, the velocity, the slider was really good,” Roberts said. “All those things, those are things you can bet on. And, also, given what he’s done throughout his career.”

The Red Sox found themselves in another gritty, low-scoring clash with the Athletics in a post-midnight win (East Coast time) Wednesday night. While Boston left 13 men on base, they did enough with a big swing in extra innings to preserve a 4-2 victory. 

Here’s three takeaways from Wednesday night’s win. 

SANDOVAL IS SOLID

Boston’s left-hander continued to creep further into game action and gave the Red Sox over 90 pitches and finished five innings, capping the night in style with an ABS-assisted strikeout to strand two runners.

Sandoval allowed two earned runs on a pair of solo shots while he racked up seven strikeouts. The veteran is more than capable of taking the ball with solid production down the stretch, even as he builds up his workload following a long injury recovery that finally allowed him to begin his tenure with the Red Sox. 

SOGARD SPARK
Nick Sogard got the call back to The Show after the ill-afforded injury loss of Curtis Mead to the injured list. As everyone saw during the Wild Card series last October, Sogard can offer a jolt of energy and hustle when his number is called in occasional big-league opportunities. 

He stepped up again with a run-scoring single in the sixth inning to even the score and make an impact in his return to the lineup. 

OVER .500 IN EXTRAS

The Red Sox moved to 4-3 in extra innings this season thanks to Andruw Monasterio’s longest home run of the season (428 feet) and an unlikely Greg Weissert save to nail down the victory and keep Boston in the driver’s seat to win the series Thursday.

Credit to Aroldis Chapman as well for a pair of massive strikeouts of Jacob Wilson and Jeff McNeil in the ninth inning to send the game to extras. 

The San Diego Padres’ top prospect, catcher Ethan Salas, the only Friar prospect in the MLB top 100, was promoted from Double-A San Antonio to Triple-A El Paso today and was available for today’s game versus the Albuquerque Isotopes.

Salas, 20, will be the youngest player for the Chihuahuas by a large margin. First baseman Romeo Sanabria, 24, is the next youngest player for El Paso. He will also be the youngest Triple-A player in the league. 

Salas, who missed most of the 2025 season to a back injury, has played in 72 games this season for Double-A San Antonio with a .286/.361/.417 batting line and leads the team in OBP. He has seven home runs and 13 doubles with 37 RBI in a league that suppresses hitting and is now going to one of the most hitter-friendly leagues in MILB.

Salas started the season hitting over .300 in both April and May with an over .500 slugging percentage in both months. He slumped in June, hitting .156 in 12 games with an oblique injury that sent him to the injured list later in the month. After returning to the team in July, Salas has returned to form with a .321 average in 16 games but has not hit a home run since May. 

There has been some speculation that Salas has grown fatigued after missing most of last season and moving him to El Paso could give him a lift to end his season.

Salas is considered an MLB-level catcher and only needs to refine his offense to be MLB-ready for the Padres. 

MLB Pipeline has Salas as the No. 30 overall prospect in baseball, and he is ranked the No. 3 catching prospect.

The young catcher throws right-handed but bats left-handed and has flashed most of his power against right-handed pitchers but has two home runs of his seven versus lefties. He was ranked as the top international prospect when signed in 2023 for $5.6 million. Salas debuted as a Single-A catcher at the age of 17 and has been at least four years younger than any other player in each league he has played in since then.

Jeremiah Estrada returns

The Padres activated RHP Jeremiah Estrada from the injured list after completing his rehab from the right knee inflammation that landed him on the 15-day IL in June. He began his rehab with the ACL Padres on July 17 and then was transferred to El Paso on July 21. In 3.2 innings of rehab action over the two teams, Estrada allowed one hit and no runs. His fastball topped out at 96 mph with El Paso, very close to his top velocity with the Padres.

In a corresponding move, RHP Matt Waldron was designated for assignment. He has been out of options all season and will have to clear waivers to stay in the organization. If he is claimed off waivers, it will be the end of Waldron’s tenure as a Padre. 

The San Diego Padres signed 20 of the 21 players they drafted in the 2026 MLB amateur draft as well as nine undrafted free agents. Their top draft pick, RHP Coleman Borthwick, 18, was considered the top right-handed high school pitcher available in the draft. At 6-foot-6 and 255 pounds, Borthwick has already topped out his fastball at 100 mph. He also has a quality slider and has toyed with a changeup, which he hasn’t really needed at the high school level.

His command is considered advanced for his level, and his delivery has been consistent. Borthwick signed for $3.8 million with the slot bonus for the top pick being $4,224,700.

The one draftee who didn’t sign was 17th-round pick Denton Lord, a high school teammate of Borthwick. Lord had announced before the draft that he was committed to Mississippi State, but the Padres took a flyer on him anyway. It was not a surprise that he didn’t sign.

Of the rest of the drafted players, second round pick Elliot Lascelles, a high school shortstop, signed for $2.8 million, which was $1.24 million over his slot. Third round pick, RHP Ryan Lynch, signed for $1 million, slightly over his $808,100 slot. Of the other picks in the first 10 rounds, all of them signed for under slot.

Eleventh round pick, first baseman Chris McHugh, signed for $170,000, slightly over the $150,000 recommended maximum for all the rounds after the first 10 rounds. Of the other players selected in the last 10 rounds, LHP Rob Evans (12th round), RHP Ty Brachbill (14th round), RHP Albert Roblez (16th round), catcher Mark Quatrani (18th round), and LHP Chris Downs (19th round) all signed for over slot, with Quatrani getting the maximum over slot at $250,000.

The bonus pool for the Padres in the draft was $9,479,000 and they joined multiple other teams in MLB by going over slot by spending $9,825,000. Eleven teams in total exceeded their slot but all were less than the 5% over that would incur penalties from the league. Their overage of $346,395 was well under the $473,500 that would have put them at the tax level.

Undrafted free agents

Immediately after the draft is completed, teams begin signing players that they scouted but were not selected in the 20 rounds of the draft. The Padres signed nine players, consisting of five pitchers and four outfielders (per Baseball America).

• Ryan Gerety, out of Northeastern University, is a power-hitting outfielder who hit .326/.456/.492 with 5 home runs, 20 doubles, 2 triples, and also stole 20 bases. He had more walks than strikeouts.
• Logan Satter, out of Legion Collegiate Academy, is a RHP who throws from a ¾ arm slot with a 90-91 mph fastball, a slider and changeup, and throws strikes.
• Aidan Cochrane, out of East Lyme (Conn.) HS, is a RHP signed out of high school.
• Drew Detlefsen, out of the University of Texas – San Antonio, is a power-hitting outfielder.
• Jack Pineau, out of Creighton University, is a right-handed starting pitcher who had a 4.21 ERA in 83.1 innings pitched in 2026.
• Tyler Pitzer, out of Mississippi State, is a RHP who has started but is primarily a reliever.  He had a 3.90 ERA in 22 appearances and 30 innings with Miss. St.
• Josh Sknowronski, out of Winthrop University, is an outfielder who hits for power and had 19 home runs with 27 doubles in 115 games in 2026. He also has speed and could be a center fielder as a pro.
• Andrew Wright, out of Cal State Fullerton, is an LHP who pitched out of the bullpen for Fullerton and had a 3.82 ERA in 24 appearances.
• Mac Moyer, out of Nebraska University, is an outfielder who played center field for the Huskers. He hit .353 with 13 doubles, 2 triples and 4 home runs in 2026. He is the son of big league LHP Jamie Moyer.