Category: MLB

When the city of Cincinnati was founded, the Passenger Pigeon was so numerous that a passing flock could blot out the sun. By 1907, the entire species was reduced to a single bird, residing at the Cincinnati Zoo. Tonight, offense faced a similar extinction, felled by merciless pitching.

Brady Singer, the Cincy starter, sent his foes down in order in the first on just 12 pitches; Jesús Luzardo, not to be outdone, did it in five. Singer allowed a hit (double, Bryson Stott) in the second, but incurred no further damage. Jesús Luzardo, again not to be outdone, allowed a less damaging hit (single, Tyler Stephenson), and incurred no further damage.

The pitchers’ duel remained in full effect through the fourth, neither team plating a runner. Those who like offense were briefly teased in the bottom of the fifth as a runner advanced as far as third via walk, groundout, and single— but it came to naught. Three hits, two from the Redlegs and one from the Phillies, were all that the game produced through five. And the Phillies had no more through six. The Phillies were getting sent back to the dugout faster than a Cincinnati chili parlor can dish up a bowl.

Speaking of dishing, Luzardo kept dishing out Ks. He had ten through six, and the Reds batters were left as bereft as a Bengals fan after any season in their recorded history.

Kyle Schwarber opened up the seventh with a hit, singling to center. The spirits of the Philadelphia faithful began to stir. Schwarber on base, Bryce Harper coming up next. Those names spell doom for pitchers as sure as the Ohio River flows to the southwest. But it was not so tonight; Harper grounded into a double play. The fans, perhaps getting a bit stir crazy, began to chant “take it off”, that “tarps off” thing in action. The fans must’ve decided to wear as many shirts as the two teams had runs. In a noble attempt to get some shirts back on, Brandon Marsh singled, and Alec Bohm got hit by a pitch, and the Phillies had something going with two away. But it soon ended with a fly out.

The Reds opened up their half of the seventh with a baserunner too, though via the free pass. The Phillies, trying to keep the game dreadfully symmetrical, almost turned a double play with the next baserunner; an excellent play from Trea Turner ensured they were able to get one out, though they couldn’t complete the twin killing.

Singer took the mound for the eighth, fewer than eighty pitches on his ledger. He hit Gabriel Rincones Jr. with a pitch to lead off the inning, He advanced to second on a groundout. And then, in a sudden and beautiful moment, a ball from Justin Crawford’s bat found the gap on the right side of the infield. Derek Hill, pinch running for Rincones, came tearing around the basepaths. A throw was made towards home, a last, desperate attempt by the forces of big Zero to keep the score at their favored figure. It did not work. The Phillies had their first lead.

The “take it off” chants continued. Reds skipper Terry Francona may have misheard them as “take him out”, as he pulled Singer after he walked Turner. His replacement, Sam Moll, finished the inning without further incident.

Luzardo, having made it through a full 7 unscathed (2 hits, 2 walks, no runs, 11 K), was thus the winner of the duel. Jonathan Bowlan came aboard in relief and picked up exactly where Luzardo left off, putting three Cincinnatis down in order.

The Phillies entered the bottom of the ninth with their 1-0 lead, and Jhoan Duran, All-Star closer, emerging from the bullpen. JJ Bleday battled Duran across nine pitches, ultimately winning the prize of a single. Bleday then stole second, and Spencer Steer took a base on a HBP. Duran recovered with a strikeout of Eugenio Suárez, and then one of Tyler Stephenson, and suddenly the Phillies were just an out away from victory. A Noelvi Marte chopper to Bohm became an easy game-ending out. Just like cinnamon is the secret ingredient in Cincy chili, pitching is the (not-so) secret ingredient in a Phillies victory.

The Phillies are 52-42. They’ll start their last series of the first half, a trio of games in Detroit, tomorrow at 6:40.

The white-hot Detroit Tigers went for the home sweep of a three-game weeknight series against the Homeless A’s on Thursday evening, after winning the first two games in fun fashion. They made it eight wins in the past nine games with a 4-1 win to complete the sweep.

It was Framber Valdez’s turn in the rotation, and to say his season to date has been a mixed bag is one heck of an understatement. His previous two starts saw him give up four runs in six innings at home against his former Astros teammates, and six runs in five innings in Texas. His stock-in-trade is ground balls, and when he’s on he gets a lot of ‘em: for example, his June 16 start in Houston saw him get a dozen ground balls and half that many fly balls, and he gave up one unearned run in six innings.

José Suarez took the mound for the A’s as an opener. He made his debut in 2019 with the Angels, but he’s had eventful few months lately: waived by Atlanta and picked up by Baltimore in mid-January, then waived by Baltimore and picked back up by Atlanta at the end of January. He was waived again by Atlanta in early May, was picked up by the Mariners, made one relief appearance for them, and had his contract purchased by the A’s less than two weeks later. This guy gets more Frequent Flyer miles than George Clooney’s character in Up in the Air. That was a solid movie.

Valdez struck out the side in the first and got a pair of ground balls in the second, so he looked to be on-track early. Suarez stuck around for the first four outs and departed in favour of Jack Perkins, whose past few starts haven’t gone so well, so why not try an opener? He got the next two outs so the early returns looked promising for Sacramento.

That changed with one out in the third, though: Jake Rogers, starting for the injured-but-not-on-the-IL Dillon Dingler, hit his second home run in as many days, putting the Tigers up 1-0.

Meanwhile, Valdez continued looking good, retiring the first eleven batters he faced. He hit the twelfth, Shea Langeliers, but recovered to strike out Jonah Heim, his sixth strikeout in the first four innings.

The A’s got their first hit leading off the fifth, a single by Jacob Wilson. Lawrence Butler then got hit, putting two runners on; a flyout pushed Wilson up to third, and a groundout scored him to even the game at 1-1.

Hao-Yu Lee got robbed of an extra-base hit by speedy rookie Henry Bolte leading off the bottom of the fifth.

Tip your cap to Bolte on that one; being the fastest runner in the Major Leagues helps sometimes, apparently! Kerry Carpenter followed with a walk, and Zach McKinstry followed up with a two-run homer to put the Tigers ahead 3-1.

Perkins by that time was getting pretty wild; he followed the home run with a walk to Rogers and that was the end of his day.

With two outs in the top of the sixth Valdez allowed a pair of hard-hit singles to put two on, but he struck out Wilson on a beautiful curveball to end the inning. At that point Valdez’s pitch count was a tidy 76, so he came back out for the seventh and promptly went strikeout, groundout, strikeout.

Eduardo Valencia, who was brought up from Toledo today and thus made his major-league debut, pinch-hit for Carpenter leading off the bottom of the seventh. He crushed the fourth big-league pitch he ever saw 425 feet over the centrefield fence for a 4-1 lead. Welcome to the Tall Buildings, kid!

After McKinstry struck out Rogers walked, his sixth consecutive plate appearance reaching base. With two out Kevin McGonigle singled to push Rogers up to third, but Matt Vierling struck out for the third out.

Valdez was done after seven sensational innings: 7 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 9 K, all swinging strikeouts, and that was the kind of start we were hoping to get more of from him. Also of note: nine ground-ball outs, one fly-ball out. They say good starting pitching is contagious, and Valdez finally joined the party! Kyle Finnegan came on for the eighth and gave up a leadoff single but then got a double play and a strikeout.

In the bottom of the eighth Lee singled with two out, bringing Valencia to the plate again — but instead of getting a hit, he got hit. (At this point, though, he can accurately say that he’s never not been on base in the major leagues.) With two on base McKinstry struck out, and it was on to the ninth.

Kenley Jansen was summoned for the ninth and he promptly walked the leadoff batter. After a strikeout, Wilson singled on a tough cutter to put runners on the corners and the tying run at the plate. Lawrence Butler smoked a line drive but it was right at McKinstry for the second out; some solid A’s baserunning kept that from being a double play. Tyler Soderstron then hit another line drive right at an infielder, this time to Torkelson for the third out and the victory — not to mention the sweep. YOU COULD’VE MADE THIS EASIER, KENLEY.

Final score: Tigers 4, A’s 1

Numbers and Commemorations

• Dillon Dingler, who is fortunately not going to the Injured List, has had quite a year. His batting average (and OPS) by month: April .247 (.800), May .206 (.743), June .333 (1.011). Each of those full months saw about 110 plate appearances, give-or-take a few. No wonder he’s All-Star Game bound.
• Kids, keep your non-throwing hand behind you if you’re catching. I saw Johnny Bench mention this on TV when I was a kid, and as a some-time catcher, I took this advice to heart and never got nailed on my right hand by a foul ball.
• Do you like the All-Star Game? Could you not care less? I like watching a couple of innings but get a little disinterested when they bring in a parade of fire-breathing relievers starting in about the fifth.
• Earlier today when it was announced that the Tigers brought up Eduardo Valencia, someone on our BYB Slack discussion said, and I quote, “Who the hell is Eduardo Valencia?” The prompt response from someone else was, “Your new daddy,” and how bang-on was that?!
• On this day in 1850, US president Zachary Taylor died. See, on July 4th, he ate a whole mess of cherries and “iced milk” at a big party at the under-construction Washington Monument, and afterwards he had quite the bellyache. It kept getting worse and worse, he got a fever, and died. Medicine back then really sucked.

The squad just can’t seem to get their feet right. The losing ways continued on Thursday afternoon in Detroit as the Athletics dropped their sixth straight game, falling to Detroit 4-1 and dropping their record to 41-52, which is the third-worst record in the American League. Weren’t we just in first place? How did it come to this?

The A’s tried switching things up on the mound this afternoon, going with an opener/bulk pitcher strategy. Left-hander Jose Suarez got the ball to start things off, which he did with a 1-2-3 bottom of the first including a strikeout to start the game. Suarez can thank his defense for a bit of help in that perfect inning of work, as well:

colby jack got ya back 🤝 pic.twitter.com/J1ajSwz96Y

— Athletics (@Athletics) July 9, 2026

He also pitched to the first batter of the second, striking him out.

Then it was time for the bulk pitcher to enter the contest. That would be right-hander Jack Perkins. The young pitcher has had an extremely tough time in his transition from the bullpen to starting rotation over the past month-plus, so going with an opener strategy was as good as any to hopefully get him rolling. It was working well enough for the first few frames, too. Other than one mistake that Detroit backstop Jake Rogers got ahold of for a solo home run, Perkins didn’t allow a hit or walk through his first few innings of work. It looked like the opener strategy was working.

The A’s got that run back in the top of the fifth thanks to some small ball from the offense. The A’s hadn’t had much luck through the first few innings against former Astros nemesis Framber Valdez, who now dons the Detroit uniform thanks to an offseason relocation. Started with a Jacob Wilson single, Lawrence Butler was plunked by a wild curveball to put the first runner in scoring position for the A’s. A productive flyout from Colby Thomas allowed Wilson to move to third, then rookie center fielder Henry Bolte brought him home with an RBI groundout to knot things up at one apiece.

Looking for a shutdown inning, Perkins instead began unraveling. A leadoff walk preceded the second homer allowed today, with this two-run shot making it a 3-1 game. Another walk immediately after that long ball and Mark Kotsay had seen enough. He came out to get the 26-year-old, ending his day after just three innings and 67 pitches.

• Jack Perkins: 3 IP, 2 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, 2 HR, 67 pitches

Another dud of an outing from Perkins this afternoon, but could have been worse. That was his last start of the first half and the team has to begin discussing if he should remain in the rotation when the second half gets underway next weekend. There aren’t many other better options in the system for the club to turn to right now and the coaching staff and front office will have to talk about his future role over the break. Who wants him to keep getting starts?

Right-hander Luis Medina (former starter….) came on in relief and finished off the fifth with two quick outs and had an uneventful sixth inning as well. Now it was up to the offense to get back into this game.

It looked like they might just do it, too. They managed to get back-to-back singles in the sixth from the catching duo of Shea Langeliers (today’s catcher) and Jonah Heim (manning first base) but with two outs it was a tough spot and Wilson punched out, a rare occurrence for the contact-oriented shortstop.

The A’s couldn’t manage much more for the final few frames until the ninth. Facing likely future Hall of Famer Kenley Jansen, a Langeliers walk and Wilson single brought the tying run to the plate in the final frame with just one out, but alas, Butler lined out and a pinch-hitting Tyler Soderstrom lined out to the first baseman to end the rally and end the game, sending the A’s home losers and finishing off the sweep in Detroit.

That’s six straight losses for the A’s and they just can’t buy a win right now. The opener strategy seemed to work for a bit but not perfectly. This could have been a winnable game had the offense shown up. Instead they managed just one run off of five hits and one walk while punching out 11 times against Detroit pitching. The squad is 41-52, have lost 10 of 11 and 14 of 17. This tough stretch has made it become more and more likely that the club acts as sellers this deadline season. Utterly disappointing considering how the first couple of months went.

Hopefully the A’s just didn’t like Detroit and will have much better success in Chicago, where the White Sox await to host the Green & Gold for three games, the final series of the first half. The A’s have yet to announce who will be taking the ball for them tomorrow in the series opener but it currently lines up to be Aaron Civale. We’ll have to wait on word to confirm the pitcher for tomorrow though; maybe the club goes the opener route again. Chicago meanwhile knows exactly who gets the ball for them tomorrow and that’ll be right-hander Sean Burke, who is having a great season for the resurgent White Sox with a 3.56 ERA in 14 starts (18 games). Please, A’s. Give us one more win before the first half wraps up?

The San Francisco Giants welcome the Colorado Rockies to Oracle Park tonight to begin a four-game series.

As of the time this is being written, the Giants have not yet announced a starting pitcher for tonight’s game. Good old element of surprise tactic. You can check out the comments below for more up to date information.

Whoever it ends up being will face off against Rockies right-hander Ryan Feltner, who enters tonight’s game with a 4.27 ERA, 4.68 FIP, with 44 strikeouts to 20 walks in 59 innings pitched. His last start was in the Rockies’ 15-3 win over the Giants on Friday, in which he allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits with nine strikeouts in six innings.

Game #93

Who: San Francisco Giants (38-54) vs. Colorado Rockies (38-56)

Where: Oracle Park, San Francisco, California

When: 6:45 p.m. PT

Regional broadcast: NBC Sports Bay Area

National broadcast: n/a

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

With the 2026 MLB Trade Deadline approaching, Clay Holmes is one of a few Mets who could be dealt.

However, the right-hander has expressed a desire to stay with the Mets and hopes it can be a long-term commitment.

“Definitely open,” Holmes told The Athletic on Thursday about a potential midseason extension. “I know things are not the easiest right now and hard, but it’s not like I’m sitting here hoping to run away from it. If I can be part of the solution to make things better here, I would like that."

A source told The Athletic that the Mets haven't closed the door on an extension. 

Holmes signed a three-year deal with the Mets before the 2025 season, but the former closer could be a free agent if he doesn't pick up his player option. 

That flexibility, along with Holmes' production on the mound, has made him a desirable piece at this year's deadline. In nine starts this season, Holmes pitched to a 2.39 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP while consistently going deep into games. 

What could complicate any potential trade is Holmes' injury. He was struck by a line drive back in May and suffered a fractured fibula. However, Holmes has already begun throwing bullpen sessions and the team is encouraged by his progress. 

Holmes, 34, has been one of president of baseball operations David Stearns' best acquisitions, converting the former Yankees closer to a starter. Aside from his strong start to the 2026 season, Holmes pitched to a 12-8 record and a 3.53 ERA across 33 appearances (31 starts) a year ago. 

And as SNY insider Chelsea Janes reported, the Mets are looking to contend next season, which means this deadline is unlikely to be a full teardown. With that in mind, locking up Holmes to a long-term deal would ensure a dependable arm is in the rotation for years to come.

“I came here for a reason. You almost have the sense of some type of unfinished business," Holmes said. "You want to make things right and do things well here because when you do win here, it’s very exciting. I’ve seen that. It’s something that I hope to be a part of. I don’t know what that looks like. But that desire is still there.”

The trade deadline is set for Aug. 3

This week’s Astros poll:

Which of the following starting pitchers will have the biggest positive impact on the Astros the rest of the season?

A) Cristian Javier

B) Ronel Blanco

C) Hayden Wesneski

D) Ethan Pecko

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Astros fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

Roster moves

The Arizona Diamondbacks made the following roster moves. The D-backs’ 40-man roster is at 40.

• Recalled from Triple-A Reno: LHP Philip Abner
• Optioned to Triple-A Reno: RHP José Cabrera

Nothing really to see here. Cabrera’s spot in the rotation won’t come up again before the All-Star break, so we might as well use his slot on the roster for an extra bullpen arm. The next time we need a fifth starter will be Tuesday July 21st. However, I believe a pitcher can’t be recalled for 15 days, so looks like we would need to call up someone else for that start on the 21st. Maybe Michael Soroka will be fit enough by that point? Haven’t heard very much about his rehab situation of late.

Anyway, with regard to tonight, the D-backs will attempt to split a series which began with so much promise in an easy 8-0 win on Monday night. However, since then, things have turned sour quickly. Amazing how fan sentiment can switch on a dime. But a loss tonight would give Arizona a three-game losing streak going into the fiery inferno of Dodger Stadium, for a three-game set against the team with the best record in the majors. The Dodgers are currently on pace for 105 wins, taking the division by 24 games. That would be the biggest margin since MLB expanded to 30 teams in 1998. The Indians won the AL Central by thirty in 1995, in a shortened, 144-game season. Which might or might not make it better or worse!

Let’s worry about that when we get to it. Or, not at all – which is likely going to be my approach, since I will largely be otherwise occupied this weekend. I suspect burying my head in non-baseball related activities might be for the best. But getting out of San Diego with a win, would give us a split of the four-game set. It’s hard to win any such series on the road, and I think I’d have taken that if you’d offered it on Monday afternoon. However, it is a Merrill Kelly start, though last time out he beat the Brewers, for his first win in five weeks. He even tied a season-high for strikeouts with… um, six. Maybe something to build on? We’ll see…

And Tim Tawa at 1B. Sure. Why not?

The Colorado Rockies had a surprisingly competitive series against the Los Angeles Dodgers despite losing two of the three games they played. The road offense continues to be impressive, but they will now have to face a difficult challenge in facing the San Francisco Giants on the road for a four-game series, in a ballpark they have historically struggled in.

Ryan Feltner (3-2, 4.27 ERA) will make his 13th start of the season for the Rockies. Feltner was excellent in his last start, which came against the Giants last week at Coors Field. Feltner recorded a quality start by allowing three runs, two earned, on six hits over six innings. He also set a season-high in strikeouts with nine and didn’t allow a walk in a fairly dominant performance. Making just his fourth career start at Oracle Park, Feltner has struggled pitching by the Bay. In three previous starts, the most recent in 2024, Feltner has allowed 11 runs on 17 hits, including three home runs, over 16 innings of work. Walks have hit him the most in the past, but that was the old Feltner, as the current version has done well pounding the zone and getting strikeouts. A struggling Giants offense opens the door for another strong outing for the Rockies starter.

Carson Whisenhunt (1-0, 3.60 ERA) gets the nod for San Francisco, having just been recalled from Triple-A today. Whisenhunt made a spot start on June 17, his only start with the big league club this season, allowing just two runs on six hits over five innings against the Atlanta Braves. In Triple-A Sacramento this season, he sports a 4.42 ERA over 16 outings with 82 strikeouts against 37 walks. He struggled in his handful of starts last season, recording a 5.01 ERA, with walks and home runs being the main culprits. He has three or four pitches at his disposal, with a changeup that is considered his best pitch, which has a 27% whiff rate.

First Pitch: 7:45 pm MT

TV: Rockies.TV

Radio: KOA 850 AM/94.1 FM, KNRV 1150

Giants SB Nation Site: McCovey Chronicles

Lineups:

That July 9th

Lineup pic.twitter.com/LnAh6YWHeB

— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) July 9, 2026

7/9 ⚾ Giants Lineup is Out provided by:https://t.co/8sC5rPx2o5

📊 Live Line: Giants -131 • O/U 8.5#Giants#GiantsLineup#MLBpic.twitter.com/F8DhXM0Vcg

— MLB Daily Lineups (@DailyMLBLineups) July 9, 2026

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Arizona Diamondbacks (45-47) at San Diego Padres (46-46), July 9, 2026, 6:40 p.m. PST

Watch: Padres.TV

Location: Petco Park – San Diego, Calif.

Listen: 97.3 The Fan

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Closing out the series. pic.twitter.com/s3eU9cTvAg

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) July 9, 2026

Series finale.https://t.co/epBmrbYHsx is 50% off this week. pic.twitter.com/h6xVQUuCyx

— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) July 9, 2026

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The White Sox kick off the 2026 MLB draft by making the No. 1 overall selection at noon CT on Saturday, and will choose among three plum prospects: UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky, Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey and shortstop Grady Emerson from Fort Worth Christian (Texas) H.S. We’re digging deeper into all three players in anticipation of the third No. 1 overall pick in White Sox history.

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If the White Sox bet on the upside, they will select Fort Worth Christian (Texas) H.S. prep shortstop Grady Emerson with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 MLB draft.

Long viewed as the top high school player in the class, Emerson gives Chicago one of the highest ceilings in the draft. While UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky entered the spring as the consensus favorite to go first overall, Emerson steadily closed the gap throughout the season with his advanced left-handed bat, smooth actions at shortstop and the type of athletic projection scouts dream about.

Chicago is entering Saturday’s big day connected to several legitimate candidates for the top pick, but ultimately may double down on the player many evaluators believe will emerge as the best talent in the class. Emerson combines an advanced feel for hitting with the defensive ability to remain at shortstop, giving the White Sox another premium athlete to build around.

For an organization prioritizing athleticism, premium defensive positions and players capable of impacting the game on both sides of the ball, Emerson fits the mold. Unlike many prep hitters, he arrives with one of the longest and most impressive high school track records in the country, consistently producing against elite competition on the showcase circuit while continuing to develop under the tutelage of his high school coach, former major-leaguer Rusty Greer. The longtime Texas Ranger helped shape one of the nation’s most polished prep players, giving Emerson daily instruction from someone who had already succeeded at the highest level. Emerson transferred to Texas Christian specifically to work with Greer.

Over the past four years, Emerson also represented Team USA on the international stage, culminating in a selection to the 2025 All-World Team. Competing against many of the top amateur players in the world only strengthened Emerson’s reputation as one of the most polished prep prospects in the 2026 draft.

And as the draft approaches, momentum behind Emerson continues to build. The prep standout spent much of the year challenging Cholowsky for the distinction of the top prospect in the draft, with many clubs believing his youth and long-term projection gave him the highest ceiling available. MLB’s Jim Callis favors Emerson as the first pick, while draft guru Keith Law reports that the White Sox scouting group is pushing for Emerson as the pick.

The 6´2´´, 180-pound, left-handed hitter capped his senior season by slashing .532/.648/1.013 with seven home runs, 31 stolen bases and 50 RBIs, while leading Fort Worth Christian to a runner-up finish in the Texas state championship. He also earned Gatorade National Baseball Player of the Year honors, validating his place among the nation’s elite prep prospects.

What separates Emerson is the combination of present ability and future projection. His left-handed swing is among the cleanest in the draft, producing consistent hard contact to all fields while showing the strike-zone discipline and barrel control typically associated with much older hitters. Scouts believe additional strength could unlock even more power, giving him a chance to become a middle-of-the-order bat without sacrificing the hit tool that makes him so appealing.

Defensively, Emerson has all the tools to remain at shortstop. His smooth footwork, soft hands, strong arm and advanced instincts give scouts confidence that he can stay on the left side of the infield. While he isn’t expected to be a prolific base stealer as a professional, his athleticism and feel for the game allow him to play faster than his raw speed suggests.

Emerson would join an emerging young core that already includes Colson Montgomery, Kyle Teel, Braden Montgomery, Noah Schultz and Grant Taylor, giving Chicago another premium talent with the potential to anchor the organization for years to come. Colson has long been rumored to be taking his size over to third base at some point, so there’s no excessive duplication going on by picking Emerson.

Because he’s entering professional baseball straight out of high school, Emerson’s development timeline will likely be longer than that of an advanced college player. Still, his advanced approach at the plate and polished defensive game have some evaluators believing he could move more quickly than the typical prep prospect. He would likely still make his pro debut this summer in Kannapolis, but his stop there could be extremely brief.

Emerson may require more patience than some of the other candidates for the top pick, but few players in the 2026 draft offer the same combination of athleticism, polish, and long-term upside.

The St. Louis Cardinals will try to take the final game of their 5-game set with the Milwaukee Brewers Thursday night at Busch Stadium as Andre Pallante gets the ball for the Cardinals. RHP Logan Henderson will make the start for the St. Louis Cardinals. First pitch is scheduled for 6:45pm at Busch Stadium and the TV broadcast will be available on Cardinals.tv.

The White Sox kick off the 2026 MLB draft by making the No. 1 overall selection at noon CT on Saturday, and will choose among three plum prospects: UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky, Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey and shortstop Grady Emerson from Fort Worth Christian (Texas) H.S. We’re digging deeper into all three players in anticipation of the third No. 1 overall pick in White Sox history.

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The White Sox could add a potential cornerstone player by selecting UCLA shortstop Daniel Roch Cholowsky with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 MLB draft. In doing so, Cholowsky would become just the third college shortstop ever selected first overall, joining Bill Almon (1974) and Dansby Swanson (2015). Although neither player went on to a Hall of Fame career, that would be rare company, and another indication of just how highly Cholowsky is regarded.

Or perhaps … was regarded? As the draft comes closer, some of the conversation for No. 1 overall has shifted to the other prime prospects, Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey and prep shortstop Grady Emerson. That could be a case of overall draft fatigue and prospect evaluators rationalizing their professions. Still, Cholowsky has been at or near No. 1 overall in mock drafts for essentially a solid year now. The right-handed hitter entered the spring with a reputation for elite bat-to-ball skills and polished defense, then strengthened his case by continuing to produce throughout the 2026 season.

If Cholowsky is Chicago’s pick, that would indicate the White Sox went with the prospect many evaluators considered the most complete position player in the class. Cholowsky offers an advanced offensive approach, dependable defense at shortstop, and the kind of all-around game that gives him both a high floor and an equally enticing ceiling.

For an organization that has emphasized athleticism — especially up the middle — at premium defensive positions and high baseball IQ throughout its rebuild, picking Cholowsky makes perfect sense. Rather than drafting for immediate need, the White Sox would be staying true to their philosophy of taking the best player available. They were also high on Cholowsky coming out of high school, scouting him extensively ahead of the 2023 draft, meaning that this is a relationship that has been years in the making.

For Cholowsky, baseball has always been a way of life: His father, Dan, was a first-round pick by the Cardinals in 1991 and spent eight seasons in professional baseball before becoming a major league scout. That familial background helped shape one of the most polished players in the draft, giving Cholowsky an advanced feel for the game long before he arrived on a college campus.

The 6´2´´, 202-pound Arizona native arrived at UCLA as one of the nation’s top prep recruits and quickly became the centerpiece of the Bruins’ lineup. Over the next three seasons, he developed from a polished contact hitter into one of college baseball’s most complete players, combining consistent production with elite defense at shortstop. As a junior, the 21-year-old slashed .320/.452/.636 with 21 home runs and finished as a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award. He closed out his UCLA career with a .329/.447/.624 slash line, along with 52 home runs over 178 career games, and was one of the NCAA’s premier defensive shortstops, finishing his final season with 15.3 defensive runs saved.

What stands out most about Cholowsky isn’t one loud tool — it’s the completeness of the package. MLB Pipeline gives him at least a 60 grade in four of the five major scouting categories, including his hit, power, arm, and field tools, resulting in a 65 overall. He controls the strike zone, rarely gives away an at-bat, and consistently squares up the baseball. As he’s added strength throughout his amateur career, the power has come naturally without sacrificing the disciplined approach that made Cholowsky successful in the first place. If that profile sounds familiar, it should. It’s become the blueprint for the type of hitter GM Chris Getz and his front office have prioritized throughout the rebuild.

Defensively, Cholowsky has every opportunity to remain at shortstop as a professional. His smooth actions, reliable hands, instincts and above-average arm have long drawn praise from scouts. While he won’t wow anyone with top-of-the-scale speed, his feel for the position allows him to make difficult plays look routine.

Cholowsky would join an emerging young core that already includes Colson Montgomery, Kyle Teel, Braden Montgomery, Noah Schultz and Grant Taylor, giving Chicago yet another premium talent to build around. Given Colson’s seemingly inevitable move to third base at some point, selecting Cholowsky won’t create a clog on the roster or in the lineup.

Cholowsky should begin his professional career shortly after signing, with a token Winston-Salem assignment likely coming later this summer. (Cholowsky is considered “MLB-ready,” and would not be out of place as one of the two White Sox September call-ups.) Because of his advanced offensive approach, defensive polish, and experience against some high-level collegiate competition, almost assuredly, he will move through the White Sox system more quickly than the typical first-round pick.

Cholowsky would arrive in Chicago with one of the most polished résumés in the 2026 draft class. If his college success can carry over to professional baseball, the White Sox may have found another foundational piece for its next championship-caliber club.

Anaheim Angels @ Texas Rangers

Thursday, July 09, 2026, 7:05 PM CDT (105.3 The Fan / Rangers Sports Network)

The Shed

LHP Reid Detmers vs. RHP Nathan Eovaldi

Go Rangers!

In the days leading up to his first draft as Astros general manager, Dana Brown was back in his element. 

“This is probably the fun part of the job because it’s something that I’m so used to,” Brown said at the time. “We’re going through all these names and we’re having conversations, and I’m bringing a lot of my philosophies and my thought processes to it, and so it’s actually exciting and it’s refreshing to be able to talk about some upcoming young players.”

The draft was a major reason Jim Crane hired Brown five months prior, and the first-year GM, who was and remains far more involved in the draft process than others in his position, set expectations a mile high.

Brown said he wanted to “nail” the 2023 draft, and to him, nailing the draft meant drafting four Major Leaguers.

“The average is usually two, I like to double that average, and we were able to do it in Atlanta, and I expect to do it here,” Brown said.

While three years is a bit early to fully judge an MLB draft class, Brown’s first with the Astros appears likely to fall short of his lofty goals.

First round pick Brice Matthews, the 28^th overall pick of the draft, debuted last season, and has been on the Astros’ active roster the entirety of the 2026 season. Only 14 of the 27 players picked ahead of Matthews have appeared in a major league game, and his career 0.7 bWAR is higher than five of those picked ahead of him.

The Tigers selected Kevin McGonigle nine picks later, but he signed for almost $400k more than Matthews. The Astros had a limited draft pool meant they probably would not have been able to sign McGonigle if they drafted him.

The Astros third-round pick, Jake Bloss, made his Major League debut less than a year after he was drafted, second fastest in the class behind Paul Skenes. Hours before he was set to make his fourth start for the Astros, Brown traded him to the Blue Jays as the centerpiece of the Yusei Kikuchi deal.  

Matthews and Bloss are currently the only members of Brown’s first draft class as Astros GM to make the major leagues, though that could change soon.

Sixth round pick Ethan Pecko was just named Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Month, and Brown identified him as an option to start this weekend in Arlington. Before the season, FanGraphs rated the 23-year-old right-hander as the Astros’ fourth best prospect, who projects as a number 4 or 5 starter.

It’s only a matter of time before Pecko will be the class’s third big leaguer, but a fourth seems unlikely, at least out of the day one or day two picks.

Second round pick Alonzo Tredwell is Brown’s best hope of the early picks, but he hasn’t pitched this season due to a shoulder injury. Tredwell has only thrown 157 minor league innings since being drafted. A back injury limited him to nine games during his final season at UCLA, and he underwent Tommy John Surgery in high school.

Fourth round pick Cam Fisher was released last season, while fifth round pick Chase Jaworsky is batting .177 in High-A with the Marlins after being traded as part of the package to land Jesus Sanchez. 

Injuries have limited seventh round pick Joey Dixon to 7.1 innings in the Astros system, while eighth rounder Ryan Johnson and 10^th rounder Austin Deming have been released.

11^th round pick Nehomar Ochoa and 12^th round pick Anthony Huezo, high school picks who signed for $300,000 and $397,000 respectively, are having good seasons in A-ball and have yet to celebrate their 21^st birthday, while 14^th rounder Jackson Nezuh has a 3.97 ERA in Double-A. 

Nezuh is rated as one of the Astros top 15 prospects by multiple outside publications, while Huezo is inside the top 25.

There’s still a chance Brown’s first draft class as Astros GM produces four major leaguers. That would qualify as a successful draft, especially given the limited draft capital he had to work with. The bigger question, though, is whether anyone from the class develops into an impact major leaguer. Three years in, that outcome appears far less likely.

The San Diego Padres seemed to have turned a corner. The final four games before the All-Star break will tell a bit more, but the club has its first two-game win streak since June 26. The offense also tagged the Arizona Diamondbacks’ pitching staff for a season-high 10 runs last night. San Diego is, at the very least, heading in the right direction.

The lineup looked fantastic in Wednesday night’s win over the Dbacks. Luis Campusano hit his first home run since returning from the IL and Miguel Andujar had three (yes, you read that right) doubles. San Diego will need to keep its foot on the gas to achieve its first series win of July against Arizona tonight.

Taking the mound

Merrill Kelly (AZ) v. Griffin Canning (SD)

Similar to Zac Gallen, Kelly has been an ace in the past for Arizona and has looked nothing like it this year. The right-hander has been saddled with a 5.71 ERA this year. He’s been even worse lately, pitching to a 6.28 ERA in his last 38 2/3 innings.

Prediction of the day: Fernando Tatis Jr. is going to hit a home run. Across 31 at-bats against Kelly, Tatis has four home runs and a 1.186 career OPS. Unless Kelly has his stuff working tonight, it seems plenty possible that No. 6 comes tonight for Tatis.

Canning has actually pitched considerably better in his last two outings than he has this whole season. After turning in his worst start of the year (4 ER, 0.2 IP), Canning has since given up just three runs across 8 1/3 innings. It’s not miraculous, but it’s a start.

Hopefully, Canning can keep that up against the Dbacks tonight. Most of Arizona’s lineup has faced the righty sparingly and none have seem him this season. That should work in Canning’s favor. That said, if he stumbles, the bullpen is well-rested.

Batter up!

While Andujar and Campusano were the headliners on Wednesday evening, Tatis and Jackson Merrill went 4-for-9 from the top two spots in the order. In a night where Manny Machado was getting a rest day, it felt good to watch the lineup produce without the slugger.

1. Fernando Tatis Jr., RF
2. Jackson Merrill, CF
3. Xander Bogaerts, SS
4. Manny Machado, 3B
5. Gavin Sheets, LF
6. Ty France, 1B
7. Luis Campusano, C
8. Miguel Andujar, DH
9. Jake Cronenworth, 2B

The Friars pounded out a convincing 10 runs against Arizona last night. It’s only the third time this season the club has scored runs in the double digits. If the lineup continues to produce consistently that way, the pitching staff would get some stress taken off of them.

Relief corps

With Michael King pitching six innings of one-run ball, and the offense giving the pitching staff a sizable lead to work with, the bullpen had plenty of room to work with. Ron Marinaccio and Kyle Hart covered the final three innings, giving up a combined three runs in those frames. Thankfully, it didn’t affect the outcome of the game.

Jhony Brito has been working out of the bullpen for San Diego since getting called up earlier this week. He’ll be available alongside Yuki Matsui, Mason Miller, Adrian Morejon, Wander Peralta and Bradgley Rodriguez. All figure to be high-leverage options for San Diego to turn to in a close game.