At some point during the next couple weeks, the phone is going to ring in Detroit and the Tigers are going to be tempted. They are ultimately going to have to weigh keeping Tarik Skubal over acquiring the wealth of prospects that will be thrown at them.
The two-time Cy Young winner is the biggest name hanging over the 2026 MLB trade deadline, and he is a long way from the only one. Contenders are hunting for pitching. Teams sliding out of the race are fielding calls on their veterans. And a dozen front offices are stuck in the middle and have not decided whether they are buyers or sellers.
The clock officially stops Aug. 3. Until then, the calls and text messages will fly, fans will dream and players will wonder where they will finish up the 2026 season.
Here is when the deadline hits, exactly how it works and which names could be on the move before it does.
Monday Aug. 3 at 6 p.m. ET. That is the hard cutoff that teams have for their trades to be finalized.
This is a change from the past. The league now sets the deadline inside a window, anywhere from July 28 to Aug. 3, so it can dodge scheduling headaches year to year. In 2026, it landed on the last possible day.
How does MLB trade deadline work?
Since 2019, there has been one deadline and only one. Before that, teams could keep dealing into August as long as a player first cleared what were called trade waivers. That whole system is gone.
Once the 6 p.m., Aug. 3 deadline passes, no team can make a trade, until after the season ends. The only way a player switches teams after that is through outright waivers, where one club exposes him and another claims him off the wire. It's not a trade, it's a waiver.
A player has to be in an organization by Aug. 31 to be eligible for that team's postseason roster. So even with the trade window shut, a club can still add a waiver claim or call up a prospect and have him ready for October.
The sellers are more difficult to figure out with a cluster in the standings. Some are already sorted out like the Giants, Mets, Rockies and Royals.
The muddled middle is where it gets interesting. The .500 teams have to decide in the next two weeks whether this is a year to push or a year to punt. That group is where the deadline usually gets interesting.
Skubal is the headliner still on the board. Detroit's ace is a free agent after 2026, which turns every Tigers loss into a referendum on whether they cash in on him now or bet on October. The Tigers went into Sunday's games six games back in the American League Central and 3½ out of the wild card.
Beyond Skubal, the reported names are impressive. Starters Freddy Peralta, Sonny Gray, Sandy Alcantara and Kevin Gausman have surfaced in rumors. So have relievers such as Mason Miller, Aroldis Chapman and Ryan Helsley. On the position side, Rafael Devers, Willy Adames, Luis Arraez and Ketel Marte have been rumored to be on the trading block.
The problem with this year's MLB trade deadline is that almost nobody wants to sell.
Twenty-three of the 30 teams came out of the All-Star break within four games of a playoff spot, which means most of the league still believes it has a reason to buy. That also leaves a short list of sellers. Those teams that are willing to deal now will set the price for everyone else as we barrel toward the 6 p.m. ET trade deadline on Aug. 3.
Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal sits atop every contender's wish list, with pitching nearly always the top need of those who are looking to make a long run in October. Still, the Tigers have said they aren't sure if they will trade him.
The long stare down to the deadline is already beginning.
Here is where the 30 teams stand as the deals start to come, who is buying, who is finally selling and who is stuck in the middle:
Why there are barely any sellers right now
The standing are a cluster. With three wild cards in each league and almost two dozen teams still alive, the clubs that would normally be dumping veterans by late July are instead telling themselves they can make a run.
That scarcity flips the leverage. The few teams that are ready to sell get to name their price, and contenders desperate for pitching may have to overpay in prospects to land a starter or high-leverage reliever. It's a seller's market with almost no sellers.
The clear buyers
Seven contenders are already out there shopping and not hiding it.
Philadelphia Phillies: They need a right-handed outfielder and bullpen help. They also could use a starter.
Chicago Cubs:They are hunting pitching; they need both starters and relievers.
Milwaukee Brewers: Already landed Lance McCullers Jr. from Houston but still need more rotation depth.
New York Yankees: They are after a catcher and a late-inning reliever with Mason Miller atop their wish list.
Tampa Bay Rays: Yes, the Rays are hunting. They are looking for bats, catching and have been named as one of the teams pushing for Skubal.
The clear sellers
It's a short list, and one name on it would have been a shock in March.
New York Mets: They collapsed early and are ready to shed some of the $328 million payroll. Freddy Peralta, bullpen arms and some position players are up for discussion.
Colorado Rockies: They are usually here in July, and they still have very little to offer beyond a piece like Hunter Goodman.
Los Angeles Angels: With the worst record in baseball, they are ready to do business. Reid Detmers, Jose Soriano and Kirby Yates could all be headed for contenders.
Athletics: Moving veterans like catcher Jonah Heim while keeping their young core is their smart move.
Washington Nationals: A first-year front office is building for another season. They will move their veterans if they can.
San Francisco Giants: They are probably selling. Or they should be. Luis Arraez and Robbie Ray have been floated out there, if Buster Posey follows through.
The teams still deciding
Hovering around .500 and genuinely undecided, these teams are one bad week away from punting and one hot week from going all in.
Arizona Diamondbacks: They are leaning toward buying if Corbin Burnes' rehab stays on track.
St. Louis Cardinals: They are leaning toward buying if they can add pitching without gutting the farm system.
Seattle Mariners: They are also leaning toward buying, adding rotation and bullpen depth.
Texas Rangers: They are leaning toward buying. They need a rotation spot after injuries.
Boston Red Sox: Currently riding an improbable 13-game winning streak, Boston is leaning towards buying after getting hot this summer. They need middle infield help.
Houston Astros: They are leaning toward buying. They are a hot team and looking to add rotation and bullpen depth.
Miami Marlins: They are leaning toward buying. They are a hot team right now and could add pitching and bullpen depth.
Pittsburgh Pirates: They are kind of buying? Riding one of the best offenses in baseball at the break, they will add if it doesn't increase payroll.
San Diego Padres: This is a tossup. A.J. Preller is unpredictable and short on trade chips.
Toronto Blue Jays: Another tossup with Toronto still at the bottom of the American League East.
Cleveland Guardians: A tossup as well. They need offense but are unlikely to add any payroll.
Kansas City Royals: They still haven't decided but have to be close to selling. Michael Wacha, Seth Lugo or Lane Thomas could bring them back some prospects.
Cincinnati Reds: They are a tossup but have a win-now core of rentals they can flip quickly if they slip.
Minnesota Twins: They are leaning toward selling. They have historically been passive and they are sliding.
Baltimore Orioles: They are leaning toward selling. They are under .500 and have a brutal schedule ahead.
Chicago White Sox: This team is young and likelier to hold than make a splash.
And then there are the Tigers and Tarik Skubal
Everyone has been waiting for this decision since the 2025 deadline. They will dictate the market. The Tigers own the arm everyone wants in Skubal, the two-time reigning Cy Young winner and a free agent after the 2026 season, and they are sitting at under 20 percent playoff odds.
That leaves Scott Harris with the call of the summer. Cash in the best starter in baseball now, or keep him for a long-shot run and risk losing him for nothing in the winter. The Brewers, Rays, Braves and Orioles are already lining up to try and get him.
Whatever the Tigers decide will set the market for everyone behind them and we are all waiting.
Typically, there’s no such thing as a big head-to-head series over a 162-game schedule until the very end.
But this is Major League Baseball, 2026-style, where a landmass of mediocrity has made it remarkably challenging to separate contenders from those planning for better times in a future year.
Yet we may have finally reached shakedown week.
With two weeks remaining until the trade deadline, several matchups should elevate fringe contenders into the true believers, while knocking some fence-sitters into sell mode as Aug. 3 approaches.
USA TODAY Sports examines five series with significant deadline ramifications this week:
Standing: Red Sox lead Orioles by two games for final AL wild-card berth
Outlook: Something has to give – the Red Sox have won 13 games in a row to salvage a disastrous season, while the Orioles finally pieced together a four-game win streak, then decided to stretch it to seven, for good measure.
Baltimore has already captured a key series this week, sweeping the Houston Astros in a battle of wannabe contenders. Now, the Orioles can, at least right now, be firmly in the buying column.
Big picture: Can either team catch the Rays? Boston just took four in a row off Tampa Bay yet still trails the division leaders by six games, with the Orioles eight back.
Pirates (52-48) at Yankees (55-44)
Monday-Wednesday
Standing: Yankees trail Rays by 1 ½ games in the AL East and hold top wild card spot; Pirates in virtual three-way tie for final NL wild-card spot and trail Milwaukee by 10 ½ in Central.
Outlook: It’s been a stealthy rise into solid contention for the Pirates, but things are about to get much brighter in New York. Taking a series off the Yankees will only put more pressure on the moribund franchise to add at the deadline. This is a good thing. The Yankees, of course, are buying. But just how much should they sink into this flagging offense badly missing Aaron Judge? How confident are they Judge will return before September? Either way, they’ve been held to two or fewer runs in six of 12 games this month.
Big picture: You could call this the Bednar Bowl (the closer has flourished since a trade from Pittsburgh to New York) or the Skenes Sweepstakes (mercifully, the 2029 free agent won’t pitch in this series, perhaps quieting the Inevitable Yankee whispers for a minute).
Marlins (52-48) at Astros (47-54)
Monday-Wednesday
Standing: Marlins are in a virtual three-way tie for the final NL wild card, six games behind Atlanta in the East; Astros are 4 ½ games out of the final AL wild card and in third place, four games behind Texas in the West.
Outlook: The Astros are playing like a team that needs to be put out of its misery, losers of four straight even as GM Dana Brown seeks rotation and outfield help. But the incredibly mediocre AL West is the ultimate lifeline, and it would take a lot for Houston to turn tail. But getting swept by Baltimore and losing a series to Miami might send a not-so-subtle hint.
The Marlins were baseball’s hottest team since June 1 but got slowed a bit by Milwaukee out of the second-half gate, and now All-Star shortstop Otto Lopez has a finger issue.
Big picture: The Marlins have shown they’re a legitimately good team, something the Astros have yet to prove. Is it worth complementing the lineup around first half MVP Yordan Alvarez, or would that merely be sunken cost fallacy?
Diamondbacks (51-48) at Nationals (50-50)
Friday-Sunday
Standing: Diamondbacks are 11 ½ games behind the Dodgers in NL West and a half-game out of the final NL wild card. Nationals are eight games behind Atlanta in the East and two games out of the final wild card.
Outlook: A key week for Arizona, which needs to clean up against the visiting Athletics before heading to St. Louis for a makeup game, and then on to D.C., where both clubs face a less-than-rosy playoff outlook. The D-backs won’t win the West, while the Nationals would have to vault the Marlins, Phillies and Braves to win the East. And while Washington is in wild-card striking distance, they’d need to pass four teams – including Arizona – to get in playoff position.
Big picture: The Nationals keep winning just enough to keep their bold venture alive, though they probably need to get on a real heater to keep them off the sell side come August. And it’s a very typical D-backs season, which is to say they dance around the .500 mark. A sweep from either team would likely give the loser significant misgivings about their viability.
Blue Jays (46-53) at Red Sox (50-48)
Friday-Sunday
Standing: Blue Jays are 10 ½ games behind Tampa Bay in AL East, 4 ½ behind Boston for final AL wild card.
Outlook: Will it ever be go time for these Blue Jays? They haven’t been above .500 since April 4 and this week face two huge acid tests: Four games with Tampa Bay and then three with Boston. There’s been very little talk of Toronto selling and perhaps there shouldn’t be: They are defending AL champions and sell out Rogers Centre every night. Their fans deserve a team that’s trying. Yet will another ugly week against division rivals foment thoughts of reassessing?
Big picture: It’s really quite an AL East shootout this week, with the Blue Jays and Red Sox and Rays and Orioles each getting a shot at one or more of the other. Alas, if this year’s been any indication, we won’t know anymore come next Sunday than we do now.
The MLB trade deadline is just a little more than two weeks away, but the biggest questions still have an abundance of uncertainty.
Several teams remain caught between buying and selling, a number of contenders are hunting for impact upgrades, and front offices are eagerly waiting to see which clubs finally signal their intentions. Until then, speculation continues to swirl around who will be available.
With the market in flux and pressure mounting by the day, every injury, losing streak and team decision could alter the deadline landscape.
Here's a look at the latest trade rumors, buzz and noteworthy developments from around baseball:
The MLB trade deadline is at 6 p.m. ET on Aug. 3. While trades will sometimes be revealed after that time, that is when communications for teams to deal players must cease.
With the A's entering Monday having lost 10 of 11 and sitting 14 games under .500, MLB Network insider Jon Heyman reported in the New York Post that the A’s are "open to anything."
MLB.com asks if that would include moving on from All-Star catcher Shea Langeliers, who entered Monday hitting .260 with 22 home runs and 50 RBIs.
At 46-52, the Tigers are just 5½ games out of first place in the American League Central and 3½ games out of a wild card spot. They also have a healthy rotation, which produced a 3.48 ERA, fourth-best in MLB at the All-Star break, while yielding the third-lowest batting average. — Bob Nightengale
Could Brewers reunite with Freddy Peralta?
With the news that right-hander Brandon Woodruff will miss the rest of the season, Milwaukee – which was already looking for starting pitcher help – could look to bring back a familiar face. The Mets are reportedly shopping everyone, including Freddy Peralta, whom Milwaukee traded to New York during the offseason. The Brewers need to bolster their rotation beyond ace Jacob Misiorowski and left-hander Kyle Harrison, who is currently on the IL with minor forearm tightness. Beyond that, Milwaukee is relying on some mix of Logan Henderson, Shane Drohan, Brandon Sproat and Robert Gasser.
Will Mets trade Francisco Lindor?
Speaking of the Mets, rival executives believe shortstop Francisco Lindor will not be traded at the deadline, but instead will be shopped this winter, according to our own Bob Nightengale. Lindor is owed $160 million over the next five years after this season and has a full no-trade clause, complicating a deal by the Aug. 3 deadline.
Nationals getting calls on Luis Garcia
Luis Garcia has put together a career year at the plate, slashing .280/.313/.546 with an .860 OPS in 91 games. Mix in his position versatility (he plays first base, second base and shortstop), and it's easy to see why teams are checking in on him, as reported by The Athletic. Garcia still has one more year of club control before he can become a free agent, which makes him more than a rental. The only problem for those interested is that the Nationals are still technically in the hunt for a playoff berth.
Cubs add pitching depth
Right-hander Aaron Civale is heading to the Cubs after a trade with the Athletics. Civale, who played for the Cubs in the second half of 2025, was designated for assignment by the A's earlier in the week. He's 5-7 this season with a 5.42 ERA and 1.62 WHIP in 16 games (15 starts) this season. Heading to the A's will be Aiden Moffett, a minor league pitcher who has spent most of his season at Single-A Myrtle Beach.
Pirates likely to be active at trade deadline
The Pirates, who entered the All-Star break having scored an MLB-leading 516 runs, plan to be aggressive at the deadline, per Bob Nightengale. Yet, only if they can acquire pieces without increasing payroll. Their biggest need is the bullpen after blowing 17 saves in 36 opportunities with a 4.49 ERA. It’s the worst save percentage in MLB.
The Pirates have the second-longest playoff drought in MLB at 10 years, ahead of only the Los Angeles Angels.
According to Bob Nightengale, one high-ranking Astros executive said the team is seeking: "Pitching, pitching and more pitching."
The Astros are about $12.5 million under the luxury tax threshold after saving $2.5 million in the Lance McCullers trade with the Brewers, which would certainly cover the salary of acquiring someone like Tarik Skubal or Robbie Ray. Their rotation posted the third-highest ERA and averaged the eighth-fewest innings per start before the All-Star break.
Houston went into Sunday 47-53, four games back in the American League West and 3½ back in the wild card race.
Reds ready to deal rentals
As Cincinnati wallows in the basement of the National League Central, the club appears open to trading players that are on expiring contracts, per The Athletic. That would include slugger Eugenio Suarez, first baseman Nathaniel Lowe, catcher Tyler Stephenson, starting pitcher Brady Singer and relievers Pierce Johnson, Caleb Ferguson and Brock Burke.
Toledo avoided the three-game sweep with a 6-5 win on Sunday thanks to a walk-off homer from Jace Jung.
Jung crushed a sweeper to lead off the bottom of the ninth, wearing the Charlie Brown jersey.
🚨Mud Hens Walk-Off Win🚨
Good grief! Jace Jung gets all of this Joel Payamps sweeper and launches it 380 feet to right for a walk-off home run. It’s his 16th of the season. pic.twitter.com/PY41QThM1A
It’s been a decent year for Jung, who passed his 2024 home run total of 14. He’s one off last year’s 17 homers, and there’s still plenty of baseball to play.
Jung came into this game with a .205 ISO, the highest it’s been since his first full professional season (2023), when he mashed 28 home runs and finished with a .237 ISO. Of course, that was in High-A and Double-A. He’s still not ready to be an everyday big leaguer, but there’s some value in him if the Tigers are buyers at the deadline and want to include him in a package.
The walk-off opportunity wouldn’t have come if not for a four-run seventh inning. The first three batters reached, loading the bases for Max Clark. The Tigers’ top prospect struck out, one of three on the day, but Jung walked to bring in a run and keep the bags juiced.
Max Anderson tied the game up with a bases-clearing double after a pitching change.
Bennett Lee had a three-hit day and drove in the first run of the day for Toledo. It came on a bloop single, but those still count in the box score. Brett Callahan had the other multi-hit day with a pair of singles, one coming off the bat at 107 mph.
On the mound, Sawyer Gipson-Long got the start, giving 3.2 innings of four-run ball. He gave up a pair of bombs, but Gwinnett hit him pretty well overall, notching four hits on the day.
Tyler Mattison was first out of the bullpen, working through the fifth. He dealt with light traffic on the bases — a hit and a walk — and struck out a pair. Andre Granillo loaded the bases before recording an out in the sixth. He managed to escape the jam, allowing just one run on a sac fly.
Yilber Diaz and Tanner Rainey worked a combined three innings without giving up a hit. Diaz walked on over two innings of work, and Rainey got the win since he was the pitcher of record in the ninth.
Erie took the three-game series against Richmond, 2-1, with a 10-5 victory on Sunday.
Let’s not bury the lede here. Jackson Jobe threw the first three innings for Erie, and he looked pretty darn good. The fastball sat around 98-99 mph, touching 100 three times. Location was there for the most part, except for a hit batter on a curveball. He drew a nice whiff on a slider for one of three strikeouts.
You can see all 44 pitches below, thanks to the guys over at Tigers ML Report.
Jackson Jobe with a 13-pitch first inning in his rehab appearance for Erie tonight. pic.twitter.com/fBtCEzODzJ
The lone run that came across against Jobe was unearned, due to an errant throw by E.J. Exposito. He made up for it by being part of a five-run frame in the top of the third, driving in two of those five runs. Garrett Pennington also had an RBI single in the inning, and Peyton Graham kickstarted it all with an RBI ground-rule double.
Although the final score was 10-5, things got pretty interesting in the final few innings. Richmond tacked on a run in the fifth and two in the eighth to make it a 6-4 game. Graham homered in the seventh for the sixth SeaWolves’ run.
Peyton Graham gets a cement mixer and clobbers it to left for his 5th home run of the season. Erie leads 6-2. pic.twitter.com/2mnRsxP3rg
There was an hour-long delay in the seventh, too, which can always change the momentum of things. Fortunately, Josue Briceno put things away with a grand slam in the top of the ninth. Richmond patched together a run in the ninth, but they couldn’t get four more to force extra innings.
Josue Briceño crushes a grand slam to right that puts Erie up 10-4. It’s his first in Double-A this year. Left his bat at 111 MPH and went 376 feet. pic.twitter.com/aXzoTYL0h0
After Jobe, Erie threw Yoniel Curet for a 1-2-3 fourth. Andrew Sears got the next 2.2 innings, giving up a run on a wild pitch, but otherwise working around four hits. Dariel Fregio took over after the rain delay and was responsible for the two-run eighth. Eric Silva closed things out in the ninth, giving up one unearned run.
Graham: 3-4, 2B (14), HR (5), 3 R, 2 REBI, BB
Briceno: 3-5, GS, R, 4 RBI, 2 K
Exposito: 2-4, 2 RBI, K
Jobe: 3.0 IP, 3 H, R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
Coming Up Next: Erie is on the road next week against the Chesapeake Baysox, starting Tuesday at 12:05 p.m. ET
West Michigan Whitecaps 8, Great Lakes Loons 6 (box)
West Michigan scored eight runs in the first two innings and held off a comeback bid from the Great Lakes Loons to win 8-6 and secure the series win.
Most of the offense came early for the Whitecaps. Clayton Campbell opened the scoring in the first with an RBI single, following a pair of walks. Samuel Gil and Stephen Hrustich followed up with back-to-back RBI doubles, scoring runs on three straight hits.
Samuel Gil shoots an RBI double into the right corner to make it a 2-0 Whitecaps lead in the 1st. pic.twitter.com/dYNkKR9Px7
Almost the same thing happened in the second. Three batters walked to load the bases, and Campbell singled in a pair. Gil couldn’t find a base knock this time around, but Hrustich hit another double to make it 8-0. Oddly enough, Bryce Rainer was the first out in each of the first two frames, which isn’t something you’d expect when the offense is grooving.
Clayton Campbell brings home two more runs for West Michigan with a sharp single to right. pic.twitter.com/ZjAJsR5Cas
Things settled down after that. West Michigan only had three more hits on the day, but the Loons walked 10 batters overall, so there was plenty of traffic on the bases all night. The Whitecaps ended the day 6-for-13 with runners in scoring position.
Pitching-wise, things were fairly calm for the first half of the game. Zack Lee threw three shutout innings, allowing just two hits along the way. Ryan Harvey was next and was perfect through two frames.
Juanmi Vasquez ran into the first bit of trouble in the sixth. He got the first two batters just fine, but a two-out single led to a small spiral. A wild pitch, a walk and another single were compounded by a fielding error from Cristian Santana in left, scoring two runs.
Eliseo Mota took over in the seventh and faced similar issues. Two walks, a single and a wild pitch set up a bases-clearing double, and Preston Howey had to come in before the end of the inning. Howey gave up another run (charged to Mota) on a single, but he retired seven of the next eight batters to close out the game.
Rainer: 0-4, BB, 2 K
Campbell: 3-4, 2B (12), 2 R, 3 RBI, BB
Hrustich: 2-4, 2 2B (5), 4 RBI, BB, K
Lee: 3.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
Coming Up Next: West Michigan is on the road next week against the Peoria Chiefs, starting Tuesday at 7:35 p.m. ET
Lakeland Flying Tigers 4, Fort Myers Mighty Mussels 3 (box)
Lakeland took the series against Fort Myers with a 4-3 win on Sunday.
Zach MacDonald delivered the decisive blow, a two-run homer in the top of the sixth. Carson Rucker also drove in two runs on a single in the first to give the Flying Tigers an early lead.
Zach MacDonald with a 2-run missile off Julian Merryweather to give Lakeland a 5-4 lead. It’s MacDonald’s 15th home run of the year, and it left his bat at 110.9 MPH and went 393 feet. pic.twitter.com/SWafm1Rhr1
Despite having eight total hits, the offense was a bit remarkable otherwise. The leadoff man got on in five innings, and Lakeland had a baserunner in all but two, but the runs never came across. MacDonald’s homer was the only extra-base hit of the day.
A 2-for-8 day with runners in scoring position was good enough, thanks to a good day from the bullpen.
Caleb Leys made his second start since coming off a brief stint on the 7-day injured list, and it was a bit of a mixed bag. He gave up a homer to the first batter he faced and left before getting the final out of the second. Let’s assume a 35-pitch limit is the reason, because he was striking out batters at a decent pace with three and no walks.
Donye Evans took over for him and gave up a single. It would have been nice to see Leys work himself out of that earned run. Evans pitched through the third, giving up a solo homer in the process, but that’s where Fort Myers’ scoring stopped.
Joe Miller worked around two hits and a walk over the next two frames, striking out four along the way, and Connor Fenlong came in for the final four innings. Fenlong only gave up one hit and struck out four en route to his first save. It’s his fourth straight outing of four or more innings, and two of those have been shutout performances.
Rucker: 2-3, 2 RBI, BB, K
MacDonald, HR (15), R, 2 RBI, BB, K
Fenlong (S, 1): 4.0 IP, H, 0 R, 3 BB, 4 K
Coming Up Next: Lakeland is at home next week against the Jupiter Hammerheads, starting Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. ET
NEW YORK, NY - JULY 17: Paul Blackburn #58 of the New York Yankees pitches during the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Yankee Stadium on July 17, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Offense was hard to come by again for the Yankees this weekend against the Dodgers, as they scored just five runs in total across the three games. Meanwhile, Los Angeles scored eight yesterday afternoon alone. Thankfully, Johnny Wholestaff came up with a gem on Sunday night to help the mostly-punchless Yanks eke out a win and avoid a sweep. Ryan Yarbrough was the opener and went a little deeper than expected, covering eight outs before departing with two down in the third and two men on. Paul Blackburn got the last out there and then got the next two innings before turning it over to Brent Headrick for two of his own. The 1-0 lead went “poof” under Fernando Cruz, but David Bednar picked him up and got the last five outs himself, becoming the winner when Jazz Chisholm Jr. went yard in the eighth. Good team effort!
Today on the site, Jeff will preview the upcoming three-game series against the Pirates (who thankfully will not be pitching Paul Skenes), Kevin will run through the Rivalry Roundup, and Jonathan will follow with a one-two punch — first on the 149th (!) birthday of a forgotten New York Highlanders catcher and then a trade target post on long-shot Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman, fresh off a big three-homer day to reach 30 in 2026. Later, Madison will have the weekly mailbag prompt.
Today’s Matchup:
New York Yankees vs. Pittsburgh Pirates
Time: 7:05 p.m. EST
TV: YES, Sportsnet Pittsburgh
Venue: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
Questions/Prompts:
1. Who was yesterday’s Yankees pitching MVP?
2. What did you think of he World Cup Final? Did you watch it between games of the doubleheader?
It has spanned 17 days and two halves of this Major League Baseball season, hatched during the World Cup's round of 32 and lasting all the way through the awkward handshakes and trophy lifts in the Meadowlands.
So, where do the Boston Red Sox go from here now that their 13-game winning streak - second-longest in their storied history - is knocking on August's door?
For now, they're zooming right up USA TODAY Sports' power rankings.
The Red Sox began this streak July 3, at 37-48 and in last place in the American League East. It is still going and now, after sweeping the first-place Tampa Bay Rays, the Red Sox are 50-48, in wild card position in the AL and firmly not going to break up the squad at the Aug. 3 trade deadline.
They've won 18 of their last 20 and predictably enough, the backbone of this run has been pitching. They "pivoted to run prevention" after getting outbid on Alex Bregman and despite the absence of left-handers Garrett Crochet and Connelly Early, Red Sox starters have recorded a quality start in 19 of their last 27 games, going 14-2 with a majors-best 2.27 ERA in that span.
Now, after powering up four more spots to No. 15 in our power rankings? Six more games against division rivals, Baltimore and Toronto.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 14: Mason Miller #22 of the San Diego Padres looks on from the mound during the 2026 MLB All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park on July 14, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Kyle Cooper/Colorado Rockies/Getty Images)
NJ.com | Randy Miller: Outside of a Tarik Skubal all-in move, it wasn’t looking like there was a flashy upgrade for the Yankees to pursue this deadline. The team has a number of needs, but given that they’re mostly at catcher and the bullpen getting a big move to line up there just doesn’t happen all that often, let alone with the Yankees involved. That may change if Mason Miller is actually on the market though, and AJ Preller might be enough of a wild card to consider it.
The Padres’ wheeling and dealing GM acquired Miller at last year’s deadline for a package centered around Leo De Vries, now the No. 2 prospect in all of baseball, but with San Diego underperforming and with an offense that looks largely underwater he may need to recoup as much as he can from the ace reliever with few leads for him to protect. The Yankees had scouts out at this weekend’s San Diego/Kansas City series, but I can spoil the findings for you: Miller is incredible. The best reliever in the game, he’s pitched to a 0.89 ERA with 75 strikeouts in 40.2 innings.
Scouts say that the Yankees have a shot at affording him a year removed from him drawing one of the best prospects in the game, but if they want to hold onto their own top prospect in George Lombard Jr. and send a horde of options instead they may need to offer a major leaguer like Will Warren instead. Could it make sense for the Yanks to deal from the bottom of their rotation in exchange for a monster 1-2 combo in the back of the ‘pen? Perhaps, though they’d also likely lose another arm from their depth that would otherwise fill that hole like Elmer Rodriguez or Carlos Lagrange as well.
NY Daily News | Peter Sblendorio: Hunter Dietz ended up as the Yankees’ first-round pick this year, but they’ve done their homework on him for a while. He played high school ball close to the Yankees’ Tampa facilities, and stayed on their radar as he went to college and wound up breaking out this past season. Now in the organization, the team sees a top of the rotation ceiling for the big left-hander and were thrilled to land the Arkansas Razorback ace where they stood at No. 35 when he ranked much higher on some scouting boards. Dietz talked about recovering from his earlier elbow injury at the start of his collegiate career as well as meeting current Yankee starter Carlos Rodón in an introductory press conference.
Newsday | David Lennon: The Yankees managed to salvage the finale of their series against the Dodgers on Sunday winning the second game of a day-night doubleheader, but the way in which they won did little to dispel the concerns that this opening bout of the second half has recast on the offense. After scoring just one run on Friday in a 2-1 loss and getting just two more in the first game of the doubleheader, the Yankees again blew a 1-0 lead late but managed to get it right back with Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s bomb in the bottom of the eighth. Before that game Lennon tore into the Yankees’ deadweight sections of the lineup, and they did little to argue his points — in the fifth inning, the Yankees loaded the bases with no outs and watched as Jasson Domínguez struck out, Chisholm popped out in foul territory immediately, and Anthony Volpe flailed through another strikeout to strand them all. They walked away with the win thanks to Jazz’s long ball later on, but a solo shot here and there isn’t going to get the job done more nights.
NY Post | Dylan Hernandez: Cody Bellinger faced off against his old team this weekend, but he could’ve been in the other dugout had the offseason gone a little differently. Bellinger contemplated rejoining the Dodgers over the winter before ultimately choosing the long-term deal he got with the Yankees to stay in pinstripes. Bellinger’s star shone fast and bright in LA, winning an MVP in 2019 and a title with the team in 2020 before he burned out leading to being non-tendered from the organization, but even though he’d been let go he still had fond memories with the team. At the end of the day, it seems like LA only wanted a shorter-term deal like the (more expensive) one they handed to Kyle Tucker, and Bellinger preferred securing his roots a little more with his daughter becoming old enough to start school.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JULY 17: Luis Campusano of the San Diego Padres (C) talks to manager Craig Stammen #14 during the fifth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium on July 17, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Reed Hoffmann/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Padres fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
The San Diego Padres came out of the All-Star break with a .500 record, staring at 16 games before the MLB trade deadline on Aug. 3. The hope was that San Diego would carry the momentum it built up before the break with back-to-back wins against the Toronto Blue Jays as they headed to Missouri to take on the Kansas City Royals. The momentum the Padres had built apparently missed the flight and was left somewhere in San Diego.
The Padres dropped the first game of the series in dramatic fashion in the bottom of the 10th inning. San Diego tied the game in the ninth with a solo home run from Ty France and Mason Miller was somehow able to load the bases with no outs before striking out three batters in a row to strand the runners in the bottom of the ninth and send the game to extra-innings. The Padres scored three runs in the top of the 10th, but Miller did not pitch the bottom of the inning after throwing 16 pitches in the ninth. Sure, he threw four pitches to strikeout Munetaka Murakami of the Chicago White Sox in the All-Star game last Tuesday, but 20 pitches over four days does not seem to be too taxing for a guy who is 27 years old, stands 6-5, weighs 200 pounds and is arguably the most dominant reliever in the game.
San Diego manager Craig Stammen chose to keep Miller in the dugout and call on Kyle Hart to attempt his first MLB save in a game the Padres needed to win. Hart imploded, although none of the hits he allowed were struck extremely well, and the Royals earned a walk-off win with four runs in the bottom of the 10th. While Hart allowed all four runs, only three of which were earned because of the Manfred Man on second base to start extra-innings, the loss should not fall solely on him. The loss can and should be attributed to Stammen. He was asked after the game why he went to Hart and he said he and the staff liked the matchups and felt good about Hart in that situation. Miller is better than Hart against every batter the lefty matched up well with. Mille should have remained in the game.
Stammen seems to fail to understand where his team sits at this point in the 2026 season. Before the break, he told reporters he cannot manage every game like it is Game 7. That is fair to say. But you should manage a game you need to win with a three-run lead with the urgency the situation and the season calls for. The Padres looked lifeless in a 6-1 loss on Saturday before they salvaged the series and avoided a sweep with a 19-2 win on Sunday. San Diego should have been 2-1 to start the second half and had the Padres won on Friday night, Saturday could have played out completely different, and they might have started 3-0.
While the offense has started and stopped and struggled throughout the year and the pitching, which was solid to start the season, has fallen off as of late, it is decisions by Stammen and the way the rookie manager handles his players and his team that will determine the fate of the 2026 season for the Padres. If he continues to limit the ability and opportunity of his greatest commodity in Miller the respondents from this week’s Padres Reacts Survey will be saying, “I told you so!” at the end of the year. Players have to play and they have to execute, but the manager has to understand that his team needs him to have a win-now mentality if they are going to find their way back into a postseason position.
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Yankees pitcher Cam Schlittler reacts after being taken out of the ball game by manager Aaron Boone (L) in the fifth inning against the against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Yankee Stadium .
Cam Schlittler chose not to pitch in the All-Star Game, but in his first start since then, he faced a lineup that was certainly star-studded.
The Yankees ace had swing-and-miss stuff, just not enough in the right spots as the Dodgers made it a frustrating day for him and forced him out of the game by the fifth inning in an 8-2 loss Sunday afternoon in the first game of a doubleheader.
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Schlittler racked up a career-high 20 swings-and-misses and eight strikeouts, but at the same time, the Dodgers fouled off 27 pitches — including 16 with two strikes — as they made him throw 98 pitches across 4 ¹/₃ innings in which he gave up three runs.
“As a starter, [if] you can’t get through five, that’s not a good sign,” Schlittler said. “I think that’s the most frustrating part.
“I feel like the miss was there, the strikeouts are good, but it doesn’t matter if you can’t put a competitive outing together. They made me battle.”
Schlittler came out firing, striking out the side in the top of the first inning on 17 pitches — including whiffing Shohei Ohtani on a 100 mph fastball, Andy Pages on a 99 mph fastball and Freddie Freeman on a 96 mph cutter.
Yankees pitcher Cam Schlittler reacts after being taken out of the ball game by manager Aaron Boone (L) in the fifth inning against the against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Yankee Stadium. JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POST
But the Dodgers began hiking up his pitch count in a 27-pitch second inning, which included Max Muncy reaching on a double after skying a pop fly to right field that Max Schuemann and Jazz Chisholm Jr. both appeared to lose in the sun.
Ohtani then put the Dodgers ahead for good in the third inning when he scalded a 111.1 mph RBI double to the gap to go up 1-0.
Freddie Freeman added an RBI single to make it 2-0 before another 27-pitch inning was over.
Schlittler racked up three more strikeouts in the fourth inning before hitting Tommy Edman on an 0-2 fastball to lead off the fifth inning.
Edman came in to score on Pages’ bloop double down the right field line that ended Schlittler’s day, leaving with a 3-1 deficit.
Yankees pitcher Cam Schlittler reacts after being taken out of the ball game by manager Aaron Boone in the fifth inning against the against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Yankee Stadium. JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POST
The short outing was less than ideal in the first game of a doubleheader.
“They put a good swing on pretty much everything,” catcher Ali Sánchez said.
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While Schlittler’s 20 swings-and-misses surpassed his previous career high of 19, they did not translate to the kind of success he is used to having because of the relentless Dodgers approach.
“I thought Cam was really good, but they did [have] a lot of heavy at-bats,” manager Aaron Boone said. “He had a ton of swing-and-miss going, which was getting him into 2-2 and 3-2 counts, and then they did a pretty good job of extending some at-bats with a lot of foul balls. So it was kind of death by a thousand cuts. I thought he was on his game. They just had a ton of long at-bats, so it didn’t enable him to get deep in the game.”
Five relievers combined for nine innings of one-run ball against arguably the best lineup in the majors, quieting the Dodgers in a 2-1 win at Yankee Stadium.
Ryan Yarbrough (2 ²/₃ innings), Paul Blackburn (2 ¹/₃ innings), Brent Headrick (two innings), Fernando Cruz (one-third of an inning) and David Bednar (1 ²/₃ innings) delivered about as much as the Yankees could have hoped for — aside from Cruz allowing a solo home run to pinch hitter Tommy Edman in the eighth inning — to help stave off a series sweep.
“Yarbs getting almost three innings … he was great and efficient,” manager Aaron Boone said. “And then Blackburn being able to get seven outs for us. That was huge. That gave us a chance then to leverage it at the backside of the game.”
Ryan Yarbrough throws a pitch during the Yankees’ second July 19 game against the Dodgers. Bill Kostroun for the NY Post
After the Dodgers forced Cam Schlittler to throw 98 pitches across 4 ¹/₃ innings of Game 1, Yarbrough (36 pitches), Blackburn (25 pitches) and Headrick (22 pitches) were all much more efficient. Headrick, the unsung MVP of the bullpen to date, has not allowed a run in 41 of his 49 relief appearances, which leads the majors.
Boone sacrificed the end of Game 1 to make the nightcap possible.
The Yankees trailed only 3-1 entering the eighth inning when Boone used Jake Bird and Camilo Doval, who combined to allow seven straight Dodgers to reach as their lead ballooned to 8-1.
Paul Blackburn throws a pitch during the Yankees’ second July 19 game against the Dodgers. Jason Szenes for the NY Post
Bird, who was charged with all five runs, was optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after the game, as his ERA reached 5.93 across 36 games and 30 ¹/₃ innings this season.
The Yankees called up Kervin Castro to take Bird’s spot in the bullpen in time for the nightcap, trying to see if another internal option could give them some better relief before they likely bring in reinforcements at the trade deadline.
Saturday’s rainout allowed the Yankees to rearrange their rotation to try to make it through the rest of Max Fried’s injury absence without a fifth starter.
They pushed Ryan Weathers (Saturday’s scheduled starter) to Monday against the Pirates and called up Elmer Rodríguez to be the 27th man for the second game of Sunday’s doubleheader, though they ended up not needing him on a night when they pieced together a bullpen game.
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The Yankees have been trying to pick their spots with Rodríguez because he only has two of his five options to the minor leagues remaining this season, but being sent down after coming up as the 27th man does not count against that.
So instead of likely throwing a bullpen game on Tuesday — or potentially burning another option for Rodríguez — they got by with Rodríguez just offering length in reserve.
Weathers will go Monday, followed by Will Warren and Gerrit Cole against the Pirates.
The Yankees then have an off day Thursday, which could allow them to keep their four starters on normal rest and then slot Fried back in next week after one more rehab start if everything goes well.
After throwing 10 pitches off the bullpen mound on Friday, Carlos Rodón (left elbow inflammation) received a second round of shots (including a PRP injection) the same day.
He was already feeling good enough to play catch on flat ground Sunday, and the Yankees are hoping he will advance to throwing a full bullpen session at some point this week.
Instead, the 28-year-old was open about his rough 2026 when asked to describe his season prior to the clutch HR.
"It sucked. I've sucked all season," Chisholm said.
"The numbers speak for themselves."
Chisholm is hitting just .224 with 14 home runs over 94 games this year, which would be his lowest batting average in a full major league season. Following a tough April and better month of May, the second baseman hit just .177 in June across 79 at-bats as that trend has continued in July.
Manager Aaron Boonesaid earlier Sunday after the Game 1 loss that Chisholm is a player they "expect a lot of" and are hopeful he can turn it around to get back on track. Following the Game 2 win, Boone credited Chisholm for stepping up in the moment after the Yanks squandered a bases loaded opportunity earlier in the game.
"That's a bomb right there," Boone said. "Obviously we have that inning where we're bases loaded, up one, no outs, and a chance to really take the game there in a lot of ways. Aren't able to come up with a big hit. It turned into a real big hit. Where he went there as a lefty, that's a pretty good shot.
"Big at-bat. Every win is precious."
Despite dropping the series to the Dodgers, Chisholm expressed confidence that the Yankees can match up against anyone when they lock in their focus. He knows that's something they'll need to be more consistent with if there will be a rematch of the 2024 World Series later this fall.
"I feel like we match up against any team in the league," Chisholm said. "I feel like we beat ourselves a lot. I feel like that stuff, we're going to clean up as it goes."
Heading into Sunday night's second game of a doubleheader, Yankees manager Aaron Boone knew he was going to have to scrap together a pitching plan.
But turning to five different pitchers who were able to hold the always dangerous Los Angeles Dodgers offense to one run on four hits? That wasn't as expected.
"You're not sure exactly how you're going to piece together the night game," Boone said after New York's 2-1 win. "A lot of people did a really nice job to allow us to get that victory."
Ryan Yarbrough got the start as the opener, tossing 2.2 scoreless innings before handing the ball to Paul Blackburn. The right-hander kept it going, throwing 2.1 scoreless innings and then Brent Headrick posted two scoreless frames of his own to keep LA off the board. Fernando Cruz gave up the lone run on a solo home run in the eighth inning, but David Bednar stepped up to seal the victory over the final 1.2 innings.
Bednar entered in the eighth with runners on first and second base, but struck out Shohei Ohtani and got Andy Pages to fly out, keeping the game tied at 1-1. After getting through the ninth to record the save, the veteran has pitched 17 consecutive scoreless appearances, having last allowed a run on May 18 as his season ERA is down to 2.59.
"Huge," Boone said. "Didn't really want to go five outs, but just felt like Cruzer, after losing a couple, and then I know Ohtani is probably going to control the strike zone pretty well. Just felt like Beds the right guy there. He was efficient enough to where it didn't drive him two up and I felt like I he was sharp at the end of even the second inning."
He added on Bednar: "Obviously he's a really good pitcher, but really good competitor, really good person, teammate. There's no ego involved with it. It's like whatever we got to do to win a game. And we have a number of those guys who are like that down there, and Bed's one of the leaders. I love his makeup, I love what he brings and the example he sets. He just wants to win, and that's apparent."
Overall, Boone was very pleased with the bullpen game and credited Yarbrough for setting the tone early on against Los Angeles.
"Yarbs getting almost three innings, the swinging bunt cost him the third inning completing it, but he was great and efficient," Boone said. "And then Blackburn, being able to get, I think he got seven outs for us. That was huge. That gave us a chance then to leverage it at the backside of the game. Those two getting it started off. And then Headrick being really efficient through the top of the order for two innings, obviously set us up really good.
"But it started with Yarbs. Really being, not only good, but efficient."
Boone went on to explain what makes the 6-foot-5 left-hander a difficult pitcher to face, noting his arm angle and ability to change speeds throughout the game.
"Well I mean he's always been tough on lefties and he got a fair amount of lefties that he's facing there," Boone said. "He's different really than anything you see. Obviously not a hard thrower, but he moves the ball around, really changes speeds well. He's really tall and long limbed so it's kind of a unique angle and delivery that creates a little bit of deception for him.
"Tonight he did a really good job with the strike throwing and I thought was really unpredictable throughout... It's just a different look than guys are used to seeing. So when he's throwing strikes with all his different pitches, he can be a problem for you."
Boone also praised Headrick for rebounding from a couple rough outings early in the season. After his scoreless outing Sunday, the lefty has not allowed a run in 41 of his 49 relief appearances this year -- the most in the majors.
"He's been outstanding, really," Boone said. "I feel like he did a good job too when he went through a little bit of adversity. He had that week where he had two or three outings in a row that weren't great and he bounced back from that. You've got off to a good start now as really his first full-time role at it in the big leagues. He got off to a really good start, hit a little bump in the road there for a couple few outings, how do you respond? Really well.
"He's pitched with a lot of confidence. Just the fact you feel good about him against both-handed, he's just got that neutral quality about him that he can go through a lot of different parts of the lineup."
After avoiding getting swept at home, the Yanks will look to string a couple of wins together and reclaim first place in the AL East (1.5 GB of Tampa Bay). They'll hand the ball to Ryan Weathers on Monday in their series opener against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The Mets starting Juan Soto meant that Jorge Polanco wasn't in the lineup Sunday.
PHILADELPHIA — Juan Soto’s precautionary placement into the DH spot for the past two games left the Mets without a spot for one of their key offseason additions.
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Such is the predicament team officials face on a daily basis trying to keep Jorge Polanco in the lineup.
Polanco is limited to DH duty in his return from the injured list and likely won’t be considered for first base action until at least next month.
Soto left Thursday’s game with calf discomfort, and the Mets weren’t about to push him to play left field Saturday and Sunday.
“We just want to ensure he’s not carrying it with him past these couple of games,” interim manager Andy Green said before the Mets’ 6-1 victory over the Phillies. “We would have liked to get [Polanco] back in the lineup today, but this is more about just ensuring this is behind [Soto].”
Polanco is 3-for-21 (.143) in six games since returning from the IL.
Juan Soto hits a single during the Mets’ July 19 win against the Phillies. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectJorge Polanco reacts during the Mets’ July 12 game. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Luis Robert Jr. is expected to rejoin the Mets at some point during the next series (the Mets are in Milwaukee for three games), according to Green.
The outfielder has spent the last 2 ½ months rehabbing a lumbar spine disc herniation.
He will be returning from the 60-day injured list.
Clay Holmes is on track to pitch in a minor league rehab game later in the week.
Holmes threw 45 pitches in a simulated game Saturday after his scheduled rehab start for Single-A Brooklyn was canceled due to rain.
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Holmes has spent two months rehabbing a broken right fibula.
The series victory was the Mets’ first at Citizens Bank Park since August 2022, when they won three of four games against the Phillies.
The Mets won their first road series since June 7 in San Diego.
A.J. Minter allowed a seventh-inning homer to Alec Bohm, giving the left-hander a second appearance in his past three in which he surrendered at least one run.
Minter has allowed a homer in three of his past six appearances after starting the season with 14 straight appearances without one allowed.
NEW YORK (AP) — Jazz Chisholm Jr. hit a tiebreaking homer in the eighth inning and five Yankees pitchers combined on a four-hitter as New York edged the Los Angeles Dodgers 2-1 to split their day-night doubleheader Sunday.
Cody Bellinger had an early RBI single and the Yankees won for only the second time in their past 11 home games, preventing a three-game sweep by their old October rivals in the Dodgers’ first visit to the Bronx since winning the 2024 World Series.
After a rainout Saturday night, the Dodgers took the opener 8-2 as Yoshinobu Yamamoto tossed a four-hitter for his first regular-season complete game in 66 major league starts.
Hours later, it was seven pitchers from a fresh Los Angeles relief corps who quieted the Yankees’ scuffling lineup in a bullpen game for the Dodgers. New York failed to score in the fifth after loading the bases with nobody out and stranded 11 runners overall.
But the Yankees also found success with a bullpen game as Ryan Yarbrough, Paul Blackburn and Brent Headrick combined to hold the Dodgers scoreless on three hits through seven innings before pinch-hitter Tommy Edman homered on Fernando Cruz’s second pitch leading off the eighth, tying it 1-all.
It was Edman’s second homer this season and the third pinch-hit shot of his career. The previous one came on July 10, 2021, with St. Louis at the Chicago Cubs.
Following consecutive one-out walks, closer David Bednar (4-3) entered and struck out Shohei Ohtani before Chisholm ranged from second base into shallow right field to make a wobbly catch of Andy Pages’ inning-ending popup.
With one out in the bottom half, Chisholm drove a 1-0 fastball from Evan Phillips (0-1) the other way to left-center for his 14th home run.
Bednar worked around a leadoff walk in the ninth, retiring Edman on a game-ending popup with his 32nd pitch of the night.
Paul Goldschmidt doubled off Dodgers opener Will Klein with two outs in the first and scored on Bellinger’s single.
Dodgers: RHP Emmet Sheehan (4-6, 4.81 ERA) pitches Monday night at Philadelphia in the opener of a three-game series between National League pennant contenders.
Yankees: LHP Ryan Weathers (3-7, 4.15 ERA) starts Monday night at home against Pittsburgh All-Star RHP Braxton Ashcraft (9-3, 3.49).
