Category: MLB

In yesterday’s SB Nation Reacts survey, Brady posed the question, “Who will return more when they’re invariably traded? Robbie Ray or Luis Arraez?”

I have to say that after going through the comments section I was a surprised by the fan responses even before knowing the poll results. Most seem to think that Robbie Ray would bring back the most value in trade, and that seems to be an opinion formed by two tenets: (1) everyone needs pitching and (2) fans want Luis Arraez to stick around. That’s not an outlier opinion, of course. At the end of May, this site’s founder, Grant Brisbee, wrote for The Athletic that the Giants should extend Arraez.

A few days later, I ranked him as the Giants’ third-most valuable trade chip, but acknowledged that there might not be many teams where he’d be a great fit, limiting a potential return.

Then there’s the factor of what teams value more: offense or defense. Only 11 of the 30 teams have positive defense and offense at second base. Plus, the teams that could use a boost at second base aren’t playoff teams for the most part, and the ones that could be are actually . Only the Rays (+0.3 fWAR, 100 wRC+), but 20 of the 30 teams have at least average defense there. So, how many of those teams would seek an upgrade at the position?

I mention all this to say that there seems to be a strong emotional component when considering Luis Arraez. Not many fans would log on to FanDuel and bet that the Giants would win on a given day without him on the team, I suspect. He was the gamble Buster Posey took this offseason — along with bringing Ron Washington onto the coaching staff — and it has paid out more than what could’ve reasonably been expected. Arraez is simply the 8th-most valuable player in Major League Baseball right now. His 3.3 fWAR places him in this top 10:

10. Nick Kurtz, A’s: 3.3 fWAR
9. JJ Wetherholt, Cards: 3.3 fWAR
8. Luis Arraez, Giants: 3.3 fWAR
7. Corbin Carroll, Dbacks: 3.5 fWAR
6. Kevin McGonigle, Tigers: 3.5 fWAR
5. Otto Lopez, Marlins: 3.6 fWAR
4. Dillon Dingler, Tigers: 3.9 fWAR
3. Yordan Alvarez, Astros: 4.0 fWAR
2. Bobby Witt Jr., Royals: 4.6 fWAR
1. Pete Crow-Armstrong, Cubs: 5.3 fWAR

This is a testament to his improved defense. His hitting line of .326/.361/.463 is just 89th (126 wRC+). According to FanGraphs, his +8.1 Defensive Runs Above Average is 11th-best in the sport. Not quite the best second baseman, though. JJ Wetherholt ranks first with +11.4 Defensive Runs Above Average. Also, by SABR’s Defensive Index (SDI), a component of the Gold Glove voting, he’s far less impressive: 0.9 SDI. Just 8th out of 14 qualifiers.

So, do fan emotions have it right? Is Arraez more valuable to the Giants on the roster than as a trade chip?

I’ll still say no.

Arraez has been traded twice in his career (in 2023 from the Twins to the Marlins, in 2024 from the Marlins to the Padres) for 7 total players. Yesterday, I looked at the history of trading ace-type pitchers at the deadline and came away with the feeling that the Giants would have a tough time moving a player not only because of the entertainment cost but because the odds of getting back a truly great trade package are slim. I don’t feel that’s the case here with Arraez.

Here are the players traded for Luis Arraez:
OF Byron Chourio (18 at the time, now 21, has not appeared in MLB)
INF Jose Salas (20 at the time, now 23, has not appeared in MLB)
SP Pablo Lopez (27 then, now 29, an All-Star for the Twins who has amassed 9.6 fWAR in 2+ seasons and 455 IP)
RP Woo-Suk Go (25 then, now 27, has not appeared in MLB, has not appeared in MLB)
OF Dillon Head (19 then, now 21, has not appeared in MLB) — #25 in Miami’s system
OF Jakob Marsee (23 then, now 25; 96 RC+, 2.1 fWAR in 585 PA across 2 seasons for Marlins)
OF Nathan Martorella (23 then, now 25, just released, has not appeared in MLB)

In both instances, the trading team wound up getting back a major leaguer. It worked out best for the Twins, of course, because Pablo Lopez has been great for their rotation and the Giants sorely need starting pitching, but the truth is that the Giants might be able to get a couple of arms for him, or at least some intriguing volume that has more on-paper promise than what happened in the Tyler Rogers and Camilo Doval deals last season.

Another trade to think about was the Orioles trade of Manny Machado back in 2018. No, no, no — not saying that Luis Arraez is Manny Machado… he’s more like 75% of Manny Machado, and in that deal Baltimore made with the Dodgers, they got back five players for Machado’s expiring contract.

The Dodgers sent the then-#84 prospect of MLB Pipeline’s top 100, OF Yusniel Diaz, along with pitcher Dean Kremer (their #28 prospect), third baseman Rylan Bannon, and major leaguers Breyvic Valera and Zach Pop. Let’s round down on the 75% to say that the Giants could get three players, none who would be on MLB Pipeline’s top 100, but possibly one of whom would be a current major leaguer (or on a 40-man roster). The other two could be in the back half of the receiving team’s top 30.

Currently, the worst teams at second base that otherwise have playoff aspirations are:

• Tampa Bay, +0.1 fWAR (82 wRC+)
• Washington, +0.4 fWAR (63 WRC+)
• Athletics, +0.6 fWAR (94 wRC+)
• Minnesota (lol), +1.0 fWAR (97 wRC+)
• Philadelphia, +1.0 fWAR (81 wRC+)

Somehow, I doubt the Giants would trade with the Athletics for a deadline headline deal like this, but they might also be fine with their tick above average situation same as the Twins. Dave Dombrowski might want to do something to shakeup the Phils’ infield, as Bryson Stott has been worse than the league average offensively for basically his entire career and now he’s scuffling even more this season. And the Rays’ situation is so rough that it’s probably worth addressing at the deadline, too.

Would Tampa Bay do Joe Boyle, Dean Moss, and Jackson Baumeister? Is that too much? Or would Bobby Evans simply kill the deal by reminding Buster Posey of the Matt Duffy trade? Doubtful. How about Alex McFarlane, Gabe Craig, and Raylin Heredia from Philadelphia?

In any case, even on an expiring deal, because he put in the work to make him one of the top up the middle defenders in the sport to go with his elite contact skills, he’s likely to bring back a healthy return. However…

The wisdom of the crowd thinks the pitching’s the thing wherein Buster Posey will catch the most value for the team. This is why I’ve suggested that there’s more of a desire to keep Luis Arraez than there is to keep Ray that’s motivating this result.

One of the reasons why I look to previous trades is to get a sense of how the industry values a player. In Arraez’s case, although he’s older and the contract is less favorable to the acquiring team (lots of money for 50 or so games), he’s somehow better and at an important position. While Ray is a starting pitcher — which always carries value — who saved his season in June (5 starts, 33 IP, 1.36 ERA / 3.20 FIP), he’s never been traded for much.

Jerry Dipoto and Farhan Zaidi balanced their books back in 2024 and prior to that, the Diamondbacks got back Travis Bergen. Before that, he was part of a 3-team trade where the Tigers sent him to Arizona and before that the Nationals traded him to the Tigers for Doug Fister.

Last year, the Rangers sent three pitching prospects to the Diamondbacks for Merrill Kelly. Is that the Ray comp for this year’s deadline? Kohl Drake was their #5 prospect, Mitch Bratt their #9, and David Hagaman their #13. All three are now in Arizona’s top 15. Okay, Drake and Bratt are already on the 40-man, and Bratt has already debuted, so, you could make the case that this is the model.

Ray is younger than Kelly was at the time of the deal, but he also lacks Kelly’s numbers. In 2021, Robbie Ray pitched like Logan Webb does every day he roles out of bed (3.9 fWAR), but since then, in 501 innings, he’s amassed just 4.3 fWAR across five seasons. That’s not great, and it’s not helped by a 4.23 FIP (career: 4.11). He tends to walk guys (career 3.81 BB/9) and give up home runs (1.35 HR/9), but balances those out with strikeouts (10.64 K/9). This year, he’s not striking guys out so much (7.71) while the walks and homers remain consistent. That wasn’t the case with Merrill Kelly last season. At the time of the deal, he was striking guys out above his career average, walking guys around his career average, and allowing slightly fewer home runs than usually. Like Ray today, his deal would expire at season’s end. The Rangers figured they’d catch a guy during his last gasp and the deal worked out just okay (3-3 in 10 starts, a 4.23 ERA, +0.8 FWAR).

But, at the end of the day, either Robbie Ray (the people’s choice) or Luis Arraez will bring back at least a trio of prospects for the Giants. Figure at least one of those would be in the zone of Drew Gilbert or Blade Tidwell, but also consider that the Giants could actually get a bit more impact from that in the case of Luis Arraez, especially if the acquiring team is especially desperate (ahem, Philadelphia). But, yes, if you’re looking for volume, Robbie Ray is likely to bring back some quantity.

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Dylan Cease and his AL-leading strikeout stuff headline the series opener in Seattle, and I’m riding the Toronto Blue Jays ace.

The Blue Jays open a weekend series in Seattle riding high after a nine-run Canada Day romp, and they hand the ball to Dylan Cease against the Seattle Mariners and Luis Castillo.

Cease has been overpowering lately, and a Mariners lineup that hasn’t seen much of him sets up my favorite play of the night.

Read on for my Blue Jays vs. Mariners predictions and MLB picks for this Friday, July 3 matchup.

Blue Jays vs Mariners predictions

Blue Jays vs Mariners best bet: Dylan Cease Over 8.5 strikeouts (+120)

Dylan Cease is a push away from what feels like one of the best pitching seasons in Toronto Blue Jays history. The right-hander has some of the nastiest stuff in baseball, a triple-digit fastball, a wipeout breaking ball, and an AL-leading 128 strikeouts in 83.1 innings.

That 13.8 K/9 usually carries him over his strikeout number, and he’s punched out eight or more in seven of his last eight starts. The one thing that trips him up is command, like last time out against the Texas Rangers, when he walked five.

I’m confident the ace settles back in against a Seattle Mariners lineup that ranks 20th in the majors at 8.64 strikeouts per game and hasn’t seen much of him. 

Julio Rodriguez has just two career at-bats against Cease, and Josh Naylor owns a modest .640 OPS in 25 at-bats.

I’d play this until even money, so make sure you’re getting it at +100 or longer.

COVERS INTEL:  That strikeout surge is powered by a deadly slider (+11 run value, per Baseball Savant), against which opposing hitters own just a .159 average and .215 slugging.

Blue Jays vs Mariners same-game parlay (SGP)

The Blue Jays have won seven of their last 10 against the Mariners, including an epic seven-game ALCS last fall to reach the World Series, and they’re rolling off that Canada Day blowout. 

I like Over 7 total runs, too, backing Toronto to break through against Luis Castillo. 

And Cease Over 8.5 strikeouts anchors it, especially with the extra off day helping him work deeper and rein in his command.

Blue Jays vs Mariners SGP

• Over 7 
• Blue Jays moneyline
• Dylan Cease Over 8.5 strikeouts

Blue Jays vs Mariners home run pick: Sean Keys (+790)

Bet on Sean Keys and turn the ignition. The Blue Jays rookie announced his arrival with a massive three-run homer on Canada Day, giving the fan base a well-deserved jolt of energy.

We don’t have much of a sample through 12 MLB at-bats, but the 23-year-old went deep 21 times in 67 minor-league games before his call-up, so the pop is very real.

Keys draws a nice matchup against Mariners starter Castillo. His first big-league homer came on a hard, outside fastball from Freddy Peralta, and Castillo is another fastball-heavy arm. 

Play this one north of +700, and keep it to a quarter unit.

Blue Jays vs Mariners odds

• Moneyline: Blue Jays -130 | Mariners +110
• Run line: Blue Jays -1.5 (+135) | Mariners +1.5 (-155)
• Over/Under: Over 7 (-115) | Under 7 (-105)

Blue Jays vs Mariners trend

The Toronto Blue Jays have won seven of their last eight games at T-Mobile Park, a friendly backdrop for another road win in Seattle. Find more MLB betting trends for Blue Jays vs. Mariners.

How to watch Blue Jays vs Mariners and game info

Blue Jays vs Mariners latest injuries

Blue Jays vs Mariners weather

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The Tampa Bay Rays have won eight consecutive games yet are not favored against a sub .500 Houston team.

My Rays vs. Astros predictions and MLB picks believe that is for good reason, and see value in backing the home side.

Who will win Rays vs Astros today: Houston Astros (-110)

Nick Martinezowns an unfathomably low 18.9% ground ball rateover the last 30 days. He can’t keep the ball on the ground, and he’s leaking oil as a result.

Martinez conceded at least three earned runs in four of five starts during that stretch.

The Houston Astros are equipped to exploit his struggles, ranking seventh in FB% and tied for 11th in ISO against right-handed pitching since June 1.

If Spencer Arrighetti stabilizes as he should (he owns a 9 ERA the past month despite a 3.8 xFIP), the Astros should win.

Back Houston to -120.

COVERS INTEL:Nick Martinez ranks in the 32nd percentile in xERA, indicating he has not pitched nearly as well as his 2.66 ERA suggests.

Rays vs Astros Over/Under pick: Under 9.0 (-120)

The Tampa Bay Rays have a potent offense but it lacks power, particularly on the road. No team has posted a lower ISO, or hit fewer home runs, in away games when facing right-handed pitching.

Arrighetti has struggled with the long ball, allowing three homers in back-to-back games. This is a spot where he should be able to limit power, as he’s done effectively for the majority of the season.

Martinez has allowed only 0.87 homers per nine innings in away games while walking just 4.2% of batters. Those outputs put a ceiling on opposing offenses.

Bet to -130.

Rays vs Astros weather

The Houston Astros play in a rarely opened dome so hot temperatures should have little to no impact on this game.

Rays vs Astros odds

• Moneyline: Rays -110 | Astros -110
• Run line: Rays -1.5 (+150) | Astros +1.5 (-175)
• Over/Under: Over 9.0 (+100) | Under 9.0 (-120)

Rays vs Astros trend

Houston has hit the moneyline in 24 of the last 40 games (+7.90 units, 18% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Rays vs. Astros.

How to watch Rays vs Astros and game info

Rays vs Astros latest injuries

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Major League Baseball announced today that Colorado Rockies first baseman TJ Rumfield has been selected as the National League’s Rookie of the Month for June.

The award is especially notable given that Rumfield also earned the accolade in May. He is the first player to win National League Rookie of the Month in consecutive months since Atlanta’s Michael Harris II in August and September 2022.

The rookie has had a remarkable season. He appeared in 26 games for the Rockies in June. During that time, he slashed .316/.400/.589, including 14 runs scored, nine doubles, one triple, five home runs, and 17 RBI. In addition, he led all qualified National League rookies in average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, doubles (9), extra-base hits (15) and total bases (56). Rumfield ranked among National League rookies in hits (30, T-1st), home runs (T-1st), walks (12, 2nd) and runs scored (14, T-3rd).

His 2026 slashline is .293/.373/.487.

Rumfield’s defensive work has been equally stellar. In 594.0 innings at first base, he has committed only two errors. He currently has 6 DRS and 2 OAA. His DRS total is the best in MLB among first basemen.

In May, Rumfield became the ninth Rockies player to receive the Rookie of the Month Award. In doing this, he joins Nolan Jones (September/October 2023), Antonio Senzatela (April 2017), Trevor Story (April 2016), Ian Stewart (July 2008), Troy Tulowitzki (August 2007), Garrett Atkins (June 2005), Clint Barmes (April 2005), and Jason Jennings (August 2002).

Rumfield came to the Rockies in January in a trade with the New York Yankees that sent RHP Angel Chivilli to the Bronx.

Please keep in mind our Purple Row Community Guidelines when you’re commenting. Thanks!

2026 MLB Draft Preview: Andrew Williamson scouting report.

The 2026 is less than two weeks away — the first round kicks off on July 11, 2026 — so its time to start offering capsule looks at players the Texas Rangers could select with their top picks. The Rangers’ first round pick is at #16, their second round pick is at #54, and their third round pick is at #89.

Leading up to draft day, we will be doing writeups of some of the players who could end up getting selected by the Rangers with one of their first three picks. Today we are looking at Central Florida outfielder Andrew Williamson.

Andrew Williamson is a 6’, 195 lb. lefthanded hitting outfielder for Central Florida. Williamson was undrafted in 2023 coming out of St. Petersburg, Florida. He turns 21 later this month.

Williamson is a well-rounded player who has a good but not great hit tool. There are some concerns about him having a hitch at the plate that could lead to timing issues in the pros, though its not seemed to have affected him so far as an amateur. BA says he makes good swing decisions but has some pitch recognition issues that will need to be improved upon. Despite not being especially big, Williamson has good power, particularly to the pull side. He’s described by MLB Pipeline as having a quick swing with quality bat speed.

Williamson played center field as a freshman, but has been in right field primarily since then. He probably ends in right field long-term, though one would think he’ll get a chance to play center as a professional until he shows that he can’t handle the position. He’s got good speed and has had a lot of success as a baserunner in college.

As a freshman, he slashed .258/.333/.411 in 176 plate appearances over 50 games for Central Florida. He was the MVP of the wood bat Cal Ripken League that summer, when he slashed .462/.546/.906 with 9 homers in 29 games. He carried that momentum into his sophomore year, when he slashed .352/.448/.662 in 261 plate appearances over 55 games, with 13 homers and 13 stolen bases, striking out 36 times against 34 walks. After a solid 15 game stint in the Cape Cod League last summer, Williamson slashed .322/.422/.645 for Central Florida this season, wirh 41 walks against 47 Ks and 16 home runs.

Baseball America has Williamson at #47 on their board. MLB Pipeline has Williamson at #52 on their board. Kiley McDaniel puts Williamson at #43 on his top 150 list. Keith Law does not have Williamson on his board. Fangraphs does not have Williamson on their board. Baseball Prospectus does not have Williamson on their top 30 draft board.

Williamson, the nephew of former major leaguer Sean Rodriguez, doesn’t have a real weakness in his game, but also doesn’t have a loud carrying tool, with his tools all grading out at around 50 or 55 (though BA gives his hit tool a 45). If the concerns about his swing and pitch recognition get addressed, he’s a potentially solid major league corner outfielder. If they don’t, is other tools likely aren’t good enough to make him major league regular material.

With a track record of performance in the Big 12, as well as success in wood bat leagues, he seems a fairly safe pick in the second or third rounds, and he’s someone you could see the Rangers taking in that range.

Previously:

Liam Peterson

Tyler Bell

Aiden Robbins

Jared Grindlinger

Logan Reddemann

Cooper Harris

Justin Lebron

Cameron Flukey

Derek Curiel

Hunter Dietz

Logan Hughes

Carson Wiggins

Peyton Bonds

Ace Reese

Sawyer Strosnider

Gio Rojas

Chris Rembert

Jack Natili

For many Cincinnati Reds fans, the breakout we saw during Matt McLain’s half-season of excellence in 2023 still resonates quite loudly. It’s hard not to, really – he was a 1st round pick of the club and during his first shot at the big leagues looked like he was an immediate success story, posting a 127 OPS+ with both power and speed while manning a premium defensive position.

In many ways, he was emblematic of a time when it looked – if you squinted a bit – like the Reds knew exactly what they were doing, and it was beginning to pay off in spades.

Things went south quickly, however. That 2023 season was cut short due to injury. The 2024 season was lost altogether due to injury(s). In the two seasons since coming back from major shoulder surgery (and oblique problems likely due to his aggressive swing), McLain has posted just a 75 OPS+ in nearly 900 PA.

He’s also going to turn 27 years old in just a month, and this week the Reds began trying to shoehorn him into playing CF for the first real time since his days at UCLA.

That’s hardly a ringing endorsement of the guy you were supposed to consider the everyday 2B, the player who has been given chance after chance to cement both that role and a role atop the batting order by manager Terry Francona since he arrived on the scene last year. And what we’ve seen lately suggests that the time of McLain as the regular 2B may already be on the outs with prospect Edwin Arroyo gradually settling in there himself.

We asked you this week which of McLain or Arroyo should be given the job as the team’s primary 2B for the rest of the season, and you responded in overwhelming fashion. 82% of you think it should be Arroyo who gets to show what he can do there to build upon the 82 PA of 67 OPS+ work he’s put in so far while getting his feet wet at the big league level.

I don’t think it’s time to write off McLain altogether, at least not yet. He’s been passable against LHP so far this season (.749 OPS) and we know he’s a good defender at both 2B and SS. Heck, if he shows he can figure out how to play a little CF again, too, he’s a wonderful depth piece to have as Francona mixes and matches his lineups and mid-game changes.

However, if the Reds are going to once again stay mired in last place in the division and out of the Wild Card race, it likely behooves the team’s front office to find out what they’ve got in Arroyo as soon as they can, and so far there’s been glimpses that the 22 year old has some chops that may make him a pretty good player for awhile in Cincinnati. If the team’s going to hit a reset button of any size, seeing whether he can cut it as a cornerstone piece now makes a lot more sense than continuing to give an older player another dozen chances to rediscover form.

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The San Diego Padres hope to snap a six-game losing streak and gain some ground in the NL West race as they face the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers tonight.

Oddsmakers aren’t giving San Diego (+223) much of a chance against L.A. (-233) with superstar Shohei Ohtani on the bump, but my Padres vs. Dodgers predictions believe the Ohtani tax is too high. 

Read on for my full MLB picks for Friday, July 3.

Who will win Padres vs Dodgers tonight: Padres (+215)

These odds are inflated since the San Diego Padres have surrendered a whopping 35 runs in their last two games alone, bringing their losing streak to six, and they now have to face Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani (1.58 ERA).

However, that doesn't account for the fact that San Diego has been red-hot at the plate, posting a 130 wRC+ against right-handed pitching over the last 14 days.

Ohtani's great, but this is a premium price for someone whose underlying profile (3.33 xFIP, 3.42 botERA) points toward some regression.

I'd play the underdog down to +210.

COVERS INTEL: Shohei Ohtani has shown signs of mortality in his last three starts, surrendering nine earned runs. In that time frame, the Padres have eight different position players with a wRC+ above 130. 

Padres vs Dodgers Over/Under pick: Under 8.5 (-121)

Michael King induces soft contact and keeps the ball on the ground, ranking in the 73rd percentile or better in ground ball rate, hard-hit rate, and average exit velocity. That’ll help him avoid a fireworks show, and the Padres have hit the Under in 13 of his 17 starts.

Despite Ohtani showing some signs of weakness lately, he has the second-lowest ERA in the Big Leagues. Naturally, L.A. has played in low-scoring games with him on the bump, going 3-10 O/U. 

With two effective starting pitchers on the bump, that’s enough to counteract two in-form lineups. 

Padres vs Dodgers weather

Temperatures will be in the upper 70s at Chavez Ravine, cooling into the 60s as the game progresses. Light winds shouldn't play much of a factor for either offense. 

Padres vs Dodgers odds

• Moneyline: Padres +215 | Dodgers -240
• Run line: Padres +1.5 (-105) | Dodgers -1.5 (-115)
• Over/Under: Over 8.5 (+109) | Under 8.5 (-121)

Padres vs Dodgers trend

San Diego is 4-13 O/U in Michael King’s starts this season. Find more MLB betting trends for Padres vs. Dodgers.

How to watch Padres vs Dodgers and game info

Padres vs Dodgers latest injuries

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

The 2026 MLB Draft is a week away and MLB.com writer Jonathan Mayo has released his latest mock draft as draft day nears. The Pittsburgh Pirates are sitting near the top with the fifth overall pick, and Mayo projects that they’ll take one of the top high school players with that selection.

The Pirates are currently projected to draft outfielder Eric Booth Jr. from Oak Grove High School in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Booth is ranked as the sixth best prospect in this year’s class and is the top prep school outfielder. Perhaps the Pirates find lightning twice by drafting a top high schooler out of the state of Mississippi like Konnor Griffin.

Booth is a standout in this class for several reasons, one of which is his athleticism. His speed was on full display a year ago when he ran the fastest 60-yard dash at East Coast Pro showcase (6.33 seconds). Despite having a more compact frame (6’0” 207 lbs) he has some decent power at the plate. He’s projected to be a 20-25 home run hitter by the time he makes the major leagues, plus he’s got good bat speed and already impressive natural strength for a 17-year-old. Booth’s power has already been on display as he won the Home Run Derby at the Perfect Game All-American Classic last summer.

After a successful summer Booth has shot up prospect rankings and is being viewed now as possibly the best outfield prospect in the class. His raw athleticism has jumped off the pages as he was given a 70 run grade to go along with a 50 arm grade. The Vanderbilt commit is being looked at as an exciting hitting prospect too, garnering plenty of attention for his low strikeout rates and reliability at the plate. Booth was given a 55 hit grade with 50 power. As a defender there’s certainly some fine tuning that needs to take place within his development but he was still given a 50 arm grade and a 55 field grade.

The Pirates are once again picking in the top five picks of the draft, and they have not been afraid to take top prep talent in recent years. Just a year ago they took the best high school pitcher in Seth Hernandez with the sixth overall pick, and the aforementioned Griffin was taken ninth overall in the 2024 MLB draft. To this point both of those draft picks are paying off as Hernandez is dominating the minor leagues right now, while Griffin has been one of the top contributors in Pittsburgh since making his debut in April. A player like Booth could be another success story for the Buccos.

The MLB Draft will begin on July 11, at the Philadelphia Convention Center starting 1 p.m. ET.

The MLB Draft is only 8 days away, which means we are firmly in mock draft season. For a while, the Nats were being heavily connected to high school two-way player Jared Grindlinger. However, as we get closer to the draft, the winds seem to be shifting towards a college hitter. Both MLB Pipeline and Baseball America mocked Mississippi State infielder Ace Reese to the Nats, with Pipeline saying that the Nats “like” Reese.

When you look at Reese’s profile, there is a lot to like. There is a strong argument to be made that Reese has been the most productive hitter in the SEC the last two seasons. After transferring from Houston to Mississippi State following his freshman year, the infielder hit the ground running. Reese hit .352 with 21 homers and a 1.140 OPS. This year he had a strong follow up campaign, hitting .336 with 24 homers and a 1.152 OPS. 

With Ace Reese, you are buying the bat. He is a third baseman right now, but his speed and defense are fringy. The 6’4 slugger has a chance to stick at third, but there is also a real possibility he will have to move to first base. With that sort of profile, you have to be very sure about the bat.

There is certainly a strong case that Reese has an elite bat. He has plus in game power and makes more contact than your average slugger. Reese has a real chance to be a .260ish bat with 30 home run power. Even at first base, that bat would play in a real way. 

However, his offensive profile is not perfect. The biggest flaw in Reese’s offensive profile is his tendency to chase. In each of the last two seasons, he has chased more than the average hitter. His contact numbers also took a slight step back this year, though he does not have a bad hit tool by any means.

Between the chase rates and the slight hit tool concerns, there are more yellow flags in the offensive profile than you would like to see from a bat first guy. You have to worry a little bit about whether his chase issues could be exploited more as he gets into the upper minors and the big leagues. Reese has the power as his calling card, but with his lack of patience, he will also have to hit for a reasonably high average to be a high end bat.

Reese is in a big clump of college hitters who all had good years but left some questions. Our guy Paul made a very cool graphic comparing some of their underlying data. As you can see, Reese has elite power and is a barrel machine. However, the chase and whiff does create some risk in the profile.

Honestly, Reese’s profile is not too different from Ethan Petry, who the Nats took in the second round last year. Petry had some chase in his game, which has actually gotten better in pro ball. Reese chases more than Petry did, but he also has a better hit tool.

I am a bit higher on Reese than Paul is because I have more faith in the hit and power combination. However, if they were to pick Reese at 11, I would like it to be on an underslot deal. In the MLB Pipeline mock, the Nats take Reese over Chris Hacopian and Tyler Bell, which would be interesting to say the least. Bell is a more well rounded profile than Reese, and Hacopian might be the best pure hitter in the draft.

The appeal with Ace Reese is real though. This is a player who can hit absolute tape measure shots and has a gorgeous swing. He has good bat speed, barrels balls up with ease and has a real chance to be at least a 30 homer bat. True middle of the order bats are not easy to find, and Reese has that potential.

It feels crazy, but the draft is just over a week away. Paul Toboni and the scouting team are entering crunch time when it comes to who they pick. For a while, it seemed like they wanted to make a big swing on Grindlinger, and that is still possible. However, as draft day gets closer, it seems like they are falling back on the safety of taking a college hitter.

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The Chicago Cubs are scorching hot, having won nine of the past 10 games.

They are -130 favorites to take the series opener Friday, but my Cardinals vs. Cubs predictions and MLB picks see value in backing the underdog.

Who will win Cardinals vs Cubs today: St. Louis Cardinals (+110)

Andre Pallante has found his groove after a rocky start to the season. He has posted an xERA of 3.5 or lower in six of his last eight games, allowing two runs or fewer six times.

He has also limited power very effectively, which should force a Chicago Cubs lineup that ranks 19th in average vs. righties over the past 30 days to string together hits.

The St. Louis Cardinals are a competent offense against lefties and primed to make noise against David Peterson, who ranks in the sixth percentile in Pitcher Run Value.

Back St. Louis to +100.

COVERS INTEL:Andre Pallante ranks in the 93rd percentile in GB%, which should help him zap power out of Chicago's offense.

Cardinals vs Cubs Over/Under pick: Over 10.5 (-115)

Peterson has allowed 2.76 homers per nine innings over the last 30 days, which is the highest total among all of today’s projected starters.

He is allowing a ton of power and striking out very few batters. That’s a recipe for disaster on a hot day with favorable hitting conditions.

While Pallante has mostly pitched well of late, it’s worth noting one of the hiccups came against the Cubs – he allowed four runs in three innings May 29.

With struggling bullpens behind these starters, the sky is the limit.

Play the Over to -120.

Cardinals vs Cubs weather

Temperatures are expected to reach the mid 80s with winds of more than 10 miles per hour blowing out. Boost to the bats.

Cardinals vs Cubs odds

• Moneyline: Cardinals +110 | Cubs -130
• Run line: Cardinals +1.5 (-170) | Cubs -1.5 (+145)
• Over/Under: Over 10.5 (-115) | Under 10.5 (-105)

Cardinals vs Cubs trend

St. Louis has hit the Team Total Over in 14 of their last 21 away games (+5.95 units, 24% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Cardinals vs. Cubs.

How to watch Cardinals vs Cubs and game info

Cardinals vs Cubs latest injuries

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The Atlanta Braves, who are leading the NL East for now, have made a few moves before Grant Holmes takes the hill tonight versus the Mets.

Turns out that a seven-run inning will get someone’s attention. The Braves underwent a partial bullpen-ectomy last night. The Braves have recalled RHP Anthony Molina to Atlanta after optioning RHP James Karinchak to Triple-A Gwinnett following last night’s game. The club also returned LHP Danny Young from his rehabilitation assignment and reinstated him from the injured list, and designated RHP Ian Hamilton for assignment.

The Braves returned Ian Hamilton to the DFA cycle/Cookie Carrasco Caravan as most would expect after last night. Hamilton mopped up last night after Tyler Kinley and Dylan Lee each gave up three runs and blew up the game. Ian got five outs last night. So he spent eight days with the team after his last stint was six days. James Karinchak is returning to Gwinnett. He’s been a somewhat acceptable reliever after a long time out of baseball. But giving up runs is both of his outings versus the Cardinals got him sent down. Anthony Molina has returned to Atlanta. Molina has collected a pretty forgettable 5.40/5.51/4.12 line over 5 innings. He does have a 96.7 MPH four-seam that is good but hasn’t netted a lot of time in Atlanta.

Danny Young is back from Tommy John surgery. Young was briefly a part of the 2023 Atlanta Braves team. Then was a part of the Mets bullpen before his injury. It’s interesting that he will be activated just as his old team is coming to town. Welcome back, Danny! Bring 2023 with you please.

After a very, very slow start to his 2026 season, Pete Crow-Armstrong turned on the jets in June. (Actually, a bit before that, as I will show you.)

In 26 games in June, PCA batted .381/.468/.781 (40-for-105) with five doubles, two triples, 11 home runs, 20 RBI, 21 runs scored, 17 walks and eight stolen bases (no caught stealing).

For that fantastic performance, PCA was named National League Player of the Month for June, adding another honor to the two Player of the Week awards he won during the month.

As I mentioned, he actually began his climb out of his slump in late May, per this cubs.com article by Jordan Bastian:

Crow-Armstrong has also thrived since being installed as the Cubs’ primary leadoff man in late May. In 22 games as Chicago’s tablesetter, the center fielder has hit .396/.462/.813 with nine homers, seven doubles, two triples, six steals, 10 walks and 16 RBIs. He has said he has embraced the “responsibility” that comes with the role.

One thing Crow-Armstrong has cited has been an improved understanding of looking for a specific pitch and being stubborn about sticking to that plan. The byproduct of that mindset has been a walk rate nearly doubled (8.5%) over last season (4.5%), even as his swing rate has reduced since the start of the season (56.6% through April and 48.2% in May-June).

“He’s in swing mode. It’s kind of his thing,” Counsell said. “And I think now it’s a little bit like he’s learned that he can be in swing mode and still not swing. And I think that’s how he should be. It’s still an aggressive mode. It doesn’t take anything away from his aggressiveness.”

It seems so simple, but indeed, PCA has taken to that leadoff role. The walks are a great sign of this. Here’s one reason he’s been able to do that (Bluesky link):

Here’s more from the Bastian article on just how special PCA’s June was:

Crow-Armstrong was the first Cubs batter with at least 11 homers, 20 RBIs and 40 hits in a month since Nick Castellanos in August of ‘19. Add the 17 walks into the equation and you have to go back to Hall of Famer Hack Wilson, who did it in July 1929 and August 1930. Throw in Crow-Armstrong’s eight stolen bases and he stands alone for any month by a Cubs batter.

In fact, Crow-Armstrong is only the second player since at least 1920 (when RBIs became an official stat) to have at least eight steals, 11 homers, 17 walks and 40 hits in one month. The only other player to do it was Barry Bonds in 1992, but that was in a September-October period featuring 31 games. Crow-Armstrong did it in 26 games in June.

In addition to all the hitting, he continued his stellar defense. Here’s a five-star catch he made against the Rockies June 11 [VIDEO].

Perhaps not coincidentally (PCA also went 2-for-5 with a steal in that game), that was the game that began the Cubs’ current 15-4 run.

PCA also currently leads all MLB players with 5.2 bWAR — that’s a possible 10 WAR season if he keeps this up. He’s a lock to be a reserve on the NL All-Star team and these numbers vault him into the MVP conversation.

Congratulations to Pete on this honor and here’s hoping for many more.

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

It has not been a good time to be a New York Yankee of late. While a couple of nights could feasibly be explained by a bout of food poisoning that ran through the clubhouse recently, the truth is the team has been playing rather poorly for a lot longer than a few days. The biggest offender has been the offense going missing in action with a number of injuries befalling them, but the rotation has also toppled from its perch atop the league during the past month as some rough outings from their starters combined to put them in major deficits that have felt rather hopeless to come back from.

With that in mind, we asked at the start of the week which Yankee starting pitcher looked most concerning to you. We didn’t include Cam Schlittler among the options because he’s been the clear and away ace of the team, even though he’s since looked rather shaky with his most recent start. Hopefully that’s more of a blip on the radar rather than a sign of another problem on the horizon, but regardless he’s not our focus today. The rest of the rotation is, and there were two clear front-runners for who fans were most concerned with.

Gerrit Cole may not be the ace of this team this season, but he’s still one of the team’s aces and an essential part of their rotation. Coming off of Tommy John surgery, there was an expectation that Cole likely wouldn’t be 100 percent when he came back but I don’t think anyone expected him to look strong out of the gate only to come crashing back to reality. Cole did get a bit out of shape during his time on the IL and that could exacerbate his issues on the mound as he’s also compensating for his recovering arm strength, but simply put coughing up four or five runs a start isn’t going to be acceptable. Hopefully as he gets back into game shape he’ll round into form, but right now it is not the Cole of days past that’s running out there every five days.

Right behind Cole in the polling was Ryan Weathers, a fair jump down in the rotation order to the bottom. Despite his role as the fifth starter, Weathers was one of the more impressive pitchers the Yankees had in April and May, more than earning his place and making a conversation around who would get demoted to the bullpen between him and Will Warren once the rotation was fully healthy. Well, that conversation looks a lot different after June now as Weathers posted a 5.55 ERA in five starts across the month. There was a particularly rough stretch to end May and open June where he allowed five-plus runs in three straight starts, but he rebounded to post two strong outings in a row against the White Sox and Tigers before a second outing against Detroit went disastrously and he exited in the second inning. The entire staff has taken a hit recently, but Weathers has arguably looked the worst of the bunch with a penchant for giving up the long ball. Barring another injury, he’ll shift out for Max Fried when he returns from the IL.

Our other two candidates, Will Warren and Carlos Rodón, garnered a fair bit of worry but nothing close to either Cole or Weathers’ numbers. Warren did have a similarly bad June to Weathers, but did so with a bit more consistency as he’s wont to do. Rodón, on the other hand, while being prone to one frustrating inning nearly every time he goes out has been the best of the bunch lately.

These survey results are sponsored by FanDuel.

In honor of the Philadelphia Phillies playing host to the 2026 Major League Baseball All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park, we here at The Good Phight are launching a yearlong series that focuses on the history of the Phillies and the All-Star Game. Check back regularly for posts about the Phillies participation (or lack thereof) in the Midsummer Classic over its history.

We’re back and it’s time to wrap up the rest of the 1980s Phillies’ one and done All-Stars. If you missed part 1 or any of the previous parts, here are the links: 1930s,1940s part 1, 1940s part 2,1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s part 1. Now, settle in for a longer one.

Steve Bedrosian, 1987

“Bedrock” had one of the best single seasons for a Phillies relief pitcher ever, but way before that, he was a standout baseball, football, and wrestling star at his high school in his hometown of Methuen, Massachusetts. His prowess would later lead to the local newspaper dubbing Bedrosian the area’s “Top Athlete of the 20th Century.” Bedrosian stuck with baseball though, and after playing two years at Northern Essex Community College, he played collegiately for the University of New Haven. It was there where Bedrosian went 13-3 and was named to the Division II All-America first team.

That single year in college was good enough for the Atlanta Braves to select Bedrosian with the 53rd overall pick in the third round of the 1978 amateur draft. He moved through the Braves system rather quickly, ending 1979 in Double-A with a 3.03 ERA in 13 starts as a 21-year-old. But it was there where Bedrosian set off to learn how to pitch rather than just relying on his strong fastball. He was named a Southern League All-Star in 1980 and logged 203 innings with a 3.19 ERA. Bedrosian started 1981 in Triple-A but earned his call to the Majors in August. He made his MLB debut on August 14th in Los Angeles. The now 22-year-old Bedrosian entered in the fourth inning against the Dodgers with the bases loaded and one out after Braves starter John Montefusco couldn’t make it out of the inning and had already surrendered two runs. Bedrosian allowed Bill Russell to hit into a sacrifice fly for the second out before drilling Dodgers pitcher Dave Goltz inside the right elbow to load the bases once again. But Bedrosian avoided further damage by getting Davey Lopes to pop out to end his first taste of the Majors.

Despite that somewhat inauspicious start, Bedrosian remained in Atlanta for the rest of the season and finished 1981 with a 4.44 ERA in 15 MLB appearances including one start on August 22nd where he allowed five runs, three earned, all in the sixth inning after throwing five scoreless to start the night. He seemed primed for a good 1982, but he was involved in a car accident in the Dominican Republic while playing winter ball in late January. Bedrosian was the passenger in a car driven by his teammate that ran into a head-on collision, causing Bedrosian to suffer a concussion as well as requiring him to get 65 stiches for facial lacerations and having to have glass pulled from his eye. The injuries continued in March when he broke his left pinky finger after getting it jammed in a door at the Braves’ West Palm Beach hotel. But because he was a right hander, the injury did not cost Bedrosian a spot on the Opening Day roster, and he later became the winning pitcher in the Braves’ record-breaking 12th consecutive win to begin a season.

Bedrosian was mostly a full-time reliever in 1982, as he made only three starts but appeared in 64 games and threw 137.2 innings with a 2.42 ERA. Braves pitching coach Bob Gibson (yes THAT Bob Gibson) decided Bedrosian was best suited for a relief role despite mostly being a starter in his Minor League career. It turns out Bob Gibson knew what he was talking about, as Bedrosian continued to excel in relief for the next two seasons, pitching to a 3.09 ERA across 203.2 IP from 1983-1984 with 8.6 strikeouts per nine innings. However, new manager Eddie Haas announced before the 1985 season that Bedrosian would be in the starting rotation as the arrival of new closer Bruce Sutter allowed the move and the Braves were in dire need of starters. That decision didn’t help Atlanta’s chances, as Bedrosian pitched to a decent 3.83 ERA across 37 starts but finished with a record of 7-15 thanks to poor offensive support from a Braves team that went 66-96 and finished in last place.

New general manager Bobby Cox decided to trade Bedrosian in an attempt to get more offense for the anemic Atlanta lineup. He shipped Bedrosian to the Phillies along with Milt Thompson in exchange for catcher Ozzie Virgil, an All-Star the previous season, and pitcher Pete Smith on December 10th, 1985. Phillies president Bill Giles felt that the trade had accomplished Philadelphia’s main goals of acquiring bullpen help and a leadoff hitter. Phillies manager John Felske was confused as to why Atlanta was willing to part with Bedrosian, remarking “You look at his numbers, and he was outstanding for four innings in his starts and then had problems. But we’re going to put him in our ‘pen and he’s going to be our closer.”

That transition back to the bullpen, in addition to arm soreness in the spring. caused Bedrosian to struggle a bit to begin 1986. By the end of April, Bedrosian had a 7.27 ERA through 8 appearances and was already being serenaded with boos. However, Bedrosian turned his season around in May, pitching to a 2.12 ERA through 11 games and collecting three saves. He credited Phillies pitching coach Claude Osteen with helping him fix his mechanics that resulted in the success. Bedrosian went on to finish 1986 with a 3.39 ERA and 29 saves, as the trade that brought him to Philadelphia was talked about as one of the best of the previous year. He was rewarded for his efforts with a new two-year contract.

It turned out that the security that new deal provided worked wonders for Bedrosian, as he had a season for the ages in 1987. But it didn’t start out that way, as he once again got off to a poor start with a 7.84 ERA through the end of April. One of those rough outings proved to be historic though, as Bedrosian blowing a three-run lead to the Pirates on April 18th allowed Mike Schmidt to hit his 500th career home run in the top of the ninth to give the Phillies the lead again. But Bedrosian turned it around in May with a 1.04 ERA and 21 strikeouts in 17.1 IP. He started a streak of converting 19 of 20 save opportunities including a then-record of 13 consecutive saves. By the time of the All-Star break on July 14th, Bedrosian had a 2.77 ERA and 24 saves for a Phillies team that had only 42 wins. NL manager Davey Johnson of the Mets named Bedrosian to his All-Star pitching staff, and Bedrock joined teammates Schmidt and Juan Samuel at the game to be played in Oakland.

Bedrosian ended up playing a major role in his only All-Star game, as he entered a scoreless game in the bottom of the ninth. He walked Dave Winfield to begin the inning before retiring Tony Fernández on a sacrifice bunt. Dwight Evans drew another walk to put runners on first and second with one out. Harold Reynolds then hit a groundball to first baseman Keith Hernandez who threw to second for the force, but the throw from Hubie Brooks to Bedrosian covering first was wide, nixing the double play chance and making it possible for the winning run to score. But Bedrosian made a spectacular play, as he dove to field the errant throw and quickly stood up and fired home to Ozzie Virgil, the man he was traded for, to nab Winfield as he tried to score, securing the double play after all and ending the inning. Bedrosian’s heroics allowed the NL to eventually win 2-0 in 13 innings thanks to a Tim Raines two run triple.

Bedrosian continued his stellar season after the break and finished 1987 with a 2.83 ERA and a league-best 40 saves, becoming the first Phillie to do so since saves became official. His five wins along with those 40 saves meant that Bedrosian was directly involved in 45 of the team’s 80 wins on the season. His efforts were rewarded with a controversial Cy Young Award, as Bedrosian narrowly edged out Rick Sutcliffe and Rick Reuschel in one of the closest Cy Young Award votes in history to become only the sixth relief pitcher to ever win the honor. Five pitchers received at least one first place vote and no pitcher was named on all 24 ballots. Bedrosian won the award despite throwing just 89 innings while Sutcliffe and Reuschel both tossed over 230 and every vote recipient except Dwight Gooden had over 200. Nevertheless, Bedrosian’s win gave the Phillies their fourth Cy Young winner of the decade (Steve Carlton twice and John Denny once). All in all, Bedrosian ended 1987 with a Cy Young Award, an All-Star nomination, the Rolaids Relief Man of the Year award, the MLB record for consecutive saves, and a newborn son.

Unfortunately, the success didn’t quite carry over to 1988, as Bedrosian started the year on the injured list with a walking pneumonia that prevented his season debut until May 20th. He broke Tug McGraw’s then franchise saves record on September 25th with his 95th save in a Phillies uniform and finished with a 3.75 ERA and 28 saves in 74.1 IP. Bedrosian was the only Phillies player offered a multi-year contract after the season, and he agreed to a new three-year deal worth a little over $4M total. However, Bedrosian would not finish that contract with the Phillies, as he was traded to the Giants on June 18th, 1989, in exchange for Dennis Cook, Terry Mulholland, and minor leaguer Charlie Hayes. Shortly after, the Phillies also traded away fellow 1987 All-Star Juan Samuel, sending him to the Mets in exchange for Lenny Dykstra and Roger McDowell.

Bedrosian finished the year with the Giants and posted a 2.65 ERA and 17 saves in 51 innings. He appeared in four out of five games in the 1989 NLCS and recorded three saves, including the win that clinched the NL pennant, but pitched just 2.1 innings in the infamous “Earthquake” World Series that the Giants lost to the Athletics. He would go on to pitch another year in San Francisco in 1990 but struggled with a 4.20 ERA in 68 games. The Giants traded him to Minnesota that December where he logged a 4.42 ERA in 56 games but was able to capture his first and only World Series win, as the Twins defeated his old team the Braves in seven games. Bedrosian, a free agent, then took the next season off as medical staffs tried to find out why his once dominant fastball now only sat in the upper 80s as he suffered through numbness in his fingers. But as the 1992 season got underway, the numbness subsided, and it was blamed on tobacco use (which Bedrosian gave up) and stress from his son Cody’s leukemia treatment. With Cody now in remission, Bedrosian signed with the Braves before 1993 and the 35-year-old had a renaissance, pitching to a 1.63 ERA in 49 appearances. He played another season and a half with the Braves before abruptly announcing his retirement in August of 1995 after appearing in just 29 of a possible 95 games and logging a 6.11 ERA.

Bedrock is still third on the Phillies all-time saves leaderboard with 103, having been surpassed by Jose Mesa (112) and Jonathan Papelbon (123). His son, Cam, made 11 appearances for the Phillies in 2021 with a 4.35 ERA.

Kevin Gross, 1988

Who says a little controversy can’t lead to good results? Kevin Gross proved that in 1988. The big 6’5 right hander out of Downey, California, was originally selected by the Orioles in the 32nd round of the 1979 draft. He had thrown a no-hitter his senior year at Fillmore High School and logged 95.2 innings while helping his team to win the local championship and get to the finals for the state title. However, Gross elected to go to college rather than sign with Baltimore, first playing for California Lutheran College before transferring to Oxnard. Part of the reason for the transfer was so that Gross could once again enter the draft, and this time, he was selected by the Phillies in the first round of the secondary phase of the 1981 draft.

Gross moved quickly through the minor leagues, having reached Triple-A by 1983 as a 22-year-old. Despite struggling there with a 6.75 ERA, Gross was selected to join the Phillies rotation in June of 1983. His manager for Triple-A Portland John Felske called Gross into his office and offered him good news and bad news, to which Gross asked for the bad news first. Felske told him that he was removing Gross from the Triple-A rotation, and the reason was that he was joining the big-league pitching staff. His rise was so rapid that Gross didn’t even have a locker in the visiting clubhouse at Shea Stadium on the day of his debut on June 25th. He was impressive in that debut, as Gross went 6.1 innings while allowing two runs on five hits with five strikeouts in a 4-2 Phillies win. Gross’ start was a godsend for a Phillies rotation that was in desperate need of help after losing Larry Christenson to an elbow injury. He stayed in the Majors the rest of the year, making 17 starts and pitching to a 3.56 ERA while the Phillies made it to the World Series, although Gross didn’t pitch in the postseason.

Despite that strong rookie performance, the Phillies did not guarantee Gross a spot in the rotation for 1984. In fact, his spot on the roster wasn’t even guaranteed, as team president Bill Giles wanted to keep Tug McGraw and the Phillies would only keep nine pitchers, making Gross a possible odd man out. Pitching coach Claude Osteen believed that Gross could be used as a spot starter and middle relief despite Gross only appearing in two career minor league games as a reliever. Gross reluctantly accepted the role, and in doing so assured his spot on the 1984 roster. He appeared in 44 games that season with 14 starts and pitched to a 4.12 ERA in 129 innings.

Things changed to begin 1985, as the Phillies informed Gross early in the spring that he had a job in the rotation as long as he didn’t lose it in spring training. He didn’t, and the 24-year-old Gross became a key part of a strong rotation with a 15-13 record and a 3.41 ERA. Gross was firmly established in the rotation by 1986, and he threw a career-high 241.2 innings with a 4.02 ERA and a 12-12 record despite leading the league in home runs allowed and hit by pitches.

The 1987 season brought controversy though, as Gross was ejected from a start on August 10th after umpire John Kibner claimed that Gross was using an illegal substance on his glove to doctor the ball. Gross was the second player that month to be ejected for allegedly altering the ball, joining Joe Niekro of the Twins. Gross’ glove and the ball were confiscated, and it was found that the ball was clean but there was some sandpaper glued to his glove, resulting in Gross being suspended 10 games. Phillies manager Lee Elia admitted to seeing some discoloration on the glove, but also remarked “It might sound funny, but without my glasses I can’t see.” Gross, who was pitching through a back injury, denied that he was intentionally scuffing the ball and appealed the suspension through the MLBPA, but the suspension was later upheld by the league on September 1st. Gross admitted to expecting a suspension but was dismayed when Giles and the Phillies decided to withhold his pay over the course of the suspension. “It makes me wonder what they think about me,” Gross said to the Inquirer, “It puts doubt in my mind that I’ll be playing here anymore.” The Phillies ultimately reversed the decision to withhold his pay, and Gross was willing to put the conflict with the team in the past and move on.

Both sides did eventually move on to begin 1988, as Gross prepared once again to be a stalwart in the Phillies rotation. Gross got off to a wonderful start, going 8-5 with a 2.89 ERA across 134 innings by the time of the All-Star break. A little under a year after the sandpaper glove debacle, Gross was on the doorstep of being named an All-Star despite being stuck on a last place team. He almost lost that chance though when he suffered an ankle injury after slipping on the stairs while running barefoot to answer the phone. Nevertheless, Gross was indeed named to the All-Star team and went to Cincinnati for the festivities, joining teammate Lance Parrish as the Phillies representatives. Gross made it into the game in the top of the sixth with the AL leading 2-1. He recorded a clean inning by striking out José Canseco and retiring Dave Winfield and Cal Ripken Jr. on a pair of flyouts. Parrish made it into the game as well; except he had the honor of being the final out when he was retired by Deniss Eckersley to seal a 2-1 win for the AL.

Unfortunately, Gross couldn’t keep his momentum after the All-Star break, going 4-9 with a 4.79 ERA as the Phillies finished in last place with a 65-96-1 record. The lowly Phillies decided to cash in on Gross as a trade chip following his All-Star season, sending him to the Montreal Expos on December 6th in exchange for starter Floyd Youmans and reliever Jeff Parrett in addition to the Expos waiving their rights to reclaim Jeff Tabaka whom the Phillies then drafted in the first round. Youmans had been suspended 60 days for substance abuse in 1988 and went through rehabilitation. Giles believed it was a gamble but added “we think it will work out.” Youmans made 10 starts for the Phillies in 1989 with a 5.70 ERA and was plagued with injuries through most of the season. He underwent arthroscopic shoulder surgery in August and never appeared in the Majors again.

Gross meanwhile spent two years in Montreal and compiled a record of 20-24 with a 4.47 ERA. He signed with the Dodgers prior to the 1991 season and threw a no-hitter with L.A. on August 17th, 1992. Gross needed just 99 pitches to throw the eighth no-hitter in Dodgers history, allowing only three Giants to reach base via two walks and a hit batter while striking out six. It was the highlight of the season for a Dodgers team that finished 63-99. Gross then signed with the Rangers prior to 1995 and pitched in Texas for two rough years, finishing with a record of 20-23 and a 5.41 ERA. The 36-year-old started 1997 in the minors for the Rangers before being released and signing with the Angels in June. He made 12 appearances with Anaheim but only three starts and was once again released in July after logging a 6.75 ERA, effectively ending his career after 15 years.

Von Hayes, 1989

Von Hayes was simultaneously probably better than you remembered but still not as good as it was thought he could be. Nevertheless, Hayes’ baseball journey started in Stockton, California as the son of two remarkable parents. Lenore, Von’s mother, was a native Puerto Rican who grew up on a farm without electricity as one of 13 children. She would go on to get a nursing degree and immigrate to Stockton where she met Donald, a B-17 tail gunner in World War II who was a prisoner of war for 11 months. Von would actually be named after one of Donald’s fellow POWs.

Hayes was undersized playing baseball growing up, but that didn’t stop the family from encouraging him and his father from having him mimic the left-handed swing of Ted Williams. He was 6’1 after graduating high school where he was primarily a pitcher before shooting up to 6’5 during his tenure at St. Mary’s College of California. It was there where Hayes was moved away from pitching and started playing first and third base. He was finally a standout ballplayer, setting numerous school records and even capturing MVP honors in the United States-Japan College World Series in 1979.

His late-blooming performance was good enough for the Cleveland Indians to select Hayes in the seventh round of the 1979 MLB draft. He was a phenom almost immediately for Class-A Waterloo, as Hayes hit .329 with a .905 OPS and 15 home runs in 134 games with less strikeouts (63) than walks (66) as a 22-year-old. The Cleveland organization was so impressed with Hayes that they made the decision to jump him all the way up to the Majors out of spring training in 1981. However, he only played in one game, serving as a defensive replacement in the ninth inning of a 7-1 win on April 14th. Hayes was then sent to Triple-A where he continued tearing up the minor leagues, except this time almost three years younger than the average age of the competition. He hit .314 with an .875 OPS and 10 home runs in 105 games at Charleston, earning a call-up to the big leagues for good in August after the MLB season resumed following a players’ strike. He remained in the majors the rest of the season and hit .257 with a .741 OPS while spending time at DH, left field, and third base.

Hayes started 1982 on the Cleveland bench but won a full-time job by the middle of May. His versatility was a huge asset, as Hayes played all three outfield positions, both infield corners, and was able to bat anywhere in the lineup. He finished his first full season in the majors hitting .250 with a .699 OPS while being almost a three-win player and placing seventh in rookie of the year voting. But his efforts were wasted on a last place Cleveland team that had only finished above .500 three times in the last decade, and one of those was the strike-shortened 1981.

With Hayes on the verge of possible stardom, Cleveland decided to cash in on their former top prospect. They swung a surprising trade with the Phillies, sending Hayes to Philadelphia in exchange for Manny Trillo, Julio Franco, Jay Baller, George Vukovich, and Jerry Willard. It was a massive return for just one player, as the Phillies surrendered five total players including their starting second baseman. Trillo was set to enter the last year of his contract, and the Phillies did not seem likely to meet his demands for a five year, $5M deal. So, the decision was made to ship him out in a trade rather than letting him walk, even as manager Pat Corrales acknowledged that “People are going to criticize us and say we gave up a lot and we did.” But Corrales also expressed the team’s belief that Hayes was “going to be one of the best players around.”

Unfortunately, the Phillies didn’t take into account the effect of trading five players for one 24-year-old would have on the kid’s psyche, nor did they foresee him gaining the nickname “5-for-1” courtesy of his new teammate Pete Rose. Hayes was also making the jump from a team with little aspirations to one expecting to contend with the last gasps of a championship core. Early season injuries and disappointing performance limited Hayes’ playing time in 1983, as he finished hitting .265 with a .707 OPS. He collected only five total plate appearances in the postseason as the Phillies won the NL pennant and lost the World Series to the Orioles. Meanwhile, Julio Franco, one of the five players Hayes was traded for, finished second in Rookie of the Year voting for Cleveland.

The Phillies decided to make Hayes a full-time starter for 1984, giving him time in all three outfield positions. He made the most of it, as he hit .292 with 16 home runs and 48 stolen bases. Despite Hayes’ strong season, the Phillies sunk to 81-81, as core members of their championship core either departed or got another year older. The team was looking to turn the page to its next era, and Hayes looked to be a foundational building block. But 1985 brought a step back, as Hayes saw decreases to his batting average, home runs, stolen bases, and OPS. He did become the first player to ever hit two home runs in the first inning of a game though as part of a 26-7 shellacking of the Mets on June 11th. That night proved to be a memorable moment in an otherwise forgettable season.

1986 looked to be the start of Hayes finally putting it all together and becoming the young cornerstone the Phillies desperately needed. He hit .305 with 19 home runs and led the league in doubles (46) and runs scored (107), finishing 8th in MVP voting behind the first place Mike Schmidt. But much like the previous seasons, the Phillies disappointed in the win column, as their glory days were firmly in the rear-view mirror. 1987 wasn’t much different, as Hayes put up another good season with a career best 21 home runs and .877 OPS, but the Phillies got off to a dreadful start and never fully recovered despite a change at manager. They sunk even lower in 1988, finishing with the third worst record in baseball. New manager Lee Elia didn’t even last the full season, but that didn’t stop Hayes from hitting him in the face with his batting helmet during a game in June. Elia took exception to Hayes not running out a popup, and Hayes took exception to that exception, so he threw his helmet at his manager and had to be restrained from going after him in the dugout.

But 1989 started off much better for Hayes, even if it was more of the same for the Phillies. Now 30 years old, it finally seemed that Hayes had put it all together for sure this time. He came out of the gates on fire, hitting .382 with 7 home runs through the first 22 games of the season, earning Player of the Month honors for April. But one of the worst possible things that could have happened to Hayes happened in May: Mike Schmidt retired.

Schmidt’s abrupt retirement and the lack of any other choices thrust Hayes into the role of face of the franchise, especially after the Phillies granted him a new three-year contract worth $6.4M. If there was any doubt that Hayes was the Phillies new star, general manager Lee Thomas said as much. “This has made him the guy, there’s no doubt,” Thomas told the Inquirer, adding “Von is a good player and still has a chance to be a great player.”

Hayes carried the burden well enough to be named to his first All-Star game that summer despite cooling off tremendously from his torrid April. Nevertheless, Hayes joined the retired Schmidt as the Phillies All-Star representatives in Anaheim. Hayes had a request for Schmidt before the game, asking if the future Hall of Famer would stand in the on-deck circle so he could continue to get good pitches to hit.

The request wasn’t honored, but Hayes still was able to get into the game in the seventh inning as a defensive substitution for the Reds’ Eric Davis in center field. He came to bat in the top of the eighth with two outs and the NL down 5-2 and delivered a single to left field off of Dan Plesac that drove in the Astros’ Glenn Davis from second and cut the AL’s lead to 5-3. With Hayes now serving as the tying run, Tim Wallach of the Expos stepped to the plate with the possibility of making Hayes’ hit the start of a memorable comeback. But Wallach lined out to left field off of new pitcher Doug Jones to end the inning, and the NL lost 5-3. Much like most of Hayes’ Phillies career, his good-but-not-great contribution to a losing team was forgotten.

Hayes’ second half of 1989 wasn’t as good as his first, but he still finished with a career high 26 home runs and almost as many walks (101) as strikeouts (103). Hayes stayed fairly consistent in 1990 despite some injuries, but his fit on the team started to become less clear as a new nucleus of younger talent started to take shape in Philadelphia. Then on June 14th, 1991, a fastball from the Reds’ Tom Browning struck Hayes in the wrist, and x-rays soon revealed that the ulna bone in his hand was fractured. That injury proved fateful, as the Phillies didn’t miss a beat and continued to improve with Hayes sidelined. When he returned in September, Hayes became the first player in history to finish a season with 0 home runs one season after having at least 17.

The team may have finished in third place despite their play in Hayes’ absence, but that level of play without their “franchise player” convinced the front office that Hayes was no longer in the team’s plans. On December 8th, 1991, the Phillies traded the 33-year-old Hayes to the California Angels in exchange for Kyle Abbott and Ruben Amaro Jr. “When I first came to Philadelphia, he was the one guy I said I wouldn’t trade,” said Lee Thomas, only slightly under three years after declaring Hayes the face of the franchise, adding “We we’re going to build around him. But it just didn’t work out.” Jayson Stark may have said it best in the Inquirer when he wrote that Hayes “had seen about as much of Philadelphia as ever wanted to see. And Philadelphia had seen about as much of him as it wanted to see, too.”

Hayes played one year for the Angels and hit .225 with only 4 home runs in 94 games. He was released following the season and did not generate much interest from any other team, thus essentially ending his once promising, can’t miss, big-league playing career after 12 years. But his career as a reference for Philadelphia basedsitcoms was still to come.

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