Category: MLB

It’s going to be a big final month on the farm to evaluate some of the young players in the system, as the Atlanta Braves are ramping up their promotion aggression to new heights. While in most seasons a handful of select players get pushed up the system for the final month (valuable in part because the upper level seasons last longer), the Braves are pushing up most of the significant prospects that have not already been promoted. In recent weeks we’ve seen Tate Southisene get a bump to Double-A Columbus, Alex Lodise a promotion to Rome, and Briggs McKenzie a move to Rome. Though two of those players are now injured these moves reinvigorate excitement in teams that have lost players throughout the season, and it also makes space for 2026 draftees to make their debuts with Augusta.

Rome to Columbus

The lineup in Columbus is going to get a much-needed influx of talent to add to the Tate Southisene pickup (if and when he returns to action). The top of Rome’s order is getting a wholesale bump to Columbus, while also adding Cam Caminiti off of his best career start and arguably the greatest minor league start by a Braves in at least the past decade.

The most notable prospect making the leap to Columbus is the system’s top overall prospect Eric Hartman. Hartman has led the way in the system almost from the jump this season with 24 home runs in 94 games, and has broken out as the near-unanimous top prospect in the system. He’s maintained consistent output from day one, and while the command ability of Double-A pitchers will be a test for him it is one that is needed. Hartman clearly has a handle for High-A pitching and has started drawing more walks, and though his hit tool is still a bit of a question mark he will have a real chance to face a true challenge.

John Gil and Owen Carey will also being receiving promotions. These two are sort of headed in the opposite direction at the moment, though it isn’t the first time Gil will get a chance in Double-A. He had a short stint with Columbus last season before going back to High-A this season and playing well the first few months. He has had a poor July that has crushed his numbers for the season overall, but hit a home run in his last game with Rome and has the approach and pitch recognition to adjust to Double-A. Owen Carey meanwhile has been one of the system’s hottest hitters, putting an early season injury behind him and breaking out with his best power numbers while making solid contact. Carey will face the biggest test as his free-swinging nature will be challenged by High-A pitchers, but given his age this is still a player who is well ahead of the curve.

Finally, after Cam Caminiti’s last start he should get a chance to be promoted. Caminiti struck out 14 batters in 6 2/3 innings and even more impressive was the mind-boggling 33 whiffs on 56 swings (58.9%). Caminiti has had a few inconsistent streaks this season and his command has been a bit worse than expected, but he is coming off of two good starts back-to-back and has been taking well to the adjustments to his arsenal. Caminiti has missed bats more and more as the season has gone on, and even at his worst has been a guy who never gives up hard contact or makes a lot of mistakes over the middle of the plate. Double-A will be a test of his command, but his stuff is Double-A ready and the Braves especially love to blitz pitchers through the system. Still, Caminiti is already 13 innings over last season’s total so having some lowered expectations may be fair.

Sounds like it will be Eric Hartman, Owen Carey, John Gil, and Cam Caminiti who will be off to Columbus. A major influx of talent for the @GoClingstones

— Gaurav (@gvedak) August 2, 2026

Augusta to Rome (and Columbus)

Two big time hitting prospects will be filling the gaps for the Rome offense, and both are going to face a real test in Rome. Luis Guanipa has been phenomenal for Augusta now that he is finally healthy, and though he has been inconsistent this season there is little doubt he should be capable of handling High-A pitching. Guanipa isn’t the type of player who really struggles with pure stuff and should be able to handle the bump in quality between levels, though his approach will be a factor in that. Guanipa’s free-swinging is a major concern in his profile and the difference in command between Single-A and High-A is real, but Guanipa’s bat-to-ball skills are good enough for him to be able to overcome it for now. How he fares against pitching beyond Rome is a question, but Guanipa can hit without a doubt.

Conor Essenburg has the opposite problem of Guanipa, where his contact and tendency to not swing at all can at times be detrimental. Essenburg has been incredible this season and when he makes contact it comes off of the bat like no one else in the system. He has the zone recognition to make the jump to High-A, and the steadier high-quality of fastballs in High-A shouldn’t be a problem, though he will have to do a better job of handling secondary stuff. Essenburg’s swing rate in the strike zone is extremely low, and while his selectiveness is a trait High-A hitters are the level at which guys are capable of throwing strikes enough to put overly patient hitters in early holes. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Essenburg taking more early-count hacks to try to combat this, and Essenburg has shown such an aptitude for making adjustments that I don’t expect the learning curve to overwhelm him.

Cody Miller is headed back to Rome and will hope to reverse his concerning performance from earlier this season. Miller was awful in Rome to start the season, but has managed to level things out a bit in Augusta. He is drawing a lot more walks now (though that is influenced by the quality of pitching) and had six home runs in Augusta in June. He needs a bounce back, and at 22 years old can’t be spending most of a season in Single-A. Catcher Austin Machado will be making the jump to Double-A where he will provide depth for the Clingstones. Machado is not a guy with much power but he makes a lot of contact, he’s patient at the plate, and he’s a very impressive defender. He’s not going to be a guy who ever gets much attention, but there is the framework for a guy who could be a third or fourth catcher type to stash at the upper levels.

Can confirm the Braves are sending a bunch of prospects from Augusta to Rome to make way for some of the draftees.

This list includes Conor Essenburg, Luis Guanipa, Daniel Brooks, Cody Miller, and Austin Machado.

Essenburg and Guanipa it’s beyond time they earned this move up,…

— Matt Powers (@MattPowers31) August 2, 2026

Augusta speculation

What we’re waiting to hear word on now is who is going to come up to fill the open roster spots in Augusta. We know that AJ Gracia won’t be one of those, given his season-ending labrum surgery, but there are a few options from the Braves draft. The most likely of those is PPI selection Carter Beck, who has both the experience to fit in quickly with Augusta and the high draft stock for them to want to get a look at him. Parker Brosius would be another interesting college outfield after his breakout senior season. We’ll also likely see one of the five catchers drafted fill in Machado’s spot, though it’s impossible to guess which will get the nod. Jack Brenner would be fun to see in pro ball after getting such a high signing bonus, but the Braves are probably more likely to go with one of the college catchers they drafted. Fifth rounder Wil Libbert also has a high likelihood of getting a spot given he is their highest selected college arm, but beyond that it’s not really going to be easy to predict which of the high bonus guys may have a chance to debut. Second and third rounders Kaiden McCarthy and Jensen Hirschkorn would be especially intriguing options. 11th round overslot signee Ryne Barker could also get the infield spot vacated by Miller, and would certainly be an intriguing watch for the final month of the year.

With just over 24 hours left before the 2026 MLB Trade Deadline, Yankees fans had begun to grow anxious. The offense badly needed help, the bullpen was begging for reinforcements, and let’s be honest, nobody would ever say no to more depth in the starting rotation (just ask the Dodgers!). Then, as they were watching Gerrit Cole and the Yankees’ bullpen walk a tightrope against the Cubs in a windy Wrigley, Joel Sherman posted this tweet.

A left-handed hitting first baseman who can fake it at second and short (but isn’t particularly good at either spot), Luis García Jr. was not a player who had been on most people’s radars; after all, the Yankees were desperate to add a right-handed bat, not someone else who needed to sit against southpaws. And yet, with the Yankees offense struggling against, well, everybody since Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger, and Giancarlo Stanton hit the shelf, the Bombers clearly were looking for anybody whose bat had a pulse.

Yankees fans didn’t have all that long to wait, as just a few minutes after the game ended, Jeff Passan reported that the deal was done. Soon, the news broke that the Yankees were sending four pitchers to DC in the deal: Double-A arm Jack Cebert, the recently-promoted Yovanny Cruz, Futures Game representative Ben Grable, and 2025 Trade Deadline bust Jake Bird.

BREAKING: The New York Yankees are acquiring infielder Luis García Jr. from the Washington Nationals, sources tell ESPN. Garcia, 26, leads the National League in slugging percentage and is hitting .283/.313/.560 with 23 home runs. He’s under club control through end of 2027.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) August 2, 2026

Immediately, the community began to discuss the deal.

While the most common reaction was something along the lines of, “Oh wow, a player who can hit the ball, I didn’t know we were allowed to acquire them,” others, however, focused on the fact that he is a first baseman/designated hitter, which the team theoretically has plenty of, even if in practice they don’t.

Others, in typical Pinstripe Alley fashion, promptly began looking ahead to the next few moves, recognizing that the move does not fill their gaping hole at “offense against lefties.”

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the top-voted comment on our breaking news post was a straightforward celebration of the fact that we are now assured that neither Bird nor Camilo Doval—two Trade Deadline moves from last year that went bust, unlike David Bednar—will appear on a mound in Yankees pinstripes again.

While there was some Ryan Jeffers discussion, as we dream of the Twins reversing their course and opting to sell, the main topic of conversation was shortstop George Lombard Jr., who is knocking on the door of a possible promotion from Triple-A.

All in all, we’re going to have a lot to talk about over the next few days, as inevitably, this will not be the last move the Yankees make. But, as we wait for Jeff Passan, Ken Rosenthal, or Jack Curry to give us some more news, let’s take a step back and reflect on this first step.

What do you think of the Yankees’ new bat? Vote in the poll, and let us know in the comments’ section below!

Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman felt good enough about his trade discussions with the Detroit Tigers for two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal that he gave manager Dave Roberts a positive update shortly before the team’s game against the Red Sox on Saturday.

“I heard that it was pretty much done,” Roberts recounted Sunday afternoon. “But there’s obviously things that have to go on with medical, so it wasn’t actually even finalized. I just heard that it was pretty much close.”

Friedman, however, wasn’t ready to exhale until he got final word from the Tigers during the game.

“I had no idea and was trying to emotionally hedge,” he said. “I wasn’t getting too high or too low on it until we actually found out.”

There was, it turned out, no need to stress. On Saturday, the Dodgers agreed to trade three prospects — outfielder Zyhir Hope (No. 25 on MLB Pipeline’s top 100), right-handed pitcher River Ryan (No. 68) and right-hander Brady Smith — to the Tigers for one of the best starters in baseball.

Read more:Plaschke: Tarik Skubal trade brings Dodgers hate, envy ... and another championship

The teams officially announced the trade Sunday.

Even as the Dodgers signaled a potentially low-key trade deadline in the lead-up — “we try to do everything we can to avoid not having to do something,” Friedman said last week — many rival executives and scouts had come to see the Dodgers landing Skubal as practically inevitable.

Of course, the World Series favorites didn’t need to acquire Skubal. But if they wanted him, they’d get him.

And they did.

“Friday it started picking up a little bit,” Friedman said. “But [Saturday] it was much more aggressive back and forth and a lot of different conversations. Obviously being on our side, you didn’t really know how long the process was gonna go, whether it was gonna go into Sunday, into Monday. But obviously we were of the mind to be aggressive and try to get a deal done.

“We were of the mind to be aggressive for one player this deadline, and fortunately we were able to line up.”

Two aspects of the trade did, however, take the industry by surprise: the timing and the return.

The Dodgers pulled off the trade without disrupting their major-league squad. Ryan, who made four major-league starts in 2024, has the stuff to compete in the majors, but health has kept him from another call-up.

“Obviously they felt good going through it,” Friedman said. “We gave up a lot of talent. Those guys are really good, and have a chance to be really good major-league players. But with where our core is, this moment in time, it was something that we felt like, erring on the side of aggressive made the most sense right now.”

Skubal joins Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow and Shohei Ohtani as postseason rotation options, creating an enviable surplus if all five are healthy in October.

“I think it’s arguably the best rotation of all time — as if it wasn’t before as well,” catcher Dalton Rushing said. “Hope he’s ready to win a ring.”

"Whenever there's a star-level player that is available, that can really shift championship odds, those are the moments that we'll be more aggressive."

Dodgers' President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman speaks to the media on the #Dodgers acquiring Tarik Skubal via trade… pic.twitter.com/CzJZYModUb

— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) August 3, 2026

Said veteran utility player Miguel Rojas: “It’s a statement from this organization to the rest of the league and the world that they’re not just satisfied with what happened the last couple years. … It’s kind of like a pressed button for us to kind of continue to go and not let the rest of the league catch up to our standards.”

Of course, health is never guaranteed. Skubal and Snell have undergone surgeries to remove loose bodies from their pitching elbows. Skubal has made nine appearances since, and Snell is scheduled to make one more rehab start before being activated off the injured list.

Glasnow, on the verge of a rehab assignment, has been sidelined for nearly three months with back spasms, an injury the Dodgers initially hoped wouldn’t even need an IL stint.

Ohtani’s nagging knee problem creates the most uncertainty. Ohtani hasn’t pitched in nearly a month, despite receiving an Orthovisc injection to lubricate the joint. He could restart playing catch this week in Chicago, Roberts said.

“We’re as confident as we can be that he’s going to be back and he’s going to start throwing soon and building back up,” Friedman said. “You can never perfectly predict the future but if you said, ‘Hey, place a bet on it,’ I would be very confident placing it that he would be back pitching.”

With this much time off, however, Ohtani will need to build back up to a starter’s workload without the benefit of a rehab assignment, similar to what he did last season. The timing of his return to the mound will dictate how long the build-up will be.

“We have a plan to build him up slowly, methodically,” Roberts said. “And that would have happened if this trade would have happened or not.”

In the meantime, the Dodgers are filling his spot in the rotation with the best possible option. Skubal is scheduled to make his Dodgers debut Tuesday against the Cubs in Chicago.

And the Dodgers aren’t necessarily done dealing. As of Sunday afternoon, they still were engaged on “a number of different conversations on a number of different fronts,” Friedman said.

Read more:Emmet Sheehan struggles early and Dodgers are swept by Boston Red Sox

When asked if the Dodgers could still add to the major-league roster, however, Friedman said that was “less likely.”

“Never say never,” he said. “Fortunately, we don’t have that acute need that we have to do this or our team is in real danger.”

He did, however, mention the Dodgers’ lack of an acute need before acquiring Skubal too.

Read more:Shaikin: Dodgers traded just 3 minor leaguers for Tarik Skubal. Why couldn't your team do that?

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Late on Saturday evening, the Detroit Tigers made a monumental trade, sending ace pitcher Tarik Skubal to the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for prospects River Ryan, Zyhir Hope, and Brady Smith. 

Skubal, who has won consecutive American League Cy Young Awards, joins a stacked Dodgers roster looking to become the first MLB World Series three-peat club since the New York Yankees from 1998 to 2000. 

That leaves many sports fans in the Motor City wondering - is Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin the next high-profile athlete to be moved? 

Of course, Larkin's stunning trade request went public in early June, and it had a major ripple effect on the organization from that point on.

General manager Steve Yzerman stepped down from his role just over a month later in mid-July, while future Hall of Fame forward Patrick Kane chose to return to the Chicago Blackhawks despite expressing interest in what would have been a third straight extension to stay in Detroit. 

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

Like Larkin, Skubal was a homegrown talent (although not a Michigan native) who was drafted by Detroit and developed through the organization before eventually becoming the face of the franchise, and arguably the top player at his position in the Majors. 

While Larkin may not be considered a superstar on the level of players such as Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, Macklin Celebrini, or Nikita Kucherov, he remains a highly productive top-six forward coming off his fourth consecutive season with at least 30 goals.

However, their contract situations were vastly different.

Skubal entered salary arbitration before the current season and defeated the Tigers in his case, setting him up to become an unrestricted free agent after the 2026 campaign.

Larkin, meanwhile, has only completed the third season of the eight-year contract he signed in 2023, keeping him under team control through 2031. However, his no-movement clause significantly limited Detroit's ability to secure what it believed would be an acceptable return package in a potential trade.

Initially, Larkin reportedly would only approve a move to the Vegas Golden Knights, Florida Panthers, or Minnesota Wild. None of those teams, however, were able to provide general manager Steve Yzerman with the level of compensation he was seeking for a player of Larkin's caliber.

Red Wings Largely Dormant Since Free Agency Start - Community PostThe Detroit Red Wings signed forward Viktor Arvidsson while acquiring Keegan Kolesar from the Vegas Golden Knights, along with signing goaltender Daniil Tarasov.

As of now, Larkin’s trade request remains unresolved, and that situation may not be settled anytime soon. The Red Wings are currently focused on finding Steve Yzerman’s replacement, and it's possible their search could extend until shortly before training camp begins in mid-September.

Detroit's next general manager will be tasked with either convincing Larkin to rescind his trade request or continuing the transition by dealing him for current or future assets. 

Now that Skubal is officially a former Detroit athlete, all eyes are now on Larkin's future. 

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Keider Montero fired six shutout frames and the Tigers bullied Athletics pitching again to win 11-0 and complete a three-game sweep. The Tigers scored 32 runs in this series. No one player was really the hero as the offense pounded out 12 hits and drew nine walks, but Eduardo Valencia continued to rake, contributing a pair of two-run doubles to lead the way.

A.J. Hinch stacked up his right-handed hitters to face young lefty Gage Jump in this one. The 23-year-old got out to a really good start this season but has struggled quite a lot since late June. Riley Greene got a day off, while Max Clark was in against the lefty and Javier Báez was on the bench as well.

Gleyber Torres led off and drew a walk from Jump. Dillon Dingler, the designated hitter in this one, followed with a single. Kevin McGonigle took a called strike three, and Eduardo Valencia also had a little trouble picking up Jump’s fastball after falling behind 0-2, and took a heater right down the gut for strike three as well. That was fine because Spencer Torkelson smoked a double that split the left and center fielders to the wall, scoring both baserunners for a 2-0 lead. Torkelson snatched third base on a pitch that squirted away from catcher Jonah Heim. Hao-Yu Lee ripped a hot one-hopper down the third base line but Tommy White made a really nice pick and saved a run by throwing Lee out.

Montero took the bump knowing that as a fly ball pitcher, he needed to avoid mistakes in a very home run friendly Triple-A park. Donovan Walton popped out to shallow left field to start things off. Tyler Soderstrom ripped a hot one-hopper that clipped Montero in the heel, rode up his back, and stayed right there. Montero gloved it in the air and easily retired Soderstrom. Montero was laughing about it and quickly dismissed the training staff’s concerns and got back to business. He just missed to a 2-2 changeup to Heim and then yanked one to walk him. Tommy White squared up a sinker but Max Clark ran it down easily near the warning track.

Max Clark challenged a 2-1 fastball from Jump that was called a strike. The rookie was correct, and then Jump missed 3-1 to put the speedy center fielder on to begin the second inning. Malgeri then grounded a 3-1 pitch into a 6-4-3 double play, but the Tigers challenged the play at first and they were right again as Malgeri beat out the throw by a few inches. Zach McKinstry flew out in foul territory down the left field line, leaving it up to Torres as the lineup turned over. The first pitch to Torres was a passed ball that got Malgeri into scoring position, and the Tigers second baseman once again patiently waited out the youngster and drew a walk. Dingler took a called strike three to strand two.

Lawrence Butler led off with a single, but Montero got a fly out and Alika Williams, former ASU teammates of Torkelson and Gage Workman, grounded into a force of Butler. Montero wasn’t getting many whiffs, and Valencia may have cost him a strike or two, but Jeff McNeil flew out to McKinstry, who had an…interesting route on the ball, to end the inning.

The Tigers went in order in the top of the third, but they did continue to wear on Jump, and he finished the inning at 55 pitches.

Montero got the first two hitters in the bottom half, but Soderstrom lined a one-hopper over the right field wall for a two-out double. Heim immediately hit a soft tapper in front of the plate and Valencia easily threw him out to send us to the fourth.

With one out in the top of the fourth, Max Clark put together another patient at-bat and walked for the second straight plate appearance. Malgeri worked a full count and Jump’s effectively wild routine was wearing thin. Heim wasted a challenge, but the pitch was low and there were two on for McKinstry. Jump fell behind 2-0 again, and McKinstry smoked a line drive just over Walton at second for a sharp single. The runners had to wait a beat as Walton leapt for it, and so Billy Boyer held Clark at third, and the bases were juiced for Gleyber Torres. Former Tigers right-hander Elvis Alvarado was warming in the pen.

Gleyber Torres got an 0-1 heater and paddled it back through the box for a two-run single. McKinstry went first to third just ahead of the throw, and it was 4-0 Tigers. Dingler had some trouble with Jump’s slider and struck out.

Jump’s outing looked like it would end either way after McGonigle, and the Tigers rookie got ahead 3-1 and eventually walked to load the bases for Valencia. Mark Kotsay brought in Alvarado, and his triple digit heat remains intact. Valencia fouled off a triple digit 0-2 pitch, and then Alvardo dropped a slider right down the middle and Valencia came through once again, smashing a two-run double to left. Mwahaha. 6-0 Tigers. Torkelson flew out, and a now rested Montero took the mound with a big old lead.

Montero got a pair of quick outs on routine contact, then walked Carlos Cortes with two outs in the bottom half. Alika Williams popped out to Torres to end the inning. Montero hadn’t been terribly efficient and still didn’t have a strikeout to this point, but he was at 58 pitches and looked primed to go six. The Tigers went in order against Alvarado in the top of the fifth, with Lee and Malgeri flying out, and Clark striking out swinging.

Montero dropped in a perfect 0-2 slider to McNeil to start the bottom of the fifth. Valencia failed to challenge it, and McNeil fouled off a pair of heaters before flying out to McKinstry in right field. Henry Bolte fouled a 2-2 fastball right back into the mask of home plate umpire Jeremie Rehak. He was shaken up, and after a little concussion testing, it was determined that he needed to leave the game. Adam Beck moved from second base to the home plate umpire spot, and there was a lengthy delay as the umpiring crew talked it through.

When play finally resumed, Montero plunked Bolte with the first pitch he threw. Walton slapped a grounder to third and Lee to McGonigle to Torkelson, who made a nice diving scoop while keeping his toe on the bag, recorded a double play to end the inning.

Lefty Hogan Harris took over in the sixth. Zach McKinstry greeted him with a single up the middle. He took second on a wild pitch, and Torres drew a walk. Dingler chased a rainbow curveball down and struck out for the third time in this one. The success at hammering breaking stuff may be getting him a little too aggressive at this point. McGonigle grounded into a double play to send us to the bottom half.

Montero punched out Soderstrom with a slider for his first strikeout of the game. Heim flew out to Clark, but Tommy White got ahead 3-0. Montero then threw two fourseamers right on the outer edge which were absolute perfection, and then whiffed him on a slider right on the corner to send us to the seventh. Montero was through six with just two hits and two walks allowed. Montero’s ERA is down to 3.17 with a WHIP right at 1.00. Impressive stuff despite the relative lack of strikeouts.

Right-hander Hayden Juenger was on for the Athletics in the seventh. Hao-Yu Lee lined a two-out single to center field after a sleepy pair of innings for the offense in triple digit heat and holding a big lead. Max Clark got a first pitch heater on the outer edge and went with it, barrelling a line drive single to left field. Hinch wasn’t sitting on this lead, and he pinch hit Colt Keith for Ben Malgeri to try and cash in these baserunners. He worked into a full count but Juenger tied him up with a heater inside and he popped out.

Tyler Holton succeeded Montero in the seventh. He racked up three routine ground balls, but the third one was right on the third base line and Lee clanged it trying to circle around to a better throwing angle, allowing Williams to reach. McNeil singled up the middle and just past a diving McGonigle. Clark hustled and got to it quickly to hold Williams at second, and the Tigers turned to Drew Anderson with the right-handed hitting Bolte digging in at the plate. A 1-1 changeup got a routine grounder to McGonigle to end the seventh inning. Still 6-0 Tigers.

Lefty Ben Bowden took over for the A’s in the eighth, while the Tigers continued to wage war on the pythag. Torres walked for the fourth time on the day with one out, then Dingler was clipped on the right wrist, and fortuantely appeared no worse for wear. Good grief this Athletics team is terrible…and a wild pitch advanced the runners, while a walk to McGonigle loaded the bases. That brought up Valencia, and you know the big man wants to eat. Feast he did, getting a 3-1 fastball down and smoking a one-hopper off the left field wall for a two-run double. Spencer Torkelson dumped a single into center field to score McGonigle and it was 9-0 Tigers. Hao-Yu Lee grounded into a force of Torkelson at second, and Valencia scored to make it 10-0. Max Clark popped out, mercifully ending the inning.

The Tigers had now scored eight or more runs in five straight games for the first time since August 2 of 1996, exactly 30 years ago.

Anderson punched out Walton to start the bottom of the eighth, and Soderstrom flew out to James Outman, who had taken over in left field and replacing Keith in the lineup. Heim dumped a bloop single to right field with two outs. Anderson flew away Tommy White with high heat to send us to the ninth.

The A’s moved their DH, Cortes, to the mound to preserve whatever is left of that pitching staff. James Outman took advantage, launching a solo shot off the soft tossing lefty to right field for a 11-0 lead. After a pair of ground outs, Dingler singled, but McGonigle flicked a little breaking ball to left to end the inning. Everyone, most especially the A’s, just wanted this one over.

Enmanuel de Jesus took over to finish this game off. Brian Serven, former Tiger, singled on a grounder that Hao-Yu Lee couldn’t quite glove. Jeff McNeil singled with two outs, but de Jesus whiffed Bolte to end it.

The White Sox and the Guardians both won, while the Twins lost on Sunday. The Tigers remain 2.5 games back in the wild card hunt and 5.5 games back in the AL Central. Casey Mize is scheduled to start on Tuesday in Seattle, but we’ll see if he’s still a Tiger or not at that point.

LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers are very confident in the roster the had in trying to win a third consecutive championship, something not seen in the sport since 2000. But it’s not often a reigning two-time Cy Young Award winner becomes available, and they were happy to pounce on getting Tarik Skubal from the Detroit Tigers.

“You can feel the energy, the excitement, and the buzz,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of the days leading up to Monday’s trade deadline. “This was a different year in the sense that it was Skubal or nothing. I think essentially where we have a lot of good players, a lot of good depth already.”

The Dodgers were happy with the starting pitching depth, especially with Blake Snell expected back on the next homestand after a final rehab start in Triple-A on Tuesday. He’ll join Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Skubal atop the rotation, along with Justin Wrobleski having an All-Star season. The Dodgers are confident that Tyler Glasnow (back) and Shohei Ohtani (left knee) will also be ready come October. But they decided to lessen that risk should something go wrong.

This was case of the Dodgers adding to their unprecedented pitching depth, but doing so from the top down by adding a player of Skubal’s caliber.

“We were of the mind to be aggressive for one player, and fortunately we were able to line up,” Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said Sunday at Dodger Stadium. “We don’t know what the world’s going to look like at the end of September. but I don’t think we went into this thinking [starting pitching] was an acute need. But as we’ve talked about a lot, whenever there’s a star-level player available who can really shift championship odds, those are the moments we’ll be more aggressive.”

Skubal won Cy Young Awards in 2024 and 2025 but since the start of 2023 the left-hander leads the majors in ERA (2.46), xERA (2.69), strikeout rate (31.4 percent), and strikeout-minus-walk rate (27 percent) among the 83 pitchers with at least 400 innings.

He has a 2.04 ERA in six postseason starts the last two years for Detroit, with 56 strikeouts and six walks in 39 2/3 innings. That included games last postseason with 14 strikeouts and 13 strikeouts.

“Watching Tarik Skubal pitch in the playoffs last year was must-see TV. I was in awe, watching the energy, the dominance he exhibited there,” Friedman said. “I can’t wait to see it on our club.”

Roberts said he found out the Dodgers acquired Skubal just before first pitch of Saturday night’s game, and that normally he doesn’t put much stock into trade rumors until a deal is completed.

“I personally don’t put much hope into anything because a lot of it doesn’t happen,” Roberts said. “Just for fear of being let down or disappointed, all the while knowing the guys are doing the best job they can, which is what’s best for the organization.”

But the Dodgers did put Hope into this particular deal, which was enough to land Skubal in Los Angeles.

In director Christopher Nolan’s epic film The Odyssey—currently still dominating theaters near you—the concept of Zeus’s Law is front and center. It states that hosts must welcome travelers with food and shelter in exchange for similar treatment from others.

This weekend, the Seattle Mariners did not observe Zeus’s Law—instead playing the Robert Pattinson role—taking two-of-three from the visiting Minnesota Twins despite a furious late-inning MN comeback today that fell just short.

Mirroring what happened Friday night and Saturday late-afternoon, the Mariners jumped out to a first inning lead in this contest. A Cole Young first-pitch single and a Randy Arozarena four-pitch walk off MN SP Taj Bradley both came around to score on Josh Naylor’s double juuuust out of the outstretched glove of Trevor Larnach in LF. 2-0 SEA.

Taj escaped a third-inning jam when Cal Raleigh blasted a two-on, two-out deep fly ball to CF that—fortunately, for the visitors—landed in the safety of Luke Keaschall’s glove just feet from the wall. Alas, almost the exact same scenario played out in T4 when Royce Lewis’ pop off SEA SP George Kirby was hauled in by Julio Rodriguez.

Not much of note happened until B6, when Seattle strung together a walk and two singles with two outs to increase their lead. 3-0 SEA.

The recently-minted Player of the Month ultimately put together a quality start even without much swing-and-miss stuff: 6 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 4 BB, 2 K. But he left the contest with a goose egg still on the board from his batsmen.

This one got a little out of hand as soon as the Twins’ bullpen arrived. After holding Raleigh down for the first two games, he wielded the trident in B7 after crushing a no-doubt three-run bomb off of Kendry Rojas. 6-0 SEA.

The Twins’ offense finally got off the schneid in T8 when Ryan Kreidler reached on an error and Trevor Larnach’s launch off Eduard Bazardo made the M’s pay. The late rally continued with a Josh Bell double and a Brooks Lee single, bringing Lewis to the dish:

Life! 6-5 SEA.

After newly-acquired A.J. Minter kept the seafarers off the board in B8, the Twins would have a chance to tie things up in T9 off Seattle closer Andres Munoz. It didn’t take long (2 pitches) for Keaschall to do exactly that:

6-6 tie! Alas, despite further base paths traffic off Munoz, the Twins couldn’t push out in front.

Yoendrys Gomez entered to try and get this contest to Manfredball—but could not. Singles from Naylor & Victor Robles put runners on first and third with one out for the home team, and despite a fifth infielder in play for MN, Colt Emerson still rifled a single past the dirt to let the Mariners celebrate and give them the series victory.

Your Final: Seattle Mariners 7, Minnesota Twins 6.

Another tough ending in a well-fought contest.

The Twins enter the 2026 Trade Deadline (Monday, 5 PM CST) 4 GB of the AL Central-leading White Sox and about a game off the final Wild Card slot pace. We’ll see if the roster looks a little different come Tuesday in KC.

Zach’s Zealot

• Kirby (and not our beloved #34): 7 IP, 5 H (all singles), 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K.

Zach’s Zombie

• Rojas: 1 IP, 3 H, 1 BB, 1 HR. His disaster-inning proved to be a bit too much to overcome in the end.

Egg-cellent Elocution

• gintzerwearing out his keyboard’s CTRL-C, CTRL-V trying to rally the troops.

Who’s Got Next

• The Twins fly back to the Midwest and after a Monday off day in Kansas City will play under the Kauffman Stadium waterfalls for three games (Tues. night, Wed. night, Thurs. night).

The Milwaukee Brewers are set to host the Pittsburgh Pirates to begin a seven-day, seven-game homestand, as they’ll take on the Pirates for four games before welcoming their interleague rival Twins over the weekend. The trade deadline will also have come and gone by the time this series begins, as the deadline is set for 5 p.m. CT on Monday, just 100 minutes before the 6:40 p.m. first pitch of Monday’s series opener.

The Pirates have had Milwaukee’s number in their two series this season, as Pittsburgh has taken five of six, including a three-game sweep leading into the All-Star break. Since the break, though, these two teams have been on completely different trajectories, as the Pirates have gone 6-10 and the Brewers have gone 10-5.

Several players have returned from the IL in the last couple of weeks for Milwaukee, but they’re still waiting on a few more. Pitchers Joel Kuhnel (on rehab) and Kyle Harrison (expected to start Wednesday), as well as outfielder Sal Frelick (close to a potential rehab assignment), are all on the verge of returning. Pitchers Brandon Woodruff, Brian Fitzpatrick, Quinn Priester, and Angel Zerpa are all out for the season, and Rob Zastryzny is also slated for an August return, though he’s a bit behind Kuhnel and Harrison.

Pittsburgh is without pitchers Evan Sisk (could return this week) and Chris Devenski (could return this week), as well as first baseman Ryan O’Hearn (quad injury, out until late September), Konnor Griffin (finger injury, out until early September), and Oneil Cruz (hand injury, close to a rehab assignment).

The Brewer offense is led by Jake Bauers, who slugged his 20th homer of the season over the weekend. The first baseman is batting .270/.373/.504 this year, slightly better than Brice Turang’s .271/.364/.463 line with 16 homers. Jackson Chourio, William Contreras, Garrett Mitchell, Christian Yelich, Andrew Vaughn, Cooper Pratt, and Luis Lara have also been solid bats this year, with Gary Sánchez, Joey Ortiz, David Hamilton, Brandon Lockridge. As a team, the Brewers are hitting .253/.337/.399 (.736 OPS ranks seventh), with 101 homers (last), 555 runs (fifth), and 111 steals (fifth).

Brandon Lowe leads Pittsburgh with 23 homers this year, adding 25 doubles while driving in 71 and scoring 68 runs. Bryan Reynolds, Esmerlyn Valdez, and Spencer Horwitz also have double-digit homers, as do the injured O’Hearn and Cruz. Nick Gonzales leads the team with 127 hits, as he’s hitting .312 on the season, and Henry Davis, Jared Triolo, Jake Mangum, and Marcell Ozuna round out the regulars, with Jhostynxon Garcia, Jacob Gonzalez, Endy Rodríguez, and Rafael Flores Jr. providing depth. As a team, the Pirates are hitting .258/.335/.416 (.751 OPS ranks third), with 139 homers (ninth), 578 runs (second), and 100 steals (eighth).

Aaron Ashby leads the Brewers with 51 appearances this season, while Abner Uribe (2.23 ERA, six saves) and Trevor Megill (2.83 ERA, 18 saves) have been the best bullpen arms overall. Chad Patrick (3.50 ERA, four saves) has also been solid, as has DL Hall (2.25 ERA), though he missed a chunk of time due to injury before returning over the weekend. Grant Anderson, Bryse Wilson, and Garrett Stallings round out Milwaukee’s bullpen. As a staff, the Brewers have a 3.48 team ERA (second), including a 3.36 starter ERA (first) and a 3.64 bullpen ERA (sixth). They’ve struck out 1,081 batters (second) over 991 2/3 innings.

Gregory Soto leads Pittsburgh with 47 appearances and 14 saves this season, though he’s also blown five saves and has a 3.69 ERA. Mason Montgomery has 46 appearances with a 3.80 ERA, and Yohan Ramírez has 46 appearances with a 3.00 ERA. The Pirates also added Camilo Doval in a swap with the Yankees this week, as he struggled to a 4.54 ERA over 44 appearances with them this year. Carmen Mlodzinski (3.15 ERA) has functioned as a swingman with nine starts and 16 relief appearances, and Wilber Dotel (5.11 ERA over 24 2/3 IP), Ron Marinaccio (6.75 ERA over 5 1/3 IP), and Noah Murdock (0.00 ERA over 3 IP) round things out. As a staff, the Pirates have a 4.31 team ERA (20th), including a 4.29 starter ERA (16th) and a 4.34 bullpen ERA (22nd). They’ve struck out 1,047 batters (third) over 1,011 2/3 innings.

Probable Pitchers

Monday, August 3 @ 6:40 p.m.: RHP Brandon Sproat (3-6, 5.05 ERA, 5.19 FIP) vs. RHP Bubba Chandler (3-8, 4.56 ERA, 4.34 FIP)

Sproat has yet to find consistency in the majors, but he’s flashed his potential at times. His last start was a microcosm of his season, as he gave up three runs on six hits and three walks but settled in nicely to finish with six innings, striking out five in Milwaukee’s 3-0 loss. Sproat’s lone appearance against the Pirates came in that series leading into the All-Star break, when he went three innings and allowed three runs on two hits and two walks, striking out three in a no-decision.

Chandler, 23, sports some solid strikeout stuff, but hasn’t quite been able to find consistent success in the majors to this point. He’s made 21 appearances (20 starts) this season, with a 4.56 ERA, 4.34 FIP, and 93 strikoeuts over 104 2/3 innings, as he’s issued a whopping 57 walks (4.9 BB/9). He got roughed up for five runs (three earned) on seven hits and a walk against the D-backs in his last appearance, striking out three over four innings. Chandler has made two starts against Milwaukee, including one in early July, totaling 7 1/3 innings with 11 runs allowed and nine strikeouts.

Tuesday, August 4 @ 6:40 p.m.: RHP Logan Henderson (5-1, 2.66 ERA, 2.80 FIP) vs. RHP Jared Jones (2-2, 3.81 ERA, 3.48 FIP)

Henderson continues to impress, as he’s now 8-1 in his big-league career with a 2.34 ERA and 2.88 FIP over 69 1/3 innings. This season, he’s made nine starts with a 5-1 record, a 2.66 ERA, 2.80 FIP, and 54 strikeouts across 44 innings. He picked up another win his last time out against the Giants, spanning 5 2/3 scoreless innings with two hits and two walks allowed, striking out seven. Henderson made his lone start against the Pirates last May, as he went five frames with one run allowed on five hits and two walks, striking out six in a no-decision.

Jones, who turns 25 on Thursday, missed all of 2025 but has bounced back nicely in 2026, making 11 starts with a 3.81 ERA, 3.48 FIP, and 58 strikeouts over 52 innings this year. He had a great month of July, making five starts and totaling 27 innings with six runs allowed (2.00 ERA) with 33 strikeouts. Jones’ lone appearance against the Brewers came back in his rookie season of 2024, when he went six innings with one run allowed on four hits and two walks, striking out seven to pick up a win.

Wednesday, August 5 @ 6:40 p.m.: TBD vs. RHP Paul Skenes (9-9, 3.90 ERA, 2.91 FIP)

Kyle Harrison is expected to make his return on Wednesday, as the left-hander has missed the last few weeks with an arm injury, though it isn’t anything too severe. Prior to his injury, Harrison made 17 starts this year, with an 8-2 record, 3.01 ERA, 3.10 FIP, and 101 strikeouts across 83 2/3 innings. Harrison has made two career starts against Pittsburgh, one with the Giants in 2024 and one with Milwaukee back in April. He’s looked great in both of those outings, totaling 12 scoreless innings with just six hits and one walk allowed, striking out 19.

Skenes, 24, hasn’t been quite as dominant this year as we saw in 2024 and 2025, but he’s still got solid numbers, with a 3.90 ERA, 2.91 FIP, and 156 strikeouts over 124 2/3 innings this season, putting him on pace for 200-plus strikeouts once again. Skenes has been roughed up in both of his last two outings against the Cubs and Reds, totaling 9 1/3 innings with 10 runs allowed on 13 hits and six walks despite striking out 18. Skenes has had varying success in his career against Milwaukee, but he’s won each of his last two decisions (both in 2026). Overall, he’s 3-2 with a 2.97 ERA and 41 strikeouts over 33 1/3 innings.

Thursday, August 6 @ 1:10 p.m.: LHP Shane Drohan (6-4, 3.48 ERA, 3.03 FIP) vs. RHP Braxton Ashcraft (11-4, 3.96 ERA, 3.53 FIP)

Drohan has reliably pitched six innings the last month or so, as each of his last five appearances have totaled at least six innings. He has a 3.48 ERA, 3.03 FIP, and 89 strikeouts this season, and across six starts in July, he totaled 36 innings with a 4.00 ERA and 37 strikeouts. Drohan has made two appearances (one start) against Pittsburgh this season, totaling 10 1/3 innings with six runs allowed (four earned) on nine hits, one walk, and a hit batter, striking out eight.

Ashcraft, 26, has put together a solid campaign in his sophomore season, making 22 starts with a 3.96 ERA, 3.53 FIP, and 140 strikeouts over 127 1/3 innings thus far. He’s won each of his last two outings, totaling 11 innings with five runs allowed on nine hits and three walks, striking out 10 against the Cubs and Reds. Ashcraft has made two starts against the Brewers, one in 2025 and one back in July. In those games, he’s totaled eight innings with five runs allowed (5.63 ERA) and eight strikeouts with a no-decision in both appearances.

How to Watch & Listen

Monday, August 3: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)

Tuesday, August 4: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)

Wednesday, August 5: Exclusively on ESPN/ESPN App; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)

Thursday, August 6: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)

Prediction

The Pirates have dominated the season series thus far, but I think the Brewers will look to bounce back from what was ultimately a disappointing West Coast trip this week. Give me the Brewers to win three of four.

Mariners 7, Twins 6

The maxxing meme: Andrés Muñoz, -0.23 WPA
Chilin’ out, maxin’, relaxin’ all cool: George Kirby, +0.35 WPA; also Henry

Game Thread Comment of the Day

And adding this one from the chart comments because I guffawed

Emmet Sheehan faces Jake Bennet as the Dodgers wrap things up against the Boston Red Sox on Sunday.

Today's #Dodgers lineup vs. Red Sox: pic.twitter.com/st4XfV9zB2

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) August 2, 2026

SUNDAY GAME INFO

• Teams: Dodgers vs. Red Sox
• Stadium: Dodger Stadium
• Time: 4:20 p.m. PT
• TV: NBC; Streaming: Peacock
• Radio: AM 570 (English), KTNQ 1020 (Spanish)

The MLB trade deadline continues to send shockwaves throughout the league, most recently with the Yankees securing Luis García Jr. from the Nationals.

In return for the lefty infielder, the Nationals will receive relievers Ben Grable, Yovanny Cruz, and Jake Bird, plus starter Jack Cebert, who was spotted saying goodbyes to his teammates in Somerset during their game against the Richmond Flying Squirrels.

Jack Cebert saying goodbye to teammates in Somerset. #Yankeeshttps://t.co/VqVn90Nnqhpic.twitter.com/mMSwPWmWPK

— Greg Johnson (@gregp_j) August 2, 2026

At first glance, this trade appears to be a good deal for the Yankees. García Jr. can provide a much-needed offensive boost to the lineup in the absence of key hitters, including Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger, and Giancarlo Stanton. García Jr. led the NL with a .560 slugging percentage, which could add a lot more shots into the short porch.

Sending over four reliever prospects doesn’t have a massive effect on the current bullpen rotation, who often does a fair job of taking care of business when most neeeded.

However, the trade raises questions about who’s starting at first base.

Manager Aaron Boone has emphasized that he has confidence in his current catchers and that there is no plan in place to utilize Ben Rice at the position. He will likely continue filling the DH spot in Stanton’s absence while García alternates with Goldschmidt at first. Giving Goldschmidt a rest could be beneficial in the long run as the Yankees prepare for the looming playoff race. YES Network’s Jack Curry also noted that he should primarily play first or DH against righties.

In 104 games this season, García Jr. has 23 home runs, a career high, with 20 doubles and five triples. He is hitting .283 with a .873 OPS, and is poised to continue building upon his offensive momentum for the playoff push in New York. Adding some much-needed offensive depth, he will receive a warm welcome to the Bronx.

Mets interim manager Andy Green discussed a number of topics following Sunday’s shutout loss to the Marlins…

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Jorge Polanco’s continued struggles

It’s been a season to forget thus far for Polanco.

The veteran infielder still hasn’t been able to get back into a groove at the plate since returning from a long-term absence due to wrist and Achilles injuries.

Polanco went hitless again during Sunday’s series finale loss including a pair of strikeouts, one of which came in a significant point in the ballgame.

The lefty stepped to the plate in a bases loaded and nobody out situation with the Mets still trailing by just one run in the bottom of the seventh.

He fouled off two fastballs, then chased a slider down and out of the zone for strike three.

Polanco is now 4-for-35 (.114) with just two RBI and one extra-base hit while striking out 18 times in 15 games since returning from the injured list.

He’s also hitless in each of his last eight games, lowering his OPS to .381 for the season.

“It’s fair to assume with as much time as he missed that he’s still working back for timing, and at the same getting to a pace where he feels comfortable and confident hitting,” Green said.

“We’re excited to get him on the road just to change the environment, maybe get some early hitting in and get going, see if we can jumpstart him -- it’s definitely been a tough stretch.”

The Freddy Peralta trade

Green also got into the tough but expected off the field news of the day, as the trade deadline sale continued with Peralta being traded to the Rays.

The interim skipper didn’t have the chance to see Peralta after receiving word of the deal, but he knows how disappointed he is with how his time in New York went.

“He came here to anchor a rotation and felt the weight of that,” Green said. “I know from talking to him certainly doesn’t feel it went the way he hoped it would, and we all feel that way.

“Where we are today screams we’re all wishing we were in a different spot -- he gave us everything he had, stepped on the mound everyday and competed, I know he wanted better results.”

Peralta pitched to a 4.99 ERA and 1.47 WHIP in 22 starts as a Met.

Faced with replacing two All-Star outfielders and former MVPs, the New York Yankees got smart in backfilling the production missing when Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger succumbed to injuries.

Rather than pick over an underwhelming market of potentially available outfielders, the Yankees instead pivoted to acquire slugging first baseman/DH Luis Garcia Jr. from the Washington Nationals for four minor leaguers Sunday, Aug. 2.

Garcia, 26, is having a breakout season perhaps beyond what the Nationals believed was possible, belting 23 home runs and posting an .873 OPS in 104 games. He’ll immediately pump life into a Yankees offense missing three-time MVP Judge, who remains out with a rib injury, and Bellinger, who is recovering from a hamstring injury.

In return, the Nationals receive four right-handed pitchers, two – relievers Jake Bird and Yovanny Cruz – with major league experience. It’s their second trade made with the intention of curing the massive imbalance between their league-leading offense and nearly league-worst pitching staff, a process that began with the swap of Curtis Mead to Boston for lefty Connelly Early.

Here’s the early grades on the Nationals-Yankees swap:

Luis Garcia Jr. trade details

Yankees receive: Nationals infielder/DH Luis Garcia Jr.

Nationals receive: RHP Jake Bird, RHP Ben Grable, RHP Yovanny Cruz, RHP Jack Cebert

Yankees trade grade: A-

Talk about instant impact: Garcia has been fantastic this season, already establishing a career high with 23 home runs and ranking in the 93 RD percentile for expected slugging. He and All-Star Ben Rice can immediately occupy the first base and DH spots, lengthening a Yankee lineup that’s been held to three runs or less in 12 of their last 16 games.

While many remember Garcia as a second baseman – he played 125 games there a year ago – he’s been strictly a first baseman and DH this year, slugging enough from that spot to produce a career-best 2.3 WAR. Garcia was worth minus-7 outs above average at second in 2025. Unless they’re willing to get creative, Garcia doesn’t solve the Yankees’ production outage at the opposite corner, where Ryan McMahon is batting .207 with an adjusted OPS of 75.

Yet. it gives them significant options both game-to-game and inning-to-inning, with lefties Garcia, Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Rice lurking against right-handers. Veteran Paul Goldschmidt can now return to simply crushing left-handed pitching, and should Giancarlo Stanton return, the Bombers will have significant maneuverability late in games.

Garcia is earning $6.9 million this season and has one more year of salary arbitration before hitting the market.

Nationals trade grade: B

There has to be a more moderate reaction to upgrade a terrible pitching staff than “trade away both corner infielders.” Yet, that’s the route the Nationals have chosen, and it’s not too hard to blame them.

Losing Garcia and Mead will be tough and signals a strong look to the future after the club bubbled over .500 this year and drew within a game of a playoff spot before a five-game losing streak, that included a four-game sweep at Atlanta, preceded this deal. Minus those two, youngsters Brady House and Albimelic Ortiz figure to get much of the playing time at the corners.

We will see how far the Nationals go in their sale, with All-Star shortstop CJ Abrams the most notable figure whose future is in doubt. While the Nationals’ playoff chances were tenuous, they have compromised what could have been a tremendous 2027 lineup as well, with Garcia, Abrams and James Wood running it back in the middle of the order.

Now, that possibility is gone, and Abrams’ future will be in flux until the deadline arrives at 6 p.m. ET Monday, Aug. 3.

Still, it’s hard to argue with pitching tonnage, including a pair of arms – Bird and Cruz – who can help the bullpen immediately. Bird enjoyed more success with Colorado in 2025, striking out 62 in 53 innings with a 4.73 ERA, yet had a 7.24 ERA in 27 games across two seasons with New York. He’s largely a slider-sinker guy, able to get swings and misses in the zone with both pitches when he’s going well.

Cruz, 26, made his major league debut in May and has pitched in four big league games. He originally signed with the Cubs in 2017 out of the Dominican Republic before joining the Padres, Red Sox and Yankees as a minor league free agent in recent years. He’s worked exclusively as a reliever since 2022, and relies on a 100-mph fastball, slider and splitter. Control is his bugaboo, posting 6.7 walks per nine innings as recently as 2025 in Class AA with Boston.

Grable, 24, was the Yankees’ 11th-round pick in 2025 out of Indiana University; he’s currently ranked their No. 25 prospect by MLB Pipeline. He’s shown well in his first full pro season, posting a 2.45 ERA and striking out 56 in 36⅔ innings, almost all of it at Class AA. He’ll likely land among the Nationals’ top 15 prospects.

Cebert, 24, was drafted four rounds after Grable a year ago out of Texas Tech and has been on virtually the same path as Grable, spending almost all his season at Class AA Somerset. While similar precision hasn’t been there – he’s toting a 4.90 ERA and 1.38 WHIP in 13 outings at Class AA – the punch is, with 79 strikeouts in 64⅓ innings.

Immediately triaging their porous bullpen and taking a shot at two starters who conceivably could impact the club sometime in 2027 rates as a fairly solid day of work for new club president Paul Toboni. Whether the Nationals minus Garcia can come close to retaining their machinelike offense – their 607 runs scored are 29 more than any other club – bears watching.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Luis Garcia Jr. trade grades: Yankees add slugger, Nationals get pitching help

It was one of the hottest first pitches on record in Coors Field history as the Colorado Rockies took to the field looking for their first sweep of the second half against the Kansas City Royals. The Rockies rode a six-run sixth inning in tandem with a vintage Kyle Freeland start in order to cement an 8-1 victory and bust out the brooms.

Today we’re all Kyle Freeland Guys, Gals, and Pals.

It may have been over 100 degrees on the mound at Coors Field this afternoon, but Denver native, Thomas Jefferson High School graduate, and ten-year MLB veteran Kyle Freeland was as cool as ice.

On 115 pitches, Freeland not only threw his best start of the season by allowing just one earned run on five hits and two talks while striking out eight batters, he also pitched the first complete game of his career.

“Oh man. It’s been a long time, huh?” said Freeland after getting the final out before a well-deserved cooler bath.

Freeland struck out Royals leadoff hitter and designated hitter Carter Jensen to open the game and set the tone. The only time he found himself in real trouble was in the second inning when the Royals scored their only run of the game. Freeland gave up a walk and two singles to let Kansas City on the board. In the third inning with one out he gave up a double to slugger Jac Caglianone.

Then, Freeland locked in.

Following that double, Freeland set down a career-high 18 Royals in order. He was efficient. He was deliberate. He commanded both the ball and the strike zone. Freeland ended up striking out eight total batters–tied for his second-most this season–with six of those strikeouts coming on his excellent knuckle curveball.

“Right from the jump, he didn’t miss,” said catcher Brett Sullivan after the game.

In the top of the eighth inning, as Freeland’s pitch count rose, reliever Zach Agnos was up and warming in the bullpen. Then, quietly, the bullpen was empty.

“The conversation with Schaeff between innings was ‘Are you good? Do you want it?’ and the answer was an immediate yes.”

Manager Warren Schaeffer confirmed in his post-game interview that he planned to keep Freeland in the game.

“I was going to do everything I could to let him finish that game,” Schaeffer said.

Freeland came back out for the ninth and quickly got Caglianone out again, but then his streak of setting down batters ended when future Hall of Famer Salvador Perez doubled to right field. Freeland then appeared to have struck out veteran outfielder Starling Marte, but the third strike was overturned on ABS review. Marte then singled on a grounder to left. With runners on the corners and no outs, Agnos began warming up again. However, Freeland induced two quick flyouts to earn his first career complete game on his 251st career start.

Grinning ear-to-ear in his post game interview on the field with Ryan Spilborghs, Freeland was asked if he had a message for the Rockies faithful.

“I love you guys,” he said. “All ten years. I love you guys.”

After the game, skipper Warren Schaeffer was asked about Freeland’s role and leadership on this Rockies squad.

“It’s–I think–inherent for him since he’s been here for such a long time,” Schaeffer explained. “He’s been such an enormous presence in the clubhouse in the Rockies’ winning days, and then through this lull we’ve had in the past however many years, he’s been a constant leader in the clubhouse. Through thick and thin, which is the test of a real leader. Can you lead in distress? And he has. He’s meant the world to me as a first time manager. He’s been fantastic and I’m so happy for him today.”

Jake the Snake strikes hard in collaborative offensive effort.

With the weather as hot and dry as it was today in Denver, the ball wasn’t really rocketing out of the stadium like one would expect. The Rockies’ offense started fairly slow. Mickey Moniak drew a walk in the first inning and was driven home by a Cole Carrigg double. In the fourth inning, Edouard Julien drew his second of three walks in the game. Julien moved to third on a Brett Sullivan double and was then plated by an Ezequiel Tovar sacrifice fly.

Then the Rockies blew the Royals’ doors off in the sixth inning.

Back-to-back singles by Troy Johnston and Willi Castro, followed by another Julien base on balls, loaded up the bases with no outs for Brett Sullivan. Sullivan laced a double over the head of right fielder Jac Caglianone to score two runs and put the Rockies up 4-1.

After Tovar grounded out in what ended up being a hitless game for the beleaguered shortstop, off-season acquisition and potential trade name for tomorrow’s deadline Jake McCarthy came to the plate. In what was his only hit of the day, McCarthy sent the ball over the right field wall for three more runs.

Carrigg singled–his third of the day after going hitless with three walks last night–to keep the inning going and was driven home with an authoritative TJ Rumfield double.

Coming Up Next

Tomorrow at 4:00 PM MDT is the 2026 MLB Trade Deadline, with a potentially very different-looking Rockies roster ready to play later that evening. The Rockies will start a three-game series against the visiting Tampa Bay Rays. Right-handed veteran Michael Lorenzen is currently scheduled to start against Rays lefty Ian Seymour. First pitch is slated for 6:40 PM MDT.

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Happy Sunday, Red Sox nation. Can you believe we get to watch Red Sox baseball? They’re the hottest team in baseball right now and going for a sweep of the villains of the league, the Los Angeles Dodgers. It’s Jake Bennett vs Emmett Sheehan, in what will hopefully be a great showcase of what the Red Sox are doing to a national audience.

That brings me to my next point, which is: what the Red Sox have done over the last month or so is what we should be talking about. The trade deadline is coming up, there are moves to be made, and speculating about them is fun, so go right ahead on that front. What I don’t care about is the upcoming CBA negotiations and how the Tarik Skubal trade affects that. That’s not for another 3 months. Talking about labor stoppages and economics is boring. Talking about a baseball team going on an insane hot streak is fun. Sports are fun! Don’t lose sight of that. Watch a rookie starting pitcher throw to a lineup full of all-stars and enjoy it. Watch Ceddanne Rafaela go nuclear at the plate and make diving catches in the field without worrying about if there’s a salary cap coming. We’re playing great baseball right now, and that’s what’s important.

Sorry for being preachy; I spent too much time reading Twitter this morning, and I think we’re all losing the plot a bit.

7:20 pm on NBC and Peacock and probably the radio too.

Lineups

Ready for Sunday Night Baseball! pic.twitter.com/WUnM0lUang

— Red Sox (@RedSox) August 2, 2026

Today's #Dodgers lineup vs. Red Sox: pic.twitter.com/st4XfV9zB2

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) August 2, 2026