DENVER, CO - APRIL 08: Cristian Javier #53 of the Houston Astros pitches during the game between the Houston Astros and the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on Wednesday, April 8, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Casey Paul/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
TODAY’S GAME: The Houston Astros (47-50) and Texas Rangers (48-47) will play their final game of the first half today in the rubber game of their big three-game series at Globe Life Field in Arlington, TX.
Both teams named today’s starters postgame last night with the Astros tabbing RHP Cristian Javier (0-1, 10.22 ERA) for the start opposite LHP MacKenzie Gore (5-8, 4.72 ERA), who’ll be working on three-days rest for the Rangers.
ABOUT JAVIER: RHP Cristian Javier, who missed nearly three months of the season with a right shoulder strain, is returning to the rotation today after making his last two appearances out of the pen. He broke camp in the rotation and made just three starts to open the season before being sidelined.
The veteran Javier, who was limited to eight starts in 2025 while recovering from Tommy John surgery, is 35-23 in his career with a 3.81 ERA.
THE SILVER BOOT SERIES: The Astros are 6-3 vs. the Rangers thus far in the 2026 Silver Boot Series and can win the season series today with a win. Since the start of the 2017 season, the Astros have won or split nine straight season series against the Rangers, going 99-54 vs. the Rangers in that span.
THE SLOW TURNAROUND: After a slow start to the season, the Astros are 27-19 since May 21, which is the best record in the AL in that span. On that date, the Astros were 20-31, 11 games under, which is their low water mark for the season.
Winning Percentage since May 21, AL
1. Astros 27-19 (.587)
T2. Tigers 24-21 (.533)
T2. White Sox 24-21 (.533)
ROAD WARRIORS: The Astros are 17-11 on their last four road trips combined and are 23-17 on the road since going 1-9 on their first road trip of the season. The Astros have won four of their last six road series dating back to May 22.
WINNING THE CLOSE CALLS: The Astros are 9-6 in one-run games and 21-11 in two-run games. Nine of the Astros last 11 wins and 14 of their last 17 victories have come by two-or-fewer runs.
Last night’s 9-3 win was the Astros first win by four-plus runs since June 19 vs. CLE, in a 9-3 win.
TODAY’S ROSTER MOVE: The Astros have traded IF Braden Shewmake to the Brewers in exchange for cash considerations. Shewmake was designated for assignment by the Astros on Friday.
ASTROS AYA ALL-STARS: The Astros Youth Academy has its baseball and softball teams playing in tournaments in Philadelphia this weekend, with the boys participating in the Commissioner’s Cup and the girls participating in the Jennie Finch Classic. These events are a part of MLB’s baseball and softball development events taking place as part of this year’s All-Star Week activities.
ALL-STAR ALVAREZ: DH Yordan Alvarez has been voted by the fans as the starting DH for the AL All-Star team. This marks the fourth All-Star selection for Alvarez (2022-24, 2026) and the second time that he has been voted as a starter (also in 2024).
MVP-CALIBER: DH Yordan Alvarez is a strong MVP candidate, currently leading all of baseball in OPS (1.055), OBP (.422), SLG (.633), and total bases (219). Additionally, he ranks first in the AL in HR (31), first in RBI (70), first in XBH (48), tied for first in hits (109), second in batting average (.315), second in runs (65), and fourth in walks (61).
WHAT A HALF!: DH Yordan Alvarez has hit 31 homers this season, which are the most in a first half in franchise history, topping OF Lance Berkman, who hit 29 homers in the first half of the 2002 season. Alvarez is on pace to hit 51 homers on the season, which would represent a new franchise record, topping the 47 homers hit by 1B Jeff Bagwell in 2000.
SECOND HOME: DH Yordan Alvarez is hitting .455 (10×22) with seven homers, 11 RBI and five walks in six games at Globe Life Field this season. In just 36 career games at Globe Life Field, Alvarez ranks tied for 11th all-time at the stadium in homers (19), just ahead of the Rangers DH Joc Pederson (16 HR in 96g) and 1B Jake Burger (12 HR in 97g).
ON THE MEND: RHP Hayden Wesneski (right elbow surgery) made a rehab start at Triple A last night vs. Albuquerque, tossing 4.2 innings, allowing one run on five hits with seven strikeouts and no walks on 61 pitches.
LHP Bennett Sousa (left elbow inflammation) also pitched at Triple A last night, tossing 1.0 scoreless inning on eight pitches.
TODAY’S FUTURES GAME: The Astros top two prospects, OF Kevin Alvarez and IF Xavier Neyens, will represent the club in the All-Star Futures Game, which will be played today in Philadelphia. Both prospects, which play for Class A Fayetteville, are considered top 100 prospects per MiLB.com, with Alvarez ranking 69th and Neyens 87th overall.
TODAY IN ASTROS HISTORY: 2016 – 2B Jose Altuve and RHP Will Harris represent the Astros in the All-Star Game, as the AL downs the NL by a score of 4-2 at Petco Park in San Diego. For Altuve, it marked his second All-Star start and fourth overall appearance. Harris, who was making his All-Star debut, pitched out of a huge jam in the 8th inning, striking out the Cardinals PH Aledmys Díaz with the bases loaded to preserve the 4-2 lead.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Sunday, July 12, 1:35 p.m. CT
Location: Globe Life Field, Arlington, TX
TV: SCHN
Radio: KBME 790 AM & 94.5 FM HD2; TUDN 102.9 FM HD2 (Spanish)
While last year was a “shortstop” draft, 2026 went hard for hitters, particularly outfielders (eight of the first 20 picks, and every pick from No. 5-9). Just three pitchers went in the Top 20, and just one arm (Jackson Flora, Giants, No. 4) before pick 18.
All of the first nine position player prospects this year (through pick No. 14) are shortstops. Getting deeper into the round, 12 of 21 picks were shortstops, still almost exclusively among position players.
On Day 2, the White Sox finally got their “first overall pick” vibe that shoulda/woulda been theirs in any other past draft, and at No. 106 did not quite take the top remaining talent on the board.
Note, all picks with breakout stories on site are linked below. Picks on Sunday (Rounds 5-20) who fall outside of MLB’s Top 250 without a truly distinguishing trait won’t have individual stories published on site, but merely will show up here on our tracker.
Day 2: Sunday, July 12 (Rounds 5-20) 10:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. CT Rounds 5-20 (MLB.com, MLB.TV, MLB+)
White Sox picks First Round (No. 1) Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA Cholowsky was the consensus No. 1 pick pretty much since the end of last year’s draft, with an MLB-ready bat and glove. We could see him in Chicago as soon as September.
We’ll drop this into our draft signing tracker (up soon) as well, but Roch has passed his physical and signed for an all-time draft record of $10,350,000 (yes, that’s almost exactly 47% of the White Sox bonus pool — but less than the $11,350,600 slot).
Competitive Balance Round A (via Pirates) (No. 34) Landon Thome, 2B/3B, Nazareth Academy (Ill.) The White Sox telegraphed this pick with last night’s trade, as Thome was falling right around this slot in predraft rankings and the club did not want to gamble on him falling to their second-round pick (No. 41). Thome is likely to shift off of his prep spot, shortstop, as his hitting and speed are more advanced than his glove. Thome will quickly join Nazareth teammate Jaden Fauske, taken by the Sox in the second round a year ago, in Low-A Kannapolis.
Second Round (No. 41) Cole Prosek, 2B, Magnolia Heights (Miss.) H.S. Prosek was ranked as the No. 27 talent in the draft, meaning that the White Sox snagged a first-round talent about a dozen picks lower than they should have. He and Thome both might take a bit of an over-slot offer to sign, but the White Sox have oodles of bonus money to wave their way. Prosek is another bat-first talent who can hold his own defensively, and the 18-year-old (turns 19 in three days) packs a wrinkle into his game — he just started playing catcher this past season.
Third Round (No. 77) Joey Volchko, RHSP, University of Georgia The White Sox opt for an arm four picks in, grabbing this electric righty from Georgia. He’s a definite project, however, with some concerning contradictions: his mid-90s fastball (that can run up to 101 mph) has little movement and thereby is hittable, while his breaking stuff (splitter/change and curve) cannot be thrown for strikes. His upside remains a No. 2 or 3 starter, and the downside … not getting out of A-ball.
Fourth Round (No. 105) Eric Segura, RHP, Oregon State University Segura is the first pick of the draft where the White Sox moved on a player ranked lower on the MLB draft board, as this righty was ranked just 196th by MLB Pipeline. Beyond this possibly being a cost-cutting pick to push some extra money at other selections, Segura seems to always outkick his coverage. He bulled his way into the Beavers rotation as a freshman hurler, and after a year in the pen ran with a rotation opportunity once more, improving his control and putting up a 2.22 ERA that was one of the 10 best in Division I.
Fifth Round (No. 137) Cal Scolari, RHP, University of Oregon Scolari has significant injury history — TJS wiped out his high school senior and college freshman seasons — but brings a powerful fastball (running up to 98 mph) to the system. His background screams reliever, but his solid mechanics and pitch mix put Scolari in the running for rotation work when the time comes for his pro debut.
Sixth Round (No. 166) Alex Weingartner, OF, St. Augustine Prep (N.J.) H.S. Weingartner was a pitcher/shortstop as a prep, but the White Sox are drafting him to man the outfield, with an arm for right and the speed for center. He’s so fast, he broke a 60-yard dash record at a showcase this past offseason. There are questions regarding his ability to catch up to higher velocity in the pros, so the White Sox will be working on shortening Weingartner’s swing.
Seventh Round (No. 195) Clay Burdette, RF, Xavier University Burdette has the raw tools of a first-day drafted player, but falls to Day 2 (and ranked just No. 248 by MLB) due to his swing-and-miss and selectivity issues. Evaluators see Burdette’s 50 Ks in 51 games in a baseball-soft conference like the Big East as a red flag. But otherwise, Burdette’s skills are off the charts, with 60 speed and some of the best exit velocities in all of Division I.
Eighth Round (No. 225) Jayson Jones, 3B, Wichita State University It took eight rounds for the White Sox to pick a player outside of MLB’s Top 250, and that reason is easily explainable: transience, and contact issues. Jones has played at three schools in four college years, never fully realizing his preposterous raw power. He’s a value pick with amazing upside given his strong arm and raw power. Jim Callis on the MLB draft broadcast recalled Jones winning a high school home run derby at Coors Field and tabbed his raw power (hyperbolically?) as “at least 70 grade.”
Ninth Round (No. 255) Luke Craytor, RHRP, Virginia Tech University After a mediocre career running to its very end in his 2026 senior season, Craytor came through in the clutch, seeing high-leverage time for the Hokies and jumping from like UDFA to a ninth round pick. He went 4-0 with two saves and a solid 3.16 ERA as a senior. His fastball can run up to 98 mph, although that velocity ticked down as he got deeper into his 25 2/3-inning season. But analysts love Craytor’s spin on both his slider and cutter, so he seems an ideal candidate for perfecting in the pitching lab.
10th Round (No. 285) Matthew Bucciero, OF, Farifield University Bucciero is another four-year senior and value pick for the White Sox. He was the MAC Player of the Year, leading the conference with 20 homers and a .688 slugging percentage
The pool the White Sox will have to sign their first 10 picks is $20,489,500.
11th Round (No. 315) Kyle Casteel, RHSP, Butler (Pa.) H.S. Casteel is an absolute steal for the White Sox, a third-fourth round talent (ranked No. 162 by MLB) secured in the 11th thanks to smarts and persistence. At 6´4´´, the 18-year-old has the size to add even more oomph to his mid-90s fastball (think Tanner McDougal, perhaps). He’s absolutely a starter at this point, with a strong slider as his secondary pitch and on the road to adding a solid change. Casteel might be the best pick of the entire draft for the White Sox, and for a team with the 1-1 that’s saying something.
12th Round (No. 345) Braden Holcomb, OF, Vanderbilt University Holcomb is another great talent given his draft slot, the No. 226 talent in the draft according to MLB. He’s an absolute thumper, with 30-homer potential. However, there is some swing-and-miss built into his game that will have to be stitched up for him to get there. Plus, he has five-position (OF, corner IF) experience but has yet to find his spot on the field to thrive.
13th Round (No. 375) Grayson Fitzwater, 1B, Virginia Military Institute And in order to help afford the two picks above, we have a fourth-year senior value pick here, a bat-first thumper. Fitzwater plays in a baseball backwater but stands as VMI’s all-time leader in several categories, including homers, total bases and RBIs. He was the Southern Conference’s preseason Player of the Year, was its Player of the Week twice, and finished 2026 in the Top 25 in the country in homers (21) and slugging percentage (.753).
14th Round (No. 405) Isaac Yeager, RHRP, Oregon State University Yeager is a massive hulk of a pitcher, running 6´6´´, 255, yet a savvy enough one to have his own web site touting his draftability (shout-out isaacyeager.com)! As a fourth-year senior, it would have been unsurprising to see Yeager picked up to seven rounds earlier, given his absolute lockdown 2026: 2.04 ERA, 39 2/3 innings over 25 games, 0.908 WHIP. The White Sox have landed another sleeper, and their draft keeps getting better and better.
15th Round (No. 435) Cameron Johnson, LHSP, University of Oklahoma Johnson was the 250th talent in the draft, yet the White Sox were able to get him at No. 435. Again, the White Sox strike for big talent late, something they have done rarely over the years. Johnson was a member of the 2026 national champion Sooners, but his wildness kept him mostly on the outside looking in. His big arm can hit 99 mph on the gun, but he’s a bigtime project for the pitching lab.
16th Round (No. 465) Darin Horn, RHRP, Coastal Carolina University Just two picks after taking a late-game ace in Isaac Yeager, the White Sox strike again with Horn, a closer for the Chanticleers. Horn picked up seven saves in 31 games in 2026, with a 3.21 ERA. However, with that ERA and an outstanding 3.88 Ks per walk, Horn’s WHIP lags a bit at 1.262, possibly indicating hitters can see him pretty well. Thankfully, he minimizes damage (just four homers in 67 1/3 innings), and will get right in to the closer mix in the org.
17th Round (No. 495) Crew McChesney, OF, Brigham Young University Not quite sure what to make of the Name of the Draft for the White Sox. McChesney was a center fielder for the Cougars but didn’t steal bases. He also seemingly sold out for power in a push for draft position — but that sellout resulted in just three more homers (from five to eight) and triples (zero to three) but gutted his plate discipline (12 walks, 51 Ks). Crew’s slugging percentage did rise prodigiously (.445 to .584), but the White Sox are likely going to have to find a way to unlock eight-homer power without blinding McChesney’s batting eye.
18th Round (No. 525) Jackson Bergman, RHSP, University of Indiana The White Sox may be ending the draft on a puzzling note, as this one is another puzzler. Bergman is a fourth-year senior, so he probably wasn’t going to be drafted too much higher than the 18th Round, but being sidelined for all but three games in 2026 with an elbow injury didn’t help. Bergman’s prior stats seem to warrant UDFA status at best, so perhaps Bergman is this year’s Gotta Getta Indiana Playa.
19th Round (No. 555) Jake Berkland, SS, Minnesota State University-Mankato Northern Sun Conference monster Berkland is a mini-mite (5´9´´, 155) with a mighty bat (in two seasons with the Mavericks, he’s slugged .526 with a .999 OPS). Several years back the White Sox drafted Nick Altermatt out of Minnesota, a two-way player with massive offensive numbers — and he’s a short reliever in the system now. So past metal-bat dominance in Minny is no indication of future mashing in the White Sox system.
20th Round (No. 585) Connor Fennell, RHSP, Vanderbilt University The best draft in recent memory for the White Sox ends on an intriguing note, and perhaps with one more over-slot signing. As a starter in 2o24 and 2026, Fennell wasn’t too special for the Commodores, but his season spent as a swingman in 2025 was extraordinary (6-0, 2.53 ERA, 53 1/3 innings and a 0.825 WHIP). He’s got a nice strikeout tendency (10.7 per nine in his college career) and is extremely stingy with walks (5.73 K/BB). The White Sox may feel they have the key to unlocking his success as a starter, or want to plug him in as a stopper or closer.
Sadly, Fennell is now looking like a longshot pick and long shot to sign; scouting director Mike Shirley admits that the White Sox simply drafted Fennell as insurance in case another pick fell through (money or health). If the first 20 players sign as the White Sox now project, there will be no money left over to ink Fennell.
That’s it for the draft! Stay tuned for our podcasts and recaps of the draft, as well our our draft signing tracker.
Wherefore art thou, Mr. Schultz? | Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images
For all of the surprises we’ve gotten out of a wonderful first half of play from the 2026 White Sox, it feels perhaps a little fitting that they’ll head into the break by addressing (or at least attempting to address) one of the premier uncertainties that will have a heavy hand and determining whether we get October baseball on the South Side this year: What, exactly, can we plan on getting out of Noah Schultz the rest of the way?
The 22-year-old makes his third start today after a month-long injury layoff, and unfortunately, the backsliding and lack of consistency that were becoming worrisome prior to his IL stint are still major concerns. He’s got a 6.00 ERA through 10 starts, with fewer than a strikeout per inning and over five walks per nine. His start on Tuesday against Boston, in which he battled through five innings but couldn’t keep anyone off the bases and ultimately put the Sox in a multi-run hole, was pretty emblematic of what we’ve seen out of him at the big-league level thus far.
There’s clearly little to nothing for him left to prove in the minor leagues, so all we can see is where the adjustments will fall.
The biggest thing I’m looking at today? Schultz’s fastball usage. His sinker is his most frequently-used pitch at a touch more than 25%, and unfortunately it’s gotten hammered. His four-seam fastball draws three times as many whiffs and has held hitters to expected stats significantly more muted than what they’re doing against his sinker.
More important than the whiffs is the fact that he can’t actually keep his sinker on the ground. Over 60% of the batted balls against Schultz on the whole so far have been in the air, which is a really bad way to go about things in a place like Rate Field. The average launch angle on contact against Schultz’s sinker is 15°, just a couple degrees below his four-seamer. That’s one of the 20 highest rates in the major leagues.
So I must ask: If it doesn’t get whiffs, and doesn’t keep the ball on the ground, then what’s the point of throwing it? Perhaps today, we’ll find out.
Here’s the Athletics lineup that this hypothesis may or may not be tested against:
Meanwhile, despite another power outage yesterday, with a sweep and first place at the break on the line, Will Venable is putting out a full-strength Sox lineup against burgeoning Athletics starter J.T. Ginn.
It’s almost surreal, looking at a Sox lineup and thinking that it wouldn’t actually necessarily be that much better if you stuck Roch Cholowsky in there right now this second!
First pitch is scheduled for 1:10 p.m. CT at Rate Field in Armour Square. If you want to join us, broadcasts are available on CHSN (TV) and WMVP AM 1000 (radio), like always!
ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - MAY 3: Dustin May #3 of the St. Louis Cardinals delivers a pitch against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Busch Stadium on May 3, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The St. Louis Cardinals will wrap up their 3-game series against the Atlanta Braves Sunday before the All-Star Game break. Dustin May gets the ball for the Cardinals while the Braves will send Danny Young to the mound followed shortly thereafter by JR Ritchie. First pitch is scheduled for 1:15pm at Busch Stadium Sunday afternoon and the game TV broadcast will be available through Cardinals.tv.
Jul 10, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Atlanta Braves pitcher Danny Young (63) looks on after giving up a solo home run to St. Louis Cardinals catcher Jimmy Crooks (8) during the eighth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
Can the Braves end this matchup on a high note and avoid a sweep before going into the All-Star break?
We’re set to find out in just a few hours. Tune in at 2:15 p.m. EDT for the first pitch at Busch Stadium.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JULY 9: Wyatt Langford #36 of the Texas Rangers hits a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth inning to win the game over the Los Angeles Angels at Globe Life Field on July 9, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
CLEVELAND, OHIO - JULY 04: Austin Hedges #27 of the Cleveland Guardians celebrates after hitting a fly ball to center field for a home run, tying the game 1-1 in the fifth inning against the Chicago White Sox at Progressive Field on July 04, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Russell Lee Verlinger/Cleveland Guardians/Getty Images) | Getty Images
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - JUNE 20: Ian Seymour #61 of the Tampa Bay Rays throws against the Washington Nationals during the first inning of a baseball game at Tropicana Field on June 20, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Jul 10, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Tigers designated hitter Eduardo Valencia (32) hits an RBI single against the Philadelphia Phillies in the sixth inning at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images
Detroit Tigers (44-51) vs. Philadelphia Phillies (53-42)
Time/Place: 1:40 p.m., Comerica Park SB Nation Site:The Good Phight Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network Pitching Matchup: LHP Tarik Skubal (5-4, 3.06 ERA) vs. RHP Zack Wheeler (9-1, 2.28 ERA)
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 11: Ty France #25 of the San Diego Padres flips his bat after hitting a home run against the Toronto Blue Jays during the sixth inning at Petco Park on July 11, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Diego Padres haven’t had a win like this in quite some time. It’s been a while since the Friars have won in such thrilling fashion. The last time that happened was when San Diego came back against the Atlanta Braves after being down 5-0. The Padres got off to an early lead, scoring two in the first, before starter Walker Buehler struggled in the second inning. He surrendered four runs to the Toronto Blue Jays in the top of the frame.
The Friars immediately tied it in the bottom of the frame. They then hit the go-ahead run in the third to make it 6-4. The club knocked in one more run in the fourth to lengthen their lead before Vladimir Guerrero Jr. tied it on a three-run shot against Bradgley Rodriguez. The Padres got their go-ahead run on a solo homer from Ty France. That one run was all they would need as Mason Miller blanked the Jays to slam the door shut.
Taking the mound
Kevin Gausman (TOR) v. Germán Márquez (SD)
Despite sporting a below-average 4.32 ERA, Gausman has looked good this season for the Jays. That higher mark has been due to some recent struggles. In his last seven starts, the righty’s surrendered 27 runs toward a 6.51 ERA. In his last three, Gausman has surrendered 11 runs.
The Padres have historically hit quite well versus Gausman. Chief among them is Fernando Tatis Jr., who has two homers and a career .400 batting average. Additionally, France and Manny Machado both have batting averages over .300 against the Toronto right-hander.
Márquez dominated the Arizona Diamondbacks in his first start since coming off the IL. The veteran right-hander pitched five shutout innings, walking just three batters. Since returning from his IL stint, the righty has given up just two runs across eight innings pitched.
Only one of Toronto’s batters (Daulton Varsho) has more than 10 career at-bats against Márquez. The Jays haven’t had much success against the veteran apart from George Springer (.444 batting average in nine at-bats). Márquez has had his knuckle curve working lately. He’ll look to keep that up against the Jays this afternoon.
Batter up!
The offense looked fantastic last night, showing real fight throughout the whole game. The club scored in each of the first four innings and had some great at-bats against Toronto. The club walked a ridiculous eleven times, showing plate discipline they haven’t had most of the year. They’ll need to keep that consistent in order to win the rubber match today.
Fernando Tatis Jr., RF
Jackson Merrill, CF
Xander Bogaerts, SS
Manny Machado, 3B
Gavin Sheets, LF
Ty France, 1B
Miguel Andujar, DH
Luis Campusano, C
Sung-Mun Song, 2B
Merrill has had a very productive turnaround lately, hitting .321 in his last seven games and .288 over the last 15. He went 2-for-3 with two walks in last night’s game against Toronto. Hopefully, the center fielder will be able to continue that production after the All-Star break.
Relief corps
Despite Buehler going just 2 innings, the San Diego bullpen was saved by the unlikeliest of heroes. Matt Waldron made his return from the IL yesterday and pitched three shutout innings. He dominated, striking out three and stranding two hits. Yuki Matsui, Bradgley Rodriguez, Adrian Morejon and Mason Miller filled out the final four innings for San Diego, though Matsui struggled.
With the All-Star break beginning after the conclusion of today’s game, the bullpen will get some rest no matter how many arms the Friars need to turn to. Kyle Hart, Ron Marinaccio and Wandy Peralta will be the readily available options for San Diego.
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - MARCH 15, 2025: Emiliano Teodo #82 of the Texas Rangers throws a pitch during the eighth inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the San Francisco Giants at Scottsdale Stadium on March 15, 2025 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Bernacchi/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
The Texas Rangers have placed righthanded pitcher Chris Martin on the injured list with a right shoulder impingement, the team announced today. To take his place on the active roster, the Rangers have recalled righthanded reliever Emiliano Teodo.
This is the third trip to the injured list this season for the 40 year old Martin, and its possible he will not be activated again. Martin, who planned to retire after 2025 but opted to return for one more season, has a 9.00 ERA in 14 innings over 16 appearances this season, and has battled a shoulder issue throughout. It would be great if rest and rehab can get him back to being a semblance of the pitcher he was previously, the reality is that he may simply be done.
To replace him the Rangers are turning to righthanded flame thrower Emiliano Teodo. Teodo can reach 100 mph on the radar gun, but has had a challenging relationship with the strike zone in his career. It was hoped that he would be able to step up in 2025 and be a meaningful part of the Rangers’ bullpen, but he instead had an awful year plagued by injury and ineffectiveness.
Teodo is up now less because he’s shown he’s ready and more because the Rangers need arms and their options are limited. He has a 3.76 ERA in 40.2 innings over 35 games, with 35 walks, 8 hit batters, and 10 wild pitches to go with 52 strikeouts. He’s allowed just 4 earned runs in 15.2 IP since the beginning of June, but has walked 16 batters in those 15.2 innings. He’s also struck out 16 batters in those 15.2 innings, but having a 1:1 K:BB ratio isn’t generally a good thing for a pitcher.
Clay Burdette brings one of the best exit velos in Division I to the White Sox organization. | (Photo by Jill Weisleder/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
It was a back-to-back, strong-armed outfielders move from the White Sox in the seventh round, nabbing Clay Burdette from Xavier University with the No. 195 pick in the 2026 MLB draft.
Just three years ago, Burdette was regarded as one of the three best shortstops in Ohio, but blossomed as a right fielder after a transfer from Ohio State to Xavier. Ranked No. 248 on MLB’s board, the White Sox had fears that Burdette would be gone by their eighth-round pick and nabbed him despite his lower overall rank.
It’s not immediately apparent why Burdette was so slightly regarded in the MLB rankings. He boasts a strong arm for right field and the speed to see time in center. Burdette also has a proven combination of raw power and top-notch bat speed, with exit velocities among the best in Division I.
Playing in a more minor conference, as the Big East is regarded in baseball, Burdette doesn’t have a big track record of plate appearances against top-notch pitching. He also has some selectivity and swing-and-miss issues that could rear up, with 50 Ks in 2026 against just 23 walks.
For you Xavier fans, Burdette’s selection in the seventh round makes him the highest-drafted Musketeers position player ever.
On the surface, Burdette kills it with his scouting ratings, particularly for an seventh-rounder, with his running ability leading the way at 60. But a hit tool of 40 drags his overall evaluation down to 40. Seems like a chip Burdette needs to put on his shoulder.
Expect Burdette to hit the ground running and get some time in a Kannapolis later this summer, as a player who’s been overlooked of late trying to prove his mettle.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - JULY 11: Cal Raleigh #29 of the Seattle Mariners hits a single in the third inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on July 11, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Mariners will play today to try to avoid going 0-6 on this road trip and being swept into the All-Star Break. Honestly? Things don’t feel great.
Lineups:
Dear Rays, you are in first place, I know things are tight around there with the stadium and all but surely you can make a gameday lineup graphic.
News:
Can you tell from the tone here Shannon is over it?
Nothing new on the Mariners injury front. Julio has continued to work out in Seattle and the hope remains he will be ready to return late this week. Donovan is expected to begin his rehab assignment in the next few days. Pitching plans have not yet been shared.
Programming note: It’s also the MLB Draft and ALSO the Futures Game today, because MLB remain unable to market their product nor its future. You can find separate threads for those events on the site.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - JULY 07: Will Warren #29 of the New York Yankees delivers a pitch in the second inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on July 07, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Yankees’ fight back in the first two games of this series has been nothing short of admirable. They overturned late two-run deficits on both days, scoring three runs in the ninth in the opener and four in the eighth yesterday. The home runs are starting to fly again against a Nats bullpen that is seriously holding the rest of its team back. The Yankees are hoping to close out their first half in the best way possible: with a sweep.
Will Warren will have to be miles better than his last time out against the Rays, when he coughed up six runs on three home runs in four innings. The league is starting to figure out his fastball and he needs to find a way to vary his pitch mix more. I am surprised he has barely thrown the changeup and curveball given the above-average raw characteristics of each pitch — perhaps they can help him become less predictable. In 18 starts, Warren in 7-4 with a 4.15 ERA (101 ERA+), 3.96 FIP, and 94 strikeouts in 93.1 innings.
Cade Cavalli was the hot-head pitcher involved in the bases-clearing brawl with Willson Contreras and the Red Sox last week, making his first start after serving his five-game suspension for his inflammatory remarks. The former top pitching prospect for the Nationals, Cavalli missed all of the 2023 and 2024 seasons to Tommy John surgery. He has faced the Yankees once and it was by far the worst start of his major league career — eight runs on eight hits including four home runs in 2.1 innings at the end of last August. He’s a different pitcher this year with a four-seamer that averages 97 and tops out at 100 and a knuckle curve that’s gotten whiffs on almost 40-percent of swings. In 19 starts, Cavalli is 5-4 with a 3.88 ERA (110 ERA+), 3.35 FIP, and 105 strikeouts in 92.2 innings.
The Yankees make several changes to the lineups that have faced lefty openers in the last two games. Austin Wells celebrates his 27th birthday with a return to the lineup after homering in two of his last three appearances. Ryan McMahon’s bat is heating up and his glove at third is a welcome return following Amed Rosario’s mishaps. José Caballero replaces Anthony Vople at shortstop. Max Schuemann comes in to play right, moving Jasson Domínguez to DH to give Paul Goldschmidt a day off.
The Yankees haven’t shown they can handle superstar James Wood — 3-for-5 with a home run in each of the first two games — so it’s a matter of silencing the rest of the Nationals lineup. They also make a handful of changes from the starting nine yesterday. Abimelec Ortiz plays DH, moving Luis García Jr. to first and Curtis Mead to the bench. Keibert Ruiz starts over Drew Millas behind the plate while José Tena replaces Nasim Nuñez at second.
How to watch
Location: Nationals Park – Washington, DC
First pitch: 1:35 pm ET
TV broadcast: YES, Nationals.TV
Radio broadcast: WFAN 660/101.9 FM, WADO 1280 (NYY) | WJFK 106.7 The Fan (WSN)
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JULY 04: Guinness World Records adjudicator Thomas Bradford poses for a photo with members of the Texas Rangers front office and Budweiser after presenting a certificate for the world's largest glass of beer prior to the game between the Texas Rangers and the Detroit Tigers at Globe Life Field on July 04, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Day two of the 2026 MLB Draft: The Texas Rangers will be selecting sixteen players today, in Rounds 5 through 20. We will be updating through the day as each selection is made.
As a reminder, if a team selects a player in the first ten rounds, but doesn’t sign the player, they lose the bonus pool money referable to that pick. Thus, the players in the first ten rounds are almost certainly going to sign, and players taken in the back half of the first round are often less-heralded players who will sign for less than the slot value, which allows teams to apply the savings elsewhere (such as, in the case of the Rangers, Brody Bumila, their third round pick who has indicated he’s been offered first round money).
Players taken after the tenth round are less likely to be signed, since a team doesn’t lose any of their bonus pool money if they don’t sign those players. A player taken after the tenth round can sign for up to $150,000 without it counting towards the bonus pool.
5th Round— Michael Anderson Jr., DH/RHP, Penn State.
Ranked #263 on the Baseball America top 500, Anderson is a 6’3”, 230 lb. righthanded hitting and throwing senior who spent two years playing for Rhode Island, then transferred to Arkansas, where he went 0 for 8 in four games. He transferred from Arkansas to Penn State for his senior season, slashing .358/.470/.742 in 232 plate appearances with 20 homers, 23 walks and 30 Ks. He has big power and bat speed, but there are concerns about his ability to make contact and his tendency to chase. Anderson is slow and while he’s played first base in the past, he was just a DH for Penn State this year.
Anderson was announced as a two way player, and pitched in 8 games (8.2 IP) as a freshman for Rhode Island, as well as appearing in two games for Penn State. He’s hit 97 mph on the mound, and when he was in the transfer portal there were some who thought he had more potential on the mound than as a hitter. He presumably will get a chance to work out of the bullpen as well as hitting.
6th Round — Aidan Brainard, RHP, University of Nevada
Brainard is a 6’3”, 210 lb. righthanded senior who played for Northeast Community College in Nebraska and then Regis University in Denver before spending his senior season at Nevada-Reno. Between his junior year at Regis and his senior year at Nevada he put up a 6.77 ERA in 115.2 IP, striking out 125, walking 71, and hitting 22. It would appear that control is something he needs to work on.
7th Round — Caden Aoki, RHP, University of Georgia
Aoki is a 6’0”, 185 lb. righthanded throwing pitcher for the University of Georgia. He just finished his fifth year of college ball, having appeared in four games for Notre Dame as a freshman, then been part of the USC starting rotation for three years before transferring to Georgia for his fifth season. In 9 starts and 11 relief appearances for the Bulldogs he logged 86 innings, striking out 110 and walking 27, though also allowing 14 homers.
Here’s a “three things to know” piece from the Athens Banner-Herald about Aoki, who turns 24 later this year. It would appear he has no eligibility remaining, which means he’s almost certainly signing for somewhere in the $10-25K range. He also has a sweet mustache:
8th Round — Kolby Branch, SS, University of Georgia
Branch is a 23 year old, 5’11”, 202 lb. righthanded hitting infielder born in Allen, Texas, who graduated from Lovejoy High School and spent his freshman year at Baylor before transferring to Georgia, where he just finished his senior year. I guess the Rangers are buying Bulldogs in bulk. Branch was #43 on the BA top 100 senior sign list. 5th round pick Anderson, as a point of reference, was #4.
As a senior he slashed .291/.394/.628 in 234 plate appearances, with a whopping 72 Ks and 40 walks. For his college career, he has a .296/.397/.555 slash line.
9th Round — Kaden Carpenter, OF, Utah Valley State
Carpenter is a 6’4”, 225 lb. left handed hitting and throwing outfielder from Provo, Utah, who spent his first three years as a starter for Utah before transferring to Utah Valley State for his senior season. He’s #48 on the BA list of the top senior signs. I’m a big fan of his song “Rainy Days and Mondays.”
Carpenter had his best season as a senior, slashing .338/.467/.706 with 17 homers, 44 walks and 58 Ks in 255 plate appearances. Of course, he also was playing in the WAC, rather than the Pac 12 and then Big 12. His career slash line in college was .308/.421/.554.
10th Round — Evan Morrison, SS, Grand Valley State
Morrison is a 5’11”, 200 lb. lefthanded hitting shortstop who turned 23 in April. He’s from Ontario and was at the University of Waterloo, then McPherson College in Kansas, and then, for the past two seasons, at Grand Valley State, part of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, which includes such powerhouses as Davenport, Wayne State, and Wisconsin-Parkside.
As a senior, Morrison slashed .410/.476/.590 with, according to B-R, 28 walks against 7 strikeouts in 288 plate appearances, and was 27 for 35 on stolen base attempts. He’s also pitched in the past. He did not make the B-R top 100 senior sign list, and is probably a guy getting a $10K signing bonus and who will be plugged in to play whatever position is needed wherever they need somebody.
