Category: MLB

Texas Rangers @ Tampa Bay Rays

Tuesday, July 28, 2026, 5:40 PM CDT (105.3 The Fan / Rangers Sports Network)

Tropicana Field

RHP Cal Quantrill vs. RHP Griffin Jax

Go Rangers!

Tuesday notes…

• MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS: This is the Cubs’ 27th series of at least four games at St. Louis since the National League’s Expansion Era began in 1962. With their win last night, they are 13-14 in first games but 6-4 in the last 10, since 2007. They are 5-4 in second games since then and 11-15 overall. They have won the first two games four times: 1976 (finished 2-2), 1992 (3-1), 2014 (2-2) and 2023 (3-1). The last of those is the only time they won the first three. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
• STREAKING, PART 1: The Cubs have hit at least one home run in nine consecutive games, a season high. Their last nine-game streak was in 2024. They had streaks of 10 and 13 games in 2023, and in 2021 they homered in 16 straight, one short of their team-record 17 in 1998. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
• STREAKING, PART 2: Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki both have 15-game on-base streaks. Nico Hoerner had a streak end at 15 earlier this year. Suzuki had one of 16; Michael Busch, 19 and 27; Pete Crow-Armstrong, 28; and Happ, 30. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
• TODAY IN CUBS HISTORY: Manny Trillo’s three-run homer in the 11th inning gives the Cubs a 5-2 win over the Phillies in Philadelphia. It happened 50 years ago today, Wednesday, July 28, 1976.

Cubs lineup:

Back for more baseball.

Watch the game live on @WatchMarquee. pic.twitter.com/0JHOqwT96J

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) July 28, 2026

Cardinals lineup:

🎼 On a long hot summer day pic.twitter.com/bNtEoDh3YR

— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) July 28, 2026

Colin Rea, RHP vs. Michael McGreevy, RHP

Colin Rea keeps plugging along, eating up five or six innings a start, allowing three or four runs.

That’s okay, but… the Cubs need better. He has not faced the Cardinals this year. Current Cardinals are batting .119 (7-for-59) against him with no home runs and 17 strikeouts.

Keep that up, Colin.

Michael McGreevy has been the Cardinals’ most consistent starter all year. He has allowed two or fewer runs in 13 of his 20 starts.

He doesn’t walk many or strike out many, so the Cubs should look to put the ball in play tonight.

Last year he made three starts against the Cubs and posted a 4.70 ERA in 15.1 innings, with three home runs allowed (one by Seiya Suzuki, two by Michael Busch). He’s allowed 15 home runs this year in 114.1 innings.

Here is the weather forecast for the area around Busch Stadium.

Today’s game is on Marquee Sports Network. It’s also on TBS (outside the Cubs and Cardinals market territories).

Here is the complete MLB.com live streaming page for today.

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com game preview

Please visit our SB Nation Cardinals site Viva el Birdos. If you do go there to interact with Cardinals fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.

The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note.

You’ll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).

At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game.

The Live! (formerly “First Pitch”) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.

You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.

Discuss amongst yourselves.

The Guardians have been good at starting pitching in 2026. They should do something to get even better.

In today’s start against the Reds, Slade Cecconi fell apart in the fourth inning, which comes as no surprise to anyone who has been following Cecconi’s travails as a starter for the Guardians. Since he arrived in Cleveland, Cecconi has a 2.62 ERA first-time-through-the-order and a 3.28 FIP. He has a 3.96 ERA/4.52 FIP second-time-through and an 8.39 ERA/7.26 FIP third-time through. These numbers don’t include today’s game against the Reds, which would further inflate these stats. It’s not unusual to see a back-end-of-the-rotation guy struggle second and third time through orders, and Cecconi has improved his numbers from 2025 to 2026 slightly in turn number two (third time is still awful). But, I think it’s time for the Guardians to recalibrate and move Cecconi to the bullpen.

There should be a fair few starting pitchers available at this deadline, somewhat of an unusual occurrence. From the Angels’ Reid Detmers and Jose Soriano, to the Royals’ Seth Lugo or Michael Wacha, the Diamondbacks’ Eduardo Rodriguez or Merrill Kelly, the Mets’ Freddy Peralta or Clay Holmes, the Reds’ Brady Singer, the Giants’ Tyler Mahle or Robbie Ray, the Orioles’ Trevor Rogers, or the Mariners’ Emerson Hancock, the options who should be potentially available are plentiful. Unlike the pursuit of a proven hitter (especially a right-handed one) for the lineup, the saturated market for pitchers can provide the Guardians a reasonable bargain option. Unlike the pursuit of a reliever – everyone wants two and paying for their volatile value is always a huge risk – going after a starter looks to be a realistic quest this deadline.

As usual, I’d like the Guardians to take a big swing and go for Reid Detmers or Jose Soriano. If the Angels are serious about a rebuild for once in their lives, I’d gladly give up a top five prospect to see what the Guardians’ pitch coaching can do with the meat left on the bone in both of those cases by an Angels’ pitching group notorious for not getting the most out of their arms. Detmers has a 4.05 ERA and a 3.28 FIP with a 10.2/3.3 K/BB/9 and Soriano has a 3.29 ERA and a 3.80 FIP with a 9.3/4.2 K/BB/9, with both players under arbitration team control through 2028. I have long been salivating to see either one of them in a Guardians’ uniform, convinced the team could maximize their talent. But, even if Cleveland finds those prices prohibitive, getting a rental option like Clay Holmes or Robbie Ray would make a huge difference in enabling them to add a real weapon to their pen in Cecconi while offering much improved production in his current rotation spot.

Cleveland does one thing especially well and it’s get the most out of pitchers. I think it makes sense given the current situation with Cecconi to leverage their greatest skill to provide Carl Willis the opportunity to make the most out of this trade deadline in terms of improving the major league team. Use the depth of your farm system in hitters to improve the unit that will obviously have to carry you in any playoff run. Make it so!

Potential trade target Sandy Alcantara shackles punchless Phillies originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

MIAMI – All over baseball Tuesday night, pitchers who could be on the move before next week’s trade deadline were on the mound, showing their wares for potential suitors.

Shane Bieber pitched for Toronto, Seth Lugo for Kansas City, Luis Castillo for Seattle, Michael King for San Diego and Reid Detmers for the Los Angeles Angels.

And, right there in front of the Phillies’ eyes, Sandy Alcantara got the assignment for the Miami Marlins.

The 2022 National League Cy Young award winner proved to be a handful for the Phils. He pitched seven shutout innings as the Marlins beat the Phillies, 1-0, under the Big Top in Little Havana. It was the Marlins’ second win in as many nights over the Phillies. Miami entered the series having lost 12 in a row. 

The Phillies, meanwhile, have lost eight of 11 since coming back from the All-Star break. They have been shut out twice in that span and held to one run four times. They have played four series since the break and now have lost ’em all. They had just four hits Tuesday night.

Pete Fairbanks, another Miami trade candidate, got the save with a 1-2-3 ninth.

Dave Dombrowski, the Phillies’ president of baseball operations, is looking to make a deal before the trade deadline. The offense’s recent struggles suggest strongly that he needs to acquire a hitter. But the Phils need pitching, as well, as they are just 5-21 in the fifth spot in their rotation. Someone like Alcantara would provide the Phils with a huge lift, but the price will be high for the right-hander, who is eligible for free agency after the season. Whether it’s a top arm like Alcantara or a lesser available talent, the Phils are expected to add a pitcher before the deadline.

Pitching was not the issue Tuesday night as Aaron Nola held the Marlins to just one run over 5 2/3 innings. He allowed a solo homer to Kyle Stowers in the first inning for the game’s only run.

The Phillies’ lineup was not full force. Kyle Schwarber, the NL’s home run leader with 33, was supposed to start at first base with Bryce Harper getting the DH assignment. But Schwarber came down with the stomach bug that has recently plagued the clubhouse and did not play. Catcher J.T. Realmuto, hitting .387 (12 for 31) since the All-Star break, got a night off as Garrett Stubbs came off the IL.

Without Schwarber, Alec Bohm started at first base and Edmundo Sosa at third. Right-handed hitting Bryan De La Cruz got the start in right field over lefty-hitting Gabriel Rincones Jr.

The Phils had a couple of good scoring chances against Alcantara, but both times were thwarted by the veteran pitcher. They had runners at second and third with no outs in the second, but came away empty when Edmundo Sosa struck out, Justin Crawford grounded out and De La Cruz popped out.

In the sixth, Harper and Bohm both singled with two outs before Alcantara struck out Brandon Marsh looking. Marsh was leading the majors in hitting at .338 on June 8. He’s down to .280.

The Phils did hit some balls hard against Alcantara. Harper lined out to the wall in center in the fourth and Sosa hit a scorching liner to third in the seventh.

(More coming…)

The Dodgers do not have to do anything. They’re in on everything, including Tarik Skubal.

With one week left before baseball’s trade deadline, the Dodgers are doing what the Dodgers always do. When you are flush with money and prospects, you can invite yourself into just about every conversation, from checking in on a star player to sniffing around for a three-way deal in which you trade away major league depth to acquire even more prospects.

“Not having an acute need at this time of year is very helpful,” Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said Tuesday.

It ain’t bragging if you can back it up. The Dodgers boast baseball’s best record, with seven key players expected to return from significant injuries over the next two months. Then comes the quest for a three-peat: the chance to become the first team in National League history to win three consecutive World Series championships.

Read more:Tarik Skubal blockbuster deal likely isn't part of Dodgers' trade-deadline plans

To me, that should be the most compelling element of the Dodgers’ trade deadline strategy.

Friedman repeatedly has said he would like this era to be remembered as “the golden age of Dodger baseball,” and nothing says legacy like doing something that never has been done.

And, if major league owners get their way, something that might never be done again.

We’re not just talking about the owners of teams tired of getting beaten by the Dodgers. We’re talking about Friedman’s boss, Mark Walter.

“We can’t win all the time,” Walter told me this spring.

The owners are prepared to shut down the sport until they get a salary cap, but even a compromise with the players’ union would almost certainly involve some kind of spending restraints intended to make Friedman’s job tougher.

Act now, even in a way that might make you feel uncomfortable, because this chance might never come again.

“We feel this current team is as talented and tight-knit of a group as we’ve had,” Friedman said, “and we’ve been extremely aggressive over the past offseasons to try to put that group together.

“To the extent we can add to it, we’ve shown in the past that we’ll be aggressive on that front as well, but it’s good going into this last week feeling as good as we do about this group.”

On the one hand, Friedman himself, and Walter himself, and Dave Roberts and Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts and a cast of heroes talked up a three-peat at last year’s championship celebration.

Read more:Dodgers' strong road trip finishes with bullpen meltdown in loss to Mets

Walter: “All I have to say to you is, we’ll be back next year.”

Friedman: “How about we do it again?”

Betts: “Three-peat ain’t never sounded so sweet.”

On the other hand, well, the Dodgers won the World Series last year without trading for the outfielder and closer the world said they needed, then committed $309 million to outfielder Kyle Tucker and closer Edwin Díaz in the winter.

“We don’t really think of the 2026 World Series as a three-peat,” Friedman said Tuesday. “ ‘24 and ‘25 are in the bank. As soon as you get into the offseason and into spring training, it’s all about winning in ‘26.

“That is somewhat semantics, but the context is that it’s no different than in any other year, in the sense of doing everything we can to win the last game of the year. I would think the aggressiveness last offseason would fully demonstrate that.”

On Tuesday, Fangraphs projected the Dodgers had a 25% chance to win the World Series, more than twice as high as any other team. A third catcher would help, and a reliever might too, but neither would lift that percentage in any meaningful way so much as provide insurance should Will Smith’s recovery from his neck injury stall or the bullpen implode.

Skubal might not lift that percentage much, either, in place of Ohtani or Blake Snell or Tyler Glasnow in the starting rotation. The Dodgers project all three to be healthy in October and, if not, they have All-Star Justin Wrobleski.

But Wrobleski already has set a professional high for innings pitched, and Skubal would provide a big lift to the teams most likely to keep the Dodgers from returning to the World Series: the Milwaukee Brewers, Atlanta Braves and Chicago Cubs.

And, although the Dodgers pride themselves on running a team whose championship window never closes, they already field the oldest lineup in the majors. In the NHL, owners shut down an entire season to get a salary cap.

Let’s say the 2027 baseball season starts late. By the end of the season, the Dodgers could field a lineup in which every position player besides Andy Pages was at least 30 years old, including Freddie Freeman at 38, Max Muncy at 37, Betts at 34 and Ohtani at 33.

Read more:Kyle Tucker homers again, shows flashes of his past form in Dodgers' win over Mets

Friedman called it “a fool’s errand” to try to predict the outcome of collective bargaining negotiations and disputed the thought that the Dodgers might miss a window by not maximizing whatever chance they have this year.

“I just think this is a really, really talented team,” he said. “If we had an acute need and it was like, ‘Oh, you didn’t address that,’ then, yeah, we missed an opportunity.

“In this game, there’s just no guarantees of anything. You just make the smartest decisions you can and hope it plays out in a way where you have some good fortune and you win the last game of the year.”

Perhaps “three-peat” should not be the word of the week. Perhaps we should substitute “three-peat-maxxing.”

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

The Braves have had their game with the New York Mets rained out. Does that mean they’re standing pat today? No, sir or madam. Do you think they’re out there actively trying to improve the team? In theory.

The #Braves today selected RHP Elieser Hernández to the major league roster after optioning LHP Connor Thomas to Triple-A Gwinnett following yesterday’s game.

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) July 28, 2026

The Atlanta Braves, who hold a five and a half game lead in the NL East and hold a 97.5 percent chance at making the playoff per Fangraphs, have selected RHP Elieser Hernández to the major league roster after optioning LHP Connor Thomas to Triple-A Gwinnett following yesterday’s game. The last time we all saw Elieser was way back on Friday. He pitched three innings of one-hit ball and grabbed the win against the Baltimore Orioles. The .125 BABIP wasn’t fully lucky, as he picked up at least three pop-ups in that game. The Braves might have to cover two games on Wednesday depending on the weather, and Elieser will likely be a part of that.

Returning to Gwinnett after three games in The Show is Connor Thomas. He picked up eight outs in last night’s game versus the Mets. Connor will return to Triple-A and continue what he does well, getting dudes out in Gwinnett at a 1.98/3.64/4.17 clip. That’s good for a 41 ERA-, 76 FIP-, and a 85 xFIP-. He’ll be back, probably.

The crown jewel of the 2026 MLB trade deadline is undoubtedly two-time Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal. The Tigers' lefty has missed some time due to injury this season, but still boasts a remarkable 2.70 ERA on the season while striking out 11 batters per nine innings pitched.

In a sense, this has been Skubal's best season. His strikeout-to-walk ratio is the highest it's ever been at 8.46. His FIP (2.68) is still elite and below where his ERA currently stands. All that to say that every team in position to contend for a World Series this year should be dialing the Tigers' number and trying to get their paws on Skubal.

Of course, not all trade destinations are built the same. Here are the five best landing spots for Skubal. Rankings are listed with consideration for which teams would most benefit from adding Skubal and which teams would have the best World Series opportunity with the addition of Skubal.

Tarik Skubal trade landing spots

5) Milwaukee Brewers

Between Jacob Misiorowski, Kyle Harrison, and Shane Drohan, the Brewers already have a very solid top-three for their playoff rotation, and could turn to guys like Chad Patrick or Logan Henderson as a fourth starter if need be. While adding Skubal would give the Brewers the greatest 1-2 punch we've seen since Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee on the Phillies in 2010.

Milwaukee should focus more on offensive depth or a legitimate shutdown closer. If they were to snag one of the league's top trade targets at this year's deadline, Mason Miller would be better suited for Brew City than Skubal.

4) Los Angeles Dodgers

While the Los Angeles Dodgers have the money and the prospects to do whatever they want, they don't NEED to add Tarik Skubal. Still, that might just happen.

After injuries to Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow, the Dodgers are lacking in pitching depth. While both Snell and Glasnow are expected to be back well before the postseason, the Dodgers have a history of struggling with pitcher injuries and could just opt to grab someone like Skubal as insurance. Crazy to think that a two-time Cy Young Award winner could be an insurance policy for a team already at the top of World Series oddsboards.

While Skubal would certainly widen the gap between the Dodgers and the rest of the league, the Dodgers would be better served going for a reliable innings eater who wouldn't cost as many prospects like Kevin Gausman or Robbie Ray.

3) Atlanta Braves

The Atlanta Braves may already have an ace in Chris Sale, but the team could certainly use some more elite starting pitching. The Braves don't really have a No. 2. They have four No. 3's, so adding Skubal would make make their rotation much more fleshed out and sound for the postseason.

That said, the Braves will have some pitchers returning from injury soon. Guys like AJ Smith-Shawver, Spencer Schwellenbach, and Spencer Strider. Adding Skubal would give them more pitchers than they need, but would likely be enough to hold off the Philadelphia Phillies for the NL East crown for the rest of the regular season. There are upsides and downsides, and there is potential that any of those three pitchers named earlier suffers setbacks in their recovery process.

2) Tampa Bay Rays

The Rays aren't normally a team that is willing to take a big swing at the trade deadline, but in recent years, they've sure tried to be that team. In the final year of Shohei Ohtani's deal with the Angels, the Rays made a play for him, offering two great prospects in Junior Caminero and Carson Williams for Ohtani. That didn't happen obviously, but it's evidence that the Rays are willing to offer.

While the Rays would probably be best served going after some consistency at the top of their lineup with a guy like Luis Arraez, the addition of Skubal would elevate an already solid pitching staff into elite status. With how weak the American League has been this year, adding Skubal would all but put the Rays in the ALCS as is.

1) Chicago Cubs

With how great the Cubs' lineup has been all year, the Cubbies should focus solely on adding starting pitching at the deadline. While every other team on this list has at least one pitcher you could consider an ace, the Cubs lack much at all from their rotation. Matthew Boyd and Shota Imanaga have been the best pitchers for the team and neither boasts an ERA under 3.70.

Skubal elevates the Cubs more than any other team in the league, and if the Cubs have been able to get to 14 games over .500 with mediocre starting pitching, adding someone like Skubal who could pretty much guarantee them three wins every four starts would be a huge addition, brining the Cubs up to the level of the Dodgers, Brewers, and Braves in the National League. It might even be enough to lift the team into NL Central title contention.

When is the MLB trade deadline?

The MLB trade deadline is set for Monday, August 3 at 6 p.m. ET.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY Sports: Will Tigers trade Tarik Skubal? Ranking five best deadline destinations

How could any Cubs fan forget one of the most memorable wins of an otherwise forgettable season in 2014 when backup catcher John Baker threw a scoreless 16th inning against the Colorado Rockies before scoring the winning run [VIDEO].

Local fans may recall that Danny Rockett organized a night with the support of John Baker where local bloggers would come together for an evening of Cubs content, raffles and a fundraiser to benefit a local charity. Great news for 2026, John Baker Day is back! This Thursday, July 30 at 7:00 p.m. CT, former Cubs catcher, mental skills coach, and Cubs folk hero John Baker will join fans live for John Baker Day, streaming on YouTube, Facebook, and X.

Since the first John Baker Day a decade ago, the event hosted by Danny Rockett and the Son Ranto Ranter community, has raised thousands of dollars for causes ranging from women’s shelters to youth baseball organizations like Lost Boyz Inc.

This year, Cubs fans have the opportunity to help launch something entirely new: Trap Door Theatre’s world premiere production of The Game, an original baseball backdropped musical farce written by Danny Rockett and scheduled for Summer 2027.

The live show will feature stories from John’s playing career, memories from that legendary July night at Wrigley, updates on his new mental performance company Intentional Performance, Cubs guests, live music, trivia, giveaways, and plenty of surprises throughout the evening.

Cubs fans can join in the fun by:

• Watching the live broadcast on July 30 at 7:00 p.m. CT.
• Bidding in the John Baker Day Auction, with winners announced live during the show.
• Purchasing raffle tickets for chances to win Cubs memorabilia and experiences
• Donating to the tax-deductible John Baker Day – The Game GoFundMe, where every dollar donated will be matched up to $5,000 thanks to a generous matching gift.

Auction Highlights Include:

• 12 weeks of mental performance coaching from John Baker’s Intentional Performance.
• An Anthony Rizzo autographed bat.
• Original Cubs artwork and memorabilia from Danny Rockett’s personal collection, including pieces by beloved Cubs artist Matt Kammerer.
• The chance to sit with Cubs superfan Bleacher Jeff in his legendary Section 504 seats, complete with lunch at the historic site of the Battle of Wrigleyville Dogs.

Raffle Prizes Include:

• An unopened bottle of 2016 World Series Championship Champagne.
• A signed Patrick Wisdom baseball and artwork by Matt Kammerer.
• Gift certificates from Penguin Imprints and In The Clutch Shirts.
• Wrigley Field giveaways.
• Jewelry from Wrigleyville favorite Ballhawk Dave.
• And more prizes still to be announced.

Fans can also purchase a limited-edition John Baker Day Obvious shirt, with proceeds benefiting Trap Door Theatre.

Whether you’ve celebrated every John Baker Day or are just discovering one of the Cubs community’s most beloved traditions, this year’s event promises laughs, stories, incredible memorabilia, and another opportunity for Cubs fans to rally around a great cause. After all, John Baker Day has never really been about one baseball game. It’s about the friendships, generosity, and community that make being a Cubs fan unlike anything else
in sports.

Texas Rangers lineup for July 28, 2026 against the Tampa Bay Rays: starting pitchers are Cal Quantrill for the Rangers and Griffin Jax for the Rays.

The first place Texas Rangers take on the first place Tampa Bay Rays in beautiful St. Petersburg, Florida, this afternoon/evening. It is the start of a six game road trip leading us up to the trade deadline, two series against playoff contenders that could significantly impact which direction the Rangers will go.

No pressure.

The lineup:

Pederson — DH

Langford — LF

Duran — SS

Nimmo — RF

Carter — CF

Burger — 1B

Lopez — 2B

Smith — 3B

Wynns — C

5:40 p.m. Central start time. Rangers are +150 underdogs.

Well this is a peculiar first move for trade deadline season. Jake Rogers, the longest tenured Detroit Tigers player, has been designated for assignment. Eduardo Valencia was recalled on Sunday and will be taking over the backup catcher duties. Rogers’ roster spot will go to Javier Báez, who returns from a three-month absence after suffering a high ankle sprain at the end of April.

The 31-year-old Rogers made his major league debut with the Tigers back on July 30, 2019 after coming to the Tigers in the trade that sent Justin Verlander to the Houston Astros in August of 2017. He finally became the Tigers primary catcher in 2021 before tearing his UCL and requiring reconstruction surgery that cost him all of the 2022 season. In 2023 and 2024 Rogers put together good seasons based around his defensive ability, plate discipline, and the occasional burst of home run power. He was worth 4.7 fWAR across those two years, but since that point his offensive contributions collapsed as Dillon Dingler took over the everyday catching role. This season, Rogers’ defense finally showed real signs of cracking as well. He’s hitting .161/.266/.301 for a 60 wRC+ which ranks him 48th out of 59 catchers with 100 plate appearances or more this season.

Despite his struggles, two part-time White Sox catchers, and numerous others, are even worse offensive players than Rogers. 11 catchers with 100 plate appearances or more have a lower wRC+ than he does. It won’t be a surprise if he gets claimed, and the Tigers will probably get a lottery ticket prospect of little value in return. The problem for Rogers going forward is that his defensive numbers have declined this year and he’s finally grading out below average. Whether that’s partly the result of lack of playing time is hard to say, but hopefully he’ll be claimed somewhere. If he clears waivers and is outrighted the Tigers will still be on the hook for the rest of his $3.05M salary for 2026. That’s not much, but every dollar matters with the team over the payroll threshold.

Valencia is far and away a better hitter than Rogers, so that should provide a little support to the offense. On the other hand, Valencia isn’t that good behind the plate, particularly in terms of holding opponents’ running game in check. Still with Rogers defensive numbers in decline, perhaps Valencia won’t do worse. The Tigers will probably just lean into Dingler catching most days down the stretch either way after trying to keep him somewhat rested with plenty of DH days so far this year.

Getting Báez back could be pretty helpful to the Tigers although it’s just funny to look at Báez as a way to trim strikeouts in the lineup by taking over some of the workload from James Outman. It will be interesting to see how he’s deployed. With Kerry Carpenter out with a foot injury, the outfield needs help. It needed help anyway. We’ll see if Báez is back to full speed and can get back to playing a solid enough center field. If he’s back to 100 percent, that also gives the Tigers options, with Báez getting some time at shortstop and around the infield to get another right-handed bat into the lineup. Either way, it’s good to have Javy Báez back, and hopefully further support for the outfield isn’t too far away as Max Clark will be available to be called up without spoiling his 2027 rookie eligibility as long as the Tigers wait until mid-August.

Perhaps Rogers will clear waivers and just end up accepting an assignment back in Triple-A. He’s obviously very well liked in the clubhouse and has had future coach written all over him for a long time. We’ll see if there’s still major league work left for him as a catcher, or whether it’s time to start thinking about moving over to the instructional side. Probably a team will pick him up on the cheap, at least for a little while. Either way, best of luck to the Sheriff.

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

We have an interesting question for you this week. We are asking you to take a Pittsburgh Pirates player from the last 25 years and add them to this year’s roster. The only catch is that our content management system only allows for six answers, so you are beholden to the six players that I selected.

Andrew McCutchen (MVP Version)

• 2013 NL MVP
• Five straight All-Star selections
• Four Silver Sluggers

Jason Bay

• 2004 NL Rookie of the Year.
• Four straight 30-homer caliber seasons in Pittsburgh.
• Middle-of-the-order force.

Brian Giles

• One of the most underrated hitters in baseball.
• Outstanding OBP of .426 and 165 homers during his Pirates years.

Gerrit Cole

• Ace of teams that made the playoffs.
• Didn’t fully become “Gerrit Cole” until Houston, but he was excellent in Pittsburgh with a 3.50 EAR 1.27 WHIP.

Starling Marte

• Elite defender, baserunner, and hitter.
• Two Gold Gloves and one of the best all-around players of the era.

AJ Burnett

• 36-28 record with 3.34 ERA during Pirates year.
• 532 Ks in three seasons in Pittsburgh.

Cast your vote, tell us in the comments, and we’ll be back soon with the results!

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

During the recent Orioles press conference about the Kyle Bradish contract extension, principal owner David Rubenstein said of his president of baseball operations Mike Elias that “we couldn’t be more pleased” regarding the job that he has done.

Taking that at face value, the question has been answered, Elias will remain the boss of the Orioles front office no matter what happens with the remainder of the season. There are plenty of examples across the sports landscape of why not to take those kinds of proclamations at face value. The “dreaded vote of confidence” is its own recognized part of the manager/GM hot seat. Almost nobody ever directly says, “Things need to improve or we’re going to fire this guy.” They just say nice things when asked and fire the person when they want to fire them.

In this week’s survey question, I want to know what you think is going to happen. Is Elias going to be around for next year, or not? Vote in the poll here:

I have thought for a while that if the Orioles do not make the postseason this year, then Elias should be gone at the end of the season. Let someone else figure this thing out, because his answers aren’t getting the Orioles where they need to be.

At this writing, there is about a 25% chance of the Orioles making the postseason. I hope that Rubenstein is more prepared to have some accountability for multiple years of underachieving than his Bradish presser remarks suggest.

What do you think? Make sure to vote above, and let us know in the comments below.

Many expected the Dodgers to be facing the Mariners in the World Series last season, but Seattle couldn’t close the deal against the Blue Jays. Now, a year later, they’re an inferior team, but one still fighting to enter the postseason. The M’s will go with the veteran Luis Castillo for the opening game of this series; potentially good news for a Dodgers offense that scored more than four runs only once in its last five games, making the pitching do the heavy lifting in the road trip’s last stop at Citi Field.

A symbol of stability for this young Mariners staff ever since his acquisition back at the deadline in 2022, Castillo has a 3-9 record this season, which is a direct indicator of career-low numbers almost across the board. Lately, though, Castillo has had problems keeping the ball in the yard, allowing five home runs in his last two outings, the losing pitcher of record in each of his three outings this month. Although that 4.85 ERA this season justifies a lousy record, it is also a byproduct of the Mariners’ complete inability to provide him any run support, scoring just 19 runs in his last eight starts.

Back to the home runs and how they might come into play, the one Dodger to actually leave the yard against the Mets, Kyle Tucker, is also one of the two who has gone deep against Castillo before. The two home runs in Citi Field were encouraging, but even in this recent stretch, Tucker needs to show more to come close to the player the Dodgers thought they were getting. Hitting at home hasn’t been an enjoyable task for Tucker with a .607 OPS at Dodger Stadium.

One player who has definitely enjoyed performing at Dodger Stadium, though, is Justin Wrobleski. The Dodgers’ starter has managed to keep an ERA below 3.00 both at home and on the road, but his .461 OPS allowed in seven starts at home genuinely sounds made up. Monitoring how he does with an increased workload in the second half is a priority for the Dodgers.

Tuesday’s game info

• Teams: Dodgers vs. Mariners
• Ballpark: Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles
• Start time: 7:10 p.m. PT
• TV: SportsNet LA
• Radio: AM 570 (English), KTNQ 1020 AM (Spanish)

Inspiration.

The Diamondbacks had three weak positions at the All-Star break:  First base, left field, and center field.  The following table shows some highlight metrics in games through 16 July. Data from Baseball Beference and Baseball Savant.

“The sum total of these endeavors is wretched on a historical level. Over almost three hundred plate appearances, Arizona’s first basemen are batting .215/.249/.312 for a .561 OPS at the position. That is currently the lowest figure at 1B by a major league team in over a century.” —  Jim McLennan, 18 June 2026

Let’s look at first base.  More specifically, “What has recently changed?”

This season, who has played at first base?

Before we continue, a promising player in AAA who could have a future at first base is Manuel Pena.  He is 22.6 years old.  Recently, he impressed two writers, in May and July.    This season, in games through 21 July, he worked on improving his batting.  Four home runs in 110 PAs was great, but his 27% whiff rate needs to be nudged lower, and his .830 OPS is not as good as it seems because it’s AAA Reno.

So far, ten players have played first base.  Let’s look at them briefly.

• Mostly catchers:  James McCann & Adrian Del Castillo.
• Cup of Coffee:  Luken Baker, released 15 June after 4 PAs.
• Rookies who returned to AAA:  Lu James Groover (33 PAs) & Jose Fernandez (60 PAs).
• Negative 22 OPS+:  Carlos Santana (26 PAs), released 26 June.
• Positive 20 OPS+:  Pavin Smith (53 PAs), DFA on 9 July, currently back in AAA.
• The Contenders:  Ildemaro Vargas, Tim Tawa, and Tyler Locklear.  Let’s look at them in depth.

The Contenders.

How do the contenders compare in batting?  After Pavin Smith’s DFA, the competition for first base started in earnest.  Statistics from 10 July onward show that the contenders’ batting is very impressive.  The following table shows their extraordinry batting. Data from Baseball Savant.

Although Ildemaro Vargas was best overall batter, noteworthy was Locklear matching his OBP, and Tawa with the better hits per ball in play (hits/BIP). 

How do the contenders compare in Defense?  Let’s look at this season’s Outs Above Average (OAA) at first base, which is based on range and catch probability, and Defensive Runs Saved (DRA) at first base, which compares all defensive actions to average (and is used by Baseball Reference to calculate WAR).

OAA.  Tim Tawa and Ildemaro Vargas, each with 2 OAAs, are better than Tyler Locklear with negative 1 OAA.

DRS.  Ildemaro Vargas with 5 DRS is better than Tim Tawa and Tyler Locklear, who have 1 DRS and 0 DRS.

Looking at OAA and DRS, Ildemaro Vargas is the best defender at first base.

Do splits in performance between left-handed and right-handed pitchers show a possible advantage to platooning?  The following table shows the splits. Data from Baseball Savant.

The table shows a possible batting improvement if Tyler Locklear plays against right-handed starting pitchers and Ildemaro Vargas play against left-handed starting pitchers.  And the benched player is available for pinch hitting in the late innings, depending on an advantageous matchup.

Summary.

After Pavin Smith’s DFA, the competition for first base started in earnest.  Statistics from 10 July onward show that the contenders’ batting was extraordinary.

This season, looking at OAA and DRS, Ildemaro Vargas was the best defender at first base.

The OPS splits show a possible batting improvement if Tyler Locklear plays against right-handed starting pitchers and Ildemaro Vargas play against left-handed starting pitchers.  And the benched player is available for pinch hitting in the late innings, depending on an advantageous matchup.