Category: MLB

Last year, around the trade deadline, the Royals had a starting pitcher in his mid-30s on an expiring contract. Seth Lugo had a 3.03 ERA through his first 20 starts as the Royals approached the trade deadline under .500. Rather than trade him or extend him a Qualifying Offer at the end of the season, the Royals decided to sign him to a two-year, $46 million deal with a vesting option. Lugo had performance and injury issues after the signing, and has had mixed results this year. The extension looks like an overpay or an outright mistake right now.

Keeping Michael Wacha rather than trading him would be like walking into the same trap for a second year in a row.

Lugo has not been terrible this year. However, for a deal that could pay him up to $63 million, Lugo needs to be better than the 4.36 ERA he has put up. Even worse, he is trending in the wrong direction – his ERA-by-month has been 2.63, 4.59, 6.00, and 4.94. His peripheral numbers do not improve the story – he has an xERA of 5.42 and xFIP of 4.46. His strikeout rate is down for the seventh year in a row, part of that was moving to the rotation from the bullpen. His velocity has also been dropping over time, which is what happens to aging veterans.

Lugo has a vesting option for the third year that will pay him $20 million in 2028 if (a) he throws 335 innings over 2026 and 2027; or (b) he throws 190 innings in 2027. If he fails to reach those marks, the Royals still have a $17 million club option for 2028 with a $3 million buyout. I think you have to go into next year hoping Lugo is good enough to be a fourth starter, but that he does not hit the innings necessary to trigger the vesting option for 2028.

Enter Michael Wacha, he is a 35-year-old starting pitcher, the same as Lugo last year. The Royals have Wacha under control through next season for $14 million plus some incentives and there is a club option for 2028 at $14 million as well with a $1 million buyout. Wacha is having a nice season, which makes him attractive as a trade target in a market with not a lot of quality starting pitching. His value will never be higher. His 3.60 ERA is outperforming all of his peripheral numbers. If you are looking to next season objectively, you would expect him to take a step back from his 2026 level just due to aging and the low strikeout rate. Holding onto a pitcher who is likely to start moving toward the back-end of the rotation, even if he is still worth it on the contract, when you could get real prospects back for him is malpractice. Let’s do a little thought experiment to illustrate.

What if the Royals had traded Seth or let him walk after 2025? Some would say, “look at all the injuries this year and how much they have needed his innings,” but that is the wrong way to think about it. There were a lot of available free agents that would have been comparable to Lugo, including Dustin May, Erick Fedde, Tyler Mahle, Adrian Houser, Zach Littell, and Chris Bassitt. None of these are great options. But they are cheaper than Seth Lugo and capable of producing at last 80 percent of what Lugo has given them. And if you wanted to be more aggressive than that, you could sign a free agent like Michael King, a younger and better pitcher for not much more money per year with one additional guaranteed year. Any assertion that there will not be enough starters if Wacha is not on this team next year is just not true. And that is not even considering options on the trade market. How do you think the Royals ended up with Wacha and Lugo in the first place?

Michael Wacha is a fine pitcher. He is not irreplaceable.

Look at what pitching is available on the free agent market. Tarik Skubal may not be traded as Detroit has climbed back into the AL Central hunt. The Twins say they won’t trade Joe Ryan. The best long-term pitchers on the trade market may be Reid Detmers and Jose Soriano on the Angels, or short-term rentals like Kevin Gausman, not a guy you want starting in a playoff game.

It is conceivable that Wacha is the best starters available going into this final week before the deadline. Cash that chip in and I think someone like the Cubs might give you a Kevin Alcantara plus something or maybe even Jaxon Wiggins or Pedro Ramirez. I am not going to go team by team who might be interested and what they have, that is not the point of this article. There just seems like a lot of value to be gleaned in a trade for a pitcher who is realistically a third or fourth starter at best going forward. The Royals need to stop getting precious about having guys under team control and start flipping them when the value is there.

Eleven years ago today:

The Blue Jays made a blockbuster trade for Troy Tulowitzki. You know you are getting old when things you think happened a few weeks ago actually happened 11 years ago.

The deal sent Tulowitzki and LaTroy Hawkins to Toronto in exchangefor Jose Reyes, Jeff Hoffman (I wonder what ever happened to him), Miguel Castro, and Jesus Tinoco.

At the time, the trade worked: the Blue Jays finally returned to the playoffs. Tulowitzki batted .250/.313/.414 with 36 home runs in 238 games over three seasons for Toronto. After his release, he signed with the Yankees but managed only 13 at-bats before landing on the injured list, then retired soon after.

One can only wonder how Tulowitzki’s tenure in Toronto would have unfolded without the devastating ankle injury he suffered—also on July 28th, in 2017—when he rolled his ankle slipping off first base. At 32, he still had the potential for a few more strong seasons, possibly building the numbers needed for a Hall of Fame case.

When healthy, he was a joy to watch—his signature sidearm throws from shortstop were things of beauty.

Hawkins appeared in 18 games for the Jays in 2015, posting a 2.76 ERA over 16.1 innings before retiring that offseason. The playoffs were less kind: in three appearances (1.2 innings), he surrendered seven earned runs.

As for the players sent to Colorado:

Reyes finished 2015 with a .259/.291/.368 line for the Rockies. He was suspended at the start of the 2016 season for violating MLB’s domestic violence policy and released at the end of his suspension. Reyes then signed with the Mets, played three unremarkable seasons, and was released after 2018.

Hoffman was considered the key prospect in the deal, but unfortunately never reached his projected potential in Colorado. He spent parts of six seasons with the Rockies before being traded to the Reds, where he spent two years. Now, he has made his way back to the Blue Jays.

Castro made minimal impact with the Rockies, pitching in 24 games over two seasons with a 7.20 ERA. He was traded to the Orioles, then to the Mets after three and a half seasons. Since then, Castro has pitched for the Yankees and White Sox, totaling 11 seasons across seven teams with a 4.24 ERA in 425 games.

Tinoco has bounced between teams in his six-year career, logging time with the Rockies, Marlins (twice), Rangers, and Cubs. In 100 games, he holds a 3.98 ERA.

At the time, the trade was popular: a poll showed 75% approval, 18% neutral, and only 7% opposed.

It’s still difficult to judge the trade’s ultimate value. The Jays needed to move on from Reyes, and this was the available deal. They did make the playoffs twice—would they have done so without Tulo?

To move on from Jose Reyes’ hefty contract, the Jays took on Tulo’s even larger one. But as they say, pennants fly forever.

Seven years ago, the Jays called up Bo Bichetteand traded Marcus Stoman

Bo hit .311/.358/.571, in 46 games that year, his best OBP and Slugging of his career up until now. In seven years with the Jays, he hit .294/.337/.469 with 111 home runs in 748 games. He’s not having a great season with the Mets, but it seems like every Jays beat reporter has suggested the Jays trade for him, which makes little sense to me.

That same day, they traded Marcus Stroman to the Mets for Anthony Kay and Simeon Woods Richardson. (Woods Richardson, along with Austin Martin, would later be traded to the Twins for José Berríos.)

Looking back, keeping Marcus might have been the better play, but management didn’t expect to re-sign him. Stroman’s big personality may also have played a role in their decision.

Twenty-One years ago, the Jays played a marathon 18-inning game to edge the Angels 2-1.

Pete Walker earned the win with three shutout innings in relief, after Dave Bush started and went 8.1 innings, allowing just one run. The bullpen also featured Scott Schoeneweis, Justin Speier, Vinny Chulk, Jason Frasor, and Miguel Batista.

The walk-off run was scored by Alex Rios, driven in by Orlando Hudson.

That night’s lineup was something special:

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The Los Angeles Dodgers welcome the Seattle Mariners to town tonight, and they sit as a heavy -178 moneyline favorite for the series opener at Dodger Stadium. 

Behind Justin Wrobleski, my Mariners vs Dodgers predictions expect L.A. to walk away with a victory here as it faces the vulnerable Luis Castillo. 

Read more in my MLB picks for Tuesday, July 28. 

Who will win Mariners vs Dodgers today: Dodgers -1.5 (+113)

Justin Wrobleski has been fantastic all season, and he’s dominating since the All-Star break. Across his last two outings, the Los Angeles Dodgers stud owns a 1.38 FIP while limiting opponents to a 35.3% hard-hit rate.

The Seattle Mariners have also struggled immensely against left-handed pitchers this season, compiling an 89 wRC+. That’s compared to a 104 wRC+ vs. right-handed hurlers.

As for Luis Castillo, he has surrendered 2.50 HR/9 over his previous three appearances while posting a 6.17 FIP. 

With Wrobleski limiting a weaker split of Seattle’s offense and Castillo leaking power, Los Angeles has a clear path to creating separation.

I’ll play this to -110.

COVERS INTEL: Luis Castillo has been far less effective away from T-Mobile Park, posting a 5.05 road FIP compared to a 3.60 mark in Seattle. With the veteran also 1.80 HR/9 on the road compared to 0.81 at home, L.A. can capitalize. 

Mariners vs Dodgers Over/Under pick: Under 9.5 (-113)

The Under looks like the better angle tonight. Aside from Seattle’s inconsistencies against lefties, the Mariners are also in poor offensive form, posting an 88 wRC+ over their last six games with just a .118 ISO.

The Dodgers bullpen hasn’t been amazing with a 4.35 xERA over the last week, but Seattle doesn’t pose much of a threat at the dish, even when Wrobleski exits.

As for L.A.’s offense, the Dodgers are right around league average at the moment with a 100 wRC+ across their previous five contests, while their ISO sits at just .176.

I expect them to score enough off Castillo, but the Mariners relief corps is holding its own, compiling a 3.20 FIP over the last two weeks.

With a relatively high total of 9.5, the Under is the best play.

I’ll play this to -130.

Mariners vs Dodgers weather

Mariners vs Dodgers odds

• Moneyline: Mariners +170 | Dodgers -178
• Run line: Mariners +1.5 (-117) | Dodgers -1.5 (+113)
• Over/Under: Over 9.5 (+108) | Under 9.5 (-113)

Mariners vs Dodgers trend

The Under is 5-1 in Dodgers' last six home games. Find more MLB betting trends for Mariners vs. Dodgers.

How to watch Mariners vs Dodgers and game info

Mariners vs Dodgers latest injuries

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After lighting up the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday night, the Chicago Cubs will look to keep the bats rolling in tonight's rematch.

Chicago is -112 on the moneyline, and my Cubs vs. Cardinals predictions and MLB picks for Tuesday, July 28, see the Cubs take down the Cardinals once again.

Who will win Cubs vs Cardinals today: Cubs (-112)

Even with right-hander Colin Rea taking the mound for the Chicago Cubs this evening, I still expect the visitors to come out on top.

I don't care that Rea owns a 5.51 ERA, 5.10 xERA, and 1.35 WHIP over his last three outings. The St. Louis Cardinals offense has been lifeless, posting a 68 wRC+, .265 wOBA, and .578 OPS over its last 12 games.

On the other side, right-hander Michael McGreevy has allowed nearly a 52% hard hit rate and over a 15.5% barrel rate across his last three starts. Meanwhile, the Cubs offense has been on a tear, owning a 128 wRC+, .358 wOBA, and .193 ISO over its last 21 games.

Despite Rea's struggles this season, I think the Cubs offense does enough to carry them to a win.

I'll take the Cubs on the moneyline down to -115.

COVERS INTEL: McGreevy owns a poor Batters-Box pitcher rating and grades out poorly in matchup ISO, hard-contact rate, and strikeout rate. He will also face three elite-rated hitters and another with a strong rating.

Cubs vs Cardinals Over/Under pick: Over 8.5 (-121)

With two below-average pitchers on the mound tonight, I have to lean toward the Over, right?

Rea owns a 6.45 ERA, 5.66 xERA, and 1.61 WHIP on the road this season, while allowing an 11.05% barrel rate to opposing hitters. Meanwhile, McGreevy owns a 4.58 expected ERA on the road and has allowed a 41.57% hard hit rate and 9.55% barrel rate.

At least one of these arms is giving up some runs tonight.

While I like the Over 8.5, I wouldn't play it past -125.  

Cubs vs Cardinals weather

Should be another hot one in St. Louis, with temperatures in the upper 80s and slight winds blowing in. 

Cubs vs Cardinals odds

• Moneyline: Cubs -108 | Cardinals +104
• Run line: Cubs -1.5 (+150) | Cardinals +1.5 (-156)
• Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-117) | Under 8.5 (+113)

Cubs vs Cardinals trend

The Chicago Cubs have hit the moneyline in 16 of their last 21 away games (+11.80 Units / 51% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Cubs vs. Cardinals.

How to watch Cubs vs Cardinals and game info

Cubs vs Cardinals latest injuries

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The solution to the Guardians’ offensive problems is, obviously, a journeyman first baseman.

You can view our larger trade deadline piece here as we discuss a wider pool of options the Guardians may consider. To make my position clear, I expect the Guardians to make smaller moves, like trading Bo Naylor and getting a castoff/undervalued reliever. But, in the interest of exploring potential larger moves, we are doing a series looking at some of those bigger names. So far, we have discussed Spencer Steer, Luis Arraez, Shea Langeliers, Taylor Ward, Heliot Ramos and Jo Adell.

The Guardians chose Rhys Hoskins over Ty France when looking for a right-handed hitting first baseman this offseason… and that was a poor choice, so far. Hoskins has a 92 wRC+, .289 xwOBA/.301 wOBA, 32/15 K/BB%, 11 homers and terrible defense. France has a 142 wRC+, .334 xwOBA/.376 wOBA, 23.4/4.8 K/BB% and 16 homers for the San Diego Padres while playing the best first base defense in baseball.

Will the Padres be selling? They are .500 and 1.5 games out of the third wildcard spot. There are no guarantees. They will certainly want an overpay for France, given how he has played, if they trade him, and it’s important to note that he is producing about .040 points better than his xwOBA. Would the Guardians consider trading Manzardo for France and a Padres’ prospect they are interested in? Is there a chance they do a Francisco Mejia-type move and trade Kody Huff for the chance of putting a 142 wRC+ right-handed hitter in the middle of their lineup?

France is putting up career highs in average exit velocity, barrel rate and bat speed. Every metric makes it clear that his season is not a fluke. Rather than double-down on the mistake of trusting in David Fry and choosing Hoskins, the Guardians should correct their error and see if an overpay offer convinces AJ Preller, Padres GM, to do a little threading the needle dealing, selling high on France’s breakout.

Let me know what you think about the idea of acquiring Ty France in the comments below!

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

The MLB Trade Deadline is a week away and once again the San Diego Padres are getting a lot of attention. In recent seasons, the Padres and their general manager A.J. Preller have been on the prowl looking for pieces to add to their lineup that could finally bring a championship to San Diego. While that may be the case this season, the truth is no one knows — except Preller and his closest advisors of course. Actually, Preller may honestly not know which way the deadline will go, and he may not know until the homestand against the Colorado Rockies and the San Francisco Giants concludes.

Even if the Preller and the Padres are undecided, the baseball world has been speculating for weeks that San Diego’s All-Star closer Mason Miller could be on the move. With a low salary and multiple years of control, a trade involving Miller could bring the type of return that significantly impacts the depth in the Padres system — at the major league level and the farm system. Miller is a closer and yes, closers typically do not bring back significant talent, but he is not just any closer. Miller is the MOST DOMINANT closer in the game.

San Diego came out of the All-Star break on a 10-game road trip that saw them play against the Kansas City Royals, Atlanta Braves and Miami Marlins. The Padres entered the weekend series against the Marlins with a 2-5 record coming out of the break. The possibility of Miller being traded increased with each loss and baseball pundits began to imagine what trade packages could be cobbled together by teams like the New York Yankees, Milwaukee Brewers and Pittsburgh Pirates. Then San Diego went into Miami and swept a three-game series and Miller added two more saves to his season total which sits at 27. He is by far the most valuable trade piece for the Padres at the MLB level.

Should Preller and the Padres decide to buy and add to the current roster, the minor league system could get thinned out more than it already is. The top player in the farm is catcher Ethan Salas, a switch-hitting, defense-first catcher that has been destined for stardom since the Padres signed him at 16 years old. The combination of talent and potential makes Salas attractive to any team in the league outside of maybe the Detroit Tigers, who have one of the top young catchers in baseball in Dillon Dingler. It is believed that Salas is still a couple years away from reaching the majors, but that is not long enough to deter teams from inquiring about him should Preller covet one of their players. The question is, “Is Salas this year’s Leo De Vries.” The shortstop prospect was moved to get Miller and JP Sears from the Athletics at the deadline last season.

Miller and Salas both have value. Miller has current value and Salas has future value. Losing either player could affect the Padres and their fans in a number of ways. In a perfect world, San Diego continues to win, Preller decides to add and he does so without sacrificing Miller or Salas, but that is a lot to ask. The Padres Reacts Survey from Gaslamp Ball last week asked respondents to determine who had more value (Miller or Salas) and which player would be more difficult to lose. The numbers on the poll were relatively close, but the majority determined Miller had more value than Salas and that losing Miller over Salas would be the more difficult subtraction from San Diego.

Again, there is no way to know what Preller is going to do considering the way the team is playing at the moment, but Aug. 3 is coming quick and he may have to be ready to use or lose one or both of Miller and Salas and the Friar Faithful may have to wait until the last minute to know the answers to all of their questions.

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With the August 3 trade deadline holding the potential to swing the season for the Tampa Bay Rays, let’s ponder the Rays trajectory.

As things stand, the Rays (62-43) hold a 2.5 game lead over the Yankees (60-46). Making the playoffs is essentially a forgone conclusion, with FanGraphs putting those odds at 98.6%, but winning the division only 50.3%, with the Yankees chances of taking the division at 44.5%.

What do the Rays need to do to hold onto their lead? Let’s see your vote!

They say you never forget your first. However, in sports there are so many firsts that one or two are bound to be forgotten over time. Today, we celebrate the birthday of a man who owns one of the most unique firsts in Yankees history. That man is Elmer Miller, the first New York Yankee to bat in a World Series and the first to record a World Series hit.

Elmer Miller
Born: July 28, 1890 (Sandusky, OH)
Died: November 28, 1944 (Beloit, WI)
Yankees Tenure: 1915-18, 1921-22 

In all fairness, we say today is his birthday and that it would have been his 136th. Even that is up for debate; not the day, but the year. Some sources list Miller as being born in 1888 in Wisconsin instead of 1890 in Ohio. Semantics aside, Miller grew up in Sandusky before beginning a professional baseball career.

A right-handed hitting outfielder, Miller’s journey to the big leagues began in 1911 with the Duluth White Sox. Following that season, he was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds. After just one season with Cincinnati, Miller was released and claimed by the St. Louis Cardinals. The Cardinals gave Miller his first taste of the major leagues in 1912. That season, he bounced between St. Louis and two minor league affiliates. In the majors, he appeared in 12 games, collecting seven hits in 37 at-bats. Miller never made it back to the big leagues with the Cardinals, instead spending the next three seasons primarily in the Southern League.

On July 23, 1915, the Yankees purchased Miller from the Cardinals. Much like his first stint in St. Louis, he struggled to stick in the majors and bounced between New York and the minor leagues. From 1915 through 1918, Miller appeared in 250 games for the Yankees, collecting 190 hits while slashing .233/.308/.298. He was exempted from World War I service due to his dependents, but he spent much of the next three years with the St. Paul Saints.

After that first run with the club, Miller would not appear in another game for the Yankees until August 1921. That season proved to be the best of his career. Miller hit .298 across 242 at-bats, caught fire during the final month of the season, and became the Yankees’ regular leadoff hitter as they charged to the American League pennant, the first the club had ever captured. 

The Yankees met the Giants in the 1921 World Series. Batting first as the visiting club in Game 1, Miller led off the series with a single before eventually scoring on a Babe Ruth hit later in the inning.

Just like that, Miller became the first Yankee to bat in the World Series, the first to record a World Series hit, and the first to score a World Series run in franchise history. The Giants would ultimately win the series five games to three, but Miller’s name was forever inked in the history book pages.

Coming off the best season of his career, Miller quickly returned to earth in 1922. That July, the Yankees packaged him with Chick Fewster, Johnny Mitchell, Lefty O’Doul, and $50,000 in a trade with the Red Sox that brought Joe Dugan and Elmer Smith to New York. Dugan would go on to help the Yankees blossom into the dynasty fans came to know and love. Fate would not be nearly as kind to Miller.

In addition to missing out on the Yankees’ run of championships, Miller struggled with Boston and was out of the major leagues after the 1922 season. He continued playing for several semiprofessional clubs before eventually moving into coaching in Wisconsin and passing away due to heart issues at age 54. Miller’s career has largely been forgotten, but every Yankee who has dug into the batter’s box in the World Series since has done so in Miller’s footsteps.

Happy birthday, Elmer!

See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.

The expected MLB trade deadline frenzy got off to an unofficial start on Saturday, July 25, with the Boston Red Sox and Washington Nationals making a good, old-fashioned pitching-for-hitting swap.

But as the clock ticks down to the Aug. 3 deadline, teams are getting even more anxious to make deals that could potentially help them win a 2026 World Series ring.

First off, there are the most obvious trade candidates − players who are in the final year of their contracts and players who could benefit from a change of scenery.

But there are also under-the-radar sleepers who could end up being the missing piece for any number of playoff contenders.

Who will be dealt and who will stay put? We have six days to find out the answers.

This Week in the Minors is our weekly look at notable performances from all over the system, from big-name prospects and less-heralded guys alike. The mission is to answer this simple question: “Who had a good week?”

Triple-A Omaha Storm Chasers (48-53, 11.5 games back)

The Storm Chasers won 5 of 6 against the Salt Lake Bees on the road. At the plate, Gavin Cross went 12-for-27, with 5 homers, 2 doubles, 2 triples, and 10 runs batted in, and was named International League Player of the week. After a horrific start to the season at the plate, Cross is now up to .249 on the season, with 10 homers and 21 stolen bases. Kyle Isbel will probably be returned from his rehab assignment soon, but I’d like Cross to get some time with the Royals late this season. Elsewhere, John Rave went 11-for-22, with a homer and 3 doubles. Drew Waters was 9-for-22 with a homer as well.

On the mound, Aaron Bummer threw 2.1 scoreless innings, striking out 5. Matt Moore threw 2.2 scoreless innings striking out 5, and Justin Topa threw 3.2 scoreless innings, striking out 5. These are the veteran guys the Royals have been signing lately, with the deadline looming and trades possible, these three would be the first replacement call ups more than likely. Mitch Spence threw 5 innings of 1 run ball in his lone start of the week, striking out 6.

The Storm Chasers return home this week to take on the St. Paul Saints. The series runs Tuesday through Sunday.

Northwest Arkansas Naturals (40-54, 20 games back)

The Naturals lost 4 of 6 to the Springfield Cardinals. On the mound, Hunter Patteson made 2 starts, totaling 10 innings, allowing 7 hits, 2 runs, 1 walk, striking out 11 hitters. Felix Arronde went 6 innings, allowing 2 hits, no runs, striking out 5 in his lone start of the week. Oscar Rayo threw 5 scoreless innings out of the bullpen, striking out 5 hitters.

At the plate, Luke Pelzer, who was just promoted from Quad Cities, went 10 for 24, scoring 3 runs as well. Daniel Vazquez went 7-for-21, with a double. Vazquez is a 22-year-old shortstop from the Dominican Republic. Sam Kulasingam went 6-for-23, with a homer.

The Naturals hit the road to take on the Tulsa Drillers, the series runs Tuesday through Sunday.

Quad Cities River Bandits (45-47, 11 games back)

The River Bandits lost 5 of 6 to the Beloit Sky Carp. At the plate, Blake Mitchell went 4 for 20, with 3 RBI’s and 3 stolen bases. Jose Cerice went 6 for 17. Cerice is a 21-year-old infielder from Cuba. Derlin Figueroa was 4 for 22 with a homer and a double.

On the mound, Kendry Chourio went 6 innings, allowing 4 hits, 1 run, striking out 4 in his lone start of the week. Tanner Jones threw 4 innings of scoreless ball, allowing 2 hits, striking out 3. Jones was the Royals 6th round draft pick in 2024 out of Texas A&M. Blake Wolters threw 5 innings of 1 run ball, allowing 1 hit and striking out 7.

The River Bandits return home this week to take on the Dayton Dragons. The series runs Tuesday through Sunday.

Columbia Fireflies (50-46, 6.5 games back)

The Fireflies won 5 of 6 from the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers. On the mound, Ryan McDonagh threw 6 scoreless innings, allowing 1 hit, striking out 6 batters. McDonagh threw a no-hitter for 5.2 innings. McDonagh is a 20-year-old right hander from Canada. Jose Gutierrez threw 5.2 innings, allowing 4 hits, 1 run, striking out 3. Shane Van Dam threw 6 innings, allowing 4 hits, 1 run, striking out 7 in his lone start of the week.

At the plate, Sean Gamble went 7-for-20, with a double and home run. Gamble has battled back from a brutal start to the season and has raised his average to .203. Josh Hammond went just 3-for-21, cooling him off from the great month of July he’s having. Yandel Ricardo went 8-for-17, with a double and a triple.

The Fireflies hit the road to take on the Augusta GreenJackets. The series runs Tuesday through Sunday.

With their 7-3 loss to the Texas Rangers yesterday, the Mariners now sit in third place in the AL West as the Rangers take control of first place with a two-game cushion over the Houston Astros.

A new series against the Los Angeles Dodgers begins tonight at 7:10 PM with Luis Castillo taking the mound.

In Mariners news…

• Luis Castillo and Emerson Hancock are among the Mariners’ top trade candidates, and there’s a growing possibility that at least one of them will be moved before next Monday’s deadline.

Around the league…

• Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper is prepared for a potential position swap if the team acquires a slugging first baseman at the trade deadline.
• The Detroit Tigers have placed outfielder/designated hitter Kerry Carpenter on the 10-day IL due to plantar fasciitis in his left foot.
• San Francisco Giants infielder Casey Schmitt was forced to leave the team’s game early yesterday with a left leg injury from an awkward turn on the base path.
• Both the Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox have shown interest in Los Angeles Angels starter Reid Detmers.
• Although they’ve already recently acquired a new infielder, the Boston Red Sox are still in search of shortstop help.
• New York Mets center fielder Luis Robert Jr. is aware of trade discussions surrounding him but would prefer to stay with the Mets.
• The Chicago Cubs have DFA’d veteran RHP Jameson Taillon and selected the contract of RHP Andrew Wantz in a corresponding move.
• Meet the managers of the Women’s Professional Baseball League before the season begins on August 1st!

The Yankees took home an exciting win on Monday to kick off a series on the south side of Chicago. Ben Rice had a clutch hit in the seventh to give them the lead, and Ali Sánchez’s three-run homer put the nail in the coffin against the White Sox. With the Rays off for the day, it was a free mini-jump for New York in the East to 2.5 games behind Tampa Bay.

Despite the shorter schedule, there was still plenty of action to take in around the American League, so let’s take a look at what went down to open up the week.

Boston Red Sox (54-50) 4, Toronto Blue Jays (48-58) 2

With the Rays off for the day, The Red Sox game out in Sacramento was likely of chief concern for the Yanks. Things were tight for much of the evening, before one big hit propelled Boston to victory over the Athletics.

The A’s jumped ahead early, when Tyler Soderstrom belted a solo shot in the bottom of the first. The lefty’s 17th homer of the season gave his crew the lead, one they held on to for some time. Starter Jack Perkins pitched well to begin the game, keeping the Red Sox out of the run column for the first five innings of the game.

In the sixth inning, still trailing 1-0, the Red Sox finally made their move. A double from Connor Wong and a two-out walk to Willson Contreras ended the day for Perkins, and suddenly had the A’s on the ropes. José Suarez came on in relief, but found himself in even more trouble by immediately walking Wilyer Abreu. In the next at-bat, Ceddanne Rafaela broke the game open with a towering wall-scraper of a grand slam into left-center field.

Suddenly trailing, the A’s began to answer back with a Jonah Heim solo shot in the bottom half of the inning. His 10th long ball of the season cut their deficit to two runs, but wasn’t enough to help get his squad back in front. After a quiet seventh and eighth innings, the A’s were tasked with taking on Aroldis Chapman in the ninth.

They certainly kept the game interesting, as a hit from Colby Thomas and Nick Kurtz reaching on an error had the winning run at the plate for the Athletics. Chapman dialed it in under pressure, however, as the veteran flamethrower notched back-to-back strikeouts to bring this game to a close as a 4-2 Boston win. The Red Sox surge continues as they hold the second Wild Card berth in the American League with the win. There was some concern, however, as new acquisition Curtis Mead was forced to leave the game early after being hit by a pitch in the fifth. X-rays were at least negative. The team said that he is “day-to-day with a bruised ​wrist.”

Other Games

Texas Rangers (53-52) 7, Seattle Mariners (52-55) 4: The Rangers did the bulk of their work early in a big divisional game against Seattle on Monday. They scored all seven of their runs in the first three innings, all of which came one homers, with Joc Pederson, Pederson again, Ezequiel Duran, and Jake Burger all going deep in the surge. Kumar Rocker allowed just a pair of runs while striking out seven in his outing, which was more than enough to get by for Texas. Four different Rangers tallied multiple hits, with Pederson’s pair of homers being the highlight. It was an important win for them over their division rival, as the Rangers’ lead grows to 2.5 games with the Astros also passing the M’s thanks to a ninth-inning rally in Anaheim.

Game Recaps

Diamondbacks walked off by Pirates, drop 3 straight vs. Wild Card competitors by Alex Weiner [Arizona Sports]

Brandon Lowe delivered the game-winning single, as the Diamondbacks have dropped three straight games to fellow National League Wild Card contenders on what many players called the most important road trip of the season. Lowe’s walk-off knock off Taylor Clarke ricocheted off the glove of first baseman Ildemaro Vargas.

The Diamondbacks had their chance in the top of the 10th, as a throwing error from Pirates third baseman Nick Gonzales set up Arizona with runners on second and third with one out. Gabriel Moreno, the Diamondbacks’ hottest hitter, struck out looking on the 11th pitch of his at-bat. After an intentional walk to Ketel Marte, Max Kepler — who delivered three hits on Monday — hit a line drive to center field that hung up too long.

Diamondbacks fall to Pirates in extra innings by Nick Piecoro [AZ Central]

The Diamondbacks’ bullpen, which had a rough afternoon in Washington the day before, coughed up a 2-1 lead in the eighth inning. With two out, the Pirates got consecutive doubles from Brandon Lowe and Bryan Reynolds to tie the game off reliever Jonathan Loaisiga.

Reynolds’ at-bat was interrupted by the ejection of Pirates manager Donnie Kelly, who was thrown out by third-base umpire Ben May after ostensibly complaining about check-swing calls that went against Reynolds.

Diamondbacks News

D-backs Reportedly Turned Down by Red Sox Before Connelly Early Trade by Alex D’Agostino [SI]

Piecoro went on to reveal that the Diamondbacks had spoken to the Red Sox about this type of deal. He did not state whether it was Early, specifically, who was on Arizona’s radar, but it’s a good bet that was the case. 

But the Red Sox weren’t interested, and it had to do with the players the D-backs were able to give up in exchange. Boston reportedly preferred to land a more major-league caliber player, as opposed to hitters who were closer to being prospects than everyday major league bats.

Diamondbacks not looking to trade Ketel Marte as he nearly wipes Instagram feed by Damon Allred [Arizona Sports]

Many Diamondbacks fans grew worried there was a rift between Ketel Marte and Arizona when the star second baseman wiped his Instagram feed almost entirely over the weekend.

As of Monday morning, the Diamondbacks are not looking to trade Marte, Arizona Sports’ John Gambadoro said.

Marte, who was previously very active on Instagram, deleted all posts but one, including those related to the Diamondbacks and others that were not.

D-Backs’ Torey Lovullo shuts down Ketel Marte tension rumors after Instagram buzz by Wendy Lopez [Burn City Sports]

“First, I don’t even know what scrubbing is,” Lovullo told reporters, according to MLB.com’s Steve Gilbert. “I don’t get it. I mean, I’m a baseball manager. I’ve connected with Ketel just to find out how he’s doing. Everything is in a good spot. I know that everybody wants to make some drama that’s taking place here. It’s nothing like it seems.”

Around the League

Max Scherzer grinds through birthday return to Nationals Park by Ian Quillen [MLB]

Max Scherzer’s second return from an IL stint this season went better than his first, enough so that he’s hopeful for what could still be ahead.

Scherzer labored through 2 2/3 innings on 75 pitches on his 42nd birthday, but he escaped by allowing only one run in his former home park in the Blue Jays’ 3-2 win over the Nationals in Monday night’s series opener.

MLB 2026 trade deadline: What NL contenders need to beat Dodgers by Jesse Rogers [ESPN]

 It seems like, for much of the 2026 season, the top question in the National League — and Major League Baseball as a whole, really — has been: Who are the biggest threats to the Los Angeles Dodgers?

The teams in that category as we come out of the All-Star break and enter the second half of the season: the Milwaukee Brewers, Atlanta Braves, Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies.

Atlanta and Milwaukee lead their respective divisions, while Chicago and Philadelphia hold the first and second wild-card spots, respectively. The Dodgers are cruising to another NL West title, with a 12-game edge over the second-place Arizona Diamondbacks, meaning they will likely make their 14th consecutive postseason appearance in 2026, tying Atlanta’s record of 14 straight playoffs from 1991 to 2005.

Mead for Early: It’s a Challenge Trade! by Michael Baumann [FanGraphs]

The Boston Red Sox and Washington Nationals kicked off trade deadline season in earnest on Saturday night, when Boston sent left-handed pitcher Connelly Early to the Nats for corner infielder Curtis Mead. 

Most consequential trades this time of year involve a contender swapping one or more prospects for an established big leaguer. Not so this one. At the time of the trade, the Red Sox and Nationals were in similar positions in the standings: The Sox were 53-50, seven and a half games out of the division lead, but half a game up in the AL Wild Card race. The Nats were 53-52, eight and a half games out of first place in the NL East, but only two games out of a Wild Card spot. Both teams are playing with house money: Boston on account of being 14 games under .500 less than five weeks ago, and Washington on account of… everything that’s happened since the start of the 2020 season.

Cubs, White Sox Reportedly Showing Interest In Reid Detmers by Anthony Franco [MLB Trade Rumors]

Detmers and rotation mate José Soriano are both under arbitration control through the 2028 season. The former is playing on a $2.625MM salary, a little over $775K of which will be owed after the deadline.

The Angels could seek multiple top 100 prospects to part with two and a half years of very affordable control over an above-average starter. They’re in an odd spot with interim general manager John Mozeliak running their deadline, but recent reporting suggests they’re more open to conversations on their controllable players than they’d been in prior years. The aforementioned two starters and shortstop Zach Neto would be their top trade candidates and could rejuvenate a weak farm system if the Halos are truly open to a rebuild.