Category: MLB

Here's the latest Yankees news and buzz ahead of the Aug. 3 MLB trade deadline...

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July 31, 5:14 p.m.

The Yankees continue to look for impact right-handed bats ahead of the deadline and it seems Orioles outfielder Taylor Ward is on their radar.

The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reports that the Yankees are one of a number of teams with varying interest in Ward. The other teams include the Phillies, Guardians and Rangers.

The injuries to Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger may push GM Brian Cashman to make a move for a proven outfielder like Ward. 

Ward, 32, is slashing .248/.383/.350 with an OPS of .733 to go along with seven home runs and 30 RBI.

Ward is an unrestricted free agent after this season.

July 30, 9:18 a.m.

The Yankees, Rays, and Red Sox are among the teams expressing interest in Rockies All-Star catcher Hunter Goodman, reports Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. 

Per Rosenthal, the Rockies have been asking inquiring teams for their No. 1 prospect as part of the talks. 

Goodman, 26, holds immense value due to his salary ($810,000 this season) and years of control (he's arbitration-eligible through 2029).

New York is in need of catching help, with Austin Wells having an alarmingly bad year with the bat -- hitting .159 with a .525 OPS in 214 at-bats. 

Goodman, who has been an All-Star the last two seasons, is slashing .254/.326/.545 with 31 homers in 100 games this year. 

July 29, 8:07 p.m.

The Yankees are casting a wide net for catching help at the deadline, and that includes the Orioles' Adley Rutschman.

According to the NY Post's Jon Heyman, the Yankees are among teams that have checked in on Rutschman. 

Rutschman, 28, is a switch-hitter who is currently on the IL with left wrist inflammation but is in the midst of his third All-Star season. In 67 games, Rutschman is slashing .251/.331/.433 with an OPS of .764. He has eight home runs and driven in 47 RBI. The Orioles backstop has one more year of arbitration before he's a free agent in 2028. 

New York has also been connected to Ryan Jeffers, despite the Twins announcing they want to be buyers, and the Reds' Tyler Stephenson.

July 25, 5:07 p.m.

The Nationals could be sellers at the trade deadline despite being competitive, which is why they are likely to hold onto All-Star shortstop CJ Abrams, despite the Yankees checking on his availability.

According to The Athletic's Spencer Nusbaum and Will Sammon, New York has "at least" checked in on Abrams to see if they can upgrade the shortstop position.

But as the report states, the Nationals are not shopping Abrams, but will listen to offers. In fact, the Brewers, who are also looking to upgrade at shortstop, are expected to explore the possibility of trading for Abrams again soon.

Abrams has already hit a career-high 24 home runs while batting .289 with an OPS of .907. 

The Yankees, of course, are looking to upgrade at catcher and in the bullpen, but could use the firepower at shortstop. The combination of Anthony Volpe and Jose Caballero has not provided the firepower the Yankees need without Aaron Judge in the lineup. 

July 23, 5:10 p.m.

The Yankees are in the market for a catcher, but they will have competition.

Will Sammon and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic report that the White Sox are looking for a backstop after losing Kyle Teel to injury. Chicago will join a thin catching market already inhabited by the Yankees, Rays and Dodgers. 

However, while the Yankees have been linked to Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers and a tad to Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman, another option could present itself.

Sammon and Rosenthal point to the Reds' Tyler Stephenson as a potential alternative for the Bombers. 

"The Cincinnati Reds’ Tyler Stephenson, one available catcher, might become an alternative for the Yankees, and other teams are pursuing the Minnesota Twins’ Ryan Jeffers," the report states. 

Stephenson is the same age as Jeffers, 29, and is also in the final year of his contract. While Jeffers is a better offensive option, Stephenson has been solid for Cincinnati. The catcher is slashing .244/.320/.393 with an OPS of .713 to go along with eight home runs and 27 RBI.

July 17, 7:12 p.m.

The Yankees are in need of a catcher at the trade deadline and while Ryan Jeffers of the Minnesota Twins seems like an obvious target, the Bombers have checked in with the Rockies about their backstop.

According to ESPN's Jorge Castillo, the Yankees have called about catcher Hunter Goodman, although it was not recently. 

Goodman would provide that right-handed production from the catcher's spot that the Yankees have been missing all season. Goodman, 26, is batting .254 with 27 home runs and an .863 OPS in 90 games with the Rockies. 

As Castillo points out, it will likely take a lot for the Yankees to acquire Goodman, who has club control for another three years. 

The Mets "have no desire to pay down contracts" like they did in their 2023 MLB trade deadline deals that sent right-handed pitchers Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander for more than $85 million, according to a report Friday by SNY contributor Jim Duquette.

"The Mets have been telling teams that, unlike the '23 deadline where they took on over $85 million to move the Scherzer and Verlander contracts for better prospects, they have no desire to pay down contracts to that extreme at this year’s deadline," Duquette wrote Friday on X.

SNY MLB insider Chelsea Janes reported Thursday that the Mets "informed teams they're open for business" entering this year's trade deadline, which is Aug. 3 at 6 p.m.

"A rival executive said the Mets informed their team that the sale is on, and that everyone but young stars Carson Benge, A.J. Ewing, Christian Scott, Nolan McLean and the obvious, Juan Soto,isavailable," Janes wrote. "That doesn't mean everyone will go. But it means the Mets will listen on just about everyone, which is in keeping with what people familiar with their thinking have signaled for weeks."

SNY manager of editorial production Danny Abriano opined Thursday which Mets could be on the move, a list led by right-handed pitcher Freddy Peralta.

"A pending free agent, Peralta could be the most established and highest-upside starting pitcher available at the deadline if the Tigers don't deal Tarik Skubal," Abriano wrote. "Peralta's poor season to this point shouldn't be a hindrance when it comes to the Mets getting something of serious value back."

San Diego Padres (48-48) at Kansas City Royals (38-59), July 17, 2026, 5:10 p.m. PST

Watch: Padres.TV

Location: Kauffman Stadium – Kansas City, MO.

Listen: 97.3 The Fan

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Kansas City for the weekend. pic.twitter.com/b38849xiTx

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) July 17, 2026

Second half starts tonight. pic.twitter.com/BmrIWE0gC7

— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) July 17, 2026

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Go Rays!

Officially, the second half of the 2026 season begins for the San Diego Padres with a 10-game road trip. The gauntlet includes playing two of the top National League East foes (Atlanta Braves and Miami Marlins) after a weekend series against the Kansas City Royals.

This might sound like a daunting task, but the Padres have a chance to put themselves back into the postseason chase. Currently, they trail the Los Angeles Dodgers by a whopping 12-and-a-half games in the NL West standings. But the Friars are only three-and-a-half games behind the Marlins for the final Wild Card berth.

We cannot expect a total collapse from the two-time World Series champs, but chasing down the Fish seems like a reasonable goal.

Here is what to expect from the Padres in the second half:

Get Jake Cronenworth healthy

One of the surprises before the All-Star break was the return of Jake Cronenworth to the starting lineup. Barring any physical setbacks, he will play second base and hit ninth in the batting order. 

The Friars need his left-handed stick, as getting the stagnant offense going is of great importance right now. We have seen throughout the season that the team’s best hitters can go cold for long stretches. 

Even Manny Machado is experiencing the worst hitting slump of his major league career. Adding Cronenworth to the mix should allow the lineup to get back on track and score runs.

But to achieve postseason aspirations, the Padres need Cro sharp at the plate.

Do not play Freddy Fermin until concussion-free

Playing through injuries is expected from those who put on the tools of ignorance. But the number of catchers sustaining a concussion has grown at an alarming rate this season.

Everyone should be worried about the amount of time Freddy Fermin has spent in concussion protocol this season. We need to get him healthy before he begins playing in the second half of the season.

Concussions are lingering injuries that stay with a sufferer for an extended time. Even if Fermin has passed all the protocol testing, a few extra days out of the lineup will not hurt.

The position’s offensive production has been non-existent all season, but Fermin is an outstanding defensive catcher. The Friars will need his experience to call a game if they expect to move up the standings. 

Trust the starting rotation

Let’s stop fooling ourselves; the Padres starting rotation is in shambles. No question, injuries have forced constant change, but the days of juggling starting pitchers in and out of the rotation are over. Team skipper Craig Stammen has to play the cards he was dealt.

Sorry, the Friar Faithful are tired of waiting for Joe Musgrove to make his season debut or the return of Nick Pivetta to the rotation. Their replacements failed to live up to expectations. They struggled with consistency and could not stop opponents from putting runs on the scoreboard. 

The second half will begin with Michael King, Griffin Canning, and German Marquez in the opening series against the Royals. Each pitcher is rested and should be sharp for their first start after the All-Star break. Stammen needs to show confidence and allow each starter to work out of potential jams.

The Friars have a grueling road trip ahead, and the club needs quality starts from their starting rotation. 

The chase is just starting, but do not plan any postseason viewing parties just yet. The Padres will have to put their foot on the accelerator because it is time to gain some ground in the standings.

All the Friar Faithful want is for the team to be in a position to contend.

The Dodgers (61-36) open the second half of the season with a three-game series against the Yankees (54-42) in New York. 

Roki Sasaki (3-5, 5.33 ERA, 1.66 WHIP) looks to find consistency in the second part of the season. 

Gerrit Cole (3-4, 4.04 ERA, 1.20 WHIP) starts for the Yankees.

Lineups

Today’s #Dodgers lineup at Yankees: pic.twitter.com/p3LSlUfjbv

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) July 17, 2026

Clash of The Coasts. #RepBXpic.twitter.com/XW7mMfcwCb

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) July 17, 2026

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Friday game info

• Teams: Dodgers vs. Yankees
• Ballpark: Yankee Stadium, New York
• Time: 4:05 p.m.
• TV: SportsNet LA
• Radio: AM 570 (English), KTNQ 1020 AM (Spanish)

With the All-Star break now behind us, it’s back to the grind of the MLB season. In what can only be described as the shock of the season, the Chicago White Sox enter the second half of the season tied for first atop the AL Central. With 67 games left, the final push for the playoffs starts now.

The first team to be tasked with testing the White Sox is the Toronto Blue Jays. When these two teams met at the beginning of the season, the White Sox made a statement by sweeping Toronto over the three-game series, outscoring the Blue Jays, 14-7. Now, judging by how the two teams have fared since that series, that matchup looks more like an early indication of how the two teams would play out the season.

To say the Blue Jays have been undergoing a World Series appearance hangover would be an understatement. The team that fell just two outs short of a championship now find itself in dead-last in the AL East. To start the second half of the season, they’re throwing out Spencer Miles.

Miles made his MLB debut earlier this season for the Blue Jays after being acquired by the San Francisco Giants in last year’s Rule 5 draft. He’s mostly been used as a long reliever this year, but has started three games so far as an “opener.” On the season, Miles has been on an absolute tear after a difficult start: He comes into this game with an 2.85 ERA and a 4-1 record. Miles is a pitcher who prides himself on limiting damage when he does allow runs, as he has allowed more than two scores in just two of his 26 outings.

Looking more at his “stuff” as a pitcher, Miles leans heavily on a sinker and curveball combo, as he throws one of those two pitches 67% of the time. He doesn’t get batters to chase or whiff very often, but he does limit hard hits and not many batters are able to barrel anything up on his pitches. Due to his low ability to get guys to swing and miss, if Miles isn’t able to locate his pitches as he wants he can open himself up to some damage.

As for the White Sox, they are throwing out none other than Anthony Kay. After a sensational month of May and a bad June, Kay has steadied the ship a bit in July. In his two starts, against the Cleveland Guardians and Boston Red Sox, Kay has allowed just three earned runs in just a shade more than nine innings. It’s also important to remember that Kay was terrific in his start against the Guardians, allowing just one hit over four innings, until the rain delay ended his night early.

With both the White Sox and Guardians having relatively easy schedules to start the second half of the season, it’s crucial for the South Siders to win each and every time out as they no longer have a margin for error. With their team healthy and the Blue Jays still beaten up with some injuries to key players, there is no excuse for the White Sox to not take this series.

Here is the starting lineup for your Chicago White Sox:

Here is the starting lineup for the Toronto Blue Jays:

First pitch is 6:15 p.m. CST. You can watch on Apple TV or listen on ESPN Chicago 1000. Let us know your thoughts and predictions below!

The San Diego Padres finally managed to win a series, pushing past the Toronto Blue Jays to take their first series in July. After an 8-7 comeback win on Saturday night, the Friars pulled off the same feat with a 5-4 comeback on Sunday afternoon. Those wins gave their offense some much needed momentum heading into the All-Star break.

The Padres desperately need a consistent turnaround. Now is the time to do it. San Diego has a 10-game road trip with no off days before returning to Petco Park on July 28. That’s six days before the Trade Deadline on Aug. 3. There’s an abundance of speculation on how the Friars will approach the deadline this year. The next 10 games will make or break the rest of San Diego’s season.

Taking the mound

Seth Lugo (KC) v. Michael King (SD)

Lugo has been stabilizer in years past for the Kansas City Royals. That has not been the case this season. Lugo has struggled toward a 4.56 ERA alongside a 6.68 ERA across his last 33 2/3 innings. That line is primarily due to the righty’s fall off after a hot start to the year.

The Royals themselves have struggled, mostly regressing after a solid but uninspiring 2025 campaign. The offense looks rough, but the rotation has been worse. Lugo has been part of an overall regression from Kansas City’s starting pitchers. The Padres will look to add to those troubles.

King had been looking for a bounce back and seems to have found it. After surrendering four runs in as many innings to the Los Angeles Dodgers, King has given up just three runs across his last 12 innings pitched. The right-hander’s command has been excellent lately, and he’ll look to follow it up against the Royals.

The majority of Kansas City’s lineup has seen King minimally. The only batter with 10 or more at-bats against the righty is veteran catcher Salvador Perez. The backstop owns a career .200 batting average against King. San Diego’s ace will hope to limit the rest of the Royals similarly on Friday night.

Batter up!

The lineup has looked healthy over the last few games, but the Padres have yet to prove consistency in their offense. Their final two games against Toronto showed that San Diego still has some grit in them, with back-to-back comeback wins against the Jays. If the Friars can show that fight through the second half of the year, they’ll be well on their way to the playoffs.

1. Fernando Tatis Jr., RF
2. Jackson Merrill, CF
3. Xander Bogaerts, SS
4. Manny Machado, 3B
5. Gavin Sheets, LF
6. Ty France, 1B
7. Miguel Andujar, DH
8. Luis Campusano, C
9. Jake Cronenworth, 2B

Expect Andujar and Sheets to play a big role on offense tonight. Both have a batting average over .300 and an OPS over 1.000 in their careers versus Lugo. France and Merrill do as well, but the former duo has more experience against Kansas City’s right-hander (18 combined at-bats).

Relief corps

The entire bullpen will be available with the series opener being the first game back from the All-Star break. That said, Wandy Peralta was placed on the bereavement list Wednesday afternoon. The Padres recalled Jhony Brito from Triple-A to fill out their ‘pen.

The rest of the available relievers will be made up of Kyle Hart, Ron Marinaccio, Yuki Matsui, Mason Miller, Adrian Morejon, Bradgley Rodriguez and Matt Waldron. Brito and Waldron will figure to cover multiple innings as both have worked as starters and bulk relief pitchers.

I’m busy all day today, so getting a Game Thread together early in case I can’t get to it later.

Lineups haven’t been announce yet.

Spencer Miles (4-1, 2.85) and former Jay Anthony Kay (6-4, 4.23). I wonder if they can push Miles thru five innings? At least the pen is rested.

Hopefully some time off did the hitters some good too.

Go Jays Go

We’re back with Braves baseball. Let’s see if the Braves can take a dub and start off hot. First things first, the offense needs to step up. And consistency has to come through as well.

The Braves aren’t too far off from being great. They’re just missing pieces that need to be combined to get past slumps and find consistent success. Starting with tonight, we’ll see what version of the Braves we’re going to get.

Until 7:15 p.m. ET, happy race to October!

Lineup

Preview

Two World Series contenders coming off sweeps before the All-Star break will meet at Yankee Stadium for a three-game weekend set to begin the second half. There’s just one thing: the Dodgers weren’t the ones doing the sweeping in their last series at home against the Diamondbacks, suffering their first dusting of the season. It’s not the same because of the down period in between these two, but this scenario brings forward the age-old question: Is it actually a good thing to play a strong team coming off a difficult period, or will they only be hungrier because of it? I guess we’ll find out.

Both teams took longer than we would’ve liked to announce their respective starters for this series, and the first of three matchups will pit Gerrit Cole and Roki Sasaki against each other. Acknowledging the differing levels of expectations for each of these starters, one might be right in affirming they’ve both been disappointing this season—Cole not as sharp coming off a lengthy absence as the Yankees would’ve liked and needed him to be, and Sasaki dealing with yet another choppy campaign trying to establish himself as a starter—taking one step forward, two steps back. Things may not always be this simple, but the fact that both of these starters have losing records playing for some of the winningest teams in each league is quite telling.

What has hurt both of these starters, in particular Sasaki, has been his inability to keep the ball in the yard. In his last two starts alone, Sasaki has given up five home runs—music to the ears of hitters for a lineup that leads baseball in home runs (142), the Yankees. Although lefties and righties have both taken him deep often enough, right-handers have given Sasaki far bigger problems overall, with an .886 OPS against him.

This will be the Dodgers’ first trip to the Bronx since embarrassing the Yankees in the Game 5 clincher of the 2024 World Series. Cole was obviously on the mound for that as well, his last start before undergoing Tommy John surgery, but the starting lineup behind him will be quite different than it was back then. Since Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton are injured (they had an update on Judge today) and Anthony Volpe is on the bench (as Trent Grisham was back then), the only lineup overlaps are Jazz Chisholm Jr. at second and Austin Wells behind the plate. None of the relievers who follow him today are still on the team, either. So it’s quite a different group, but no doubt one still eager for the challenge of beating LA.

How to watch

Location: Yankee Stadium — Bronx, NY

First pitch: 7:05 pm ET

TV broadcast: YES, SportsNet LA, MLB Network (National)

Radio broadcast: WFAN 660/101.9 FM, WADO 1280, Dodgers Radio AM 570, KTNQ 1020

Online stream: MLB.tv

For updates, follow us on BlueSky, Twitter, and Instagram, and like us on Facebook.

Clash of The Coasts. #RepBXpic.twitter.com/XW7mMfcwCb

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) July 17, 2026

Today’s #Dodgers lineup at Yankees: pic.twitter.com/p3LSlUfjbv

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) July 17, 2026

Today, the Astros announced the following roster moves:

We have made the following roster moves: pic.twitter.com/9tDODIHcUW

— Houston Astros (@astros) July 17, 2026

Teng had been sidelined with a right knee sprain, though he also admitted to some arm fatigue as well. He has been on IL retroactive to June 28. Teng will transition to a bullpen role going forward.

In 23 appearances including 10 starts, Teng is 4-6 this season with a 4.36 ERA and 1.36 WHIP.

Spence, 23, has moved through both Double-A and Triple-A this season. He will be making his major league debut tonight in centerfield. In 63 combined minor league games this season, Spence is batting .258 with a .353 OBP and .776 OPS. He has 6 HR and 44 RBI, with 13 doubles and 13 SB. The lefthanded-hitting Spence is the Astros #10 overall prospect according to MLB.com.

Matthews injured his knee July 12 crashing into the outfield wall in Arlington against the Rangers. Matthews has batted .197 this season with a .250 OBP and .582 OPS, with 7 HR and 22 RBI. Matthews numbers have been greatly impacted by his extreme home-road splits.

On the road this season, Matthews is batting .260 with a .328 OBP and .759 OPS in 123 AB. However, his numbers at Daikin Park are incomprehensively poor. At home, Matthews is batting .106 with a .126 OBP and .315 OPS in 85 AB.

Texas Rangers @ Atlanta Braves

Friday, July 17, 2026, 6:15 PM CDT (105.3 The Fan / CW33)

Truist Park

RHP Cal Quantrill vs. LHP Chris Sale

Go Rangers!

Inductees into the National Baseball Hall of Fame by definition have plenty of marvelous memories when reflecting on the career accomplishments that led them to Cooperstown.

Bumps in the road were inevitable as well.

One big bump for Jeff Kent and Andruw Jones came with the Dodgers in 2008, Kent’s last of 17 MLB seasons and Jones’ first following 12 years with the Atlanta Braves.

Suffice to say neither will enter the Hall of Fame wearing a Dodgers cap.

Kent signed with the Dodgers ahead of the 2005 season fresh off a National League Championship Series Game 7 loss with the Houston Astros. Already recognized as perhaps the top power-hitting second baseman of all time, he yearned for a championship ring to make his career complete.

Jones, a center fielder from the Caribbean island of Curaçao, signed a two-year, $36-million contract with the Dodgers at age 31 only three years removed from leading the league with 51 home runs and 128 runs batted in. A winner of 10 Gold Gloves, he also was chasing a title after losing twice in the World Series.

Read more:Plaschke: Who says they don’t need him? Dodgers need to trade for Tarik Skubal

“It’s one of those things where we didn’t sign to make the Hall of Fame, we played this game because we love it and because we wanted to win championships,” Jones said Friday.

The Dodgers had high expectations in 2008. Joe Torre, with four championships as manager of the New York Yankees on his résumé, was in his first year in L.A. The roster was a blend of accomplished veterans (Nomar Garciaparra, Greg Maddux, Derek Lowe and midseason pickup Manny Ramirez) and budding stars (Matt Kemp, Russell Martin, Andre Ethier, James Loney and midseason call-up Clayton Kershaw).

Kent was the resident no-nonsense, old-school veteran whose bat remained potent at age 40. Near the end of the previous season he had gone public with his frustrations about the approach of some young players.

“A lot of kids in here, they don’t understand that ... you hate to waste an opportunity, even if it’s one and even if it’s your first time,” he said at the time. “It’s hard to get them to understand that because they haven’t been there.”

By spring training in what he acknowledged was his final season, Kent had gotten over it and was ready for a last try.

Read more:Most pressing question for Dodgers in the second half: Can Shohei Ohtani stay healthy?

“So much is made of the idea that we should be hugging, that we should all go out to dinner, but more important is the translation of talent and knowledge, with the older guys showing what they know and the younger ones asking for it,” he said.

Jones was expected to lock down center field and provide leadership. But a poor start and a midseason knee injury torpedoed his performance. He batted .158 with three home runs and 14 RBIs in 75 games and suffered torn cartilage in his right knee that required surgery and landed him on the disabled list for the first time in his career.

Kent, as always, was consistent at the plate, batting .280, but he also sustained a knee injury that required arthroscopic surgery and sidelined him for almost all of September.

In what could have been a legit postseason opportunity, Jones did not play and Kent came off the bench to go 0 for 9 during a division series sweep of the Chicago Cubs and five-game loss to the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL Championship Series.

Kent will wear a San Francisco Giants cap into Cooperstown. His six seasons playing alongside Barry Bonds vaulted him into the conversation on as best-hitting second baseman of all time. Kent drove in more than 100 runs eight times, was NL most valuable player in 2000 and finished his career with 55.4 wins above replacement (WAR).

In a video call with reporters Wednesday, Kent made it clear that his heart belongs not to San Francisco or L.A., but to Austin, Texas, where he lives on a ranch.

Read more:Dodgers' Mookie Betts has six Gold Gloves. And now a baseball glove company

“I’m a boring guy,” he said. “I chase grandkids and chase cows and ride motorcycles. When I retired I kind of went into my hole in Austin and I like living in my hole.”

Jones will don a Braves cap. He made his debut at 19 in 1996 and hit 25 or more home runs in 10 consecutive seasons beginning in 1998, finishing his career with 434 homers and a 62.7 WAR.

“When I came [to Atlanta] at the young age of 19, they welcomed me in,” he said. “I never moved from here. I made Atlanta my home.”

The Hall of Fame induction ceremony takes place Sunday, July 26 at 10:30 a.m. PDT. Outfielder Carlos Beltrán also will be inducted.

“It’s a bigger emotional deal than I ever thought it would be, absolutely,” Kent said. “I still tear up talking about it.”

Added Jones: “Thinking that this kid from Curaçao who came here chasing a dream, gets a chance to play a sport he loves and ends up in Cooperstown, is wild.”

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

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Cleveland Guardians, July 17, 2026, 7:10 p.m. ET

The Pittsburgh Pirates are back after the All-Star break with a series against the AL Central’s Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. It’s the first time the Pirates are in Cleveland since 2024, and they will need to use this weekend as a launching pad to keep them in the NL Wild Card race.

Pirates will hand the ball off to Jared Jones, who is 1-1 with a 4.37 ERA and eight starts so far this season. His last appearance came back on July 8 against the Atlanta Braves at home. It was his longest start of the season, pitching six innings with no hits and no runs, but the offense failed to support him in a 3-0 loss. Hopefully the bats will be turned on for tonight’s game.

The Guardians are countering with Gavin Williams, who has arguably been their best starter so far this season. Williams notched 10 victories during the first half of the season, including one in his last start on July 9 against the Minnesota Twins. He pitched seven innings, giving up three hits and two earned runs in a 5-2 victory at Target Field.

The Pirates find themselves two games back in the NL Wild Card standings, so every game from here on out is crucial.

Location: Progressive Field, Cleveland, OH

Broadcast: KDKA AM/FM, Sportsnet Pittsburgh

Pitching Matchup: Jared Jones (1-1, 4.37 ERA) vs. Gavin Williams (10-4, 3.81 ERA)

BD community, chime off in the comments section below.