The ace of the moment, Sean Burke. | David Richard-Imagn Images
Who would’ve thunk last fall watching Trey Yeasavage mow through AL hitters that just a few long months later, we’d be saying things like “Yeah he’s good, but Sean Burke might wind up getting some Cy Young votes, has the advantage.”
Obviously I’m being rather liberal with the royal “we” there, because I might really be the only one saying it, but I think it’s true. Burke is making his first start of the second half after catching fire going into the All-Star break, and if he can maintain anything like his season-long pace of a 3.41 ERA with more than a strikeout per inning, he’ll almost certainly garner some down-ballot votes.
It’s hard to understate how red-hot Burke is. After spinning seven stellar innings against the Athletics just before the break, his totals from his last six starts work out to six earned runs over 32 innings, looking every bit a starter who might not need an opener any longer. He touched 99 mph last week. 99! From Sean Burke! You just can’t fake that stuff, and if he can keep up anything like that while maintaining a good feel for his breaking balls, the Sox are going to be in very very good shape.
It seems in fact we may be in for a replay of last summer, when Shane Smith grabbed our attention while Burke quietly became the most consistent pitcher on the staff from late May-on. I strongly suspect Davis Martin will continue to make it a conversation, but if the Sox wind up playing in October this year, I also suspect Burke will be the one starting Game 1.
I also just noticed that this is happening over on the AL rookie leaderboard, sorted by WRC+.
There’s really a non-zero chance that this team winds up with two Top 3 Cy Young finishers and all but sweeping the top of the Rookie of the Year voting. There’s also a non-zero chance they do that and still wind up missing the playoffs, because the White Sox are still the White Sox. Still, it becomes harder to argue almost every day that this isn’t simply a talented ball club, and if their lineup can find some middle ground between Friday’s slugfest and yesterday’s neutering, they’ll be pretty well set for the series. That would also put them back to a season-high six games above breakeven heading into a tough series down in Arlington, Texas.
Here’s what Toronto manager John Schneider is using to match up against Burke this morning:
There is one more piece of reporting to report heading into today’s game. Clay Holmes may not be the ace we’re hoping for, but he won’t be expensive, and a veteran arm to solidify the staff just to get them to the playoffs might be the best move they can make, given the state of the trade market.
Chicago sent special assistant Nick Hostetler to watch New York Mets SP Clay Holmes during his rehab assignment, per @BNightengale
If you’re wondering why we’re up this early on a Sunday, I’d because today’s game is unfortunately only accessible via Peacock, though Len and DJ will be on the AM 1000 radio call as always. First pitch is at 11:15 a.m. CT, and we’ll see you there!
Jul 8, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Alan Rangel (57) pitches against the Cincinnati Reds in the first inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | Katie Stratman-Imagn Images
The Phillies’ first series of the second half wraps up with an afternoon contest against the New York Mets. It will be a battle of rookie pitchers, with the Phillies giving the ball to Alan Rangel. The righthander is 0-2 with a 4.19 ERA.
TORONTO, ON - MAY 25: A general view of Rogers Centre during the game between the Miami Marlins and the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday, May 25, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Jon Blacker/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
We have an early game. Maybe it will be finished before the start of the World Cup game.
Let’s score more than one run today.
Yesterday I mentioned the 1-0 games are very rare. That was our first 1-0 game, win or loss, of the season, and they didn’t have a 1-0 game all of last year. We had two 1-0 losses in 2024. Our last 1-0 win was August 18th, 2024 and that was out only 1-0 win that year.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JULY 17: Nicky Lopez #33 of the Texas Rangers hits an RBI single during the eighth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on July 17, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Texas Rangers lineup for July 19, 2026 against the Atlanta Braves: starting pitchers are Nathan Eovaldi for the Rangers and Grant Holmes for the Braves.
The Rangers come to the end of their brief three game road trip this afternoon, and will try to take the series against the Braves.
The lineup:
Pederson — DH
Langford — LF
Jung — 3B
Nimmo — RF
Burger — 1B
Duran — SS
Carter — CF
Lopez — 2B
Higashioka — C
12:35 p.m. Central start time. Rangers are -121 favorites.
Hernandez enters Sunday with an elite Batters-Box rating, along with over 75% arsenal coverage against Gasser. The Marlins slugger has been crushing left handed pitching, posting a .759 SLG, 1.126 OPS, and .444 ISO, while producing a 51.2% hard hit rate and 16.3% barrel rate.
At home, Gasser has struggled against right handed hitters, allowing a 68.3% elevation rate and a 35.7% hard hit rate. Over his last 60 batters faced, opponents have elevated the baseball 74.5% of the time while posting a .355 xBA, .544 xSLG, and .343 xwOBA.
With how well Hernandez has been seeing the baseball, I'm fully expecting extra bases this afternoon, with a strong chance one leaves the yard.
Time: 2:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: BREW, MIAM
Home run pick: Yordan Alvarez (+209)
Give me the big fella, the highest rated hitter on the slate over at Batters-Box. He also owns 100% arsenal coverage against Brandon Young.
When Alvarez has earned an elite rating this season, he has left the yard 35% of the time across a 25 game sample. The Houston Astros slugger hasn't slowed down one bit, batting .385 with a .923 SLG, 1.390 OPS, and .538 ISO, while producing a 63.6% hard hit rate and 22.7% barrel rate over his last 30 at-bats against right-handed pitching.
Meanwhile, the last 30 left-handed hitters Young has faced have generated a 57.1% hard hit rate, 9.5% barrel rate, and 76.2% elevation rate. They also own a .497 xBA, 1.127 xSLG, and .371 xwOBA.
Yeah...give me Yordan Alvarez to leave the yard this afternoon.
Time: 2:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: SCHN, MASN
Home run pick: Pete Crow-Armstrong (+375)
First of all...what is a Zebby? Somebody let me know.
Anywho, Pete Crow-Armstrong finds himself in a fantastic spot against Minnesota Twins right-hander Zebby Matthews this afternoon. He enters Sunday with an elite rating and 100% arsenal coverage against Matthews.
Over his last 30 at-bats against right-handed pitching, Crow-Armstrong owns a .667 SLG, 1.117 OPS, and .355 ISO, while producing nearly a 40% hard-hit rate and a 14.3% barrel rate.
Matthews has struggled against left-handed hitters in recent outings. Across the last 30 lefties he has faced, opponents have generated a 50% hard-hit rate, 16.7% barrel rate, and a 28% line drive rate. They also own an .852 xSLG and .390 xwOBA against him.
While his recent elevation rate has been a bit low, the quality of contact he's allowing suggests hitters are due to cash in with a long ball.
Time: 1:20 p.m. ET
Where to watch: MARQ, MNNT
Colby Marchio's 2026 Transparency Record
HR picks: 81-283, +10.9 units
Today’s HR parlay
Heriberto Hernandez
Bet Now +6504
Yordan Alvarez
Pete Crow-Armstrong
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
WEST PALM BEACH, FL - MARCH 16: Jackson Kent #45 of the Washington Nationals pitches during the game between the New York Mets and the Washington Nationals at Cacti Park at the Palm Beaches on Sunday, March 16, 2025 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Jared Blais/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
It has been better since a disastrous April, but Miles Mikolas and Zack Littell in the back of the rotation is not ideal. Both have ERA’s well over 5 for the season, and are just way too hittable. The pair have allowed a combined 45 home runs. After the trade deadline, I would like to see some new blood, specifically Jackson Kent.
Kent is one of the Nats most underrated prospects, and has the ability to be a number 4 starter for a long time. His combination of solid stuff, deception and control allows him to rack up the strikeouts in the minor leagues. Between AA and AAA, Kent has 90 strikeouts in 78.2 innings with a 3.78 ERA and 3.67 FIP.
jackson kent struck out 8 (including 5 of the first 6 batters he faced) in 5.0 innings of 2-hit, 1-run ball
his ranks in the system: BAA – 1st, .213 SO – 2nd, 90 WHIP – 2nd, 1.08 ERA – 4th, 3.78 pic.twitter.com/HU3ofiVjPn
— Nationals Player Development (@Nats_PlayerDev) July 18, 2026
He had a great outing the other day, allowing just one run and striking out 8 in five innings. Kent has had a very interesting season, especially in AAA. Since being promoted to Rochester, Kent has a mediocre 4.69 ERA, but his FIP sits at just 3.93 and his xERA is 3.31.
The thing with Kent is that most of his outings are stellar. He has allowed 2 or fewer runs in 7 of his 10 AAA starts, allowing one earned run or less in 6 of them. However, in the other three starts he allowed 7,6 and 5 earned runs. Blowup starts have been a problem for Kent in his career, and that will be one thing he has to solve if he wants to reach his full ceiling.
A reason for those blowup starts in my opinion is that Kent’s stuff is good, not great. He has to be pretty pinpoint with his command. To his credit, he usually is, but when he is not, things can spiral on him. His stuff is better than the likes of Mikolas and Littell though, with a 93-95 MPH heater from the left side to go with a nasty changeup and a pair of usable breaking balls.
In some ways, Kent reminds me of Jake Bennett, who the Nats traded this offseason and is now flourishing with the Red Sox. Both are left handers with big extension down the mound, good command and average stuff that plays up. Bennett’s game is more about soft contact, while Kent’s relies more on swing and miss. However, the two have a lot of similarities, and Kent could also have big league success like Bennett.
When August rolls around, I would love to see Kent get his shot. Despite an ERA that is not super impressive, all the underlying numbers suggest Kent is ready. He actually does a solid job of limiting hard contact for the most part, though when he does allow it, home runs come fairly often.
One stat evaluators look at a lot is K-BB%. It is a simple stat that is just your strikeout percentage minus your walk rate. Kent has always been great in that stat. This season he has a 28.4% K rate and just a 7.3% BB rate, which is a 21.1 K-BB%. That is higher than a lot of pitchers’ strikeout rates.
Kent is an interesting watch on the mound. A former high school football player, Kent is built like a linebacker. His delivery has a lot of flying arms and legs, but he manages to repeat it very well. Kent’s best pitch is his changeup, which does not pop on stuff models but plays super well off his fastball. That is his put away pitch, especially to right handed hitters.
23 year old Jackson Kent is a pitcher to watch!
In AA:
7 starts 30.2 IP 2.35 ERA 25.4 K-BB% 34.7 CSW% 16.2 SwStr%
This season Kent has seen his velocity go from the low-90’s to the mid-90’s, which has really helped him out. The increased juice on his heater has helped make the changeup even more deadly. In AAA, the changeup has a whiff rate of 42.9%.
Overall, this is just a way more interesting profile than a Mikolas or Littell. Kent has a chance to be a solid big league starter for a long time. Drafted in 2024, Kent is still a youngster at just 23 years of age. He does not have the flashy velocity of a Susana or Sykora, but if you can command the ball, you don’t need that, especially as a lefty.
When Kent gets to the big leagues, I could see them making some tweaks with him. The most obvious thing would be to throw a sinker to left handed hitters. Another thing could just be to work on his mental game to help avoid those blowup starts. He does not get a ton of headlines, but Jackson Kent has the ingredients to be a solid big league starter for a long time. I think the Nats should give him a shot sooner rather than later, ideally after the trade deadline.
NEW YORK — Shohei Ohtani’s knee is still bothering him.
And now, exactly when he will return to the mound for the Dodgers has become ominously unclear.
On Sunday, manager Dave Roberts announced Ohtani will not make a pitching start on Wednesday as initially expected, after the two-way star continued to feel discomfort in his bothersome left knee during catch play this weekend.
Dodgers pitcher Shohei Ohtani will not make his previously scheduled start Wednesday due to knee discomfort. Getty Images
Roberts added that the team didn’t know when Ohtani — who will continue to hit in the Dodgers’ lineup in the meantime— would pitch again but suggested “that it’s going to be some time” before he is back on the bump.
“His knee, we just want to continue to give it the best chance to kind of get into a good spot,” Roberts said. “And as he said, as we feel, it’s the pitching and the torque of landing on that leg that kind of gets it upset.”
The two-way star had his final start before the All-Star break scratched last Friday, then skipped All-Star festivities to receive a lubricant injection in his knee last Sunday.
The team had hoped that treatment would allow the 32-year-old to resume pitching once the second half began.
The Dodgers aren’t sure when Shohei Ohtani will return to the mound. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
But now, Ohtani’s status remains shrouded in even more uncertainty, with Roberts unable to provide even a rough timeline for his return to the mound.
“It’s not going to be a day-to-day thing,” Roberts said. “The first step is getting him into a spot where he feels like, and we feel like, he can pitch and not regress. At that point in time, we can kind of read and react. I just can’t even answer [when that might be] right now.”
Roberts tried to downplay bigger-picture concerns over Ohtani’s knee issue. He said he still fully expected the four-time MVP to pitch again this year. He described Ohtani’s current layoff as more of a precaution, thanks to “where we’re at and how we’ve put ourselves in a good spot” in the standings.
“Could he probably do it? Sure,” Roberts said of Ohtani trying to pitch through his knee injury now. “But right now, the benefits just don’t seem to outweigh the cost at this time of the season. I think we still have plenty of time to get him to a good spot.”
Roberts also noted that the decision to postpone Ohtani’s next start was made after the player and coaching staff discussed his health in recent days.
“It was more of the training staff talking to him about, ‘Hey, coming out of the break, how does Wednesday look? How do you feel? If you don’t feel 100%, we have the opportunity to just kick the can,’” Roberts said. “The player is always gonna want to be out there and participate. But I think it’s more driven by the organization saying, ‘Hey, if you’re not 100% right, you don’t have to do this.’”
Still, Ohtani’s knee discomfort was significant enough that he didn’t even attempt a bullpen session before reaching that conclusion.
“That was enough for him to talk to the trainers and feel that there was no need to test it with a bullpen where he already knew the answer,” Roberts said. “For us, it’s like we’ve done many times over, erring on the side of caution.”
Suddenly, it all leaves the Dodgers facing some pivotal questions about their pitching staff –– needing to replace Ohtani in the rotation short term and decide if more reinforcements are needed at the Aug. 3 trade deadline.
To the former question, Roberts said the Dodgers would try to maintain a six-man rotation, which will become easier once Blake Snell completes a rehab assignment he began on Saturday night with a 1 ⅓-inning outing with Triple-A Oklahoma City.
In the interim, the Dodgers could use bullpen games, spot starts and strategic scheduling around off-days to get by.
For the second leg of Sunday’s doubleheader against the Yankees, the club opted for a bullpen game while pushing Emmet Sheehan back to Monday’s series opener in Philadelphia against the Phillies (Justin Wrobleski and Eric Lauer will be the other two starters for that series).
“The rotation can keep going forward without Shohei, for the time being,” Roberts said. “Again, I can’t speak to how long that’s going to be.”
Longer term, however, Ohtani’s knee will now be an unwanted variable in the Dodgers’ three-peat plans.
Roberts said, ideally, this current break will help the right-hander’s knee get back to full health. But, because the problem flares up when Ohtani pitches, thanks to the force generated every time he lands on his front left leg, there’s no certainty that it won’t continue to linger for the rest of the year.
“I’m sure he’s going to work on that,” Roberts said when asked if there are tweaks Ohtani can make to his pitching mechanics to take pressure off his knee. “But you’ve got to obviously get off the mound and see how it feels when you get on the mound.”
For now, when that will be is an unknown.
After a first half full of two-way excellence, Ohtani is now grappling with the toll his dueling roles have taken.
Shohei Ohtani's left knee issues and concerns over his viability as a pitcher will extend into the second half, as Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters Sunday, July 19 that Ohtani will not make his next scheduled start and will be absent from the rotation indefinitely.
He remains in the lineup, batting leadoff as the Dodgers play the first game of a split doubleheader at Yankee Stadium Sunday.
Ohtani's last start as a pitcher came July 3 against the San Diego Padres, when he pitched six innings and gave up three runs. The Dodgers have been curtailing his two-way workload this season, often keeping his bat out of the lineup on days he pitches, and giving him seven to 10 days between starts on the mound.
That's produced his finest season with the Dodgers on the mound, with a 1.79 ERA in 14 starts. He has not thrown enough innings – 85 ⅔ – to qualify for the ERA title.
The Dodgers' starting pitching health remains elusive. Ohtani's setback comes just as as lefty Blake Snell begins a rehab assignment this week. Right-hander Tyler Glasnow has thrown a bullpen session but likely will be out another month as he builds back up from a back injury that's kept him out of the rotation since May 6.
CANADA - MAY 12: The Blue Jays have relied heavily (too heavily?) on the strong right arm of reliever Duane Ward. (Photo by Jeff Goode/Toronto Star via Getty Images) | Toronto Star via Getty Images
The Blue Jays announced that Duane Ward passed away in Toronto.
He was in Toronto for the ceremony for the World Series winning teams, but didn’t get to the ceremony Saturday. They say he died of natural causes. He was just 62. Far too young.
We mentioned that it was strange that Tom Henke was in a truck by himself, yesterday, I’m sure Ward was to be with him. I wonder if they knew he passed then and kept it quiet.
Duane ranks second on the Blue Jays’ all-time saves list with 121.
Duane Ward, born on May 18, 1964, in Park View, New Mexico, was drafted out of high school as the ninth overall pick in the first round of the 1982 amateur draft by the Atlanta Braves. The 6’4” right-hander initially faced challenges as a starting pitcher prospect in Atlanta’s system, struggling with control and walking five batters per nine innings, while not yet developing his eventual strikeout prowess. On July 6, 1986, the Blue Jays acquired Ward in a trade for Doyle Alexander. While Alexander was a reliable starter, the Jays ultimately benefited more from the deal.
After short appearances in the majors during 1986 and 1987, Duane Ward started the 1988 season in the Blue Jays’ bullpen, quickly establishing himself as Tom Henke’s primary setup man. That year, he shined with a 9-3 record, 15 saves, and a 3.30 ERA across 111.2 innings in 64 games. His 60 walks and 91 strikeouts showed that his unpredictability was part of his effectiveness. Times have changed; today, no setup man is expected to pitch that many innings—nowadays, 70 innings is considered a heavy workload for a reliever.
Ward remained Henke’s setup man for the next four seasons, forming a dominant bullpen tandem. Each year, Ward’s performance improved, with ERAs dropping from 3.77 to 1.95. He was no longer limited to setup duties, often pitching multiple innings, and notched double-digit saves each season, topping out at 23 in 1991. That year, he struck out 11 batters per nine innings and lowered his walk rate, earning a ninth-place finish in Cy Young Award voting.
When Tom Henke left after the 1992 season, Ward became the Blue Jays’ closer. He excelled, leading the league with 45 saves—still a franchise record—while striking out 97 batters in 71.2 innings and posting a 2.13 ERA. Ward’s dominance was evident in his 12.2 strikeouts per nine innings and a .182 opponents’ batting average. He was named an All-Star, finished fifth in Cy Young voting, and even garnered MVP consideration.
Ward was instrumental in the Blue Jays’ consecutive World Series championships. In 1992, he pitched in three ALCS games against Oakland, earning a win, and appeared in four World Series games against Atlanta, where he won twice, allowed no runs, and struck out six in 3.1 innings. The following year, Ward pitched four times and earned two saves in the ALCS win over the White Sox, then made four more appearances—including a win and a save—in the World Series victory over the Phillies.
Ward missed the entire 1994 season with a torn rotator cuff. He attempted a comeback in 1995, but after only four appearances, his career was cut short at age 31—a stark reminder of the toll heavy workloads can exact on relievers. For six seasons, Ward was a dominant force, regularly throwing 95 mph fastballs and sharp sliders. In his era, relievers were often expected to pitch multiple innings and appear in as many as 80 games per season.
Rob Neyer ranked Ward as the second-best reliever in Blue Jays history. Ward traveled with the Blue Jays’ clinics. My youngest son attended those clinics a few times, and Ward was excellent with the kids and kind with his time, he spent a few minutes talking to after clinic days.
Deepest condolences to his family and friends. He was a favourite of mine.
DENVER, CO - JULY 18: TJ Rumfield #7 of the Colorado Rockies rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run in the sixth inning during the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on Saturday, July 18, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Ray Bahner/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
As the second half of the 2026 MLB season unfolds, what will rookie TJ Rumfield of the Colorado Rockies do for an encore after a breakout opening half of 2026?
If his performance on July 19 against the Cincinnati Reds in Colorado’s second series after the All-Star break is any indication, the first baseman may well be on his way to securing more than just a set of lofty statistics at season’s end.
The Richmond, Virginia, native erupted for career highs of four hits and four RBI while smashing a career-long 456-foot home run in Colorado’s 10-3 shellacking of the Reds at Coors Field.
Against Cincinnati, Rumfield went 4-for-5 at the plate with a pair of run-scoring singles in addition to his two-run monster homer to pick up right where he left off before the All-Star break.
In fact, the Virginia Tech product could not have dreamed about a much better first half—both offensively and defensively—than what he displayed in his team’s opening 98 games before the All-Star Game.
Rumfield was selected as the National League Rookie of the Month for May and June, the first player in franchise history to earn the award two times and the first NL player to turn the trick since Michael Harris of Atlanta in August-September 2022.
Beyond that, among all MLB rookies this season and through games of July 18, Rumfield ranked first in batting average (.295), second in slugging percentage (.472) and OPS (.851), tied for first in games played (96) and hits (100), tied for second in extra-base hits (34) and doubles (20), and he was fifth in RBI (47).
So, how is the first-year player, who leads Colorado and is tied for second among all ML first baseman with seven Defensive Runs Saved, approaching the season’s second half?
“I think it’s just trying to be a better teammate every day,” he said.
“You can do so much on the baseball field, but the people who remember you are your teammates. They are not going to remember if you went 4-for-4. I’ll just remember if you said ‘Good morning’ or whatever.”
With his 99 hits before the All-Star break, Rumfield became the first player to reach that total in a debut season since Hideki Matsui of the New York Yankees and Rocco Baldelli of the Tampa Bay Rays in 2003.
Based on Rumfield’s first-half performance, and with a solid second half, could the left-handed swinging first baseman be a solid candidate for NL Rookie of the Year accolades?
Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer weighed in on that possibility before the Rockies’ game July 19 against the Reds.
“Listen, he’s right in the middle of it,” Schaeffer said. “He’s been doing things that are very well deserving. (He’s) got 63 games left that you have to finish strong in.
“Honestly, with all due respect, I think it’s too early to talk about it. He’s got work to do, and he knows that.”
If Rumfield were to gain ROY honors, he would join pitcher Jason Jennings from 2002 as the only Colorado players to be so named.
Quite a scenario for a player who was drafted in the 12th round by Philadelphia in 2021. The Rockies obtained Rumfield from the New York Yankees in a trade for pitcher Angel Chivilli in January of this year.
Ever since then, Rumfield has been a man on a mission.
“I think the biggest thing for me was just coming into spring training with my body in a position ready to play, try to just show up every single day with a good attitude, be a good teammate and let all the other things fall into place because I can’t control them,” he said.
“So, pitch to pitch, go out there and try to control my performance as much as I can. But it’s really just showing up and making sure your body is ready to go.”
Schaeffer noted that, once Rumfield had an opportunity to display his talent with the Rockies, good results followed.
“It’s what makes it such a nice story with TJ because he was blocked for a while with New York and then became clear and got an opportunity and he’s really showing what he can do really well,” the manager said just before the All-Star break.
Rumfield will let his play on the field speak for itself.
“I think in the beginning…it’s still every day trying to prove to them that I’m the guy who can play first base,” he said. “I can only control what I can control. So whatever they think about me, it’s whatever they think. But they leave me in there and I like it.”
Rockies fans certainly liked what they saw from the ROY candidate in an early second half of the season encore on July 19 against the Reds.
NORTH LITTLE ROCK, AR - APRIL 22: Bryce Mayer #6 of the Corpus Christi Hooks pitches during the game between the Corpus Christi Hooks and the Arkansas Travelers at Dickey-Stephens Park on Wednesday, April 22, 2026 in North Little Rock, Arkansas. (Photo by Braeden Botts/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
Another day of minor league baseball is in the books. See the results below.
AAA: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (47-47) won 8-3 (BOX SCORE)
Nezuh got the start and went 4.1 innings allowing 2 runs. The offense got on the board in the 3rd inning on a Biggio solo home run. They got another in the 5th on a Whitcomb sac fly. After falling behind 3-2, Salazar gave Sugar Land the lead with a 2 run home run in the 6th inning. Sugar Land rallied for 4 runs in the 8th to extend the lead on a Biggio walk and Guillemette 3 run double. The bullpen was solid as they closed out the 8-3 win.
Jackson Nezuh, RHP: 4.1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 5 BB, 1 K
Michael Knorr, RHP: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K (WIN)
Logan VanWey, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
Alimber Santa, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
Cody Bolton, RHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (41-48) won 5-2 (BOX SCORE)
Mayer started for the Hooks and pitched well tossing 5 scoreless innings with 8 strikeouts. The offense got on the board in the 7th inning scoring 2 runs on a Sisneros 2 run double and Whitaker RBI double. DeVos made his Double-A debut and allowed 2 runs over 3 innings with 6 strikeouts. The offense got some insurance with 2 runs in the 8th inning on a Janek 2 run home run. Chirinos came on for the 9th and tossed a scoreless innings as the Hooks won 5-2.
A+: Asheville Tourists (31-57) lost 12-5 (BOX SCORE)
Smith got the start but really struggled allowing 6 runs without retiring a batter. Asheville got on the board in the third inning on a Hernandez solo home run. Rome added a few more runs making it 10-1. In the 6th, Frey connected on a 2 run home run, his 7th of the season. The offense got 2 runs in the 9th on a Powell RBI double and Batista sac fly but that was it as Asheville fell 12-5.
A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (44-43) won 4-3 (BOX SCORE)
Perez got the start for the Woodpeckers and went 3.2 innings allowing 2 runs while striking out 5 batters. The Woodpeckers got on the board in the bottom of the 4th inning scoring 4 runs on an error, a Wakefield 2 run triple and a run on a wild pitch. Weber tossed 4 no-hit innings in relief. Cassedy came on for the 9th and allowed a run but was able to hold on as the Woodpeckers won 4-3.
Jul 17, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves right fielder Brewer Hicklen (53) on the field before a game against the Texas Rangers at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images
The Braves are keeping the core of the lineup that has come out of the All-Star break in better form through two games intact, with only a few small changes for Sunday’s 1:35 p.m. ET rubber match against the Texas Rangers at Truist Park.
The top five of the order remains the same, although Drake Baldwin moves back behind the plate to bring Dominic Smith, who is hitting sixth, in at designated hitter against a righty starter.
Additionally, Jim Jarvis, who has been in form of late with six hits in the last three games, moves up a spot to eighth while Brewer Hicklen replaces Eli White in right field and will hit ninth.
The Rangers are running back the same lineup they had for Saturday’s comeback win. That includes old friend Joc Pederson as DH in the leadoff spot.
The current Braves hitters have not had a ton of success against Rangers starter Nathan Eovaldi (9-7, 4.04 ERA). They’re a combined 12-for-64 (.188) with four doubles, eight RBIs and 14 strikeouts to five walks.
Among players with more than two at-bats, only Michael Harris II (3-for-8, .375) and Dominic Smith (2-for-6, .333) are hitting above .200 against the veteran right-hander.The B
The Rangers only have a combined 22 at-bats against Braves starter Grant Holmes (5-4, 3.61) but they have had success against him, with a combined .409 batting average and .864 slugging percentage.
Jake Burger (3-for-5 with two homers and three RBIs) and Elias Diaz (2-for-5, 2 doubles) have had particular success versus Holmes.
But none of that history means anything when the teams take the field Sunday afternoon. Let’s see if the Braves can build momentum to begin the second half with a series win.
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WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 11: Trent Grisham #12 of the New York Yankees looks on prior to the game between the New York Yankees and the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on Saturday, July 11, 2026 in Washington, District of Columbia. (Photo by Olivia Vega/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Nobody could’ve ever imagined that Trent Grisham would be where he is right now when the Yankees acquired him as a partial salary dump in the Juan Soto trade during the 2024 Winter Meetings. After all, the team planned on him being the fourth outfielder while Alex Verdugo manned left field. And even when spots opened up in the outfield after Verdugo and Soto both walked (with varying levels of interest), he was referred to as a non-tender candidate who, if he stayed, would once again be the fourth outfielder after the team acquired Cody Bellinger and got star prospect Jasson Domínguez back healthy.
But funny things happen when opportunity arises. Minor injuries and struggles opened up playing time for Grisham early in 2025. In an opportunity sport like baseball, sometimes people just need a little daylight to force their way in. That’s exactly what Grisham did, becoming the team’s everyday center fielder and leadoff hitter for much of the season.
Despite emerging into a borderline All-Star bat at a very important position, a lot of fans were willing to bid him adieu in the offseason. With Bellinger as more of a priority, most were willing to give Domínguez more of an extended run or even give a look to Spencer Jones while using Grisham’s money to shore up the bullpen or improve the offense in the infield.
But those thoughts didn’t last long. The Yankees extended him a $22 million qualifying offer, which he surprisingly accepted. We’ll never know if his market was depressed because of the contract year effect or if he viewed it as best for himself in the short term, but it quickly tied up a lot of money in what ultimately was a quiet offseason for the Yanks. As such, he drew the ire of the fanbase as the poster boy for not meaningfully improving a roster that crashed out in the ALDS.
The Yankees believed they had the core to do it, and whether they truly wanted Grisham back for that $22 million or extended him thinking he’d decline (the former is more believable), they were adamant that his 2025 wasn’t a fluke. After all, how often does a guy meaningfully improve all around as a hitter in his physical prime and just revert out of nowhere?
Right away in 2026, things didn’t look great. He was hitting well below the Mendoza Line and wasn’t slugging nearly as much as he did in 2025. While his walk rate remained elite and his peripherals looked just as good as before, the dissenters grew ever louder as he entered May continuing to struggle. The Yankees don’t spend like the Dodgers or Mets, so that kind of money needs production.
That production came, and everyone is slowly realizing that Grisham is, in fact, a good MLB hitter. And for a Yankee team that’s missing Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton for at least another month-plus, he’s a stabilizing force for a lineup that’s been in the doldrums. He’s their rock.
His defense is still regressing considerably. He doesn’t have long for center field due to declining athleticism and recurring lower-body injuries, but he still can be a leader in an outfield that now often has a guy like Domínguez or Max Schuemann to his right. Even if his future is likely in a corner himself, he’s nowhere near a liability.
At the plate, he remains pivotal. He’s still sporting an elite 13.7 walk rate and .337 on-base percentage despite spending much of the season below the Mendoza Line. In 122 plate appearances since mid-May, he’s hitting .333 with a 163 wRC+. Before going down with a minor hamstring ailment in June, he kept the offense afloat after Judge’s injury at the end of May.
But when he did go down, the offense completely fell apart. In the 18 games played with him on the injured list, the team topped five runs only three times, all initially during the Paul Goldschmidt heater. After he cooled off, the team was the worst offense in the sport. When he was out, the team had an 80 wRC+. Since he’s returned? Back to 109, a top-10 figure in baseball.
Bringing him back into the fold brought two critical things for the offense: clutch hitting and plate discipline. The Yankees, usually an elite walk team and a mediocre strikeout team, have been among the worst in the sport in both categories since Grisham’s injury. Those two things are what the 29-year-old excels at, and while his plate discipline has slipped since his return, it’s an improvement over the guys he’s taking at-bats from.
The clutch hitting is where the Big Sleep is most important. He was one of the most clutch players in the sport last year and has delivered timely swings all season long for the team, regardless of how he’s performed at times overall. He was a pivotal part of the three come-from-behind wins in Washington, hitting a go-ahead homer last Saturday and scoring the go-ahead run on Ben Rice’s triple on Sunday.
His impact also extends to providing protection for the guys behind him. Rice in particular was struggling mightily without Grisham, but has improved massively since his return:
Ben Rice 6/13 to 7/1 (w/o Grisham): .197/.260/.408, 27.3 K%, 81 wRC+ Since 7/3 (w/Grisham): .361/.465/.917, 18.6 K%, 271 wRC+
Leaving Rice on an island left him vulnerable to getting every pitcher’s best stuff. After all, he was one of the only guys teams were circling in the pitchers’ meetings before the game. Now, with Grisham back, his ability to see pitches, grind at-bats, and give Rice protection is allowing the young first baseman to re-emerge as an MVP candidate.
All of what he’s doing makes the Yankees’ decision to tender a qualifying offer to him one of the best moves by any team last offseason. What would the Yankees have done if they hadn’t? Would they have used Bellinger’s money to get Kyle Tucker or Bo Bichette, who are both mightily underachieving with $60 million salaries? Would they have signed a reliever like Brad Keller, who’s undergoing Tommy John surgery? What would a full season of relying on Domínguez and Jones have looked like with the injuries? Thankfully, we won’t have to find out.
We may have even reached a point where he and the team negotiate a multi-year extension in the offseason. The free agent market for outfielders is incredibly bleak, and there’s a case to be made that two of the top three hitters overall hitting the market will be Yankees. If that’s the case, with neither Domínguez nor Jones showing they can contribute to winning the way Grisham has, why not consider it?
His offense isn’t a fluke, and Judge’s age will slowly push him to being the DH down the road anyway, especially when Stanton’s contract expires. Why can’t he settle into a favorable Yankee Stadium right field as he enters his early 30s while Bellinger continues to be a rock in left field? I’m sure these discussions are happening internally, which is incredible considering where he was not too long ago in his career.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JULY 18: Brandon Nimmo #24 (left), Ezequiel Duran #20, Nicky Lopez #33, Evan Carter #32, and Wyatt Langford #36 of the Texas Rangers celebrate after winning a game against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on July 18, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Edward M. Pio Roda/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning, folks…
The Texas Rangers beat the Atlanta Braves yesterday by a score of 7-6.
Heriberto Hernandez
Yordan Alvarez
Pete Crow-Armstrong
