Category: MLB

At the end of last season, Andrew Alvarez had five really nice starts for the Nats. He did not go that deep into games, but Alvarez proved to be effective with his breaking ball heavy attack. However, I was not fully convinced about the lefty. With a fastball that averaged 91, and middling results at AAA, I thought it was a flash in the pan.

This season Alvarez is proving me wrong one outing at a time. He is still not going deep into games, but he is just getting as many outs as the team needs. On the season, the 27 year old southpaw has a 3.05 ERA and 2.65 FIP in 41.1 innings across 11 appearances and 5 starts. The velocity is more in the 92-93 range and his breaking balls are as sharp as ever.

For a guy who does not throw hard, Alvarez gets a ton of strikeouts. This season, he has 48 K’s in 41.1 innings. He is striking out 27.6% of hitters, which has him tied with Braxton Ashcraft and Reid Detmers, two breakout arms who throw much harder than him. My favorite part of Alvarez’s game is his ability to finish guys off with two strikes. It is a skill that not many arms on this staff have, but he does it super well.

His go-to two strike weapon and his best pitch is his curveball. It is a really sharp curve that he throws quite hard and commands well. His other pitches do not really pop on most stuff models, but stuff+ really likes his curve. Despite not throwing his fastball that hard, his 83 MPH curveball is significantly harder than the average 80 MPH lefty curve. 

Most harder curveballs sacrifice some movement in exchange for the extra power. That is not the case for the Alvarez curve though. He actually gets more drop and break than the average curveball. It is truly a unique pitch and has been getting exceptional results. Batters are hitting .179 with a 35.1% whiff rate on his hook. Of his 48 strikeouts, 30 of them have come on the curveball. With that context, it is no surprise that the curveball is his most used pitch.

The curve is not Alvarez’s only swing and miss breaking ball though. He also has a slider which he throws 26.3% of the time, just 2% less than the curve. The slider comes in at about the same speed, so if you did not know any better, you would think it is a misread curve. However, if you look at the pitch plot, the two pitches have very distinct movement profiles. 

Having two breaking balls at the same speed with different movement is also a unique piece of Alvarez’s arsenal. The slider actually has a higher whiff rate than the curve, but it gets hit harder and he only has 11 strikeouts on the pitch. Here is a neat video of Alvarez getting strikeouts on the slider and the curve though.

It is no secret that Alvarez is a breaking ball reliant pitcher. He throws either the curve or the slider 54.7% of the time. That is his bread and butter, and he knows it. The fact that Alvarez knows himself so well as a pitcher is another strength for him.

The fastball is not a strength of Alvarez’s game, but he mixes in his 4-seamer and sinker just enough. Batters are hitting over .300 on both, but the heaters keep them honest and get a good amount of ground balls. On the season, Alvarez has an elite 55% ground ball rate.

Despite not having a great fastball, Alvarez still has good stuff, just not in the traditional way. His breaking balls grade out well, and he uses that to get strikeouts. He is a good example of a pitcher not having to throw 100 to be a swing and miss guy.

While Alvarez will walk some hitters, his overall command is strong. He does a nice job placing his curveball at or below the bottom of the zone and locating his 4-seamer at the top of the zone. Alvarez also spots his sinker down and into lefties, which is a nice spot to put it. His overall location+ grade is 106, which is better than average. 

Overall, I am very encouraged by Alvarez’s season. The fastball will limit him, and he is not necessarily a guy you want facing hitters 3 times. However, he is a really solid piece in this pitching staff. Moving forward, I think he could have a lot of success in a Brad Lord type role.

We saw Lord and Alvarez team up yesterday, and that is a cool concept. Those two could combine for 7 innings and create a very good starter in the aggregate. While Alvarez does not have the flashy velocity many teams are looking for, he is proving that his spin heavy attack is not a flash in the pan.

Some English soccer fans weren’t done getting their sports fix after their comeback win over DR Congo on Wednesday.

Following Harry Kane’s heroics that sent the Three Lions through to the World Cup Round of 16 in Atlanta in the afternoon, a group of supporters made their way to the Braves game against the Cardinals.

Standing in a section beyond left-center field, the fans threw their support behind Braves center fielder Michael Harris, singing songs like “Walking in a Harris wonderland” and “Baseball’s coming home again with Michael Harris.”

An appreciative Harris threw a ball toward the fans before the start of an inning.

“So it’s my first experience of baseball and we didn’t know what to expect,” an English fan named Nige told Braves TV reporter Wiley Ballard. “And what we’re trying to do is just bring a little bit of English atmosphere to what is obviously a slightly different sport. But it’s amazing, it’s fantastic to see something different. I love the whole build, I love the atmosphere, I love the fact that you guys do something so big. Just to be part of it for one night is really special.”

Harris went 1-for-4 with an RBI in Atlanta’s 5-1 win as the Braves improved to 50-34.

The NL East leaders are 2 1/2 games up on the Phillies entering Thursday.

Every match of the FIFA World Cup will air on either FOX or FOX Sports 1. If you don’t have cable, you can take advantage of a DIRECTV free trial to stream it all.

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Harris, 25, was the NL Rookie of the Year in 2022, when he burst onto the scene by slashing .297/.339/.514 with 19 homers and 64 RBIs.

After a couple of down years offensively, Harris is hitting .293 with an .817 OPS, 14 homers and 44 RBIs in 78 games this season.

England now heads to Mexico City for a daunting match against Mexico at Estadio Azteca on Sunday.

The Cincinnati Reds have lost four straight games overall and all six of the games in which they have played the Milwaukee Brewers so far in 2026, and now they get to face the single most intimidating pitcher on the planet today. Great!

Following yet another late game collapse on Wednesday evening, the Reds are now seven games under .500 and should almost immediately begin going into hibernation mode, the 2027 season (ha) a much more realistic time to be ambitious than this disastrous 2026 one. And now, this Thursday afternoon, they get to face Jacob Misiorowki, who tops the FanGraphs fWAR leaderboard for pitchers so far this season while also topping the fastball velocity readings by nearly 2.5 mph.

Interestingly enough, it’s Cincinnati’s Chase Burns who sits second on that velocity list. Even though he’s 2.4 mph behind the Miz on average, he’s still one of the elite chuckers in the game, and that’s who Cincinnati will send to the bump in this series finale. There’s at least a bit of hope, if not much, that Burns can once again be the guy who stems the tide and gets this moribund franchise pointed back in the correct direction for at least one day.

It’s beyond bleak, folks. 85 games into the season, up against the most dominant arm in the sport, and knowing a loss would sink you a full eight games under the .500 mark? That’s a season-ending scenario just about any way you look at it, even though Nick Krall will point at the injured list and tell you it’ll be just like making a trade.

Cincinnati’s season isn’t just on the brink, it’s leaning over it.

First pitch on Thursday is a 2:10 PM ET matinee. Here’s how the Reds will line up to start:

The 2026 MLB trade deadline is a month away, and Steve Cohen suggested to the New York Post on Wednesday that the Mets will be selling because of their shrinking playoff odds.

But unlike most teams that end up selling this time of year, the Mets will not be doing so in the middle of a full-fledged rebuild. They could use prospects, yes, but they will also need pieces who can help them next year, when they intend to contend again.

Given those circumstances, this Mets deadline will be both complicated and pivotal. We reached out to some rival executives to get an idea of which players contending teams will see as assets and what they might give up for them. 

Here is a very early take on who is most likely to go and what kind of talent the Mets might be able to get in return.

All of this is speculative and subject to change depending on when the Mets sell: If they start selling now, they will find a market low on supply and middling on demand. If they wait until other teams sort out their fates, their assets will be part of a bigger supply, but demand might also be more drastic, too. In other words, stay tuned.

VERY LIKELY TO GO 

LHP Brooks Raley

Raley’s name comes up in almost every conversation about the Mets’ trade deadline. He is an experienced lefty who can handle righties and whose contract is expiring after this season. He is having one of the better seasons of his career, pitching to a 2.32 ERA with 34 strikeouts in 31 innings. The 38-year-old will probably be one of the better relievers available, and certainly one of the better non-closers on the market.

Given that, one could look to a few recent deals to inform a potential return: The optimistic extreme would be the Mets’ deal for Tyler Rogers last season, one in which they sent three prospects, two ranked in their system’s top 15, to the Giants in exchange for the veteran reliever. That might have been a slight overpay, and Rogers consistently ranks among baseball's best in terms of Stuff+ (His 133 is best among all relievers this year, while Raley is tied for 31st).

A more conservative comparison might be the deal the Mets made for Ryan Helsley last year, in which they sent three players to the Cardinals, also including two prospects ranked in their system’s top 15. Both of those deals came closer to the deadline.

LHP A.J. Minter

Minter, like Raley, is an experienced lefty who can also handle righties. Minter, like Raley, will be a free agent after this season. He has not allowed a run in 13 appearances since returning from shoulder surgery this year, has a 3.12 career ERA, and pitched in a World Series-winning bullpen for the Braves in 2021. His 101 Stuff+ does not inspire as much confidence as Raley’s, but his track record and performance should make him appealing to a similar group of suitors. His return seems likely to be less than Raley’s, particularly if teams have concerns about the fact that he is still within a year of major shoulder surgery. But one could spin it this way, too: He has fewer innings on his arm over the last two seasons than just about any proven reliever who will be available, which could make him fresher for October.

SP Freddy Peralta

Peralta struggled again against the Blue Jays on Wednesday, making it three bad starts in his last five. His 4.81 ERA is the worst of his career as a regular starter by nearly a full run, and he is battling his mechanics in ways that appear to be affecting his stuff and on-field morale.

Still, Peralta is a durable starter in a contract year, and because his issues appear to be the result of some inadvertent changes to his delivery early this season, pitching-savvy teams should have reason to believe they can fix him. He is also a good budget option in a starting pitching market that can often be rather costly: He is owed $8 million total this season, meaning any team trading for him would only inherit approximately $2.5 million prorated salary he is owed after the deadline. That would seemingly make him a good option for everyone from big-market teams looking for help to smaller-market teams hoping to bolster rotations without major investment.

Perhaps, obviously, the Mets will not get back what they gave up for Peralta. And his struggles will not help his value. Still, veteran Yusei Kikuchi was traded with a 4.75 ERA in his walk year two years ago, and that deal netted the Astros three prospects that ranked in the Blue Jays’ top 15 at the time, all of whom have since played in the majors. Track record counts for something.

Even in a worst-case scenario, consider the return the Orioles got last year for veteran Charlie Morton, who was more expensive, a decade older and pitching worse than Peralta when they traded him to the Tigers at last year’s deadline. He netted the Orioles a prospect named Micah Ashman, who struck out Cal Raleigh and Roman Anthony in the WBC this spring and has 50 strikeouts in 30 innings in Double-A this year. Proven starters can return value, even if it is not as much as the Mets gave up to get him.

SP Clay Holmes

Given the state of the Mets' rotation heading into 2027, they should probably consider extending Holmes, who was a stalwart for them earlier this season before breaking his leg on a comebacker in May. But if they are not able to do that, they should trade him, and multiple executives pointed to the deal that the Blue Jays made to acquire Shane Bieber last year as a potential template.

Holmes is not currently healthy. He is throwing his first bullpen since his injury this week, and he will need time to build back up to a starter’s workload from there. As such, he might not be available to audition for teams in time for the Aug. 3 trade deadline. If he is, he might not be able to offer much of a sample.

Bieber was even less of a sure thing when the Jays traded for him last year. He had not pitched in a major league game in more than a year and was due back from Tommy John surgery in the last month of the year. Toronto, needing starting depth, traded a respected pitching prospect for him anyway, planning for his return.

Holmes has pitched well more recently than Bieber had. He is not coming back from an arm injury. He is on an expiring contract that will owe him a bit less than $5 million in prorated salary for August and September, which is affordable for a frontline starter, but could be prohibitive for small-market teams. Still, all of that suggests the Mets should be able to get more than the Guardians got for Bieber – and they got a former second-round pick and a top-five prospect from the Jays system in Kahl Stephen.

Stephen needs elbow surgery that has stalled his rise up prospect rankings, but he was pitching to a 3.44 ERA in 12 Double-A starts before the injury.

IF THE PRICE IS RIGHT

RHP Huascar Brazobán

Multiple executives raised Brazobán’s name as one the Mets could consider moving at this deadline, even though he is not on an expiring contract. The formerly volatile righty is compiling the most consistent season of his career, pitching to a 1.94 ERA with a sub-1.00 WHIP in a variety of bullpen roles.

Unlike the other relievers mentioned here, Brazobán is entering his second year of arbitration and will not be a free agent until after the 2029 season. He is, therefore, a more affordable relief option than many available this time of year, which could appeal to contending teams trying to improve their bullpens on a budget. Because of his success this year and that extended team control, any deal for Brazobán should secure the Mets a legitimate prospect or two. If it doesn’t, they do not need to trade him: After all, the 2027 Mets will need cost-controlled relievers, too.

RP Luke Weaver

Multiple executives speculated about the potential availability of Weaver, who has not allowed a run since April 30. He has been one of the best relievers in baseball this season, walking just nine batters while striking out 39 in 36 innings and is maintaining a career-low 0.806 WHIP. He is also under contract through next season at a reasonable top reliever rate of $11 million for 2027 – a price any mid- or big-market team intending to contend next year would happily pay to lock down a bullpen stalwart before an unpredictable offseason.

But the Mets are a team that intends to contend next year, and keeping the pairing of Weaver and Devin Williams intact would mean not having to start from scratch in the bullpen, at least. Both Cohen and David Stearns have acknowledged the possibility that too much roster turnover, implemented too quickly, might have contributed to the 2026 team’s early struggles.

So Weaver’s status likely depends on more variables than, say, Raley's or Minter's. First, it depends on Cohen and Stearns’ goals for this deadline. If they decide they need to salvage as much as they possibly can from this season and strip the roster for every possible asset, Weaver certainly would bring significant value. But neither the owner nor his president of baseball operations has operated in extremes this year.

More likely, the plan for Weaver will depend on how many teams decide to sell and how many elite relievers are available. If supply is sparse, the potential return might help the Mets more in 2027 than Weaver would.

LONGSHOTS

SS Francisco Lindor

Cohen told the Post on Wednesday that he does not see the Mets moving either of their high-priced superstars, Lindor or Soto. That should end 95 percent of all speculation about whether Lindor will be traded. He is on this list for one reason: If the Mets decide they need to recalibrate the heart of the roster – whether due to clubhouse dynamics or multiple years of on-field malaise -- the last five-and-a-half years of Lindor’s $341 million contract are still easier to shop than the billions and eons remaining on Soto’s.

Could a team in need of a long-term middle infield solution and a middle-of-the-order bat decide Lindor is better than what will be available to them in the free-agent market? Or that cost certainty on a player of his caliber is an asset heading into the lockout? That does not seem impossible, particularly for a POBO with a history of trading big, veteran contracts for one another like Stearns did with Brandon Nimmo and Marcus Semien.

Still, Lindor is an extremely valuable hitter at his position who has committed himself to New York and proven himself capable of handling ups and downs here. It is not easy to envision the kind of deal that would inspire Cohen to part with him, let alone to shop him while planning to win again in 2027.

SP Sean Manaea

In keeping with the idea that all starting pitchers with any recent history of success qualify as treasured assets this time of year, Manaea is a starting pitcher with some recent history of success. Some team might be willing to bet his revived velocity, 3.53 ERA, and 3.16 Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP) marks since May 22 are representative of the pitcher he will be for the remaining year and a half of his three-year contract – or that they can make him even better.

But given how much he struggled early in the season, and the fact that he still has one-year remaining on a three-year, $75 million deal, he seems likely to appeal to a smaller group of high-payroll teams – unless the Mets want to pay down his contract. Then again, they will also need starters in 2027, not to mention down the stretch in 2026.

OF Tyrone Taylor

Right-handed hitting outfielders are notoriously hard to find, and Taylor is an excellent defender who provides credible at-bats as a fourth outfielder. He is making $3.8 million this year, so even at a prorated price, teams could likely find cheaper options. But the free-agent-to-be is known as a strong defender and could potentially fit a contender needing a veteran on the bench.

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The Texas Rangers have won six of the last seven and are -120 favorites to come out on top against the Detroit Tigers tonight.

My Tigers vs. Rangers predictions and MLB picks see value in backing them to slow a Detroit team coming off a sweep over New York.

Who will win Tigers vs Rangers today: Rangers moneyline (-115)

Nathan Eovaldi has posted an xERA of 2.11 or lower in three consecutive starts while striking out 24 batters.

His strong run of form should continue against the Detroit Tigers, who rank 21st in both OPS and OBP vs. right-handed pitching.

The Texas Rangers have a better matchup against Framber Valdez. Although he has pitched better of late, this is a spot where we could see a hiccup.

The Rangers lead the majors in batting average and sit second in wOBA against lefties since June 1. They should provide Eovaldi with enough support to get a win. 

Play this up to -125.

COVERS INTEL:Eovaldi ranks in the 93rd percentile in chase rate, which should serve him well against a Detroit team with the seventh highest strikeout percentage vs. righties.

Tigers vs Rangers Over/Under pick: Under 7 (+100)

Eovaldi has started six games over the last two months against teams striking out at a Top-10 clip. He's averaged well over six innings while posting a 2.56 ERA.

Playing in a pitcher’s park against a strikeout-heavy team missing one of its most productive bats against righties (Gleyber Torres), he should fare well.

Valdez owns a 3.23 ERA over the past month and has opponents hammering balls in the dirt, sporting a ridiculously high 63.5 GB% along the way.

Runs should be hard to come by, making the Under an appealing play up to -110.

Tigers vs Rangers weather

Tigers vs Rangers odds

• Moneyline: Tigers +100 | Rangers -120
• Run line: Tigers +1.5 (-210) | Rangers -1.5 (+170)
• Over/Under: Over 7 (-120) | Under 7 (+100)

Tigers vs Rangers trend

The Rangers have cashed the Under in 24 of the last 40 home games for +8.95 units and a 21% ROI. Find more MLB betting trends for Tigers vs. Rangers.

How to watch Tigers vs Rangers and game info

Tigers vs Rangers latest injuries

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2026 MLB Draft Preview: Jack Natili scouting report.

The 2026 is less than two weeks away — the first round kicks off on July 11, 2026 — so its time to start offering capsule looks at players the Texas Rangers could select with their top picks. The Rangers’ first round pick is at #16, their second round pick is at #54, and their third round pick is at #89.

Leading up to draft day, we will be doing writeups of some of the players who could end up getting selected by the Rangers with one of their first three picks. Today we are looking at University of Cincinnati catcher Jack Natili.

Jack Natili is a 6’3”, 198 lb. righthanded hitting catcher for the University of Cincinnati. Natili went undrafted int 2023 out of high school in Pennsylvania, and played for Rutgers as a freshman before transferring to Cincinnati, where he’s played the past two seasons. A junior, Natili turned 21 in March.

Offensively, Natili is a power-over-hit guy. He has a swing that is geared towards getting the ball in the air, helping him make the most of his plus power. However, his swing is described as getting long, and he can have problems catching up with fastballs. He is described as making good swing decisions, so his issues are less about chasing pitches out of the zone and more about making contact often enough with pitches in the zone.

Defensively, Natili has a plus arm which is perhaps his biggest asset behind the plate. He’s described as having made strides in his work behind the plate, though he’s not considered a particularly strong blocker or receiver of pitches. Nonetheless, he is expected to be able to stick behind the plate. As is the case with most catchers, he has below-average speed.

Natili hit .230/.386/.367 in 183 plate appearances for Rutgers as a freshman, striking out 32 times and walking 12 with 5 homers. As a sophomore for Cincinnati, Natili slashed .338/.451/.556 in 244 plate appearances, striking out 53 times and walking 30 times with 9 homers. He took a big step forward power-wise this year, hitting 19 homers in 276 plate appearances while slashing .339/.424/.674, with 29 walks against 56 Ks.

Baseball America has Natili at #58 on their board. MLB Pipeline has Natili at #87 on their board. Kiley McDaniel puts Natili at #71 on his top 150 list. Keith Law does not have Natili on his board. Fangraphs does not have Natili on their board. Baseball Prospectus does not have Natili on their top 30 draft board.

Catchers are always in demand. Power is always in demand. Thus, catchers with power are always going to be attractive to teams.

Natili is seen as someone who is always going to have a lot of swing and miss in his game, with the question offensively being if he can handle velocity well enough for him to utilize his power, rather than just being blown away by professional pitchers at the upper levels. The possibility is strong enough for him to likely go somewhere in the second through fourth rounds.

Previously:

Liam Peterson

Tyler Bell

Aiden Robbins

Jared Grindlinger

Logan Reddemann

Cooper Harris

Justin Lebron

Cameron Flukey

Derek Curiel

Hunter Dietz

Logan Hughes

Carson Wiggins

Peyton Bonds

Ace Reese

Sawyer Strosnider

Gio Rojas

Chris Rembert

Worcester: W, 6-5 (BOX SCORE)

On Wednesday against the Mets, Brayan Bello had a start. It was… a start. It was fine. He allowed three runs, went five innings, throwing 50 strikes on 81 pitches, struck out six and didn’t walk anyone. The pitching staff as a whole hurled fourteen strikeouts and, aside from Noah Song, were all huge in high-leverage situations. Allan Castro again played hero, hitting what would become the game-winning RBI single last night. This is the second consecutive game that the outfielder was instrumental in a win.

Portland: W, 7-6 (BOX SCORE)

I mean… at what point is it enough of a sample size to admit that Franklin Arias can hit this level of pitching and that it’s time to evaluate his bat at the next level? Yesterday against Altoona (Pirates AA) he hit a home run for the second consecutive game, the third such time he’s had a home run streak, as he’s now at 17 homers on the season. He’s slashing .329/.414/.606. I mean, come on now.

Brooks Brannon’s bat woke up with a bases-clearing double. The team surpassed a slumping Hayden Mullins getting hit to death and managed to win having had just five knocks on the night.

Greenville: L, 4-12 (BOX SCORE)

Luke Heyman led the charge with his seventh home run of the season, but there was simply too much Winston-Salem (White Sox High-A) offense to overcome. Jojo Ingrassia couldn’t go any longer in this game but pitched solidly enough overall for five innings. The bullpen, though, let a ton up, unable to hold the 4-2 lead they had after six innings, and this game just wasn’t winnable after an 8-run 8th inning for the Dash.

Salem: L, 0-1 (BOX SCORE)

Feels like a Red Sox game, doesn’t it? The pitching staff allowing just two hits to the Green Jackets (Braves A). Avinson Pinto matched that total himself, but all four Salem hits were singles, and the RidgeYaks couldn’t advance any runners and also couldn’t draw any walks. Tough to win a baseball game in that capacity no matter how good the pitching is.

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The Chicago White Sox have won six of the last nine and are priced at -110 to come out on top in tonight's series opener.

My White Sox vs. Guardians predictions and MLB picks suggest the road team should be favored against a Cleveland team missing its best player.

Who will win White Sox vs Guardians today: White Sox moneyline (-110)

Slade Cecconi has allowed six runs over his last five starts and managed a 1.88 ERA, despite a 3.97 xFIP and 4.02 FIP. 

Opponents hit an unsustainably low .229 on balls put in play over the past month. Even more unsustainable is that he has stranded 93.3% of baserunners, which is miles above his 71% career average.

The Chicago White Sox rank ninth in ISO and 12th in wOBA vs. righties since June 1, making them a strong candidate to bring Cecconi back to earth.

Back the White Sox up to -120.

COVERS INTEL:Slade Cecconi ranks in the 24th percentile in expected batting average allowed.

White Sox vs Guardians Over/Under pick: Under 8.5 (-110)

This total is half a run too high. Cecconi has not pitched as well as his numbers suggest, but it’s not as if he should be getting shelled. He simply deserves middling results rather than high-end. In a pitcher’s park, I don’t think he’ll get blown up entirely.

The Cleveland Guardians are missing a couple of key bats, and it shows. They rank 24th in wOBA and 29th in ISO against righties at home since June 1.

Davis Martin has allowed only five runs through six starts against Bottom-10 teams in OPS vs. right-handed pitching. Bet the Under to -125.

White Sox vs Guardians weather

White Sox vs Guardians odds

• Moneyline: White Sox -110 | Guardians -110
• Run line: White Sox -1.5 (+150) | Guardians +1.5 (-175)
• Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-110) | Under 8.5 (-110)

White Sox vs Guardians trend

The White Sox have cashed the moneyline in 26 of their last 45 games (+9.4 units, 19% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for White Sox vs. Guardians.

How to watch White Sox vs Guardians and game info

White Sox vs Guardians latest injuries

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Team News

D-backs’ undefeated run vs. Giants ends as Gallen searches for answers
“Zac was really good for the early parts of this game,” manager Torey Lovullo said. “I thought he was driving his fastball into the right parts of the zone.”

Said Gallen, “I felt like we were pretty much in control.”
……………………………………………………….
“I think I had said a while back, sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good in this game,” Gallen said. “Like, right now I’m on neither side of the coin, so it’s kind of frustrating. I felt like any time I made a mistake, the ball was [hit] for damage or leaving the ballpark.”

https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/zac-gallen-gives-up-six-runs-as-d-backs-lose-to-giants

Diamondbacks’ win streak over Giants couldn’t last forever

“We’re not gonna quit on Zac,” manager Torey Lovullo said postgame. “No coach is gonna quit on him. I know he’s struggling and he’s gonna continue to fight because that’s his spirit … It’s not working the way we want it to for him, I’ll acknowledge that, but he can pay us unbelievable dividends if he gets on one of his runs.” https://arizonasports.com/mlb/arizona-diamondbacks/giants-win-streak-ends

Diamondbacks’ Historic Streak Against Giants Finally Comes to an Endhttps://www.si.com/mlb/diamondbacks/onsi/diamondbacks-historic-streak-giants-finally-comes-end

Diamondbacks Injured Catcher to Begin Rehab Assignmenthttps://www.si.com/mlb/diamondbacks/onsi/diamondbacks-injured-catcher-rehab-assignment-mccann

Diamondbacks prospect Kayson Cunningham named to NL Futures Game rosterhttps://arizonasports.com/mlb/arizona-diamondbacks/diamondbacks-prospect-kayson-cunningham-named-to-nl-futures-game-roster

Other Baseball

MLBPA seeks larger roster sizes, demotion protection in proposal https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/49240289/mlbpa-labor-proposal-seeks-bigger-roster-size-demotion-protection

MLBPA Proposes Changes To Roster Rules In CBA Talkshttps://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2026/07/mlbpa-proposes-changes-to-roster-rules-in-cba-talks.html

Team-by-team breakdown of every player headed to Futures Game
https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/each-team-s-prospects-headed-to-2026-futures-game?t=mlb-pipeline-coverage

Pirates SP Paul Skenes gets tagged for career-worst 7 earned runs vs. Phillieshttps://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/article/pirates-sp-paul-skenes-gets-tagged-for-career-worst-7-earned-runs-vs-phillies-004832134.html

Rays star Junior Caminero extends streak, becomes youngest player since at least 1900 to hit home run in 6 straight games

https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/breaking-news/article/rays-star-junior-caminero-extends-streak-becomes-youngest-player-since-at-least-1900-to-hit-home-run-in-6-straight-games-002346617.html

Rays ‘running out of words’ to describe Caminero after tying franchise markhttps://www.mlb.com/news/junior-caminero-ties-franchise-record-and-homers-in-sixth-straight-game

Dansby Swanson hits 3 homers, 8 RBIs as Cubs torch Padres 23-3https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/49242842/dansby-swanson-hits-3-homers-8-rbis-cubs-torch-padres-23-3

Orioles Trade Kyle Nicolas To Nationals

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2026/07/orioles-trade-kyle-nicolas-to-nationals.html

A’s dealt a blow as Rooker set to undergo season-ending knee surgery
https://www.mlb.com/athletics/news/brent-rooker-out-for-season-will-undergo-knee-surgery

Blue Jays, alumni invest $300K in Canada’s baseball future
https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/news/blue-jays-alumni-grow-baseball-canada-donations

The most iconic baseball card from every era in trading card history
https://www.mlb.com/news/most-iconic-baseball-cards-in-american-history

Anything Goes

This day in history:

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/july-2

This day in baseball:

https://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/July_2

Soda fountain workers were called soda jerks

The workers were called soda jerks because of the jerking motion used to pump soda water.

The holes in spaghetti spoons have a purpose.

The single, circular hole in the middle of pasta spoons isn’t just for draining. It is actually a measure for the serving size of spaghetti. The amount of dry spaghetti that fits snug in the hole counts as one serving. 

A group of frogs is called an army.

They can also be called a chorus or colony. A group of toads, on the other hand, can be called a nest or a knot. 

Since the 4th doesn’t fall on “my day,” have a fun and safe July 4th! Or Treason Day either, or. My mom graduated high school in the bicentennial year.

Morning, all!

Corey Seager is back on the IL less than a week after returning from a concussion and less than a month after another back related injury.

This is the third trip to the IL for Seager this season and the ninth in the five years he’s been in Texas with five years and $155 million still left on his contract.

Wyatt Langford and Brandon Nimmo are also dealing with injuries right now.

Chris Martin made a rehab appearance with AA Frisco on Wednesday on his way back from a shoulder impingement.

Morale is high despite all the injuries, with the Rangers wrapping up a 7-3 road trip even with crucial missing pieces.

Cleveland beat the Rangers 9-4 yesterday, snapping the Rangers’ longest road win streak since 2017.

They did it. They actually did it: The Giants finally beat the Diamondbacks.

The win feels a bit like finding a crumpled up dollar in your pocket after getting mugged for your wallet and phone. Less of a win, more of “not a total loss”, but the Giants will take it. These small victories are what they’re playing for as the calendar flips to July and speculation abounds before the trade deadline. Unabashed sellers, they enter the market with trench coat fully open, rattling their wares: “Franchise cornerstones, here. Get yur cornerstones here. 100% authentic, no-doubt, real-deal cornerstones here!”

In this weird purgatorial state, all the Giants have is the day. This is the team until it’s not the team anymore. As a member of the roster, you have to find other things to play for: individual achievement, camaraderie, development of skill, love of the game (hopefully), proof you belong, to avoid total embarrassment.  

Saving face — that’s a big one. Dropping to 0-9 to the Diamondbacks, three consecutive series sweeps to a division rival that was formed in the90’s…that would’ve been too much to bear.  Then there’s right-hander Trevor McDonald, who needed to kick dust at a June in which he went 0-4 with a 5.73 ERA. Or Heliot Ramos, who missed 37 games due to a hamstring injury, and returned a stranger, needing to reintroduce himself to the fanbase and reassert his claim to an outfield spot. 

Both starter and outfielder did what they needed to do on Wednesday evening to help themselves and help the team. McDonald threw 6 shutout innings, allowing just one-hit and striking out 5, while Ramos powered the offense with a homer and RBI triple in the 6-4 win.

The only baserunner McDonald allowed was a lead-off single to Ketel Marte in the 4th. He leaned heavily on his sinker (56% usage) to set up his slider and change-up. The offspeed particularly shone — bagging three of his five K’s, generating 6 whiffs on 10 swings. But the major personal triumph of the night: zero free passes handed out. McDonald’s last walk-less outing was his first of the year on May 4th. He walked 13 batters over five starts in June with a 1.73 WHIP.  Wild pitches and hit batters exacerbated issues and shortened his starts. Things were sloppy. At times, he looked in over his head, lacking the composure needed to stay afloat in the Majors.

McDonald had that composure on Wednesday when Arizona’s hitters forced him to work. Ketel Marte started the game with an 8-pitch at-bat. He fouled off three pitches, pushed the count to 3-2 before flailing over the top of a slider. Later in the 1st, McDonald put himself in a 3-0 hole to Corbin Carroll before pumping three sinkers into the zone — Carroll didn’t move his bat once. In the 4th with two-outs and Marte on third in a scoreless game, McDonald jumped out to an 0-2 advantage against Gabriel Moreno, who then didn’t bite at any three baited offerings off the plate. Count full, with the threat of Arizona’s pesky offense breaking through once again, McDonald kept challenging the zone, and he finally got Moreno swinging at a change-up after three fastballs.  

The very next pitch thrown in the game Heliot Ramos rocketed over the wall in center field.

427 111 MPH off the bat, landing 427 feet from the plate — the shot was Ramos’s sixth of the year, his second since his return from the IL, and also broke-up an impressive scoreless outing by Zac Gallen.

The Giants offense had managed a single single off of Gallen over the first four innings. Ramos’s homer sparked a string of four hits, including a Victor Bericoto 2-run homer. In the 5th, after Gallen recorded the first two outs by way of the K, Rafael Devers worked a walk before Ramos nearly took Gallen deep again with a deep flyball that bounced off the top of the right-field wall and back into play. The RBI triple fueled another series of hits: Jung Hoo Lee pulled a single through the infield to plate Ramos, and two batters later, came around to score himself on Drew Cavanaugh’s single. 

A pair of three-run rallies gave San Francisco a six run lead, which proved stable enough to survive a barrage of singles and some general defensive sloppiness at Ryan Walker’s expense in the 8th. Dylan Smith mopped up the mess and Caleb Kilian turned in a stress-free 1-2-3 9th. 

The Giants have been done in by the desert, lost and lifeless as they’ve wandered in the unbroken heat. Nine games in, dehydrated and down-trodden, this team finally found a slice of shade.

A minor relief — but that’s what this team is playing for.      

What has transpired in the last week or so, in terms of American League East baseball, cannot happen again. After play concluded on Wednesday, the Yankees had turned in seven consecutive losses, while the Rays won seven consecutive contests, flipping the standings completely. What was a 3.5 game division lead at the start of this miserable stretch is now a deficit of the same volume, as the Bombers have begun to dig themselves a hole rather rapidly.

New York’s game against the Tigers on Wednesday, and yet another convincing Rays win did not help things. Junior Caminero’s reign of terror also continued, and the Guardians bounced back after a tough loss on Tuesday. Let’s take a look at the details for a Wednesday full of baseball.

Tampa Bay Rays (50-33) 4, Kansas City Royals (35-52) 0

The tone was set from the get-go in Kansas City. With a runner on in the top half of the first, Junior Caminero belted a two-run shot into the left field seats. It was the first pitch he saw, and the booming homer made it his sixth straight game with a long ball, making him the youngest player to reach that feat in the modern era.

With Caminero’s historic blast giving Tampa Bay a lead out of the gates, it cleared the way for Shane McClanahan’s excellent outing on the mound. The talented lefty worked six scoreless innings on the mound, allowing just three hits and striking out four. It was an excellent start, and a needed one, as he was coming off of a couple of clunkers.

The Rays added to their lead thanks to the work of Cedric Mullins, who pitched in with a solo home run in the sixth and an RBI knock in the eighth. McClanahan and the Rays’ bullpen kept the Royals out of the run column from wire-to-wire, and locked in yet another important victory. With the Yankees loss, Tampa Bay gains a seventh game in the division in as many contests, as they now proudly own a 3.5-game lead.

Other Games

Cleveland Guardians (45-42) 9, Texas Rangers (44-43) 4:

After a brutal loss on Tuesday, the Guards bounced back with a good win over the Rangers. The game was essentially decided in the second inning, when they roughed up Mackenzie Gore for five runs. Some small ball runs and a three-run blast from David Fry did the trick, and had the Guardians up 5-0 early on. Joey Cantillo battled through adversity on the hill for Cleveland, turning in a solid start despite five walks in his outing. The Texas offense woke up in the second half of the game, but it wasn’t enough to match the Guardians, who plated four more in their final two innings.

Toronto Blue Jays (41-46) 9, New York Mets (36-51) 3:

Apparently everyone in the East was able to have fun on Wednesday other than the Yankees. The Blue Jays cruised to victory against a disappointing Mets squad at home. Nathan Lukes, Kazuma Okamoto, Alejandro Kirk, and Ernie Clement all tallied multiple hits for the Jays, while homers from Sean Keys and Myles Straw helped them have multiple four-run innings.

On the pitching side, a three-arm tandem did the job for Toronto, which saw Spencer Miles toss three spotless innings in the early going, while Patrick Corbin tossed the final five innings of the ballgame. The Jays still have plenty of work to do to get themselves in a good position.

Man, am I sorry for the Cub fans who jumped off the bandwagon and decided to pack it in early for “Wait ‘til next year.” While there might be some efficiency in doing that and almost certainly an avoidance of future heartache and frustration, this team is a lot of fun when it’s going good. This third hot streak of the year continues to roll in a game that got so comically out of hand that the Padres went to a position player in the seventh inning. Between Wednesday’s blowout win and last week’s double header sweep of the Mets, these have been some of the most fun days I can remember.

The script remains the same for this team. In more than half their wins they have scored nine or (many) more runs or won in their last team at-bat. If this team doesn’t blow the other team out of the water, there’s a good chance they won’t win it until late in the game. In this game, they blew out real early. Seiya Suzuki slugged a three-run homer in the first inning and the Cubs were quickly off to the races. Walker Buehler had been throwing pretty well for the Padres, but he was clocked for nine earned runs in this one. That was only one more than Padre catcher Rodolfo Duran ended up being tagged with in relief.

The Cubs piled up 17 hits and drew seven walks in this one. If those numbers weren’t crazy enough, it was the eight homers that was the eye popping number. Dansby Swanson had his first career three homer game and missed another one by maybe a foot. Michael Conforto had his first two-homer game as a Cub. Alex Bregman was designated to make the outs for the team and was 0-5 with a walk. Seven different Cubs drove in runs, led by Dansby Swanson who has fixed his offensive numbers to a large degree over the last two weeks. 10 different Cubs scored runs, led by four from Conforto and Swanson.

The Cubs had a team line of .405/.490/1.024 (wRC+ 309). Of course these numbers are inflated by silly time at the end of the game. You have to finish the game. The Cubs were pretty aggressive at the plate, but they weren’t passing the opportunity to take some quality rips.

On the other side, Colin Rea did his best Javier Assad impression, wherein he allowed a ton of baserunners but somehow escaped trouble over and over again. He three five non-impressive innings and got a win for his efforts. Do you love a pitcher win more with 13 runs scored during your five innings of work or a three-inning save? That makes three of the latter for the Cubs this year.

Jordan Wicks moved into second on the team in saves with his three innings of one-run ball. In his two appearances since being recalled, he has been handed a three-run lead in the 10th at Milwaukee and a 13-run lead against the Padres on a windy day in Chicago and asked not to blow them. He did not blow either one. I’m at least curious to see if Wicks benefits at all from being used out of the pen. As Andrew Chafin reminds us, most relievers are just failed starters. I can’t ever remember watching Wicks pitch and being impressed, but I’m sure it is possible I’ve blocked something out.

The team now sits 11 over .500 at 49-38. As of this morning, there are just four teams with more wins than this Cubs team. The team is flawed, I get it. Of all of the competitive teams in the Ricketts era, it might be the most flawed team. But this team is fun. This team can buzzsaw you. The Padres team the they just swept is also a flawed team. A flawed team that is pretty good. They are no joke. The Cubs just posted 35 runs across three games. Ignoring the eight by a position player, that is 27 runs in 25 innings as they didn’t bat in the ninth the last two games. That’s quite an outburst. The 12 they allowed doesn’t look outlandish, and you feel better in that seven of them came in one game while they were nursing a pretty large lead (at least initially).

I don’t know what anyone is going to do about the Dodgers. There are no rules that stop them from hiring a small market wizard to run one of the very largest market teams. But they are terrifying. They are an organization that churns out elite talent from their system year after year after year. And when there is something they don’t have and can’t trade for with enormous prospect capital, they buy it. They don’t ever have to shop in the clearance rack. But hey, small market wizard, right? They shop in all of the bins. They are a problem.

Aside from the Dodgers, there is no team that you wouldn’t expect to have a puncher’s chance against. This team can pack a pretty significant punch. Especially if they can get any number of their key pitchers standing upright with their arm properly attached come playoff time.

What a time to be a Cub fan.

Three Positives:

• Dansby Swanson is scorching the ball right now. Three homers, eight runs batted in and four runs scored. Two of his homers were pre garbage time.
• Michael Conforto had three hits, two of them homers and was intentionally walked. He drove in four and scored four.
• Seiya Suzuki kicked off the scoring with his three-run homer. He had a double and a single as well and drew a walk. He scored three to go with the three RBI. His season line is up to .274/.357/.466 (wRC+ 128). He is a force offensively.
• Obligatory PCA line: two hits, one a homer, stolen base, three runs driven in, two scored. Didn’t play in garbage time.

Game 87, July 1: Cubs 23, Padres 3 (49-38)

Reminder: Heroes and Goats are determined by WPA scores and are in no way subjective.

THREE HEROES:

• Superhero: Seiya Suzuki (.195). 3-5, HR, 2B, BB, 3 RBI, 3 R
• Hero: Colin Rea (.122). 5 IP, 25 BF, 6 H, 3 BB, 2 ER, 5 K (W 6-5)
• Sidekick: Dansby Swanson (.090). 3-5, 3 HR, 8 RBI, 4 R

THREE GOATS:

• Billy Goat: Michael Busch (-.066). 2-6, HR, RBI, 2 R
• Goat: Nico Hoerner (-.020). 0-3, BB
• Kid: Michael Conforto (-.003). 3-4, 2 HR, BB, 4 RBI, 4 R

WPA Notes: WPA does not care how much traffic a pitcher allows. Assuming you finish the inning, it’s binary. Did runs score? Conforto made an out the first time up and it got lopsided fast. So he ends up with one of the best lines I’ve ever seen on the wrong side of the ledger.

WPA Play of the Game: Seiya Suzuki’s first inning three-run homer. It came with runners on first and third with one out. (.187)

Padres Play of the Game: As has happened so many times recently, the other biggest play immediately preceded it. Michael Busch struck out for the first out of the inning. (.058)

Cubs Player of the Game:

Game 86 Winner: Dansby Swanson received 95 of 134 votes.

Rizzo Award Standings: (Top 5/Bottom 5)

The award is named for Anthony Rizzo, who finished first in this category three of the first four years it was in existence and four times overall. He also recorded the highest season total ever at +65.5. The point scale is three points for a Superhero down to negative three points for a Billy Goat.

• Pete Crow-Armstrong +17
• Ben Brown +13.5
• Trent Thornton +12.5
• Michael Busch +12
• Carson Kelly +11.5
• Dansby Swanson -9
• Edward Cabrera -9.5
• Phil Maton -10
• Seiya Suzuki -11.5
• Caleb Thielbar -13

Up Next: An off day Thursday. The Cardinals (44-39) come to town. They lost to the Braves Wednesday night and play them again in Atlanta before heading to Chicago. Go Braves. The Cubs haven’t named a starter for the Friday game yet. Andre Pallante (9-5, 3.83) will be the Cardinals starter. This should be David Peterson’s spot for the Cubs. He is 4-6 with a 5.86 ERA, but looked good in his Cub debut in Milwaukee (5.2 IP, 5 H, 0 BB, 2 ER).

The Cubs will seek a sixth straight win and their 16th win in 20 games.

June was everything you expect from summer in Chicago. The White Sox feasted on the AL Central’s collapse and picked up a few unexpected wins during the East Coast road trip. While there are many strong takeaways from June, a gap still hasn’t been fully patched.

The Sox don’t need Munetaka Murakami, and they don’t need big contracts…but it sure would help

At first, losing Mune to a hamstring strain left me feeling defeated. Winning was fun while it lasted, right? Wrong. Without Murakami, the Sox lineup hit about the same as they did with him.

In June, Chicago slashed .255/.325/.443, scoring 138 runs and slamming 38 home runs. Compared to May, when Murakami had a monster slugging month, the Sox hit more consistently at the small cost of 12 fewer runs and four fewer dingers. Although they won fewer games, Chicago’s overall performance dip should be attributed to its shakier pitching, as evident by the +32 run differential in May versus +10 in June.

Losing Murakami likely through the All-Star break threw a wrench in the excitement, but this team didn’t collapse. Chicago’s front office has managed to assemble a winning team costing less than $115 million, and has found more success than five teams ranked in the top 10 in payroll. Money doesn’t always buy effectiveness.

In the same vein, their expensive closer Seranthony Domínguez, who’s rolling in his $10 million average annual value salary, isn’t coming close to earning his money. The 31-year-old reliever had a poor June, posting a 5.40 ERA with five walks while only converting one of three save opportunities. Sean Newcomb, Grant Taylor, Bryan Hudson, and Chris Murphy all pitched better than Domínguez, and their salaries combine to just over $6 million. 

This team has never thrived more on its ability to maximize limited resources than now, but that doesn’t mean some expensive firepower won’t take it to new heights. If Chris Getz is smart, he’ll start cashing in his infield capital and abundance of Triple-A talent to acquire some high-end starters to keep the arms from getting too stale.

Chicago’s catching depth still hasn’t been resolved

Last year, the dynamic Kyle Teel–Edgar Quero catching duo seemed to be the solution to Chicago’s catching depth problems dating back to 2012, when A.J. Pierzynski and Tyler Flowers ranked sixth in the league in WAR among catchers (1.7). But that overflowing talent pool has quickly shriveled up.

Teel missed nearly half the season and is still finding his footing since suffering a hamstring strain during the World Baseball Classic. It’s too early to tell how he’ll fare over the rest of the season, but his early numbers at the plate and behind the dish say that he’ll either experience a backslide, or his IL recovery might take some time to iron itself out. Quero, on the other hand, has experienced one hell of a sophomore slump. He went from slashing .268/.333/.356 in 111 games in 2025 to hitting below the Mendoza line and recording a meager .233 slugging percentage. Quero is ranked 94th among big league catchers with -19 overturns versus expected by the average catcher and -3.6 runs, which includes challenges as a batter and fielder, amounting to a 47% challenge success rate.

Things look even worse considering Quero’s framing and block grades are -4 and -6, putting him in the bottom 10%. His performance was so lackluster that he got the boot back to Charlotte when Teel came off the IL.

Korey Lee and Drew Romo don’t deepen the depth chart dramatically. Lee seems to be in professional baseball purgatory, with never being able to outplay the Quad-A hitting and catching standard he’s sustained since 2024. And Romo, who is somehow still on the 26-man roster, is batting worse than all three ever have.

Perhaps that’s why Getz swapped Charlotte’s best relief arm for a catcher who hasn’t caught in Triple-A since 2024. The Sox aren’t in danger at catcher, but the expectedly long offseason should give enough time to address the situation fully.

Summary Metrics

Chris Getz Trade Confidence (How much better does a Chris Getz trade make this team?): 15%

Average Drinks Required (Average number of alcoholic drinks required to tolerate this team): 2.75 – a light buzz won’t kill anyone, but the starters sometimes prompt a heavier pour

Rebuild Index (1 is full rebuild, 5 is sustaining current pace, 10 is aggressively pursuing a World Series): 7