Category: MLB

Michael Massey had the big home run late to win it for the Royals on Sunday, writes Jaylon Thompson.

“Being down one and to give us the lead there, you know, felt really good,” Massey said. “Obviously, I don’t get a ton of ABs (off left-handed pitchers), but trying to stay ready. Trying to prepare as best I can in the cage with the machine on the left side. The hitting coaches are always doing a great job working those drills in there for me so I can stay sharp.”

The Royals celebrated the new franchise home run king, Salvador Perez.

“It’s incredible seeing him do that in that situation, too,” Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino said after the game. “I thought it was really cool that the Tigers gave him a second to (celebrate). So yeah, that was pretty special. Home plate umpire (Erich Bacchus) did a great job of just kind of letting the moment breathe. Yeah, (Perez) is just fantastic, right.”

Anne Rogers got George Brett’s reaction to Salvy breaking his club home run record.

“I don’t want any of my records to be broken, to be honest with you,” Brett said recently in an interview with MLB.com. “But he’s a home run hitter — that record is going to be broken, there’s no doubt in my mind. It just means that he’s been here for a long time, he’s been a very productive player, and if anybody was going to break it, I’m glad it’s him.

“I thought Alex Gordon might have a chance when he came up here. Mike Sweeney if he had played 15 years here. But I’m happy for Salvy. I really am.”

Thompson writes that Noah Cameron called his own pitches in an outing on Saturday, to great success.

And the big reason? Well, Cameron called his own pitches after consultation with the Royals pitching coaches and veteran catcher Salvador Perez.

“It has nothing to do with obviously the pitch calling from the catchers because they have been amazing all year,” Cameron said. “Just a little bit of yeah, I guess my idea, a little stubbornness from me. And yeah, it obviously, you know, worked.” Cameron said he began calling his pitches in a recent bullpen. It allowed him to pitch with more conviction — as evident by his start on Friday night.

“It was good, and I felt comfortable,” Cameron said. “I felt like I could work a little faster and just kind of go at guys and have full confidence in the pitch that was thrown.”

Rogers writes that Isaac Collins is settling in.

“I feel like the first few months of the year, I was trying to do way too much,” Collins said.

Now? Collins is looking much more settled in, and he’s producing like the hitter the Royals believed they were acquiring.

“I really just honed in on what I’m trying to do each time I get to the plate,” Collins said. “Looking where I need to look and getting my pitch. Just staying on my approach and just being really convicted. That’s kind of been the big theme for me lately, is just being convicted in who I am as a hitter and who I am as a player.

“There were some good games in the first few months of the year, but then it would just feel like I would take a step back two or three games later. But lately, it’s just been building, keep climbing the mountain.”

Carlos Beltrán, Andruw Jones, and Jeff Kent are inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

The Nationals trade third baseman Curtis Mead to the Red Sox for pitcher Connelly Early.

Jacob Misiorowski sets a Brewers record by striking out the first seven hitters of the game.

Cody Bellinger lands on the Injured List, which may increase the Yankees’ need for a trade.

The Brewers designate pitcher Lance McCullers for assignment.

The Marlins lose a club record 12th game in a row.

Matt Shaw won’t be activated from the Injured List before the trade deadline.

The Dodgers will get closer Edwin Diaz back this week.

A’s catcher Shea Langeliers has a torn meniscus and may miss the rest of the year.

The Diamondbacks are interested in a contract extension for catcher Gabriel Moreno.

When will the Athletics truly be competitive again?

The Nationals are the latest in a trend of teams calling pitches from the dugout. [$]

Joe Buck is honored with the Ford Frick Award.

Why did LeBron James choose Philly over the Heat or Cavs?

MLS is targeted a $400-500 million TV deal.

Fighters go head-to-head in the medieval combat championships.

The best fictional football coaches in film history.

Millennials are trying to make minivans cool again.

Your song of the day is Elvis Costello with Veronica.

Good morning.

• There was the first big trade of the Deadline happened over the weekend as the Nationals sent third baseman Curtis Mead to the Red Sox for left-hander Connelly Early.
• The decision by Boston to trade Early was so shocking that his former Red Sox teammate Payton Tolle thought it was an AI hoax.
• Jack Baer explains the deal.
• Patrick Stevens explains why the Nats agreed to trade Mead.
• Bradford Doolittle grades the deal. He’s likes the Nats end of the deal better.
• Mike Axisa also grades the trade. He also likes what the Nats got more, but he’s more positive on the Red Sox return.
• Chad Jennings and Tim Britton offer separate grades for the deal. (The Athletic sub. req.) Jennings thinks Boston will win the trade and Britton likes Washington’s end better.
• Mike Axisa explains why Nats left-hander Foster Griffn could be one of the hottest names at the deadline, just one year after returning from Japan. Axisa has the case for and against trading Griffin.
• Thomas Harrington asks if the Nationals are willing to pull the trigger and trade shortstop CJ Abrams?
• Aiden Stephansky looks at the Deadline plans of the Pirates and why they’re more likely to be buyers than sellers.
• Ryan Phillips argues that the Padres must trade closer Mason Miller.
• Scott Merkin asks if the White Sox could go all-in to acquire Miller.
• Michael Baumann calls rookie Bradgley Rodriguez the next great Padres reliever.
• Thomas Harrington has eight trade candidates who could be better than their numbers indicate.
• Keith Law offers his own Top 70 prospects (The Athletic sub. req.) for those wondering who has stuff to trade. Josiah Hartshorn and Jefferson Rojas are the Cubs prospects that made his list.
• The Marlins just lost their 12th-straight game.
• Johnny Flores Jr. asks if the Marlins current losing streak will turn them into sellers at the Deadline. (The Athletic sub. req.)
• Will the Marlins trade Sandy Alcantara now?
• Less than two weeks after trading for him, the Brewers have designated Lance McCullers Jr. for assignment.
• One player considered to be in big demand at the deadline was Athletics catcher Shea Langeliers. That’s probably over as Langeliers has a torn meniscus and is out for the year. Jeff Passan reports.
• Dan Szymborski wonders when the A’s will be a contender again.
• Mets outfielder Juan Soto will miss “considerable” time with a calf strain. Jorge Castillo reports.
• Castillo also reports that an emotional Mets pitcher Freddy Peralta said he “let them [the Mets] down” after what is probably his final start with the team.
• Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger landed on the IL with a hamstring strain.
• On Sunday in Cooperstown, the Hall of Fame held ceremonies for the inductions of Carlos Beltrán, Andruw Jones and Jeff Kent.
• Bradford Doolittle examines what the inductions of Beltrán, Jones and Kent means to the Hall.
• Ben Lindbergh thinks several of the “clean” players from the “Steroid Era” that got passed over for Cooperstown should get another chance at the ballot. In particular, he’s talking about Kenny Lofton.
• Jake Mintz looks at Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler, who is having the best season of his career.
• And finally, Bob Nightengale profiles former two-time World Series champion Scott Spiezio, who says he’s a “changed man” by getting clean after nearly losing everything after years of substance abuse.

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The New York Yankees are short road favorites against the Chicago White Sox at -137, and I’m laying the moneyline.

New York is in a quick turnaround spot after Sunday Night Baseball, so I’m not eager to push the run line. Still, Noah Schultz’s contact profile is a tough fit against the Yankees’ power, while Max Fried gives New York the stronger run-prevention base.

Here are my Yankees vs White Sox predictions and MLB picks for Monday, July 27.

Who will win Yankees vs White Sox today: Yankees moneyline (-137)

I’m backing the New York Yankees and would play them up to -150.

Chicago White Sox left-hander Noah Schultz’s profile is a poor fit against this lineup. He owns a 6.07 xERA, a near-11% barrel rate, and a Bottom-15th percentile walk rate. That is a bad mix against a Yankees offense built to punish free traffic and loud contact.

Even without Aaron Judge, New York remains in the AL East race because of strong pitching and impact contact, ranking first in barrel rate and third in hard-hit rate.

This is the right matchup for the Yankees to do damage.

Yankees vs White Sox Over/Under pick: Over 8.5 (-105)

I’m playing the Over because Schultz gives New York too many ways to build offense. The Yankees do not need a perfect travel spot if they are getting free traffic and airborne contact from a pitcher allowing a 63.3% fly-ball rate.

Chicago can contribute enough on the other side, too. The White Sox are not a pure power offense, but their .324 OBP and 381 walks give them a path to pressure Max Fried into traffic.

Fried is Fried, but you get the sense that the White Sox offense won't have to do much here.

I'd play this to 9.

Yankees vs White Sox weather

Sunny, with 10-14 mph winds blowing to right field. Conditions are enhanced for both home runs and overall scoring today at Rate Field, per BallparkPal.

Yankees vs White Sox odds

• Moneyline: Yankees -137 | White Sox +119
• Run line: Yankees -1.5 | White Sox +1.5
• Over/Under: Over 8.5 | Under 8.5

Yankees vs White Sox trend

The New York Yankees are 4-0 in their last 4 road games vs. a left-handed starter. Find more MLB betting trends for Yankees vs. White Sox.

How to watch Yankees vs White Sox and game info

Yankees vs White Sox latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Triple-A: Syracuse Mets (38-37/12-14)

SCRANTON/WILKES-BARRE 3, SYRACUSE 2 (BOX)

Christopher Morel gave Syracuse an early lead with an RBI double in the top of the first, but Jordan Geber gave that up and then some in the bottom of the fourth, allowing two RailRider runs to score. Scranton scored an insurance run off of Jefry Yan in the bottom of the eighth, and that insurance run proved to be crucial, as Morel struck again, this time swatting a solo homer to make it a 3-2 ballgame. With the RailRider bullpen teetering but not totaled, Ryan Clifford and Christian Arroyo struck out back-to-back to end the game.

·  LF MJ Melendez: 0-4, 2 K

·  CF Nick Morabito: 1-4, R, K

·  SS Ronny Mauricio: 1-4

·  1B Christopher Morel: 2-4, R, 2B, HR (5), 2 RBI, 2 K

·  DH Ryan Clifford: 0-4, 3 K

·  2B Christian Arroyo: 1-3, BB, K, E (8), CS (3)

·  3B Zack Short: 0-3, 2 K

·  C Hayden Senger: 0-3, K

·  RF Cristian Pache: 1-2, HBP

·  RHP Jack Weisenburger: 3.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K

·  RHP Joey Gerber: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, L (1-3)

·  RHP Xzavion Curry: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K

·  REHAB ALERT RHP Dedniel Núñez: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

·  RHP Jefry Yan: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K

Double-A: Binghamton Rumble Ponies (27-42/9-18)

BINGHAMTON 8, PORTLAND 4 (BOX)

Early on, both teams kept pace with each other. Portland scored a run in the top of the first? Binghamton scored a run in the bottom of the first. Portland scored two runs in the top of the third? Binghamton scored two runs in the bottom of the third. Portland scored a run in the top of the fourth? Binghamton scored a run in the bottom of the fourth. That was where the Rumble Ponies began pulling away. After that first run to tie the game at 4-4, they plated an additional two in the inning to take a 6-2 lead. Both teams settled down at that point, with Binghamton scoring an additional pair of insurance runs in the eighth on a Jose Ramos homer that ended up unneeded.

·  C Chris Suero: 2-5, R, K

·  RF John Bay: 2-3, 2 R, 2B, 2 BB

·  3B Nick Lorusso: 0-3, 2 BB, 2 K

·  1B Corey Collins: 2-5, R, 2B, CS (1)

·  CF Jose Ramos: 4-5, 3 R, 2B, HR (15), 3 RBI, K

·  LF Matt Rudick: 2-5, R, 2B, RBI

·  DH Vincent Perozo: 0-4, 4 K, HBP

·  2B Jaylen Palmer: 1-4, 2B, 2 RBI, K

·  SS Wyatt Young: 2-4

·  RHP Bryce Conley: 4.2 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 4 BB, 8 K, 2 WP

·  RHP Justin Armbruester: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, W (1-0)

·  RHP Carlos Guzman: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, H (2)

·  RHP Brian Metoyer: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, H (6)

·  RHP Saul Garcia: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K

High-A: Brooklyn Cyclones (25-40/14-15)

BROOKLYN 6, JERSEY SHORE 1 (BOX)

The Cyclones came oh-so-close to shutting out the BlueClaws on getaway day, but Rafi Vasquez gave up back-to-back doubles to lead off the bottom of the eighth, giving Jersey Shore their lone run of the game. The Cyclones had contributions from the top, middle, and bottom of the lineup alike, with Mitch Voit logging his second-consecutive multi-hit game, hopefully getting him off the schneid that he has been on since the All-Star break.

·  SS Mitch Voit: 2-5, R, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 K, SB (36)

·  2B D’Andre Smith: 0-3, RBI

·  3B Andy Ibáñez: 2-4, R, K

·  CF Yonatan Henriquez: 0-4, K

·  DH Daiverson Gutierrez: 0-4, K

·  C Ronald Hernandez: 1-4, R, 2B, RBI

·  RF Yohairo Cuevas: 1-2, R, 2B, RBI, BB, K, HBP, SB (5)

·  1B AJ Salgado: 1-4, R, K

·  LF Sam Biller: 1-3, R, 2B, BB, 2 K

·  RHP Jose Chirinos: 4.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 K

·  RHP Bryce Jenkins: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, W (4-2)

·  RHP Rafi Vazquez: 1.1 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, WP, H (1)

·  LHP Gregori Louis: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K

Single-A: St. Lucie Mets (33-33/11-18)

ST. LUCIE 11, FORT MYERS 8 (BOX)

Finding themselves down 5-0 thanks to a disastrous start from Nathan Hall and a bullpen that was quickly and unexpectedly thrown into the fire early, the St. Lucie offense exploded for 8 runs in the bottom of the second inning, turning the momentum of the game around instantly. St. Lucie sent twelve men to the plate in the inning and not a single batter logged an extra base hit- every one of those eight runs were a result of five singles, three walks, and a HBP chained together. The offense plated three more runs in the third to extend St. Lucie’s lead to 11-5, and those runs turned out to be very important insurance runs, as Luis Sotillo allowed three Mighty Muscle runs in the seventh inning.

·  SS Elian Peña: 2-5, R, RBI, K

·  REHAB ALERT 3B Jacob Reimer: 1-3, 2 R, 2B, 2 RBI, BB, HBP

·  DH Marco Vargas: 0-3, K

·  PR-DH Taylor Darden: 0-2, K

·  CF Trey Snyder: 0-2, R, 2 RBI, BB

·  RF Randy Guzman: 1-3, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB, K, E (5)

·  1B Julio Zayas: 2-4, R, 2 RBI, K

·  C Chase Meggers: 1-4, R, K

·  LF Branny De Oleo: 0-3, R, RBI, BB

·  2B Jeremy Rodriguez: 4-4, 2 R, 2B, RBI, CS (5)

·  RHP Nathan Hall: 0.1 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 0 K, WP

·  RHP Zack Mack: 1.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K

·  LHP Conner Ware: 4.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 K, W (2-7)

·  LHP Luis Sotillo: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, BLK

·  RHP Elwis Mijares: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, S (3)

Rookie: FCL Mets (24-32)

NO GAME (SCHEDULE)

STAR OF THE NIGHT

Jose Ramos

GOAT OF THE NIGHT

Jefry Yan

Free of charge for the discerning reader.

Happy birthday to Joe Tinker, and a mighty host of others.

Today in baseball history, in 2012 – Wally the Green Monster, the Red Sox’s mascot, goes missing before today’s game with the Yankees, making the team suspect a dastardly deed by Yankee fans. Boston Police issue an all-points bulletin looking for a “green and furry [character] … and sporting a permanent grin to the face on an extremely large head.” It turns out to be a misunderstanding as Wally is located a few hours later, taking an unauthorized tour of his home city, and other stories as well.

Today in baseball history:

• 1927 – Mel Ott, 18 years old, hits his first major-league home run, an inside-the-park round-tripper. It is the only inside-the-park homer he will hit of his 511 career homers.
• 1928 – At Chicago’s Comiskey Park, A’s outfielder Ty Cobb starts for the last time in a regular-season game. The 41-year-old “Georgia Peach” singles and doubles before he is hit in the chest with a pitch and leaves the game hitting .332.
• 1938 – Hank Greenberg of the Tigers, who had hit home runs his last two at bats the day before, homers his first two times up to tie the major league record of four in a row. Greenberg has a record-setting eleven two-home run games during the season.
• 1961 – The Giants’ Juan Marichal fires his first shutout of the year, stopping the Pirates, 2-0, on five hits. Manager Alvin Dark says before the game that “Marichal will go all the way” and keeps his relief pitchers in the dugout to emphasis the point. Bob Stevens of the San Francisco Chronicle writes: “Later, Dark explained to questioning reporters: ‘I’m sick and tired of watching pitchers bow their necks for four-five innings and then look around for Stu Miller to bail them out.’ As far as press box historians could guess, last night was the first time in modern baseball history that a major league bullpen was left unattended.”
• 1966 – In Los Angeles, Jim Bunning and Sandy Koufax battle for 11 innings before both exit with the score locked at 1-1. Koufax allows four hits and fans 16, while Bunning gives up six hits and strikes out 12. Los Angeles eventually tops the Phillies, 2-1, in 16 innings.
• 1968 – In Baltimore, Denny McLain shuts out the Orioles, 9-0, for his 20th win of the season, against three losses, for the first-place Tigers. McLain is only the third pitcher in the 20th Century to win his 20th this early; the others were Rube Marquard on July 19, 1912 and Lefty Grove on July 25, 1931.
• 1982 – Against California, Oakland’s Rickey Henderson steals his 95th base but gets caught stealing three times in an 8-7, 13-inning California win. Not since 1916 has an American Leaguer been thrown out three times in a game. Rickey will be thrown out 42 times this year, breaking the mark of 38 caught stealings set by Ty Cobb in 1915.
• 1983 – While picking up his first win as a member of the Royals, Gaylord Perry joins Nolan Ryan and Steve Carlton as the third pitcher this season to reach 3,500 career strikeouts, fanning four Indians in a 5-4 victory to raise his total to 3,501.
• 2011 – The Giants get one of the top players available at the trading deadline, Mets All-Star CF Carlos Beltran, who is set to become a free agent at the end of the season. The Giants send top pitching prospect Zack Wheeler to New York, but the Mets will be responsible for a significant portion of Beltran’s remaining salary.

Today in Cubs history:

• 1945 – The Cubs purchase P Hank Borowy from the New York Yankees in an unexpected waiver deal. Borowy, 10-5 with the Yankees, was put on waivers, apparently to solve a roster problem, and was passed over by 15 teams. The Cubs snatch him for $97,500, and he will help the Cubs win the pennant with an 11-2 record, including three wins over the Cardinals down the stretch
• 1972 – Marking the debut of manager Whitey Lockman, Fergie Jenkins allows one hit in the Cubs’ 4 – 0 win over the Phillies. Willie Montanez‘s fourth-inning double is the only hit. Reliever Jack Aker falters in the nitecap, and the Phils win, 4-1.
• 1977 – The Cubs’ Rick Reuschel tosses his second shutout in a row, beating the Reds, 3-0, on a five-hitter.
• 1979 – The Cubs top the Mets at Shea Stadium, 4-2, behind Dave Kingman‘s two home runs.
• 1992 – In his first start at Wrigley Field since his announcement that he’s leaving Chicago, Greg Maddux beats the Pirates, 3-2. In the eighth inning, the Wrigley faithful give the ace pitcher a standing ovation.
• 1998 – Sammy Sosa hits his 248th career homer – and his first grand slam – as the Cubs beat the Diamondbacks, 6-2. Sosa went to bat 4,428 times before drilling the sacks-full homer. His 247 homers without a slam is a major league record: the previous mark was 210 homers by Bob Horner. Sosa also tops the 100 RBI mark with his four ribbies, to back Steve Trachsel‘s pitching.
• 2001 – The Cubs get 1B Fred McGriff from the Devil Rays in exchange for P Manny Aybar and a player to be named later. The Cubs’ first try for McGriff on the 16th had been nixed by the slugger who said he did not want to uproot his family. His first game will be a night contest at Wrigley Field on the 29th, a 7-5 Cubs win.

Cubs Birthdays:Brad Keller, Yoervis Medina, Enrique Wilson, Tom Goodwin, Bump Wills, Larry Biittner, Jack Hiatt. Zack Taylor, George Yantz, Jack Doscher. Also notable: Leo Durocher HOF. Biz Mackey HOF. Joe Tinker* HOF.

Today in history:

• 1586 – Walter Raleigh brings the first tobacco to England from Virginia.
• 1866 – First transatlantic telegraph cable comes ashore at Heart’s Content, Newfoundland, after being laid out 1,686 miles by Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s Great Eastern steamship.
• 1890 – Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh shoots himself in Auvers-sur-Oise and dies of his injuries 2 days later.
• 1921 – Frederick Banting and Charles Best isolate insulin at the University of Toronto.
• 1940 – Billboard publishes its first singles record chart; “I’ll Never Smile Again” by Tommy Dorsey, with vocals by Frank Sinatra, is ranked No. 1.
• 1940 – Bugs Bunny, Warner Bros. cartoon character created by Tex Avery and Bob Givens for the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series, debuts in “A Wild Hare”.
• 1981 – Modern/Atco Records releases “Bella Donna,” the debut solo album by singer-songwriter Stevie Nicks of Fleetwood Mac; hit singles include “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” with Tom Petty, “Edge of Seventeen,” and “Leather and Lace” with Don Henley.
• 2021 – American gymnast and four-time Olympic gold medallist Simone Biles withdraws from the women’s team final at the Tokyo Games citing need to focus on her mental health; also misses individual finals.

*pictured.

Actual offense was on display last night in Philadelphia, but this defense, if it doesn’t get cleaned up fast, is going to be the downfall of this team.

On to the links.

Phillies news:

• Well, I guess we’re doing the “platoon with Brandon Marsh” thing again ($). I’m really starting to dislike Don Mattingly.
• Brian Keller made his major league debut on Saturday. If you haven’t heard his story before, it’s a pretty good one ($).
• Andrew Painter had a good start for the IronPigs on Sunday. Is he an option to rejoin the rotation soon?

MLB news:

• There was a trade of some significance after Sunday’s links were scheduled, but the Red Sox are getting Curtis Mead in exchange for Connelly Early.
• Shea Langeliers will probably miss the rest of the season for the A’s, a tough blow to them and their potential trade market.
• It’s possible that the Mets move “at least six” players this trade deadline. This downfall of the team has been delicious.

Happy Monday, Camden Chatters. It wasn’t a great weekend to be an Orioles fan, I have to say. The Orioles lost two out of three to the Braves in what felt like it could have been a series sweep (either way, honestly). Every game was exciting, I’ll give them that. But ultimately it was just a whole lot of frustration.

Two of the games went into extra innings, and the lone win was a walk-off after they blew the lead in the eighth inning. Yesterday, the Orioles fell behind 2-0, then scored one run in each of the 8th and 9th innings to send the game to extras. But they were unable to score a single run in the 10th after loading the bases with no outs. Gunnar Henderson hit the ball hard, but it just happened to go right to Matt Olson at first base. Olson was able to double up Pete Alonso at first. The O’s did a lot of things wrong this weekend, but in my mind that wasn’t one of them. It just really stunk.

After the 10th inning failure, the Orioles fell behind 3-2 in the 11th. They had two runners on in the bottom of the inning, but when Jackson Holliday came to the plate, they walked him to get to Sam Huff. Huff, shockingly, did not come through. I clipped a link about the team’s options at catcher below, but suffice it to say the current situation is untenable. Either Huff or Chadwick Tromp has to go for a better option. Bring up Creed Willems, at the very least. Maybe he’ll be terrible, but maybe he won’t. Those other guys will definitely be terrible.

In better baseball news, yesterday we watched the classic film A League of Their Own. It was the first time my nine-year-old daughter had seen it. She seemed to enjoy the baseball parts but was a little bored by the non-baseball parts. That’s ok, she’ll learn. A League of Their Own is my favorite baseball movie, but is it the best baseball movie? Maybe, maybe not. But I can say for certain that any conversation about the best baseball movie that doesn’t mention it is illegitimate.

So what is your favorite baseball movie?

Links

After growing up in Mississippi, draft picks Eric Booth Jr. and Kevin Roberts Jr. stay together with Orioles – The Baltimore Banner
Well this is an adorable story.

Alonso takes the blame as Orioles lose another 1-run game, 3-2 to Braves in 11 – Baltimore Baseball
Pete Alonso got doubled off in the 10th inning. Maybe he takes the blame, but I don’t think he needs to. It seemed like a freak result.

Orioles promote prospects Wehiwa Aloy and Luis De León – Baltimore Sun
Aloy is headed to Double-A and De León to Triple-A. Congrats, guys! It makes me sad to think that Ike Irish was probably headed to Double-A as well if he hadn’t gotten hurt.

Assessing Baltimore’s catching options with Rutschman, Basallo sidelined – MLB.com
What is going on right now as far as catchers cannot stand. No offense to these guys but no. It’s terrible.

Birthdays and History

Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! You have four Orioles birthday buddies, including Rich Dauer (b. 1952, d. 2025). Dauer had a 10-year MLB career, all with the Orioles. He was a first-round draft pick in 1974 and played 1140 games from 1976-85.

Also born on this day in history are Floyd Rayford (69), Preston Guilmet (39), and Ryan Flaherty (40). Ryan Flaherty is 40? We are all getting so old.

On this day in 1959, the Orioles beat the Tigers 5-2 and Gene Woodling knocked in all five runs, including with a grand slam. The day before, Woodling drove in all four runs in a 4-0 victory over Chicago. Pretty good few days for ol’ Gene!

In 1969, the Orioles beat the White Sox 17-0. Frank Robinson hit two home runs. Boog Powell and Jim Hardin also homered. Don Buford, Paul Blair, and Davey Johnson had three hits apiece. Hardin, the starting pitcher, had a complete-game two-hit shutout.

In 1996, the Orioles defeated Cleveland 14-2 at Camden Yards. Rafael Palmeiro hit a grand slam off Orel Hershiser. Bobby Bonilla and Mike Devereaux also homered. B.J. Surhoff had three hits and three RBI. David Wells started and pitched 7.2 innings. The win brought the Orioles to .500 at 51-51.

In 2020, a bunch of COVID-related shenanigans broke out. The Marlins were playing in Philadelphia when several of their players tested positive for COVID. Instead of traveling home to Miami to play the Orioles, they had to quarantine in Philly. Those games were postponed. The Orioles flew home from Miami, and by the next day basically the entire Marlins team had COVID. The Yankees were supposed to go to Philadelphia, but that got scrapped as well. Since neither the Orioles nor the Yankees had anything to do, the Yankees decided to come to Baltimore to play instead. 2020 was so weird. O

And on this day last year, the Orioles beat the Rockies 5-1. Tomoyuki Sugano allowed one run in six innings. He struck out eight. Tyler O’Neill homered and Dylan Carlson knocked in two runs.

The Detroit Tigers had to settle for a split in their four-game home series against the Kansas City Royals last weekend, succumbing to the visitors in a 5-4 finale on Sunday afternoon. Framber Valdez was far from efficient and the bullpen once again squandered a late lead, resulting in the team’s 56th defeat this season.

Opening things up against the Baltimore Orioles this week for the Motor City Kitties is right-hander Keider Montero, who will make his second start since being brought back out of the bullpen. The 26-year-old justified his return to the rotation by throwing 5 1/3 frames of one-run ball on three hits — including a solo home run — and zero walks while matching his career high of eight strikeouts.

For the O’s, fellow righty Kyle Bradish will climb the hill looking to continue his recent stretch of success that saw him toss quality starts in five of his last six outings and his last three straight. The 29-year-old posted a 2.03 ERA and 2.56 FIP over his last 40 innings of work, allowing 23 hits (one home run) and 12 walks against 37 strikeouts, earning wins in four of those six games.

Here is a quick look at the matchup on paper ahead of the showdown in the D.

Detroit Tigers (50-56) vs. Baltimore Orioles (51-55)

Time (ET): 6:40 p.m.
Place: Comerica Park, Detroit, Michigan
SB Nation Site:Camden Chat
Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network

Game 107: RHP Keider Montero (7-5, 3.14 ERA) vs. RHP Kyle Bradish (7-9, 3.49 ERA)

Player	G	IP	K%	BB%	GB%	FIP	fWAR
Montero	22	106.0	18.6	5.3	40.7	3.57	2.2
Bradish	20	113.1	23.1	10.7	48.7	3.95	1.7

MONTERO

BRADISH

Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal is one of the few players who could actually elevate the Dodgers’ roster at the trade deadline. And the Dodgers are one of the few teams that could reasonably part with the prospect capital it would take to acquire the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner.

That doesn’t mean it will come to fruition.

With a week to go before the MLB trade deadline on Aug. 3, the Dodgers don’t appear to be moving toward a trade for Skubal, according to people with knowledge of the situation not authorized to speak publicly. And it’s unclear whether the Tigers will indeed trade him; rival executives’ expectations appear to be inconsistent.

The Dodgers can never be fully counted out for a big swing, of course. They weren’t expected to sign closer Edwin Díaz or right fielder Kyle Tucker during the offseason, either.

But having a strong farm system supplements big spending. And part of the reasoning behind those indulgent offseason moves was to make a big trade-deadline move unnecessary. So, barring a significant shift either in rotation health or in the market, don’t count on Skubal joining the Dodgers in their quest for a three-peat.

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

The Dodgers have shown a willingness in the past to give up top prospects for starting pitching when they see a need. Look no further than 2024, when they pursued then-White Sox ace Garrett Crochet before pivoting to a different Tigers starter, Jack Flaherty, who they acquired for catcher Thayron Liranzo and shortstop Trey Sweeney — top-25 prospects, according to MLB Pipeline.

Between the Dodgers’ position in the standings, and the amount of talent they expect coming off the injured list, however, they don’t need to add Skubal to still be widely considered World Series favorites.

Despite injuries to key players, the Dodgers (67-39) have the best record in the majors and a 12-game lead in the National League West entering Monday.

The signings of Díaz and Tucker haven’t gone as the Dodgers pictured. Neither elevated the team in the first half. Díaz was hurt for most of it, and Tucker has had an underwhelming offensive season.

But when Díaz (loose body elbow surgery) returns from the injured list — manager Dave Roberts said the Dodgers plan to reinstate Díaz on Wednesday — and if Tucker can break out offensively, as he showed signs of over the weekend, they could essentially function as major trade-deadline additions.

The same goes for utility player Kiké Hernández and starting pitchers Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow. Hernández (strained left oblique) is expected to return from the IL on Tuesday. Snell (elbow surgery) is scheduled to make at least one more rehab start this coming week. And Glasnow (back spasms) is in the live batting practice phase of his build-up.

So, off the IL alone, the Dodgers are expecting to add two well-established starters, a closer, and a versatile position player in the second half.

“Nice trade deadline huh?” Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman joked Sunday.

Shohei Ohtani’s lingering left knee problem, which is holding him out of the rotation even after he received an Orthovisc injection to lubricate the joint going into the All-Star break, doesn’t change the team’s trade deadline calculus, according to people with knowledge of the matter not authorized to speak publicly.

Roberts all but confirmed as much Sunday.

“I don’t think so,” Roberts said when asked if his view of the team’s deadline pitching needs has changed. “I really don’t. We expect him to be pitching. ... So I don’t think that our approach to the deadline has changed given these last three weeks with Shohei.”

The Dodgers’ MLB-leading payroll (estimated by Roster Resource to be $397 million) draws a lot of attention. But their commitment to player development has helped extend their run of postseason success. The Mets (44-62), No. 2 in payroll ($366 million) are proof that big spending doesn’t guarantee winning.

The Dodgers will weigh the upside of adding someone such as Skubal — even better World Series odds, not having to face him in the postseason, etc. — against the blow to their young talent pool. Though the Dodgers do have an excess of prospect talent, especially in the outfield, the Tigers aren’t going to settle for anything short of a robust return.

If the Dodgers don’t trade for Skubal, what will they do?

Most likely, the Dodgers’ deadline moves will be around the periphery. They approached last year’s deadline similarly, when they traded for reliever Brock Stewart and outfielder Alex Call. This year, the Dodgers have even fewer obvious needs.

To borrow a favorite buzz word of executives across baseball, they’ll be opportunistic, as they look for ways to solidify the roster for the stretch run and into the playoffs. And if they see a way to upgrade their roster for future years without hurting their 2026 championship odds, they would be open to taking it, according to people with knowledge of the team’s stance not authorized to speak publicly.

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

The Dodgers’ catching depth, with Will Smith still sidelined with a lingering neck injury, is the most obvious roster soft spot. But the Dodgers are comfortable with backup catcher Dalton Rushing taking the bulk of the innings until Smith returns.

Smith’s recent recovery progress, since shutting down baseball activities and receiving an injection to address the discomfort and inflammation, has been encouraging enough for the team to feel confident in his return.

Still, the Dodgers could benefit from at least another third-string option at the physically and mentally demanding position.

If this all sounds boring compared to adding Skubal to a rotation that’s full of star power when healthy, that’s by design. For perennial postseason contenders, a splashy offseason ideally sets up a low-key trade deadline.

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

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Last Week’s Results

• Monday: Brewers 8, Mets 3
• Tuesday: Mets 4, Brewers 0
• Wednesday: Brewers 4, Mets 3
• Thursday: Off Day
• Friday: Rockies 5, Brewers 2
• Saturday: Brewers 8, Rockies 5
• Sunday: Brewers 11, Rockies 2

Division Standings

• Brewers: 66-39
• Cubs: 59-46 (7.0 GB)
• Pirates: 54-52 (12.5 GB)
• Cardinals: 53-52 (13.0 GB)
• Reds: 49-55 (16.5 GB)

Last Week

• Brewers: 4-2
• Cubs: 3-3
• Pirates: 2-4
• Cardinals: 2-5
• Reds: 4-2

Top Pitching Performance of the Week

Jacob Misiorowski continues to dominate opposing lineups, as he made a pair of starts against the Mets and Rockies this week, totaling nine innings but striking out an incredible 18 batters. That includes a seven-strikeout stretch to begin Sunday’s game against Colorado, breaking a franchise record for strikeouts to begin a game previously held by Quinn Priester (six in 2025). Miz also allowed just two runs (one earned) on five hits and one walk.

He just keeps making Mizstory pic.twitter.com/j0NjlybFKc

— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) July 26, 2026

A casual 12Ks on Sunday afternoon pic.twitter.com/JxEQTSPS9L

— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) July 26, 2026

Top Hitting Performance of the Week

Cooper Pratt continued to make a case for NL Rookie of the Month, as he led the team with nine hits in 18 at-bats this week (.500 batting average), including a pair of homers — the first and second of his career — and a double, driving in six. He also swiped a pair of bags.

The rookie is making a major impact pic.twitter.com/wEY7kxjZZZ

— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) July 26, 2026

Honorable mentions to Andrew Vaughn (two homers, .313/.333/.750 line), Joey Ortiz (seven hits, including two doubles, two triples, and a homer), Brice Turang (eight hits, including a pair of doubles and a homer), and Luis Lara (four hits, including three doubles, and five RBIs), as well as to known hitter Randy Wolf, who slugged the deciding two-run homer in the Brewers Alumni Legends Game.

RANDY WOLF JUST HIT A BOMB AND HIT THE BOWLING BALL TEAM CELLY https://t.co/pfjYHMzGSIpic.twitter.com/TL3NGxyp8X

— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) July 25, 2026

Injury Notes & Roster Moves

• Infielder David Hamilton made his return to the roster on Friday ahead of the series with the Rockies, as he missed just over two weeks with a strained hamstring. Infielder Braden Shewmake, who the Brewers acquired from the Astros for cash considerations in the wake of Hamilton’s injury, was designated for assignment.
• Just over a week after acquiring him (along with left-hander Colton Gordon) in a trade for Jadyn Fielder and cash considerations, the Brewers designated right-handed pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. for assignment. McCullers looked great in his first couple of innings as a Brewer (pair of 1-2-3 innings with three strikeouts), but he struggled overall, totaling 4 2/3 innings with five runs allowed (just two earned) as he gave up three hits and four walks. Right-hander Garrett Stallings was recalled to replace him on the active roster, but McCullers’ DFA means the Brewers now have two 40-man spots open.
• Left-handed pitcher DL Hall and outfielder Brandon Lockridge were both sent on rehab assignments with the Triple-A Nashville Sounds, as we could see both make their return to the majors in the next couple of weeks.
• Outfielder Sal Frelick, who went on the IL last weekend with a right shoulder strain, was shut down from baseball activities for the next week. His return is still listed as TBD, but it’s looking like we won’t see him until at least mid-August.
• Right-hander Joel Kuhnel threw his first bullpen session on July 21, and left-hander Kyle Harrison threw four “ups” in a live batting practice session on Saturday. Next steps for Kuhnel are TBD, while Harrison is expected to either make a rehab appearance in the minors or directly return to the rotation.

On Deck

• Monday: @ Giants (8:45 p.m.)
• Tuesday: @ Giants (8:45 p.m.)
• Wednesday: @ Giants (2:45 p.m.)
• Thursday: Off Day
• Friday: @ Angels (8:38 p.m.)
• Saturday: @ Angels (8:38 p.m.)
• Sunday: @ Angels (2:15 p.m.)

BALTIMORE — What does it look like when nine seasons of toil comes down to six games?

For the Baltimore Orioles, it looks like this: Three 100-loss seasons amidst front office regime change, an influx of insanely talented young players, a 101-win season, a sale of the franchise, a desultory regression, a managerial firing and finally, this fence-sitter of a season, stuck in a quagmire of American League mediocrity at 51-55.

The crucible: A three-game series at Detroit that looks like a trade deadline play-in match -  winner to buy, loser to sell - followed by a three-game set at Camden Yards against the eternally contending Philadelphia Phillies.

And then, the Aug. 3 trade deadline, where their performance in the next six games very likely will determine their stance: Buy aggressively, sell off parts or play the middle.

Oh, the franchise won’t collapse if these Orioles miss the playoffs for a second consecutive year. They are poised to be at least serviceable in coming years, even as their prized young players march toward free agency.

It’s just that 118 losses in 2018, and 110 losses in 2021, followed by club president Mike Elias’s promised “liftoff” after 2022 was supposed to mean much more.

Those 101 wins in 2023 bought a playoff bye and two home games at Camden Yards. And then five consecutive losses over two postseasons.

It’s enough to add a jolt of urgency for franchise cornerstones.

“We haven’t won a playoff game since I’ve been here,” Gunnar Henderson, the 2023 Rookie of the Year and two-time top-10 MVP finisher, tells USA TODAY Sports. “That’s something a lot of guys in this room, including myself, want to do, want to get past, and make a run.

“I feel like we got the group to do it. It’s just a matter of doing it.”

For these Orioles, the doing has been challenging. After last year’s 15-28 start cost manager Brandon Hyde his job on the way to an 87-loss season, this year was supposed to be different. Elias augmented the club well in the offseason, most notably his first nine-figure commitment in first baseman Pete Alonso.

But an improved squad has performed arrhythmically. Injuries have not helped, but sloppy play and failures at various points in all departments has dragged them into the mire.

Now, they are 2 ½ games out of a playoff berth and one of 22 teams – 11 in each league – across the majors within 3 ½ games of the postseason.

Limbo, basically. And one week to ensure they emerge with hope.

Playing spoiler against Skubal

Wednesday, July 29 at Comerica Park will mark a most dramatic time: It is possibly the final home start for Detroit Tigers ace and two-time reigning Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal. And the pitching matchup epitomizes the volatility of this trade deadline.

Opposing Skubal will be another left-hander, Baltimore’s Trevor Rogers, in a similar but scaled-down situation.

Like Skubal, Rogers is a pending free agent and was his club’s opening-day starter this season. Like Skubal, his team could view him as a crucial piece of a playoff push – or an asset to be sold for future parts.

And while Rogers’ up-and-down journey to the verge of free agency lacks Skubal’s dominance and accolades, his performance the past two months - a 1.80 ERA, a 45-14 strikeout-walk ratio and the Orioles’ 6-3 record in his nine starts – would make him more than a consolation prize for a team that can’t land Skubal.

With the Orioles a game up on Detroit (50-56) entering the series, Rogers-Skubal is one of just dozens of mini-battles that will play out within the vaster landscape of the deadline: Buyers and sellers and losers who get caught on the wrong side of that line.

“We know where we’re at, standing-wise,” says Rogers. “These games really matter this close to the deadline. If we play really good ball and make that gap a little bit closer, change the front office’s mind, maybe we add a couple pieces. (Unlike) last year, getting rid of some guys.

“We know where we’re at in terms of the season.”

Rogers hit the accelerator at a perfect time for himself and the Orioles. He had a 6.96 ERA through nine starts, at which point the Orioles were 23-30 and their pitching staff ranked 28th with a 4.87 ERA.

Yet Rogers figured it out, improving his command to both sides of the plate in this two-month run, and so, too has the Orioles staff. They rank third in the majors with a 3.42 ERA since that point, giving them a chance.

So long as they win enough this week to keep the band together.

“The standard we’re trying to create here, especially what they did in ’23 and ’24 – we have the talent to do it,” says Rogers. “There’s just been times we haven’t been consistent doing it every single day.

“Hopefully, we can continue that. The trust in here is really high. We all know what we’re capable of and where we can go with this team.”

Time to clean it up

Rogers is in some ways symbolic of this close-but-not-quite era in Baltimore. He was a trade-deadline acquisition in July 2024, Elias’s first major burning of club assets by shipping future All-Star outfielder Kyle Stowers and infielder Connor Norby to Miami.

And then Rogers was hit hard in four starts, posting a 7.11 ERA, and optioned to Class AAA in mid-August. The Orioles would get swept at home by Kansas City in a two-game wild card series, giving them five losses in as many playoff games over two seasons in which they won 192 regular-season games.

Over those two deadlines, Elias did not shine on the buy side, bringing in starting pitcher Jack Flaherty and reliever Shintaro Fujinami in 2023. Rogers, starter Zach Eflin, relievers Seranthony Dominguez and Gregory Soto and outfielder Eloy Jimenez were 2024 adds.

None save for Eflin factored heavily into postseason plans. All of which contributed to the strong feeling Elias could build a team, yet perhaps not act aggressively enough on the buy side.

Third-year owner David Rubenstein remains publicly effusive of Elias.

“Mike was the baseball executive of the year a few years ago. Widely regarded as outstanding by his peers. I’m very very happy, couldn’t be more pleased,” Rubenstein said Friday at a news conference announcing a $90 million contract extension for starter Kyle Bradish. “We’ve had some injuries, but that’s not Mike’s fault.

“In the end, we’re very pleased and happy to have such a talented executive leading our baseball team.”

Elias, aware of the perception he’s perhaps too protective of young organizational talent, has sounded bullish on the trade deadline even when the Orioles were well below .500. Hours before the Orioles dropped the first of two games against Atlanta, he cast an eye toward what they have – and can be.

“We have so much talent on this team. I think we all look at our record and it should be better,” says Elias. “Where we’re at right now, we’re within arms’ reach of a playoff spot, have enough time to get there.

“We’re coming up on the deadline so the next several games are really important and everyone’s focused on that. But I look at the talent on this team and we’re extremely optimistic we’re going to get where we want to go.”

For now, they’ll have to do so without catchers Adley Rutschman and Samuel Basallo, both on the injured list with wrist and shoulder injuries, respectively. Their absences were felt in losing two of three games this weekend to Atlanta, including a particularly aggravating 3-2, 11-inning loss Sunday.

It was more of the same: Inopportune hitting and two runs given away when simple defensive plays – a booted ball in the outfield, a shallow fly falling – were not made.

“We’re way better than what our record shows,” says Alonso, who has upheld his end of the bargain with 22 home runs and an .812 OPS. “But we’ve given a lot away collectively, through mistakes. That’s why our record is what it is.

“But we have the ability to go on a run. To do damage and win a lot of games.”

If Rutschman were healthy and the Orioles deeper below .500, he’d likely hear his name bandied about even more in trade rumors. As it is, Rutschman’s eventual departure would leave Henderson as the significant symbol of Elias’s transformative 2019 draft. Yet as Henderson eases into his mid-20s – he celebrated his 25th birthday last month – the game has come harder.

In his four full seasons, Henderson’s OPS has gone from .814 his rookie to season to .893, .787 and now .701. His adjusted OPS was a whopping 155 in 2024; now, he’s a slightly below league average hitter.

At times – particularly in the lost 2025 season – Henderson has worn his frustrations outwardly, as if the burden at times became too much. He notes that dealing with failure is something every player must navigate himself.

“It’s something that’s been a long learning curve for me,” Henderson says of managing disappointment. “Still trying to break through that. I obviously have high expectations of myself. When you don’t really, to my standard, achieve that, it’s hard to not be hard on yourself.

“That’s something that’s definitely been tough, for me. And definitely something to work on.”

Henderson himself will have two seasons remaining before free agency after this year. It’s not so much do-or-die time for him as much as it is an inflection point in his tenure and, more broadly, this Orioles era.

The franchise must work to ensure their missed opportunities in 2023 and ’24 weren’t the high-water mark after years of ugly, ugly baseball. This year may offer another bite at the apple.

This week will determine whether that occurs.

“The ground that we need to make up – we honestly need to win every game we can,” says Henderson. “We want to make the playoffs. We’re close, but not in there. We gotta keep winning games.

“Because it can come down to one game.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: As MLB trade deadline looms, Orioles know it's win or go home

Toledo Mud Hens 10, Louisville Bats 2 (box)

Lael Lockhart worked through a pair of homers in the first two innings — one being of the inside-the-park variety — and then it was smooth sailing for Toledo’s pitching staff in this one.

Ivan Johnson took Lockhart deep on the very first pitch of the game, and Carlos Jorge got around the bases in about 16 seconds after Javy Baez misplayed a ball in center field. Lockhart was fine after that, retiring 10 of the next 11 batters.

Baez took a decent route to the ball, but it got over his head and bounced off the higher fence that starts to the right of the batter’s eye. Some slight hesitation occurred, as it looked like Baez was expecting a ground-rule double, and that cost Toledo the run. We’ll chalk it up to not knowing the outfield very well at this park, but it’s not a great look for Javy.

Carlos Jorge hits a fly ball over Javier Baez in center field and speeds all the way around the bases for an inside-the-park home run. pic.twitter.com/gFuiDuu2ni

— Tigers ML Report (@tigersMLreport) July 26, 2026

The Hens had their chances early, loading the bases in the first and stranding two runners in the second. They finally broke through in the third with a Max Anderson double and RBI single from Corey Julks. Andrew Navigato and Gage Workman had back-to-back singles to tie the game up in the fourth. A fielding error on Workman’s ball helped move things along with two outs.

The send sign was respected. pic.twitter.com/FAs3WksCbR

— Toledo Mud Hens (@MudHens) July 26, 2026

Three more base hits, courtesy of Julks, Trei Cruz and Tyler Gentry, gave Toledo the lead in the fifth. Another set of consecutive singles from Baez, Anderson and Eduardo Valencia made it 4-2 in the sixth. Toledo had 18 hits on the day, but only four went for extra bases.

The scorebook doesn't judge how you get the job done🫡 pic.twitter.com/DG4I41lON7

— Toledo Mud Hens (@MudHens) July 26, 2026

Yilber Diaz took over for Lockhart in the sixth. He faced the minimum, erasing a leadoff walk with a pickoff. Andre Granillo got the seventh and eighth, working around a base hit in the former. Nick Sandlin closed things out in the ninth, allowing a one-out double, but not before a big eighth inning for the offense.

Valencia put the game away with a grand slam, and Gentry hit a two-run shot a couple of at-bats later. Cal Stevenson also doubled in the inning, which means three of the four extra-base hits for Toledo came in the eighth.

Another day, another Sheetz Play of the Game Grand Slam!! @sheetzpic.twitter.com/SbL0KJNDpl

— Toledo Mud Hens (@MudHens) July 26, 2026

The Hens take the series, 5-1.

Baez: 2-4, R, K

Anderson: 2-3, 2B (16), 2 R, 2 BB

Valencia: 2-4, HR (17), R, 5 RBI, BB

Lockhart (W, 2-1): 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, BB, 6 K, 2 HR

Coming Up Next: Toledo wraps up July on the road in Columbus next week, starting Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. ET.

Chesapeake Baysox 6, Erie SeaWolves 2 (box)

Erie couldn’t claim the series win on Sunday, as the SeaWolves struggled to figure out Chesapeake Baysox starter Luis De Leon, who went 6.1 innings and only allowed one run.

Carlos Pena did his best to match that performance, but a two-run homer in the second put him in line for the loss. Pena made it through 4.2 innings, striking out six and walking none along the way.

Erie only had five hits on the day, but three went for extra bases. Garrett Pennington couldn’t score after doubling in the second, but Bennett Lee found his way home after leading off the third with a triple. Seth Stephenson hit into a fielding error at first base to bring Lee across.

Things stayed pretty quiet for both teams until the sixth. Yosber Sanchez, who came in for Pena to get the last out of the fifth, had some command issues before getting the third out. His struggles continued with a leadoff double in the sixth and a two-out walk, so Erie turned to Johan Simon, who gave up a two-run double to the first batter he faced.

Simon pitched through the seventh, working around a pair of baserunners. Eric Silva was next out of the bullpen, but he couldn’t hold the score at 4-1. A solo homer and two base hits led to two more runs for Chesapeake.

Patrick Lee homered in the ninth, but the SeaWolves needed much more for a comeback. The series ends tied at three games apiece.

Patrick Lee crushes a 418-foot home run to center off former Tigers prospect Micah Ashman. It’s Lee’s 2nd homer with Erie, and his 9th overall this year. It’s also just the 2nd home run allowed by Ashman, who leads the minors in FIP (min 30IP). pic.twitter.com/y9Va2N0aaP

— Tigers ML Report (@tigersMLreport) July 26, 2026

Briceno: 0-4, 3 K

Pennington: 1-4, 2B (5), 2 K

Patrick Lee: 2-3, HR (2), R, RBI, BB, K

Pena, C (L, 5-4): 4.2 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, 0 BB, 6 K, HR

Coming Up Next: Erie is back home next week against the Akron RubberDucks, starting Tuesday at 6:05 p.m. ET.

West Michigan Whitecaps 13, Peoria Chiefs 6 (box)

Despite the final score, things were closer than they appear in this one. West Michigan trailed halfway through the game and only led by one run going into the eighth. If it weren’t for a massive eighth inning, Peoria’s two runs in the ninth could’ve been a walk-off.

Fortunately, the Whitecaps scored eight in the eighth. Chiefs reliever Dylan Driessen was the victim of four straight hits to start his outing. Andrew Sojka doubled to start things off, Juan Hernandez scored him with a single, Woody Hadeen doubled, and Bryce Rainer brought both runners home with a single.

Bryce Rainer with a hard single to right that brings home two more runs and gives West Michigan an 8-4 lead. pic.twitter.com/5DPSXjxC4G

— Tigers ML Report (@tigersMLreport) July 26, 2026

Clayton Campbell flew out, the first of the inning, and Samuel Gil singled in Rainer. The Whitecaps made it one time through the order, bringing Sojka back up to the plate, and he smashed a grand slam to make it 13-4. West Michigan outscored Peoria in this inning alone.

Andrew Sojka blows the game open for the Whitecaps with an opposite field grand slam against his former club. West Michigan leads 13-4 in the 8th. pic.twitter.com/6gOdOIBR18

— Tigers ML Report (@tigersMLreport) July 26, 2026

Campbell and Zach MacDonald both had homers earlier in the game, the former coming with two men on base. Luke Shliger also had an RBI single in the seventh.

Clayton Campbell smashes a 3-run homer to deep left to give the Whitecaps the lead. It’s his 7th home run of the year. pic.twitter.com/uENbE9hcOb

— Tigers ML Report (@tigersMLreport) July 26, 2026

Rainer almost had a homer before Campbell, but he was robbed. The ‘Caps had 16 hits on the day and walked six times. That’s good offense.

Tai Peete with an ABSURD catch to rob Bryce Rainer of a go-ahead 3-run homer. pic.twitter.com/PgrnWC5JgZ

— Tigers ML Report (@tigersMLreport) July 26, 2026

On the pitching side, Connor Fenlong got the start. He had some control issues in the second, walking the bases loaded and hitting a batter for the first run of the game. A leadoff solo homer in the fourth made it 2-0 at that point, but Fenlong didn’t allow a baserunner otherwise.

Eliseo Mota took over in the sixth. He loaded the bases before recording an out but worked his way out of the jam without giving up a run. Juanmi Vasquez got the seventh. Back-to-back two-run homers made it a one-run game, but we know what happened after that.

Luke Stofel went 1-2-3 in the eighth, and Zack Lee gave up a pair of inconsequential runs in the ninth. West Michigan takes the series, 5-1.

Rainer: 2-6, 2 R, 2 RBI

Sojka: 2-5, HR (6), 2, 4 RBI, K

Campbell: 1-3, HR (7), R, 3 RBI, BB, K

Fenlong (W, 1-0): 5.0 IP, 2 ER, H, 3 BB, 3 K, HR

Coming Up Next: The Whitecaps are back home next week against the Beloit Sky Carp, starting Tuesday at 6:35 p.m. ET.

Jupiter Hammerheads 16, Lakeland Flying Tigers 15 (box)

So… the pitchers were just kind of there for this one. Lakeland and Jupiter combined for 31 runs on 30 hits and 21 walks, so, yeah…

Owen Hall and Donye Evans gave up six and five runs, respectively, but it’s Jan Caraballo who takes the loss for giving up a three-run homer in the ninth.

Caleb Leys got the start, striking out five over two innings of one-run ball. Jose Guzman went 1-2-3 in the third. That’s when things fell apart. Jupiter scored runs in each of the next six innings, putting a crooked number up in four of them. It was bad…

Lakeland’s runs were a bit more concentrated, with eight coming in the seventh, all with two outs. Nick Dumesnil, Jesus Pinto and Hunter Dobbins strung together consecutive hits to put Lakeland ahead after entering the inning down by one.

Anibal Salas extended the lead with an RBI single, and Jack Goodman took a bases-loaded walk to make it 13-9. Jordan Yost joined the party with a two-run double, and things looked good for a moment.

Jordan Yost gets 98 and flops it down the left field line for a 2-run double. Lakeland leads 15-9, and they have scored 9 runs this inning, all with two out. pic.twitter.com/fPKGns1ZJl

— Tigers ML Report (@tigersMLreport) July 26, 2026

Evans gave four of those runs right back in the top of the eighth, and Caraballo gave up the deciding blow in the ninth.

Good gravy. Echedry Vargas crushes a 3-run homer 446 feet to left center and Jupiter has taken a 16-15 lead over Lakeland with 2 out in the 9th. pic.twitter.com/zLPuILe86R

— Tigers ML Report (@tigersMLreport) July 26, 2026

Javier Osorio and Jude Warwick both hit homers earlier in the game. Warwick’s was more impactful, coming with two runners on and the Flying Tigers trailing, 7-3, in the fifth.

Jude Warwick smashes a 3-run homer to right to pull Lakeland back within a run. It’s his 8th home run of the season, and it snaps a 7-game hitless streak. @AaronArnstein on the call. pic.twitter.com/MUypoKMUK0

— Tigers ML Report (@tigersMLreport) July 26, 2026

There’s too much going on to cover every detail here, but the bottom line is pitching bad, hitting good (but not good enough). Classic Single-A ball on a Sunday, really. This is why they say the SEC is comparable to Double-A; even college isn’t this wild.

The series ended in a 3-3 tie.

Yost: 1-4, 2B (11), 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB

Pinto: 4-6, 2B (14), 2 R, RBI

Warwick: 2-4, HR (8), 2 R, 4 RBI, BB, K

Leys: 2.0 IP, ER, 2 H, BB, 5 K

Coming Up Next: Lakeland is in Tampa next week, starting Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. ET.

A fun weekend in Philadelphia ended with a dud, Will Warren getting knocked around by the Phillies as the Yankees fell on Sunday Night Baseball. A road series win against a strong opponent is still a fine outcome, though, and we’re onto the next, with the Yankees set for a lengthy date in Chicago. It’s a four-game set with the first-place White Sox, who enter the series looking much more formidable than they have in recent years.

On the site today, get prepped for the four games in Chicago with Josh’s preview, and get the rundown on what happened on Sunday with Kevin’s Rivalry Roundup. Later, Jonathan analyzes Jo Adell as a plausible trade target should the Angels decide to make some moves, and John writes up the one and only Alex Rodriguez, today A-Rod’s 51st birthday.

Today’s Matchup:

New York Yankees at Chicago White Sox

Time: 7:40 p.m. EST

TV: YES Network, Chicago Sports Network

Venue: Rate Field, Chicago, IL

Questions/Prompts:

1. How big of a blow do you think Cody Bellinger’s hamstring injury will be?

2. How surprised are you to see the White Sox leading the AL Central? Do you think they’ll see it through and win the division?

Has there ever been a more calamitous trade-deadline collapse than the Miami Marlins' pratfall the past two weeks?

The Marlins went from National League East contenders to almost certain trade deadline sellers over the course of a franchise-record 12-game losing streak, taking them from 52-42 and three games out of the division lead to 52-54 and the No. 8 position in the NL wild card chase. Suddenly, the hottest team in baseball - the Marlins were 26-8 from June 1 until July 9, their last win before this cold spell - could be poised to sell one of the most cherished assets on the market.

Yes, former Cy Young Award winner Sandy Alcantara, long a subject of trade conjecture until the Marlins' hot streak, is very much back in play. That's what made the Marlins' 12th loss in this skid even stranger: The San Diego Padres rallied for four runs in the eighth inning, setting up Mason Miller for his 27th save. Miller, too, has been targeted as potential trade fodder with the Padres slipping from contention.

But a weekend with the Marlins vaulted them ahead of Miami - not just in the NL standings but USA TODAY Sports' power rankings. Miami has tumbled nine spots to No. 18 - and who knows how far it may fall once the deadline is done.

A look at our updated rankings:

1. Los Angeles Dodgers (-)

• Once again winning with such numbing regularity they can take their sweet time with Shohei Ohtani, Pitcher.

2. Milwaukee Brewers (-)

• Nothing wrong with being a five-inning pitcher when you strike out 12 of 16 batters faced, like Jacob Misiorowski.

3. Atlanta Braves (-)

• Ozzie Albies on pace for 26 homers, most since 2023.

4. Tampa Bay Rays (-)

• Bryan "The Outmaker" Baker has converted 17 consecutive save chances, allowing just one run.

5. New York Yankees (+1)

• Not sure trade deadline can change their apparent fate as second place finisher/No. 1 wild card.

6. Chicago Cubs (-1)

• After seven-run, three-homer debacle, Jameson Taillon's ERA is 5.92 and rotation spot in question.

7. Philadelphia Phillies (-)

• Very quietly, their run differential is -18.

8. Chicago White Sox (-)

• What a bobblehead day for Munetaka Murakami as parents throw out first pitch, he hits two homers and drives in six.

9. Arizona Diamondbacks (+4)

• With four starting pitchers on IL, trade deadline a vexing time for holders of No. 3 wild card.

10. Boston Red Sox (+5)

• A win-now move from Craig Breslow? Lots of subtext to Curtis Mead acquisition.

11. Pittsburgh Pirates (-1)

• No need to wait for deadline to upgrade bullpen.

12. Texas Rangers (+2)

• Still hanging on to first place as Corey Seager heads out on rehab assignment.

13. Washington Nationals (+4)

• Hours after trading Curtis Mead, All-Stars CJ Abrams, James Wood combine for four home runs.

14. St. Louis Cardinals (-3)

• Losing home series to Reds continues drift away from contention.

15. Cleveland Guardians (-3)

• Five straight losses puts them closer to third than first.

16. San Diego Padres (+2)

• A sweep in Miami means a very happy flight all the way to San Diego.

17. Seattle Mariners (-1)

• Looked like a team hungry for reinforcements during sluggish series at Texas.

18. Miami Marlins (-9)

• Averaging just 2.5 runs per game in 12-game losing streak.

19. Baltimore Orioles (-)

• With catchers Adley Rutschman, Samuel Basallo ailing, replacements Chadwick Tromp, Sam Huff a combined 7 for 50.

20. Minnesota Twins (-)

• No. 3 overall pick Vahn Lackey will start journey to Target Field at high Class A Cedar Rapids.

21. Detroit Tigers (-)

• Just soul-crushing to lose series to Royals at this point.

22. Houston Astros (-)

• Carlos Beltrán and Jeff Kent's inductions give 2004 squad four Hall of Famers.

23. Cincinnati Reds (+1)

• Left for dead, then win three straight series. Interesting...

24. Toronto Blue Jays (-1)

• Max Scherzer returns to make first start since June 10.

25. San Francisco Giants (-)

• Like clockwork, Rafael Devers' OPS now .803.

26. New York Mets (-)

• Juan Soto, back on IL, won't play in much more than 100 games.

27. Kansas City Royals (+3)

• Nostalgia week: Salvador Perez passes George Brett for franchise HR record, Carlos Beltrán enters Cooperstown.

28. Athletics (-1)

• Shea Langeliers' untimely meniscus tear might buy him one more year in Yolo County.

29. Colorado Rockies (-1)

• Cole Carigg manages the lone hit - a home run - off Jacob Misiorowski.

30. Los Angeles Angels (-1)

• Trade Jose Soriano? Sadly, it probably makes sense.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB power rankings: Marlins' epic losing streak revives Sandy Alcantara trade rumors

New York Post | Greg Joyce: The Yankees, already missing Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, suffered another blow on Sunday, as fellow outfielder Cody Bellinger was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left hamstring strain. The former 2019 NL MVP suffered the ailment while running the bases on Saturday night.

Spencer Jones has been called up to replace Bellinger in the lineup. With so many top performers down with injuries, the Yankees now have even more pressure to add an impact bat or two before the August 3 deadline.

Bellinger’s injury doesn’t appear to be overly serious, though. At least he was able to perform some light agility drills on Sunday:

Cody Bellinger (placed on the 10-day injured list today) is performing light agility drills in left field: pic.twitter.com/WuH0yRF8C7

— Bryan Hoch ⚾️ (@BryanHoch) July 26, 2026

CBS Sports | Mike Axisa: The Yankees need a catcher badly and have been linked to Ryan Jeffers and Tyler Stephenson in the last few days. Shea Langeliers, however, won’t be an option because he suffered a serious knee injury and might be out for the season.

Langeliers was a long shot to be traded, anyway, as he is one of the Athletics’ top players and building blocks. Still, you never know with that organization. He has 23 home runs, a 127 wRC+, and 2.8 fWAR in 2026.

MLB.com | Dan Cichalsky: The National Baseball Hall of Fame welcomed its three newest members: Jeff Kent, Carlos Beltrán, and Andruw Jones, on Sunday. The last two played for the Yankees when they were past their prime, but are still part of franchise history.

Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home: Alice ‘Betsy’ Richardson, the longtime wife of former Yankee Bobby Richardson, passed away last week. They were married for 70 years. Reading the condolences and testimonies of those who knew her, it’s safe to say she left a huge mark on their lives. Our thoughts are with the Richardson family.