WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 03: Luis García Jr. #2 of the Washington Nationals hits a two-run home run in the seventh inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Nationals Park on July 03, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Nationals ended up sending two players to the All-Star game in Philadelphia. Those two players are CJ Abrams, who will be the NL’s starting shortstop, and James Wood. It was neat to see the moment when Blake Butera announced that those two were going to the All-Star game. However, I want to talk about two players who did not make the cut, but were arguably deserving.
Congrats to CJ Abrams and James Wood on being well-deserved All-Stars. They’ve been great.
Foster Griffin and Luis Garcia both have numbers good enough to end up in Philly as well.
They were not slam dunk All-Stars like Wood and Abrams, but you can certainly make the case that Foster Griffin and Luis Garcia Jr. were snubbed. Both have had outstanding seasons, and are a big reason why the Nats sit over .500 this deep into the season. This team was supposed to be a bottom feeder, but they are not.
We figured that Wood and Abrams were going to have big years. However, the emergence of Griffin and Garcia has helped put this team over the top. The first guy I want to talk about is Griffin, who has been an absolute revelation this season.
After coming back from Japan on a 1-year $5.5 million deal, fans were not sure what to expect out of Foster Griffin. It seemed like another instance of the Nats dumpster diving. However, it has been so much more than that with Griffin. His 7 pitch arsenal has translated seamlessly to MLB. Griffin does not throw hard, but he finds ways to outthink and outexecute hitters on the mound.
He is truly a joy to watch take the ball every fifth day. On the season, Griffin has a 2.87 ERA with 100 strikeouts in 103.1 innings. He crossed the 100 inning and 100 strikeout threshold in his last start, though Griffin said he was more proud of the inning milestone. Griffin has 12 starts of 5+ innings with 1 or fewer runs, which is tied for second in baseball with Jacob Misiorowski.
Most games with 5+ IP and 1 or fewer ER allowed this season:
1) Cam Schlittler – 13 games 2) Jacob Misiorowski – 12 games T-2) Foster Griffin – 12 games ‼️
That sort of consistent excellence is All-Star caliber in my opinion. I will concede that the NL starting pitching pool was stacked this year. However, I do think Griffin deserved to go over Paul Skenes, who is having a down year by his standards. There is still a decent shot we see Griffin in the All-Star game, as you have to think he would be one of the top candidates to replace a pitcher when someone drops out.
While Griffin has been consistent all season, Luis Garcia Jr. made an insane late push to become All-Star caliber. Garcia is on one of the hottest runs in Nats history. He has a 1.394 OPS in his last 15 games with 9 homers. With CJ Abrams slumping and James Wood just getting out of a mini-slump of his own, Garcia has been carrying the Nats offense. On the season, Garcia now has 18 homers 62 RBI and an .864 OPS.
This is up there with 2021 Kyle Schwarber, 2016 Daniel Murphy and 2015 Harper for the most locked in I have ever seen a hitter
As I mentioned above, this is one of the best runs I have ever seen from a Nats hitter. It is truly up there with Kyle Schwarber’s run, the peak of Daniel Murphy and Bryce Harper’s entire 2015 season. Name an insane heater by a Nats hitter, and what Garcia is doing right now is in that tier.
The timing of Garcia’s run is a big reason why he is not an All-Star though. His numbers have been climbing at a rapid pace in recent days. However, the voting for the All-Star game was probably wrapped up a few days ago. That would not be meaningful for most players, but Garcia has like 5 homers in the last few days.
Like starting pitchers, the first base position is pretty stacked in the NL. With famous veterans like Matt Olson, Bryce Harper and Freddie Freeman all having very good seasons, it is tough for an upstart like Garcia to break through. As much as we love Lui, the average baseball fan is probably going to want to see those veterans more.
Neither of these are outrageous snubs the way James Wood not starting was. However, both had rock solid cases to make the team. Griffin being a replacement pick would not surprise me at all, but I doubt Garcia will be going unfortunately. Both should use this as fuel to motivate them in the second half.
While neither are All-Stars, Nationals fans truly appreciate what both have done this season. They have been huge reasons for this team’s turnaround. We are playing meaningful games in July for the first time in years. Luis Garcia Jr. and Foster Griffin are a big reason why we are above .500 and still in the Wild Card mix.
The Chicago Cubs will be looking to avoid the sweep this afternoon, and they're healthy -150 favorites to do so.
Given Chicago's recent form against left-handed pitching, I'm backing the home team with my Cardinals vs. Cubs predictions and MLB picks.
Who will win Cardinals vs Cubs today: Cubs moneyline (-150)
Matthew Liberatore is having a miserable season across the board. He owns a 5.34 ERA, and his xERA of 5.55 is even higher, ranking him in the ninth percentile league-wide.
He’ll have his hands full against the Chicago Cubs. They've feasted on lefties over the past five weeks, slotting first in wOBA, ISO, and OPS. This is a great spot for their offense to awaken.
While the St. Louis Cardinals also have a solid matchup against Javier Assad, he excels at inducing grounders, and the Cards rank first in GB% over the past month.
After back-to-back duds offensively, the Cubs are primed to get back on track. They have hit .279 vs. lefties since June 1 while ranking first in almost every major power category.
Even with 11 mile per hour winds blowing in, they should be able to string together extra base hits against Liberatore.
Assad sits in the 23rd percentile in xERA and the second percentile in hard hit rate. He’s allowing a lot of quality contact, and the Cardinals — who are fourth in wOBA vs. righties on the road over the last month — are likely to capitalize.
Bet to -115.
Todd Cordell's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 50-40, -1.00 units
Over/Under bets: 48-38-4, +5.44 units
Cardinals vs Cubs weather
Temperatures in the low 70s are expected with the wind blowing in. Boost to the pitchers.
Cardinals vs Cubs odds
Moneyline: Cardinals +130 | Cubs -150
Run line: Cardinals +1.5 (-155) | Cubs -1.5 (+135)
Over/Under: Over 8 (-105) | Under 8 (-115)
Cardinals vs Cubs trend
The Cubs have cashed the moneyline in 15 of the last 21 games for +7.45 units and a 26% ROI. Find more MLB betting trends for Cardinals vs. Cubs.
How to watch Cardinals vs Cubs and game info
Location
Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL
Date
Sunday, July 5, 2026
First pitch
2:30 p.m. ET
TV
Peacock
Cardinals starting pitcher
Matthew Liberatore (4-5, 5.34 ERA)
Cubs starting pitcher
Javier Assad (6-1, 4.53 ERA)
Cardinals vs Cubs latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JULY 04: Juan Soto #22 of the New York Mets celebrates with Gilbert Gomez #65 after reaching first base on a single during the first inning against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on July 4, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Casey Sykes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Juan Soto was officially voted to the National League All-Star team yesterday. Soto was voted a starter and finished second in votes among NL outfielders, trailing only Philadelphia’s Brandon Marsh. He will join Marsh and Andy Pages in the outfield and will presumably start in left.
Soto enters play today with a .296/.404/.560 slash line after going 1-for-4 in last night’s ugly 14-3 loss. Soto leads all National League hitters in OPS (.964), OBP (.404) and wRC+ (163) and has 18 home runs, 39 runs scored, and 41 runs batted in over 70 games played this season.
This will be the first time he’s been selected to the All-Star team as a Met. Last year, Soto got off to a slow start, which sunk his chances at making the team (despite putting up solid numbers heading into the break. Soto rebounded to finish third in NL MVP voting. This is Soto’s second time being voted an All-Star starter and his fifth nod overall. He also became the youngest player to be voted to the All-Star team for four different teams.
Unsurprisingly, Soto is the lone Met to make the team (at least for now). Luke Weaver probably had the strongest case among other Mets players, but middle relievers generally are low on the list for All-Star consideration. There is always the chance another a player could be added to the roster down the road as players withdraw from the game.
As a final bit of Soto news, he did express interest in participating in the Home Run Derby, saying, “I don’t know. I don’t know. I’ve definitely been thinking about it. We’re still thinking. Philadelphia, it seems like it’s going to be fun. But I will see. I will see.”
LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 04: Manny Machado #13 of the San Diego Padres wears a USA 250 patch as he prepares to bat during the game between the San Diego Padres and the Los Angeles Dodgers at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium on Saturday, July 4, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The San Diego Padres could not find an answer for Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto and the result was a 3-0 loss at Dodger Stadium that extended the San Diego losing streak to eight games. The Padres had a promising start to the first inning when Fernando Tatis Jr. singled to start the game and Gavin Sheets singled later in the inning to put runners on the corners with two outs. Ty France came to the plate and struck out swinging on three pitches and that proved to be the beginning of the end for San Diego.
The Padres managed just two additional hits over the next eight innings, with only one of those being allowed by Yamamoto. The Dodgers right-hander completed seven innings, allowing a total of three hits with two walks and 10 strikeouts. The third hit allowed by Yamamoto came in the top of the second inning when Xander Bogaerts singled to open the inning.
The final hit for San Diego came in the top of the eighth inning when Tatis hit a two-out double of Brock Stewart. Alex Vesia came in from the Los Angeles bullpen to face Jake Cronenworth and recorded a strikeout to end the inning, stranding Tatis at second base. Tatis finished the game 2-for-4 as the leadoff hitter, while Cronenworth and Manny Machado the second and third hitters in the Padres lineup both finished the game 0-for-4 with three strikeouts.
The pitching did what it needed to do and kept San Diego in the game. Wandy Peralta opened the game with a scoreless inning before giving way to Griffin Canning. The right-hander pitched four innings, allowing one run on two hits with two walks and four strikeouts, which was one of his better outings of the season especially against a potent Los Angeles lineup albeit without Shohei Ohtani. Kyle Hart allowed a run in two innings of work and that came in the form of a solo home run from Freddy Freeman. Mason Miller, who has not had regular work throughout this losing streak, pitched the eighth inning and hit the leadoff batter who advanced to second on a ground out. Miller then allowed a single to Freeman and the Dodgers scored their third run of the night.
Jackson Merrill has not had the season anyone expected and while there is still time for him to get things turned around, Thomas Conroy of Gaslamp Ballquestions whether he has the right people in place to help him do that.
With Freddy Fermin on the IL for concussion protocol after another foul ball off his facemask, the Padres were in need of a catcher, and they welcomed back Luis Cammpusano off the IL.
Prior to their game on Sunday against the Minnesota Twins, the Yankees recalled RHP Angel Chivilli from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Chivilli, 23, appeared in two games for New York in April before hitting the injured list due to shoulder discomfort. He was then activated on June 11 and optioned to Triple-A.
The right-hander has pitched in 12 games (one start) for the RailRiders, owning a 1.08 ERA over 16.2 innings with 17 strikeouts.
In his two major league appearances this season, Chivilli allowed one earned run over 2.1 innings (3.86 ERA) with three strikeouts.
He was acquired by the Yankees from the Colorado Rockies on Jan. 28 in exchange for 1B T.J. Rumfield. Chivilli pitched in 73 games for the Rockies across the 2024 and 2025 seasons, going 1-5 with a 7.06 ERA across 58.2 IP last year.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 27: Carlos Carrasco #59 of the Atlanta Braves delivers a pitch during the eighth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on May 27, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Paul Rutherford/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Atlanta Braves have selected pitcher Carlos Carrasco to the active roster and optioned pitcher JR Ritchie to Triple-A. Ritchie pitched three innings an notched his first career save – of the three inning variety – last night.
Carrasco has pitched in seven games with the Braves this season and has been through the “designated for assignment, outrighted, opts for free agency, minor league contract, selected to active roster” cycle five times so far this season. He’ll give Atlanta another long-man option for today’s game.
As for Ritchie, he was able to save the bullpen by soaking up three innings in Atlanta’s 14-3 blow-out of the Metropolitans last night.
A reminder that the Braves play at 12:30PM today, in an earlier-than-normal Sunday start.
Jul 4, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners left fielder Randy Arozarena (56) hits a grand slam home run during the second inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images | Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images
Good morning and happy hangover Sunday to everyone! I hope everyone still has all their fingers and ate and drank responsibly. Who ate the most hot dogs? I had none, because I was at my day job all day so that’s a nice low bar for everyone to clear.
The Mariners celebrated 4th of July be beating the brakes off of the Toronto Blue Jays 11-0 thanks to a dominant start by Logan Gilbert, and massive homeruns from Randy, Dom, and Cal. Emerson Hancock will take the ball in the series finale at 2:00 PST on Peacock.
In Mariners news…
Randy Arozarena was named as the Mariners lone All-Star representative in Philadelphia. Hopefully one or two more Mariners can find their way onto the All-Star roster by way of players electing to not participate, Bryan Woo and Dominic Canzone being the most obvious candidates.
The full All-Star rosters are available here. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has already announced that he will not participate in the festivities, meaning Nick Kurtz will slot in as the starting first baseman for the American League.
An emotional Willson Contreras spoke to the media before yesterday’s Red Sox-Angels game, apologizing for his actions that led to a benches clearing brawl in Boston on Tuesday, and opening up about his mental and emotional struggles over the last couple weeks following the horrible earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24th.
The Atlanta Braves made a handful of roster moves yesterday, including recalling Bainbridge Island product JR Ritchie from Gwinnett and placing infielder Ha-Seong Kim on the IL with finger inflammation.
The Houston Astros also made some roster adjustments yesterday.
Andrew Painter of the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs pitches during a Minor League Baseball game at Coca-Cola Park in Allentown, United States, on June 28, 2026. (Photo by Dan Squicciarini/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images
There were some fireworks on the farm, so let’s check how they did.
Rochester 2, Lehigh Valley 1
Andrew Painter had the start on the night and did quite well for the IronPigs. In his six innings, he allowed on a lone run and struck out six. The velocity on his fastball was good, averaging 97 mph, while the shape of it was still just so-so. He got only four swings and misses on the fastball on the night, so he’s still having some trouble missing bats. It’s probably going to be a while before he makes it back to the majors.
Don’t worry, there’s not much else to talk about regarding this game.
Reading 5, New Hampshire 3
Bryan Rincon went two for three and Pedro Leon added a three run home run to lead the offense over the Fisher Cats. Rincon has had a surprisingly successful season considering where his season was last year and how far his prospect star had fallen. By this point, he’s probably a good bet to be a successful bench bat should he ascend to the majors. Those are valuable players. On the pitching side, Alex McFarlane had two innings of work on the night and gave up almost nothing, striking out three. Are the Phillies testing him with different situations in hopes that he can contribute this season?
Jersey Shore was cancelled
Clearwater 7, Ft. Myers 3
Continuing to board the Ferre-Bus, the team’s catching prospect homered again for the Threshers, joining with Griffin Burkholder, who scored three runs at the top of the lineup, to give Clearwater the victory. Sean Youngerman gave them five innings of a solid start, only surrendering three runs on the night and striking out three.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JULY 04: Ben Peoples #70 of the Texas Rangers pitches during the seventh inning of his Major League debut in the game against the Detroit Tigers at Globe Life Field on July 04, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning, folks…
The Texas Rangers fell to the Detroit Tigers last night by a score of 3-0.
Major League Baseball chose Saturday evening to announce this year’s All-Star teams — an odd time, in my view, the evening of a holiday — and Pete Crow-Armstrong made the NL All-Star team for the second straight season. Last year he was an elected starter; this year he’ll be a reserve outfielder.
“Nice to get the nod from the baseball world,” Crow-Armstrong said after the Cubs’ 3-0 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals at foggy Wrigley Field. “Having the fan vote get me in last year is obviously special, just felt like I was able to reach the baseball world as a whole.
“But when it’s internal like this, knowing how hard this game is and how hard a lot of guys are working on a daily basis, that means a lot to me just ’cause first and foremost I want their respect as much as I want to go and compete and beat everybody. The best compliment you can get as a baseball player is someone in the other uniform’s respect. … I don’t want to compare this year to last year, but it really means a lot coming from this stage of the voting.”
And some praise from his manager, also quoted in that article:
“In Pete’s case, what’s fun to watch is that there’s something in every part of the game that he’s able to do,” manager Craig Counsell said Saturday. “And he also does it — he’s not some huge person that does it. He’s a pretty normal-sized person that can do it. I think that also creates a connection with fans. And he’s an entertainer. … He loves that part of it. He’s good at it. He’s naturally wired to do it. So you get a lot of it.”
In 26 games in June, PCA batted .381/.468/.781 (40-for-105) with five doubles, two triples, 11 home runs, 20 RBI, 21 runs scored, 17 walks and eight stolen bases (no caught stealing).
He was also named NL Player of the Week twice during the month.
The 2026 All-Star Game will be played Tuesday, July 14 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia and will be televised on Fox-TV.
The action in the Atlanta Braves system on the 4th of July was nearly cut in half due to rain and power issues cancelling three of the seven games on the slate. Of the four games on the schedule to get played the Braves teams lost the first three, and needed a late inning comeback to win the game that finished last. Still we got to see Herick Hernandez and Davis Polo look dominant, as the two combined for 34 whiffs on the day, and homers from Brewer Hicklen along with the first of Edelson Cabral’s young career.
Durham got to Elieser Hernandez early in this one, scoring two in the first and another in the second, though he was able to get the Stripers through two more innings without giving up any additional runs. Anderson Pilar followed, and was hit hard – giving up four runs on three homers in his inning of work. That’s when the bullpen finally showed some life in this one. Hayden Harris was the third pitcher and over two scoreless innings he stuck out five batters, before Rolddy Munoz struck out the side in the eighth and final inning. Harris picked up eight whiffs, while Munoz had five.
After the Bulls scored early the Stripers were never able to get back into this game, as the offense just didn’t show up. A two-run homer by Brewer Hicklen, his 14th of the season, was able to cut it to 3-2 in the top of the third – but the team managed just three hits. Hicklen’s homer and walk and Brett Wisely’s three walks and run scored were the only real standouts, though Luke Williams picked up a double and Jose Azocar added a single.
Columbus Clingstones 4, Knoxville Smokies 3
Ambioris Tavarez, 2B: 2-5, 2B, R, .194/.311/.327
Patrick Clohisy, CF: 0-4, BB, R, 2 SB, .259/.336/.437
Herick Hernandez, SP: 5 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 8 K, 2.80 ERA
Herick Hernandez’s stuff was dominant in this win for the Clingstones, though they needed to come from behind in the seventh to earn that win. Hernandez went five innings and allowed three runs (two earned) on two hits and two walks. He also struck out eight with 16 swings and misses, bringing his ERA to 2.80 and K/9 up to 12.0. Owen Hackman picked up the win in two scoreless innings of relief, with the save going to Luis Vargas after two scoreless frames of his own.
The Clingstones had plenty of offense in this one, and it’s a little surprising that they only scored four runs – other than the fact that they left so many runners on base. As a team they had 10 hits, six walks, and three stolen bases. Ambioris Tavarez went two for five with a double and scored a run, while he was joined by Tyler Tolve (2-3, 2B, BB, RBI), Luke Waddell (2-5), and Jordan Groshans (2-5, R) with a multi-hit game. Will Verdung also walked, doubled, batted in two, and scored a run in the win. While Patrick Clohisy didn’t come up with any hits, he walked, stole two bases, and scored a run.
Rome Emperors vs Jersey Shore BlueClaws – Cancelled
The day after the Friday night game was called early due to issues with power, Saturday’s game was cancelled altogether.
Salem RidgeYaks 1, Augusta GreenJackets 0
Juan Mateo, 3B: 1-3, BB, SB, .277/.355/.375
Alex Lodise, SS: 1-4, .255/.340/.475
Davis Polo, SP: 5.2 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 8 K, 3.72 ERA
Davis Polo threw a gem on the 4th, going five and two thirds and allowing a run on just four hits and a walk. Polo struck out eight and racked up a total of 18 whiffs in his 83 pitch outing. Cristobal Abreu followed, and quickly got himself into a little trouble with a pair of walks before finishing off the final out of the sixth inning. After two scoreless innings from Logan Forsythe, Daniel Brooks pitched the final inning without allowing any more damage.
The offense never got going in this one, picking up just two hits in the shutout. Juan Mateo had one of those hits, and a walk and a stolen base – but also got picked off as well. Alex Lodise had the only other hit in the loss. Among the other notable prospects Luis Guanipa and Cody Miller were each hitless in four at bats, while Conor Essenburg was hitless in one at bat before leaving the game two innings after being hit by a pitch.
FCL Braves vs FCL Rays – Suspended
This one was suspended in the top of the second, tied 0-0. The game is set to be finished on July 10th. Of note Manuel Campos singled in his first inning at bat, then stole second – his 22nd steal of the season.
DSL Rays 18, DSL Braves 7
Sherrintely Da Costa Gomez, LF: 1-5, 3B, R, RBI, .338/.451/.585
This was a rough pitching performance by the Braves squad. The final line was 9 IP, 11 H, 18 R, 9 ER, 17 BB, 10 K – yes that is accurate, 17 walks in this game. It also didn’t help to see three errors, four wild pitches, and a hit by batter, but the Rays squad was constantly on base. The bright spots for the pitching staff was three and a third one run innings from Geowin Gomez, two and a third scoreless from Wilmer Almonte, and two scoreless from Giovanni Medina.
The big story here would have to be the first career homer from Edelson Cabral, who also walked and scored twice while running his OPS up to .826. Sherrintely Da Costa Gomez continued his strong season by adding a triple, run scored, and one batted in, while Jose Nelo was three for five with a double and two runs batted in. Durban Arnedo added a double, while Jose Manon was hitless in four at bats, Elioberto Mondesir went one for three with a pair of walks, and Jorwin Pulido walked and scored a run in two plate appearances.
DSL Braves vs DSL Rays – PPD
The actual game for Saturday was cancelled due to lightning.
In a corresponding move, RHP Joey Gerber was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse.
Zuñiga, 27, signed a minor league contract with New York on May 5 and has pitched to a 3.29 ERA over 14 appearances in Double-A and Triple-A.
He was dominant with Binghamton over nine games (1.93 ERA), but had a 6.23 ERA in five games (4.1 IP) with Syracuse.
The right-hander last played in the majors in 2024 with the Los Angeles Angels. He appeared in 15 games with the Angels, owning a 5.09 ERA with two saves over 17.2 IP.
For his MLB career, including two games with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2023, Zuñiga has a 5.03 ERA with 16 strikeouts and two saves over 19.2 IP.
DENVER, COLORADO - JULY 3: Gabriel Hughes #43 of the Colorado Rockies celebrates the win after pitching in the ninth inning against the San Francisco Giants in his major league debut against the San Francisco Giants at Coors Field on July 3, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Gabriel Hughes (PuRP No.12) was back in his hotel room in Round Rock, Texas, done for the night, when his phone rang. It was 11:30 p.m. On the other end was Pedro Lopez, his Triple-A manager in Albuquerque, calling with news that would change the trajectory of Hughes’ summer – and maybe his career.
“He said, ‘Hey, I need you to head back to the stadium and start packing your bags. You’re going to the big leagues,’” Hughes recalled.
He called his parents. He called his brother. By the next morning, he was on a flight out of Austin, landing in Denver around 10 or 11 a.m. — hours before he’d put on a Rockies uniform for the first time.
A setback that became a reset
It was the conclusion of a monthlong stretch that began, of all places, on the injured list.
Hughes missed time earlier this year with a left oblique injury, and while no pitcher wants to lose time to the IL, he says the setback doubled as a reset button.
“Every time it happens, it’s always an opportunity to kind of take stock of where you’re at,” Hughes said. “It was an opportunity for me to go back to Arizona, talk with a lot of the people there, get ideas on mechanics, on pitch usage, on kind of a bunch of things, and then come back with a lot more ideas and things to try out.”
He returned by way of a rehab stint with High-A Spokane before rejoining Triple-A Albuquerque’s rotation, and whatever he found in Arizona worked. Over his final three Triple-A starts, Hughes didn’t allow a run.
The sweeper that changed everything
The centerpiece of that stretch has been a pitch that Hughes has thrown for only a few months. He picked up a sweeper in the middle of spring training — almost on a whim, after asking veteran Michael Lorenzen how he grips his own version on a back field one day. Hughes started experimenting in his next bullpen session, with mixed early results.
“I threw the first one about 10 feet over the catchers head and said ‘Hey, I’m done with it,” Hughes said, laughing.
Assistant pitching coach Gabe Ribas encouraged him to throw a few more, and the pitch stuck.
Hughes said learning any new offering comes with a learning curve — getting comfortable with the grip, the thought process, locating it for strikes — and this one was no exception, especially since he went straight from picking it up to using it in games. He credited Rockies Director of Pitching Matt Daniels with helping him refine the shape when it wasn’t quite where he wanted it.
Beyond the swing-and-miss value against right-handed hitters, Hughes said the sweeper has given him a new way to tunnel his other pitches. He described most of pitching as changing speeds, locations, and looks — and said the sweeper lets him do exactly that, playing off his two-seamer, curveball, changeup, and traditional slider to give hitters a different picture out of the same release.
Simplifying the game
The approach has been shaped as much by a mental shift as a mechanical one. Colorado’s new pitching staff this year installed a simplified three-part framework.
Get ahead. Stay ahead. Kill.
“Pre-two strike, I’m filling up the zone. Two strikes, I’m getting a little outside the zone for swing and miss, and for weak contact,” Hughes said. “I think that’s probably the biggest thing. It’s just really simplified my thinking. I’m filling up the zone, and then I can’t control anything that happens after that.”
Hughes has also leaned on that same instinct for simplicity to manage the mental side of pitching — staying in the moment rather than replaying the last pitch or bracing for the next one. He pointed to an outing this spring against Team USA in Scottsdale as an early proving ground. Facing a lineup that included Bryce Harper, Aaron Judge, and Kyle Schwarber, Hughes said the nerves the night before gave way to a simple realization once he took the mound.
“I don’t know what better lineup I’m going to face than that one,” Hughes said. “So it’s always in the back of my mind, knowing, hey, I’ve already done that, and I’m going to take that for where I’m going.”
Learning altitude, and learning to rest
Altitude, too, has become less of a mystery.
Hughes said the bigger adjustment isn’t how his pitches move differently in the thinner air — he doesn’t throw anything with the kind of movement that would create a drastic split — but simply learning where he has to locate the ball to be competitive at altitude compared to sea-level parks.
“I think a big part of it is understanding how your pitches are going to move and working with that, instead of wishing you had something else,” he said. “It’s just learning what you have and then working to maximize it the best you can.”
He’s also revamped his between-starts routine, trusting recovery as much as work. After a lesson learned late last season, Hughes says he’s scaled back the instinct to fill every day with extra reps in the gym, instead balancing high-output days with some genuinely light ones.
“Sometimes doing less is more,” he said. “I’m always the guy who wants to be in the gym, wants to be doing a ton of exercise. I think something I learned really at the end of last year is that sometimes the best thing to do is take a step back and let your body recover”
A new role, and a familiar face
Now that routine gets rebuilt on the fly.
Hughes has started 48 of his 50 minor league appearances, but he’ll begin his major league career in the bullpen, working as a length option for a Colorado relief corps that is often thinned out.
It’s uncharted territory — outside of a handful of spring training outing, he’s never really come out of the pen — and he say’s he’s leaning on teammates who’ve made the same jump, including Antonio Senzatela, with whom he trained this offseason.
“A lot of it’s just keeping it the same — it’s the same game, keep doing what I’m doing, and just go out there, have fun, and be loose, don’t over complicate it,” Hughes said of Senzatela’s advice.
As for who he wanted to see first walking into the Coors Field clubhouse, the answer came without hesitation: Jaden Hill, who’d known Hughes going back through the system, ran across the room and pulled him into a hug.
Hughes debuts with a save
On Friday night, the wait ended. Hughes was summoned from the bullpen in the seventh inning of what had become a rout, and tossed three scoreless innings, closing out a 15-3 win over the Giants. Under the rule that credits a reliever who finishes a game with three or more effective innings, it went down as a save — the first of his career, in the first game of his career.
“I didn’t know that was a save until after the game, honestly,” Hughes said. “I’m not really familiar with the rules for saves, but hey, I’ll take it. Senza just told me it took him 10 years to get one. I got mine in my first game.”
He could not, he said, have drawn it up any better.
“There’s no way to describe it,” Hughes said. “It seemed packed, and I could not draw up a better scenario for my first big league game than tonight. There are no words to describe the experience. It was incredible. It was life-altering. And I’m so excited that I was able to debut here at home, in front of so many people.”
Chills under the lights
The moment that stayed with him came in the ninth. With the game long decided and a crowd of over 47,000 people on hand, the Coors Field lights dimmed and the stands filled with the glow of phone flashlights on a fireworks Friday. Hughes, going through his pre-inning routine, looked toward center field and stopped.
“Can confirm that’s the first time that’s ever happened in my life,” he said. “The lights are going, everyone’s waving their flashlights, and I got chills. I took a second to be like, oh my gosh, I cannot believe how much this is affecting me right now — in such a good way, in such a positive way.”
He’d been active since Wednesday, waiting for the opportunity, and had spent each pregame the same way.
“Every day I’ve been on the mound before the game, doing some visualization, doing some breath work,” Hughes said, “because I knew when the moment got here it was going to be big. And I thought I was prepared — and I got out there, and it was still, wow.”
The people he wanted there most had made it just in time. Hughes found out about the call-up so late Tuesday night that none of his family could reach Denver for Wednesday. His father and grandparents arrived Thursday, and by Friday the whole group — his mother, aunts, uncles, cousins, and his girlfriend — was in the stands.
“Knowing that I would not be here without my parents and my entire family, the support system that they’ve given me — I’m getting emotional now just thinking about it,” Hughes said, his eyes welling. “This was absolutely a collective endeavor. I’m so excited to go out and see them, and just thank them.”
There was one rite of passage waiting before that reunion. Asked whether his teammates had given him the traditional postgame ambush, Hughes grinned.
“It was a lot more than shaving cream,” he said. “It ended with an ice bucket being dumped on me. I’m very glad it was in the shower when it happened.”
One word, he said, kept surfacing for all of it.
“Special. That’s the word that keeps coming to mind.”
The Minnesota Twins can win a series on the road against the New York Yankees for the first time since 2014 with a win this afternoon. Minnesota blew out New York yesterday, sending the Yankees deeper into a spiral.
The Twins have an All-Star on the mound and yet are still the underdogs. My Twins vs.Yankees predictions and MLB picks look for a Minnesota win.
Who will win Twins vs Yankees today: Twins moneyline (+119)
The Minnesota Twins scored 11 on Saturday, two days after plating eight in Houston. Minnesota has won two of three and four of six, while the Yankees have lost eight of nine.
The New York Yankees have the better overall record, but they're just 13-16 since Aaron Judge went down and had four or fewer hits five times this week. The Yankees are also struggling on the other end, giving up 27 unearned runs in the last 14 games.
I’d take the Twins at anything above +100. They’re starting newly named All-Star Joe Ryan, who's in the 95th percentile in pitching run value.
COVERS INTEL: In addition to struggling against left-handed pitchers, the Twins are unfamiliar with Ryan Weathers. Only four players on the Twins roster have ever faced him, and they’ve combined for just 11 plate appearances and one RBI.
Twins vs Yankees Over/Under pick: Under 8.5 (-107)
The Yankees scored five runs in Friday’s win. That’s the only time in the last 13 games they’ve reached that mark, despite playing Red Sox, Tigers, Reds, and Twins, all sub-.500 teams, including two last-place squads. Cody Bellinger, Ben Rice, and Paul Goldschmidt are all hitting below .150 over the last two weeks.
Ryan is in the 85th percentile in strikeout rate, and only four A.L. teams have whiffed more than the Yankees.
New York starter Ryan Weathers has struggled lately, but he’s a southpaw. Minnesota hits 36 points lower with 101 points less OPS against left-handers and has an OPS+ 11% below league average.
Shawn Krest's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 24-32, -5.15 units
Over/Under bets: 31-29, +1.3 units
Twins vs Yankees weather
Twins vs Yankees odds
Moneyline: Twins +117 | Yankees -122
Run line: Twins +1.5 (-178) | Yankees -1.5 (+170)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (+100) | Under 8.5 (-104)
Twins vs Yankees trend
The Yankees have cashed the Under in 10 of their last 16 games for +3.45 units and a 20% ROI. Find more MLB betting trends for Twins vs. Yankees.
How to watch Twins vs Yankees and game info
Location
Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
Date
Sunday, July 5, 2026
First pitch
1:35 p.m. ET
TV
Peacock
Twins starting pitcher
Joe Ryan (5-5, 3.61 ERA)
Yankees starting pitcher
Ryan Weathers (3-6, 4.08 ERA)
Twins vs Yankees latest injuries
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ATLANTA, GA - JULY 04: Juan Soto #22 of the New York Mets runs off the field during the game between the New York Mets and the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on Saturday, July 4, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Brett Davis/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Meet the Mets
The Mets were clobbered by the Braves 14-3 in another all-around embarrassing effort on national television that included poor pitching, poor defense, and poor hitting. The Mets are now 17 games under .500 and have lost 12 of their last 14, as they continue to free fall, despite a managerial change.
After being snubbed in 2025, Juan Soto has been selected via fan vote as the starting left fielder for the National League All-Star team, surging at the last minute to come in second among outfielders in fan balloting. It is his fifth career All-Star nod and his first as a Met. “They really voted a lot. Mets fans are unbelievable,” Soto said when he heard the news. “I really appreciate everything that they’ve done for me…I think it’s great seeing where I (started) I the votes and then seeing where I finished is incredible.”
Soto also said he is considering participating in the Home Run Derby this year.
Speaking of Clay Holmes, interim manager Andy Green gave a positive update on Holmes prior to last night’s game, saying that he is “doing well” and will throw a bullpen on Monday in Atlanta as the Mets wrap up their series against the Braves. Green also provided updates on Jorge Polanco and Luis Robert, who are both on rehab assignments. Though he said that nailing down an exact return date for Polanco is “premature,” he continues to take “big steps forward” as he continues to play in rehab games for Triple-A Syracuse. Meanwhile, Robert went hitless yesterday in the third game of his rehab assignment in Syracuse.
Freddy Peralta was supposed to provide stability to the Mets’ rotation, but has been anything but consistent. So what gives? Mario Delgado Genzor of Baseball Prospectus looks into some possible reasons behind Peralta’s struggles in 2026, which don’t have a straightforward answer.
Around the National League East
The Braves and Phillies are each sending a crop of five players to the All-Star Game.
Jesús Luzardo threw a gem as the Phillies beat the Royals 6-1.
Jackson Stone of MLB.com explores what is going wrong for Phillies reliever José Alvarado, who currently holds a career-worst ERA north of six, and what the Phillies can do to fix it.
The Phillies traded minor league right-hander Ryan Degges to the Guardians in exchange for $250,000 in international bonus pool money, which helped them to sign 17-year-old right-hander Ho Hua out of Taiwan.
The Pirates scored early and often to soundly defeat the Nationals 7-1 in Washington DC on Independence Day.
But in a full circle moment, the two players that headlined the Juan Soto trade for the Nationals are now All-Stars themselves.
Sandy Alcantara threw eight brilliant innings in the Marlins’ 7-2 victory over the A’s.
The Braves placed shortstop Ha-Seong Kim on the 10-day injured list retroactive to July 1 with right middle finger inflammation. Infielder Kyle Farmer was activated from the injured list and recalled to take Kim’s place on the roster. The Braves also optioned righty Anthony Molina to Triple-A and recalled JR Ritchie.
Veteran Rowdy Tellez, who the Braves designated for assignment on Thursday, has cleared waivers and been outrighted to Triple-A. Tellez has enough service time to reject the assignment and elect free agency if he chooses.
Around Major League Baseball
The full All-Star rosters for the NL and AL were announced last night. Juan Soto is (unsurprisingly) the Mets’ sole representative. The Braves, Dodgers, and Phillies have the largest representation with five players each. Mike Trout leads all players with his 12th time being selected.
“One thing that I want to add on the record for you guys,” an emotional Willson Contreras said through interpreter Daveson Pérez before Saturday’s Red Sox game against the Angels, “is just an apology for all of the events from last week. All of the things that occurred with the Nationals are things that were very hard and a very emotional time for me.”
This Date in Mets History
On July 5, 1962 the Mets signed Cleon Jones for $1,000. Jones went on to be one of the most valuable members of the 1969 championship squad.
COVERS INTEL:
