Category: MLB

For the third time in the four-game series the San Diego Padres lost a one-run game to the Atlanta Braves. The Padres struck first against Braves pitcher Chris Sale with a three-run second inning, but after a four-run fourth inning the Braves held a 5-3 lead and that deficit proved too much to overcome as San Diego dropped the game and the series with a 6-5 loss.

Kyle Hart started the game as an opener for Griffin Canning and recorded three outs against three batters to start the contest. Hart, a left-hander, faced two left-handed hitters and a switch-hitter in Ozzie Albies who batted from the right side. Michael Harris II led off the bottom of the second for the Braves and rather than continuing with the left-on-left matchup, Padres manager Craig Stammen went to Canning, a right-hander, in the second inning. Harris immediately got the home team on the board with a long home run to right field to make the score, 3-1.

Canning got the next three batters out to end the second inning and faced the minimum three batters in the third. He opened the fourth inning allowing a solo home run to Albies to make the score, 3-2 before getting Matt Olson to pop out. Canning allowed a one-out single to Harris and Mauricio Dubon reached on a catcher’s interference, the second one this week on Freddy Fermin, and Canning responded with a strikeout of Austin Riley. Canning was almost out of the inning, but Dominic Smith hit a 1-1 changeup that was left up and out over the plate over the right-field wall and Atlanta took a 5-3 lead.

The Braves tacked on another run in the bottom of the seventh when Baldwin golfed a home run out to right field off Matt Waldron, but that proved to be the game-winner. The Padres scored two runs in the top of the eighth inning when Manny Machado singled and Ty France brought him in with a two-run home run to pull San Diego within a run.

The Padres mounted a two-out rally in the ninth inning against Braves closer Raisel Iglesias when Jake Cronenworth and Fernando Tatis Jr. reached on back-to-back singles. Luis Rengifo who has been arguably San Diego’s hottest hitter, stepped in looking for a base hit to tie the game, but struck out on a high fastball on an 0-2 count to end the game.

The Padres are 2-5 after the All-Star break and start a three-game series in Miami against the Marlins today at 4:10 p.m.

Padres News:

• The Padres traded reliever Ron Marinaccio, who was designated for assignment earlier this week, to the Pittsburgh Pirates for international bonus pool money.

• Padres reliever Adrian Morejon, who is a free agent after this season, could be on the move at the trade deadline.

• According to reports, the Milwaukee Brewers have contacted the Padres about a Mason Miller trade. Thomas Conroy of Gaslamp Ball has a solution for San Diego concerning what to do with the All-Star closer.

Baseball News:

• Cheri Bell of Gaslamp Ball breaks down the latest CBA proposal from the MLBPA.

• The Arizona Diamondbacks got a win over the St. Louis Cardinals thanks to a late addition to the roster.

• The Detroit Tigers rallied for a one-run win over the Kansas City Royals.

• Shane Bieber led the Toronto Blue Jays over the Tampa Bay Rays with a strong performance on the mound.

Wins on the lower levels and losses on the higher levels marked the day of baseball in the Dodgers minor league affiliates.

Player of the day

Eduardo Guerrero and Hayden Gilliland both had four-RBI games with a home run, but the difference is that the Loons won their matchup, while Gilliland couldn’t carry the Drillers all the way to the finish line.

Not much of a power bat with a slugging percentage below .400, Guerrero now has five home runs, already an improvement on the three he accumulated in over 100 games across three different levels in 2025.

Triple-A Oklahoma City

The good news is that Kiké Hernández’s rehab is trending in the right direction, with the veteran utility man hitting a home run. The bad news is that the Comets didn’t have much scoring outside of that, losing to the River Cats by a score of 4 to 2.

These days it is not easy to see a team finish an entire game without recording a walk, but that was what OKC did against the River Cats pitching staff. On the other side, the Comets bullpen game allowed seven free passes and recorded just four strikeouts.

Double-A Tulsa

Needing your catcher and eighth-hole hitter to secure all of your RBI in a game is not the path one normally takes to win a game. Hayden Gilliland did his best with a season-high four RBI—it wasn’t enough, though, with the Travelers winning at home 5 to 4 thanks to an eighth-inning run hit by Hayden Fitz-Gerald.

The top three in the order all went hitless for the Drillers, including an 0-for-5 performance from leadoff hitter Taylor Young. The only one of three to get on base safely was Mike Sirota, earning a walk. Three of Gilliland’s four RBI came on an opposite-field home run in the fourth.

High-A Great Lakes

The team effort that was lacking in the Drillers lineup was present for the Loons, with everybody but the ninth-hole hitter recording at least one base hit in an 8-to-5 win. The Eduardo brothers (not actually brothers) ran the show, with both Quintero and Guerrero leaving the yard, the latter of whom was responsible for half of the team’s eight runs driven in.

With starter Tyler Gough off his game, allowing four runs in as many innings, the key pitcher for the Loons was Jacob Frost, tossing four scoreless innings and earning what became his eighth win, lowering his season ERA to 3.11.

Single-A Ontario

It was a push-and-pull game for the Tower Buzzers pitching staff, allowing just three hits and at the same time handing out 10 free passes and seeing their defense commit three errors behind them—all of this wasn’t enough to take the win away from Ontario, fixing many of these problems with the long ball on the offensive side.

Easton Shelton’s terrific form continued with the first baseman hitting a milestone 30th long ball before August rolls around. Kellon Lindsey and Ching-Hsien Ko also left the yard in this game.

Transactions

The Tulsa Drillers placed left-handed pitcher Wyatt Crowell on the injured list.

Thursday’s scores

• Sacramento 4, Oklahoma City 2
• Arkansas 5, Tulsa 4
• Lansing 5, Great Lakes 8
• San Jose 5, Ontario 7

Friday’s schedule

• 4:05 p.m. PT: Great Lakes (Zach Root) at Lansing (Jorge Marcheco)
• 5:05 p.m. PT: Tulsa (Adam Serwinowski) at Arkansas (Kade Anderson)
• 6:45 p.m. PT: Oklahoma City (Blake Snell) at Sacramento (Cesar Perdomo)
• 7:00 p.m. PT: Ontario (TBD) at San Jose (TBD)

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The Detroit Tigers sit as a heavy -270 moneyline favorite behind Tarik Skubal tonight against the Kansas City Royals at Comerica Park. 

My Royals vs. Tigers predictions are expecting Detroit to come out on top here against a vulnerable K.C. bullpen. 

Read more in my MLB picks for Friday, July 24. 

Who will win Royals vs Tigers today: Tigers -1.5 (-121)

Tarik Skubal may not be as dominant in 2026 as last year, but the Detroit Tigers star is still in solid form.

He's collected a 3.04 FIP over his last five appearances. During that span, Skubal has allowed a mere 17.5% hard-hit rate. 

As for the Kansas City Royals, they will go with opener Beck Way. He typically pitches just one inning, which means this will be a bullpen game.

K.C.'s relief corps is struggling immensely, posting a 5.27 xERA across the last week while surrendering 3.09 HR/9. 

I'll play this pick up to -130. 

COVERS INTEL: Skubal owns a 1.27 FIP in his last two outings, and he hasn't allowed a single homer in those starts. 

Royals vs Tigers Over/Under pick: Over 7.5 (-107)

This total sits at just 7.5, and the Over has a clear path despite Skubal’s presence.

The Tigers have been average overall with a 98 wRC+ over the last week, but their .185 ISO shows some extra-base pop.

Kansas City has also been productive lately, carrying a 107 wRC+ during that same span.

The bigger concern is the relief pitching. Detroit’s bullpen owns a 4.71 xERA over the last week, while K.C.’s bullpen game is the main path to runs. 

I'll play this pick up to -125. 

Royals vs Tigers weather

Conditions look excellent at Comerica Park tonight, with clear skies and temperatures sitting in the low-to-mid 70s throughout the game. Winds should stay light around 7-8 mph, and there is no rain risk.

Royals vs Tigers odds

• Moneyline: Royals +257 | Tigers -270
• Run line: Royals +1.5 (+113) | Tigers -1.5 (-117)
• Over/Under: Over 7.5 (-104) | Under 7.5 (-100)

Royals vs Tigers trend

The Tigers have hit the moneyline in 14 of their last 19 games (+8.45 Units / 33% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Royals vs. Tigers.

How to watch Royals vs Tigers and game info

Royals vs Tigers latest injuries

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We officially have trade deadline rumors! Is anyone interested in a little Zach Neto action?

Yesterday, The Athletic reported that “after expressing interest in the Los Angeles Angels shortstop last offseason, [the Red Sox] continue to view him as a strong fit, according to people briefed on their discussions.”

As fun as it was to watch Anthony Seigler and Tsung-Che Cheng make surprising contributions during the 15-game win streak, there is no question that the middle infield continues to be a major weak spot on the Red Sox roster. Marcelo Mayer and Trevor Story are making progress on their rehab journeys, and Franklin Arias is now knocking on the door at Worcester, but Zach Neto and his 2.8 bWAR would be a significant upgrade. And, as a right-handed home run hitter who would likely see a Green Monster-induced power boost, he’s a great fit for the lineup.

But Neto is by no means a perfect player. He strikes out a lot, doesn’t walk much, and has consistently graded out as a poor defensive shortstop. He’s unlikely to be the long-term answer at the most important defensive position on the diamond. But he’s just 25-years-old, is under team control through 2030, and his 19 homers would be second on this Red Sox team behind Willson Contreras. Frankly, he looks a lot like a younger, healthier Trevor Story.

Personally, I don’t love Neto’s profile. But he’s a young player who will almost certainly put up 3-5 WAR over the next 3-4 years, which is more than you could reasonably project from Marcelo Mayer at this point. And with Arias almost ready for the bigs, the Sox will have a painless avenue for moving Neto off of shortstop in the very near future. The prospect of a Contreras-Neto-Arias-Durbin infield is tasty.

From that perspective, a package headlined by Mayer makes sense, though the Sox would almost certainly have to sweeten the deal with additional prospects, and we’re talking about top-10 guys here, like Kyson Witherspoon, Anthony Eyanson, and Justin Gonzalez. The Angels might even insist on a big league-ready arm like Connelly Early.

So what would you be willing to ship to LA to land him?

Talk about trades and whatever else you want in this space and, as always, be good to one another.

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The slightly favored Pittsburgh Pirates (-120) host the Chicago Cubs in a National League Central Division battle tonight. 

The Pirates are rightfully favored with Jared Jones on the bump, but tonight's Cubs vs. Pirates predictions and free MLB picks think the price tag is too short.

Who will win Cubs vs Pirates today: Pittsburgh Pirates (-120)

Jared Jones has been nothing short of exceptional over the past month. He is sporting an excellent 2.29 ERA and his indicators (2.15 xFIP, 1.86 xERA) are even better.

The Chicago Cubs have hit .236 with a strikeout rate above 25% during the same period. This is a matchup Jones should continue to find success.

Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Piratessit sixth in homers, fifth in OPS, and first in average against lefties at home.

Matthew Boyd struggles to limit power, and that will get him in trouble against this lineup.

Back the Pirates to -135.

COVERS INTEL:Boyd's ERA is 2.25 runs lower than his FIP over the last 30 days, signaling his recent success is smoke and mirrors.

Cubs vs Pirates Over/Under pick: Under 8.0 (-115)

Jones has averaged more than 12 punchouts per nine innings in three consecutive starts, over which time he allowed two runs.

He is providing the Pirates with ace-caliber pitching right now and that’s not something I want to challenge.

The Pirates continue to hit for power against lefties but their low 5.9% walk rate in July could lead to less traffic on the basepaths when that power arrives, making it more difficult to score in bulk.

The Under is my preferred route, and I would play it to -120.

Cubs vs Pirates weather

The forecast calls for temperatures in the high 70s with winds blowing inwards. Small boost to the arms.

Cubs vs Pirates odds

• Moneyline: Cubs +100 | Pirates -120
• Run line: Cubs -1.5 (+160) | Pirates +1.5 (-190)
• Over/Under: Over 8.0 (-105) | Under 8.0 (-115)

Cubs vs Pirates trend

Pittsburgh has hit the moneyline in 10 of the last 16 games (+4.80 units, 27% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Cubs vs. Pirates.

How to watch Cubs vs Pirates and game info

Cubs vs Pirates latest injuries

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Defending World Series champions the Los Angeles Dodgers will launch a summer of live Major League Baseball on the BBC when they meet the New York Mets on Sunday.

The Dodgers lead the National League again in 2026, with last season's Most Valuable Player, Shohei Ohtani, to the fore as they target a third consecutive World Series title.

The struggling Mets are in need of inspiration from star man Juan Soto as they look to turn around a difficult start to the season.

The game sets up a run of 10 consecutive live Sunday night MLB matches on the BBC, including the season finale on September 27 before four post-season games the following week.

• Why Dodgers are on brink of World Series dynasty

• The night the Tartan Army took over iconic Fenway Park

The Dodgers' record of 65 wins and 38 defeats means they are likely to win the National League West for the 13th time in 14th years.

Their recent dominance is built around Ohtani, whose achievements are now compared to the greatest players in the history of the game.

His ability to both hit and pitch at the top level consistently - he already has 22 home runs this year and has recorded eight wins as a pitcher - demonstrates a similar skill-set to the legendary two-way player Babe Ruth.

Ohtani has been named Most Valuable Player in his league four times, including last season, when the Dodgers became the first franchise in 25 years to win consecutive World Series titles.

Dominican left-fielder Soto became the highest-paid player in baseball history in 2024 when he left the New York Yankees and signed a $765m deal with their bitter cross-city rivals the Mets.

He hit his 250th career home run against the Yankees earlier this season, one of 21 home runs he has delivered in 2026.

Despite Soto's contribution, the Mets narrowly missed out on a post-season berth last year and now sit bottom of the National League East with 43 wins to 60 defeats.

This season, the MLB Bases Covered Live team will again be led by play-by-play announcer Melanie Newman, with former St Louis Cardinals first baseman Xavier Scruggs and Maccabees guitarist Felix White alongside to call the action for seasoned baseball fans and new viewers.

During the 2026 Fifa World Cup, baseball played an unexpectedly large role in the experiences of football fans and players from the UK as they enjoyed memorable outings to ballparks across the US.

After defeating Haiti in their opening game in nearby Foxborough, Scotland's Tartan Army took over Fenway Park in Boston to celebrate while watching the Red Sox take on the Texas Rangers.

England manager Thomas Tuchel threw out the first pitch at Kaufmann Stadium when several members of the England squad watched the Kansas City Royals play the St Louis Cardinals.

How to watch: MLB Bases Covered Live

(all times BST)

Sunday, 26 July - 1830 - 2100

Los Angeles Dodgers @ New York Mets

Watch on BBC iPlayer, follow on the BBC Sport website and app

Sunday, 2 August - 1900 - 2130

New York Yankees @ Chicago Cubs

BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website and app

Sunday, 9 August - 1830 - 2100

Toronto Blue Jays @ Philadelphia Phillies

BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website and app

Sunday, 16 August - 1830 - 2100

New York Yankees @ Toronto Blue Jays

Sunday, 23 August - 1830 - 2100

St Louis Cardinals @ Philadelphia Phillies

Remaining fixtures to be confirmed

Tyler Wells wasn’t supposed to be here. By here, I mean, in the Majors at all, and certainly not taking the mound in the ninth inning with a lead to protect for this Orioles team. But injury luck has a way of rewriting careers, and Wells’s is one of the stranger paths in today’s game.

We can start with how he arrived into the Orioles org. Wells was a selection of the Minnesota Twins in the 15th round of the 2016 draft out of Cal State San Bernardino, #453 overall—this is hardly a pedigree that promises a big-league career. Wells reached Double-A in 2018 with a 2.49 ERA and 121 strikeouts in 119⅓ innings—so far, so good. But then he blew out his elbow, had Tommy John surgery in May 2019, then the pandemic wiped out the 2020 minor league season. That is how Tyler Wells ended up never throwing another competitive pitch for the Twins. Minnesota left him unprotected in the Rule 5 draft, and the Orioles snatched him up that December.

The 6-foot-8 prospect seemed a long shot, indeed, with his rebuilt elbow and pedestrian fastball. This is true of Rule 5 picks generally, who have to stick on their new team’s active roster for the entire following season or get offered back to their old club, not to mention pitching fifteenth-rounders. Most don’t make it. Over the 2018 and 2019 drafts combined, only seven of 25 picks (28%) met that bar.

Well, Tyler Wells has beaten those odds by a wide margin: not only did he stick with Baltimore in 2021, he made 44 appearances and pitched to decent numbers: 4.11 ERA, .192 average against and  a 0.91 WHIP. This was a 52-win team only, but Wells was already showing his value.

Wells moved into Baltimore’s rotation in 2022, his rise mirroring that of the team—at 83-79, they finished just outside of the playoffs—and in 2023, the Orioles’ fourth best season in team history, Wells emerged as one of the team’s best starters. Well, he had a tale of two halves: through his first 18 starts of 2023, Wells posted a 3.18 ERA and an MLB-best 0.93 WHIP, one of the biggest surprises in the American League. But the innings caught up with him. By late July, Wells had thrown 113⅔ innings, a career high, and it showed: an 11.00 ERA over his next nine innings, three ugly starts in a row, resulted in a demotion to Double-A Bowie.

Wells clawed his way back to Baltimore that fall, finishing the year with eight scoreless outings between the regular season and the playoffs, but questions had been raised about his fragility, despite his undeniable talent. The next few seasons only reinforced that reputation. Elbow inflammation sent Wells to the injured list again in 2024, and after only three starts it was announced he’d have to right elbow UCL surgery. He’d make just four starts in 2025.

Heading into 2026, nobody was quite sure where, or how much, Tyler Wells would pitch. President of baseball operations Mike Elias had said back in the fall that the plan was for Wells to start, but with Shane Baz, Zach Eflin, Chris Bassitt, Kyle Bradish, Trevor Rogers, Dean Kremer fighting for rotation spots, Wells was far from a lock. And in the end, the big righty opened the season in the bullpen as Baltimore’s top right-handed setup man in front of new closer Ryan Helsley.

In some ways, 2026 was already a success for Wells before the whole closer thing began. Between March 26, his season debut, and July 1, Wells made 30 appearances—he was finally healthy! And, even more happy news, he was good! Wells pitched to a 3.18 ERA in 39.2 innings as a setup man, making the majority of his appearances in the sixth or seventh innings. Then a “break” of sorts: in early July, Helsley felt discomfort warming up against the White Sox and landed on the 15-day injured list with right elbow discomfort. Thankfully, the veteran righty managed to avoid structural UCL damage, but Wells got the call anyway.

Wells has more than delivered in his new high-leverage role: in nine games, he has a 1.93 ERA, and just one run allowed in his last five appearances. He was scoreless in six of seven outings that month. Manager Craig Albernaz has stopped short of naming him the permanent closer, noting that Andrew Kittredge and Yennier Cano remain in the mix and that “everything is on the table.” But for now, the job is Wells’s to lose.

It is a strange but fitting turn for a pitcher whose entire career has been defined by other people’s plans falling apart around him.  Perhaps more than ever, it’s a triumph that Wells has been healthy. Wells is a setup man promoted by his closer’s bad elbow: Baltimore never drew this plan up. But this season he’s been there when his team needs him.

We’ve all seen the latest prospect rankings that cast the Phillies farm system in a rather dim light. We all know that they don’t have much in the way of ammunition to acquire upgrades at this upcoming trade deadline.

But that doesn’t mean they won’t be sending any of their prospects out in a deal over the next week and some change. Dave Dombrowski likely won’t be shopping in the Jhoan Duran tier of the market as he did a year ago, but Dombrowski and the Phillies are certain to be heavily involved in the Harrison Bader tier of the market to put it in 2025 terms. They will likely be targeting rentals which of course come with less cost in prospect capital than players with multiple years of control.

It can’t be ruled out that the likes of Gage Wood or Aidan Miller could be moved, but it feels extremely unlikely, especially in Miller’s case due to injury. Once you get into the Ramon Marquez, Dante Nori, and Aroon Escobar tier of the Phillies system though, it’s extremely likely that at least a couple of players will be moved. Again, there’s not much in the way of trade bait for a big fish, but there’s enough to find moderate upgrades if the opportunity cost is weighed correctly. The Phillies have enough glaring holes that even a mid-tier upgrade could go a long way to increasing their win total and therefore their chances at the division title or the postseason in general.

So, who is the Phillies prospect most likely to be moved at the deadline? Does your prediction align with what you would do if you were in charge of the deadline?

Although lacking the drama of their historical post season battles, the three game series forthcoming on Chicago’s south side holds heightened significance should the Astros hope to remain relevant this baseball season.   

Len Kasper calls games for the White Sox and he joins us exclusively at The Crawfish Boxes to preview the weekend ahead.  

Q: How personally fulfilling has this season been for you after witnessing the rebuild?

A: Super, super fun for Darrin Jackson and me. I recall a few weeks ago when the Sox were like 31-28 and we had the note that 2 years ago they were 31-109 I had to do a double take. I called all of those games and lived it but it still doesn’t seem real. Having said that, this season has really put all those struggles in the rear view mirror. It doesn’t matter anymore. This team is good and the way they play is FUN and we are living in the moment. They play hard, they slug, they claw from behind, they enjoy each other. There is something really special about this group that is hard to quantify, but when you see it, you acknowledge that it matters. Also, our fans adore this team. They love the winning but they love how this team plays just as much.

Q: How huge has a guy like Sean Newcomb been?

A: I think it’s fair to say he’s been the most valuable pitcher on the roster. He has done a little bit of everything which is where the league is now headed — closers, set-up men, etc. are becoming a thing of the past. Pitchers are just out-getters and in Newcomb’s case, you feel comfortable using him in any situation. What a great under-the-radar addition he’s been. One underrated thing about the bullpen is most of the guys are multi-inning options: Newcomb, Taylor, Hudson, Murphy, Richards, et al.

Q: Not to put it on one guy, but if Sean Burke continues the strong outings, you must feel pretty upbeat about the remaining two months of the season, correct?

A: Burke has pitched like an ace over the last several weeks. The stuff has always been there but it has been about strike-throwing and he is now doing that. One walk in his last 3 starts and a ton of strikeouts. I kinda hate the “this guy is a 1, this guy is a 3” conversation, BUT if we are gonna do that, the Sox have been looking for a “1” and right now, it’s Sean Burke. It’s interesting, they opened for him a few times earlier this season and he always pitched really well in that bulk relief role. But I’m guessing he didn’t love it and the best way to not be in that position is to pitch like he has. I wouldn’t expect an opener to be in play for him again for awhile.

Q: Biggest need at the deadline? Will it be another arm or a combination of things best guess?

A: These are questions for Chris Getz, but I just think the “you can never have enough pitching” cliche applies. I trust he will do everything he can to supplement the current roster while not sacrificing the future.

Q: I’m guessing if things stay the course, there will be some awards handed out on the south side for this unexpected season?    

A: If the Sox make the playoffs, they will undoubtedly have the AL Manager of the Year and probably the Executive of the Year. Both would be well deserved. Will Venable has created a great culture here by allowing this group to kind of dictate the vibe. So many managers, even some of the all time greats, loom over all of it and sometimes that can dampen whatever the natural atmosphere might be. And while Will has some things he expects out of his guys and is very clear about those things, he has “stayed out of the way” to a degree in this area and that’s a huge thing here. As a former player, he understands how important it is for the nucleus to set the tone on a daily basis and it has made a very talented team even better. And Getz made a trade for Tristan Peters who came out of nowhere to become an All-Star, and another piece from the Crochet deal, Braden Montgomery, is now the everyday right fielder. Miguel Vargas has had a breakout season. The Murakami signing is looking like one of the best from last winter in the entire league. He has flipped this roster upside down and it’s now super young and on the position player side, one of the best in the entire league.

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The Toronto Blue Jays open a weekend set at Fenway Park against a red-hot Boston Red Sox club, sending Trey Yesavage to the mound against left-hander Patrick Sandoval.

Toronto finally broke out of its slump on Thursday, and I’m backing the bats that did the damage, starting with Ernie Clement.

Read on for my Blue Jays vs. Red Sox predictions and MLB picks for this Friday, July 24 matchup.

Blue Jays vs Red Sox predictions

Blue Jays vs Red Sox best bet: Ernie Clement Over 1.5 total bases (-110)

Ernie Clement has the shortest line for total bases, yet I’m still drawn to this pick. On the simplest level, he’s been the Toronto Blue Jays' most consistent hitter, especially in July, where he has at least one hit in 13 of 17 games. 

But his advantage Friday runs deeper than the box score.

The Boston Red Sox send out lefty Patrick Sandoval, who has allowed 14 hits in 9.1 innings this season and leans on a shaky mix of sliders and changeups. Sandoval throws the slider 35.5% of the time, and opponents have teed off on it this year, slugging .667 over a 50-pitch sample. 

Clement is the slider-hitting extraordinaire on this roster, hitting the pitch for a +2 run value, per Baseball Savant, along with a .339 average and .475 slugging mark.

I wouldn’t play this bet past -110. 

COVERS INTEL: Clement has always hit left-handers better, with a .725 career OPS against southpaws versus .669 against righties, giving him an edge Friday against Patrick Sandoval.

Blue Jays vs Red Sox same-game parlay (SGP)

For the same-game parlay, I’m stacking Toronto’s momentum from Thursday’s win. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Over 1.5 total bases leads the way, backed by his platoon edge against a left-hander and his long history of damage at Fenway Park.

Trey Yesavage Over 5.5 strikeouts is an aggressive play, even if he’s punched out five or more in three of his last five starts and carries an 8.7 K/9.

I’ll cap it with the Blue Jays moneyline at plus money, a live price for a club that just snapped its skid against a starter making only his third appearance of the year.

Blue Jays vs Red Sox SGP

• Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Over 1.5 total bases
• Trey Yesavage Over 5.5 strikeouts
• Blue Jays moneyline

Blue Jays vs Red Sox home run pick: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (+525)

This whole Blue Jays offense seems cursed to hit nothing but singles this season, but Vladimir Guerrero Jr. could be primed for a big day, especially at Fenway Park.

Red Sox fans must be terrified of Vladdy, who owns a .342/.415/.589 slash line at their home park with 12 home runs and 49 RBI in just 56 games.

That’s a 35-homer pace.

Guerrero already went deep at Fenway earlier this year, and he arrives equipped to keep mashing on the road after two clutch hits on Thursday helped Toronto break out of its slump.

He’s also been far better against lefties (.784 OPS) than righties (.668 OPS) this season, and Boston is sending out a lefty. I’d play this until +500 and, as usual, keep it to a quarter unit.

Blue Jays vs Red Sox odds

• Moneyline: Toronto +105 | Boston -125
• Run line: Toronto +1.5 (-180) | Boston -1.5 (+155)
• Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-120) | Under 8.5 (+100)

Blue Jays vs Red Sox trend

Patrick Sandoval carries a 1.71 WHIP through his first two starts of the season, allowing 14 hits across 9.1 innings, which suggests he’s still shaking off some rust. Find more MLB betting trends for Blue Jays vs. Red Sox.

How to watch Blue Jays vs Red Sox and game info

Blue Jays vs Red Sox latest injuries

Blue Jays vs Red Sox weather

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Tyler Kinley’s relationship to the Braves has been an odd one over the last year.

Before 2025, Kinley had a career 107/102/109 line (ERA-/FIP-/xFIP-) and 1.2 fWAR in just under 260 innings. Most of that value was accrued in 2022, when his season was cut short by injury. It’s also important to keep in mind that there’s at least some evidence that the Coors Field park effects are overly punishing to hitters and therefore overly generous to pitchers.

Before the Braves traded for him in 2025, it was more of the same: 118/96/113. Those numbers are barely rosterable for a reliever aside from a low HR/FB. The Braves hoped they could get more out of him, and they did in some ways, though it wasn’t exactly him hitting a new gear or anything: 17/68/105. Basically, Kinley had an epic run of not having runs charged to him and allowing very homers… while pitching as effectively (or, I guess, ineffectively) like the Kinley of old. The Braves had Kinley throw fewer fastballs, work harder on getting the fastball up, and change the way he threw his curveball so that it came out of a similar arm slot as his slider. They had him focus on getting the breaking pitches in the zone, with the fastball going above it.

Kinley did all of this. There is a very clear breakpoint in his pitch usage and location, among other things, between his time with the Braves and the Rockies. This wasn’t a matter of an inability to implement desired changes. It was just that it didn’t really matter. Though Kinley did halve his walk rate as a result of the changes, getting the ball in the zone or higher made him less of a grounder-generator and didn’t help him in the strikeout department. The fewer walks were great, but that was largely the only benefit.

While we don’t know the reasons, all of this led to a surprising-at-the-time-I-guess? declining of his team option in the offseason. There was some clamor about $5.5 million being an okay price for Kinley’s services, but from my perspective, there was no reason to give a reliever who never pitched all that well and couldn’t even manage a 100 xFIP- with the Braves anything above league minimum in the first place. The Braves ultimately re-signed Kinley for $4.25 million, essentially saving $1.25 million relative to his option price.

There was a stretch, a relatively brief one, where Kinley at least seemed better. Through May 3, he kind of seemed like he was picking up where he left off in 2025, with a little bit better performance overall: 42/82/94. His walk rate was back up to its former gross levels, but he was actually striking a bit more guys out. A reliever with an xFIP- around 90, especially one that you believe has some contact/homer suppression, can definitely play in a bullpen.

It didn’t last, though. Over the next month or so, Kinley went 111/130/96. His walk rate fell, but so did the grounder rate. You can write off the homers, as well, HR/FB stuff, but it didn’t feel great. His elbow may not have felt great, either, as he missed about a few weeks with inflammation.

At this point, Kinley has been back for about a month, and his performance has been ghastly. 231/202/132 is really bad. His strikeout rate plummeted, his walk rate is bad again, he’s barely getting any grounders. Joel Payamps got canned after a 193/137/116 line. Aaron Bummer got canned after a 179/207/136 line. The Braves ate some money in both of those cases. Kinley could very well be next: his season line is now 107/125/103, and has been getting dramatically worse basically every other outing or so.

Probably the biggest issue is that in aggregate, Kinley is losing any reason for positive prognosis. Even if he was never a guy to dream on given his track record, you could at least… ponder that he’d be okay for a while? But, with his season xFIP- crossing the 100 mark again, and with him not even doing the homer suppression thing, there’s not much there there. Basically every plate discipline metric is down across the board from his Braves stint in 2025, and his fastball command has been an utter disaster. While he’s really honed his slider release such that it hits the corner of the zone over and over, that’s actually not as helpful when everyone knows it’s coming at least two out of every three pitches, and he has no idea where his fastball is going. (The fact that the slider’s shape isn’t very good is another detriment — batters have an easier time hitting it relative to another slider if they know it’s coming and they can reach it, and they definitely know it’s coming and can reach it in the zone.)

So, put all that together, consider the impending Trade Deadline, and… will Tyler Kinley make it to season’s end with the Braves? Or, will they eat another partial reliever salary to reconfigure their bullpen to hopefully be a bit better?

Triple-A: Syracuse Mets (48-50)

SCRANTON/WILKES-BARRE 2, SYRACUSE 0 (BOX)

Clay Holmes made his first appearance on a professional mound since breaking his leg, and it was just fine for a first outing. The Syracuse bullpen picked him up after he gave up a couple of runs in his brief start, as Tobias Myers and three other relievers combined to blank the RailRiders the rest of the way. Unfortunately, Syracuse’s bats were blanked for the entirety of the game.

• CF Nick Morabito: 0-3, 2 K
• LF MJ Melendez: 0-4, 3 K
• DH Ronny Mauricio: 1-4, SB
• 1B Christopher Morel: 1-4, 2 K
• RF Ryan Clifford: 0-3, BB
• 3B Eric Wagaman: 1-3, K
• 2B Christian Arroyo: 0-3, K
• C Hayden Senger: 0-3, 2 K
• SS Zack Short: 0-3
• REHAB ALERT: P Clay Holmes: 2.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
• P Tobias Myers: 2.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K
• P Ben Simon: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
• P Jefry Yan: 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
• P Matt Seelinger: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K

Double-A: Binghamton Rumble Ponies (34-59)

PORTLAND 3, BINGHAMTON 2 (BOX)

The Rumble Ponies didn’t score until the bottom of the ninth inning, but that late rally came up a run shy of tying things up. R.J. Gordon walked four, but he gave up just two runs—one earned—in five innings and struck out seven. It’s been a bit of an uneven season for him, but it’s nice to see him have a good outing with his season high in strikeouts.

• DH Chris Suero: 0-3, BB, 3 K
• CF John Bay: 1-4, K
• 3B Nick Lorusso: 1-4, 2B, K
• C Kevin Parada: 0-4, 3 K
• 1B JT Schwartz: 3-4, R, K, SB
• RF Matt Rudick: 1-4, 2B, 2 K
• LF Vincent Perozo: 0-3, 2 K
• PH Corey Collins: 1-1, R, HR, 2 RBI
• 2B Jaylen Palmer: 0-3, 3 K
• PH Jose Ramos: 0-1, K
• SS Wyatt Young: 0-3, K
• P R.J. Gordon: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 7 K
• P Justin Armbruester: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
• P Gabriel Rodriguez: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
• P Zach Peek: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 K

High-A: Brooklyn Cyclones (37-53)

JERSEY SHORE 6, BROOKLYN 5 /12 (BOX)

The Cyclones nearly had this game won in the ninth inning, but Jersey Shore’s two-run bottom of the ninth sent the game to extras. After neither team scored in the tenth, both teams scored one in the eleventh before Brooklyn was blanked in the twelfth and Jersey Shore scored to walk it off in the bottom of the twelfth. First baseman

Trace Willhoite had himself a night at the plate for Brooklyn with two doubles, a home run, a stolen base, and three runs scored, and startig pitcher Nicolas Carreno had a very nice outing with six innings of one-run ball with six strikeouts.

• CF Yonatan Henriquez: 2-5, 3B, RBI, BB
• 2B Mitch Voit: 0-5, BB, 2 K
• C Ronald Hernandez: 0-4, BB, K
• DH Daiverson Gutierrez: 0-5, 2 K
• 3B Jamari Baylor: 0-3, 2 BB, 2 K
• SS Colin Houck: 0-5, R, 4 K
• 1B Trace Willhoite: 3-4, 3 R, 2B, HR, 2 RBI, BB, K, SB, E
• RF Yohairo Cuevas: 0-5, 4 K
• LF Kevin Villavicencio: 1-5, R, HR, RBI, 2 K
• P Nicolas Carreno: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K
• P Luis R. Rodriguez: 0.2 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
• P Bryce Jenkins: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
• P Juan Arnaud: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 3 K
• P Rafi Vazquez: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
• P Gregori Louis: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 1 K

Single-A: St. Lucie Mets (43-49)

GAME 1: ST. LUCIE 1, FORT MYERS 0 / 7 (BOX)

St. Lucie won the first game of their doubleheader thanks to the fact that their pitchers shut out the Mighty Mussels. Marco Vargas drove in the lone run of the game with an RBI single in the bottom of the third.

• 3B Antonio Jimenez: 1-3
• SS Marco Vargas: 1-2, RBI, BB, K
• CF D’Andre Smith: 1-3, 2 K
• LF Randy Guzman: 1-3, K
• DH Julio Zayas: 0-3
• RF Simon Juan: 2-3
• C Francisco Toledo: 1-3, E
• 2B Jeremy Rodriguez: 1-2, R
• 1B Jack Scanlon: 0-2, K
• P Joel Lara: 3.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 5 BB, 4 K
• P Omar Victorino: 2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
• P Zack Mack: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 1 K

GAME 2: FORT MYERS 3, ST. LUCIE 1 (BOX)

Unfortunately, St. Lucie couldn’t complete the doubleheader sweep, as their bats remained pretty quiet and their pitchers didn’t throw a shutout in the second game against Fort Myers.

• SS Elian Peña: 0-4, 2 K
• CF Trey Snyder: 1-3
• DH Randy Guzman: 0-3, K
• C Julio Zayas: 0-3, K
• 2B Branny De Oleo: 0-3, 3 K
• 1B Chase Meggers: 2-3
• RF Simon Juan: 0-3, K
• 3B Taylor Darden: 2-3, R, 3B
• LF Jackson Hauge: 0-2, RBI
• P Joel Díaz: 2.2 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
• P Elwis Mijares: 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
• P Joe Scarborough: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

Rookie: FCL Mets (24-32)

FCL CARDINALS 11, FCL METS 3 (BOX)

Well, Jean Brito didn’t have a good night, and neither did Jun-Seok Shim. Those two pitchers combined to give up all eleven runs that the Cardinals scored.

• CF Wyatt Vincent: 0-3, BB
• RF Bohan Adderley: 0-4, K
• 3B Cole Mathis: 0-2, E
• PH Diover De Aza: 0-1, K
• C Yovanny Rodriguez: 1-2, BB
• 1B Roybert Herrera: 0-2, BB
• SS Anthony Frobose: 0-3, K
• 2B Yorber Semprun: 2-3, 2 R, 3B, HR, RBI, K
• LF Heriberto Rincon: 2-3, R, HR, 2 RBI, K, SB
• DH Adolfo Miranda: 1-3, K
• P Roberto Pena: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 0 K
• P Julio Gonzalez: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
• P Jean Brito: 3.0 IP, 5 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
• P Jun-Seok Shim: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 1 K
• P Wilmer Lugo: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

Rookie: DSL Mets Orange (19-19)

DSL METS ORANGE 9, DSL GIANTS ORANGE 2 (BOX)

• SS Wandy Asigen: 2-3, R, 3B, BB, K, E
• DH Cleiner Ramirez: 1-3, 2 R, HR, RBI, K, SB
• 1B Cesar Acosta: 3-4, 2 R, 2 2B, HR, 3 RBI, K
• 3B Sebastian Toro: 0-3, R, BB, K
• LF Jhonael Cuello: 2-3, R, 2 2B, 2 RBI, BB, K
• C Yadier Fuentes: 1-3, R, RBI
• C Jesus Griman: 0-0
• 2B Oscar Pena: 0-2, BB, 2 K
• RF Ryan Rudas: 2-3, R, HR, RBI, K
• CF Aiberson Blanco: 0-2, RBI, K
• P Maxgregori Harvey: 2.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 4 K
• P Alvaro Carrillo: 2.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
• P Cesar Morales: 2.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K

Rookie: DSL Mets Blue (14-23)

DSL RANGERS RED 14, DSL METS BLUE 6 (BOX)

• 3B Johnderis Sanchez: 1-5, R, 2B, 3 K
• SS Dayron Oramas: 1-5, K, E
• CF Henry Manrique: 1-3, R, RBI, BB, SB
• C Frank Moreno: 2-3, 2 R, 2B, BB, SB
• LF Royner Bravo: 0-4, 2 K
• 2B Michalle Mercedes: 1-4, R, HR, 3 RBI, 2 K
• 1B Adrian La Rosa: 1-4, K
• DH Jesus Minaya: 1-3, R, BB, K, SB
• RF Elvis Teran: 0-2, 2 BB, K, SB
• P Christopher Rochin: 4.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
• P Mauricio Nunez: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 5 BB, 2 K
• P Edgardo Rodriguez: 2.1 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 0 K
• P Arnaldo Tejeda: 0.2 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 0 K

STAR OF THE NIGHT

Trace Willhoite

GOATS OF THE NIGHT

Colin Houck and Mitch Voit

The Boston Red Sox find themselves in a fascinating position after a franchise-record-tying 15-game winning streak. 

The entire vibe of the ballpark flipped on its head with real investment in a historic run. Boston went from 37-48 and out of contention to 52-48 and in control of an American League playoff spot. The surge also completely changed the conversation surrounding the trade deadline. The group originally looked like a prime seller with veteran pieces to ship out in Willson Contreras, Sonny Gray and Aroldis Chapman. Instead, those players will play meaningful roles in Boston’s mission to make consecutive postseason appearances for the first time in eight years. 

Now in a position to buy, the state of the Red Sox farm system takes on even more importance, as the team must decide what packages could get deals across for impact additions. That reality makes for an interesting few weeks for Red Sox senior director of player development Brian Abraham, who has run the farm system through multiple notable prospect waves in recent seasons. 

With less than two weeks to go until the Aug. 3 deadline, Abraham has a big job to do to keep young players on track. 

“I think the biggest thing for us is just making sure players are continuing to focus on their work, the goals that they have ahead of them and be able to perform on the field during the games and be able to get the work in to get better pregame,” Abraham told me Thursday. “We very much focus on controlling what you can control. That’s not only on the field but off the field as well. So there are going to be conversations that happen internally, there will be rumors, there’ll be media, and I think making sure that we’re not focusing on the noise externally and really focusing on the job that we need to do, that the players need to do at end of the day, is front of mind and that’s the focus.”

“Obviously, there is a part of this game that players and, quite honestly, that a lot of the staff can’t control,” Abraham added. “So making sure we’re taking care of our business and worrying about that and if something happens, we’ll adjust accordingly and have the conversations we need to have.” 

Boston will certainly need to dip into the prospect pool to get a deal done, though a surplus of young, MLB-ready pitching can play a role in negotiations as well. That makes for an unnerving period for young players who know that they could find themselves on the move. Abraham reiterated the commitment of keeping routines and understanding the personnel adjustments that come with this period of the season where high-leverage decisions are made that can spark postseason runs at the big-league level.

“The season is very fluid and you really need to focus on the game that you have that particular night and the same as in the minor leagues,” Abraham explained. “You need to focus on the work that’s being done that particular day. Try to control what you control and you know hopefully you’ll be able to stack wins and put yourself in a better position later in this month and as we get towards the trade deadline. Obviously, there are some decisions that need to be made at certain times that influence what happens to our roster for better or for worse, whether it be bringing guys in or sending guys out one way or another. I think we’ve realized the season is incredibly fluid. At the end of the day, you have to make decisions that are best for the organization in the short term and in the long term. I know, no matter what, the goal is to win a World Series championship every year and I know [Craig Breslow] and the leadership group will do their best to make sure that we’re working toward that goal.” 

One name that would be a significant surprise to be dealt is Boston’s top prospect Franklin Arias. The 20-year-old found unexpected power this season with Double-A Portland where his 19 home runs in 75 games matched his previous career total. Arias slashed .319/.407/.581 with 18 HR and a .987 OPS entering Thursday, a run of offense more than deserving of a bump to Triple-A Worcester. Arias ascended up the rankings this year and MLB Pipeline lists him as baseball’s No. 7 overall prospect. Tommy Cassell of the Worcester Telegram & Gazette first reported Thursday night, later confirmed by MLB.com, that Boston had promoted Arias to Triple-A.

Here’s what Abraham said Thursday morning before the reported promotion.  

“I think there’s definitely conversations pretty often about when the right time to send him up is,” Abraham explained. “There’s not an exact answer when that will be. It will definitely be at some point this season. I would say the consistency has been great. We really asked him to put on some good weight and add some strength so he can impact the baseball more. It’s really his ability to hone in on a swing decision, swing at the right pitches, pitches that he can drive and he’s done an incredible job of that and he’s taken advantage of pitches over the plate and and drove them to all fields quite frankly. Just continue to match the consistency that he’s brought offensively, defensively and on the base paths. He’s incredibly smart. He’s a fast learner. He works his butt off.”

Abraham continued: “Just continuing to stack those days so that when his number is called to come up here he’ll be ready. But pre-game things going on I don’t know if there’s a lot more we need to see, in a lot of ways, which is exciting, but at the same time I think there are smaller pieces that he can always improve again, continuing to hone in on those swing decisions, continue to be more consistent with the bat, impact wise and again, small more intricate things with his footwork and his plate discipline that we’ll continue to focus on.”

Abraham, in his role, can take significant pride in the style of how the Red Sox rattled off an unimaginable winning streak. Given the countless injuries on the roster, headlined by the prolonged absences of stars Roman Anthony and Garrett Crochet, Boston heavily relied on the depth contributions from Triple-A with names such as Anthony Seigler and Tsung-Che Cheng to do a job. 

“It’s been a ton of fun to watch. I think we go into spring training every year realizing that the twenty-six guys that leave for Boston to start the season are not gonna be the only twenty-six guys that end up making an impact on the big league roster throughout the season,” Abraham shared. “So whether it be High-A, Double-A, Triple-A, we make sure that our players know their name could be called at any time and being prepared and making sure that when you know (Chad Tracy) and (Craig Breslow) call their name, they’re ready to help make an impact at the big league level. That could be on defense, that could be base running, that could be offensively, on the mound. So there’s so many different ways you can make an impact and make sure our guys are prepared to do so and can help the team in any way to help get a W on the board.” 

The Red Sox have several factors that play into the massive responsibilities that fall on Breslow’s shoulders leading up to the 6:00 p.m. hour on Aug. 3. Abraham’s phone will likely be one of the busiest in the organization in the coming days before a consequential turning point in this tale of two seasons. 

Good morning, Camden Chatters.

Just 10 days remain until the MLB trade deadline, and at this moment, there’s no telling which direction the Orioles are going to go. Two weeks ago they looked like sure sellers, but their recent seven-game winning streak, which currently puts them three games back of the final wild card, might have changed the calculus.

The front office’s trade strategy could well come down to how the Orioles fare in their final three series before the deadline. They’re not going to be easy ones. Two of the Birds’ next three series come against National League clubs that are currently in playoff position, the NL East-leading Braves and the second-place Phillies. The other is against the Tigers, a team that’s basically an even match with the Orioles (just one game worse than the Birds). Two-time reigning AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal is slated to start tonight against the Royals, which would line him up to pitch next Wednesday against the Orioles in what could be his last start as a Tiger. So the Orioles’ next week and a half will pit them against two very good teams and perhaps the best pitcher in baseball. Good luck!

The Orioles, at least, are looking more like a team that’s up for such a challenge. They’re playing much better baseball of late, and their pitching in particular has started to gel. Their 2.96 team ERA since the start of July is the second-best in baseball, behind only the Red Sox. Maybe the best indication of how good the O’s pitching has been is that long reliever Albert Suárez hasn’t pitched in more than two weeks. With all due respect to Albert, he’s the guy you bring in when a starter gets chased early or you’re hopelessly out of the game late, so the fact that he hasn’t been needed in so long is a positive thing.

If the Orioles continue playing like they’ve been doing lately, they have every chance to win more than they lose during this upcoming 10-day stretch, which would bring them to the deadline at about the .500 mark and right on the heels of the wild card leaders. If that happens, you have to think the Orioles would be buyers, but perhaps modestly so. They’re not going to get Skubal, but they could add a reliever or two and maybe another bat.

But if the sloppy, fundamentally unsound version of the team rears its ugly head in the next week and a half, and a lot of losses follow, then the O’s could be faced with the unappetizing reality of selling at the deadline. That would be a tough pill to swallow for a second straight year.

The Orioles are plenty capable of playing good baseball, staying in the thick of the postseason chase, and convincing the front office to supplement the roster at the deadline. They’re also, unfortunately, plenty capable of just the opposite. Which path will the O’s take? That’s the million dollar question.

Links

Orioles Claim Yohel Pozo, Designate Johnathan Rodríguez For Assignment – MLB Trade Rumors

If you’re tired of watching Sam Huff bat, don’t worry: the Orioles have acquired a catcher who’s even worse than him.

Updated MLB top 70 prospects: Kade Anderson is the new No. 1, Jesús Made at No. 2 – The Athletic

Two O’s prospects, Ike Irish and Joseph Dzierwa, crack Keith Law’s midseason top prospect update. And JT Quinn gets a very intriguing shout-out in the Dzierwa writeup, so I’m gonna count that as a third.

How Yelling “O!” During the National Anthem Became a Statement of Baltimore Pride – Baltimore Magazine

I had never heard this story before. It’s fascinating to find out that such an iconic Baltimore tradition basically started because of a fan’s inside joke with her friends.

Are Orioles’ injuries preventable? | MAILBAG – BaltimoreBaseball.com

A reader wants the Orioles to simply put together a team of players who won’t get injured. Buddy, what you’re asking for is a team of indestructible cyborgs, which…actually, yeah, that sounds pretty nice. Make it happen, Mike Elias.

Tommy Hunter happy to celebrate friend Chris Davis at Orioles Hall of Fame festivities – School of Roch

I still have mixed feelings about Davis being elected into the Orioles Hall of Fame so soon after his disastrous end to his career. It sounds like Tommy Hunter is going to give a pretty awesome speech, though.

Gunnar Henderson’s strong offensive series in Boston was fueled by ‘trying less, to be honest’ – The Baltimore Banner

I try less than almost anybody. Maybe I can be a professional baseball player after all.

Orioles birthdays and history

Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! Only two players in O’s history had a July 24 birthday, and they were born 64 years apart. Right-hander Miguel Socolovich (40) pitched six games for the 2012 Birds, and righty Duane Pillette (b. 1922, d. 2011) was a member of the inaugural 1954 Orioles, coming over with the franchise from St. Louis.

On this date in 2018, the Orioles traded their two-time All-Star closer, Zack Britton, to the Yankees for three prospects. It was a foregone conclusion that the last-place Birds would deal Britton, a pending free agent, but that didn’t make it any easier to swallow that he went to the Orioles’ most hated rival, where he spent the remaining five years of his career. The three players the O’s acquired didn’t amount to much, aside from one decent relief season by Dillon Tate.

Random Orioles game of the day

On July 24, 2004, the Orioles defeated the first-place Twins at Camden Yards, 4-2. The Orioles were trailing 2-0 at one point, but scored a single run apiece in the third, sixth, seventh, and eighth to earn the victory. Miguel Tejada provided nearly all the offense by himself, not only driving in two runs on a solo homer and an RBI double, but also scoring from first base on a strikeout (thanks to a throwing error by the catcher on a stolen base attempt). O’s starter Sidney Ponson worked seven innings of two-run ball, and B.J. Ryan and Jorge Julio each worked a perfect inning of relief.

Last weekend, the Phillies hosted some guests from New York. This weekend, they’re hosting some more guests from New York. But the pinstriped ones, this time. As everyone knows, Philadelphia and New York have a longstanding mutual fondness for each other, so surely it’ll be a happy reunion, buoyed by fond memories of 2009 (and 1950).

On to the links.

Phillies news:

Zack Wheeler is thinking about sticking around.

Alex McFarlane had a pretty tall task in his MLB debut. ($)

The trade deadline is coming up, and it’s time to start thinking about what the Phillies might do.

MLB news

MLB.com presents the trade deadline strategies for each team.

Hitter power rankings!

Everyone loves trade deadline rumors! Well, probably not the players involved. And one imagines that it’s a very stressful time for team staff, too. So not everyone. But if you do love trade deadline rumors, this link is for you!