Category: MLB

Congratulations to Mauricio Dubón, who has been named as this year’s recipient of the MLBPAA’s Heart & Hustle Award for the Atlanta Braves.

More on the award from MLB:

Now in its 21st year, this prestigious honor is presented annually to active players who exemplify a true passion for the game and who best embody the values, spirit and traditions of the game. The Heart and Hustle Award is the only award in Major League Baseball that is voted on by former players. Voting for team winners is conducted prior to the All-Star break.

To determine the winners, the MLBPAA formed 30 committees comprised of alumni players with established relationships to each team. One player from each Major League team is chosen by the committees based on their passion, desire and work ethic demonstrated both on and off the field. At the conclusion of the season, all alumni members and fans will vote to select the final winner from the 30 team winners. The previous overall recipients include: David Eckstein (2005), Craig Biggio (2006, 2007), Grady Sizemore (2008), Albert Pujols (2009), Roy Halladay (2010), Torii Hunter (2011), Mike Trout (2012), Dustin Pedroia (2013), Josh Harrison (2014), Anthony Rizzo (2015), Todd Frazier (2016), Brett Gardner (2017), Mookie Betts (2018), Howie Kendrick (2019), Ozzie Albies (2021), Paul Goldschmidt (2022), Marcus Semien (2023) and Bobby Witt Jr. (2024, 2025).

The 2026 overall Heart and Hustle Award winner will be announced in mid-November on MLB Network.

If heart and hustle doesn’t perfectly describe Dubón’s performance with the Braves this season, I don’t know what else does. Remember when he left eye black on the wall in Colorado? Atlanta traded for him in the offseason with Houston for an infielder swap for Nick Allen, intending for him to be a utilityman and valuable bench piece. Instead, injuries and underperformance paved the way for Dubón to become a nearly-everyday player, covering multiple infield and outfield positions while being a two-strike/two-out RBI machine. Off the field, he’s been hailed as a “glue guy” in the clubhouse and and a tone-setter for the team. Congratulations again, Dubie!

More on Mauricio

June 1: Mauricio Dubón’s versatility quickly making him indispensable to Braves

June 4: Mauricio Dubón: I’m “finally getting a chance” to hit in big situations

June 6: Walt Weiss: Mauricio Dubón “seems to be in the middle” of great Braves moments so far

The mid-season Purple Row Prospects (PuRPs) voting period has finished, so it’s time to reveal the community’s top 30 prospects in the Colorado system. These prospects will be revealed over the next couple of weeks to give fans an overview of players who could make an impact on the Colorado Rockies soon.

First up: An introduction to the list and then a rundown of every single-ballot player to get votes (ranking from T-67 to 53). Later this week, I will reveal the multi-ballot players who landed outside the top 35, then I’ll reveal the five honorable mention PuRPs and move to the top 30 after that, five at a time. I’ll conclude the series with a voting summary and a state of the system post.

There were more qualifying ballots (29) than at pre-season (19), not surprising given the system’s improvement vs. this time last year, including a lauded draft class and some pieces from selling at the trade deadline. There were 68 players named at least once on a ballot (up from 55 in the pre-season 2026 list). There were 53 players named on multiple ballots (up from 46), while 32 were listed on at least 10 ballots (up from 31) and therefore had unmodified point totals. There were 23 different prospects receiving a top 10 placement on at least one list (up from 19), with the top 16 PuRPs all receiving at least one top ten vote. The top 17 made it on over 80% of ballots, so the top group was more or less a consensus. Here is a link to this list’s polling thread.

To score the voting, 30 points were granted for a first place vote, 29 for second, etc. Until a player was named on ten ballots, his vote totals were modified on a sliding scale to avoid an individual ballot having too much say over the community forecast. If necessary, the first tiebreaker went to the player who was ranked on the most ballots, then to the one who ranked highest on an individual PuRPs ballot, the third tiebreaker was the mode ballot — no ties were broken in the top 30 this time around.

All prospects in the system who retained their Rookie of the Year eligibility (fewer than 130 ABs, 50 IP, and 45 days on the active roster — IL time is not included) were eligible for selection on this list. Since the pre-season 2026 balloting, two PuRPs lost eligibility.

For each player on the PuRPs list, I’ll include a link to individual stats and contract status (via Baseball-Reference) and notes on their scouting reports, if applicable. For the sake of full disclosure, I’ll also include where I put each player on my personal ballot. With players receiving votes, I’ll provide the B-Ref link and voting stats, plus a short blurb. All ages will be as of the day the article is posted.

Remember, statistics are not the end-all, be-all when evaluating these players. Context is hugely important (notably, the player’s age relative to the league’s average, the league’s average offensive numbers, or the player’s 40-man roster calendar), as is the fact that injuries to prospects can affect both their tools and their stats. I’ll try to make mention of instances where this is the case as we go on.

Without further ado, here are the single ballot players in 2026 mid-season PuRPs voting:

Single Ballot Players

T-67. Jimmy Obertop (0.1 points, 1 ballot) — The 26-year-old righty is a catcher/first baseman who was signed as a non-drafted free agent in 2025 out of Clemson. In two seasons in the system, Obertop has served as a reserve at both positions, moving up the system to Double-A Hartford this year. In 108 plate appearances there, Obertop’s walk/strikeout-heavy .209/.370/.372 line has been slightly above league average (106 wRC+).

T-67. TJ Shook (0.1 points, 1 ballot) — The 28-year-old righty reliever joined the Rockies this off-season in the Triple-A phase of the Rule 5 draft from the Mets. The 6’4” pitcher had been toiling in the minors since 2020 and has spent most of his time this season in the Triple-A Albuquerque pen. In a tough environment for pitchers, Shook’s 3.18 ERA in 45.1 innings across 37 games stands out. Shook was added to the 40 man roster and made his Major League debut on June 2nd. He spent a week in early June and one in early July with the Rockies, allowing six runs on ten hits and a walk with six strikeouts in 5.2 innings across four games (-0.1 rWAR).

T-64. Mason Albright (0.2 points, 1 ballot) — The former Angels farmhand has been in the system since the 2023 trade for Randal Grichuk and C.J. Cron. The 23-year-old 6’0” lefty starter moved up the ladder since the trade to Triple-A Albuquerque last year, but he has been sidelined by pre-season Tommy John surgery and hasn’t pitched in 2026. No individual pitch stands out in Albright’s mix (maybe the curveball); rather it’s the overall polish and feel for pitching he displays that sets him apart, though we’ll need to wait and see how he recovers entering 2027 for a fresh evaluation.

T-64. Sandy Ozuna (0.2 points, 1 ballot) — The 20-year-old righty pitcher signed out of the Dominican Republic for a mere $45k in 2023, but the 6’3” hurler has emerged as a real prospect who has been limited by injury to just 95.1 innings across four seasons. This season, Ozuna didn’t debut until early June but has thrown 20 innings across nine starts, seven in the Arizona Complex League and two with Low-A Fresno, where in total he has a 5.40 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 12.2 K/9 rate, and 4.5 BB/9 rate.

Brendan Gawlowski of FanGraphs listed Ozuna in the “Clipped Wings” honorable mention area of the system in March:

Ozuna had among the best stuff of Colorado’s complex-level group in 2024, but he missed time with an undisclosed injury and his arm strength was way down when he did get on the field. His ultra-long, inconsistent arm action already created a lot of relief risk.

Ozuna is healthy now, so we’ll see if he can carry that potential all the way through the 2027 off-season.

T-64. Riley Kelly(0.2 points, 1 ballot) — The pre-season No. 27 PuRP drops to single ballot status at mid-season. Kelly was Colorado’s fourth-round pick, 107th overall, in the 2025 draft out of UC-Irvine. The 6’5” 21-year-old righty starter signed for a $700k bonus, just about $15k under the slot value. Like many other high Rockies draftees, Kelly was a high school quarterback with some good athleticism. His standout trait is a high-RPM (3,000+) curveball, combined with low to mid-90s velocity and a decent changeup.

Here’s what Keith Law of the Athletic wrote about Kelly when he ranked him 20th in the system before the season:

Colorado’s fourth-rounder in 2024, Kelly sits 91-93 with a straight changeup that missed a ton of bats while he was in college and an 11/5 curveball that looks like it should be plus. If he gets a half-grade of command and control better, he’s a back-end starter.

As a pro, Kelly was assigned this season to Low-A Fresno, where he is league-average age. In 65 innings across 15 games, Kelly’s 5.40 ERA and 1.40 WHIP don’t stand out but his 12.0 K/9 rate (4.3 BB/9 rate) is good. If he had avoided the longball (he’s allowed 10 homers this season) a bit more, Kelly would seem right on schedule, but instead he’s been lost a bit in the shuffle for PuRPs voters this season and is now on the IL. Kelly is a 35+ FV player for me and is still firmly on my radar for future PuRPs lists.

T-61. Kyle Fossum(0.3 points, 1 ballot) — The 24-year-old outfielder was signed as an un-drafted free agent in February out of Youngstown State and was assigned to Low-A Fresno, where he is about two years older than league average. Fossum is hitting .268/.356/.455 with nine homers in 247 plate appearances, good for a 106 wRC+ while manning the corner outfield positions.

T-61. Braylen Wimmer (0.3 points, 1 ballot) — The 25-year-old righty utility player (he played six positions in 2025 but has mostly been in CF and RF this season) was Colorado’s eighth-round pick in 2023 out of South Carolina and received a $157k bonus. Unfortunately, Wimmer had a seizure in early November 2025 during the Arizona Fall League and needed brain surgery to remove a tumor (during which he was awake!).

Wimmer has been mostly available this season, but hasn’t achieved the success he’d had the previous few years in Double-A Hartford, where he is 1.3 years older than league average. After hitting at above league average level everywhere he’s been, Wimmer’s .228/.310/.337 line in 211 plate appearances is only worth 73 wRC+ this year.

Gawlowski of FanGraphs graded Wimmer as a 35+ FV prospect in March, ranking him 41st in the system:

Wimmer was a fourth-year junior when the Rockies selected him in 2023, and he has been old for his level at every stop until Double-A last year. He’s performed — his .284/.346/.389 line in 45 Double-A games was good for a 114 wRC+ — and on tools and peripherals, he has the skill set of a solid utility player. Limited pop curbs the upside here: He has fringy raw power, his flatter swing doesn’t let him get to all of it, and there’s a chance that good spin eats him alive. Still, he’s crushed lefties, and he saw time at six defensive positions last year: He played everywhere but first, catcher, and pitcher in 2025 and has the chops to handle short. He’d have made an ideal bench player in the three-man bench era, and even now, he does enough to give managers a lot of flexibility in a reserve role.

Wimmer is an easy player to fit onto a Major League roster given his ability to play premium defensive positions while providing some pop offensively, but he needs to get right at the plate again for that to come to fruition. Wimmer is a 35+ FV player for me, but that status is tenuous until he can get back to his 2025 form.

T-61. Mark Manfredi(0.3 points, 1 ballot) — The 26-year-old lefty reliever was half of the return for Antonio Senzatela earlier this month. Manfredi, a 2023 9th rounder who was a senior sign out of Dayton, had shown well in both Double-A and Triple-A in the Brewers’ system this year. Including two appearances with Triple-A Albuquerque, the 6’4” pitcher has a 4.13 ERA in 48 innings across 36 games this year with a 1.31 WHIP, 4.7 BB/9 rate, and a 13.5 K/9 rate while allowing lefties to hit just .171 against him.

Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs had this to say about Manfredi after the trade (ranking him 47th in the system as a 35+ FV player after the trade):

Manfredi has a good fastball. He sits 93-97 with uphill angle. His secondaries aren’t especially nasty, but he has two different breaking balls that play up a little bit against lefties because of his arm slot, and he’ll throw the occasional changeup to keep hitters honest. His fastball is going to play enough for him to be an up/down reliever with the ceiling of a bullpen’s second lefty. But if the Brewers couldn’t coax more out of his secondary stuff, it might not be in the cards for him to climb above the 40-man fringe.

Manfredi’s first exposure to the Rule 5 draft is set for this off-season, so it’s quite possible the Rockies could add him to the 40-man roster for some big league exposure down the stretch this season.

T-59. Cruzmel Arias(0.4 points, 1 ballot) — The 22-year-old Venezuelan catcher was signed in 2022 and spent three seasons in the Dominican Summer League before coming stateside in 2025, where he was the back-up on the ACL team. This season, Arias has again played the back-up role for the ACL team as well as Low-A Fresno for a few weeks. Across those levels in 2026, Arias has hit .247/.322/.325 in 87 plate appearances while throwing out 23% of base stealers.

T-59. Larry Suero(0.4 points, 1 ballot) — The 18-year-old Dominican was signed for $425k in 2025 as a shortstop, but he played 2025 at third base and in 2026 he’s played mostly center field in a repeat engagement in the DSL. The 6’2” lefty hitter, righty thrower has shown well in his second go-around in the DSL, hitting .269/.427/.506 with eight homers in 203 plate appearances (125 wRC+).

Suero was ranked as the 34th best international free agent by MLB Pipeline in 2025, here was their write-up at the time:

Suero boasts a sweet left-handed swing that features minimal moving parts and a slight front-foot toe tap reminiscent of All-Star Michael Brantley. At 182 pounds and growing, he displays minimal drift with his hands and has a repeatable bat path that enables him to make contact consistently, with an elevated feel for tapping into power during game action.

It’s not uncommon for the majority of talented international prospects to spend considerable time at shortstop as youngsters due to their preternatural gifts, which was the case early on for Suero. But as his body continues to fill out and his bat emerges as his primary carrying tool, Suero has been getting extended looks at second and third base. He has solid hands and quick actions along with average speed, which projects to make him an infielder in the long term, albeit one whose bat will make the biggest impact.

Suero’s ability to play both infield and outfield is a good sign, let’s see where he fits in once he comes stateside (presumably next year).

T-57. Eriel Dihigo(0.4 points, 1 ballot) — The 19-year-old Cuban righty third-baseman was signed in 2024 for a $500k bonus — and yes, he is a descendant of legendary Cuban player Martin Dihigo. After two strong seasons in the DSL, Dihigo played 2026 for the Rockies’ loaded ACL team, which won the league championship on Dihigo’s walk-off RBI groundout. Dihigo hit an impressive .351/.475/.532 in 140 plate appearances, walking in 15% of plate appearances (striking out in 19% of them), good for a 152 wRC+. He mostly manned third base but also played a little left field.

Gawlowski of FanGraphs listed Dihigo as a Prospect of Note before the season:

Dihigo got half a million dollars in the 2024 international class. After a strong showing in the DSL that year, he repeated the level last season and was again productive. While he still has a lot of projection ahead, he’s lean and without much power for a third baseman, and even though it’s early days, he has the look of a tweener. 

Dihigo’s plate discipline numbers are encouraging and part of why he’s a 35+ FV player for me, let’s see if that offensive production translates to full-season ball next year.

T-57. Jake Brooks(0.4 points, 1 ballot) — The 25-year-old righty starter was acquired from the Marlins this past off-season in exchange for Bradley Blalock. The 6’4” hurler, who will be Rule 5 eligible after the season as a 2023 draftee (11th round from UCLA), has spent the season in the rotation between Double-A and Triple-A.

Brooks has soaked up innings this year, making 22 total starts and throwing 115 1/3 innings between the two levels. In Hartford, Brooks had a 4.71 ERA in 78 1/3 innings with a 7.6 K/9 rate and 1.8 BB/9 rate. In seven starts in the tough Pacific Coast League with Albuquerque, Brooks has posted a 6.81 ERA in 37 frames with a 5.6 K/9 rate and 2.4 BB/9 rate. That’s not a lot of strikeouts, but he’s shown the ability to get some outs in the PCL if the Rockies need a stopgap starter down the stretch.

55. Carlos Torres (0.7 points, 1 ballot) — The 25-year-old righty reliever was Colorado’s 20th-round pick in 2022 out of Lehigh. The 6’4” Puerto Rican pitcher is repeating at Double-A Hartford this season, where he is of league-average age. In 52.2 innings across 34 games, Torres has a 3.93 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 7.3 K/9 rate, and 2.1 BB/9 rate with four saves. He’s done well against right-handed batters, holding them to a .615 OPS, but lefties have hit Torres hard (.933 OPS against).

54. Blas Castaño (0.9 points, 1 ballot) — The 27-year-old Dominican righty reliever was a waiver pick-up this April from the Mariners, with whom Castaño made his big league debut last year after seven years in the minors. The 5’10” Castaño was a starter most of the time until this year, when he began the year in the bullpen with Seattle and continued in that role with both Triple-A Albuquerque and the Rockies.

Castaño was called upon for two one-day stints to the Rockies, then he stuck with the big league club for about a month between late May and late June before going on the IL with a pectoral strain. In ten games, Castaño has thrown 20.2 innings for the Rockies this year with a 3.92 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, 7.4 K/9 rate, and 2.6 BB/9 rate — which is worth 0.4 rWAR, placing him seventh on the team among pitchers this year. He’s also been good with Albuquerque, throwing 12 1/3 innings with a 3.65 ERA in ten games.

Castaño was ranked 20th in the Mariners system before the season as a 35+ FV player by Gawlowski of FanGraphs:

Castaño is a fun watch. He’s a small, lower-slot guy who generates big horizontal movement on all four of his offerings, and his ability to run his stuff on and off the plate helps him limit damage on contact. He’s got a big personality out there, which works for and against him: outward competitiveness is great, emotionally-charged ABS-challenges less so. Castaño’s ability to generate grounders is good but not special enough to work as a full-time starter, given his lack of a bat-missing secondary. He briefly debuted in 2025 and projects as a no. 6/swing type.

Castaño isn’t on the Rockies system rank right now for FanGraphs, but nonetheless he represents a ready relief option who could exhaust his rookie eligibility by the end of the season.

53. Bryson Hammer(1.4 points, 1 ballot) — The 24-year-old lefty pitcher was Colorado’s 12th-round pick in 2023 from Dallas Baptist. After being a pure reliever as a pro through 2025, Hammer stretched out into the starting rotation with High-A Spokane, making his first start in May. On the balance, the experiment has yielded good results, as Hammer posted a 4.34 ERA with a 1.45 WHIP, 9.8 K/9 rate, and 4.0 BB/9 rate in 85 innings across 20 games (14 starts) with Spokane before a promotion to Double-A Hartford recently — in fact, he earned the Northwest League Pitcher of the Month award for July.

The role change is intriguing and the results haven’t been bad as Hammer has nearly doubled his 2025 innings total already. He’ll be Rule 5 eligible this off-season.

Thanks to all who voted this time around! Next time I’ll reveal players who were listed between two and five times on ballots.

Please keep in mind our Purple Row Community Guidelines when you’re commenting. Thanks!

The Cubs had an exceptional week, ending a 17-game stretch without an off day with a 12-5 mark. That included six wins in the seven games since last Monday against the Dodgers, Blue Jays and Royals. They came from behind in five of the six wins and performed well offensively, defensively and on the mound.

Here’s who was hot and not for the Cubs over the past week.

Three up

Pete Crow-Armstrong solidified his MVP argument

Over the seven games, PCA batted .345/.457/.621 (10-for-29) with two doubles, two home runs, seven RBI, 11 runs scored, six walks and four stolen bases.

I mean, that’s a month for some guys. He continues to lead all MLB players in fWAR at 8.0 — that gives him a chance to have a 10 WAR season which is extremely rare for any player, much less a member of the Chicago Cubs. (His bWAR number is currently 7.4.)

We are seeing a special season from PCA and he’s only 24 years old.

We all know how he can create chaos on the basepaths, and when he did that in the 11th inning Thursday, he wound up scoring the winning run [VIDEO].

Michael Busch’s bat is heating up

Busch has had a slow year, at least compared to his 2025 season when he hit 34 home runs.

This week, though, Busch batted .345/.387/.517 (10-for-29) with two doubles and a home run.

There was one report last month that said Busch had changed his approach this year and is walking more (68 walks already compared to 56 all of last year), but it might have come at the expense of some power:

“I don’t think there’s one reason. I’m not going into the box necessarily trying to walk, just trying to get a good pitch to hit,” Busch said before Saturday’s win in Pittsburgh. “That’s basically my approach. I’m always happy with a walk, but there are some things that go into it, except just trying to walk. A lot of it is just having some experience now. I’ve been in the league a few years and I think I have a better idea of what pitchers are trying to do with me.”

He’s still a productive hitter and continues to play strong defense at first base. Hopefully, some of the power will return over the season’s last few weeks.

Jacob Webb has become a lockdown closer

You don’t necessarily have to throw 100 miles per hour to be an effective closer in 2026 MLB. What you need is to throw strikes and have the right mindset, and Webb seems to have that.

Over the week he posted two saves — one after the Dodgers got to within a run Wednesday in what originally seemed a blowout — and retired all nine batters he faced, two by strikeout.

Webb has now had 19 straight scoreless appearances in which he’s thrown 19.1 innings and struck out 19, with a WHIP of 0.879. In those games he’s posted five saves (no blown saves) and three holds.

Here’s his strikeout of Kyle Isbel on a nasty changeup to nail down Friday’s win [VIDEO].

There are a bunch of honorable mentions this week, including Shōta Imanaga again putting up an outstanding start, ditto for Kevin Gausman, and Ian Happ finally coming out of his slump with two big games Saturday and Sunday.

Three down

Caleb Thielbar, yikes

Thielbar had a rough game against the Dodgers, allowing four runs and recording only one out, requiring Webb to come in and get the aforementioned save.

Then he allowed a pair of runs to the Royals Friday that ultimately turned out to be the difference in the game.

In between, though, he threw a scoreless 10th inning against the Blue Jays Friday, retiring all three batters he faced on only 12 pitches, helping set up PCA’s heroics in the 11th.

Clay Holmes had a rough first Cubs start

Holmes is likely still shaking off some rust from being on the shelf with a broken leg for three months, so I’m not going to criticize his outing that much.

One thing that was good: Of the 12 outs he recorded, 11 were on the ground balls that are his signature (the other was a strikeout). Keep doing that and good things should follow.

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You know what, the Cubs had a really good week and so did almost everyone on the active roster. I looked up and down the list to find a third “down” entry and, well, no one really qualified. This is the first time I’ve done that in all the years I’ve been doing this feature.

We are watching what could be a special season for the Chicago Cubs.

I did want to make one small note about this Cubs season. As you know, the team has used a lot of pitchers this year, 38 of them (excluding Carson Kelly, who threw one inning in a blowout). That leads the major leagues this year.

Of those 38, there are six who made a single appearance for the team and at least three of them — Charlie Barnes, Yacksel Rios and Luke Little — will not return, as they are now with other teams. Three others — Ty Blach, Andrew Wantz and Antoine Kelly — are still in the Cubs organization and could theoretically pitch for the team again this year.

Just an interesting footnote to this potentially special season.

We open up the Mets Mailbag to look at some big-picture questions about the team for the rest of the 2026 season and beyond...

Do you think Ronny Mauricio will be traded in the offseason? He’s been tearing the cover off the ball in AAA and is still down there. If not now, when else would we call him up? -- @bowe_patrick

I would not be surprised if the Mets trade Mauricio in the offseason. I though it was possible they would trade him last offseason, or even last week at the deadline. I know people in other front offices have spoken to the Mets about him over the last calendar year, but obviously, those conversations did not yield anything. What is not clear is whether Mauricio is still a Met because teams’ interest is tepid or because David Stearns is so reluctant to give up on young players. I have not gotten a clear sense of which is keeping him here, though I would bet it is a combination of both.

That said, circumstances are changing in 2027: The Mets’ consistent rationale for keeping Mauricio in Triple-A has been that he needs to play every day. When he plays every day in Triple-A, he hits like crazy. When he has played in the majors, his tendency to chase has made his power harder to access consistently. If the Mets plan to contend next year, they likely will not be able to give him time to fix that issue in the big leagues. And if they do not have room for him on the major league roster next year, they will have to designate him for assignment and subject him to waivers – a process that often facilitates trades.

Now, if the Mets decide they want to get Mauricio time at second base instead of an aging Marcus Semien – or if, and this is and has always been a huge if, they decide to trade Francisco Lindor --- maybe the equation changes for Mauricio. But right now, I do not see a clear place for him to play regularly in the Mets’ 2026 or 2027 infield. If the Mets front office doesn’t see one, either, a trade seems totally possible.

Is Jared Young the first baseman for the Mets in 2027?  -- @cschil76

As of this exact moment, I would say that Jared Young is a first baseman for the Mets in 2027, but probably not the starting first baseman. I think on a well-constructed, competitive roster, Young is a productive and reliable left-handed bat off the bench who can platoon regularly against righties if needed and help in the corner outfield spots. Had Jorge Polanco been healthy this year, that is probably what he would have been for this roster, too.

Plus, first base is one of the only places the Mets – who need to upgrade offensively next year – can actually do that. Carson Benge and A.J. Ewing have cemented themselves in the outfield of the future alongside Juan Soto. If Bo Bichette opts in, and Lindor returns, the left side of the infield is set. Semien remains under contract for two more seasons, so a change at second base would require a difficult decision – which does not mean it cannot happen.

Polanco needs to play somewhere, if he is able, though I do not think the Mets should count on him filling an everyday defensive role. Rotating between designated hitter while spelling others around the infield seems like an ideal role for him -- if he is healthy. If he isn’t, perhaps he has to play first or serve as the regular designated hitter. Either way, the Mets have $20 million committed to him next year, so they will probably find room.

All of which is to say, I don’t see Young starting next season as the everyday first baseman. Then again, I did not see him serving as the everyday first baseman this year, either. In a year of negative surprises, Young has been one of the consistent positives. He will almost certainly be a part of the plan next year in some form.

Do you suspect the Mets might shut down Christian Scott or Zac Thornton in September for innings purposes? -- @pladinosaur

Great question. This is one I’ve been eager to follow down the stretch. If there is any silver lining to the Mets being out of contention early – and after the last week, I am willing to entertain overly optimistic questions about whether they are truly out of contention at all! – it is that they can be careful with the young pitchers around whom their rotation has centered this year.

Whether limiting innings is the right approach is a much larger question, but assuming for the purposes of this conversation it is: Nolan McLean, Scott, and Thornton could all be limited.

McLean is best equipped to finish the season without a limit. He threw just more than 160 total innings between the minors and the majors in 2025 and is currently at 130 innings this season. Assuming he makes seven or eight more starts of five innings each down the stretch, he will finish around or a comfortable jump above last year’s total. But a postseason run might have tested him.

Scott, who is in his first year back from Tommy John surgery, had never thrown more than 87.2 innings in a season before the procedure. He has thrown 88 innings this year, though he has shown no signs of slowing. I am sure the Mets will be careful with him down the stretch, which likely means limiting innings in some form.

Thornton, meanwhile, threw 68 innings in his first minor league season and 72.2 in 2025. This year, he has thrown more than 100 innings between the majors and minors. Though he is less reliant on velocity and therefore not the type of pitcher organizations worry most about blowing out due to innings jumps, he is navigating a major innings jump that includes the highest-stress innings of his career since his debut. The Mets will almost certainly treat him carefully down the stretch, too.

The challenge the Mets face is who will pitch if Scott and/or Thornton needs to limit their workloads down the stretch. If they had the kind of starting pitching depth to spell them, they likely would have used it by now. But Jonah Tong seems likely to get another major league chance this year despite his inconsistencies in Triple-A. Jack Wenninger had a strong start to the season statistically, though his inconsistency since and high walk rate has scared the Mets away from giving him a chance in the majors just yet.

Still, I do not expect the Mets to push limits with Scott or Thornton this year given how crucial they are to the future of the rotation moving forward. The question, given their lack of organizational starting pitching depth, will be how the Mets navigate the final few weeks of the season without relying on them fully.

12 Years Ago Today:

The Blue Jays and Tigers endured an epic 19-inning showdown that lasted 6 hours and 37 minutes, setting franchise records for both innings played and game duration. Notably, the Jays would later lose another 19-inning contest in 2016.

The Blue Jays ultimately prevailed, defeating the Tigers 6-5.

In the marathon’s 19th inning:

• Munenori Kawasaki, who had previously gone 0-for-5 with a walk, began the inning with a single. Kawasaki entered the game in the seventh as a pinch-hitter for Ryan Goins. Rick Porcello was pitching his second inning for Detroit.
• Jose Reyes followed with a bunt, prompting Porcello to throw wide to second base—putting runners on the corners.
• The Tigers intentionally walked Melky Cabrera to load the bases for Jose Bautista. I never quite understand walking the bases loaded to face a hitter like Bautista, who had a .411 OBP at the time—it makes a walk a potential game-winner. If it were me, I’d rather pitch to Melky and walk Bautista to face Juan Francisco with the bases loaded. Of course, no one’s offering me a manager’s job.
• Bautista hit a deep fly ball—not quite a home run, but deep enough for the winning run to score. Because the outfield was playing shallow, the Tigers didn’t attempt a catch, and the play was ruled a single. The Jays walked off with a 6-5 win. In a memorable post-game moment, R.A. Dickey ran over and kissed Bautista during his interview.

Before the late-game heroics:

Mark Buehrle started but struggled, lasting just 3.1 innings and surrendering 9 hits and 5 runs (only 2 earned), with no walks and 4 strikeouts. A Jose Reyes error in the first inning proved costly.

After Buehrle exited, the Jays’ bullpen delivered 15.2 innings of scoreless relief, utilizing seven different relievers:

• Todd Redmond: 2.2, 1 hit, 2 walks, 2 strikeouts.
• Aaron Sanchez: 3 innings, 1 hit, 3 strikeouts.
• Brett Cecil: 1.1, 2 hits, 3 strikeouts.
• Dustin McGowan: 1.1, 1 hit, 1 walk, 1 strikeout.
• Aaron Loup: 0.1 (before the three-batter rule).
• Casey Janssen: 1 inning, 1 hit, 1 walk.
• Chad Jenkins: 6 innings, 7 hits, 1 walk, 4 strikeouts. He pitched into and out of trouble in most of his 6 innings. He only had 1 clean inning, but it worked.

Jenkins was easily one of the game’s heroes, delivering a gutsy performance. Remarkably, he would appear in just three more games for the Blue Jays—one just four days later, and two the following season—marking the end of his MLB career.

I did have some issues with how the bullpen was managed. In extra-inning, tightly contested games, relievers should often be asked to pitch multiple innings. By the time Jenkins entered, he was the last available option in the bullpen (though if necessary, R.A. Dickey might have been called upon). Managers sometimes overlook the possibility of games stretching far beyond nine innings—something much less common now with the extra-innings “Manfred Man” rule.

Offensively, the Jays fell behind 3-0 after the first inning and 5-0 after the fourth, but battled back to score:

• 2 in the sixth: With two outs, Danny Valencia doubled, and Dioner Navarro homered.
• 2 in the seventh: Steven Tolleson (remember him?) walked. Colby Rasmus singled. That was the end of the day for David Price. He went 6 innings, allowed 5 hits, 4 earned, 3 walks and 6 strikeouts. An out later, with Phil Coke in, Reyes singled home Tolleson and Cabrera singled home Rasmus. That was it for Coke; the unusually named Al Alburquerque came in, finished the inning, and pitched the next.
• 1 in the ninth: Joba Chamberlain came in for the inning. Anthony Gose led off with a single. Gose was pinch-hitting for Tolleson. He would go 2 for 6, on the day after coming into the game in the ninth inning. Rasmus struck out, Gose went for second on the two-strike pitch and, initially, was called out, but it was overturned on replay. That saved the game. After a Kawasaki lined out, Reyes singled home Gose. Tie game. It would stay tied for 9.5 more innings. It was Anthony Gose’s birthday (it still is; he turns 34 today; he pitched in one game for the Guardians this season and then was DFAed).

We had 17 hits (8 after the ninth inning; Tigers had 22 hits, 11 after the ninth inning). Reyes was 4 for 9. Cabrera was 3 for 5 with 5 walks (43 walks that year, and 5 were in this game, including 2 intentional walks). Valencia, Navarro, Gose and Rasmus had 2 walks each. The most significant 0 for was a 0 for 7 for Nolan Reimold (with 2 walks).

Want to talk about old-school management? The Tigers handed out 5 intentional walks. Two each for Melky and Bautista and one for Rasmus.

We intentionally walked Victor Martinez twice.

From the recap (if you want an inning-by-inning recap of the extra innings, it is there):

Jays of the Day are: McGowan (.226), Janssen (.143), Sanchez (.120), Loup (.117). Super JotD are: Reyes (.606), Melky (.457). Finally, Chad Jenkins had a .861 WPA(!), good for the team’s first Ultra Jay of the Day (> .800 WPA) since Bautista and Kawasaki did it 4 days apart in May 2013 (which makes it seem much more common an occurrence than it is).

Suckage: Buehrle (-.287), Francisco (-.512), Thole (-.342), Reimold (-.296), Kawasaki (-.367). Bautista had the number, too (-.328), but I can’t give him one.

17 Years Ago

In a surprising move, Blue Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi placed Alex Rios on waivers.

At the time, Rios was owed $60 million and had struggled with consistency, posting a .264/.317/.427 line with 14 home runs that season.

The White Sox claimed Rios, and while many expected a trade, Chicago offered nothing in return. After brief consideration, Ricciardi simply let him go, making it a controversial decision—essentially giving away a former All-Star for salary relief.

Rios went on to spend five seasons with the White Sox, hitting .269/.310/.430 with 74 home runs. He later played for the Rangers and Royals, retiring in 2015 with career totals of .277/.321/.434, 169 home runs, and 253 stolen bases.

Though he had two excellent seasons in 2006 and 2007 (.299/.352/.505, 41 homers combined), Rios never quite developed into the star many expected. While he was a solid defender, he occasionally seemed unfocused. In hindsight, perhaps fans simply expected too much.

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Let's dive into the new week with a four-set of MLB expert picks on Monday, Aug. 10.

We're eyeing a trio of moneyline picks, with the Baltimore Orioles, Houston Astros, and St. Louis Cardinals all drawing our attention for various reasons. 

See what our experts have cooked up ahead of finalizing your MLB picks for the abbreviated slate.

MLB expert picks for today

Pick	Odds
Dustin Saracini: TOR +1.5	-122
Jon Metler: BAL ML	-113
Neil Parker: HOU ML	-144
Joe Osborne: STL ML	-104

Prices courtesy of Polymarket.

Dustin Saracini's expert pick: Blue Jays +1.5

Price: 55¢ (-122) at Polymarket

While the Toronto Blue Jays offense has come to life lately, scoring 25 runs across their last five games, it’s what they’ve done against Boston Red Sox right-hander Sonny Gray that has me confident we’ll start the week off with some cash in our pockets. 

Across 138 plate appearances with Gray on the bump (a sample size we can get behind), the Blue Jays own a .306 xBA and a .472 xSLG. And in two starts against Toronto this season, the right-hander has allowed 16 hits and eight earned runs over 12 innings.

Expect the Jays to keep this one close at 55 cents.

• Time: 7:07 p.m. ET
• How to watch: NESN, Sportsnet

Jon Metler's expert pick: Orioles moneyline

Price: 53¢ (-113) at Polymarket

The Baltimore Orioles face Dean Kremer in a revenge spot after trading him to the Minnesota Twins on July 31, but I'm not worried about the narrative.

If anything, Baltimore's hitters should have an advantage with a deep scouting report on Kremer and familiarity with his arsenal.

Heavily reliant on his four-seam fastball, Kremer is leaning on a pitch that carries a -2 run value this season.

That's a problem against an Orioles lineup featuring Gunnar Henderson and Pete Alonso, two of the team's biggest bats and best fastball hitters.

Polymarket has Baltimore priced as a 53-cent favorite, but I make them closer to 55 cents. It's a small edge, but that's all we're looking for.

• Time: 7:40 p.m. ET
• How to watch: MASN, Twins.TV

Neil Parker's expert pick: Astros moneyline

Price: 59¢ (-144) at Polymarket

The Houston Astros are rolling along with an active 13-5 run, ranking second in wOBA and averaging 5.3 runs per game, and recently bolstered the roster at the trade deadline. 

In the opposite dugout, the San Francisco Giants have gone 7-12 with a 23rd-ranked wOBA and 4.1 runs per game during the same stretch, so it's no surprise that they went in the opposite direction and dealt away established veterans last week.

As a result, I'm confident Houston righty Hayden Wesneski can hold the inferior San Francisco lineup in check enough for the Astros to pull away offensively tonight.

• Time: 9:45 p.m. ET
• How to watch: SCHN, NBC Sports Bay Area

Joe Osborne's expert pick: Cardinals moneyline

Price: 51¢ (-104) at Polymarket

The St. Louis Cardinals are in a strong spot to take care of business at home tonight.

The Philadelphia Phillies have gone a brutal 1-13 across Andrew Painter’s last 14 appearances, and his 6.48 ERA is a major reason why. He’s also backed by a Phillies bullpen that ranks 23rd in ERA over the past two weeks.

Meanwhile, St. Louis enters hot at the plate, ranking fourth in OPS over the last week. Hunter Dobbins has been respectable, with a 3.60 ERA, and should get enough support in a pivotal week for the team that's still alive in the wild-card race.

• Time: 7:45 p.m. ET
• How to watch: FS1

More MLB best bets for today

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The Tampa Bay Rays are riding a six-game winning streak, and they're sizable -160 road favorites to extend that to seven games tonight.

While the Rays deserve to be favorites, my Rays vs. A's predictions and MLB picks see value in backing the home team to keep it close on Monday, Aug. 10.

Who will win Rays vs A’s tonight: Athletics +1.5 (-120)

Freddy Peralta has struggled to keep runners off the bases this season, posting a 1.52 WHIP to date. He has also allowed 1.46 home runs per nine innings, a number that’s soared to 2.60 over the past 30 days.

That is not a good formula taking on the Athletics in an extremely hitter-friendly environment — even with key bats like Nick Kurtz and Shea Langeliers sidelined.

Jacob Lopez has managed a solid 3.49 FIP over the last month while striking out 32.5% of opposing batters. He should help keep this close.

Bet to -131.

COVERS INTEL: Peralta ranks in the fifth percentile in Pitcher Run Value, a far cry from last season's 97th percentile finish

Rays vs A’s Over/Under pick: Under 10.0 (-110)

Lopez’s fly ball tendency is a concern in such favorable hitting conditions, but the Tampa Bay Rays aren’t in prime form to capitalize.

They own a .135 ISO against lefties the past month while ranking 22nd in hard-hit rate and 27th in fly-ball rate. 

The Athletics have labored since Langeliers went down, ranking 29th in OBP and 25th in ISO. They’re not getting on base often, nor hitting for much power.

Betting an Under in this park is a scary proposition, but I make this total 9.6 runs and would bet it to -116.

Rays vs A’s home run prediction: Junior Caminero (+200)

Junior Caminero leads the Rays in average fly-ball distance by nearly 40 feet over the last 15 games while pacing the group in barrel rate at 13.6%.

That has only translated to two home runs, but Caminero generally doesn’t go quiet for very long.

Lopez has conceded 1.86 homers per nine innings to righties, a full home run more than he allows to lefties.

The fastball is his most-used pitch, and Caminero owns a .346 ISO against left-handed four-seams this season.

I'd take him to leave the yard down to +186.

Rays vs A’s weather

Temperatures in the 90s are expected with notable winds blowing out. Clear boost to the bats.

Rays vs A’s odds

• Moneyline: Rays -155 | A’s +135
• Run line: Rays -1.5 (+100) | A’s +1.5 (-120)
• Over/Under: Over 10.0 (-105) | Under 10.0 (-115)

Rays vs A’s trend

The Athletics have covered the Run Line in five of the last six games (+4.20 units, 55% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Rays vs. A’s.

How to watch Rays vs A’s and game info

Rays vs A’s latest injuries

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Don't look now, but the Toronto Blue Jays have won four straight series, and I'm backing them to cover in my Red Sox vs. Blue Jays prediction.

The Blue Jays host the Boston Red Sox at Rogers Centre tonight as large +140 underdogs at Bet99, but have historically hit Sonny Gray hard. 

Let’s get right into my MLB picks for Monday, Aug. 10, and fatten that wallet to kick off the week.

Red Sox vs Blue Jays predictions

Red Sox vs Blue Jays best bet: Blue Jays +1.5 (-130)

If you’re looking to play the Toronto Blue Jays tonight, Bet99 has the best price on the run line at -130. While the offense has come to life lately, scoring 25 runs across the last five games, it’s what they’ve done against Sonny Gray that has me confident we’ll start the week off with some cash in our pockets.

Across 138 plate appearances with Gray on the bump (a sample size we can get behind), the Blue Jays own a .306 xBA and a .472 xSLG — pretty good if you ask me.

This season, it hasn’t been much better for the Red Sox ace, either. In two starts against Toronto, the right-hander has allowed 16 hits and eight earned runs over 12 innings. This matchup couldn’t be any better for the Jays — they could win this one outright.

I’d play the run line up to -140 tonight.

COVERS INTEL: The Red Sox may have a Jameson Taillon problem, too. The big righty has limited this Red Sox offense to a .265 xwOBA over 60 at-bats while striking them out at a 24% clip. 

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

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is slowly turning his season around and has been putting together productive at-bats over the last few weeks.

Coming off a series in which he went 3-for-9 with a homer, expect him to cash our first leg.

Elsewhere, runs should come in bunches for a team that has dominated Gray this season, and while I have confidence in Taillon tonight, keeping the Red Sox bats at bay is a difficult task — especially with a bullpen that’s taxed after back-to-back extra-inning games.

Red Sox vs Blue Jays SGP 

• Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Over 1.5 hits+runs+RBI
• Blue Jays +1.5
• Over 8.5 runs

Red Sox vs Blue Jays home run pick: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (+675)

Does Vladdy do it against the Red Sox?

With just over a month left in the season, he’s yet to hit a long ball at the Rogers Centre, but tonight could be the night, and at +675, I’m taking that price every day.

Guerrero has one career homer against Gray in 13 at-bats, with his average exit velocity near 92 MPH. Gray has coughed up a long ball in three of his last six starts, and in a hitter-friendly park like Rogers Centre, I’ll give Vladdy the benefit of the doubt.

Red Sox vs Blue Jays odds

• Moneyline: Boston (-160) | Toronto (+140)
• Run line: Boston -1.5 (+105) | Toronto +1.5 (-130)
• Over/Under: Over 8.5 (+100) | Under 8.5 (-120)

Red Sox vs Blue Jays trend

Over the last five games when the Blue Jays are underdogs, the Over is hitting at a perfect 5-0 clip. The Over has also hit in three straight for the Blue Jays and in three of Boston's last four games. Find more MLB betting trends for Red Sox vs. Blue Jays.

How to watch Red Sox vs Blue Jays and game info

Red Sox vs Blue Jays latest injuries

Red Sox vs Blue Jays weather

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Roughly six weeks after getting a first-hand look a the talent the Atlanta Braves had playing at their High-A affiliate Rome Emperors, I took another trip to Rome on August 8, 2026, to see how the squad looked after the Braves organization promoted most of the high-end talent from Rome to Double-A Columbus and brought up some notable prospects from Low-A Augusta to Rome.

First, the players who were no longer in Rome. Top organizational prospects shortstop Tate Southisene, shortstop/infielder John Gil, outfielder Eric Hartman and pitcher Cam Caminiti have all moved up a level. Amongst the talent brought up to replace them are shortstop Alex Lodise, center fielder Luis Guanipa, outfielder Conor Essenburg and pitchers Ethan Bagwell and Briggs McKenzie.

Before a quick player evaluation, as for the game itself, it was an odd pitchers dual between some early-game sprinkles with the game 2-1 going into the ninth inning. Odd because Rome’s starter Cade Kuelher no-hit the Greensboro Grasshoppers for 4.2 innings, but walked seven and struck out only one. Grasshoppers starter Jose Mena went six innings, but also struck out only one batter while walking two and scattering four hits. Both teams used multi-inning relievers to cover the final frames.

The Emperors blew the lead in the top of the ninth allowing the Grasshoppers to tie things up but Rome made things interesting in the bottom of the ninth. Rome’s Cody Miller singled to center field but the ball got by Edward Florentino – one of the top prospects in the Pirates’ system – allowing Miller to get to third. After a short fly-out that wasn’t deep enough to score the runner, the Grasshoppers then intentionally walked the next two batters to load the bases with one out.

Rome outfielder Logan Braunschweig hit a hard grounder to third that took a good play by the just-inserted-into-the-game Carlos Caro to snag throw home to force Miller at the plate. That brought up Guanipa who laced a line-drive to left-center field where Florentino atoned for he’s prior misplay with a spectacular diving catch to end the inning.

Rome again loaded the bases in the bottom of the 10th after holding Greensboro in check, with the Grasshoppers again opted to load the bases with back-to-back free passes after Guanipa took third on a wild pitch after starting the inning as the ghost runner. But Miller hit into a double-play to end the rally.

Rome gave up the lead in the top of the 11th and couldn’t must anything in the bottom of the inning to lose 3-2.

Here’s some quick impressions on the prospects in action

Alex Lodise

The second round pick by the Braves out of Florida State University in the 2025 draft, Lodise had been putting together solid season in Augusta with 23 home runs and 15 stolen bases with the Green Jackets prior to his promotion. Batting third, he went 2-for-4 with a walk and drove in Rome’s first run in the bottom of the first inning. At the plate, he looked fluid, making solid contract and showing patience in the box. Offensively, he looked like Rome’s best offensive player on this night.

With the organizational depth a shortstop one level above him, Lodise, 22, playing at High-A looked like one level too low for him on this night. Could he be a big league regular? Maybe, if the power he’s showing follows him as he progresses up levels in the system. If he can stick at short stop – even in a back-up role – he will probably carve out a roll in Atlanta or elsewhere by 2028 or 2029.

Conor Essenburg

Another 2025 draft pick, Essenburg was selected in the fifth round out of high school. Still only 19, Essenburg’s promotion to Rome marks the third affiliate he’s played for this season. Offensively, he didn’t flash the skill that saw him hit 14 home runs in 59 games with Augusta on Saturday night, but what he did do was show off his arm on defense.

In the top of the eighth inning, with Rome nursing a one-run lead, Essenburg chased what appeared to be a sure-fire double into the right field corner and unleash a laser to second base to get the runner.

At the plate, he drew a walk and scored, but otherwise was quite with a strikeout in four other at bats.

He is still a few years away, but could be a option for Atlanta at the end of this decade.

Luis Guanipa

The 20 year-old former international free agent signee, Guanipa went 0-for-5 batting lead-off for Rome. He was unremarkable at the plate but made several strong plays in the outfield including an absolutely amazing home-run-robbing catch in dead center field off the bat of Yordany De Los Santos with two runners on in the top of the ninth.

If nothing else, the defense plays. Guanipa, 20, was having a strong season with Augusta with 37 stolen bases and 11 home runs while carrying an .817 OPS. He’s struggle early in Rome, but the speed and defense might earn him a big league bench spot in a few years and maybe more if the power continues to develop.

Rest in Rome

Second baseman Dixon Williams, the 136th overall pick in last year’s draft, stole a base – his 25th – and walked twice but there may not be enough hit tool there to get him to the big leagues. There’s a lot of swing-and-miss but there is some power, with 14 home runs this year.

First baseman Mason Guerra, a 14th round pick in 2024, reminds me a little bit of a right-handed hitting version of former big league first baseman Casey Kotchman who spent parts of two seasons with Atlanta. Guerra is fluid at first base, defensively, and takes his walks as shown by his OBP sitting 100 points higher than his average. He is interesting in the sense that he isn’t a top prospect, but he is solid enough to continue to progress as a hitter in a system without a premium first base prospect. He’ll be 24 later this month, so he is old for the level, but in two in-person viewings, he’s impressed not because of any one loud skill, but as a solid player who is at least a good organizational guy.

On the mound, Kuehler is trying to coming back into form after missing 2025 due to injury and didn’t have the most impressive outing. He worked around traffic through his seven-walk outing and managed only three whiffs in striking out a single batter. Kuehler was the 70th overall pick by the Braves in 2023, but until this season, had only appeared in 14 game since being drafted.

Mathieu Curtis struck out three after allowing an inherited runner to score, allowing a hit to the first batter after replacing Keuhler. Curtis was the 14th round pick by the Braves out of Virginia Tech last year and is worth keeping an eye on as a future bullpen option. He has good control and a solid strikeout rate.

In the other dugout

Several players stood out for the Grasshoppers. Unfortunately, Seth Hernandez – MLB Pipeline’s 6th best prospect in the sport – didn’t pitch, but Florentino (28th overall according to Pipeline) did play. As noted above, he made up for a defense misplay with an incredible catch, he was fluid at the plate and had the look of a top prospect.

First baseman Jared Jones – who was born in Marietta – had a couple of hits but was on the receiving end of Essenburg’s cannon to second. He showed a loud hit tool and is worth keeping an eye on to see if he’s able to progress despite not being in Pittburgh’s Top 30 (per Pipeline). Catcher Camden Janik and second baseman Dylan Palmer both had two hits and one the Pirates top organizational prospects, shortstop Wyatt Sanford, was the DH and walked twice while batting lead off.

The most impressive player to appear for Greensboro was Tony Blanco, Jr., who pinch-hit in the ninth. He is a massive, massive man at 6’7” who has tremendous power. The single he hit to center field was the loudest, most impressive contact for either team. He was pinch-run for by Caro who scored the game-tying run a couple of batters later.

Blanco, Jr. – whose late father had a cup of coffee in the big leagues – is 21 but has only played in 172 games in in five minor league seasons due to injuries. He’s a DH waiting to happen as a pure-power bat if he can stay healthy.

The most recent Rangers Reacts Survey asked folks to grade the Texas Rangers’ trade deadline.

You will be shocked — shocked!!! — to learn that people weren’t happy:

Almost half of you — 47% — gave the Rangers a failing grade for their trade deadline work, and honestly, I’m surprised its that low.

Another 26% gave the Rangers a D, while 20% gave the Rangers a C.

I am guessing the 3% who gave the team an A and the 4% who gave the team a B either really like Chase Silseth or really don’t like Josh Smith.

The voting on the national questions was also pretty lopsided as it relates to who won the trade deadline:

Consistent with this vote, Tarik Skubal, who the Dodgers acquired from the Detroit Tigers for Zyhir Hope, River Ryan and Brady Smith, was picked as the player traded at the deadline who will make the biggest impact this year, getting over half the vote.

This has been brought to you by FanDuel.

Another day of minor league baseball is in the books. See the results below. Check out the previous day’s recap here.

AAA: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (59-54) lost 8-5 (BOX SCORE)

Pecko got the start and went 4 innings allowing 3 runs, though all 3 score din the first inning. The offense got on the board in the 2nd inning scoring 4 runs on an Alexander solo home run, Shewmake RBI double, Delgado groundout and Dezenzo RBI triple. They got another run in the 5th inning on a Biggio solo home run. The pen struggled a bit down the stretch allowing 5 runs and the offense was unable to score again as Sugar Land fell 8-5.

Note: Biggio has a .852 OPS this season.

• Ray Delgado, 3B: 1-for-4, R, RBI, BB
• Zach Dezenzo, LF: 1-for-5, 3B, RBI
• Cavan Biggio, RF: 1-for-2, R, HR, RBI, 3 BB
• CJ Alexander, DH: 1-for-5, R, HR, RBI
• Trenton Brooks, 1B: 1-for-2, R, BB
• Lucas Spence, CF: 1-for-3, 2 BB
• Braden Shewmake, SS: 2-for-5, R, 2B, RBI

• Ethan Pecko, RHP: 4.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 5 BB, 3 K
• Logan VanWey, RHP: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
• Christian Roa, RHP: 0.1 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
• Alimber Santa, RHP: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
• Michael Knorr, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
• Miguel Ullola, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K

AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (51-57) lost 6-2 (BOX SCORE)

The offense got on the board first picking up a run on a Call sac fly in the 2nd inning. Hicks got the start for the Hooks and went 4.1 innings allowing 3 runs, 2 earned, while striking out 5. Torres struggled in relief allowing 3 runs as the Drillers extended their lead. The offense got one back in the 8th on a balk but that was it as the Hooks fell 6-2.

Note: Bush has a .785 OPS this season.

• Will Bush, DH: 1-for-3, R, 2B, BB
• Chase Call, LF: 0-for-3, RBI
• Max Holy, SS: 1-for-2, 2 BB

• James Hicks, RHP: 4.1 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
• Alex Santos II, RHP: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
• Jose Guedez, RHP: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
• Alejandro Torres, RHP: 0.1 IP, 1 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 1 K
• Hudson Leach, RHP: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
• Ramsey David, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K

A+: Asheville Tourists (36-70) 

Game One – won 8-4 (BOX SCORE)

This was a completion of the game that started Friday. Thomas connected on a leadoff home run to put Asheville on the board. Potter started and went one inning before the game was suspended. The game restarted Saturday and Batista drove in a run on a single in the 2nd. The offense got 3 more runs in the 4th on an error and Walker 2 run single. Perez pitched in relief and went 1.1 innings allowing 3 runs before the game was suspended again. Smith “started” on Sunday in this game and tossed 3.2 scoreless innings. The offense got 3 runs in the 6th on a Batista 2 run home run and Thomas groundout. The pen allowed one run but held on for the 8-4 win.

Note: Potter has a 2.08 ERA this season.

• Justin Thomas, CF: 1-for-4, R, HR, 2 RBI, BB
• Xavier Neyens, 3B: 2-for-4, R, BB, SB
• Ethan Frey, DH: 1-for-5, R, SB
• Caden Powell, RF: 0-for-4, R, BB
• Anthony Huezo, LF: 0-for-4, R, BB
• Kyle Walker, 2B: 1-for-2, R, 2 RBI, 2 BB
• Freuddy Batista, C: 3-for-3, R, 2B, HR, 2 RBI, BB, SB

• Nick Potter, RHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
• Javier Perez, RHP: 1.1 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 3 K (WIN)
• Parker Smith, RHP: 3.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 4 BB, 4 K
• Anthony Cruz, RHP: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
• Andrew Marrero, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K

Game Two – won 8-5 (BOX SCORE)

Howard started game two for Asheville and went 4.2 innings allowing one hit and one run while striking out 7. The Asheville offense got on the board in the 6th inning scoring 4 runs on a Frey RBI single, Huezo RBI single and Moss 2 run single. In the bottom of the 7th, Wells allowed 3 runs as the Dash tied it. The game went to extra innings and in the 8th, Asheville picked up 4 runs on a wild pitch, run on a fielder’s choice, Huezo RBI double and Moss RBI single. Frias allowed one run but was able to close the door as Asheville won 8-5.

Note: Frey is hitting .276 in High-A.

• Justin Thomas, RF: 1-for-3, 2 R, BB
• Ethan Frey, DH: 2-for-4, 2 R, 2B, 2 RBI
• Anthony Huezo, CF: 2-for-3, 2 R, 2B, 2 RBI, BB
• Jack Moss, 1B: 2-for-4, 3 RBI, SB
• DJ Newman, LF: 1-for-3, R

• Dylan Howard, RHP: 4.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 7 K
• Grayson Saunier, RHP: 0.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
• Jackson Wells, RHP: 2.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 K (WIN)
• Francisco Frias, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (53-52) POSTPONED

Today’s minor league starters:

SL: OFF

CC: OFF

AV: OFF

FV: OFF

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The Philadelphia Phillies and St. Louis Cardinals are battling in the National League Wild Card race ahead of their three-game series at Busch Stadium beginning Monday, Aug. 10.

Coverage kicks off at 7:45 p.m. ET on FS1.

While Philadelphia is a short road favorite (-113), my top Phillies vs. Cardinals predictions and MLB picks are calling for the Cards to pull off the victory in a high-scoring game tonight.

Who will win Phillies vs Cardinals today: Cardinals moneyline (+105)

Favorable hitting conditions and a soft pitching matchup are the perfect recipe for statistical correction at the dish for the St. Louis Cardinals.

Despite ranking seventh in hard-hit percentage and third in both squared-up contact and blast-contact rates across the past 30 days, the Cards sit 23rd in BABIP.

So, with Philadelphia Phillies righty Andrew Painter bringing a 5.13 xERA and allowing the ninth-highest wOBA to opposing hitters among pitchers with at least 50 innings this season, I’m backing St. Louis at home.

Of course, Philadelphia also ranks 29th in wOBA on the highway this season.

COVERS INTEL: The Phillies and Cardinals rank sixth and seventh in xwOBA, respectively, over the past 30 days, paving the way to a high-scoring game at Busch Stadium tonight.

Phillies vs Cardinals Over/Under pick: Over 8.5 (-126)

This Over is my favorite bet for this game because Cardinals righty Hunter Dobbins has only made five starts this season, and the Phillies are third in xwOBA with an average of 4.72 runs per game since the All-Star Break.

Simply put, Dobbins sporting a career 4.07 xFIP with a minuscule 19.1 strikeout percentage while allowing a healthy 37.4% squared-up contact rate across 101 1/3 innings shouldn’t instill a lot of confidence.

Phillies vs Cardinals home run prediction: Alec Burleson (+521)

Cardinals first baseman Alec Burleson has hit 16 of his 19 homers against right-handed pitchers while sporting a monster .240 ISO and .414 wOBA. Returning to the favorable pitching matchup, in addition to the highlighted Painter shortcomings, 1.8 HR/9 is the 13th-highest mark among pitchers with at least 70 innings pitched.

Phillies vs Cardinals weather

Stifling mid-90s temperatures will thin the air density and significantly boost ball carry for hitters at Busch Stadium tonight. Additionally, seven to eight mph winds blowing out to left field further favor the hitting conditions Monday evening.

Phillies vs Cardinals odds

• Moneyline: Phillies -115 | Cardinals +105
• Run line: Phillies -1.5 (+140) | Cardinals +1.5 (-165)
• Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-130) | Under 8.5 (+110)

Phillies vs Cardinals trend

The Cardinals have won five of their last seven games (+3.90 Units / 44% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Phillies vs. Cardinals.

How to watch Phillies vs Cardinals and game info

Phillies vs Cardinals latest injuries

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When the Red Sox acquired Adley Rutschman, the conversation immediately went to what he means for the offense, what it costs to get him, and whether this is the move that puts Boston over the top. There have been quite a few pieces on here doing a great job laying that out, from Tim Crowley’s playoff lineup theories, to Matt Gross’ fantastic analysis about Adley on the field and how it makes Craig Breslow look off the field. All fair. But buried underneath that discussion is a quieter question that’s going to matter a lot come October: who backs him up?

Carlos Narváez is gone—he went to Baltimore in the Rutschman trade. That leaves two names: Connor Wong, who’s been behind the plate for the Sox all season, and Jake Rogers, who landed here about a week ago and hasn’t stopped hitting since. This isn’t a clear-cut answer. Let’s go through it.

The Case for Connor Wong

Let’s start with the bat. Through 181 plate appearances, Wong is hitting .245/.333/.368 with a .701 OPS. That’s not a star line, but for a backup catcher it’s more than serviceable. He’s got 10 doubles. He gets on base at a .333 clip. When a backup catcher is getting 2-3 starts a week, you want a guy who can actually contribute offensively—and Wong can, sometimes.

The defensive numbers also favor him in ways that might surprise you. Wong’s catcher ERA this season is 3.24. That’s the ERA posted by Red Sox pitchers when Wong is behind the plate. For context, Rogers’ catcher ERA with his previous clubs is 3.52. Is that difference real or is it just the impact of Wong starting more games with a better pitching staff vs. Rogers—who has been with two very weirdly constructed and somewhat struggling staffs in Detroit and Baltimore? That’s for us to try and suss out.

The blocking numbers back it up, partially. Wong has allowed 10 wild pitches this season; Rogers has allowed 16. With a rotation built around guys with wipeout stuff—both elite fastballs and hard moving breaking balls landing in the dirt regularly—keeping the ball in front of you matters. One passed ball and a runner moving to third in an ALDS game can end your night.

And then there’s the familiarity argument, which is real even if it’s hard to quantify. Wong has multiple seasons learning how Crochet attacks lineups, how Tolle sequences his strikeout pitches, how every arm in that bullpen works. Rogers just got here. In October, when the margins shrink and every at-bat feels like a chess match, the catcher who knows the staff has an edge.

The Case for Jake Rogers

The arm. Full stop.

Rogers has thrown out 24.3% of base stealers this season. Wong is at 17.1%. That’s not a small gap—that’s the difference between a guy who neutralizes the running game and a guy opponents can exploit freely. When you have a guy with one of the best pop-time arms in baseball in Rutschman—who already showed out catching a runner stealing in his rehab assignment in Worcester—downgrading your arm at any given point is a real concern. In the regular season, stolen bases are one thing. In a playoff series, where managers are hunting every edge and one run can make all the difference, a catcher who lets the opponent run with impunity becomes a liability. Opposing base stealers are going to test whoever is behind the plate. The question is who’s going to make them pay for it.

Rogers also comes into this with a perfect fielding percentage on the season—1.000 in 39 games behind the plate. Zero errors. Zero throwing errors. Wong has two errors—both throwing errors. Again, not disqualifying, but in the context of a tight series where every mistake gets magnified, it’s worth noting.

And then there’s what he’s done since arriving in Boston, which has been genuinely hard to ignore. In his first three games as a Red Sox, Rogers is 3-for-6 with 2 RBI. He walked with the bases loaded in the August 6 marathon to drive in a run without even swinging. He went 2-for-3 with a walk while handling Payton Tolle’s 14-strikeout masterpiece on the 7th. He got a hit in yesterday’s loss. For a guy who just walked into a new clubhouse mid-pennant race, he hasn’t blinked once.

That small-sample line at .500 isn’t going to hold, and everyone knows it. But the .183 season average isn’t the whole story either—Rogers’ BABIP is .232, which is well below normal and suggests some bad luck is baked into that number. His contact quality and walk rate (16 BB in 125 PA) suggest a more functional hitter than the batting average alone implies. And if he keeps playing anything close to how he’s played since arriving, the offensive gap between him and Wong starts to close fast.

So Which Is It?

There’s no clean answer here, which is exactly why the conversation is worth having.

If you weigh the full season and trust the staff familiarity angle, Wong is your guy. The catcher ERA, the blocking, the OBP, the two months of organizational knowledge—it all points in his direction. You don’t bench a .333 on-base guy for a .290 guy because of a good first week.

If you weight the arm and the October context, Rogers makes a compelling case. A 7-point difference in caught stealing percentage sounds modest until it’s the seventh inning of a one-run game in an ALDS and someone just took second on a ball in the dirt. In a short series, the catcher who can shut down the running game has real value that doesn’t show up in OPS.

The honest answer is that Chad Tracy is going to have a real decision to make when Rutschman comes back. Wong has earned his roster spot all season, whether by default or by committee with Narváez. Rogers has earned a serious look in a single week. Both deserve to be in this conversation.

Let’s watch how Rogers plays over the next two weeks. That’s probably how this gets decided.