Thanks to two important home runs from Jazz Chisholm Jr., the Yankees opened up a new week and a new series with a win. While Ryan Weathers didn’t have a great start on the mound, the Yankees offense did enough to pick up an 8-5 win over the Pirates on Monday night.

The Yankees held firm with the win, but did they manage to gain any ground in the standings? Let’s check in on last night’s action in the Rivalry Roundup.

Tampa Bay Rays (57-42) 7, Toronto Blue Jays (46-54) 1

No longer facing the random Red Sox buzzsaw, the Rays got back to winning ways on Monday night, downing the Blue Jays.

Tampa Bay was facing off against Toronto ace and AL All-Star starter (annoyingly) Dylan Cease. They picked up a couple runs off Cease (including some unearned ones), but their effort in this game was a gradual build up before they eventually pulled away.

Including a Victor Mesa Jr. home run, the Rays scored a run each in the second and third innings, before the Blue Jays answered back in the fourth. However, Tampa Bay added three more runs over the fifth and sixth, with Cedric Mullins adding a homer of his own. In the end, Cease allowed five runs — only three earned — over his six innings.

Meanwhile, Nick Martinez was very good opposite Cease. The Rays’ starter allowed just one run in his six innings, as he scattered six hits and a walk. The Rays’ offense tacked on a couple more runs for the road, while their bullpen kept Toronto quiet.

Other Games

• Cleveland Guardians (53-48) 13, Minnesota Twins (49-52) 4: The Guardians jumped all over Twins’ ace Joe Ryan, hitting him to the tune of eight runs in four innings on route to a dominant win. Chase DeLauter led the way for Cleveland, going 4-for-5 with three RBI, while Rhys Hoskins and Petey Halpin each had two home run days. The only Minnesota pitcher to not allow a run on the day was Alex Jackson…who is a catcher by trade.

• Boston Red Sox (51-48) 6, Baltimore Orioles (49-52) 5: Our long national nightmare continued on Monday, as the Red Sox rallied past the Orioles to extend their win streak to 14. While Boston held a 3-1 lead early, Baltimore struck back and took a 5-4 lead going into the bottom of the seventh. However, the Red Sox tied the game in the seventh and took the lead for good on a Caleb Durbin homer in the eighth.

• Chicago White Sox (53-46) 10, Texas Rangers (50-50) 3: While the Rangers scored the first two runs of this one, it was all White Sox after that, as they cracked doubled digits in Arlington. Chicago got on the board in the third and then broke the game open with a four-run fifth inning. Andrew Benintendi’s bases loaded, bases clearing double gave the White Sox a lead they kept and then added onto late to seal the win.

• Seattle Mariners (51-50) 8, Cincinnati Reds (45-54) 0: George Kirby was absolutely dominant, as he threw six shutout innings to lead the Mariners to a win over the Reds. Kirby allowed just three hits and a walk over his six frames, as he struck out six batters. Seattle’s offense wasn’t half bad themselves, either. Cal Raleigh showed signs of life as he drove in five runs, including a grand slam in the seventh inning. In less good news for the M’s, Julio Rodríguez left the game after getting hit on the leg by a throw as he was running out a grounder.

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The Detroit Tigers will look to build on the recent success of Framber Valdez when they face the Chicago Cubs tonight as +101 underdogs.

My Tigers vs Cubs predictions are targeting Detroit to win this contest as the struggling David Peterson counters for the hosts. 

Read more in my MLB picks for Tuesday, July 21. 

Who will win Tigers vs Cubs today: Tigers (+101)

Framber Valdez has been reliable lately for the Detroit Tigers. The left-hander owns a 3.27 FIP across his last four appearances while holding opponents to a 5.3% barrel rate during that span.

Valdez’s primary offering, the sinker, could also give the Chicago Cubs problems. More than half of the Cubs’ starters have a Run Value of one or lower against the pitch, limiting their matchup appeal against his top weapon.

David Peterson, meanwhile, has collected an alarming 7.99 xERA over his previous three starts. He's also allowed a 46.9% hard-hit rate in those outings.

Valdez keeps Chicago at bay, and Detroit’s improving offense does enough damage off the vulnerable Peterson.

I'll play this pick up to -120.

COVERS INTEL: Valdez has pitched noticeably better on the road, compiling a 3.78 FIP compared to a 4.46 mark at home. 

Tigers vs Cubs Over/Under pick: Under 8.5 runs (-126)

While the series opener was high-scoring, I don't expect that to be the case again. Valdez is pitching well, and the Tigers bullpen has a solid 3.11 xERA over the last two weeks.

Peterson is clearly struggling, but one horrendous outing has inflated his numbers. Plus, the Cubs relief corps is also in respectable form, posting a 3.34 xERA over the last four games.

Both offenses are producing lately, but neither lineup is showing overwhelming power. Chicago has a .183 ISO in the last week, and the Tigers sit at .195 in the last two weeks. 

With Valdez in strong form and both bullpens looking steady, the Under has value. 

I'll play this pick up to -130.

Tigers vs Cubs weather

Tigers vs Cubs odds

• Moneyline: Tigers +104 | Cubs -108
• Run line: Tigers -1.5 (+178) | Cubs +1.5 (-186)
• Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-100) | Under 8.5 (-104)

Tigers vs Cubs trend

The Detroit Tigers have hit the game total Under in 20 of their last 30 games (+8.85 Units / 27% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Tigers vs. Cubs.

How to watch Tigers vs Cubs and game info

Tigers vs Cubs latest injuries

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Happy Tuesday A’s fans!

The club announced yesterday that the team and its first two picks in this year’s draft, Georgia Tech outfielder Drew Burress and second round left-hander Mason Edwards, have agreed to their first big league contracts, with both getting above-slot signing bonuses:

The front office isn’t waiting around to get these two guys signed. They’re now ready to officially begin their pro careers, with both likely ticketed for the low minors to start. That said, with both being college guys either or both of them could be fast risers through the system. How aggressive will the organization be with their newest prospects?

Burress, as we all know, was the eighth overall pick in last week’s draft, falling right into the Athletics’ lap and instantly becoming one of the club’s top prospects. The short outfielder (he stands at 5’9”) has plenty of pop for someone his size and has enough speed to swipe an occasional base here and there. Whether he’s able to remain in center field will be a storyline to watch as he ascends the minor league ladder but if he does need to get pushed to a corner he’ll profile as a potential Gold Glover in right field with his solid speed and plus-arm.

Edwards also gets an above-slot bonus to forgo his final college year. The left-hander was a starting pitcher for the USC Trojans over the past couple of years and dominated the Big 10 this past season, posting a 2.07 ERA in 17 starts. The 21-year-old has a true feel for pitching, and he uses that to make his three-pitch repertoire play up. A little bit of deception in his delivery also helps his low to mid-90’s fastball work a lot better than others in that velocity range. Considered to have the best curveball in this year’s draft, Edwards has all the makings of a mid-rotation arm that could make an impact sooner than later.

Those weren’t the only two to sign on the dotted line today however. The team was busy with all of their draftees as they also inked supplemental second round right-handed pitcher Gabe Gaeckle…

…third round righty Jacob Dudan…

…fourth round middle infielder Jacob Martin….

… and fifth-rounder Alex Hernandez, who has been a two-way player in college but will likely focus on hitting in the pro ranks:

They also came to terms with their 6-10 picks, locking in the entire top 10 rounds:

Another game against the Diamondbacks tonight, with first pitch at 6:40 again. Until then, have a great day everyone.

A’s Coverage:

• Hot Topic: Who Is The “Real Langeliers”?
• Another ‘step in the right direction’ for Lopez in hunt to regain rookie form
• Blogfather Saves The Day With Pearls Of Most Excellent Advice
• Thinking out loud: Mic’d up Cease, Langeliers work through 3-K 1st in ASG
• What will the Athletics do leading up to Trade Deadline after cold streak?
• A’s Add Next Wave of Prospects in 2026 Draft
• Athletics Get Hitting Help by Claiming Hot Bat off Waivers
• Langeliers’ 5-year journey from top prospect to All-Star starter
• Injuries Providing Cover For Some Inconvenient Truths
• Breaking Down the A’s Alarming Trends Heading into the Break
• Jamie Arnold can’t wait for the A’s future. Triple-A Vegas is another story.
• Langeliers savoring 1st All-Star start; injured Kurtz to enjoy homecoming
• Athletics Select Outfielder Drew Burress With 8th Overall Pick
• Athletics Select Left-hander Mason Edwards With 47th Overall Pick
• Athletics Select Gabe Gaeckle With 73rd Overall Pick
• A’s Select Jacob Dudan With 83rd Pick, Roman Martin With 111th Pick

MLB News and Interest:

• Dodgers to acquire flamethrowing RHP Halvorsen from Rockies (source)
• Marlins Place Max Meyer On Injured List
• Shohei Ohtani Scratched From Wednesday Start, Won’t Pitch For “Some Time”
• Trade rumors: Padres, Angels starters, Dodgers’ plans, Yanks vs. Rays
• Report: Giants Have Not Discussed Extension With Luis Arraez
• Pirates rookie Esmerlyn Valdez up to 12 homers in 31 games
• Could Smith’s neck injury change Dodgers’ Trade Deadline plans?
• Mets Reinstate Luis Robert Jr. From 60-Day IL
• Padres Place Miguel Andujar On IL With Wrist Fracture
• Today in Baseball History

Best of X:

Nick Kurtz coming back this weekend?

Who thinks Shea’s getting traded in the next two weeks?

ICYMI:

Hell has frozen over, pigs have flown, and the Tampa Bay Rays held on to a lead and won a baseball game in the second half.

The never-wavering All-Star Nick Martinez, also known as “El Capitan”, proved to be the streak stopper, going six innings and only allowing one run.

I feel like Rogers Centre is somewhere the Rays offense has thrived, no matter who is on the mound, and that came to fruition tonight against All-Star Dylan Cease. Tampa Bay scored in six of the nine frames this evening.

Victor Mesa would get things started with a solo shot in the second, and his third in as many games to provide a 1-0 lead.

Jonathan Aranda doubled the lead with an RBI single in the fourth, 2-1 Rays.

The Rays’ big boys capitalized on Toronto giving them extra outs, as Yandy Diaz plated Nick Fortes on an Andres Gimenez error, and Junior Caminero brought him around to score to make it 4-1.

Cedric Mullins ambushed a hanging slider from Cease to make it 5-1, and that would end his night.

Caminero encapsulated his three-hit evening, getting Diaz to score from first on a double in the left-center field gap in the seventh, and Nick Fortes homered in the ninth to solidify getting the Rays back in the win column, 7-1.

For some, the MLB Trade Deadline can be one of the most exciting and unpredictable times of the year. It presents an opportunity for all 30 teams to improve their chances to win now or in the future. For others, it can be a daunting, tedious, repetitive grind of information that may or may not come to fruition. The Viva El Birdos comment section famously has evoked it’s displeasure with the constant trade talk of a former individual who created content for us with soup recipes of all things! So, I thought, what a funny way to both have a reasonable conversation around the upcoming trade deadline and give a hat tip and wink at the comment section.

So, if we are to create Trade Deadline Soup, we need a recipe to follow!

The 2024 Detroit Tigers finished the season at 86-76 as the final Wild Card team into the playoffs. They swept the Houston Astros in the AL Wild Card round before being eliminated in the ALDS by the Cleveland Guardians. This seems like a plausible best-case scenario for the 2026 Cardinals team that has surprised just about every corner of the baseball world this season. The 2024 Tigers sold 4 players at the players at the deadline; old friend Jack Flaherty was traded to the Dodgers, OF Mark Canha was traded to the Giants, another old friend C Carson Kelly and LHP Andrew Chafin were both traded to the Texas Rangers.

The Tigers acquired power-hitting C/1B prospect Thayron Liranzo and MLB SS Trey Sweeney, Minor league RP Eric Silva, RHP Joseph Montalvo, and C Liam Hicks.

The Cardinals could follow this “recipe” by trading impending FA Dustin May, OF Lars Nootbaar, C Pedro Pages/Jimmy Crooks, and RP JoJo Romero/Ryne Stanek. I’m slightly more optimistic about the Cardinals’ chances to get better upside in return than the Tigers were able to, given that Nootbaar and the Catchers have control remaining beyond this season.

Reinforcements for St. Louis are ready to backfill the roster if President of Baseball Operations Chaim Bloom chooses to execute this strategy. LHP Quinn Matthews has been on a HEATER at Memphis over the last month plus, Hunter Dobbins has already shown an ability to get big league hitters out, Memphis OF Joshua Baez has been making Triple-A pitching pay all season with his thump and prodigious right handed power, Catcher Leonardo Bernal has been a steady force behind the plate with no glaring flaws in his game as a switch hitting Catcher with a minor league gold glove to his name to boot. LHP Brycen Mautz and RHP’s Hancel Rincon and Cade Winquest offer upside out of the pen. As with the Jack Flaherty trade as the example above, don’t discount the Cardinals’ ability to get MLB-ready talent in return.

The biggest question on the roster would be what to do with All-Star Closer Riley O’Brien, and has been for this topic for some time now. The return would have to be overwhelming, but, at 31 years old, a serious case could be made that this is peak value for O’Brien, and with reliever volatility, there is no guarantee he ever performs at this level again, so the opportunity to maximize on the asset would appear to be now, despite the remaining 4 years of control. According to MLB.com, as many as 7 teams are in the primary pursuit of relief help. The Orioles, Twins, Mariners, Rangers, Nationals, Phillies, and Pirates. Among those teams exist a plethora of exciting prospect talent that the Cardinals could use to really set themselves up as they appear on the cliff’s edge of perennial contention once more.

But the approach to this year’s deadline has the potential to be more complex than we’ve seen in St. Louis. Cardinals President of Baseball Operations Chaim Bloom has a history of a hybrid approach to the deadline where he both buys and sells. I do believe that there could be an opportunity to add a young controllable reliever, and there are teams on the West Coast that are defined sellers that could contribute to what has evolved as the Cardinals’ biggest, most glaring weakness. Since May 1st, the Cardinals’ bullpen ranks 20th in FIP (4.26), 17th in Win Probability Added (WPA) at 0.89, and 23rd in K% at 20.5%. Those are the 3 primary stats that I look at when trying to evaluate the effectiveness of relievers. How would they perform in a defensive neutral environment? Do they positively contribute to their team’s ability to win? Do they have the capability to get a strikeout when a ball in play could dramatically swing win probability in high-leverage situations?

As I’m prone to do, I have 3 names to watch that could fit as pieces that could contribute to the next winning Cardinals team.

RHP Ryan Zeferjahn – Los Angeles Angels

The Angels ascended closer Ryan Zeferjahn since June 1st; in his last 20.1 IP has a 3.30 FIP, 40.0 K%, and +0.99 WPA. Zeferjahn comes with 5 additional years of control and 3 options remaining, and won’t be a free agent until 2031. It’s a 5-pitch mix for the Halo righty: Sweeper, 4-Seam, Sinker, Slider, Curveball. 34% Whiff rate and .160 xBA (expected batting average) are both elite performance markers. I won’t speculate on cost because it’s so hard to be predictive of what value they have internally on an emerging closer on the verge of entering a true long-term rebuild, assuming John Mozeliak can effectively persuade Arte Moreno that the good of the long-term health of the Angels organization is to take a step back, sell, and build up their pipeline.

RHP Elvis Alvarado – Athletics

Another young emerging back-end option on the West Coast, Elvis Alvarado is 6’6 253 lbs, a true mountain of a man. He throws that classic 100 MPH heat we’ve come to expect from late-inning relievers, with 5 inches above-average arm-side run. Alvarado also throws a slider and a sinker and a very scantily used Splitter. The 5.14 FIP is not all that encouraging, though the xFIP is 3.54, but that’s probably me cherry-picking, so do with that what you will. 30.4 K% on the season gets us tethered back to why he is so intriguing, and the win probability added of -0.77 isn’t all that encouraging, but also taking into account that it’s likely a combination of poor defense and ball park effects of a minor league stadium working against him, I’m willing to look past some of those struggles and would be fascinated with getting him in St. Louis, much like the George Soriano situation from the spring, to see what this big league pitching staff and development staff can get out of this really encouraging ball of clay. You have essentially 6 years of control with Alvarado, only 2 option years remaining, and Alvarado is already 27, so the player acquisition cost for Alvarado would likely be relatively low, but presents exciting upside.

LHP Erik Miller – San Francisco Giants

This one admittedly is the most far-fetched; however, there likely wouldnt be a more impactful and immediate boost to the Cardinals bullpen than Erik Miller. It’s a 4-pitch mix, primarily Sinker/Slider, which he throws about 85% of the time. He will mix in a 4-Seam and Changeup against right-handed hitters. At 6’5 269 lbs, another gigantic human, I guess, emerging closers is the true theme of these guys, as well. 32.3 k%, 3.42 FIP, and a +0.10 WPA. Miller comes with 4 additional years of control and would be the true lefty weapon the bullpen is missing to pair with Riley O’Brien at the back end of games to give them a legitimate back end of games that would create heartburn for the opposition who would have the misfortune of facing them on any given night. This cost would likely be for players that the Cardinals wouldnt want to part with. More of a dream than a reality, I surmise, but Miller is 100% the ideal trade acquisition for the Cardinals at the 2026 deadline.

Ultimately, the Cardinals’ roster has 2 weeks to make its case not to engage in a significant sell-off. Things have been trending in the wrong direction for some time now, and the NL Wild Card race has muddied itself to the point that “clear and convincing evidence” against following through on the initial plan coming into the season becomes harder and harder to justify. That’s not to suggest that a Cardinals team that has been spiteful in the face of adversity wouldnt be capable of sneaking their way into the final spot even if they sell off short-term players and promote from within more exciting upside talent from this percolating Cardinals farm system. Key ingredients are missing from this recipe before it takes its final and most flavorful form of “deadline soup.” The Cardinals are running out of time, and Chef Bloom is ready to cook. What comes to boil could still be anyone’s guess, but our appetites for answers continue to increase with each passing day. I, for one, with spoon and bowl in hand, am ready to eat it up!

Let me know in the comments your thoughts on the direction you think the Cardinals will go. Who would you like to see them acquire? Who would you try to move out to try and extract value from? I’m eager to see where everyone’s palate for change is driving their craving!

-Thanks for reading

Phillies News:

• Phillies “Field of Dreams” Game uniforms just dropped and they’re spectacular
• Apparently, the Phillies are lusting after Mets’ reliever Luke Weaver
• Who can the Phillies turn to to figure out the 5th starter dilemma? Casey Mize? Ryan Yarbrough?

MLB News:

• Dodgers acquire Rockies RHP Seth Halvorsen
• A look at Baseball Savant’s new player comp tool
• MLB Trade Deadline Buyers and Sellers Guide for all 30 teams

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Welcome back to the Minor League Roundup!

None of the Brewers’ minor league affiliates played more than three games this week because of the All-Star break, so this week’s roundup is going to look a little different. Rather than breaking down each affiliate individually, I’ve grouped together this week’s standout performances to highlight everything that happened around the farm over the last few games without getting repetitive. Let’s get into it.

Standout Performances:

Coleman Crow: 6.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 K
Tyson Hardin: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
Josiah Ragsdale: 4-for-11, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 3 BB, 4 K
Blake Burke: 4-for-12, 2 2B, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 6 K
Jesús Made: 3-for-11, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 3 BB, 1 K
Bishop Letson: 5.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
Travis Smith: 4.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
Josh Adamczewski: 5-for-12, 1 2B, 1 3B, 1 RBI, 2 BB, 3 K
Luis Peña: 3-for-10, 2 2B, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 3 K
Braylon Payne: 3-for-13, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 0 BB, 6 K
Brady Ebel: 3-for-9, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 0 BB, 2 K

Biloxi (AA) was the only Brewers affiliate to have a winning record this week, while the other three affiliates combined for just one win. That win came from the Nashville Sounds (AAA), who scored just eight runs in three games against the Norfolk Tides but pulled one out in the finale after Coleman Crow delivered a gem.

Crow, making his first non-rehab start in Triple-A since suffering a right forearm flexor strain over a month ago, certainly looked healthy, tossing six shutout innings while striking out six and allowing just one hit. Tyson Hardin didn’t quite match Crow this week, but he put together a quality outing of his own, allowing three hits and one earned run through six innings.

While no Nashville hitter had enough plate appearances to produce eye-popping numbers, the Sounds received contributions from a variety of players. Luke Adams, Jeferson Quero, and Brock Wilken homered, while Tyler Black, Jacob Hurtubise, and Darrien Miller chipped in with extra-base hits. Black led the Sounds with four hits in twelve at-bats.

Down in Biloxi, the Shuckers put together their 2-1 week largely thanks to the offense. Biloxi scored 21 runs in three games and still managed six runs in its only loss. The offense was led by Josiah Ragsdale, who reached base seven times in fourteen plate appearances and homered. He’s hitting .322 this year and .298 in fourteen games since being promoted to Double-A, although his 1.037 OPS with Biloxi is actually higher than it was with the Timber Rattlers.

Ragsdale, a seventh-round pick last year who has played himself into legitimate prospect status, just continues to stack good week after good week at the plate. He also has a solid glove and 70-grade speed. This is what 70-grade speed looks like:

Blake Burke continued to do what he’s done for almost a full year now: hit for extra bases. Burke collected three extra-base hits this week, including another home run, although six strikeouts in twelve at-bats isn’t exactly what the Brewers organization wants to see. Still, like with Andrew Fischer, it’s hard to complain too much as long as Burke remains one of Biloxi’s most productive middle-of-the-order bats.

Josh Adamczewski rounded out another productive week, leading the Shuckers with five hits. Since earning his promotion to Double-A earlier this summer, he’s done little to slow the momentum that’s made him one of the fastest-rising prospects in the Brewers’ system. Also — I didn’t include this video last week, but it’s worth watching:

Although Adamczewski led the Shuckers in hits, Jesús Made was probably the offensive standout, homering on the way to a six-RBI week. Baseball’s top prospect also walked three times while striking out only once, another reminder of just how advanced his approach is for a player his age.

Unlike most of the Brewers’ prospects, Made didn’t get much of a break, either. He and Luis Peña also represented the organization at the 2026 All-Star Futures Game, where Made went 1-for-3 with a single and drove in the National League’s lone run.

The pitching was just as encouraging. Bishop Letson tossed five scoreless innings, allowing only two hits while striking out four. Overall, Letson has now been pitching well for the better part of two months, which is great to see from the Brewers’ super-talented No. 9 prospect. Travis Smith also turned in a solid outing, allowing three hits and one run over four innings.

Neither High-A Wisconsin nor Single-A Wilson won a game this week, but a few of their top prospects are still worth highlighting. Braylon Payne struck out six times in thirteen at-bats, but he also added another home run, giving him eighteen on the season.

Luis Peña, the Brewers’ No. 2 prospect, went 0-for-3 in the Futures Game, but 3-for-10 with a pair of doubles this week. It’s great to see him back on the field — and producing — after the health scares that interrupted his season. Also, I wasn’t going to name a Play of the Week this week, but this is such an awesome play from Peña that it wins anyway.

Brady Ebel, the Brewers’ 2025 first-round pick, hit two home runs in one game on the way to a 3-for-9 week in Single-A. If you like meaningless stats, Ebel is hitting .348 with a 1.239 OPS since the Brewers drafted his brother. Jarrette Bonet (5.0 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 K) turned in the best start of the week for the Warbirds.

Happy Tuesday, Camden Chatters! Did you watch last night’s baseball game between the Orioles and the Red Sox? It was pretty dumb. It’s not that the Orioles lost, which was disappointing but not that surprising. It was the way in which they lost. They made four errors!

A Jeremiah Jackson throwing error allowed a baserunner in the third inning, who later came around to score. Gunnar Henderson also made an error in the inning and didn’t catch a line drive that he probably should have gotten. Shane Baz pitched pretty well, but in the sixth inning, his throwing error allowed a runner to reach second. That runner ended up scoring. Taylor Ward made an error in the seventh inning that didn’t result in a run, but did cause Jim Palmer to exclaim disgustingly that they were playing terrible baseball.

The sloppy play aided in the loss, which actually saw some pretty good offense from the Orioles. They outhit the Red Sox, 11-10. Henderson doubled thrice. Tyler O’Neill had two hits and two RBI. The new guy, Christian Encarnacion-Strand, had a home run and an RBI single. The biggest disappointment on offense was so-called lefty killer Coby Mayo. Mayo managed to strike out three times against lefty starter Payton Tolle. Come on, Coby! That’s supposed to be the one thing you can do!

Probably the dumbest thing on the basepaths was when Pete Alonso was hit by a pitch and immediately got thrown out trying to steal second base with Henderson on deck. Henderson has his troubles, but he’s already doubled twice against Tolle in the game.

It’s a credit to the lineup that they were able to score five runs without Blaze Alexander, Adley Rutschman, or Samuel Basallo. But since the defense didn’t do its job and the relief pitching wasn’t perfect, it just wasn’t quite enough.

One thing I’ll say is that over the last year I had forgotten what it was like to care so much about baseball game. I like caring, even if it backfired on account of the Orioles playing dumb baseball. I will care again tonight, when the Red Sox try to win their 15th game in a row and the Orioles try to start a new streak.

The newly extended Kyle Bradish is pitching tomorrow for the Orioles. For the Red Sox, it’ll be another tough lefty in Ranger Suarez. Gulp. Game time is 7:10

Links

Orioles battle against red-hot Red Sox, but their 4 errors prove costly – The Baltimore Banner
This is what I’m saying!

Jon Meoli: Kyle Bradish’s extension adds to the good vibes around the Orioles – The Baltimore Banner
I sure hope Bradish brings those good vibes to the ballpark tomorrow.

Orioles place Rutschman on injured list with wrist injury, Basallo day-to-day – Baltimore Baseball
Rutschman is on his third trip to the IL and Basallo is day-to-day with a sore shoulder. Not great, Bob!

AL East Notes: Bassitt, Rodon, Scherzer, Santander – MLB Trade Rumors
I’ll be honest, I forgot Chris Bassitt was on the team. He could be back in mid-August. Great?

Birthdays and History

Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! You have five Orioles birthday buddies, including Wei-Yin Chen, who turns 41. Chen was signed to a four-year contract after pitching in seven seasons with the Chunichi Dragons in Japan. He made 117 regular-season starts with the Orioles from 2012-2015 and got a very memorable win against the Yankees in game two of the 2012 ALDS.

Also born on this day in history are former Orioles Willie Eyre (48), Mike Bordick (61), Mark Williamson (67), and Moe Drabowsky (b. 1935, d. 2006).

On this day in 1990, Ben McDonald made his first major league start, and did so in style. Big Ben pitched a complete-game shutout against the Chicago White Sox. He allowed just four hits and struck out five. The Orioles won 2-0. It wasn’t his Major League debut; McDonald started his career with 12 games in the bullpen.

On this day in 1996, the Orioles traded Kent Mercker to Cleveland in exchange for Eddie Murray. Murray returned to Baltimore with 491 career home runs. He hit #500 on September 6th. It would have been cool if he ended his career in Baltimore, but he played in 55 games in 1997 for the Angels and Dodgers.

In 2000, the Orioles beat the Blue Jays, 8-5, in Toronto. Per Baseball Reference, this ended a 20-game Canadian losing streak for the Orioles in games against both the Blue Jays and Expos. Their last win in Canada came in June 1998.

One year ago today, the Orioles lost to the Guardians 10-5. Tomoyuki Sugano got knocked out in the fourth inning after allowing four runs, and relief pitcher Grant Wolfram later let things get out of hand. He gave up four runs in the seventh to make it a blowout. Ramón Laureano had two hits, including a home run, and four RBI.

The Detroit Tigers opened up their three-game road series against the Chicago Cubs on Monday night with a nail-biting 8-6 victory in 10 innings. It began with a half-hour rain delay and ended in extra frames, and in between the two was plenty of action and zaniness. But what’s important is that the good guys won.

With a chance to clinch the series, left-hander Framber Valdez gets the start looking to build upon his last outing before the All-Star break. The 32-year-old earned his 10th quality start of the 2026 campaign against the Athletics, matching his season high with seven innings, allowing just one run on three hits while striking out nine — another season high — en route to his fifth win in a 4-1 final at Comerica Park.

Opposite him is Ethan Roberts, who gets his first start in his 24th appearance of the season after putting up sub-replacement player numbers as a reliever. This will also be the 29-year-old’s first outing of July after a brutal June that saw him post an 8.38 ERA and an 8.27 FIP over 11 games stretching across 9 2/3 innings, serving up 13 hits (three home runs) and seven walks while striking out five plus a hit-by-pitch.

Here is a summary of both pitchers’ stats ahead of Game 2 of the series in the Windy City.

Detroit Tigers (47-53) vs. Chicago Cubs (56-44)

Time (ET): 8:05 p.m.
Place: Wrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois
SB Nation Site:Bleed Cubbie Blue
Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network

Game 101: LHP Framber Valdez (5-6, 4.10 ERA) vs. RHP Ethan Roberts (0-2, 4.21 ERA)

VALDEZ

ROBERTS

Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders: Offday

Double-A Somerset Patriots: Offday

High-A Hudson Valley Renegades: Offday

Low-A Tampa Tarpons: Offday

Florida Complex League Yankees: Suspended by rain in first inning vs. FCL Phillies — this was to be 2025 first-rounder Dax Kilby’s second game back from a hamstring injury, though he grounded out in the first before the game was called

Dominican Summer League Yankees:W, 9-3 vs. DSL Blue Jays Red

CF Isaias Castillo 1-4, HR, RBI, BB, 2 K, 2 SB
SS Stiven Marinez 1-4, BB, K, SB, throwing error
RF Yostin Pena 3-5, 2 2B, 3 RBI, K, SB, CS
2B Juan Torres 0-3, BB, 2 SB
C Juan Martinez 1-3, 2 RBI, K
DH Cesar Lopez 1-2, 2B, RBI, 2 BB, K
1B Poly Ojeda 0-1, 2 BB, K, SB — eight steals from the Yanks in this game, typical DSL stuff
LF Miguel Aguilar 1-4, 3 K
3B Adrian Feliz 1-4, SB, throwing error

Hector Moreno 4 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K
Fredy Penuelas 4 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 4 BB, 3 K (win)
Brauilo Jaquez 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K

Dominican Summer League Bombers:L, 8-7 (9) at DSL Cardinals

CF Ruben Castillo 0-3, RBI, SF
2B Dariel Santana 0-3, 2 BB, 2 K
C Alfiery Rodriguez 0-4, K
3B Carlos Bello 2-3, BB, 3 SB
DH Kenneth Melendez 1-2, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 BB, SB
RF David Carrera 2-4, RBI, BB, SB
SS Germayhoni Beltre 1-5, RBI, 2 K, SB — the Bombers also stole eight bases on the day
1B Stalen Ramirez 0-2, BB, 2 SB
LF Sebastian Pinto 0-3, RBI, K, SF

Randy Angomas 2 IP, 3 H, 5 R, 7 BB, 3 K
Kevin Centeno 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K
Andre Avila 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 5 K
Ronald Tejada 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K
Josue Silvestre 1.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R (1 ER), 2 BB, 3 K (loss) — gave up a walk-off two-run double, including the zombie runner, in extra innings (the game ended in nine but was scheduled to end in seven)

We’re within two weeks of the MLB Trade Deadline, and things are pretty unsettled across the league. In the 12-team, three-Wild Card playoff era, it gets harder and harder to discern buyers from sellers, with so many teams within striking distance of a postseason spot. This year, a number teams that many figured would be also-rans, like the Cardinals and Marlins, are contending, while some presumed contenders, like the Mets and Tigers, are fading. Some teams that looked sure to sell not long ago (looking at you, Boston), look like they might buy, while other teams that perpetually seem to go all in (hello, San Diego, might now need to sell.

We have little idea what anyone’s going to do over the next couple of weeks, and that includes the Yankees. The baseline assumption is that they’ll buy, because of course they will, they’re the Yankees. But beyond that, exactly what kind of deadline New York has is an open question.

To my eye, the last decade of Yankees’ trade deadlines gives us a few archetypes. There’s the most flashy one: the full-scale renovation, the deadline that sees the Yankees part with buckets of prospects for several major-league contributors. Seasons like 2025 and 2017 come to mind for this archetype, and 2022 also might fit the standard as well. After that, there’s a deadline of still-impactful but more measured buying, where Brian Cashman makes a few significant moves, without overhauling a third of the roster at once. Years like 2018, 2021, and 2024 are probably the best examples here. And then there are the years where the Yankees mostly stand still, content to make one or two moves without really shaking the boat; think 2019, 2020, and 2023. There’s also, lastly, the Selling Deadline, which the Yankees have pursued just once this century in 2016, though the odds of that kind of deadline are low (but not zero with Aaron Judge still hurt!).

Which type of deadline do you think is most likely in 2026? For my money, the solid deadlines of 2018, and 2021, and 2024 feel like the best analogs. 2018 saw Cashman add a few pitchers (J.A. Happ, Lance Lynn, and Zack Britton), while taking a flyer on a bat in Luke Voit. In 2021, he brought in Anthony Rizzo, Joey Gallo, and Andrew Heaney, while in 2024 it was Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Mark Leiter Jr. That kind of deadline, where the Yankees target a few legitimate big-league contributors but don’t go crazy, generally feels like the median outcome for a Cashman deadline.

But there’s always a chance things go off script, in either direction. Maybe the Yankees see fit to turn over the roster like they did last year, or maybe they’ll make like 2023, the last time they entered the deadline with an injured Judge, when Cashman added an interesting relief arm in Keynan Middleton before calling it a day.

What do you think? Which route is most likely? And which do route do you think would be best for the Yankees with the roster in its current state?

On the site today, our Trade Deadline target series rolls along, with John analyzing Luis Arraez, a player the Yankees were often linked to a couple years ago. John will also profile Carsten Charles Sabathia on the occasion of his 46th birthday, while Matt will hand up the day’s Rivalry Roundup. Later, Michael recaps the last week of action down on the farm, and Peter delivers his At-bat of the Week.

Today’s Matchup

New York Yankees vs. Pittsburgh Pirates

Time: 7:10 p.m. EST

TV: YES Network, SportsNet Pittsburgh

Venue: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY

CHICAGO — All-Star pitcher Joe Ryan, sitting in front of his locker in the visiting clubhouse at Wrigley Field, figured he’d be gone with everyone else in the infamous Minnesota Twins fire sale a year ago.

He heard the rumors all winter that he’d be traded, again in spring training, yet now that the MLB trade deadline is here, the Ryan trade talks have suddenly stopped.

Funny how a team’s outlook changes when the American League stinks.

The Twins, despite a 49-52 record, are only three games out in the wild-card race and four games back in the AL Central.

And Ryan, who could be the most sought-after starter on the trade market, now believes he’ll be actually staying put.

The Twins, after tearing the hearts out of their fanbase a year ago, certainly don’t have the audacity to do it again.

Entering Monday with a 2.88 ERA, striking out 128 batters in 110 ⅓ innings, Ryan also is under team control for one more year before he can hit free agency after the 2027 season.

“Last year there’s just kind of this unknown and we didn’t know that it was going to go down the way it did," Ryan said. “I don’t even know if the organization knew it was going to go down the same way it did. But at the same time, I think it was probably inflamed publicly with the 'fire sale' because we had a lot of guys on expiring contracts that you’re going to move, regardless.

“Then, all offseason I was kind of like, 'He’s going to get traded. He’s going to be traded.’ In spring training. And the beginning of the year. It was constant. But we’ve just played good baseball, and it’s allowed me to really just hone in on the team and keeps you present.

“It’s just given me peace."

Ryan is one of the 12-most intriguing players on this year’s trade bubble, executives believe, with teams still trying to figure out whether they’ll be traded or kept.

Prediction: He’ll stay.

Here's a look at other players on the bubble:

Tarik Skubal, Detroit Tigers

Skubal, the defending two-time AL Cy Young winner, realizes his fate depends on how the Tigers fare these next weeks. If they keep winning – and they're 24-15 since June 1 – he’s staying.

If they have a relapse and start losing like they did when they went 6-22 in May, he’s gone. And if he’s gone, why hang onto Casey Mize, who’s also a free agent after the season?

“I mean it's all out of my control,” Skubal said after his last start.

Certainly, he’s doing everything in his power to stay, pitching seven shutout innings Saturday with nine strikeouts against the Angels. It was the first time he went seven innings since April 29, his last start before undergoing elbow surgery, and everyone’s taking notice.

Prediction: STAYING

MLB.com | Mark Feinsand: Although the team’s top two prospects, George Lombard Jr. and Carlos Lagrange, appear to be off-limits at this year’s Trade Deadline, the Yankees still have quite a bit of prospect ammunition to make a deal at this deadline, with former top prospects Jasson Domínguez and Spencer Jones joining current prospects Dax Kilby and Elmer Rodríguez as players the Bombers could look to move to augment this year’s big league club.

The Athletic | Brendan Kuty: With a series loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the rearview mirror and the Trade Deadline looming, the conversation has turned to whether or not the Aaron Judge-less Yankees have the means to compete in the American League. With that in mind, Brendan Kuty makes three proposals to immediately give the Yankees a boost: get rid of Camilo Doval, call up Spencer Jones, and platoon Jazz Chisholm Jr., who has struggled against southpaws this season, with Max Schuemann, who has thrived versus them. While, in a vacuum, none of these suggestions would move the needle, in the aggregate, they might give the team a jolt.

MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: The Yankees got a bit of good injury news this weekend, as Clarke Schmidt — out since last summer after undergoing Tommy John surgery — took the mound and threw 15 pitches before Saturday night’s game was postponed due to weather. Facing Anthony Volpe and Ali Sánchez, he threw only four-seam fastballs, following the same rehab schedule that Gerrit Cole did earlier this season; should all go well, he will start incorporating breaking balls in his next session. Schmidt may be able to return to the Bronx in a bullpen role in August, or as a starter in September.

Baseball America: (subscription required) Now that the draft is behind us, Baseball America has updated their Top 30 prospect lists. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Lombard took the top spot, while Lagrange — who turned heads with his high velocity during the spring — comes in fourth, behind Rodríguez and Kilby. This year’s top pick, Hunter Dietz, debuts at seventh with second-rounder Sean Duncan hot on his heels, while Jones drops to ninth.