Rays starting pitcher Freddy Peralta reacts after giving up a two-run home run to Colorado Rockies' Willi Castro in the fourth inning.
Freddy Peralta’s stat line isn’t getting any better even after he was traded by the Mets before Monday’s deadline.
The right-hander was supposed to help the retooled Mets roster this season, but things never panned out quite the way either side hoped, and he was dealt to the Rays, who got a taste firsthand of the struggles Peralta has been dealing with.
He lasted all of 3 ⅔ innings in his first outing for Tampa Bay that saw him surrender seven runs on nine hits – all earned – while also giving up a pair of home runs.
Rays starting pitcher Freddy Peralta reacts after giving up a two-run home run to Colorado Rockies’ Willi Castro in the fourth inning. AP Photo/David Zalubowski
Peralta did register three strikeouts and a walk during his brief appearance before he was pulled from the game in the bottom of the fourth inning for Cam Booser, after facing just one batter that inning.
Peralta’s ERA on the season ballooned to 5.37 after the ugly appearance.
Among the runs Peralta surrendered was a three-run blast by Mickey Moniak in the bottom of the third inning that tied the game at 5-5.
“Although things didn’t work out as we all hoped, I want to thank the fans, my teammates, and the Mets organization for the love that they showed me,” the pitcher wrote on Instagram. “I want to wish everyone the best on their journey.”
Metss interim manager Andy Green also said after the trade he could sense Peralta’s unhappiness.
“I know he’s disappointed by it,” Green said. “He came here to anchor a rotation and felt the weight of that. From talking to him, he certainly doesn’t feel like it went the way he hoped it would. I think we all feel that way. I think where we are today screams that we’re all wishing we were in a different spot.”
A Mets double play saved Gary Cohen and Keith Hernandez from an “awkward conversation” during the SNY broadcast on Tuesday night.
The two broadcasters were having a discussion in the bottom of the fourth when Hernandez referenced the old Milwaukee Braves, and Cohen began to mention the team’s mascot and logo — a depiction of a Native American.
“The screaming Indian… That was a great logo,” Hernandez said on air, finishing the description that Cohen started of the mascot.
The Mets SNY broadcast team of Ron Darling, Gary Cohen and Keith Hernandez on Wednesday, February 26, 2020.
“Well some people might not think so,” Cohen replied to Hernandez before Guardians outfielder Steven Kwan grounded into a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning.
But the conversation didn’t seem to stop there as Cohen made a joke that the good defensive play by the Mets had helped change the topic.
“Which saves us from that awkward conversation,” Cohen said.
“Oh, it’s not awkward at all,” Hernandez retorted.
Cohen continued with his recap of the inning as he prepared to toss the broadcast to a commercial break.
“It’s good conversation,” Hernandez could be heard chiming in as the screen faded to black and the first commercial began to play.
The use of Native American imagery has been a controversial topic over the years and several professional sports teams have changed their names and logos to move away from the imagery.
New York Mets second baseman Marcus Semien (10) watches as shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) turns a double play beside Cleveland Guardians shortstop Brayan Rocchio (4) in the fourth inning at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio. David Richard-Imagn Images
The Commanders moved away from the Redskins nickname in 2020 and the Guardians rebranded from the Indians in 2022.
The Milwaukee Braves moved to Atlanta and became the Atlanta Braves in 1966.
Aug 4, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers shortstop Ezequiel Duran (20) reacts at first base after hitting an RBI single against the San Francisco Giants during the first inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Texas Rangers scored five runs while the San Francisco Giants scored four runs.
About an hour ago, with Texas up 2-0 and with MacKenzie Gore fresh off a six shutout innings start, I started tackling this as though the Rangers were going to win. Then big deadline acquisition Chase Silseth allowed a two-run home run to former Rangers farmhand Osleivis Basabe and I just assumed the Rangers would go ahead pick up another irony-laden loss.
But then the Rangers mustered up their second rally of the night in the bottom of the eighth and scored a couple of runs to turn the game over to Jacob Latz and I assumed the Rangers were going to win and break this hellish losing streak.
However, Latz hadn’t pitched since July 28 and was rusty enough to blow a rare save opportunity as he allowed a couple of Giants runs in the nine. At that point, I had deleted like three post game threads.
Jake Burger led off the Rangers’ half of the ninth with a double and hey, maybe the Rangers would actually pull it out, but then it seemed like they would not.
But then series thorn in Texas’ side Jung Hoo Lee misplayed a decently struck ball from Ezequiel Duran with two outs allowing Burger to moonwalk home and the Rangers won the game. Streak over. How about a winning streak instead?
Player of the Game: I will say Duran because he’s the first Ranger to ever have a hit with the bases loaded. And also this:
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - AUGUST 04: Dominic Canzone #8 of the Seattle Mariners catches a fly out hit by Javier Báez #28 of the Detroit Tigers (not pictured) in the second inning at T-Mobile Park on August 04, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Kevin Ng/Getty Images) | Getty Images
CHICAGO — The Chicago Cubs spoiled Tarik Skubal’s debut with the slumping Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday night, posting a 5-1 victory behind key RBI singles by Nico Hoerner and Pete Crow-Armstrong.
Dansby Swanson connected for a solo homer as Chicago won for the third time in four games.
Skubal permitted two runs and four hits over six innings in his first start since he was acquired in a trade with Detroit on Saturday night. The two-time AL Cy Young Award winner threw 85 pitches, 51 for strikes.
Kyle Tucker homered for Los Angeles, which finished with four hits in its fifth consecutive loss. It’s the longest slide for the Dodgers since they also dropped five in a row in early September last year.
With two out and runners at the corners in the sixth, Hoerner hit a high chopper to the right of the mound. Alex Bregman scampered home on the infield single, giving Chicago a 2-1 lead.
The Cubs added two more in the seventh on singles by Crow-Armstrong and Seiya Suzuki, and Hoerner made it 5-1 with a solo homer off Edwin Díaz in the eighth.
Ryan Rolison (6-1) pitched a scoreless inning for the win.
Los Angeles jumped in front in the second. Moments after Mookie Betts bounced into a double play, Tucker drove a 2-1 sinker from Javier Assad to left-center for his 10th homer.
Tucker heard boos for the second consecutive night in his return to Chicago after playing for the Cubs last season. The right fielder, who signed a $240 million, four-year contract with the Dodgers in free agency, also made a lunging catch on Hoerner’s sinking liner to right in the bottom of the second.
Skubal (7-6) retired his first six batters before Swanson drove his first pitch of the third to left-center for his 17th homer, sending a charge through the crowd of 40,584 at Wrigley Field.
When he took the mound for the first time, the better part of 40,000 fans booed him intensely.
At various points during his debut start with the Dodgers, the stadium then mockingly chanted his name.
Cubs fans are chanting “Skubal, Skubal, Skubal” while Tarik Skubal is pitching like they did to Freddy Peralta in the playoffs. pic.twitter.com/hGzMzo6JNa
If Tarik Skubal was curious about what kind of spotlight would be upon him now, in the wake of the Dodgers’ blockbuster trade for him last Saturday, all he had to do was scan his surroundings at Wrigley Field on Tuesday night to find out.
With his new team, comes a whole new level of polarizing expectation.
“I do think that Tarik will get that kind of reception every time he toes the rubber,” manager Dave Roberts said.
Tarik Skubal of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches against the Chicago Cubs during the first inning of his Dodgers debut at Wrigley Field on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, in Chicago, Illinois. (2026 Getty Images) Getty Images
In his first game with the Dodgers, Skubal largely pitched well in a 5-1 defeat.
He began the night by freezing Pete Crow-Armstrong with a 99 mph sinker. He retired five more in a row from there before Dansby Swanson ambushed a first-pitch fastball for a leadoff home run in the third. After escaping a jam later that inning, he mowed down the next eight he faced, collecting his sixth and final strikeout of the night on another 99 mph that blew away Crow-Armstrong for the first out in the sixth.
And if not for Kyle Tucker whiffing on a fly ball at the wall two batters later, or Nico Hoerner trampolining an infield RBI single straight off the plate and some 20 feet in the air with two outs in the frame, his final line likely would’ve looked even better than his (still quality) six-inning, two-run mark.
“It felt like my major league debut,” Skubal said afterward. “Kind of same type of vibe in terms of the nerves running through. But I think that’s all good stuff.”
The real story was just how much the Wrigley Field crowd reviled his presence.
For as much excitement bustled through the Dodgers’ home clubhouse pregame –– “It’s just not another game,” Roberts said beforehand –– there was an equal level of disdain from the opposing fans.
So it will go for Skubal and the Dodgers the rest of this year, after the club already labeled as baseball’s biggest villain added the reigning two-time Cy Young Award winner to its star-studded roster.
“I don’t know what to expect,” Skubal said, striking a complementary tone while comparing the atmosphere to a playoff environment. “I’m going to go play baseball, but I’m not going to try and predict the future.”
Skubal stays in rhythm
Tarik Skubal of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches against the Chicago Cubs during the first inning in his Dodgers debut at Wrigley Field on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, in Chicago, Illinois. (2026 Getty Images) Getty Images
Skubal’s day started with routine.
Three hours before first pitch, his 6-foot-3 frame was sprawled out on the floor of Wrigley Field’s visiting clubhouse, with a towel rolled up underneath his legs as he went through a series of stretches.
After that, he walked into a closed-doors game-planning meeting with his new battery mate, and fellow deadline arrival, Ben Rortvedt –– who had only arrived in Chicago on Tuesday morning after being reacquired by the Dodgers on Monday afternoon.
Then, as fans began piling into the ballpark, he emerged on the field to his first chorus of boos, which only grew as he got loose in the outfield before his pregame bullpen session.
“It’s a ton of fun to play in front of crowds like that,” Skubal said. “Even if they’re booing me or whatever it is, I think that’s what makes the game of baseball really fun.”
Indeed, neither Skubal nor the Dodgers will mind such reactions.
It’s all a reminder of the dominance both have displayed even before they united for another World Series push last week.
To Roberts, it’s the way Skubal embraces such moments –– his “intensity” and “compete” –– that has always struck him most about the 29-year-old left-hander anyway.
“I don’t want to say [he is] old school, but it’s a guy who’s just physical and he’s coming after you with electric stuff, high-octane,” Roberts said, later adding: “In between the lines, he’s a dog. Outside the lines, he’s humble, respectful, does and says the right things. That’s what you want. Just fortunate that he’s pitching for us.”
Tarik Skubal of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Ben Rortvedt look on before the game against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, in Chicago, Illinois. (2026 Getty Images) Getty Images
Instead, the most unfortunate part of Tuesday night was the way the rest of team played around its new ace.
In what was a season-high fifth-consecutive loss, the Dodgers managed just four hits, rolled into two double-plays (including one right before Tucker hit a solo blast for their lone run), and watched their slumping bullpen struggle again after Skubal was pulled after only 85 pitches.
“I’m not going to push him every time out,” Roberts said of that decision. “We have a lot of baseball left to play. He’s a guy that we’re all counting on. so I think that I’m going to manage, pick my spots with him.”
Alex Vesia gave up two hits in the seventh that became two runs –– the latter scoring when Evan Phillips replaced him but failed to escape a jam. Recently returned closer Edwin Díaz only got two outs in the eighth, getting the hook from Roberts after allowing a home run, a walk and a single.
That left Skubal saddled with the losing decision in his debut performance.
It also offered a reminder that, for as good as their roster now looks, and as much grief as they will take from the rest of the sport, the Dodgers also aren’t invincible.
“I don’t know the answer of what’s got to give,” Roberts said, with the Dodgers (69-45) now trailing the Milwaukee Brewers for the National League’s top record and holding only a half-game lead on the Atlanta Braves for a top-two seed and first-round playoff bye. “But we got to find a way to win a ball game.”
Really, this is why the team went out and traded for Skubal in the first place; content to rankle opposing fan bases and frustrate rival teams to do everything it can to maximize their three-peat chances.
For Skubal, it creates a new reality.
And he didn’t have to wait long to feel the pressure he’ll now face.
Tarik Skubal pitches in the first inning against the Cubs on Tuesday. (Melissa Tamez / AP)
Southpaw Tarik Skubal’s experience pitching in the Friendly Confines of Wrigley Field came with a hostile reception. Cubs fans booed him as he approached the bullpen gate in right field to warm up before the game. They jeered even louder and longer as he took the mound in the bottom of the first inning.
That’s what came with the “Los Angeles” scrawled across the chest of his new blue jersey. Over the weekend he’d gone from the top trade candidate in baseball, to a symbol of the Dodgers’ evil reign.
A sports betting site even seized on the moment and paid for an airplane to fly a “THE DODGERS RUINED BASEBALL” banner over Wrigley Field a few hours before the game Tuesday — although it was upside down.
As the boos quieted, he authored a quality start in his Dodgers debut. But that wasn’t enough to serve as the team’s new stopper, as the Dodgers’ offense fell flat. They stumbled to a 5-1 loss and extended their skid to a season-high five games and ensured a second straight series loss.
“There’s certainly no panic,” manager Dave Roberts said. “We’ve been through a lot of these things, this core group of guys. I think that you just got to kind of reset, flush it, find a way to win a game, and not let it just compound. But it never feels good to lose.”
The first pitch Skubal threw as a Dodger, en route to holding the Cubs to two runs and four hits in six innings, was a sinker that zipped through the top of the strike zone at 96.3 mph, according to Statcast, to get ahead in the count against Cubs MVP candidate Pete Crow-Armstrong.
For the next four pitches, he alternated between his four-seam fastball and off-speed pitches — first his changeup and then curveball. And to finish off the at-bat, he located a sinker at the bottom of the zone for a called strike three.
It was a strong first impression, and his first strikeout of six.
“Going to bed last night, excited,” Skubal said. “It felt like my major-league debut, kind of same type of vibe in terms of the nerves running through. But I think that’s all good stuff.”
Skubal retired the first six batters he faced, with the help of a sliding catch by center fielder Andy Pages and a diving grab by right fielder Kyle Tucker.
To end the second inning, Skubal got new Cub Tyrone Taylor to chase a changeup just outside. Skubal skipped backward off the mound and buried his fist in the pocket of his glove in celebration.
The next inning, Skubal wavered ever so slightly. He gave up a first-pitch solo home run to Dansby Swanson.
“I think everyone around the league and he himself would say he’s an aggressive pitcher, he comes after you,” Swanson told reporters. “ He likes to get strike one, he likes to get strike two. You’ve just got to be ready to hit pitches he may leave over the plate, and he doesn’t do that very often. He’s been so good for a reason.”
Then, after another sliding catch by Pages and a strikeout, he gave up a single to Crow-Armstrong and walked Seiya Suzuki.
In his first high-pressure situation of the night, Skubal induced Alex Bregman to fly out on a changeup.
Then, he was back to cruising. Skubal put together perfect fourth and fifth innings.
“He creates really tough angles,” said catcher Ben Rortvedt, after his first game since the Dodgers reacquired him at the trade deadline. “Really commands the glove side really well. And his off-speed is really good, his changeup is elite. It’s two fastballs you can put on a dime. It’s just really good stuff.”
In the sixth, an unlucky bounce pushed the go-ahead run across the plate.
With one out, Skubal walked Suzuki on four pitches. Then he missed his spot with a fastball to Bregman, who roped a line drive to deep right field. Tucker tracked it back to the warning track but just missed the catch as he slammed into the wall. The double put runners on second and third.
Skubal held the Cubs at bay for one more batter by getting Michael Busch to skip a groundball to second baseman Tommy Edman, playing on the edge of the infield grass. He fired home for the second out of the inning.
Then came that dose of misfortune. Skubal’s fastball did its job, as the Cubs’ Nico Hoerner drove it into the ground. Bouncing off the plate, the ball shot up in the air, and then it settled in the grass, giving Bregman enough time to score the go-ahead run.
Ian Happ, left, Seiya Suzuki, middle, and Pete Crow-Armstrong run after beating the Dodgers. (Melissa Tamez / AP)
The Wrigley faithful turned up the heat, taunting “Skuuuuubaaaaalll.” They’d done something similar in the National League Division Series last year to Brewers ace Freddy Peralta.
“The fans are what create the environment,” Skubal said. “It’s a ton of fun to play in front of crowds like that. Even if they’re booing me or whatever it is, I think that’s what makes the game of baseball really fun, the competition really fun, and the atmosphere is really fun. I’m sure that’s not going to be the only rowdy atmosphere on the road. I plan on pitching in front of those atmospheres for the rest of the season, and then obviously, when it comes postseason time, I’ll be ready to go.”
Skubal bore down and got out of the inning with a flyout from Taylor. That changeup, designed to get him to chase, wrapped up Skubal’s outing at 85 pitches.
“For me, I want him wanting for more, feeling good,” Roberts said. “This is me still learning him. Where we’re at, I’m going to err on the side of being smart and cautious, and knowing that he can still give us more. I’m going to push him, but tonight is not the night. I just felt that that extra inning wasn’t worth the squeeze.”
When Skubal walked off the mound, his team trailed 2-1, their only run a solo homer from Tucker, who’d been booed throughout his first series back at Wrigley since departing the Cubs in free agency.
The Cubs, on the other hand, continued to rally against the Dodgers’ bullpen.
“Just a rut,” veteran leader Mookie Betts said after the loss. “It’s OK. We’re going to be OK.”
Nate Lavender's journey to the major leagues has been nothing but a rollercoaster.
The left-hander was drafted by the Mets in the 14th round of the 2021 MLB Draft and pitched his way up to Triple-A in 2023 and into the 2024 season. However, Lavender suffered an elbow injury that required an internal brace procedure in May of 2024, as he missed the remainder of the year. He was then selected by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 2024 Rule 5 Draft, but remained out all of the 2025 season while recovering from surgery and was eventually returned to the Mets in November 2025 after being released by the Rays.
Since being back in New York's system this year, the 26-year-old has pitched in three minor league levels, including 25 appearances with Triple-A Syracuse. With all of the team's moves at the trade deadline on Monday, Lavender got the long-awaited call and met the team in Cleveland for Tuesday night's game against the Guardians.
His debut came in the seventh inning as he was thrust into a tough spot with two runners on two outs. Lavender battled against former No. 1 pick Travis Bazzana and struck him out looking to hold onto the 5-2 lead. He kept it going in the eighth inning with a quick 1-2-3 frame, giving the team what interim manager Andy Green described as much-needed energy for a group with lots of new faces in the clubhouse.
“I think what really energizes a group of guys is having a guy make a debut, come in and get a huge out in a tough situation against a very good hitter. And then go back out there and throw really well the next inning," Green said. "I thought the dugout was as alive in that Nate Lavender punch-out as it’s been in some time. And I think that really, hopefully, is a catalyst for us to bring some energy with these new guys we got here.
"And we saw a bunch of guys in different roles, they were pitching in tough situations. They did a great job, so I think everyone took some juice from that.”
After waiting years, changing teams, and battling through injuries, Lavender called his debut outing an "unbelievable" experience. Overall, he tossed 1.1 scoreless innings with a strikeout and a walk.
“Unbelievable, unbelievable," Lavender said. "I think you briefly touched on it, even though you just said that, it’s been a long journey. Drafted here in ‘21, in the system, spent some time in Tampa, dealt with some injuries and stuff. All of that doesn’t matter. It’s part of the journey and it feels absolutely unbelievable, man.”
Nate Lavender says it felt "unbelievable" to be able to make his big-league debut tonight pic.twitter.com/PVzhpXpVec
Green also highlighted Lavender's poise in the high-leverage situation, noting that the team can't afford to ease new players in and that he stepped up to the challenge.
“The same heartbeat we’ve always seen from him," Green said. "I think that you, especially in relievers, have to be able to trust the heartbeat. And he was able to slow that game down. That was a big punch-out with two guys on. He just walked off the mound like he’d been doing it for a long time. I tried to tell him as quickly as possible he was going back out. There’s a lot of guys that will mentally shut down and call that a debut.
"We didn’t soft-serve him at all. I just don’t think there’s a good way to do that with the group we have right now, we got to pitch them as they are. He did a great job in a pocket he should excel in; he did.”
Green added: “No change in demeanor, completely calm, completely fine. Walked through, shook the hands with teammates. Saw him sit down on the bench and lock back in like he’s done a thousand times.”
Lavender later told reporters how his family traveled from Syracuse to Cleveland by train and made it there around 5 a.m. He thanked everyone in his life for support throughout his journey, helping him stay focused and positive at all times.
“Spending two years on the shelf is a lot of ups and downs," Lavender said. "Obviously the first Tommy John at the beginning of ‘24, nobody likes it. You rehab, you keep going, and then bang, another surgery. I was talking to my wife the other day, some of my friends too, you have to enjoy the small moments. If I can’t throw in a game, I can go attack this throwing program just exactly like I would with same mentality. Obviously my family, too. My wife, Emma, is absolutely amazing, really encouraging.
"That’s sort of how I’ve attacked the last couple of years. Now we’re here.”
The Mets will need that energy and mindset down the stretch of the 2026 season, and the lefty hopes to keep his story going by continuing to help the team any way possible.
“Just want to keep rolling, keep contributing, and keep winning ballgames, man. Let’s keep cruising.”
Aug 4, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox third baseman Caleb Durbin (5) hits a grand slam against the Chicago White Sox in the first inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
What can you even say at this point? Normally, I love doing a big, deep dive analysis in these game recaps, but tonight we’re going straight to the highlights because this was a complete ass-whipping and doesn’t need any further introduction.
So here we go, starting with the Willson Contreras single that got things started in the first.
Jarren Duran then immediately added another homer for good measure. (Random side note: He looked very relaxed tonight, and it wouldn’t shock me if he feels relief after not being traded. Something to watch if he starts heating up out of nowhere.)
From there, the most notable additional swings came off the bat of Wilyer Abreu. Specifically, he blasted a pair of bombs to deep centerfield in the fifth an eighth inning that went a combined 849 feet. Here are those highlights:
And all that completely omits the sixth inning, in which the Red Sox put up another six-spot to match the first inning. Here’s my favorite highlight from that rally (I always love when balls rattle around in the garage door)
Again, there’s not much to add to this one in terms of situational analysis. If you REALLY want to get picky (and my cynical ass does), you could try and nitpick Patrick Sandoval for not throwing enough strikes (he walked four guys and only threw 56 percent of his pitches for strikes), but he still managed to make it through five innings and not force the bullpen to cover too much ground.
This biggest thing to take away from this game is the same thing we should be taking away from the entire hot streak. Just enjoy it! What we’re witnessing here is something you may never see again. This team was dead in the water 14 games under .500, and now they’re ten games over at 61-51 with a boatload of talent still sitting on the IL and look like a bigger juggernaut by the day. Like, what? I’ve watched every single game of this turnaround, and I still can’t believe or explain it.
Nothing makes sense right now, and that’s a major reason why it’s so awesome. This is the type of run you tell future generations about, so soak it in as much as you can. THIS is the good stuff!
Three (Group) Studs
You could have about ten studs in this game, so let’s cheat and put them in three groups.
The guys who went deep: Caleb Durbin (grand slam), Wilyer Abreu (two bombs), and Jarren Duran (still alive).
The guys who hit with runners in scoring position: The team went 8-12 with runners in scoring position, and seven different guys had at least one run RBI. Ceddanne Rafaela, Masataka Yoshida, Willson Contreras, and Andruw Monasterio all knocked in runs without going deep.
The notable relievers: Erik Miller made a successful Red Sox debut striking out Tristan Peters to end the sixth (Chad Tracy called it a “soft landing” in the postgame), and then Brayan Bello threw three scoreless innings to close things out. For Bello, this both kept all the other high leverage relivers rested, and also sustained sub 1.00 ERA out of the bullpen. (Another thing that doesn’t make any sense, but we’re just gonna stick with because it’s working insanely well.)
Two Duds
Connor Wong: An 0-4 night at the plate and the only Sox starter without a knock. There’s a reason this team traded for Adley Rutschman (who was in the dugout chatting it up with multiple starters tonight).
The challengers: Both teams burned both of their challenges by the sixth inning. Home plate umpire Brennan Miller was on his game tonight, and if this thing was remotely close, he would’ve had all the high leverage calls to himself.
Play of the game:
It’s Durbin’s grand slam. Might as well watch it again. This freaking team man. I’m speechless!
Aug 4, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals second baseman Michael Massey (19) hits an RBI double during the first inning against the Minnesota Twins at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Royals got on the board first tonight against Joe Ryan. A pair of singles followed by a sac-fly RBI by Salvador Perez got the job done. Then, Michael Massey ripped a double to left-center to make it 2-0, Royals.
The Twins, who struggled against Randy Dobnak the last time they faced him, continued those struggles tonight. They finally got a run in the 4th inning after loading the bases with 1-out, on an Alan Roden sac-fly. Luke Keaschall would ground out to end the threat, however.
In the bottom of the 5th, the Royals, with the help of bad Twins defense, put together a 3-run inning. With 1 out, they got a single and a walk, then Bobby Witt Jr. doubled, scoring two. Witt would move to 3rd as Ryan Kreidler’s throw home sailed over Ryan Jeffers’ head. Witt then scored on the next at bat, on a grounder to 1st, beating the throw home by Royce Lewis. That gave the Royals a 5-1 lead.
It was a third rough start in a row by Joe Ryan, who exited after getting 1 out in the 6th and walking Isaac Collins. His final line was: 5.1 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 3 K. His stuff just doesn’t seem to be getting him enough strikeouts lately. Kody Funderburk did a good job, cleaning up the 6th inning and tossing a clean 7th as well.
In the top of the 8th, finally working against the Royals bullpen, Josh Bell made some noise with a leadoff solo homer, his 14th of the year. Alas, no rally was sparked by this rally killer.
Travis Adams was tasked with the 8th inning. Perez doubled, then, after a fly out, Nick Loftin walked. Then Collins grounded out to 3B. Taylor Rogers entered, the Royals countered with pinch hitter Starling Marte, who hit a 2-run double to center. Then Kyle Isbel hit an RBI single to make it an 8-2 game, and that was the final. Another disappointing game for a team that bought at the deadline.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 04: Kyle Tucker #23 of the Los Angeles Dodgers can't catch a ball hit for a double by Alex Bregman #3 of the Chicago Cubs (not pictured) during the sixth inning at Wrigley Field on August 04, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Tarik Skubal had a perfectly fine Dodgers debut with six strikeouts in six strong innings. But the Dodgers couldn’t score much at all, while the Cubs offense did just enough off Skubal then teed off on the bullpen in a 5-1 win at Wrigley Field, the season-worst fifth straight loss for the Dodgers.
Skubal allowed a home run to Dansby Swanson in the third inning, his only hit allowed the first time through the order. He struck out six, finishing off two of them with changeups, two more with four-seam fastballs, and one each with his sinker and curveball.
Dodgers defenders made several sharp plays behind Skubal, including two sliding catches in the outfield by Andy Pages and one by Kyle Tucker through the first three innings.
But in the sixth inning, a fly ball to deep right field by Alex Bregman that Tucker appeared to have a beat on simply dropped behind him for a double instead of an out. That put two runners in scoring position with one out. Tommy Edman with the infield in snagged a grounder and threw home to prevent a run from scoring, but a Baltimore chop in the infield into no-man’s land behind the mound to second base fell for a Nico Horner single to score the go-ahead run.
Skubal was only at 85 pitches through six innings, but that was it for him, albeit after a stressful sixth inning, even with the bottom of the Cubs order due up in the seventh.
Alex Vesia allowed a double and single to his three batters faced, allowing two insurance runs in that seventh inning that essentially put the game away given how the Dodgers offense was going on Tuesday.
Hoerner homered in the eighth inning off Edwin Díaz — pitching while down three runs just to get some work after the last four days off, and also allowed a walk and single.
Dodgers relievers allowed five hits and a walk while recording six outs, matching the Dodgers reaching base on offense in nine innings.
Home on the road
It’s been a trying season for Tucker, who has struggled two thirds into his first season with the Dodgers, and even heard boos on Tuesday in his first game back in Chicago since playing for the Cubs last year. Things are going so poorly that Tucker even took an accidental throw from catcher Miguel Amaya off the helmet while standing in the batters box on Tuesday.
But Tucker silenced the boos momentarily with a home run in the second inning to open the scoring.
Eight of Tucker’s 10 home runs have been hit on the road, where he’s hitting .277/.377/.461, compared to just .209/.302/.300 at Dodger Stadium. His 126 wRC+ away from home entering Tuesday was more in line with Tucker’s overall career 133 wRC+.
Hit to left center, it was the only home run this season that Tucker didn’t pull.
Tucker also singled, giving him two hits in the series, and consecutive multi-hit games for the first time since April 3-4 in Washington D.C.
Catcher if you can
Ben Rortvedt started and caught the first seven innings, and fellow Tuesday addition Hunter Feduccia caught the eighth inning. That gave the Dodgers six different catchers used this season, matching 1976 as the most backstops in a season since moving to Los Angeles in 1958.
The Dodgers in 1976 saw Steve Yeager start 108 games behind the plate, Ellie Rodriguez start 21 games, Kevin Pasley 20, Joe Ferguson 12, and Ted Sizemore once, in addition to Sergio Robles catching 16 innings over six games in reserve.
The series finale at Wrigley Fields is back under the Chicago sun on Wednesday (11:20 a.m. PT; SportsNet LA, MLB Network). Eric Lauer takes the ball on getaway day, with fellow southpaw Shota Imanaga pitching for Chicago.
Jacob, the little brother of George Lombard Jr., hit his first professional home run.
It seems baseball has a new set of bash brothers.
Minutes before George Lombard Jr. endeared himself to Yankees fans with a home run in his first MLB game Tuesday night against the Cardinals, younger brother Jacob Lombard also made a strong impression in his professional debut.
Jacob, a fellow shortstop who was drafted 14th overall by the Marlins last month, homered in his second at-bat with the Jupiter Hammerheads, Miami’s Single-A affiliate.
George Lombard Jr.’s brother, Jacob, homered in his professional debut on Tuesday, moments before George did the same with the Yankees. MLB
After walking in his first career plate appearance, Jacob led off the top of the third inning versus Palm Beach Cardinals’ right-handed pitcher Peyton Graham, taking a 1-0 slider deep to left field.
Moments later, George took an 0-2 sweeper from St. Louis right-hander Hunter Dobbins deep to left field.
Yankees’ George Lombard Jr. (96) blasts a home run during the fifth inning of his major league debut against the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, at Yankee Stadium in The Bronx, NY. Robert Sabo for NY Post
Not only did the brothers homer to left field in their respective debuts, while facing a team named the Cardinals, but their bombs were nearly identical.
Jacob’s blast had an exit velocity of 99.9 mph with a 33-degree launch angle while George’s left the bat at 100.2 mph — also with a 33-degree launch angle.
“It’s hard to put into words,” Jacob told FishOnFirst’s Nate Karzmer after the game. “That’s pretty ridiculous, I’m jaw-dropped. I don’t even know how it’s possible.”
It capped off a banner night for the Lombard family as Tigers coach George Lombard Sr. and his wife, Judy Lombard, were in attendance in The Bronx to see their son’s memorable debut.
But, if not for George’s late-night call-up on Monday night, they would have been in Florida to see Jacob also go deep in his debut.
“The family was planning on going to watch Jacob down in Jupiter,” Lombard Jr. told reporters at Yankee Stadium. “But my brother was like, ‘You gotta go up there.’
“So plans kind of changed.”
Judy Lombard revealed during a YES Network interview that she had just “bought my tickets” for Jacob’s debut before learning her son, ranked by MLB Pipeline as the Yankees’ top prospect, was getting called up to The Show.
Jacob Lombard was drafted 14th overall by the Marlins last month. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Lombard Jr.’s home run, and some spectacular defensive plays at shortstop, powered the Yankees’ 2-0 win against the Cardinals.
The younger Lombard finished 1-for-4 with the homer as Jupiter won 6-3.
“You don’t ever get these days back,” Lombard Sr. said from his seat in Yankee Stadium. “This was as emotional as any day we’ve had with our boys.”
Roch Cholowsky's road to Chicago is officially underway. | (Matt Marton/IMAGN IMAGES)
It’s go time for Roch Cholowsky.
After being selected first overall by the White Sox, Cholowsky officially began his professional career with Winston-Salem on Tuesday night. He started at shortstop and batted second for the Dash, reaching base once via a walk in five plate appearances. It wasn’t much, but there were definitely some positive signs for the 21-year-old in his affiliate debut.
Since Chicago selected Cholowsky in the MLB draft back on July 11, it’s been a whirlwind month for the No. 1 pick. Cholowsky spent a week in the organization’s draft-eligible athletes camp in Charlotte before spending two weeks in Arizona working out and playing in Bridge League games, where he hit his first career pro home run on Saturday.
Roch Cholowsky’s FIRST bridge league homer 💪
The first overall pick in the 2026 draft ranks No. 1 in the White Sox system + No. 5 in our Top 100 📈
His performance on the field has drawn rave reviews, and the same can be said for what he’s done away from the ballpark.
Reports from inside the organization describe Cholowsky as every bit as impressive in the clubhouse as he is between the lines. He welcomed his fellow draftees to his Arizona home and even treated all 25 of them to a steak dinner. White Sox director of hitting Ryan Fuller recently said Cholowsky has a natural presence about him, and by all accounts, he has quickly earned the respect of teammates and coaches alike. As Chris Getz and the front office continue emphasizing culture throughout the organization, those leadership qualities may prove nearly as valuable as his considerable talent.
As for the debut itself, the nerves were understandable.
Cholowsky’s first professional at-bat lasted just three pitches, ending with a strikeout.
His second trip to the plate was a much better representation of the hitter the White Sox believe they drafted. With runners on first and second and one out, he patiently worked the count to 3-0, fouled off the fourth pitch with an exit velocity of 111 mph, then rolled a grounder to second on the fifth pitch. While it went into the books as an out, the quality of the at-bat was encouraging, especially after making such a quick adjustment from his first plate appearance.
He reached base for the first time as a professional in his third at-bat, drawing a six-pitch walk with a little help from a generous strike zone. In the seventh inning, he jumped on the first pitch he saw and flew out to center.
With the game tied, 2-2, in the bottom of the ninth, Winston-Salem had a chance to walk it off. With Kaleb Freeman on first with two outs, Cholowsky stepped to the plate looking for a storybook ending. Instead, he fouled off the first two pitches before striking out swinging to end the frame and push the contest to extras.
It wasn’t the dream debut every No. 1 overall pick imagines, but one night is not going to define Cholowsky’s career. If anything, Tuesday simply marked the beginning. Over the next five weeks, White Sox fans will get their first extended look at one of Chicago’s brightest young talents, and there should be plenty of memorable moments still to come.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 24: Blake Snell #24 of the Oklahoma City Comets pitches during the second inning of a rehab assignment against the Sacramento River Cats at Sutter Health Park on July 24, 2026 in Sacramento, California (Photo by Scott Marshall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Blake Snell took another step toward rejoining the Dodgers starting rotation on Tuesday night, pitching 3 2/3 innings in his fourth and potentially final minor league rehab start, this time for Triple-A Oklahoma City on the road to face the Salt Lake Bees, and Angels affiliate.
This was a labored effort for Snell, who allowed a leadoff home run, one of two longballs he gave up on Tuesday. Snell also walked four. That drove up Snell’s pitch count to 73 in 3 2/3 innings in a start the Dodgers hoped to see Snell complete five innings.
Prior to Tuesday, Snell had excellent control on this rehab assignment, walking only one of his 29 batters faced in his first three starts, the free pass coming on July 18 for Oklahoma City in Tacoma.
Snell just four pitches into the game, after the leadoff home run by Kyren Paris, had issue with the landing spot for his front foot on the mound. The grounds crew fixed the dirt and he didn’t appear to have any problems with his delivery after that, though he did walk the aforementioned four batters after that happened.
A 27-pitch second inning didn’t help Snell’s effort to pitch deeper into the game. Two of his three strikeouts came in the fourth inning, his final frame.
Whether this was enough for the Dodgers to activate Snell next week or if he gets another rehab start remains to be seen.
ANAHEIM, CA - JULY 27: Los Angeles Angels pitcher Ryan Zeferjahn (56) pitching during an MLB baseball game against the Houston Astros played on July 27, 2026 at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, CA. (Photo by John Cordes/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Welcome back to BCB After Dark: the coolest spot for night owls, early risers, new parents and Cubs fans abroad. Come one in and cool off with us. We’ve always got room for a friendly face. There’s no cover charge. The dress code is casual. The hostess will seat you now. Bring your own beverage.
BCB After Dark is the place for you to talk baseball, music, movies, or anything else you need to get off your chest, as long as it is within the rules of the site. The late-nighters are encouraged to get the party started, but everyone else is invited to join in as you wake up the next morning and into the afternoon.
Sorry we were closed last night, but it was kind of a hectic day around here. We warned you that might happen.
On Tuesday nights, I don’t do a movie piece. But I always have time for jazz, so let’s take a break for that now.
Tonight we’re featuring Jamaican pianist Monty Alexander performing one of the greatest Jamaican songs of all time, Bob Marley’s “No Woman, No Cry.”
Welcome back to everyone who skips the music.
I can’t stop thinking about the Cubs’ newest reliever, Ryan Zeferjahn. I think the Cubs traded for a player just before he’s about to explode and I was wondering if you feel the same.
I have to admit that I was only slightly familiar with Zeferjahn before yesterday. I’d seen him pitch once or twice and I knew he had nasty stuff, but that he also struggled with control. But I believe there are reasons to think that Zeferjahn has turned a corner this year towards becoming an elite closer.
Zeferjahn has always thrown hard and his four-seam fastball still averages over 97 miles per hour. He’s also got a sinker with little more movement on it that comes in at 96 mph.
But Zeferjahn’s big pitch is his hard-breaking sweeper, that is absolutely filthy. It has an outstanding 14.8 inches of break and 5.8 inches of “rise.” Since last year, he’s added about two miles per hour, from 83 mph to 85, and is commanding it much better. It’s also become his primary pitch, with him throwing it 37 percent of the time.
One other thing that Zeferjahn has done this year is junk is cutter, which he no longer throws. It wasn’t a good pitch and he didn’t command it well.
Here’s 90-seconds of highlights of Zeferjahn. They’re all good, but the first 45 seconds are from previous seasons and the second half are from this year. If you notice, this year’s pitches are tighter and appear much closer to the strike zone.
This year, Zeferjahn is 4-3 with four saves and a 3.66 ERA. He’s struck out a whopping 75 batters in just 51.2 innings. That’s a 33.5 strikeout percentage. Opposing hitters manage just a .163 batting average against Zeferjahn this year.
But what about the walks? Yeah, Zeferjahn has walked too many batters. Control has been an issue. In those 51.2 innings, he’s walked 32, which is a poor 14.3 percent.
But lets look at what Zeferjahn has done month to month
March/April: 30.0 K%. 11.4 BB%.
May: 20.4 K%. 20.4 BB%.
June: 41.8 K%. 21.8 BB%.
July: 39.5 K% 4.7 BB%.
Look at those July numbers. Small sample size, but that’s beyond elite. He’s also struck out four and walked no one in 1.2 innings in August.
So how does that translate to results:
March/April: 5.51 ERA. 2.36 FIP
May: 6.75 ERA. 9.63 FIP.
June: 0.66 ERA. 2.37 FIP
July: 2.53 ERA. 3.47 FIP
August is -1.70 FIP but it’s five batters.
So all of this is a small sample size, but Zeferjahn look to me like a very good but not quite elite reliever in the second half. The stuff is there for him to take it to that elite level as well.
It’s not just me who thinks this. See what MLB dot com’s stat guy Mike Petriello said about him today.
Writing about Ryan Zeferjahn and I cannot believe how many times I am referencing Mason Miller and Jacob Misiorowski here
So tonight’s question is will Zeferjahn be the Cubs primary closer the rest of the season? We all know that the Cubs have been going with matchups in the ninth inning since Daniel Palencia got injured, but that’s out of necessity rather than a plan. The Cubs don’t have a shutdown guy in the ninth. Unless Zeferjahn is that guy.
Since the middle of June, Zeferjahn had been getting a lot more opportunities close out games in Anaheim. Now he only has four saves because how many save opportunities do the Angels get? But Fangraphs has Zeferjahn giving up a .108 batting average and a 549 OPS in “high leverage” situations this year.
So are you as enthusiastic about Ryan Zeferjahn as I am? Do you think he’ll get the majority of saves through the rest of the season?
Thanks for stopping by. It’s always good to see a friendly face. Get home safely. We need you around in October. Recycle any cans and bottles. Tip your waitstaff. And join us again tomorrow night for more BCB After Dark.
