Category: Baseball

It’s almost fitting that I write today’s recap of the action in the Atlanta Braves minor league system on the day when the first prospect I began to follow gets inducted into the Hall of Fame in Andruw Jones. It was an interesting day in the Braves system as Ronald Acuna Jr. was among three guys rehabbing in Gwinnett while Owen Murphy pitched in part of a combined shutout. Brett Sears, Cam Caminiti, and Zach Royse all made strong starts, Conor Essenburg had a huge evening that included his 10th homer, Andrew McCutchen had a couple of extra base hits, and both Tate Southisene and John Gil stood out during their doubleheader.

Gwinnett Stripers 8, Iowa Cubs 0

Box Score

Statcast

• Ronald Acuna Jr., RF: 1-3, BB, .263/.375/.263
• Ha-Seong Kim, SS: 1-4, 2B, R, 2 RBI, .256/.360/.372
• Sean Murphy, C: 0-3, BB
• Owen Murphy, SP: 3.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K, 3.66 ERA
• Lucas Braun, RP: 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 3.82 ERA

The first game of the doubleheader saw three prospects combine on a shutout of Iowa. Owen Murphy started and allowed three hits and a walk over three and two thirds, striking out five and getting 11 whiffs on 71 pitches. Hayden Harris came in for the final out of the fourth inning and picked up a strikeout. Lucas Braun went the final three innings to pick up the win, allowing one hit and one walk – though he had just one strikeout and two whiffs on 47 pitches.

Perhaps a story just as big was that three key players in the Braves lineup were here rehabbing. Ronald Acuna Jr. was one for three with a walk while playing right field. At shortstop Ha-Seong Kim doubled, scored a run, and batted in two in his four at bats. Finally Sean Murphy caught and was hitless in three at bats, though he did draw a walk. The offensive star was Luke Williams, who was three for three with a pair of doubles, two runs scored, and two batted in plus two steals. Carlos Santana also had a two-hit game and even stole a base, while Andrew McCutchen had one hit. Cal Conley (double, walk) and Aaron Schunk (two walks) also reached base multiple times in the win.

Gwinnett Stripers 5, Iowa Cubs 3

Box Score

Statcast

• Carlos Santana, DH: 1-3, HR, R, 2 RBI, .306/.419/.472
• Andrew McCutchen, LF: 2-3, HR, 2B, R, RBI, .313/.313/.563
• Patrick Clohisy, CF: 1-3, 2B, BB, R, .500/.538/.889
• Cedric De Grandpre, SP: 4 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, 6.75 ERA

The second game of the doubleheader saw Cedric De Grandpre start and go four innings. Cedric allowed three runs on three hits and three walks, striking out four and whiffing five. The game started out better for him than the line would indicate, as a three-run third inning hurt his final numbers – though he did get saved from giving up another run in the fourth after a leadoff double by having a runner thrown out at the plate. Scoreless innings from Austin Gomber, Blake Burkhalter, and Ian Hamilton finished off this game, with Burkhalter picking up the win and Hamilton the save.

In the second game the three rehabbing players sat out, but the two former big league All Stars continued to have big days. After a hit in the first game, Andrew McCutchen homered and doubled, while Carlos Santana followed up his two-hit game with a homer. Patrick Clohisy also continued his red hot 10 game stretch to start out his time in Gwinnett by doubling and walking in four trips to the plate. Rowdy Tellez also had a two-hit game that included a double in the win.

Pensacola Blue Wahoos 2, Columbus Clingstones0

Box Score

• Dalton McIntyre, CF: 1-3, HBP, .250/.365/.361
• Ambioris Tavarez, 2B: 1-3, .186/.299/.332
• Brett Sears, SP: 7 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 7 K, 4.00 ERA

Brett Sears pitched a gem, unfortunately he made two mistakes – and those mistakes got punished. Sears went seven innings, allowing just five hits and one walk as he struck out seven and whiffed 13. Unfortunately two of those hits were solo homers, including one to Brandon Compton – a Top 50 pick from last year’s draft who had already hit 10 homers in his first 19 games at Double-A. Luis Vargas pitched a scoreless eighth inning and picked up a pair of strikeouts along with four whiffs.

Also unfortunate for Sears was the fact the offense completely failed to show up. Dalton McIntyre singled and got hit by a pitch in his four plate appearances and Ambioris Tavarez had a single. That was it. Columbus managed just two singles and a hit by pitch as their only base runners in this loss against three different Pensacola pitchers – none of whom had an ERA under 4.08, and two of them had ERA’s above 5.80.

Rome Emperors 10, Frederick Keys 1

Box Score

• Tate Southisene, SS: 2-3, BB, 2 R, RBI, SB, .255/.385/.438
• Eric Hartman, CF: 1-3, BB, 2 R, .270/.358/.522
• Owen Carey: 1-2, 3B, BB, 2 R, RBI, .274/.342/.463
• Zach Royse, SP: 6 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, 4.68 ERA

Zach Royse started and went six very strong innings, allowing a run on five hits and two walks. Royse also struck out five, while whiffing 11 in his 93 pitch outing in the first half of a doubleheader. Justin Long came in for the final inning, and pitched a scoreless inning with a strikeout while walking one hitter in the process.

The offense had a big day, and to no one’s surprise the prospects led the way. Tate Southisene had two hits and a walk in four plate appearances, scoring two runs, batting in one, and stealing a base as he brings his Rome OPS up to .823. Eric Hartman walked and singled in four trips to the plate, scoring two runs, while Owen Carey walked and tripled in three trips, scoring twice and batting in one. John Gil reached with a walk, Dixon Williams had two walks and two steals, while Mason Guerra added a pair of singles in the win.

Frederick Keys 3, Rome Emperors 2

Box Score

• John Gil, 2B: 1-3, 2B, BB, R, RBI, SB, .241/.338/.374
• Dixon Williams, CF: 2-3, BB, SB, .215/.329/.408
• Tate Southisene: 1-4, R, .255/.382/.433
• Cam Caminiti, SP: 5 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 5 K, 4.11 ERA

This is a good example of the boxscore not telling the whole story, especially for Cam Caminiti. Caminiti had a very solid line, but he actually hadn’t allowed a hit or run through four innings – only to give up three hits and a pair of runs in his fifth and final inning. He finished with two runs allowed on three hits and a walk over five innings, with five strikeouts and nine whiffs, but looked especially strong until the end. Jacob Shafer followed with two scoreless innings, though he did get into a little trouble in each of those innings only to get out of it. Mathieu Curtis pitched the eighth inning and did allow the extra inning ghost runner to score, which gave him the loss.

This game was a tale of base running mistakes, as Rome had three runners thrown out on the bases fairly early in this game. Dixon Williams had the most notable game, going two for three plus a walk and a stolen base, while playing in center defensively. John Gil also had an impact in this one, going one for three with an impressive double, walked, stole a base, scored a run, and batted one in. Tate Southisene had a single in four at bats and scored a run, while Eric Hartman had a walk in four plate appearances and Owen Carey failed to reach base in his four trips. Mason Guerra also doubled and walked in the loss.

On the day Southisene was three for seven with a walk, Hartman went one for six with a pair of walks, Carey was one for six with a triple and a walk, and Gil was one for six with a double and a pair of walks.

Augusta GreenJackets 6, Salem RidgeYaks 4

Box Score

• Luis Guanipa, CF: 2-5, BB, R, 2 RBI, .298/.353/.454
• Conor Essenburg, RF: 3-6, HR, R, 3 RBI, SB, .259/.401/.478
• Nick Montgomery, C: 1-3, 2 BB, .191/.331/.365
• Derek Vartanian, SP: 6 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 3.89 ERA
• Daniel Brooks, RP: 2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, 1.35 ERA

Derek Vartanian started and went six quality innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on eight hits and one walk as he struck out three with 14 whiffs. Styven Paez followed with two scoreless innings, which included two strikeouts and seven whiffs. Daniel Brooks pitched the next two innings, allowing only the inherited ghost runner in the 10th to score, and struck out three with six whiffs. Combined the trio allowed just two earned runs on 11 hits, one walk, eight strikeouts, and 27 whiffs.

Conor Essenburg led the way offensively, going three for six with his 10th homer of the season plus a stolen base. With this game he brings his OBP back over .400 for his time in Augusta, showing an even more advanced approach than we had expected for a player who only focused on hitting full time within the last year. Luis Guanipa also had a multi-hit game, going two for five with a walk, run scored, and two batted in, while Nick Montgomery had a single and two walks in five trips to the plate. Hayden Friese also played a big part as he hit his second homer of the season and drew a walk. They weren’t the only GreenJackets to reach multiple times, as Caden Merritt had a two-hit day, while Cooper McMurray had two walks. Among the other prospects Alex Lodise drew a walk during his five plate appearances, while Cody Miller doubled in his five trips to the dish.

DSL Astros Orange 7, DSL Braves 3

Box Score

• Edelson Cabral, 3B: 1-2, 2 BB, RBI, .291/.422/.410
• Elioberto Mondesir, LF: 1-3, R, .236/.368/.306
• Martires Polance, SP: 2.1 IP, 3 H, 6 ER, 3 BB, 3 K, 3.51 ERA

Martires Polanco turned in his worst start of the season in his seventh start, allowing six runs on three hits and three walks over two and a third innings. His ERA jumped nearly two runs from 1.54 to 3.51, while the WHIP went from 1.11 to 1.25 in this outing. Darren Pereira allowed the other run to score during his third of an inning, while Josue Castro, Abraham Prado, and Yostin Pinales each had scoreless outings – one inning apiece for Prado and Pinales, with Castro going one and a third.

The offense didn’t do a ton, outside of Edelson Cabral that is. Cabral reached base three times in four trips to the plate, walking twice, hitting a single, and batting in a run. Catcher Angelo Neira was the only other player to reach base multiple times, as he walked and singled in three plate appearances and also added a stolen base. Elioberto Mondesir, Luis Consoro, and Jose Nelo singles accounted for the remainder of the base runners for the Braves in this loss.

Columbus Clippers 1, St. Paul Saints 2

Clippers fall to 52-48

Columbus wasted a spectacular pitching performance from Yorman Gomez. Gomez tossed 5.1 shutout innings of three-hit ball with three strikeouts and two walks.

Jake Miller followed by allowing two runs on a pair of solo home runs in 1.2 innings. Carlos Hernandez finished off the game with a scoreless frame.

It was a rough day offensively. The lone run was courtesy of Kody Huff, who went 1-for-2 with a home run and a walk. No one else reached base twice or had an extra base hit.

Akron RubberDucks 4, Altoona Curve 3

RubberDucks improve to 44-50

Hello Nolan Schubart! The mammoth three-true-outcome slugger has been a revelation this season. Schubart started Saturday 0-for-3 and it looked like his 49-game on-base streak was in peril, but then he walked in the eighth inning and then hit the walk-off winner in the bottom of the ninth as Akron rallied to defeat Altoona.

Since being promoted to Double-A, Schubart is hitting .320 with a 1.020 OPS. Incredible.

Also impressing was Ryan Cesarini, who went 2-for-4 with a double, a stolen base and an RBI. Cesarini also is hitting .300 since being promoted to Double-A. Tyresse Turner went 1-for-2 with two walks and a stolen base while Jaison Chourio walked twice and stole a base.

Starting pitcher Braylon Doughty was OK, allowing three runs on four hits in 4.2 innings. He walked one and struck out four.

The bullpen was spectacular as Carter Rustad pitched 2.1 hitless innings and Izaak Martinez followed with 2.0 scoreless innings and three strikeouts to earn the win.

Lake County Captains 4, Fort Wayne TinCaps 14

Captains fall to 52-39

Ugly loss alert. The bats for the most part were silent for Lake County on Saturday. Jonah Advincula went 2-for-4 with a triple and a hit by pitch, Anthony Martinez went 2-for-5 with a double and Juneiker Caceres went 1-for-4 with a walk. Logun Clark also walked and was hit by a pitch.

No one else reached base safely twice.

This loss can be pinned on a horrific performance from a rehabbing Ben Lively. Lively, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery, allowed a whopping eight runs on seven hits and one walk in just one inning, good for a 72.00 ERA.

A lone bright spot for pitching was Jackson Humphries, who allowed one earned run in 3.1 innings while striking out eight and walking zero, although he did give up six hits in the process. Conner Zsak also pitched 1.2 scoreless innings of relief.

Hill City Howlers 8, Delmarva Shorebirds 4

Hillcats improve to 41-54

I think it’s time to take catching prospect Reiner Herrera a little more seriously.

After blasting 11 home runs in the Arizona Complex League this summer, he was promoted to Single-A Hill City, where he has now homered four more times in 15 games. Herrera launched a two-run homer Saturday and also had three more runs batted in, going 2-for-5 with five RBIs. He has a .908 OPS since being promoted in what has been a breakout campaign for the 20-year-old Venezuelan.

Fellow catcher Cannon Peebles (my god I love that name) also had a big day, going 2-for-3 with a double and a walk.

Jonathan Martinez went 1-for-2 with two walks and a stolen base while Dauri Fernandez singled, walked and stole a base. Jhorvic Abreus doubled and walked while Yerlin Luis walked twice.

Starting pitcher Ryan DeSanto put up a quality start, allowing three runs on five hits in 6.1 innings with five strikeouts and a walk.

Keegan Zinn added 1.2 scoreless frames and Conner Whittaker allowed one run in the ninth.

The Yankees have a good start to their road trip building, taking the first two games in Philadelphia thanks to some solid pitching performances and just enough offense to get by. This time it was Ryan Weathers’ turn to keep the ball rolling and he did just that, tossing 5.2 innings with just a lone run on his record while striking out seven. Austin Wells and Jasson Domínguez, two of the more maligned bats in the lineup, contributed solo homers to take the lead for good and the back of the bullpen continued their dominant run shutting the door down on any potential comeback. There was a full slate of competition going on around them, so lets see if the Yankees managed to gain any ground.

Tampa Bay Rays (61-43) 3, Cleveland Guardians (54-52) 0

Tampa Bay threatened early and often against Tanner Bibee, but it took until the fifth inning before they got on the scoreboard. The offense collected a hit in every single inning that the Guardians’ starter was in, getting leadoff singles in the first and second that went nowhere as well as loading the bases with two outs in the fourth inning. Each time, Bibee managed to worm his way out of damage, but in the fifth Yandy Díaz lined a one-out double to center and moved to third on a single from Jonathan Aranda. Junior Caminero stepped up and ripped a double out to right, scoring Díaz to plate the first run of the game. The second came right behind it when Cedric Mullins lifted a sac fly, and in the sixth inning the Rays manufactured a third on a walk, single, and a sacrifice bunt.

On the other side, Nick Martinez was efficient in shutting down Cleveland’s chances. Steven Kwan led off the game with a single but got erased on a double play, and Gabriel Arias ended up stranded after he led off the third in similar fashion. Nobody made it to second base against Martinez in his six innings of work, and when he handed the ball over to the bullpen not much changed. Cole Sulser, Garrett Cleavinger, and Bryan Baker held down an inning each and prevented a rally from forming.

Other Games

Boston Red Sox (53-50) 0, Toronto Blue Jays (48-57) 6: Credit where credit is due, Dylan Cease isn’t fading behind in the Cy Young race at all. A day after Cam Schlittler tossed seven brilliant innings, Toronto’s ace went out and pitched a one-hitter against the surging Sox, allowing just an Andruw Monasterio double to lead off the sixth inning alongside a trio of walks scattered throughout his complete-game shutout. He struck out 12 batters along the way, utterly dominating Boston’s lineup (who are getting an upgrade after acquiring Curtis Mead yesterday, but he wouldn’t have made a difference in this one).

The Blue Jays backup up Cease with an explosive third inning, scoring five of their six runs. Sonny Gray got the first two outs in quick succession, but Nathan Lukes kept the frame alive with a double out to right before Vladimir Guerrero Jr. singled him home. Kazuma Okamoto kept the line moving with a single kept within the infield, and then George Springer delivered the big blow — a three-run homer over the Monster to make it 4-0 in a hurry. Daulton Varsho singled and Ernie Clement doubled him in to cap off the rally, and though Boston’s offense would slumber until the ninth inning when they scratched across one more run they hardly needed it.

Texas Rangers (53-51) 7, Seattle Mariners (51-54) 1: Nathan Eovaldi’s had one of his rougher seasons in a while, but he looked vintage in this outing as he tossed seven innings of one-run ball with eight strikeouts to his name. Only an RBI double from J.P. Crawford in the fifth did any harm to him, and by then his offense had already staked him a five-run lead after scoring three in the first with a pair of doubles and an Ezequiel Duran triple followed by two more in the second off a Wyatt Langford double and Duran single. Texas tacked on two more in the seventh when Alejandro Osuna doubled in a pair of runs, but the insurance wasn’t needed with how Eovaldi was dealing.

Chicago White Sox (54-49) 1, Houston Astros (52-54) 4: Sean Burke pitched phenomenally for the Pale Hose through five innings of this game, collecting eight of his 10 strikeouts while scattering a pair of hits. Unfortunately for him, the sixth inning would undo all his hard work, as he led off the frame by hitting Cam Smith and allowed a single to Jeremy Peña before walking the dangerous Yordan Alvarez to load the bases with no outs. Isaac Paredes singled out to right field, and what should’ve been a simple hit turned into a bases-clearing one when Braden Montgomery couldn’t get his glove under the ball and allowed it to roll to the warning track. Hunter Brown was similarly on point for Houston and didn’t have an inning get away from him, going seven strong to secure the win.

Team News

Too many walks, not enough knocks: Summing up end to D-backs’ streak
https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/mitch-bratt-pitches-5-innings-in-d-backs-loss-to-nationals

Diamondbacks try shaking up lineup to get stars going, loss sets up key rubber match vs. Nationals https://arizonasports.com/mlb/arizona-diamondbacks/try-shaking-up-lineup-to-get-stars-going-loss-sets-up-key-match-vs-nationals

Why are the Diamondbacks wearing hats that do not match their jerseys this weekend?https://arizonasports.com/threads/hats-that-do-not-match-their-jerseys-this-weekend

Diamondbacks’ Mitch Bratt is Struggling in the Majors So Farhttps://www.si.com/mlb/diamondbacks/onsi/diamondbacks-mitch-bratt-struggling-majors-so-far

How Tyler Locklear Has Hit the Ground Running for Diamondbackshttps://www.si.com/mlb/diamondbacks/onsi/tyler-locklear-hit-ground-running-diamondbacks

Other Baseball

Red Sox To Trade Connelly Early To Nationals For Curtis Meadhttps://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2026/07/red-sox-trade-connelly-early-to-nationals-for-curtis-mead.html

Cardinals Sign Peter Strzelecki To Minor League Contracthttps://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2026/07/cardinals-sign-peter-strzelecki-to-minor-league-contract.html

Baseball Hall of Fame 2026: Why Beltran, Jones, Kent got inhttps://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/47674044/baseball-hall-fame-class-2026-ballot-reveal-carlos-beltran-andruw-jones

Everything you need to know about 2026 HOF inductions
https://www.mlb.com/news/baseball-hall-of-fame-2026-induction-ceremony-inductees-date-and-more

Perez passes Brett with 318 homers as a Kansas City Royalhttps://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/49448590/perez-passes-brett-318-homers-kansas-city-royal

Trade rumors: Mason Miller suitors, Skubal, Rays, Red Sox
https://www.mlb.com/news/mlb-trade-rumors-and-2026-trade-deadline-news-july-25

Talons take AUSL Championship Series opener, can clinch title today (2 p.m. ET, ESPN)https://www.mlb.com/news/ausl-championship-series-2026-game-1

Anything Goes

This day in history:

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/july-26

This day in baseball:

https://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/July_26

Bulls run faster uphill than downhill.

This is mainly because they have longer hind legs than front legs. Their legs are also very powerful and can run at speeds of 35 mph. 

Snapple’s 1001 “Real Facts” aren’t true.

In 2002, the manufacturers of Snapple began printing “Real Facts” inside the bottle caps. However, most of this information is outdated or simply myths.

Pencils are yellow because of Chinese royalty.

In the 1800s, the best graphite in the world came from China. The Americans wanted to give a tribute to the Chinese for the graphite used in their pencils. Yellow means royalty and respect in China, which is why the Americans manufactured their pencils in yellow. To this day, the default color for pencils is still yellow. 

A depressing night in the major leagues and a semi-depressing night in the minor leagues. Let’s check in on the kids:

Indianapolis 9, Lehigh Valley 0

Good lord, what a pitiful showing by the offense. A double by Paul McIntosh, a single by Liover Peguero and that’s it. Nothing more, nothing less. Alan Rangel must have been depressed at being sent back to the minor leagues as he let up seven runs in 4+ innings of work, but it didn’t matter much since no one wanted to hit the ball anyway.

Reading 6, Harrisburg 5

This was a game of extremes, one on the good end and another on the bad. First, the good. Bryan Rincon continued his resurgence this season, hitting two more home runs to give him 14 on the season.

That’s the sound of his stock rising on both the trade market and within the team’s own player development system. Caleb Ricketts also hit a home run to help the offense, one that needed each run it could get.

Now, for the bad. Gage Wood had a good first three innings in his outing on the evening, cruising through the lineup and striking out five. In the fourth, he started getting hit a bit, allowing two doubles and a single to see two runs cross the plate. In the fifth, it came apart for him. He gave up a home run, a walk, a single, hit a batter, got an out via a sacrifice fly then struck out a batter before being replaced. Not his best start for Reading.

Jersey Shore 7, Brooklyn 3

Wait, what’s that? A victory for the BlueClaws? Daunte Stuart was the hero on offense, having a three hit night that included a home run to pace the team. Wuilfredo Antunez had two RBI, combining with Antunez to be two of six BlueClaws hitters with an RBI on the night. On the bump, Tanner Gresham had a solid start, going five innings and giving up three runs on three hits, striking out six and walking only one. Considering how rough their season has been, this is a great night for the BlueClaws.

Clearwater 8, Daytona 7

At this point in my life, I am much too invested in the success of Juan Villavicencio. I watched some video of the young man last night once everyone was away asleep for the night and the recap was written.

That is a quick bat that is hitting the ball really hard. It’s a little harder to find fielding videos of him, but by all accounts, he’s a shortstop that can stick at the position. He’s young and needs to prove it at higher levels, but this is someone to get excited about.

On the evening for Clearwater, he hit another home run (as seen above), joining Jonathan Hogart (3-3, 2 2B) and TJayy Walton (2-4, 2B, 3 RBI) as the multi hit gatherers on the evening to lead the offense. On the pitching side, there wasn’t much to write home about as Zuher Yousuf allowed four runs in four innings, striking out five. Marty Gair had a lockdown ninth inning, striking out two to get the save.

Good morning, folks…

The Texas Rangers beat the Seattle Mariners last night by a score of 7-1.

The DMN game story talks about Wyatt Langford fueling the win.

Nathan Eovaldi had one of his best starts of the season on Saturday.

Three Rangers players hit milestones in Saturday’s game.

Prior to the game, Josh Jung was placed on the injured list, with Josh Smith be called up to take his place.

Evan Grant writes about the possibility of Corey Seager being traded in the next week.

Jordan Montgomery made a rehab start for Round Rock yesterday, and could be in the Rangers rotation soon.

David Laurila has his Sunday Notes column up at Fangraphs.

Here's what happened in Mets Land on Saturday, in case you missed it...

• The news wasn't good for Juan Soto, as he landed on the IL with a Grade 2 calf strain and is expected to miss at least three weeks
• Soto's absence likely means more playing time for Jorge Polanco
• The Mets played more sloppy defense in their 4-3 loss to the Dodgers
• Nolan McLean turned in another quality start, but it wasn't enough to overcome the defensive miscues
• A.J. Ewing has hit a rough patch in his rookie season, but Andy Green believes the outfielder will "punch back"
• Down in the minors, Jonathan Santucci and Ronny Mauricio turned in big performances on Saturday

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The Philadelphia Phillies may be strong home favorites on Sunday Night Baseball as they look to avoid a sweep at the hands of the New York Yankees, but I expect a close game.

Cristopher Sanchez has been one of baseball’s best starters this season, but his July form has been wobblier. Will Warren gives Philadelphia a scoring path, too, which is why I’m also playing the Over.

Here are my Yankees vs. Phillies predictions and MLB picks for Sunday, July 26.

For a deeper dive into this prime-time clash, check out tonight's Yankees vs. Phillies props.

Who will win Yankees vs Phillies today: Yankees +1.5 (-137)

I'm zagging from my season-long general outlook of fading New York Yankees arm Will Warren... at least a tad. It may seem like an odd time to do it with Philadelphia Phillies arm Christopher Sanchez on the mound, but we have to look at what's happening presently.

Sanchez is still excellent. However, July has been rough: a 7.47 ERA + 1.98 WHIP across 16 innings. He's already matched last year's 31 barrels allowed, and his barrel rate has jumped from 5.7% to 8.4%. 

You don't need me to tell you that New York is built to succeed against that. Play this to -150.

COVERS INTEL: Cristopher Sanchez's sinker is the Yankees' clearest attack point: it has allowed a .371 xwOBA and 56% hard-hit rate despite his excellent overall production.

Yankees vs Phillies Over/Under pick: Over 7.5 (-121)

I like the Over, and I'd play it to -135. It's the only direction you can go if you feel the Yankees cover because Warren won't be spotless.

Sanchez’s recent issue has been contact volume, and the Yankees are a good option to expose that. Their 9.7% barrel rate and 135 home runs give them a direct path if his July command or location issues continue.

Warren brings the Philly side into play. His 4.50 xERA and .415 xSLG are a problem against a lineup with a 9% barrel rate and .411 xSLG.;

Yankees vs Phillies weather

Yankees vs Phillies odds

• Moneyline: Yankees +165 | Phillies -178
• Run line: Yankees +1.5 | Phillies -1.5
• Over/Under: Over 7.5 | Under 7.5

Yankees vs Phillies trend

How to watch Yankees vs Phillies and game info

Yankees vs Phillies latest injuries

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Randy Vasquez got the start over JP Sears for the San Diego Padres against the Miami Marlins on Saturday, but it was Sears who came away with the win after 3.1 innings of scoreless baseball where he allowed just one hit with one walk and three strikeouts. The duo of Vasquez and Sears completed six innings allowing just one run and the Padres offense scored seven runs on 11 hits to beat the Marlins, 7-2.

Vasquez well, but it was a bit of a surprise when the team announced he would be making the start over Sears who was the scheduled starter. Vasquez completed 2.2 innings and allowed one run on one hit with two walks. He did not record a strikeout. Vasquez worked into and out of trouble in the first inning with walks to the first two Miami batters, but a ground ball double-play got him two outs, and the lead runner advance to third base. Vasquez then induced a flyball from Xavier Edwards for the third out of the inning.

The Padres broke the scoreless tie in the top of the third inning when Ty France hit a two-out two-run single to score Jake Cronenworth and Manny Machado. France tried to stretch his single to a double and was thrown out just after Machado crossed the plate to give San Diego a 2-0 lead. The Marlins plated a run in the bottom of the third to make the score, 2-1 but the Padres continued to score and added to their lead in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings with five runs. Miami was able to add a run in the bottom of the eighth off Matt Waldron, but that was all the right-hander would allow over his two innings of work to end the game.

Jackson Merrill was the offensive leader for San Diego, finishing the day 3-for-4 with two doubles and two runs scored, but it was his defense that created a buzz. Kyle Stowers hit the third single in the bottom of the eighth inning for Miami which scored Esteury Ruiz but Merrill scooped up the ball and threw a dart to Machado at third base who tagged out Otto Lopez for the second out of the inning, leaving Stowers as the lone man on base at first. Waldron induced a groundball out from the next Marlins batter to end the inning.

France also contributed at the plate for the Padres, which could be bittersweet depending on what the team decides to do at the trade deadline. France finished 2-for-4 with three RBI and a run scored and is now hitting .283 on the season. His recent performance as helped San Diego remain in and win games, but it also may be enticing other teams to consider adding him to their roster if the Padres make him available.

San Diego has taken back-to-back games from Miami and will go for the series sweep, which would bring them back to .500, today at 10:40 a.m.

Padres News:

• According to MLB insider Jon Heyman, the Pittsburgh Pirates, Seattle Mariners and the New York Yankees could all be interested in trading for Mason Miller if the Padres decide to move him. The Milwaukee Brewers were also recently reported as another team interested in the closer. There is also speculation that the Chicago White Sox could be interested in adding Miller.

Baseball News:

• Dylan Cease threw a complete game and allowed one hit to lead the Toronto Blue Jays to a win over the Boston Red Sox.

• Austin Wells and Jasson Dominguez homered to lead the Yankees over the Philadelphia Phillies.

• Salvador Perez hit a home run to help the Kansas City Royals beat the Detroit Tigers and became the all-time home run leader for the Royals, passing George Brett.

• Nick Martinez continued his strong season for the Tampa Bay Rays and led them to a 3-0 win over the Cleveland Guardians.

• The Chicago Cubs blanked the Pittsburgh Pirates.

A closely-fought series between the NL East-leading Atlanta Braves and the currently-hot Baltimore Orioles will come down to the Sunday matinee game, as Reynaldo López will be looking to make a bounce-back start in order to help potentially push the Braves to another series win.

López will be entering this game fresh off the heels of one of his worst starts of the season so far, which is when he got tagged for five runs over 4.1 innings against the Padres. It would be easy to chalk it up to it simply being a case of the Padres playing the Braves tough as usual but that start came ten days after López got hit hard by the Cardinals for four runs over five innings, so it could be a case of López running into a real rough patch.

With that being said, one thing that appears to be aberrant when comparing López’s most recent start to the past is the fact that he walked three batters against the Padres. That was his season-high for walks and when you consider that he’s got a 3.45 BB/9 so far this season, that could be an indication that we’re not going to see Reynaldo walk as many batters this time around.

Then again, the Orioles are one of the best teams in baseball when it comes to coaxing walks out of opposing pitchers (their 10.2 percent walk rate leads the American League and is tired for third place in all of baseball with the Dodgers) and they’ve been especially good at it during this successful month for them so far, as they have the best walk rate in all of baseball (11.4 percent) during the month of June. If the last start was an aberration for López then he’ll certainly have his work cut out for him trying to prove it against this particular lineup.

Conversely, the Orioles will be starting Shane Baz, who hasn’t walked a guy since the fifth inning of his start on July 7 against the Cubs. Ever since then, he’s thrown 10.2 innings and struck out 15 batters while only giving up six hits and three runs. With that being said, his defense did let him down a bit in their showdown earlier this week against the Red Sox, which is when Baz only gave up one earned run but ended up seeing four Red Sox base runners cross home plate while he was on the mound after the O’s committed three errors during his appearance.

Those errors proved costly as the Red Sox ended up winning that game by one run and the Braves know all-too-well what effect defensive gaffes can have on a game after what happened last night, so maybe defense will be a priority during today’s game as well.

Despite Baltimore’s current overall record, a win for the Braves today would be pretty big in terms of recent performances. Atlanta’s coming off of a successful homestand to start the second half and could get their first road trip of this crucial portion of the season off to a good start with a win against an Orioles squad that has been playing a lot better lately than what their overall record indicates. The offense will have to figure out a way to get Shane Baz to crack and Reynaldo López will have to figure out a way to keep the Orioles from walking their way into dangerous situations against Atlanta, so this’ll certainly be an intriguing game to watch with the series on the line. Let’s see what happens, folks.

Game Info

Game Date/Time: Sunday, July 26, 1:35 pm ET

Location: Camden Yards, Baltimore, MD

TV: BravesVision

Streaming: MLB.tv

Radio: 680 AM / 93.7 FM The Fan

Good left-handed pitching is something no team will ever turn down, and at this year’s deadline, the Yankees could benefit from exactly that. While the Padres are not necessarily out of the playoff hunt, any divisional hopes are all but gone, and sitting below .500 at this juncture with five teams ahead of them for the last Wild Card spot in the Senior Circuit, it may be in their best interest to sell.

Dominant closer Mason Miller is obviously the star attraction in the bullpen. But with three full years of team control after 2026 and reasonable hopes of contending again next year, San Diego does not necessarily have to move him unless they’re blown away by an offer akin at least within shouting distance of what they gave the A’s for Miller last year.

He’s not the only standout reliever in their ’pen though. Adrian Morejon could be a prime candidate to join the Yankees. The once highly-touted prospect out of Cuba has settled into a relief role, and has thrived over the last few seasons. With free agency looming this winter, the Padres could shop the 27-year-old lefty as a rental, shipping him out to a contending team in need.

2026 Statistics (Thus Far): 48 games, 55.1 IP, 8-2 W-L, 1 save, 3.25 ERA (127 ERA+), 2.40 FIP, 2.47 xFIP, 27.9% K%, 6.2% BB%, 1.10 WHIP, 1.8 fWAR, 0.8 rWAR

2026 ZiPS Rest-of-Season Statistics: 24 games, 24.0 IP, 3-2 W-L, 3.21 ERA, 2.84 FIP, 25.8% K%, 7.4% BB%, 0.6 fWAR

Between 2024 and ‘25, Morejon pitched in 135 games, managing an impressive 2.42 ERA with a 2.52 FIP that backed it up. Although his role may not be what was expected in his minor-league days, he’s turned himself into a durable and reliably good option out of the bullpen.

In 2026 to this point, he’s been just about as good. Getting plenty of work, pitching in 48 games and working over 55 innings, the lefty has maintained a steady 2.40 FIP and is striking out more batters than he ever has, at a 27.9 percent clip. With a walk rate that has remained steady, Morejon has essentially been at peak form for the last three seasons while taking on a significant workload out of relief.

The start to Morejon’s career was not a seamless one, as he pitched just 75 innings with an ERA north of five in his first five combined seasons in the majors, including three different seasons where he stuck around for less than 10 innings of work. That 2023 season was a major leap for the lefty, however, and he hasn’t looked back since. With a multi-year track record of success now behind him, he becomes an attractive trade target at this year’s deadline, and one that may not break the bank, considering his forthcoming free agency.

The lefty throws hard, and boasts impressive peripherals across the board, so stretches of real dominance are never out of the question. He’d be a major boost to any bullpen, and the Yankees are no different. With Tim Hill largely disappointing in 2026, Morejon could pair nicely with Brent Headrick, who’s been terrific from the left side for the Yankees this season. Even regardless of pitching hands, Morejon is simply an impact arm to bring out of the ‘pen, and if the Yankees look to that area to improve at the deadline, he could make some sense.

He has been linked as a possible target for the Yankees, and the Padres make sense as natural trade partners at this year’s deadline. San Diego may be poised to move multiple relievers before August 3rd rolls around, and Morejon would make sense for any team looking to bolster the bullpen. His four-pitch mix has proven successful in his role, and next to the otherworldly Miller, the lefty would be a much cheaper option. With Morejon’s velocity and swing-and-miss stuff all moving in the right direction, he has a solid chance of being a true impact arm if put in the right position.

Morejon is now in the midst of a third straight year of high-level pitching out of the San Diego bullpen, and with 2026 being his final year before hitting the open market, he will more than likely be on the move at the deadline. He’d be of use to any Major League roster, and if the price is right, the Yankees may pull the trigger on the talented lefty.

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The underdog Chicago Cubs (+113) can earn a series victory when they face the Pittsburgh Pirates in Game 3 of their three-game series at PNC Park.

Braxton Ashcroft's underlying metrics are shaky, and my Cubs vs. Pirates predictions and MLB picks expect a Cubs sweep today, 

Who will win Cubs vs Pirates today: Cubs moneyline (+114)

The markets are pricing this game off Jameson Taillon's 5.41 xERA and 1st-percentile barrel rate, but three factors point the other way.

Braxton Ashcraft relies on chase (37.2%, 96th percentile), yet he draws a Chicago Cubs lineup that rarely expands the zone and owns an 11% walk rate the past two weeks.

Taillon's fly-ball profile is better protected at PNC Park, especially with Pete Crow-Armstrong's +20 Outs Above Average patrolling center, while the Pittsburgh Piratescorner outfield defense sits at a combined -8 OAA.

Add in a Pirates lineup that chases enough to feed Taillon's sweeper, and I play the Cubs to -105 today.

COVERS INTEL: Ashcraft's four-seam fastball is his most-used pitch at 31.9 percent, and it's been hit for a .290 average, .519 slugging, and a .330 xwOBA with a negative run value.

Cubs vs Pirates Over/Under pick: Over 8.5 (-116)

It will be warm and dry for the first pitch, and both starters are hittable. Taillon carries a 14.4% barrel rate with 22 home runs in 72 innings and rarely sees the sixth inning.

Ashcraft has served up eight home runs in his last five starts and allows a 90.5 mph average exit velocity and meets a Cubs lineup walking 12.4 percent over the past two weeks.

That puts this in the bullpen's hands early, and Pittsburgh's relievers have walked 10.4% over the same stretch after emptying out Saturday night.

Scoring runs is what these teams do when they meet, as the Over is 7-3 in their last 10 games. I’d play this to -130.

Cubs vs Pirates weather

Warm and dry with light winds blowing out to right field. 

Cubs vs Pirates odds

• Moneyline: Cubs +108 | Pirates -117
• Run line: Cubs +1.5 (-186) | Pirates -1.5 (+163)
• Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-117) | Under 8.5 (+104)

Cubs vs Pirates trend

The Over is 7-3 in their last 10 head-to-head meetings. Find more MLB betting trends for Cubs vs. Pirates.

How to watch Cubs vs Pirates and game info

Cubs vs Pirates latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

The Dodgers are looking to end their road trip with a record of 7-2, and they’ll be treated with a pleasant surprise once they begin their upcoming homestand on July 28.

Kiké Hernández has played just two games this season, but he will be back on Tuesday against the Seattle Mariners after missing two months due to an oblique issue. Closer Edwin Díaz, who has pitched just six innings this season, will be activated on Wednesday after missing over three months due elbow surgery to remove loose bodies. Both updates were reported by David Vassegh of AM 570 on Saturday.

Hernández has appeared in five games with the Oklahoma City Comets during his current rehab assignment, going 6-18 with a home run, while Díaz has accumulated one inning over two appearances with Oklahoma City.

Links

Dodgers fans were disappointed by the first half results from Kyle Tucker, as the outfielder limped into the All-Star break with just seven home runs while slashing .244/.341/.375. His opening to the second half wasn’t any prettier over the six games against the Yankees and Phillies, but he has found his groove at the plate against the Mets.

Tucker had the deciding home run on Friday in a 4-2 win, and he started the scoring on Saturday with another home run, the first time he’s hit home runs in two consecutive games as a Dodger. Tucker spoke with Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports following the Dodgers’ 4-3 win over New York, where he discussed the struggles he’s faced this year while acknowledging the support he’s received from his teammates and staff.

“Our coaching staff and the players that we have on this team is unbelievable. Everyone is so supportive of each other and just wanting each other to help. It’s a team sport, and we want to get to the end of the season and win a World Series.”

Shohei Ohtani was scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Saturday, but lingering issues in his left knee flared up and the two-way superstar is now shut down from throwing.

Dave Roberts expects Ohtani to return to pitching during the regular season, but the team will not move forward with his throwing once he is 100 percent clear to continue, notes Bill Ladson of MLB.com.

“We are not going to move forward [as far as throwing off a mound] until he feels 100 percent confident and we feel 100 percent confident that we should do it,” Roberts said. “He just doesn’t feel 100 percent. I think the last ‘pen that he had, there was a little bit of regression. We want to make sure that doesn’t happen again.”

Some people don’t need an introduction.

Joe Torre, for one.

You know him. Baseball icon. Hall of Famer. The only big leaguer with 2,000 hits as a player and 2,000 wins as a manager, he steered the New York Yankees to four World Series championships — and the Dodgers to consecutive National League West crowns and NLCS appearances in 2008 and 2009.

So you’re well-versed on Torre’s baseball bonafides, but you might not be aware of the most meaningful part of his legacy: He’s spent the past 24 years helping people who actually would need to be introduced to him.

Kids who are too young to know Torre the player, manager, color commentator — but who can, unfortunately, relate with what he went through when he was their age. Kids who, like him, are growing up afraid and anxious because of domestic violence at home, and who need what Torre didn’t have — somewhere safe to go to for help.

Since 2002, Torre and his wife, Ali, have been behind the expanding the Joe Torre Safe at Home Foundation. Across the nation, they’ve set up safe spaces in schools, specialized classrooms that feel more like living rooms and that are manned by professional counselors trained in domestic violence intervention.

They’re at schools in New York, Cincinnati, Tahiti and in L.A., at Bellflower Middle/High School and John Adams Middle School, John H. Glenn High and McKinley Elementary School, Palisades Charter High, Santa Monica High, Waite Middle School and Washington Preparatory High.

And they’re open to all, whether you’re a kid experiencing violence or you want to be able to help peers who are.

This past year, the foundation says it reached more than 28,000 students. And since it began, more than 425,000 young people, families, schools, and communities.

These Safe at Home spaces are all named “Margaret’s Place,” in honor of Joe’s mom, who was for years the victim of his father’s violent ire.

“It’s a tough subject to talk about,” Joe Torre said. “But you can’t run away from it.”

He did, though. He’s 85 now, but until he was 54, Torre didn’t reveal that baseball had been his refuge when he was growing up. He didn’t tell anyone that when he was a kid, if he saw his dad’s car in front of his house, Joe would go to a friend’s house and wait until he left for his job as a New York police detective. Joe didn’t share memories like he would later, of seeing his big sister, armed with a knife, standing between their mother and their father, who was going for his pistol.

He didn’t recognize what those traumatic experiences he’d tried to bury did to him, not until he started to talk about them.

“I thought I was born with this shyness and this nervousness,” Torre said before a Dodgers game in May, when the club introduced him and Ali and players and coaches wore T-shirts during batting practice that read: “Everyone deserves to be safe at home.”

“During my playing career,” Torre continued, “if we lost a game and I didn’t get any hits, I’d beat myself up. I was fortunate, I had a good career, but there was always something missing. I really probably could have enjoyed it a lot more than I did.”

That didn’t change until 1995, when he started talking about the domestic violence he experienced. He was surprised, he said, to find himself sharing his story, opening up for the first time at a “Life Success” seminar in Cincinnati, Ali’s hometown.

“Ali, she says, ‘You want to go to this Life Success symposium with me?’” Joe said. “And she’s eight months pregnant with our daughter and I’m not about to say no to anything she asks me to go. So we go in and they separate you, and they put you in groups of six strangers — and I’d just been named manager of the Yankees, so I’m very self-conscious.

“But after a day or so, you’re in it, you know? And then we went home and I called my sisters and asked them questions. Because they always tried to protect me, so I had to drag it out of them … ‘Did dad hit mom?’

“The biggest thing for me was knowing that my dad bringing fear down on the home was what caused my feelings that I was embarrassed to have. Once I went through that, I was able to go deeper.”

Speaking about what was previously unspeakable helped him cope with his trauma. He said it made him a more empathetic manager and a more confident man. It also made him want to speak out publicly and to encourage others to do the same, to break the cycle of silence.

So they’re getting the word out at — where else? — ballparks. There was the stop at Dodger Stadium in May, and before that, in 2025, seven major league teams had activations at games, as did 63 minor league clubs who hosted a “Safe At Home Awareness Game.”

Because often we do need an introduction, to connect kids with people who can keep them safe, who can assure them they’re not the only ones in their position.

“He’s talked about this many times: If he had access to a program like Margaret’s Place, he wouldn’t have felt like he had to carry this burden alone,” said Rose Robles, the foundation’s senior director of programs. “That was one thing he’s really stressed, he felt he was the only one that was going through this.

“And he would have had some options, some choices for how to respond to what he was experiencing and how to understand it. One thing that we say is that violence thrives in silence, and that is basically what he was experiencing.”

Forty-four percent of the kids Margaret’s Place counselors helped in 2024-25 were dealing with some form of violence at home. Twenty-seven percent have experienced some form of relationship or dating violence. They also help kids who’ve been exposed to community violence or other traumatic events, or who are grieving a traumatic loss.

At Bellflower Middle and High School, Principal Jessica Cummings said a Teen Dating Violence Awareness Week and parent workshops focused on fostering healthy relationships increased awareness on her campus.

“We are grateful,” she wrote in an email, “for this partnership and the positive impact it has had.”

Of the students surveyed after receiving services, Safe at Home indicated that 99% reported feeling safer and 93% said they used the tools they learned in counseling.

Torre has absorbed decades of anecdotal feedback too — the knowing nods he sees in the crowd when he’s talked to groups of kids about this, the cameraman who slipped him $20 to put toward the foundation, the interviewer who shared his account of having grown up in a violent household.

“Anyone can become a victim,” Ali Torre said, “Our goal is to intervene and prevent. There are little boys we can have conversations with: ‘You don’t have to repeat the cycle.’ To little girls, ‘There’s an option for you…’

“And Joe has opened a lot of doors for us.”

When you think of Joe Torre, it’s as a former Dodgers skipper. A nine-time All-Star and the 1971 National League Most Valuable Player.

You should also think of him as a champion of children who now know that they aren’t alone, and that they have people who will go to bat for them.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.