Felix Reyes of the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs signs autographs before a Minor League Baseball game at Coca-Cola Park in Allentown, United States, on June 28, 2026. (Photo by Dan Squicciarini/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images
Now that the kids are back on the field, how are they doing? Let’s check on them to see if their trade value is going up.
Omaha 6, Lehigh Valley 2
It would be nice if there were something to get excited about at the Triple-A level. Instead, we’re left with retreads (who really cares what Tommy Pham does?) and guys who just have that Quad-A feel to them. We could lament the lack of relief pitching options again, or the lack of starting pitching depth, but that’s just beating a dead horse. There are some nice moments here, but it’s just kind of boring to see each night. Someone needs to bring some kind of excitement to the level.
Reading 9, Altoona 5
I will continue to be impressed by Bryan Rincon re-establishing himself as something of a prospect this season. Another home run last night brings his season total to 13, a pretty impressive number for a guy that wasn’t known as a power prospect at all in the past. He’ll likely never be a starter for the Phillies or anyone else, but at least being a viable option off the bench can be of use somewhere. Also of note, Raylin Heredia notched his 100th hit on the season last night. He might have an allergic reaction should someone suggest more patience at the plate to him, but he’s had a great season.
Wilmington 7, Jersey Shore 4
I just get depressed looking at this roster. I know they probably won’t do it, but I wouldn’t mind some of the college bats they just drafted get their start here when they get assigned by the team to a roster. It would make this something more watchable since there really isn’t anything to get excited about. Nick Biddison had two hits on the night, including a double, but that’s about it for the BlueClaws.
Clearwater 6, Dunedin 4
Juan Villavicencio homered again for the Threshers, his twelfth of the season, to go along with a triple. It does feel like if someone is going to get moved this deadline, we’re going to hear a lot of his name coming up as someone teams are looking at trying to acquire. He’s been sneaky good for them. Cade Obermueller had a good night on the mound, striking out five in four innings. He’s been much improved of late.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - JUNE 28: Brandon Woodruff #53 of the Milwaukee Brewers pitches against the Chicago Cubs in the first inning at American Family Field on June 28, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Happy Sunday everybody! I’m still here, still reporting mostly on injury news! And contract extensions. Inside you there are two wolves, etc.
The Mariners managed to even the series with the Giants last night with a thrilling walk-off win in extra innings that was buoyed by a game-tying three-run homerun by Cole Young. Logan Gilbert will duel Robbie Ray for a series win at 1:10 PST.
In Mariners news…
Julio made his blessed return from the 7-day concussion IL before yesterday’s game, but it did come with a cost, as infielder Miles Mastrobuoni was DFA’d in the corresponding move. Mastrobuoni has cleared waivers once this season already, but if he does get claimed I hope he finds the playing time he deserves.
Around the league…
Veteran Brewers pitcher Brandon Woodruff addressed the media in Milwaukee yesterday to announce that he will be getting season ending surgery. The operation is the same capsule surgery that he got in 2023. Woodruff said that he hopes to pitch again following the second operation, but it is worth remembering that Johan Santana had two separate shoulder capsule surgeries, and he never pitched in the majors again after the second.
The Athletics entered Saturday with a record of 41-56 and on a ten-game losing streak. So naturally the best way to right the ship is to trade away one of their starting pitchers. Aaron Civale and some cash (the A’s have cash now?) are now part of the Chicago Cubs organization.
One team’s collapse has been matched by another team’s rise. The Boston Red Sox entered Saturday on an eleven-game winning streak, and have played themselves into being big potential buyers at the deadline. The major area of need for them is shortstop and a strong contender to plug that hole is the Angels’ Zach Neto.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts revealed yesterday that the Dodgers are not expecting Will Smith back with the team before mid-August, and that’s the best case scenario. When asked by Eric Stephen at True Blue LA, Roberts admitted that team is not 100% sure if Will Smith will return this season at all from the neck injury that put him on the IL over a month ago.
I’m realizing I might be a little too superstitious because if I’m Chase Burns and I’m standing in the room and watched the man I just spent days or weeks negotiating with spill his third cup of coffee all over the fruits of that negotiation, I might call the whole thing off. Sorry man, signs are signs.
Chase Burns’ contract signing was held up a little bit this morning when Reds GM Brad Meador spilled coffee on it and they had to print a new one
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - MAY 29: AJ Smith-Shawver #32 of the Atlanta Braves throws a pitch against the Philadelphia Phillies during game one of a doubleheader at Citizens Bank Park on May 29, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Phillies defeated the Braves 5-4. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Saturday saw the Atlanta Braves affiliates win four out of six games that were played, though the most important news is how the rehabbing players looked. AJ Smith-Shawver turned in a great 72-pitch outing, while Ronald Acuna Jr. reached base twice as did Ha-Seong Kim. We also got a great Lucas Braun outing and a very strong one from Zach Royse, while Conor Essenburg homered and we got big games from John Gil, Tate Southisene, Owen Carey, and Dalton McIntyre.
AJ Smith-Shawver made another rehab start with Gwinnett, and this was a strong one. Over four and a third scoreless innings he allowed four hits and a walk with five strikeouts and 13 whiffs. AJSS also hit 99.4 MPH with his fastball and owned the top five velocities in this game during his 72-pitch outing. He was relieved by Hayden Harris, who picked up a pair of strikeouts in his two thirds of an inning stint. Blake Burkhalter came in next and picked up two strikeouts during an inning of work, and Ian Hamilton pitched the final inning – allowing the only run to score.
AJSS wasn’t the only big leaguer rehabbing, as Ronald Acuna Jr. went one for three with a walk and Ha-Seong Kim was one for four with a double. Homers though are what led the offense, as Carlos Santana, Brett Wisely, and Jair Camargo each hit one – and those three homers accounted for all five Stripers runs. Santana led the way going two for three with the homer, walk, and two runs scored while Luke Williams and Patrick Clohisy each joined him with two-hit games, Clohisy picking up a pair of doubles, and Williams also with one.
Lucas Braun, SP: 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 K, 4.15 ERA
The second game of the day saw Lucas Braun turn in one of the best outings of his season. Over five scoreless frames Braun allowed just one hit and two walks as he struck out three. Rolddy Munoz pitched a scoreless sixth, striking out two. James Karinchak allowed a run in the seventh and final inning, but did strike out batters for all three outs he recorded.
Adam Żebrowski was the star in this one, going two for three with a pair of doubles, two runs scored, and three runs batted in. Jose Azocar went a perfect four for four with a run scored, while Luke Williams doubled, scored twice, and batted two in, and Cal Conley singled, doubled, scored, and picked up an RBI as the bottom four hitters in the lineup carried the Stripers to the win. That’s not to say the top of the order didn’t produce some too, as Patrick Clohisy singled and walked in his three plate appearances, and rehabbing Ha-Seong Kim doubled and walked in four plate appearances.
It’s weird to call Brett Sears the reliever in this one, but this game was resumed from the day before with a 3-3 tie in the bottom of the first inning after Julio Robaina allowed three runs in two thirds of an inning. Sears came on to start the day and went the next six and a third. Sears did allow four runs on seven hits, but walked none and struck out 11 with 17 whiffs. This was a huge outing for the pen on a doubleheader day, allowing them to not burn through the pen in a big way. In fact his start looked even better than the final line, as two runs and four hits came off him in the top of the eighth inning without him recording an out. Luis Vargas came in and allowed an inherited runner to score and tie the game, but did pick up two strikeouts. Tyler LaPorte picked up the save as he struck out the side in the ninth, and picked up nine whiffs for his inning of work.
Homers by Will Verdung and Ambioris Tavarez accounted for three of the Clingstones runs, and Verdung also singled, stole a base, and batted in a second run. Dalton McIntyre had a productive day as well, going two for five with a double and scoring a pair of runs. Luke Waddell and Carson Taylor each had two-hit games, with the new Brave Taylor picking up a double in his first game in the system. Logan Braunschweig, Jordan Groshans, and Archer Brookman also had base hits in the win.
Anderson Pilar, SP: 2.1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 4 K, 7.71 ERA
It was a bullpen game for the second game. Anderson Pilar started and allowed a pair of runs over two and a third innings, while Owen Hackman allowed two more runs over his inning and two thirds. Samuel Strickland and LJ McDonough followed with a scoreless frame apiece, and that was everything from the Clingstones pitching staff.
The offense couldn’t get anything going here, managing to get shutout on just three hits and no walks. Singles by Dalton McIntyre, Logan Braunschweig, and Carson Taylor accounted for the only players to reach base safely. McIntyre finished the pair of games going three for eight, while Taylor also had a three-hit day, and Braunschweig had two hits of his own.
Zach Royse turned in a quality start, allowing three runs on three hits and two walks over six innings. He also struck out six and got 13 swings and misses. In fact the start would have been even stronger if not for a pair of mistakes, as two homers accounted for all three runs against him. Rehabbing Ray Kerr followed and after walking one struck out the side, before a scoreless inning from Logan Samuels. Tyler Schoff came in and pitched the ninth, allowing the final two Asheville runs to score.
Once again the prospects carried the offense. John Gil led the way, going three for six with a run scored and one batted in, but Owen Carey and Tate Southisene also each reached base three times. Carey went two for four with a run scored and three runs batted in, while Southisene was one for three with two walks, a run scored, and one batted in. Dixon Williams added a double, while Dallas Macias went two for five with a double, and Colin Burgess singles, tripled, and walked in his five trips to the plate. Luis Sanchez joined Gil with a three-hit game, going three for four and scoring three runs, while Colby Jones walked twice. Eric Hartman was hitless in five at bats with a pair of strikeouts, but did walk and score a run.
Fayetteville Woodpeckers 4, Augusta GreenJackets 3
Nick Montgomery, C: 1-1, 2B, 2 BB, RBI, .190/.320/.352
Carter Lovasz, RP: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K, 3.58 ERA
Derek Vartanian got the start and lasted four innings, allowing four runs on eight hits and a walk with two strikeouts. However the guys that followed were lights out. Adiel Melendez went the next two innings without allowing a base runner and struck out three, while Carter Lovasz pitched two scoreless innings with a pair of strikeouts.
The offense really struggled in this one despite the close score. Conor Essenburg and Nick Montgomery led the way, as Essenburg hit his eighth homer of the season and drew a walk in his four plate appearances. Montgomery was one for one with a double, drew a pair of walks, and batted in a run. Outside of that pair the only hits were singles by Alex Lodise and Cody Miller, though Hayden Friese drew two walks and Juan Mateo had one in the loss.
FCL Braves vs FCL Rays – Cancelled
This game was cancelled due to a wet field. It will not be made up as we are in the final few days of the FCL regular season. After a Sunday off the FCL squad will have four games remaining in it’s season with the playoffs out of reach for them at 17-37.
The Texas Rangers and Atlanta Braves will decide their series in a rubber match this afternoon at Truist Park.
The MLB odds have Atlanta as underdogs despite outscoring Texas 21-8 in this series, and my Rangers vs. Braves predictions explain why getting the home team at plus odds is a gift.
Read on for my MLB picks for July 19 in what I expect will be a high-scoring affair.
Who will win Rangers vs Braves today: Braves (+109)
Lefties are making solid contact against him, with opposite-sided hitters registering a .365 BABIP and 24.6% line-drive rate since June 1.
Eovaldi’s fastball run rate ranks in the fifth percentile. He generates strikeouts, but is often feast or famine on the mound.
Grant Holmes continues to outperform his metrics. His improved command the past month raises his floor, and he’s allowing just a .261 wOBA the first time through the order.
The matchup favors the underdog here. Play this to +100.
COVERS INTEL: Grant Holmes is generating a 39.8% whiff rate on his slider, a pitch that he uses 37% of the time — more often than his fastball.
Rangers vs Braves Over/Under pick: Over 8.5 (-121)
Seven Atlanta Braves relievers threw nearly seven frames last night. Given Holmes hasn’t gone past five innings in eight of his last nine starts, their tired arms are in for more work.
The Rangers have the sixth-worst bullpen xERA and second-worst xFIP since July 1, allowing the fourth-highest FB% (44.5%) in that span.
Both offenses rank in the Top 6 in July in ISO, wRC+, and wOBA, while striking out at a comparatively low rate. They’re both also posting a FB% of 40% or more.
Sunday’s forecast presents the third-most favorable conditions for dingers, and I’m expecting fireworks as a result.
I’ll take the Over down to -130.
Jason Ence's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 11-15, -5.27 units
Over/Under bets: 15-11, +3.25 units
Rangers vs Braves weather
Rangers vs Braves odds
Moneyline: Rangers -117 | Braves +113
Run line: Rangers -1.5 (+144) | Braves +1.5 (-150)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-117) | Under 8.5 (+113)
Rangers vs Braves trend
The Texas Rangers have hit the game total Over in 30 of their last 45 games (+15.80 Units / 32% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Rangers vs. Braves.
How to watch Rangers vs Braves and game info
Location
Truist Park, Cumberland, GA
Date
Sunday, July 19, 2026
First pitch
1:35 p.m. ET
TV
RSN, BravesVision
Rangers starting pitcher
Nathan Eovaldi (9-7, 4.04 ERA)
Braves starting pitcher
Grant Holmes (5-4, 3.61 ERA)
Rangers vs Braves latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
It’s doubleheader day on the farm for Detroit’s affiliates thanks to rain, smoke and flying pigs squirrels. Toledo, West Michigan and the Complex League club all played two today, so dig in and let’s get through it together.
The Mud Hens scored two total runs and lost both games of their doubleheader, but the first one went slightly better, with Toledo notching seven hits and holding Gwinnett to five runs.
A 5-1 loss isn’t anything to cheer about, but let’s consider that the Stripers had Ronald Acuña Jr., Ha-Seong Kim and Carlos Santana at the top of the order, all on rehab assignments. Ty Madden got the start and navigated his way through the order once. He got Acuna and Kim the second time around, but Enmanuel De Jesus took over in the third to face Santana.
De Jesus gave up a single to Santana, and then Brett Wisely took him deep to center field. Sigh.
Up to this point, Toledo only had one hit, a Tyler Gentry double in the second that ended up with him on third after a wild pitch. Max Clark delivered the second hit of the day in the third, another double, but Max Anderson and Gage Workman failed to bring him around.
Max Clark gets a slider from AJ Smith-Shawver and lines it into right for a double. pic.twitter.com/ugk2lvPOyA
De Jesus almost got through the fourth, but a double from Kim brought Scott Effross to the mound for Santana, who flied out to Clark in center. The Hens went 1-2-3 in the fourth, and Effross gave up a two-run homer to Patrick Clohisy in the top of the fifth.
Toledo finally put together multiple hits in an inning with Cal Stevenson and Bennett Lee both getting base knocks in the bottom of the fifth. Clark walked to load the bases, but Anderson and Workman came up short again — both striking out this time.
Luke Taggart got the sixth for the Mud Hens and gave up a homer to Carlos Santana. Trei Cruz had a lonely two-out double in the bottom half, which ended up with him stranded.
Taggart went 1-2-3 in the seventh. Stevenson, Lee and Clark went single-walk-single to load the bases again, this time with no outs, and Anderson at least got one run in with a sac fly. Workman grounded out and Corey Julks hit one back to the pitcher to end the rally and the game.
Max Clark with a 107-MPH laser single into center to load the bases with no outs. pic.twitter.com/9bAIZvOabE
Game Two did not go any better. Toledo only had three hits, without Clark in the lineup, and gave up eight runs despite Acuna and Santana taking this one off.
Again, the lone Mud Hens run of the day came in the seventh, as did two of the team’s three hits. Cruz singled and scored on a Stevenson double. The other was an Andrew Navigato single in the third.
Dylan File just had to tank things for five innings on the mound. No home runs, but Gwinnett got the leadoff man against File in every inning but the second. Funny enough, the second inning was the bad one. File hit the leadoff man, gave up a single and then back-to-back doubles brought three runs across.
File loaded the bases in the fifth with no outs, but it ended up being a one-run inning thanks to a triple play. Toledo was happy enough to trade a run for a double play, but the runner on second inexplicably took off for home and was tagged out easily. So, that’s fun?
The Mud Hens only have one hit in Game Two, but they did pull off a triple play. pic.twitter.com/gs4RdAfGu5
Somehow, the sixth was worse than the second for Toledo. Ricky Vanasco walked the leadoff man and got an out before allowing three straight hits to make it 7-0. Jack Little replaced Vanasco after recording the second out, but he gave up an RBI single for the eighth run.
Just a bad day to be a Mud Hen, unless you’re Cal Stevenson.
Anderson: 0-3, K
Stevenson: 1-3, 2B (4), RBI, 2 K
File (L, 5-6): 5.0 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
Coming Up Next: Toledo and Gwinnett wrap up the series on Sunday at 4:05 p.m. ET.
No doubleheader for Erie, but the SeaWolves and Richmond Flying Squirrels did need extra innings to decide this one. Erie ended up losing 7-6 in walk-off fashion, but at least it was a battle (unlike both of Toledo’s losses).
Erie got out in front early, scoring a run in the second and third innings. E.J. Exposito hit his 16th home run of the year in the second, and Peyton Graham drove in Patrick Lee with a sac fly in the third. Lee manufactured that run with his baserunning. He walked to open the inning and stole second and third base. Seth Stephenson also walked and stole second (No. 42 on the year).
E.J. Exposito hits a solo homer to left center to give Erie an early lead. It’s his 16th home run of the year. pic.twitter.com/LMK6OD0EIR
Things stayed pretty quiet until the sixth, which is conveniently when both bullpens took over. Props to Hayden Minton for holding Richmond scoreless for five frames and allowing just four hits.
Erie made it a 3-0 game in the sixth, scoring a run on a fielder’s choice, but Johan Simon gave all three runs back in the bottom half of the inning. It’s not all on Simon. He had to work around a leadoff error, but any inning with four hits and two extra-base hits is a bad one.
Tyler Owens got the final out of the sixth and pitched through the seventh, but not before giving up the lead on a sac fly.
Justice Bigbie tied things back up in the eighth with an RBI single. Graham scored after stealing his 50th base of the season.
Peyton Graham with an infield single, his 50th SB, and the tying run for Erie. Graham is the 8th Tigers minor leaguer with 50+ steals in a season since 2000. He joins:
Seth Stephenson Freddy Guzman Ovandy Suero Gorkys Hernandez Nook Logan 2x Juan Francia Andres Torres pic.twitter.com/f6R97WYwqp
Tanner Kohlhepp took over in the eighth, and back and forth we go. Back-to-back singles around a wild pitch gave Richmond the lead back, and a two-out double made it 6-4.
Erie still fought, though, tying it again in the ninth. Lee singled, stole second and came across on a Stephenson base hit. Graham came up big again, driving in the tying run with a double.
Peyton Graham rips a 2-out double to left to score Seth Stephenson and tie the game for Erie in the 9th. pic.twitter.com/ALUEDpnrVY
Wandisson Charles went 1-2-3 in the ninth, and to extra innings we go! Bigbie started on second and moved to third on a ground out, but the SeaWolves still went down 1-2-3, setting up the walkoff opportunity.
Charles got the first two outs just fine, but Richmond only needed one base hit to win. Diego Velasquez delivered, and that’s that.
Graham: 3-4, 2B (13), 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 SB(50)
Lee: 1-3, 2R, BB, K, 3 SB(6)
Exposito: 1-4, HR (16), R, RBI, BB, K
Minton: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, BB, 2 K
Coming Up Next: Erie and Richmond duke it out to determine the series at 5:05 p.m. ET on Sunday. Jackson Jobe is on the mound.
(F/8) Great Lakes Loons 3, West Michigan Whitecaps 2 (box)
Game One of the shortened three-game series out of the All-Star Break… was delayed again. This time, the West Michigan Whitecaps and Great Lakes Loons had to wait 30 minutes past the scheduled start time of their doubleheader.
Charlie Christensen (Whitecaps) and Zach Root (Loons) battled it out on the mound, both allowing two runs. Christensen had better command, striking out six and walking none, while Root worked around four walks and four hits with five strikeouts. Christensen also had the edge in hits allowed with just two, but they were both solo home runs.
Both of West Michigan’s runs off Root came in the fourth inning. Stephen Hrustich walked, and Andrew Sojka moved him to third on a single to right field. Juan Hernandez hit one back to Root, which ricocheted off his glove, making the only play to first and allowing the run to score. The other came in unearned on a bad throw to first base that should have been the third out.
Root got through the fifth, but Christensen only went four. Ethan Sloan was first out of the bullpen for the Whitecaps. He worked around a single after the offense tied things up, and Carlos Lequerica did the same in the sixth. Sloan actually started the sixth, but he hit a batter and got pulled before anything got out of hand.
Colin Fields held the 2-2 tie in the seventh, and Jackson Strong couldn’t score in the eighth to put West Michigan ahead. Strong had an odd collision with the umpire while running toward home on a foul ball. He got checked out by the training staff after showing some obvious discomfort in his left foot/ankle, but he stayed in the game.
The game ended in one of the worst ways possible. Thomas Bruss spiked the 10th pitch of an at-bat to allow the winning run to cross. Hopefully, he was allowed to stay in the clubhouse for the second game…
(F/7) West Michigan Whitecaps 11, Great Lakes Loons 2 (box)
This one went much better for the Whitecaps, but it looked like another 2-2 deadlock for a bit. Eventually, West Michigan’s offense exploded for nine runs between the fifth and sixth innings for a comfortable 11-2 win.
Cristian Santana got the scoring started in the second, blasting a two-run homer and putting West Michigan out front.
Cristian Santana lofts a 2-run homer to left to give the Whitecaps an early lead in Game 2. pic.twitter.com/n6UlinoP0O
Meanwhile, Carlos Marcano cruised through his first two innings of work on the mound, striking out three of the first four batters he faced. The third inning brought problems, though. A leadoff triple and sac fly made it a one-run game, and Marcano hit the next batter to put the tying run on base. A double and another sac fly brought him in. Here we go again…
Things got a little hairy again in the fourth. Marcano walked a batter and gave up a two-out single, prompting Logan Berrier to come out of the bullpen. Berrier got the strikeout to escape the inning unharmed. Then, the dam burst.
Hernandez walked and moved to second on a bad pickoff attempt. Woody Hadeen lined one to center to give West Michigan the lead back. Samuel Gil tripled Hadeen in, Clayton Campbell walked and Sojka brought Gil home on a sac fly. 5-2, Whitecaps.
Samuel Gil bounces an RBI triple down the line to give West Michigan a 4-2 lead. pic.twitter.com/xO6mOdN4EX
Stephen Hrustich just missed a homer with two men on, hitting the top of the wall for a two-run double. Finally, Enderson Delgado recorded his first double with the Whitecaps to bring Hrustich home and the score to 11-2.
Luke Stofel finished the game on the mound. He allowed three hits and walked a batter, but managed to hold the Loons scoreless for two innings.
Gil: 3-4, 3B (2), 2 R, RBI, BB, K
Santana: 2-3, 2 HR (6), 2 R, 3 RBI, BB, K
Marcano: 3.2 IP, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
Coming Up Next: West Michigan and Great Lakes finish the series Sunday at 1:05 p.m. ET.
Lakeland Flying Tigers 7, Fort Myers Mighty Mussels 3 (box)
Malachi Witherspoon got the start for Lakeland. He continues to be hittable, but the stuff is good. Despite allowing three runs over four innings from Witherspoon, the offense and bullpen did enough to pull out a comfortable 7-3 win over the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels.
Witherspoon got into trouble right away, allowing back-to-back singles before recording an out. A double brought both runners home, but he bounced back with a 1-2-3 second.
Gleyber Torres gave the Flying Tigers the lead with a three-run, opposite-field shot in the third. The wind helped it, but he still got good wood on it.
Yendy Gomez got the next two innings on the mound. He had to deal with a walk and a base hit in the seventh, and an error extended an otherwise sharp eighth inning.
Rucker hit another home run in the ninth for good measure. All of Lakeland’s runs came on homers today. Luke Hoskins closed things out in the ninth.
Torres: 1-3, HR (1), R, 3 RBI
Yost: 0-3, R, 2 BB, K
Rucker: 3-4, 2 HR (9), 2 R, 2 RBI, K
Pinto: 2-4, HR (5), 2 R, 2 RBI, K
Witherspoon: 4.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
Coming Up Next: Lakeland and Fort Myers finish the series Sunday at 12:05 p.m. ET.
This one picked up from yesterday after the weather suspended the contest.
Here’s what Brandon wrote yesterday before the stoppage:
One great sign was that right-hander Kelvis Salcedo, who possesses arguably the best stuff in the whole system, threw an inning, beginning a rehab assignment. We’d had no word on his injury, but fortunately it appears he’ll only miss the last few weeks. He threw a perfect inning, striking out the side in the first.
Joey Wimpelberg gave up two in a short outing, and Ryan Hall two more in the fourth, but he did strike out four in two innings of work.
Michael Oliveto and Santiago Pinto each had a double in this one so far, while Cristian Perez continued his FCL reign of terror with two more knocks.
Picking things back up in the fifth, Maddox Long took the mound for the Tigers. He went 1-2-3 with two strikeouts in his first inning of work, but the sixth was a complete disaster… The sequence went home run-double-walk-home run-home run before Leonardo Rossell took over. Rookie ball is so weird…
Rossell mostly did his job, allowing another run to cross on a two-out double and single. By that time, it was 10-5 and pretty much out of reach, barring a miracle. Guillermo Batista drove in one for the Tigers, but that’s all they got
Our regularly scheduled contests didn’t go much better. The Yankees led from start to finish, plating three in the first and answering the Tigers’ two-run response with their own two-spot in the second.
Zach Swanson (2024, Round 9) got the start but didn’t make it out of the first. He allowed three hits to the first four batters he faced and saw three bags swiped against him. A fielder’s choice went wrong and allowed a third run to score, and that was it for Swanson. Yoan Valdez struck out a pair after taking over for him.
Michael Oliveto (2025, Round CB-A) hit his first professional home run to make it 3-2, but those were the only runs scored by the Tigers.
Owen Hall took over in the second inning. It didn’t go well. A leadoff error and back-to-back singles made it 4-2 and set up a double steal with men on the corners, which brought another home.
Hall was better in the third, facing the minimum thanks to Oliveto catching the runner stealing. He worked around a leadoff double in the fourth and somehow got through the fifth unscathed, despite hitting the first two batters. Again, Oliveto bailed him out, picking off the runner at second. Hall did strike out six batters, though, so it’s not all bad.
Johnathan Rogers had the sixth. He hit the leadoff man and gave up an insurance run on a double right after. Leonardo Leon worked around a pair of walks in the seventh before the game finished.
Coming Up Next: The FCL Tigers are back at it on Monday at noon ET against the FCL Blue Jays. Both DSL Tigers clubs also play at 11 a.m. ET.
Kodai Senga has been showing some positives since the Mets moved him into a bullpen role, but the results weren’t there again in his latest appearance Saturday afternoon.
Senga entered in relief of Sean Manaea after the left-hander ran out of steam trying to dance his way out of a two out jam in the bottom of the fifth.
He lost a battle with the first batter he faced, walking him on eight pitches to load the bases, but then settled down and struck out Derek Hill with a forkball to end the threat.
Things didn’t go as well for the righty in the sixth, though.
The Phillies immediately put a man in scoring position with a Bryson Stott triple, then back-to-back walks loaded the bases again before Bryce Harper ripped a two-run single to right.
Senga retired the next three batters to escape without further damage, then he allowed a single leading off the seventh before a rain delay brought his day to an end.
While the velocity was there for him coming on in relief he wasn’t exactly effective, allowing two runs on three hits and as many walks across just 1.2 innings of work.
“His stuff is good, the fastball was up to 99,” interim manager Andy Green said. “But there’s better outcomes needed -- he’s aware of that, he wants that, and we want that for him.”
Senga has allowed multiple runs in all but two of his 12 outings on the season, and his only clean appearance came his last time out against the Red Sox.
His ERA now sits at 8.85 to go along with a 1.84 WHIP.
One has to figure the leash is only getting shorter with Senga’s ineffectiveness now continuing in relief.
The Detroit Tigers clinched their first series win coming out of the All-Star break late Saturday night with a 7-0 win over the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim. Tarik Skubal tossed a gem and the offense found its groove, powering the team to a shutout victory.
On Sunday, AJ Hinch’s squad goes for the sweep with right-hander Casey Mize on the mound. The 29-year-old had thrown a pair of quality starts before a rough outing in Detroit heading into the Midsummer Classic, giving up four runs (three earned) on five hits and two walks while striking out five Philadelphia Phillies en route to his sixth loss of the season.
When Mize saw the Angels earlier this season, his start was cut short due to right groin tightness after tossing four frames of shutout ball, allowing a pair of hits and a walk while striking out six. The Tigers went on to win that game, 4-0.
Opposite him for Los Angeles is right-hander Ryan Johnson, who has struggled in his second year of major league ball. The 23-year-old’s two games so far in July saw him post a 5.00 ERA and 7.21 FIP, serving up a trio of homers along with four walks and seven strikeouts over nine innings of work; his team lost both outings.
Here is a look at how the two match up on paper for Sunday afternoon’s matinee affair.
Detroit Tigers (46-52) vs. Los Angeles Angels (38-61)
Time (ET): 4:07 p.m. Place: Angel Stadium, Anaheim, California SB Nation Site: N/A Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Game 99: RHP Casey Mize (4-6, 2.79 ERA) vs. RHP Ryan Johnson (1-4, 6.75 ERA)
Jul 8, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Grant Holmes (66) looks on before pitching against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Holmes (5-4, 3.61 ERA) has had a mixed bag of a season. You never know exactly what you get, and it’s likely he may have already been relegated to the bullpen if Atlanta’s starter options weren’t as limited as they are right now with injuries.
However, the right-hander is coming off one of his better starts of the season, giving up three hits over five shutout innings in a 3-0 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on July 8.
In fact, Holmes’ last four appearances (three starts) have been solid on the whole. He’s allowed two earned runs on 12 hits over 18 2/3 innings, striking out 15 and walking seven.
His one career start against Texas didn’t go particularly well last July in Arlington when he gave up four runs on six hits over four innings of a 6-5 Rangers win.
The good news (in theory) is that he could be in line for some run support with the Braves racking up 21 combined runs in their first two games out of the All-Star break.
The Braves will look to carry over that offensive success against Rangers righty veteran Nathan Eovaldi (9-7, 4.04). Eovaldi has been in decent form of late, albeit a bit more consistent in length and less effective than Holmes. He’s allowed exactly three earned runs in four of his last five starts and enters having won his last four decisions.
His last loss came on June 9 and he’s thrown six-plus innings in 13 of his 18 starts this season, exactly what you would expect from a 15-year veteran.
This will be his 19th career start against the Braves. He has a 4-4 record and 2.86 ERA against Atlanta, with 99 strikeouts and 40 walks in 110 innings.
With the Phillies gaining the game they lost starting the weekend right back and entering Sunday two games back in the division, it would be pretty significant if the Braves can start the second half in the same manner they cruised through the first two months of the season, with a series win.
(Original Caption) Yankees vs. St. Louis at the Polo Grounds. Bob Meusal's first time at the bat this season.
You can definitely say that Bob Meusel made his MLB debut at the perfect time: in 1920, with the birth of the so-called live ball era. From that year until 1929, the hard-hitting outfielder was a key cog of the Yankees’ lineup in a key decade in franchise history, the days of the “Murderers’ Row.”
Robert William ‘Bob’ Meusel Born: July 19, 1896 (San Jose, CA) Died: November 28, 1977 (Downey, CA) Yankees Tenure: 1920-1929
Meusel was born on this day 130 years ago in San Jose, California, to Charles and Mary Meusel. Robert William was his name, and he was the youngest of six children. One of his brothers was Emil “Irish” Meusel, who was a New York Giants star in the early 1920s.
The family relocated to Los Angeles when Bob was growing up. There, he went to the Los Angeles High School, played ball for Spokane in the Northwestern League in 1917, and then for the Vernon Tigers of the Pacific Coast League in 1917 and 1919. In the middle, in 1918, he served in the U.S. Navy, where he played baseball, too.
Meusel made his MLB debut for the Yankees in 1920, the same year in which Babe Ruth, who would be a close friend of his, was sold to the team. As a rookie, he tied for ninth with 11 home runs and finished fifth with 40 doubles. The power, as you can see, was always there, but one of his most underrated tools was an amazing throwing arm that has been described by some as being in a similar tier to Roberto Clemente, Willie Mays, and Ichiro Suzuki, as the Society of American Baseball Research, or SABR, illustrates.
In 1921, Meusel led the league with 88 strikeouts, but posted a career-high .915 OPS that illustrates just how talented he was and how underrated he was in those Yankees of the 1920s. He increased his home run output to 24, drove in a whopping 138 runs, and helped take the Bombers to the World Series for the first time in franchise history. There, they lost to the Giants with his brother Irish shining.
Meusel wasn’t great in World Series play as a Yankee, accumulating a .225 batting average and a .632 OPS. Still, it doesn’t erase the contributions he made to the franchise and the fact that he helped take them to six Fall Classics, winning three.
It’s important to point out that Meusel got married that year, in 1921, on December 14th. He decided to make things formal with Edith Cowan. The couple had two children. Another anecdote of that eventful 1921 involving Meusel was that he, alongside Ruth and pitcher Bill Piercy, was suspended for going on a barnstorming tour after the Fall Classic.
The 1922 campaign was more of the same: steady production from Meusel (.898 OPS and 16 home runs) and another World Series loss to the Giants. The Yankees and ‘Long Bob’ would finally enjoy sweet revenge in 1923 after beating the Giants 4-2 in the Fall Classic, with the younger Meusel putting up a .731 OPS with a double, two triples, and eight RBI.
Meusel had a nice 1924 campaign, hitting .325/.365/.494 with 40 doubles, 11 triples, 12 home runs, 124 RBI, a .859 OPS, and a career-high 26 stolen bases. Meusel could do it all, including field, and had that elegance that some people mistook for laziness. The Yankees finished second in the junior circuit and didn’t make it to the World Series.
In 1925, despite the Yankees again failing to make it to the last series of the season, Meusel had arguably his finest campaign in pinstripes. He slashed .290/.348/.542 with an .889 OPS and led the American League in both home runs, with 33, and RBI, with 134. It was a down year for Ruth, as physical issues and other problems limited him to 98 games.
The Yankees would return to the Fall Classic in 1926, aided by Meusel’s 12 homers and .842 regular-season OPS. His 1926 World Series was a forgettable one, though. He was fine from a stats standpoint, finishing with a .788 OPS, but he made a key fielding error with the bases loaded in the fourth inning of Game 7 that led to the tying run and then missed several chances with runners on base at the plate to seal the Yankees’ fate that year.
The Murderers’ Row, as a term, can be used to refer to the 1920s Yankees in general, but it mostly refers to the 1927 lineup that won 110 of 155 regular-season games and then took the Fall Classic. The first six hitters, Earle Combs, Mark Koenig, Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Meusel, and Tony Lazzeri, were a handful for opposing pitchers.
Meusel hit .337/.393/.510 with eight round-trippers and a .902 OPS that year. He doubled 47 times, though, and also contributed nine triples. It was the first of two consecutive World Series sweeps by the Yankees, as they easily handled the Pittsburgh Pirates first, and the St. Louis Cardinals next in 1928.
In that 1928 campaign, Meusel started to decline. Yes, he drove in 113 runs, but his .816 OPS marked the start of a downward trend until he retired in 1930. That 1928 World Series would be his last, and it ended in his third ring.
He played exactly 100 games for the 1929 Yankees, but it was clear that he wasn’t the same. He finished with a .683 OPS, and was sold to the Cincinnati Reds, where he wrapped up a brilliant career in 1930.
Even though Meusel fell short of Hall of Fame status, he had a fantastic career that every young player would want. He retired with a .309/.356/.497 slash line, 156 home runs, 1,068 RBI, 142 stolen bases, and an .852 OPS. He racked up 28.7 Wins Above Replacement, per FanGraphs (fWAR). Combs, Meusel and Ruth formed one of history’s most feared outfields from 1924-29. The 1920s decade was when it all started for the Yankees, and Meusel was a huge part of it all. He ranked 50th in our list of the top 100 Yankees a few years ago, and it’s easy to see why.
Upon retiring, Meusel returned to the Navy, working as a security guard at one of its bases for 15 years. He was among those present at the famous Gehrig speech of July 4, 1939. Additionally, and according to SABR, he went on to appear in several movies (generally as himself) such as Slide, Kelly, Slide (1927), Alibi Ike (1935), Pride of the Yankees (1942), and The Babe Ruth Story (1948).
After baseball, Meusel lived a quiet life in California. He passed in 1977, a few days after the Yankees sealed their first World Series win in 15 years.
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.
KANSAS CITY, MO - JULY 18: Xander Bogaerts #2 of the San Diego Padres slides as Michael Massey #19 of the Kansas City Royals turns a double plate in the fifth inning of an MLB game between the San Diego Padres and Kansas City Royals on July 18, 2026 at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, MO. (Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The season hangs in the balance for the San Diego Padres. With general manager and president of baseball operations A.J. Preller saying publicly, he wanted to wait to see how the team performed after the All-Star break before making a decision on how they would proceed at the trade deadline the Padres have started the second half with back-to-back losses to the Kansas City Royals. San Diego showed fight and intensity in their 7-6 10-inning loss on Friday night and the argument could be made that loss falls more on the shoulders of rookie manager Craig Stammen than the players, but that was not the case on Saturday.
The Padres faced off against a bulk innings reliever for the Royals in Randy Dobnak, but he looked like a dominant starter against the San Diego lineup. The lone run allowed by Dobnak, and the only run of the game for the Padres, came when Fernando Tatis Jr. connected on a solo home run in the top of the third inning which cut the Kansas City lead to 2-1.
San Diego was held in check throughout the remainder of the game, but there were opportunities. The Padres went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position, but even the one hit did not produce a run. Jake Cronenworth, Ty France and Freddy Fermin all had doubles in the game, but the top of the lineup failed to bring them in. Tatis finished 1-for-2 with a home run, a run scored and an RBI with two walks. The next four hitters in the San Diego lineup combined to go 0-for-14 with two walks and five strikeouts. France and Cronenworth were the only Padres players with multiple hits in the game.
Griffin Canning started the game for San Diego and lasted just 3.2 innings. He allowed four runs on five hits with two walks and four strikeouts. Matt Waldron followed with 2.1 innings pitched with two runs allowed on two hits. Both runs scored on a home run to center field by Kansas City catcher Salvador Perez.
The Padres have opened the second half with a losing series, but they could salvage a win today, but they will need a better start from German Marquez than what they got from Canning and they will need their offense to perform in a manner that reflects their payroll.
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - MAY 3: Clay Holmes #35 of the New York Mets walks to the dugout prior to a game against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on May 3, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Meet the Mets
The Mets lost to the Phillies 6-1 in a game that featured a moved up start time and a rain delay despite these precautionary measures. Kyle Schwarber’s two run homer off Sean Manaea in the first inning ended up being the decisive blow, as Manaea took the loss, but Kodai Senga allowed some insurance runs to put this one out of reach. A solo homer by Tyrone Taylor represented the Mets’ only run.
“All of them are going to play. That’s right for us from a matchup perspective, that’s right from a talent level perspective,” Andy Green said regarding the Mets’ outfield situation once Luis Robert Jr. returns from the injured list.
As Holmes ramps up his rehab, trade rumors surrounding him continue to swirl as his interesting market develops.
Greg Prince of Faith and Fear in Flushing wrote a moving tribute to Ron Hunt, who passed away on Wednesday at the age of 85.
Alex Rodriguez was seen at Fanatics Fest on Friday wearing an ’80s-era Keith Hernandez Mets jersey, imitating Keith’s batting stance and discussing his childhood Mets fandom.
Luis García Jr., who is having a breakout season with the Nationals as part of their normally potent lineup, is receiving interest in trade talks.
The Braves lost a close one to the Rangers 7-6, as former Met Brandon Nimmo gave a standout performance for the Texas.
AJ Smith-Shawver looked sharp in his latest rehab outing and is getting closer to a return. Ronald Acuña Jr. could return for the Braves before their current homestand ends on Thursday. But the timeline for Spencer Schwellenbach and Spencer Strider is not nearly as clear.
The Marlins used the All-Star break to give their All-Star Max Meyer extra rest and it backfired in an 8-6 loss to the Brewers.
Longtime Brewers hurler Brandon Woodruff announced that he would undergo a second shoulder capsule surgery, which will end his season. Woodruff is a free agent at the end of the season and the last time he underwent this repair in 2023, it took him 20 months to return to the mound. “I’m not happy about [needing surgery], but you know, it’s a beautiful thing where this all came at a time for me when my third child just came,” said Woodruff, whose wife, Jonie, gave birth to a son this week. “We had an All-Star break and had time to really sit down and think about this. But yeah, I’m not having a funeral or anything.”
The Cubs acquired right-hander Aaron Civale from the A’s in exchange for right-handed pitching prospect Aiden Moffett.
Speaking of the Cubs, Anthony Rizzo was on hand at Wrigley Field on Saturday when a home run ball happened to come his way. And it’s not the first time that’s happened to Rizzo either!
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 25: Mj Melendez #1 of the New York Mets at bat during the fourth inning at Citi Field on June 25, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Luis Robert looks ready, both to return to the Mets and to hit the trade market. MJ Melendez continues to demolish Triple-A. And Nick Morabito looks like someone who should be playing over Tyrone Taylor for a team looking to the future. Note we didn’t say anything about Jonah Tong.
REHAB ALERT: CF Luis Robert Jr.: 2-5, 2 R, HR (1), 2 RBI, 2 K
Rumors of the demise of Antonio Jimenez’s surge were greatly exaggerated – he homered for the sixth time this season. He’s still not been good enough to get the majority of his prospect stock back, but hey do this for another month or two and we can talk. Trey Snyder also doubled twice in the loss.
Jul 7, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Hunter Dobbins (40) pitches against the Milwaukee Brewers during the second inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
The St. Louis Cardinals had plenty of positive vibes around the team coming out of the All-Star break and those good feelings continued into game one of the series against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Michael McGreevy, advanced metrics be darned, did what he does to notch a quality start in a gritty win. In game two, Dustin May got the ball to prove to the Cardinals (and trade suitors) that he can remain healthy and effective into the second half of a season.
Unfortunately, that audition did not go great for anyone involved as May walked four and gave up five runs on eight hits in a 5-3 loss on Saturday. The bullpen allowed just one baserunner the rest of the way but the damage was done. To what extent that damage did to May’s trade value is unknown and there still seems to be a split crowd for what his future should be with the organization. He was signed on a one-year deal with the idea of a deal at the deadline, but he may have sunk his prospect value enough to argue he could be worth holding onto in this improbable playoff contention season.
Regardless of the outcome surrounding May, there are going to be innings to be had in the rotation, be it from poor performance, innings limits, or injury. In a wild universe that is hopefully not this one, the Cardinals could be looking to replace 4/5 of their rotation not soon after August 3. My only lock for the 2027 rotation is McGreevy.
The Cardinals entire pitching staff could look different after the trade deadline
In my first buy or sell conversation of the year, most of the chatter centered around the pitching staff and what to do with May. A slight majority of fans seem to be leaning towards dealing May, but then beg the question why stop there? Andre Pallante has pitched his way into a solid value, but he could be overpaid soon through he arbitration process and may not be an arm the Cardinals are desperate to build around this offseason. He is less likely to be pitching elsewhere in August, but you have to think Bloom is answering all calls about any of his major league arms.
Behind Pallante and May sits Kyle Leahy, who has found his footing as a starter after a tough first stretch. The 29-year-old sits 7-4 with a 3.73 ERA and even though the advanced stats are less bullish on his work, he has become a reliable arm but another one who may have more future value elsewhere. And then there is Matthew Liberatore. I figure he is going to be trotted out every fifth day or so for the entire season before any long-term decisions are made, but a move to the bullpen at the latter stages of the season may not be out of the question.
Reliever JoJo Romero hit the injured list with appendicitis late in the week and, less importantly than his health, now has plenty of questions about his own trade prospects. He was a likely trade candidate last year, but Chaim Bloom opted to maximize his value this year and seemed a near sure thing to be dealt this year. With no firm timetable to return, the Cardinals will now have a decision on whether to deal the lefty while injured, or hope he can regain his form and shore up a bullpen in a playoff race.
Elsewhere in the ‘pen, Riley O’Brien has shown his flaws as a closer and will not net the prospect capital some fans thought after his hot start. His remaining team control could mean Bloom will be more picky during this season and be more aggressive shopping the closer in the offseason. This could backfire and turn into another Romero situation, although O’Brien is nearly two years older with a spotty injury history, so there may be more reason to trade him now. Ryne Stanek may net something in return on the trade market, but expecting Bloom to find yet another low prospect diamond in the rough for an inconsistent and aging reliever is a tough ask.
If you’re still with me, that’s a lot of ifs/ands/buts within the 13-man pitching staff. While all seven of the above arms will probably not be in a new place in a couple weeks, there is still going to be some change in the pitching setup. For this practice, I am going to assume there are 2.5 rotation spots open and at least two meaningful bullpen roles up for grabs from August through the end of the season.
Lefty Quinn Mathews has found his 2024 self, pitching to a 2.01 ERA over his last four outings while striking out more than a batter an inning. He has grabbed the recent headlines, but the first option for one of the first open spots is probably still Hunter Dobbins. The righty has a couple MLB outings so far this year but has really hit a wall in Memphis over his last three outings. If both of these players keep going in their current directions, Mathews could leapfrog Dobbins into an extended audition. A trade would need to happen for this as Mathews needs to be added to the 40-man roster.
The other Memphis starter to debut in St. Louis this year is another lefty in Brycen Mautz. He has become a kind of forgotten man after his hot start and has 16 walks over his last 16 innings in Triple-A. Mautz is of course on the 40-man so a promotion for him would be clean and easy, but has back to back short starts and could be ticketed for a bullpen role or that .5 rotation spot needed for extra rest. A post-deadline rotation that includes Dobbins and Mathews could be seen as a net positive regardless of the outcome because there should be enough starting opportunities to begin a proper evaluation period on their future potential.
Bullpen turnover is going to continue regardless of the trade deadline, but we could end up seeing Matt Svanson and Luis Gastelum become more important later in games if there is a deal or two. That leaves the middle innings of blowouts (always in the Cardinals’ favor) available for guys to get their feet wet in the majors and provide valuable support in the dog days of summer. That means we are almost guaranteed to see Ryan Fernandez again at some point, but we could also get a glimpse of Cade Winquest, Hancel Rincon, and Victor Santos. And just because I need to when there’s a chance, if Tink Hence looks even close to 100% healthy ever again, call him up and get at least one major league appearance out of him.
If the Cardinals need a little more length, they could go with Pete Hansen or Austin Love, but I would not mind seeing what the team has in Cooper Hjerpe. the lefty has looked good in his rehab from surgery and rather than push his innings up too much, a tapered down August in a reliever role could be really fun in St. Louis.
Of course, there is a chance the Cardinals get major league ready arm talent in return at the trade deadline, but the current crop of trade candidates may just get younger, developmental arms in return. In a season where the goal was to figure out what the organization has, this trade deadline should provide ample opportunity for Chaim Bloom and his staff to start diving into what is already here before making a new checklist this offseason.
DETROIT, MI - JUNE 28: Houston Astros manager Joe Espada (19) takes the ball from Houston Astros relief pitcher Bryan Abreu (52) during a pitching change during a regular season Major League Baseball game between the Houston Astros and the Detroit Tigers on June 28, 2026 at Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Scott W. Grau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
As the trade deadline draws closer, the conversation surrounding the Houston Astros has remained fairly consistent.
The assumption is that Dana Brown will be looking for two things: a left-handed bat, preferably a corner outfielder, and possibly a starting pitcher.
Both make perfect sense.
But what if we’re all overlooking the area that has quietly become Houston’s biggest concern?
The bullpen.
For most of the season, the Astros’ relief corps has been one of the strengths of the club. Even while the rotation battled injuries and the lineup struggled to find consistency, the bullpen repeatedly kept Houston in games.
Lately, however, cracks have begun to appear.
Bryan King has been one of the Astros’ most reliable relievers for the majority of the season, but his recent performances have raised legitimate concerns. Over his last few outings, he’s struggled to execute in key situations, and those appearances have done little to inspire confidence, not only within the fan base but likely inside the clubhouse as well.
Every reliever goes through rough patches.
The question is whether this is simply a temporary slump or the beginning of something more concerning as the season enters its most important stretch.
Then there’s Bryan Abreu.
For the better part of the last several years, Abreu has been one of baseball’s premier setup men. He thrived in high-leverage situations and was arguably as important to Houston’s bullpen success as anyone not named Josh Hader.
This season has been a completely different story.
The command hasn’t been as sharp. The consistency has disappeared. Perhaps most concerning, the trust that once existed every time Abreu entered a close game simply isn’t there at the moment.
That’s a significant problem for a team with championship aspirations.
The return of Bennett Sousa should provide an immediate boost, particularly for a bullpen that has leaned heavily on left-handed options throughout the season. But expecting one reliever to solve every late-inning issue isn’t realistic.
Depth matters.
Especially in October.
The Astros know better than anyone that playoff baseball is often decided by which bullpen can consistently record the final nine outs. One injury, one extended slump, or one overworked reliever can completely alter a postseason series.
That’s why adding another reliable bullpen arm—or even two—should be higher on Houston’s priority list than many people realize.
Of course, Dana Brown’s job won’t be easy.
The expanded playoff format has created a league where very few teams are willing to wave the white flag before the deadline. With so many clubs still believing they’re in the Wild Card race, the number of true sellers continues to shrink.
That means quality relief pitching will likely be in high demand, making it both expensive and difficult to acquire.
The Astros still need another bat. They could certainly use additional starting pitching depth as well.
But as the calendar moves closer to the deadline, don’t be surprised if the bullpen quietly climbs to the top of Dana Brown’s shopping list.
Sometimes the biggest need isn’t the one everyone is talking about.
It might just be the one that’s slowly revealing itself with every late inning.
As the trade deadline approaches, Astros fans should keep one more question in mind.
Are the Astros really just one bat or one starting pitcher away?
Or has the bullpen suddenly become the area that could determine whether this team makes another deep postseason run?
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - CIRCA 1989: Von Hayes #9 of the Philadelphia Phillies gets back to first base safe as Will Clark #22 of the San Francisco Giants looks on during an Major League Baseball game circa 1989 at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, California. Hayes played for the Phillies from 1983-91. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Today’s question of the day is a trip down memory lane.
The Phillies weren’t very good after the 1983 World Series. They lost that Series to the Orioles, seeing their “Wheeze Kids” roster come up short and their roster then starting change over. After that magical run, there wasn’t much to speak about with the team until 1993. Even then, it was a fun filled season that didn’t really feel like it would be lasting very long. The team continued to fall on hard times until they moved into Citizens Bank Park, when the added money to the coffers allowed them to build a winner in 2008 before tearing it all down in 2013 and building back up again.
The question I have today focuses on that time between 1983 and 2004, when they started to get more consistent good(ish) baseball. What is your favorite memory of that time that doesn’t have anything to do with 1993? That’s the easy answer since it involved another World Series appearance, but these were some formative years for baseball fans around here, yours truly included. For me, it was getting to follow Von Hayes. That was my favorite player for some reason, the one I would emulate in the backyard. Don’t ask me why he was my favorite, but that was who I watched all the time.
COVERS INTEL: Grant Holmes is generating 
