On Sunday the newest members of the Baseball Hall of Fame were inducted in Cooperstown, New York. It’s a celebration of a baseball career that made its mark well beyond the impact a player had on an individual team. There are 354 members of the Hall of Fame, including just 281 players. This year’s class of players included Carlos Beltrán, Andruw Jones and Jeff Kent.
Kent spent most of his career in the National League, playing for the Mets, Giants, Dodgers and the Houston Astros (back when they were in the Cubs’ division). He had 264 plate appearances against the Cubs, slashing .267/.330/.446 with 10 home runs against Chicago’s NL team. It’s a solid, if unremarkable line. His wRC+ of 101 against the Cubs is almost exactly league average. A worthy adversary, for sure, but not the bod
But yesterday, as Kent was inducted into the Hall of Fame, he invoked Ryne Sandberg, one of the greatest Cubs of all time, as a key influence on him as a second baseman:
"I never had a chance to meet Ryne, but I watched him play every day because I wanted to be like him."
Jeff Kent credits the late Ryne Sandberg for setting the standard for generations of second basemen 💙 pic.twitter.com/E4cZOs6pPw
Kent was choked up as he mentioned the Cubs Hall of Fame second baseman who passed away last year. I was choked up as he noted that Ryne Sandberg not only set the standard for a generation of second basemen, but played with “respect, toughness and a quiet fire.” It made me flash back to Sandberg’s Hall of Fame induction speech, which revolves around the theme of what it means to respect the game.
It was a beautiful day to celebrate the long legacy of baseball, and the newest members of baseball’s most exclusive fraternity. Kent’s remarks were a fitting tribute to the man who set the standard for Cubs fans as well.
Salvador Perez is the new home run king of Royals baseball! All hail the king!
Salvy smacked the 318th home run of his career over the weekend, passing George Brett for the most home runs ever hit by a Royals player. It is just the latest accolade in the long, storied career that has made Salvy an icon in Kansas City.
This officially MLBPA licensed shirt is available as adult or youth t-shirt, or hoodie.
Salvy is rising up the all-time home run list for all MLB catchers, and Cooperstown could be calling his name before it is all said and done.
In the meantime, we still get to watch Salvy bash home runs at the K. From all of us at Royals Review, congrats to Salvy, the home run king of Kansas City!
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - JUNE 20: Byron Buxton #25 of the Minnesota Twins reacts after hitting a grand slam homerun during the fifth inning of the MLB game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on June 20, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Jeremy Chen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I left for a month and the Twins slightly improved? The team is now 1.0 game away from the final wild card spot and two more series away from the one-year anniversary of the legendary Twins Trade Deadline firesale. It remains to be seen whether we’ll be saying goodbye to any fan favorites next week or hello to new players that are part of the playoff push, but regardless, it should be an eventful week in baseball.
The Twins split a series against the Guardians and took care of business against the A’s, and now face the Royals and Mariners this week. The team could potentially get back to being an above-.500 team and fight for the playoffs. That being said, the team was in a similar spot last year prior to the fire sale, so I wouldn’t hold your breath.
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Tampa Bay leads the AL by three games over the Yankees, who have impressively kept pace despite still not having a timetable for Aaron Judge’s return. The White Sox are leading the AL Central by 2.5 games, and the Rangers lead the AL West by 1.5 games. The top three wild card spots are currently occupied by the Yankees, Red Sox, and Guardians.
The NL pennant race is now down to the Dodgers and the Brewers, who are separated by a half game, while Atlanta has dropped to 4.5 games behind the Dodgers. The Cubs, Phillies, and Diamondbacks round out the wild card slots. YYes
Athletics RHP Jack Perkins — the fourth-worst-rated pitcher on Batters-Box's current season dataset this evening — has been getting torched by right-handed hitters over his last few starts.
Across the last 30 righties he has faced, he owns a 3.00 HR/9, 7.50 ERA, and just a 27.3% ground ball rate. Those hitters have produced a .418 xBA, .676 xSLG, and .391 xwOBA against him. Overall, at home this season, right-handed hitters are generating a 38% hard hit rate and a 74% elevation rate.
Enter Boston Red Sox slugger Willson Contreras. One of the hottest and most consistent bats in the lineup, Contreras has posted a .320 batting average, .520 SLG, and .953 OPS over his last 30 at-bats against right-handed pitching, while generating a 46.7% hard hit rate and 13.3% barrel rate.
I love everything about this matchup, especially with the game being played in Sacramento, where temperatures are expected to be in the mid 90s. It sets up as an ideal environment for the ball to carry.
Carroll carries an elite rating on Batters-Box and boasts one of the highest arsenal coverage marks among all elite-rated hitters on the slate, covering 90.4% of Keller's pitch mix.
Despite Carroll's cold stretch over the last few weeks, I think he is beyond due for a big game. Over his last 30 plate appearances against RHP, he has generated a 58% hard hit rate and 21.1% barrel rate.
He also owns a .500 SLG, .767 OPS, and .308 ISO. When you're hitting the ball that hard, the results will come.
Keller has also been getting hit hard by left-handed batters. Over the last 60 lefties he has faced, they have produced a 44.7% hard hit rate, 12.8% barrel rate, and just a 21.3% ground ball rate. They also own a .382 xBA, .631 xSLG, and .419 xwOBA against him.
Hopefully Corbin sends one over the fence, or even better, legs out a little league home run with his speed. Hey, his triple is at 15-to-1 tonight. Shrug emoji.
Time: 6:40 p.m. ET
Where to watch: SNP, ARID
Colby Marchio's 2026 Transparency Record
HR picks: 87-314, +8.5 units
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JULY 24: Bo Bichette #19 of the New York Mets at bat in the first inning during a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citi Field on July 24, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Ever since the All-Star break ended, the Braves have faced off against AL West, NL West and AL East opposition. I hope y’all enjoyed the grand tour because it’s over now and the Braves will be staying in the NL East for the next few weeks. 13 of the next 16 games the Braves will play are going to be against NL East opposition and the other three games will be against AL East opposition in the form of the New York Yankees. Needless to say, there won’t be many late nights around here — unless there are rain delays. Don’t come at me for jinxing it either, it’s summer in the South.
Anyways, the Braves are now set to get well acquainted with their usual divisional foes starting this week. Atlanta’s current road trip will end in New York with a three-game series against the Mets while they’ll be returning home to begin a four-game set on Thursday with the Washington Nationals. We know the usual pratfalls when it comes to dealing with these two particular ballclubs but let’s go over them once more in order to get a better idea of what lies ahead for Atlanta this week.
July 27-29: New York Mets
Current Record: 44-62 Projected Record (via FanGraphs): 74-88
Well, at least the last time the Braves saw the Mets, they didn’t have too much trouble scoring. The Braves scored 34 runs in four games against New York when they locked horns in Cobb County. That was truly a sight for sore eyes considering how bad the offense had been during the month of June. Still, it was certainly a sign of how things were going for the Braves at that point that they somehow found a way to split that four-game series after the Mets snatched a couple of one-run wins to salvage it.
Juan Soto was a complete and total nightmare for Atlanta to deal with so far this season. In the seven games that they’ve played against the Mets, Soto has racked up five multi-hit games and 12 hits in total, with three of them being homers and 10 RBI to boot. Needless to say, Soto’s absence during this series due to a calf injury will be felt as he’s been one of the main factors keeping New York competitive with Atlanta during this season series so far.
That doesn’t mean that this’ll be smooth sailing for Atlanta’s pitching staff, though. Bo Bichette is still healthy and he’s been just as much a of a nightmare for the Braves to deal with as Soto has been. Bichette has had six multi-hit games against the Braves so far this season with 14 hits in total! He’s also had 10 RBI against the Braves so far as well. New York has scored 36 runs against Atlanta so far and 20 of those RBI have come from two players alone. Good grief. Bichette hasn’t done much since terrorizing the Braves (he hasn’t even homered since June 23) but it would not be shocking if he just suddenly found his plate production again.
So that’s the ballgame, right? Atlanta doesn’t have to deal with Juan Soto and Bo Bichette is the clear danger man here, right? Not exactly. Both Francisco Alvarez and Jared Young have been hot since running into the Braves earlier this month and Alvarez’s performances have apparently resulted in him being “shopped around” by the Mets, so there’s that. Francisco Lindor has been pretty consistent at the plate recently and New York’s been getting some solid contributions from A.J. Ewing lately as well. The Mets can do some damage at the plate on their day, as they’ve proven against the Braves a few times already and they’re coming into this series having tagged the Dodgers for eight runs in a win just yesterday.
The Braves will have to continue to hit the ball well, themselves, if they’re going to actually take care of business against New York for once. Zac Thornton has gotten his big league career off to a fine start so Monday could very well be a challenging situation for Atlanta’s lineup to deal with. With that being said, Atlanta didn’t have too many problems against Tuesday’s starter Christian Scott the last time they saw him and while a lot of Sean Manaea’s poor performance could be contributed to his defense letting him down, Wednesday’s starter certainly hasn’t been imposing, either. The Braves should be able to continue having success against this pitching staff.
This has once again been another closely-fought season series between these two teams and honestly, it wouldn’t be shocking if there was even more drama this time around.
Monday, July 27 at 7:10 p.m ET (BravesVision) Tuesday, July 28 at 7:10 p.m. ET (BravesVision, Gray TV) Wednesday, July 29 at 1:10 p.m. ET (BravesVision)
July 30-August 2: Washington Nationals
Current Record: 54-52 Projected Record: 80-82
Guess who has the top wRC+ in all of baseball since May 25? Yep, these guys. Guess who’s tied for the lead in wRC+ in all of baseball for the entire season so far? Yep, these guys again.
James Wood, Luis García Jr., CJ Abrams, Curtis Mead, Nasim Nuñez and Keibert Ruiz have all been performing at either well above-average or simply above-average levels since the last time the Braves faced them. Washington’s offense has been clicking all season and they haven’t really missed a beat at the plate. No matter who the Braves have pitching against these guys, there’s a very good chance that a slugfest could break out at any given moment against this crew. Plain and simple, they’ve been hitting at an elite level all season and at this point in the season, they are completely legit.
It’s also probably easy to guess why this team is still only two games over .500 and projected to finish under .500 despite having a genuinely elite offense. Their pitching is absolutely terrible — that was the case when the Braves played them earlier on this season and it continues to be the case as we get deeper into the season. The only National League pitching staff with an ERA- higher than Washington’s 113 mark is Colorado — and it’s actually pretty close since the Rockies are carrying an ERA- of 115. The Nationals are also carrying the second-worst FIP- in the National League at 111 (the Cubs are actually last at 113). It hasn’t gotten better for Washington since the last time Atlanta saw them, as the Nats have had a 113 ERA- and a 110 FIP- since May 25. This is just a bad pitching staff.
I think that the best way to sum up the 2026 Washington Nationals is a two-game span during their series a couple of weeks ago on the road in Sacramento. In the series opener, the Nats absolutely demolished the A’s in a 23-4 destruction. The very next day, the Nationals got whacked 15-1.
That is this team in a nutshell — one day, they could take you out behind the woodshed for a beatdown and the next day, they could be the ones getting taken out behind the woodshed for a beatdown, themselves. Maybe things will get better for the Nationals once they get Connelly Early back from injury after acquiring him from the Red Sox but for now, Atlanta’s lineup is going to have to match Washington swing-for-swing and they’ll be fully capable of it if the Nationals’ pitching staff performs as advertised.
Thursday, July 30 at 7:15 p.m. ET (ESPN) Friday, July 31 at 7:15 p.m. ET (BravesVision) Saturday, August 1 at 7:15 p.m. ET (BravesVision) Sunday, August 2 at 1:35 p.m. ET (BravesVision)
ANAHEIM, CA - JULY 04: Jo Adell #7 of the Los Angeles Angels makes a leaping catch to rob a home run in the first inning during the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on Saturday, July 4, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Tony Macon/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The 2026 Yankees feel like they have been bouncing from one crisis to the next. On the heels of Cody Bellinger landing on the injured list (though the injury hopefully isn’t too serious), they suddenly find themselves in need of another outfielder, specifically one who can hit left-handed pitching and plug into the middle of the order.
Without Bellinger and Aaron Judge, the Yankees’ outfield looks a bit like a box of misfit toys. Trent Grisham has been steady, but Jasson Domínguez has continued to teeter on the edge of being an average big leaguer. Spencer Jones has also been less than inspiring, with a batting stance that looks like someone in a Hallmark movie pretending to be a professional baseball player. Super utility man Max Schuemann has held his own, but he is naturally an infielder and does not always look comfortable in the outfield.
Oddly enough, the Yankees’ current outfield actually owns better splits against left-handed pitching than right-handed pitching. Entering Sunday night, Grisham carried a .724 OPS against lefties, Domínguez sat at .740, and Jones, albeit in only 12 at-bats, owned a .774 OPS.
That said, if the Yankees decide they would rather deploy a platoon bat than continue leaning on Schuemann, there is one outfielder who just happens to mash left-handed pitching. According to most around the industry, the Angels are willing to listen on Jo Adell.
So far this season, Adell has posted a .924 OPS in 112 at-bats against southpaws. In 2025, he slashed .277/.346/.585 against lefties compared to .227/.281/.463 against right-handers. It is also worth noting that Adell hit 30 home runs off right-handers last season despite the weaker overall splits against righties, proving the power plays regardless of the matchup.
When it comes to fit, Adell is almost the perfect platoon partner. In many ways, he is what the Yankees hoped Amed Rosario would be against left-handed pitching. If the club wants someone to rotate with Jones for the time being, Adell would make an excellent dance partner.
Defensively, Adell has spent most of this season in right field after splitting his time between right and center in 2025. He is not an elite defender, posting minus-4 Outs Above Average and minus-3 Arm Value this season. However, his 66th-percentile arm strength and 69th-percentile sprint speed suggest he has the physical tools to handle right field at Yankee Stadium, even if the other two outfield spots are less than ideal. Adell is not going to challenge for a gold glove, but he is athletic enough and has a big enough arm to make up for some of his other shortcomings in the field.
Adell also comes with one additional season of team control, making him more than just a rental. That can be viewed as either a positive or a negative. On one hand, the Yankees would have another year to figure out where he fits, potentially using him as a fourth outfielder in 2027. On the other, that extra year of control likely increases the acquisition cost.
The biggest question is what the Angels would actually ask for. Adell is still just 27 years old and will be on a modest contract next season, so Los Angeles has no reason to simply give him away. Factor in the lack of true sellers and the fact that right-handed hitters who mash lefties are always in demand, and Adell is likely to draw interest from several contenders. The Yankees have enough upper-level pitching depth to make that phone call worthwhile, but they will almost certainly have competition.
Adding another bat is very much an immediate need. While Adell may not be the cleanest positional fit, especially once Judge returns, the Yankees simply need offense. Losing Bellinger while Judge is already sidelined created about the worst-case scenario imaginable, and Adell is one of the few available bats whose strengths line up with exactly what the Yankees are missing. If the asking price stays reasonable, this feels like the type of move Brian Cashman has been willing to make at the last several deadlines.
Back when he was in the midst of his tenure with the Mets, I remember telling some family friends that Carlos Beltrán would end up in the Hall of Fame. That suggestion sounded outlandish to them, and hey, maybe it’s because they were all Yankees fans who hadn’t yet had the pleasure of watching him play on an everyday basis.
Even a neutral fan might not have fully appreciated Beltrán in his prime, though. He spent the first seven years playing for the Royals, after all, and the team had just one winning season during his time there. And after winning the American League Rookie of the Year Award in 1999, Beltrán had his first truly spectacular season at the age of 24 in 2001.
After he was dealt to the Astros in 2004 ahead of his first go at free agency, Beltrán really made a name for himself by having one of the best postseason runs of anyone in the history of the sport. And even though Houston wound up losing Game 7 of the National League Championship Series, everyone who followed baseball was fully aware of how good Beltrán was.
If you hadn’t been watching him every day, you might not have known just how easy he made everything look. Once he signed with the Mets ahead of the 2005 season, though, we got to see it first hand for seven seasons. When it came to watching him patrol center field, sitting in the upper deck behind home plate at Shea Stadium was the best. You could very well appreciate his defense by listening to or watching games from home, but being there in person gave you a better understanding of just how simple he made it look to play Gold Glove-caliber defense in center field while hitting for average, getting on base, hitting for power, and stealing bases.
If Mets ownership hadn’t pushed its relationship with Beltrán to the limit as he dealt with a knee injury that cost him a huge chunk of the 2009 and 2010 seasons, we might’ve gotten to see him thrive in a Mets uniform for even longer. Given the circumstances in the final year of his seven-year contract in 2011, he couldn’t have done any better for the organization. In the 98 games he spent with the team that year, he hit .289/.391/.513, and while he drastically reduced his stolen base attempts following his knee surgery, his 150 wRC+ in that portion of the the season was his best single-season mark as a Met. That made it possible for Sandy Alderson to flip the last two months of his season to the Giants for Zack Wheeler.
Yesterday afternoon in Cooperstown, just two days shy of the fifteenth anniversary of that trade, Beltrán was the third and final inductee to give his speech, and unsurprisingly, he knocked his speech out of the park. Professional athletes aren’t always the best at giving speeches, but Beltrán looked as comfortable as anyone ever has up there on stage. He touched on his family, the history and future of baseball in his home of Puerto Rico, and the most significant parts of his major league career, highlighting the challenges and growth that he experienced in his time with the Mets. If you haven’t watched it yet, you should listen to the entire thing.
“Every organization shapes your career. New York shaped my life. It was here where I achieved my greatest success and some of my greatest challenges. Playing for the Mets made me a better man and a better leader,” said Beltrán.
While Beltrán had been hired as the Mets’ next manager only to lose the role following the fallout from the Astros’ sign-stealing scandal shortly before the COVID pandemic began, he didn’t step away from the sport. He’s currently part of the Mets’ front office, serving as a special assistant to president of baseball operations David Stearns. And with there having been some reporting that the Mets were interested in having him take over as manager after the team fired Carlos Mendoza, it would be pretty great for him to finally get his chance at taking the job—should he be interested in it—heading into the 2027 season.
Listening to his speech yesterday, you know he’d have the attention and respect of his players. Very few Hall of Fame-caliber players take up an interest in managing in the first place. And it’s probably a stretch to say that managing a team, especially the Mets, could be easy. If anyone could make it look like it is, though, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Beltrán pull that off, too.
Jul 26, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Marlins left fielder Kyle Stowers (28) rounds the bases after hitting a home run against the San Diego Padres during the third inning at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
The Phillies haven’t played very well since the All-Star break, going 3-6 and losing all three of their series. But that’s nothing compared to the struggles of the Marlins. You might remember the Marlins being red hot in June and early July, going on a 26-8 to put themselves into playoff contention.
Ladies and Gentlemen, The Marlins and the Phillies have a tied record so far this season. The two teams are both looking to take that second wild card position tomorrow.
But the Marlins ended the first half by getting swept by the Guardians. And they haven’t won a game since, dropping their first nine games of the second half.
Since their losing streak began, they have the lowest on-base percentage in the majors and have the sixth-highest ERA. They haven’t suffered any real blowouts, as most of the losses have been by fewer than three runs. But a loss is a loss, and the Marlins are racking them up.
Marlins went from having the best month in franchise history to having the worst month in franchise history
As you might expect with an offense struggling the way the Marlins’ has, there aren’t a lot of hitters performing well. But the worst of them might during this stretch has probably been first baseman/outfielder Kyle Stowers.
After being traded from the Orioles to the Marlins in 2024, Stowers had what appeared to be a breakout campaign in 2025, with a .368 on-base percentage to go along with 25 home runs. Those numbers were good enough to get him to the All-Star Game.
Kyle Stowers broke out in a HUGE way in 2025 with the @Marlins 💪
Since then, injuries have been a problem. He suffered an oblique strain in August that wiped out the rest of his season, and then suffered a hamstring injury in Spring Training that caused a delayed start to the season. Perhaps not coincidentally, he did not hit well in the early part of the season.
Like most of the Marlins, he had a very good month of June, with an .897 OPS, but also like most of his teammates, that has changed dramatically. Since the Marlins’ losing streak began, Stowers is batting .146 and his defense – not a strong suit to begin with – has been bad.
He did hit a home run on Sunday, his first since the break. It feels like he’s too good of a player to keep slumping this badly, so perhaps that’s sign of a tunraround.
Remembering a guy who played for the Phillies and Marlins
Not much notice was taken when the Phillies claimed Greg Dobbs off waivers in January 2007. Dobbs was a 27-year-old who had never established himself as a major leaguer and was a longshot to even make the roster. But a strong Spring got him on the team, and he established himself as a good-hitting utility player, splitting time between third base, first base and the outfield. (Although he didn’t play any of those positions especially well.)
In 2008, Dobbs was one of the best bench players in baseball, with an .824 OPS in 240 plate appearances, while setting the franchise record for pinch hits in a season.
😍OTD 2008: Greg Dobbs sets a Phillies record for most pinch hits in a season when he gets his 22nd in the eighth inning as the Phillies beat the Braves at Citizens Bank Park, 6-2. Previous record: Doc Miller, 20, 1913. #philliespic.twitter.com/fLW5XczVFB
But the magic wore off after the World Series. His OPS dropped to .679 in 2009, and went 0-4 in the postseason. (I remember my father commenting that he looked scared to death while batting in the World Series.)
By 2010, his offense had declined to the point where he was supplanted by Ross Gload as the Phillies’ main pinch hitter. The Phillies allowed him to leave in free agency, and he signed with the Marlins.
He had a near full-time role with the Marlins in 2011, and while his bat was acceptable, he showed that he absolutely could not play defense well enough to be a starter. For some reason, the Marlins kept bringing him back every season, while his offensive numbers slowly declined, and his defense did not improve. Thanks to his abysmal defensive ratings, he was worth -2.9 wins above replacement over his four seasons with the Fish.
In May 2014, Dobbs had a .603 OPS, and the Marlins had enough. They released him, and he was claimed by the Nationals, for whom he played 21 games.
The Marlins, who decided in September to give Greg Dobbs $1.7 million for 2014, designated him assignment today to make room for Ed Lucas.
As they do whenever the franchise shows any sign of life, Marlins fans started feeling themselves a bit when the team was red hot.
This #Marlins team is so good man. This just feels different than some of the other competitive seasons in the past. I have no idea how to act. pic.twitter.com/2FRb1a5iw2
— Coach Kemp Alderman Lover, PhD (@KempAldermanLvr) July 9, 2026
The chatter is not nearly as positive these days.
I’ve seen some disgraceful things as a lifelong Marlins fan, but I think this is in the running for #1. We were 52-42 on July 9th playing the best baseball since 2009, a legit playoff team and a team with real potential.
— Brendan Taylor ブレンダン・テイラー (@TruSchoolSports) July 26, 2026
While the Marlins were never likely to be huge buyers, it now seems far more likely that they’ll do what the Marlins do best: Trade good players to other teams. The Phillies will face Sandy Alcantara on Tuesday, and it’s possible that will be his final appearance in a Marlins uniform.
But don’t worry, Marlins fans: I’m sure your general manager has a plan to get things turned around.
Are the Phillies playing the Marlins at the right time? I’m always wary of facing a team coming into a series on a long losing streak, as it feels like regression alone could get them a couple of wins.
As for the Phillies, was their eleven-run outburst on Sunday night a sign that the team was emerging from their post-break offensive slump? It’s hard to definitively say so because the Phillies still left a ton of runners on base and the Yankees outdid the Phillies’ poor defense, handing them several runs.
On the bright side, the Phillies will have both Zack Wheeler and Jesus Luzardo going this series. Luzardo has dominated his former team, going 4-1 with a 2.58 ERA in six starts against them. The third game will be started by Aaron Nola, who has a career 3.02 ERA at Miami’s LoanDepot park, and he pitched six shutout innings there earlier in the year.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JULY 25: Freddie Freeman #5 of the Los Angeles Dodgers at bat during the first inning of the game against the New York Mets at Citi Field on July 25, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dodgers since the All-Star break had a very workmanlike road trip, with three series in three cities in the Eastern time zone, winning two out of three games in each series. That included winning series over the Phillies and Mets last week.
On the road this season the Dodgers are 36-20 (.643), the best away mark in baseball, averaging 5.79 runs per game with a 120 wRC+ on the road, both also tops in the league.
Batter of the week
Freddie Freeman was red hot last week, including three straight games with three hits followed by two hits on Sunday. His 11 hits match Andy Pages in March and April for most by a Dodger over a four-game span this season. Freeman’s barrage got his season batting average over .300 for the first time since April 23, and his career batting average up to .29965.
Freeman on the season is hitting .301/.381/.491 and his 140 wRC+ is tops among qualified National League first baseman and fourth in the majors at the position. He’s tied for the major league lead with 27 doubles, including four this week. Freeman on Sunday hit his 574th career two-bagger, tying Charlie Gehringer and Bobby Abreu for 25th all-time. A staggering 21 of Freeman’s 27 doubles this year have been hit on the road.
Pitcher of the week
Roki Sasaki had one of his best starts of the season with nine strikeouts in seven innings against the Mets. He allowed only one run on three hits and a pair of walks, with 13 of his career-high 21 swinging strikes coming on his splitter.
Week 18 results
4-2 record 29 runs scored (4.83 per game) 29 runs allowed (4.83 per game) .809 pythagorean win percentage
Year to date
67-39 record 546 runs scored (5.15 per game) 391 runs allowed (3.69 per game) .648 pythagorean win percentage (69-37)
Miscellany
Cey it ain’t so: On Tuesday in Philadelphia, Max Muncy hit a two-run home run to account for the Dodgers’ only scoring in a win over the Phillies. The next night he homered again, the latter his 229th since joining the Dodgers, surpassing Ron Cey for fifth place in franchise history.
Muncy is now second in Los Angeles Dodgers history in home runs, behind only Eric Karros (270). Muncy this coming week could catch and/or pass Karros on another list. In the 65-year history of Dodger Stadium, Karros holds the ballpark record with 130 regular season home runs. Muncy is one behind him with 129.
Monday: The hot stove was officially lit when the Dodgers acquired reliever Seth Halvorsen from the Colorado Rockies for Nick Frasso and minor league outfielder Landyn Vidourek. Halvorsen, who has minor league options, is currently on the injured list with shoulder inflammation and currently on a rehab assignment in Triple-A.
Tuesday: Innings eater Charlie Barnesreturned to the Dodgers, with Landon Knack optioned after pitching two innings the night before. Will Smith was moved to the 60-day injured list, which did nothing to alter his yet-to-be-determined timeline for return.
After two long weeks away, the Dodgers are back home this week to run the Heathcliff Slocumb interleague gauntlet, hosting the Seattle Mariners and Boston Red Sox. Pitching matchups are a guess, as the Dodgers haven’t announced their probably pitchers for the next series after off days Monday and last Thursday.
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - JULY 26: Petey Halpin #0 of the Cleveland Guardians misses the catch on a ball hit by Nick Fortes #40 of the Tampa Bay Rays during the third inning of a baseball game at Tropicana Field on July 26, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In the middle of their worst stretch of the season, the Guardians will now play Terry Francona’s Cincinnati Reds. What could possibly go wrong?
The Reds are last in team wRC+ at 89 wRC+ (it could be worse, Guardians’ fans, we could still employ Reds’ hitting coach Chris Valaika), 17th in baserunning runs above average at -1.4, 19th in Defense at -20.9, 23rd in starting pitcher ERA at 4.46 (4.62 FIP), and 25th in bullpen ERA at 4.64 (5.13 FIP).
The Guardians are 25th in team wRC+ at 93 wRC+, 7th in baserunning runs above average at 5.2, 10th in Defense at -6.5, seventh in starting pitcher ERA at 3.75 (3.97 FIP), and seventh in bullpen ERA at 3.75 (3.76 FIP).
The Reds are a terrible baseball team by every metric. Of course, the Guardians will face their best pitcher in Chase Burns tonight, so will need to win 1-0. In 10 innings. And Slade Cecconi is on the mound.
Matchups: Monday, 7:10PM ET: Slade Cecconi, RHP 4.60 ERA (4.48 FIP) vs. Chase Burns, RHP 2.42 ERA (3.34 FIP) Tuesday, 7:10PM ET: Gavin Williams, RHP 3.78 ERA (3.65 FIP) vs. Brady Singer, RHP 4.53 ERA (5.21 FIP) Wednesday, 7:10PM ET: Joey Cantillo, LHP 4.02 ERA (4.04 FIP) vs. Rhett Lowder, RHP 6.04 ERA (4.37 FIP)
The Reds are led by Elly De La Cruz at 130 wRC+, JJ Bleday 117 wRC+, Nathaniel Lowe 116 wRC+, Sal Stewart 111 wRC+ and Dane Myers 101 wRC+. The Guardians are led by Chase DeLauter 126 wRC+, Austin Hedges 115 wRC+, Travis Bazzana 109 wRC+, Jose Ramirez 106 wRC+ and Brayan Rocchio 106 wRC+.
Well, tonight could be rough but the Guardians SHOULD be able to win a couple games in this series. Hopefully, the games will allow Jose Ramirez and Angel Martinez to get back in a rhythm and the Guardians will acquire an actual lefty masher in a trade while we watch them.
Jun 24, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Kansas City Royals second baseman Michael Massey (19) celebrates after hitting a double in the fifth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images | Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images
Kansas City Royals second baseman Michael Massey just had one of the better moments of a disappointing season on Sunday, hitting a go-ahead home run in the top of the eighth inning against the Detroit Tigers. Here’s a clip in case you missed it:
The 28-year-old has put together a really nice bounce-back season, hitting .274/.312/.440 while playing above-average defense at second base. He has also been healthier this year, already surpassing his 2025 plate appearance total. Overall he has been worth 1.5 fWAR and is on pace for the best season of his career.
As I’m sure you are aware, the Royals have had an extremely disappointing season. Even after Sunday’s victory, they are 45-62 and sit 11.5 games behind the division-leading Chicago White Sox. Despite this, I expect the Royals to try and actually compete next year instead of resetting for a future year. The fact that they don’t seem interested in moving either Seth Lugo or Michael Wacha reinforces that belief.
Although Massey will still be under team control and could help the Royals next year, I think this trade deadline is the time to move him. I will admit that I’ve always been a bit of a Massey skeptic; if I was running the Royals I probably would have just cut bait after his difficult 2025 season. He’s been better than I’ve expected this year and I’m happy that he’s put together a positive season. Still, I think this is the right time to see if the Royals can get a good return for Massey, and these are the three biggest reasons why I think that is the case.
This is likely Massey’s ceiling
The second baseman is having a good season, but when I look at his overall numbers and career trajectory, I think we are witnessing the realistic peak of what Massey has to offer. He is hitting 4% above league-average, which is exactly the mark he was at in his previous best season of 2024. Nothing in his .304 BABIP and .166 ISO look particularly flukey; he might be able to tap into a little more power, his career high is .190. Players can grow, change and prove us wrong, but I think this is what Massey at the peak of his hitting powers is going to look like.
The left-handed hitter does not draw very many walks which does limit how effective he can be as a hitter. His 5.7% BB% is the second-lowest mark among Royals hitters with at least 200 plate appearances, only better than Salvador Perez. His free-swinging tendencies seem unlikely to change at this point in his career. Massey has also posted the best defensive numbers of his career this year, which is great to see but hard to project happening again moving forward.
Massey still has some significant downside potential in his game. He has battled back injuries in the past, which can be a chronic problem for some players. His offensive game also craters if he struggles to make solid contact; Massey had a 57 wRC+ last season. I think 2025 will end up being the worst season of Massey’s career, but the downside of him being a below-average hitter is very much present. I think we are seeing the best of what Massey has to offer, and he’s not likely to make you look foolish by developing into an All-Star second baseman if you move on from him.
Massey is more than a rental
Traditionally, losing MLB teams will trade players in the final year of their contract to teams that are still chasing postseason success. More and more teams, including the Royals, are putting a major emphasis on team control and how many years someone is under contract to determine trade value. We don’t know for sure, but I wonder if the Royals were unimpressed with offers that teams put forward for Lugo last offseason, since he was a rental player at the time, which led to them choosing to re-sign him to a two-year extension.
After this season, Massey is under team control for two more years. He will not be eligible to be a free agent until after the 2028 season is completed. Even if a front office is worried about the possibility of the 2027 season being shortened or lost, Massey still offers more than just a rental because of his remaining team control. He is also still arbitration-eligible, so while his contract will increase, it’s likely to not be as expensive as signing him as a free agent would be.
Massey could have the same season that he is having now in 2028, but the Royals are likely to get more in return if they are willing to trade him now.
Nick Loftin is a good in-house replacement
I have missed watching Maikel Garcia play baseball, but one of the positives is that Nick Loftin has gotten a chance to have regular at-bats. Loftin is hitting .249/.331/.407, which is also good for a 104 wRC+. He gets there a different way than Massey; the right-handed hitter is willing to take a walk. Loftin has a 9.3 walk rate, and he also has a lower strikeout rate than Massey, although both are good at making contact. I think Loftin’s approach at the plate is more sustainable and likely to repeat itself moving forward. I think Loftin is more likely to start hitting for more power than Massey is to draw walks, which makes his ceiling in my mind a tad higher. He is also a right-handed hitter, which the team has been short on at various times.
The 27-year-old has two more years of team control compared to Massey, so the Royals aren’t in danger of needing to find another second baseman if they decide to move on from Massey. Loftin admittedly looks more natural at third base than he has at second base this year; his small sample size second base defensive numbers are dragging his overall defensive numbers down significantly. I think Loftin has looked fine at second base previously and am willing to take the gamble that if you made him the full-time second baseman he would be okay there, but that admittedly could be an issue.
I would also be willing to hear arguments that the Royals should trade Loftin if they really believe in Massey. I felt like the team just needed one of them to do well this season; the fact that both are above-average hitters right now is one of the few success stories this season. If the Royals can trade one, and my preference would be Massey, to get some pieces that will help the team not have one of the worst bullpens in team history next year, then I think that is a trade worth making.
NEW YORK — The Atlanta Braves activated outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. from the injured list on Monday after the 2023 National League MVP missed almost seven weeks with a left hamstring strain.
Acuña is expected to be available for Monday night’s opener of a three-game series at the New York Mets.
The five-time All-Star is hitting .251 with seven home runs, 22 RBIs and 15 steals. His season has been shortened by two hamstring injuries. He missed 15 games in May with the same injury.
When Acuña was placed on the injured list on June 9, the Braves topped the majors with a 45-23 record and led the NL East by eight games over Philadelphia. Atlanta struggled in June without Acuña but has rebounded following the All-Star break and at 62-43 leads the second-place Phillies by 5 1/2 games.
Acuña also has suffered two serious knee injuries in his career. He sustained a season-ending torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in May 2024 and tore his right ACL midway through the 2021 season.
Though Acuña split time in his rehabilitation stint at designated hitter and in the outfield, Braves manager Walt Weiss recently said he expects Acuña will play primarily in right field, his normal position.
The Braves optioned outfielder Brewer Hicklen to Triple-A Gwinnett.
Despite a recent injection of much needed talent, the Rainiers dropped their weekly series to a paltry Reno team that’s struggled nearly as much as the Rainiers have this season. The bevy of injuries the Mariners’ big league roster has had to endure this season has severely hampered the Rainiers’ ability to compete at the level they’d like to, and the constant up-and-down for what seems like half their pitching staff is surely not helping things much, either. The prospect promotions make this team a worthwhile watch, but it’s definitely been a tough year on large.
Michael Arroyo continues to be one of the most impressive hitters this system has seen in many, many years. Finally free from the confines of DSP, Arroyo has taken little time to adjust to the elevated level of Triple-A and is already raking, running an OPS north of .930 through his first 15 games. There’s truly nothing he can’t do at the plate; elite contact ability, above-average power, excellent barrel control, and good batted ball distributions indicate he should be one of the better bats this system has produced in the Dipoto era. He’s done nothing but rake throughout his time in the minors, and with a glaring need for a bat of both his handedness and caliber, it wouldn’t come as much of a surprise to see him debut in the bigs sometime later this season.
Not to be outdone by Arroyo, Lazaro Montes has followed suit and has begun clobbering baseballs in the PCL. Stinging the ball with consistency and showing off his tremendous in-game power, Montes popped his third Triple-A homer this week and raised his OPS up to .879 at the level, and excellent mark that’s risen considerably the past week or so. Both he and Arroyo have mashed their way through the minor leagues and look like potential cornerstone players for this franchise; neither comes without their warts, but with definitive big league skills and tremendous youth on their side, the tandem possesses considerable value to this team and makes them a hard inclusion into any would-be trades this upcoming deadline.
Arkansas Travelers
The Travs wound up splitting the series against Wichita this week, an undoubtedly disappointing result given the poor state of Wichita’s roster and a healthy injection of talent via Everett this past week. This roster is plenty good enough to be competing with the best teams in the league, but they’ve struggled to secure wins in games that aren’t pitched by Kade Anderson or Ryan Sloan and lack depth in the starting rotation. The lineup should be incredibly good for the final two months and could easily out hit their opponents on a nightly basis, but they’ll have to get things turned around relatively quick if they want a look at postseason play.
Kade Anderson was unreal tonight. Everything was working in his first start since July 3rd. Final line: 5IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 7K, 11 whiffs, 56 pitches, 43 strikes.
It would be remiss to not mention the heartbreak of Friday night’s near-perfect game. Led by Kade Anderson’s five flawless innings with seven punchouts on just 56 pitches, the bullpen managed to keep the good times rolling all the way up until the 27th out, where a tough play at third base ultimately crashed the party and led to an errant throw. A dominant showing regardless, but a brutal finish to a potentially legendary night.
Jonny Farmelo has taken to the Texas League well and has fit right in at the top of the Arkansas lineup. Having already popped two homers and making a solid amount of contact, Farmelo has an OPS eclipsing the 1.000 mark through his first six games and is conquering the tough confines of his home ballpark thus far. The K% is understandably elevated right now, but with the jump in pure stuff and minuscule sample size, it’s hard to read into anything too deliberately right now. He’s an immense talent that will be among the top five in this system by season’s end.
Everett AquaSox
The Frogs dropped this one by a score of 4-2 this week, now featuring a new-look lineup with some of the stalwarts from the 66ers getting the bump up to Hi-A. Despite the loss this week, the AquaSox remain tied for first atop the Northwest League in the second half and have presently positioned themselves for a spot in the championship series against Eugene at the end of the season. There’s still a ton of season left, but it’s been a great bounce back in the second half for this squad.
Replacing the aforementioned Farmelo in centerfield, Korbyn Dickerson has made mincemeat of Hi-A thus far and is clobbering the baseball through his first five games at the level. Already with two homers and an OPS over 1.300, Dickerson has looked plenty comfortable at the plate in his first taste of the Northwest League and remains one of the more interesting prospects in the “middle tier” of this system. He’s got the tools to really pop and turn into a potential big league regular down the line.
Luke Stevenson continued his hot hitting and turned in another stellar week at the plate with his refined approach. Collecting seven hits across four games that included four doubles, Stevenson raised his monthly slash to .365/.444/.730 and has looked like a completely different player offensively. His lengthy rut saw his passivity at the plate bite him in the butt, leading to too many two-strike counts that left him unable to do real damage at the plate and elevated his strikeout rate considerably. Now looking for contact a bit more aggressively, he’s now getting to loads more power and has simultaneously lowered his K% this month, an excellent sign for the future of his game. A strong finish to this season would be a massive sign for Stevenson who’s already had a very strong introductory season to pro ball.
Inland Empire 66ers
The woeful ways of the 66ers continued this week, with Inland Empire dropping all but one game on the series against a Stockton team that entered play 10 games below .500. It’s just been that kind of year for the 66ers; the Mariners’ top picks last season all ended up debuting elsewhere, and with the most recent class yet to make their way to affiliate ball, the state of the team is in pretty rough shape right now. Hopefully the collection of bats the M’s took a few weeks ago can buoy this team and make them a fun watch to close the year out.
Likely more a victim of roster construction than anything else, Grant Jay seemed like the odd man out on the promotion lists this week and deserves some praise for a strong debut season. The hulking slugger has immense raw power and is slugging his way to an .863 OPS on the year, firmly the best mark left on the team. He profiles best as a corner outfielder with a massive arm, but he’ll have to reduce his whiff as he climbs up the minor league ladder; the power makes it work, but a K% a shade under 35% in A-ball just isn’t going to cut it.
ACL Mariners
The Baby M’s wrapped up their season this past week, falling one run short of an ACL crown to the Reds in the championship game. It was a fantastic season for the M’s this season that saw plenty of promise emerge from some of their best prospects, and though we’re yet to see those guys get a promotion up to IE just yet, it seems likely at least a few names from this squad will earn their way up to affiliate ball in the next week or so. Hopefully Yorger Bautista and Nick Becker can light up the California League and continue their excellent play through the end of the year.
DSL Mariners
This team is one of the more exciting things to come out of this season down on the farm. With an absolutely stacked lineup and two superstar performers leading the way, this wave of talent could provide some much needed depth to this system and ultimately produce multiple big leaguers down the line. It’s obviously far too early to make any definite conclusions about any of these players, but the production has been outstanding to see nonetheless.
Jun 4, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates general manager Ben Cherington looks on during batting practice before the game against the Houston Astros at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
With the 2026 MLB Trade Deadline just a week away, questions abound about whether or not the Pittsburgh Pirates will be buyers or sellers. The Bucs currently sit at 54-52 and are just a single game out of the Wild Card spot.
There have been rumors that Oneil Cruz is on the market, making the Bucs sellers, but a Ben Cherington quote from Sunday actually leads one to believe that the Bucs are buying. Here’s what BCGM had to say:
“We’re at a point in the season now where it’s a pretty good foundation. We know a lot about the team. It’s hard to imagine that much would happen in the next week to eight days that would really shift it in one way or another,”
“I think we’re pretty well into it by now. So, I think it’s pretty clear what we’re going to try to do, and I don’t expect that an outcome day to day between now and then is going to change it much.”
“We have the resources to win games and be playing baseball in October. We have to go do our jobs, and I don’t think anything’s changed. We believe this team is capable of doing that. We gotta continue to do the work to actually make that a reality.”
So from the sounds of that, it seems like Cherington is ready to buy for the Bucs playoff chances as we head into this last week before the deadline. The Bucs could certainly use more bullpen help. Another bat could make a difference with all of the injuries the Bucs have had, but the most important piece heading down the stretch is another arm.
So what do you think about Cherington’s comments, BD? Are the Pirates going to be buyers in this last week? Or is that simply lip service by the Bucs GM? Has he painted himself in a corner here? What happens now if the Bucs don’t make major moves?
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 26: Jo Adell #7 of the Los Angeles Angels trots around the bases after hitting a two-run home run against the San Francisco Giants in the top of the fourth inning at Oracle Park on July 26, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Angels are reportedly open for business, so let’s talk about a frequently mentioned potential Guardians’ trade target: Jo Adell.
Adell’s role is clear – he is a strictly platoon hitter put on the earth to mash lefty pitching. This season, despite having a 92 wRC+ overall, the 27 year-old right handed hitter has a 164 wRC+ against lefties. For his career, he has a 118 wRC+ against lefties including a .505 slugging percentage, including a 152 wRC+ against LHP from 2024-2026. He’s a below average fielder in the corner outfield positions, but not unplayable out there.
The Red Sox just traded a promising starting pitching prospect in Connelly Early for a right-handed hitter in Curtis Mead… so the price for lefty mashers is high. Now, Mead is under control through 2031 and Adell is only under control through 2027, so the price to acquire Adell should be significantly lower. The Guardians should be able to get Adell without touching a top five prospect in their system. The system is still deep enough to get the Angels an arm or a bat in prospect capital or even both that would make moving Adell the sensible move. And, under the new GM, the Angels may be willing to be senisble! Immediately, the Guardians could then let go of David Fry and get Adell AB’s in left, right and at DH against LHP.
The news this morning is that the Guardians are pursuing hitters, with some potential interest in a reunion with Lane Thomas who is currently on a heater with the Royals. I would much prefer they get a younger version of Thomas’s lefty mashing in Adell and let Stephen Vogt do his best platooning/pinch-hitting to get Adell the maximum amount of at-bats against the southpaws teams keep leveraging against Cleveland.
Let me know what you think about Adell in the comments below!
Willson Contreras
Corbin Carroll
