Category: Baseball

Ladies and gentlemen, it’s go time.

The Orioles and Red Sox square off at Fenway Park tonight for the opener of what’s become a crucially important three-game series. The O’s have won seven games in a row entering the night, while the Red Sox boast a 13-game winning streak. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, it’s only the fifth time since 1961 that two teams with 7+ game winning streaks have gone head-to-head. They can’t both keep them going. Something will have to give.

The pessimist in me says there’s no way that the Orioles, despite their recent surge, can take down the scalding hot Red Sox, especially with so many key hitters out of action. Blaze Alexander is on the IL and won’t return for weeks. Samuel Basallo is out of the lineup after leaving Sunday’s game early with a right shoulder injury. And Adley Rutschman is the latest member of the walking wounded, landing on the 10-day injured list earlier today with left wrist inflammation. It’s Rutschman’s third IL stint of the year, which is really putting a damper on his otherwise resurgent season at the plate. For now, the O’s will have to rely on a catching tandem of Sam Huff and newly recalled Chadwick Tromp until Basallo is ready to return. It’s not pretty.

The Orioles’ lineup against lefty Payton Tolle in the opener is unconventional, to say the least. With lefty swingers Basallo, Jackson Holliday, and Colton Cowser on the bench, it’s a right-handed heavy lineup that features Tyler O’Neill, Coby Mayo, Jeremiah Jackson, and Christian Encarnacion-Strand. And for the O’s fans who have been complaining about the struggling Gunnar Henderson always batting first or second, don’t worry, he’s been moved down…to third. Not exactly a solution to the problem, there. Pete Alonso will bat second for the first time as an Oriole; his previous 100 starts had all been batting third or cleanup.

Shane Baz will make his first start of the second half for the Orioles. He’s been perfectly fine for the Birds, with a basically league-average 101 ERA+, but I feel like he hasn’t yet delivered an especially memorable, signature outing. Tonight would be the perfect time to do so.

Here goes nothing.

Orioles lineup:

LF Taylor Ward
1B Pete Alonso
SS Gunnar Henderson
RF Tyler O’Neill
DH Coby Mayo
CF Leody Taveras
2B Jeremiah Jackson
3B Christian Encarnacion-Strand
C Sam Huff

RHP Shane Baz

Red Sox lineup:

2B Anthony Seigler
CF Ceddanne Rafaela
RF Wilyer Abreu
1B Willson Contreras
DH Masataka Yoshida
3B Caleb Durbin
LF Jarren Duran
C Connor Wong
SS Tsung-Che Cheng

LHP Payton Tolle

Well, let’s forget that yesterday ever happened. The Royals now continue their NL West tour of duty. Today, one of the other California teams, the San Francisco Giants, comes to Kansas City for a three-game series. At 42-57, the Giants are not much better than the 40-60 Royals.

The Royals have a slightly better group of position players – the Royals sit at 16th in batter fWAR, while the Giants are at 21st. But as you might expect, the Giants make up that difference (and then some) with their superior pitching. That’s not to say their pitching is *good*, but it’s certainly better than the dead-last-in-fWAR staff of the Royals. The two teams are actually pretty close in starter fWAR; the Royals bullpen is just so atrocious. Again, the Giants bullpen is also bad! The Royals are just in their own league of bad.

Because they are required to have a starting pitcher, the Royals will put Michael Wacha on the mound to pitch. He’s the innings leader for the Royals and sports a 3.77 ERA / 4.00 FIP. You know, Michael Wacha things. Just like…the same stuff he’s been doing for years. I feel like I’ve had Wacha on Mondays quite a bit this season, and there’s not much to say about him. He was an All-Star.

The Giants are countering with Trevor McDonald, a 25-year-old right-hander, who by K%/BB% is very nearly a clone of Wacha. The main difference is that he’s a heavy ground-ball pitcher (56.2%!) – if I set the leaderboard threshold down to 60 innings pitched minimum, McDonald ranks 3rd among all pitchers in ground-ball rate. He has an inflated ERA due to a low strand rate. I’m not sure how real this is, given the sample size, but he seems to fall apart if anyone gets on base. His K%/BB% get significantly worse. He’s just as good as Wacha, if not better, with the bases empty.

The game starts at 6:40pm US Central. You can watch on Royals.TV and listen on 96.5 The Fan/The Royals Radio Network.

Lineups:

Here’s the good news: noted ‘professional hitter’ Gleyber Torres is back. His rehab from his second oblique injury of 2026 has progressed to minor league games, and he recently cracked a home run in his second Single-A game on Saturday. That was enough apparently, but more to the point, the Tigers are running out of time. The veteran second baseman was returned to the active roster today in exchange for part-time catcher Eduardo Valencia. The 26-year-old depth catcher and sometime first baseman filled in admirably while Dillon Dingler was recovering from a hand injury but ultimately doesn’t have the defensive chops to work behind the plate regularly.

Here’s the bad news: the MLB Trade Deadline is on August 3rd, only 14 days away, and the Tigers’ playoff odds are still hovering around 30%. Detroit will only have two weeks with their lineup at full strength before the deadline. We learned in an article a few weeks back that the Tigers are 23-20 with Torres in the lineup (.539 winning percentage) and 23-33 without him (.411). Over the course of a full season, that’s the difference between 87 and 66 wins, but only one or two over a 13 game sprint to the deadline. That doesn’t leave a lot of time for Scott Harris to evaluate how the team works with Torres back in the lineup, nor does it leave the team a lot of time to capitalize on Torres’ return with a prolonged hot streak.

That said, we know Torres will help. His season stats are a bit imbalanced, but a .280/.395/.395 slashline, 128 wRC+ and average 2B defense add up to 1.0 fWAR in only 43 games. This is a veteran, baton-passing, top of the lineup tablesetter that Detroit has missed for more than half of their season. He’s also clearly the second-best right handed hitter on the roster after Dingler’s breakout, and a competent righty bat would help balance a lineup that hasn’t punished left handed pitching the way they need to. Ideally, Torres coming back sparks a winning streak into the deadline and forces Harris to add some help at the back of the bullpen.

By optioning Valencia, the team keeps both 2B/3B Hao-Yu Lee and OF Ben Malgeri on the active roster. That makes sense as Lee is the ideal platoon candidate for Colt Keith. His wRC+ against lefties is 105, which doesn’t really stand out, but it’s a much more threatening 197 during his second stint in the majors. This is a much more under control version of Lee, and while he won’t run a .476 BABIP against lefties forever, he’s making a lot of good line drive contact across the field. Now that he isn’t forced into fulltime second base duties, AJ Hinch can use Lee in a more aggressive platoon capacity without sacrificing too much defense later in games. I’d expect Lee to basically fulfill Jahmai Jones’ role from 2025 as the Tigers chase every edge they can get.

Malgeri is also fairly important to balancing out this lineup. He’s a more patient hitter than Lee and adds much-needed outfield stability while Matt Vierling and Kerry Carpenter struggle. It’s a walk-and-contact heavy profile with limited power, but when paired with good enough corner defense, it plays well at the bottom of the lineup. He’s fairly platoon-neutral, however, which can make getting him into a game a bit tricky. He’ll never be a bad option, but he won’t be the best one, either. His role should be a bit more limited moving forward as Hinch funnels Lee more platoon at-bats, but there’s still room for him in a reserve capacity or to shield either James Outman or Carpenter from left handed starters and provide a defensive upgrade when the Tigers hold a lead in the late innings.

As noted previously, the roster casualty is Valencia, who hit well, but needs a lot more work as a catcher or a first baseman to hold down a long term roster spot in the majors. He went 1 of 6 cutting down baserunners on stolen base attempts and posted a 0:4 BB/K ratio in his limited MLB stint. His two home runs in only 6 games showed the upside, but for now, he’ll head back to Toledo and try to make himself a more well-rounded asset. Getting more comfortable at first base is going to be mandatory, but the Tigers continue to give the majority of reps to Jace Jung, even thought they won’t use him either, rather than trying to develop Valencia instead.

With Torres back, the lineup lengthens to a solid top 7; Spencer Torkelson and Carpenter haven’t been great so far, but I’d much rather they get at-bats than, say, Zack Short or Gage Workman. If the Tigers are going to earn the right to buy at the deadline, they’ll need this group to take care of business over the next two weeks. Torres churning out long at-bats, walks, and clutch knocks, with Lee turning into a matchup-based threat, is the best chance they have of making a playoff push. There’s no more hitting help coming off the IL soon, so this will have to be enough.

Tonight is the hundredth game of the Yankees’ season. Appropriately for a team exiting the All-Star Break, they will continue their homestand by facing their third consecutive National League team. The Dodgers took two of three against the Yankees, as is their habit against, well, most teams, to be frank. Now New York prepares for a three-game set with a team which is no World Series favorite, but is no slouch either: the Pittsburgh Pirates.

These Pirates aren’t the same walkovers of the past few seasons; it appears they’re finally starting to put things together under first-year manager Don Kelly. The Bucs are tied with the Cardinals for third place in the NL Central, sitting four games over .500. I was told the small market teams simply can’t compete, but here’s one of them making noise in the NL playoff hunt. They’ve got a bit of a top-heavy lineup, but it’s packed with a good combo of contact and power; youth and experience.

Ryan Weathers will be the man to face these Allegheny County upstarts, after his scheduled start against the Dodgers was rained out on Saturday. Weathers has navigated his own struggles while also dealing with poor infield defense behind him and routinely bad run support. Both were obstacles he nonetheless navigated well in a 5.1-inning effort against Washington to close out the first half. Additionally, as Jeff Middleton pointed out in our series preview, the Pirates represent a potentially advantageous matchup for him: they’ve struggled to a 71 wRC+ against left-handed pitching away from PNC Park.

Paul Skenes is the obvious star of their pitching staff (the Yankees won’t see him this series), but he’s not devoid of help in the rotation this year. Braxton Ashcraft has been his most capable co-star, pitching to a 3.49 ERA across 19 starts. Ashcraft replaced Skenes in the All-Star Game but also didn’t pitch—this will be his first work since the break. He features high-90s heat and two excellent breaking balls: a curve that batters whiff on 40 percent of the time as well as a slider that averages low-90s velocity and bends away from righties.

By the way, just wanted to show this off. Baseball Savant recently released a new player comparison tool, and I think it’s pretty neat! Here’s a look at one of those comparisons with tonight’s starters. Note Ashcraft’s scary 96th-percentile chase rate; maintaining discipline against this righty will be a daunting task.

I know this is not going to be a popular sentence, but the Yankees’ lineup tonight is probably the best they can muster with their current roster—yes, even with Austin Wells catching. He’s batting eighth ahead of José Caballero, who will serve as sort of a double-leadoff hitter. As an occasional double-leadoff hitter for my rec league softball team, I know how valuable that can be.

Anyway, the actual leadoff hitter is Trent Grisham, who has continued to be this team’s heartbeat at the dish. Ben Rice hits second and gets the DH spot, with Paul Goldschmidt hitting third. Cody Bellinger will hit cleanup, as he looks to finally end a power outage which has lasted over a month. Late-night hero Jazz Chisholm Jr. bats fifth, while Jasson Domínguez bats sixth and plays right field. Ryan McMahon will play third and bat seventh ahead of Wells and Caballero.

How to watch

Location: Yankee Stadium — Bronx, NY

First pitch: 7:05 pm ET

TV broadcast: YES, SportsNet Pittsburgh

Radio broadcast: WFAN 660/101.9 FM, WADO 1280; Sports Radio 93.7 KDKA The Fan (PIT)

Online stream: MLB.tv

For updates, follow us on BlueSky, Twitter, and Instagram, and like us on Facebook.

Monday Matchup. #RepBXpic.twitter.com/YeJgHjShOh

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) July 20, 2026

101/162.

📺: @SNPittsburgh
📻: @937TheFanpic.twitter.com/n1q5irzvYu

— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) July 20, 2026

Here’s the Twins’ lineup:

Buck. Back.

📺 https://t.co/7owDbqKlDapic.twitter.com/Pk3tsaZOzX

— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) July 20, 2026

Here’s the Guardians’ lineup:

Twinkies in town.#GuardsBallpic.twitter.com/6wU57N7v0q

— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) July 20, 2026

Let’s go, Guardians!

Luis Robert Jr. didn’t expect to miss much time when he first landed on the IL. 

The oft-injured slugger had been progressing well in his recovery, but his neck didn’t respond to treatment how the Mets had hoped, leading to an extended absence. 

Robert, sidelined since late-April, landed on the 60-day IL. 

After weeks of building himself back up in the minors, though, he was finally deemed ready and was activated prior to Monday night’s series opener against the Brewers. 

“The process, it’s no secret it was a long one,” he said through a translator. “It was difficult and frustrating -- but now I feel good thank God, and I’m just here and ready to go play my game.”

Before being sidelined, Robert stood alone as the Mets’ everyday centerfielder. 

Top prospect A.J. Ewing filled in admirably in his absence, though, sliding right in as a regular atop New York’s lineup and in the middle of their defense. 

Now with Robert back, it’ll be interesting to see how the playing time shakes out. 

Interim manager Andy Green said pregame that the initial plan is for the 28-year-old to play two-out-of-three days for now, and then they’ll reevaluate things in a few weeks. 

Robert is expected to spend most of his time in center, pushing Ewing over to a corner spot.

That’s how things shake out Monday, as he slides between Ewing (RF) and Juan Soto (LF) while Carson Benge sits against Brewers ace righty Jacob Misiorowski.

Green will mix-and-match as he sees fit, but this plan could also change in the next two weeks if the Mets are able to find someone willing to take on Robert ahead of the trade deadline.

A day after a dramatic walk-off sweep of the Marlins, the Brewers welcome another National League East opponent to Milwaukee today — and they’ll see a familiar face on the mound, as Freddy Peralta returns to the mound at American Family Field for the first time in a different uniform. Peralta isn’t the only story on the mound today, though: Jacob Misiorowski, after an extended break, is back for the Brewers for his first outing in 13 days.

It’s been tough sledding for Peralta since the trade that sent him to the Mets (who, in return, gave the Brewers tomorrow’s starting pitcher, Brandon Sproat, and current Triple-A infielder/outfielder Jett Williams). Coming off a career year in his last season in Milwaukee, Peralta is having what is, by most measures, his worst season since becoming a regular member of Milwaukee’s rotation in 2021; through 20 starts, Peralta is 5-8 with a 4.66 ERA, 4.38 FIP, 1.438 WHIP, a career-low 9.0 K/9, and 3.8 BB/9, his highest mark since he was a reliever in 2019. Given the Mets’ struggles and Peralta’s status as an impending free agent, he is likely to be traded before next month’s trade deadline, and the Brewers are even frequently cited as a possible suitor.

In stark contrast, Misiorowski gets to start the stretch run of his Cy Young campaign. At this point, the only thing that could limit his case is innings pitched — after skipping his last start and moving this one back to the second series, Miz is at 111 innings pitched through 18 starts, tied for 23rd in the league. That’s plenty to make him eligible for the Cy Young, but we’ll see how the Brewers manage his workload between now and the end of the season — if Pat Murphy’s comments today are any indication, they’ll be cautious.

With Jacob Misiorowski pitching tonight for the first time in 13 days after an All-Star break reset, here’s how Pat Murphy described a possible workload: “I think we have to build him back up and make sure we do it in a mindful way.”

— Adam McCalvy (@AdamMcCalvy) July 20, 2026

Milwaukee’s lineup today doesn’t feature any major surprises, unless you count Andrew Vaughn getting the start against a right-handed pitcher (which shouldn’t be a surprise with Jake Bauers in the outfield more often with Sal Frelick on the injured list). Bauers is joined in the outfield by Jackson Chourio and Garrett Mitchell, while Joey Ortiz, Cooper Pratt, and Brice Turang are alongside Vaughn in the infield. William Contreras, coming off of his walk-off blast, is behind the plate, while Christian Yelich continues to DH and lead off.

Notably, back in the lineup for the Mets tonight is Luis Robert Jr. Robert is more of a big name than anything at this point, and he struggled early in the season before hitting the IL in late April. This will be his first game back.

First pitch tonight is at 6:40 p.m. on Brewers TV and the Brewers Radio Network. Should be a fun one!

This should be fun

📺: https://t.co/eycfmE2vgm
📻: WTMJ

→ https://t.co/mvGXoRMTFSpic.twitter.com/iyQF07SjxL

— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) July 20, 2026

📍 MIL #LGMpic.twitter.com/MhcGWj7Dvz

— New York Mets (@Mets) July 20, 2026

San Diego Padres (49-50) at Atlanta Braves (57-41), July 20, 2026, 4:15 p.m. PST

Watch: Padres.TV

Location: Truist Park – Atlanta, GA

Listen: 97.3 The Fan

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First of four in Atlanta. pic.twitter.com/iyaPayo9Mv

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) July 20, 2026

New series on deck!#BravesCountrypic.twitter.com/nC0pfM9PdA

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) July 20, 2026

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• Don’t troll in your comments; create conversation rather than destroying it
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Another Monday, another new series starts. Four games against the Rays.

The pitching matchups:

• Monday: Nick Martinez (8-2, 2.65) vs. Dylan Cease (6-4, 2.56)
• Tuesday: Drew Rasmussen (7-5, 3.26) vs. Kevin Gausman (4-8, 4.33)
• Wednesday: Griffin Jax (5-7, 4.08) vs. well, Spencer Myles either as starter or bulk guy.
• Thurday: Ian Seymour (6-2, 4.79) vs. Shane Bieber (1-1, 5.70)

Max Scherzer starts for the Bisons Wednesday, they are saying he’ll have another rehab start after that. If he could have a great start for the Jays after that and get traded off the next day, that would be the best of all worlds, I think.

Yimi Garcia will start a rehab assignment this week. Likely 2-3 appearances before they decide if they can call him up (barring another setback). Jesus Sanchez ran the bases today and likely will again tomorrow, and then a rehab assignment. If they can get him up to the majors, maybe he can build a little trade value.

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John says “We gotta start winning.” No Farrelling kidding. But, even if the bats could magically start working, I don’t think there is enough starting pitching to get us the long win streak we need:

"We gotta start winning. That's just the bottom line."

John Schneider on the Blue Jays' sense of urgency with the season getting shorter. pic.twitter.com/YT4gzlgho5

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) July 20, 2026

Right now I’m more interested in Kevin Gausman having a good start or two to build a little bit of trade value, he looks to be the guy with the most obvious trade value. In spite of what I said above, Scherzer will not have any trade value. Bieber, if he can have a couple of good starts in a row, might have some value.

After that, bullpen arms? Tyler Rogers would be a guy I’d be asking about if I ran a playoff team, but he has 2 (or 3) years left on his contract, so you’d have to offer a lot.

Maybe Springer?

Unless the Jays sweep the Rays, I’m thinking we’ll find out who has trade value at the deadline (you may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one. I hope someday you will join us).

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Tonight’s lineups. Straw in against a right-hander.

Peyton Tolle takes the mound tonight against the Orioles in a matchup of teams that have won a combined 20 games in a row. That’s pretty nuts! I will not be saying the Red Sox’s actual number of consecutive victories as a hedge against jinxing it. I truly do have that power. They say it’s impossible but I’m here to tell you it ain’t. But I’m not going to exercise it, so we have a chance.

Shane Baz is on the mound for the O’s, if that does anything for ya:

The less said here the better. We know what’s at stake. Let’s get this bread. Again.

Pittsburgh Pirates vs. New York Yankees, July 20, 2026, 7:05 p.m. ET

The Pittsburgh Pirates are continuing their road trip as they travel to the Big Apple to take on the New York Yankees for the first matchup of a three-game set in the Bronx.

Braxton Ashcroft is making his first start of the second half for the Pirates. He finished the first half off in style, winning each of his last five starts and picking up four wins in that stretch. He did not factor in the decision. During his last start against the Milwaukee Brewers on July 11, he pitched five innings, gave up five hits and five earned runs, and struck out six. The Pirates are 13-6 in games where Ashcroft pitches this season, which is a good sign for today’s matchup.

The Yankees are countering with Ryan Weathers, who struggled a bit in the first half of the season. Weathers went 3-7 with a 4.15 ERA. Weathers was a no-decision in his last start of the first half against the Washington Nationals on July 11. Weathers pitched 5.1 innings, giving up six hits and one earned run, as the Yanks beat the Gnats 5-3, thanks to three runs scored in the top of the ninth inning.

Location: Yankee Stadium, The Bronx, NY

Broadcast: KDKA AM/FM, Sportsnet Pittsburgh

Pitching Matchup: Braxton Ashcraft (9-3, 3.49 ERA) vs. Ryan Weathers (3-7, 4.15 ERA)

BD community, this is your gameday thread for today. Chime off in the comments section below.

For decades, stadium giveaways have served as a chance for marketers to push boundaries, releasing quirky collaborations and keepsakes that have sent fans clamoring to get into stadiums hours before the game, if they even cared about the game at all. On July 26th, the MLB’s Chicago White Sox will officially take home the crown for the most absurd giveaway of the season.

This Sunday when the White Sox host the Houston Astros, the first 15,000 fans to enter Rate Field will receive a limited-edition Munetaka Murakami First Major League Home Run bobblehead. The presenting sponsor? TOTO, the Japanese company best known for making the WASHLET, the heated, self-cleaning, bidet-equipped toilet that has become a cult favorite in the U.S. over the past decade.

The team that’s bringing you Pope Hat Night comes a chance to commemorate the Cyclospora outbreak of 2026!

How a Clubhouse Toilet Turned Into a Sponsorship

When Murakami, one of the most decorated hitters of the past decade in Japan, signed with the White Sox this year, he brought a piece of his pregame routine with him: he asked the team to install a TOTO WASHLET in the clubhouse. Naturally, his teammates got curious, tried it, and fell in love with the wonder toilet. An official sponsorship followed.

When it Comes to Collectibles, the Ceiling Is the Roof

If this feels like a new level of absurdity for the collectibles industry, something tells me we won’t have to wait long until it’s topped. Back in January, we covered some of the most popular stadium giveaways and cross-fandom activations over the past few years. A few standouts:

• LA Dodgers x ONE PIECE card: one graded copy sold for $14,999.99
• BVB x ONE PIECE card: up to $6,000 on the secondary market
• Seattle Mariners x New Balance “When It Rains, It Dumps” Cal Raleigh snapback: $400
• Mac Miller Pittsburgh Pirates bobblehead: this one drew lines stretching outside PNC Park onto the bridge
• Milwaukee Brewers x Bob Uecker Magic 8-Ball: a legitimate cult classic

The through line between culture and sports isn’t hard to see, but the White Sox x TOTO promo might have produced the most literal cross-audience collectible yet: baseball fans and people who care a lot about their bathrooms.

What to Expect on July 26

Given the hype around the South Side Samurai, this one is going to go fast. The bobblehead commemorates Murakami’s first MLB home run, and the rising star slugger is currently tied for 19th when it comes to hitting dingers this season. With the success of Japanese imports like Shohei Ohtani, the 26-year-old’s bright future has driven strong demand for his rookie card, and it’s fairly safe to say that this toilet-sponsored collectible will knock it out of the park on eBay.

Ladies and gentlemen, the Hobby is always up to something.

Today’s roster move: Here

Monday notes…

• STACKING WINS: The Cubs have won three consecutive series, matching their longest such streak of the year. They won three in a row three times before: April 13-23 at Philadelphia, then at home vs. the Mets and Phillies; April 27-May 7, at San Diego, then at home vs. the Diamondbacks and Reds; and June 22-July 1, at New York vs. the Mets and at Milwaukee, then at home vs. the Padres. They are 8-1-1 in their last 10 series and 16-14-2 in all series. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
• RISPy BUSINESS: After going 7 for 13 with runners in scoring position yesterday, the Cubs’ batting average with RISP for the season is .239, matching their highest after their last 52 games, since it was .241 after they went 2 for 9 in an 8-3 loss to the White Sox on May 16. It also was .239 after their 23-3 demolition of the Padres on July 1. Their average was down to .217 on June 16, when they went 0 for 8 in a 5-2 loss at Colorado. In 25 games since then, it is .299. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
• RUN DIFFERENTIAL: The Cubs’ run differential stands at +60, 502-442. It was +44 after a 3-0 loss to the Cardinals on the Fourth of July. In 10 games since then, they have outscored their opponents, 53-37 while going 7-3. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
• TODAY IN CUBS HISTORY: The Cubs score six runs in the ninth inning at St. Louis, overcoming a 6-1 Cardinals lead and winning 7-6, their biggest ninth-inning comeback in 42 years. The runs scored on two bases-loaded walks, a two-run single by Javier Báez and a two-run double by Ian Happ. It happened five years ago today, Tuesday, July 20, 2021.

Cubs lineup:

New series starts tonight. 🫡

Tune in live on @WatchMarquee. pic.twitter.com/FC4BTh9vts

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) July 20, 2026

Tigers lineup:

Game 1 in the Windy City

⚾️ 8:05 PM ET
📺 @WatchDSN
📻 @971theticketxyt
🏟️ Wrigley Field pic.twitter.com/j0iWP544Gn

— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) July 20, 2026

Jameson Taillon, RHP vs. Jack Flaherty, RHP

Jameson Taillon’s start before his hamstring injury was actually pretty good, June 2 vs. the A’s at Wrigley Field, where he allowed six hits and two runs in six innings, with “only” one home run, and I say that because Jamo has given up an ungodly number of home runs this year.

Hopefully that changes tonight. Overall Jamo has been better at home (4.19 ERA in seven starts) than on the road (6.21 ERA in six starts), so maybe that will mean a better outing tonight.

Current Tigers are 7-for-44 (.159) against him with two home runs (Kerry Carpenter, Riley Greene).

Jack Flaherty is not the pitcher he was when he was having solid seasons for the Cardinals in the late 2010s. He is still only 30 and a pending free agent, so I suppose the Tigers might look around for a trade partner.

Over his last seven starts he has posted a 2.55 ERA and allowed only one home run in 35.1 innings, which is pretty good.

Dansby Swanson is 6-for-16 (.375) with three doubles and a home run off Flaherty, and Michael Conforto is 4-for-8 with a home run.

Here is the weather forecast for the area around Wrigley Field.

Today’s game is on Marquee Sports Network.

Here is the complete MLB.com live streaming page for today.

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com game preview

Please visit our SB Nation Tigers site Bless You Boys. If you do go there to interact with Tigers fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.

The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note.

You’ll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).

At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game.

The Live! (formerly “First Pitch”) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.

You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.

Discuss amongst yourselves.

FIRST PITCH: 540p Central
TELEVISION: Twins.TV, presented by Progressive
RADIO:Washburn Crosby COmpany 830 AM, K–MiNnesota-Buzzin’ 102.9 “The Wolf”, Treasure Island Baseball Network, Audacy App
KNOW YOUR FOE:Covering the Corner

After a wildly disappointing couple of losses to the Chicago Cubs in the Friendly Confines (how many times was that said on the telly or radio this weekend…), the Minnesota Twins truck on over to the Buckeye State for an important four-game set against the Cleveland Guardians. Nothing much has changed since these foes met a little over a week ago before the All Star Break. The Twins are three games back from the Spiders, so a sweep in Cleveland can sling-shot Minnesota into second place in the American League Central. (Just let me dream, alright?)

It’s a prime pitching matchup to kick things off, and a re-match for the starting pitchers from early May. The Spiders call upon Tanner Bibee while Joe Ryan answers the bell for the Twins. The game in early May was the one where Byron Buxton homered off of Bibee on the third pitch of the contest. Kyle Manzardo had an RBI single off of Ryan to tie it up in the bottom of the fourth. Then it was goose eggs until Buxton doubled in the top of the 11th to bring in Matt Wallner (remember him?) and Luis Garcia (remember him, too?) shut things down for once.

Good news: Buxton has been activated off of the injured list and is in the lineup tonight. The corresponding move was optioning Tristan Gray to St Paul, so we won’t have to see him flop around like a fish at shortstop… for the time being.

GO TWIMS GO

Lineups:

Here are the lineups. For the Phillies:

Hip hip hooray, it's a Sanchie Day!#RingTheBellpic.twitter.com/9ykWJPrEzR

— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) July 20, 2026

For the Dodgers:

Today's #Dodgers lineup at Phillies: pic.twitter.com/uBRDcojYRx

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) July 20, 2026

Let’s talk about it.