Jul 25, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez (13) receives receives congratulations from teammates after he hits a home run in the seventh inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
“Being down one and to give us the lead there, you know, felt really good,” Massey said. “Obviously, I don’t get a ton of ABs (off left-handed pitchers), but trying to stay ready. Trying to prepare as best I can in the cage with the machine on the left side. The hitting coaches are always doing a great job working those drills in there for me so I can stay sharp.”
“It’s incredible seeing him do that in that situation, too,” Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino said after the game. “I thought it was really cool that the Tigers gave him a second to (celebrate). So yeah, that was pretty special. Home plate umpire (Erich Bacchus) did a great job of just kind of letting the moment breathe. Yeah, (Perez) is just fantastic, right.”
“I don’t want any of my records to be broken, to be honest with you,” Brett said recently in an interview with MLB.com. “But he’s a home run hitter — that record is going to be broken, there’s no doubt in my mind. It just means that he’s been here for a long time, he’s been a very productive player, and if anybody was going to break it, I’m glad it’s him.
“I thought Alex Gordon might have a chance when he came up here. Mike Sweeney if he had played 15 years here. But I’m happy for Salvy. I really am.”
And the big reason? Well, Cameron called his own pitches after consultation with the Royals pitching coaches and veteran catcher Salvador Perez.
“It has nothing to do with obviously the pitch calling from the catchers because they have been amazing all year,” Cameron said. “Just a little bit of yeah, I guess my idea, a little stubbornness from me. And yeah, it obviously, you know, worked.” Cameron said he began calling his pitches in a recent bullpen. It allowed him to pitch with more conviction — as evident by his start on Friday night.
“It was good, and I felt comfortable,” Cameron said. “I felt like I could work a little faster and just kind of go at guys and have full confidence in the pitch that was thrown.”
“I feel like the first few months of the year, I was trying to do way too much,” Collins said.
Now? Collins is looking much more settled in, and he’s producing like the hitter the Royals believed they were acquiring.
“I really just honed in on what I’m trying to do each time I get to the plate,” Collins said. “Looking where I need to look and getting my pitch. Just staying on my approach and just being really convicted. That’s kind of been the big theme for me lately, is just being convicted in who I am as a hitter and who I am as a player.
“There were some good games in the first few months of the year, but then it would just feel like I would take a step back two or three games later. But lately, it’s just been building, keep climbing the mountain.”
Bradford Doolittle grades the deal. He’s likes the Nats end of the deal better.
Mike Axisa also grades the trade. He also likes what the Nats got more, but he’s more positive on the Red Sox return.
Chad Jennings and Tim Britton offer separate grades for the deal. (The Athletic sub. req.) Jennings thinks Boston will win the trade and Britton likes Washington’s end better.
Keith Law offers his own Top 70 prospects (The Athletic sub. req.) for those wondering who has stuff to trade. Josiah Hartshorn and Jefferson Rojas are the Cubs prospects that made his list.
DENVER , CO - JULY 22: Cole Carrigg (16) of the Colorado Rockies reacts to striking out against Cade Cavalli (24) of the Washington Nationals during the fifth inning at Coors Field in Denver, Colorado on Wednesday, July 22, 2026. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post) | Denver Post via Getty Images
It’s been just over six weeks since Cole Carrigg (No. 4 PuRP) made his Major League debut. He has played in 39 games, and the “Cole Carrigg Effect” is in full swing. Carrigg has been known to play “with his hair on fire” and hasn’t shown many signs of slowing down in the big leagues — both on and off the field. But how much has Carrigg truly brought to the Colorado Rockies since June 9?
Cole Carrigg himself
Since his debut on June 9, Carrigg has played in 39 of the Rockies’ 41 games and started 34 of them. He is slashing .287/.360/.519 in 129 at-bats with nine doubles, three triples, five homers, 26 RBI, 15 walks and three stolen bases in five attempts.
He immediately made his presence known, smacking a triple for his first MLB hit — only the second Rockie to accomplish the feat.
He also hit his first homer two games later against the Chicago Cubs on July 11, and hit two more over the next four games. Three of Carrigg’s five home runs have been three-run homers, and the other two were solo shots.
Prior to his call-up, Carrigg was a madman in Albuquerque. In 57 games with the Triple-A Isotopes, he slashed .338/.414/.529 with 15 doubles, five triples and six homers. He had 42 RBI, 27 walks, and 30 stolen bases in 37 attempts — including a steal of home on April 4.
As mentioned above, the Rockies have played 41 games since Carrigg’s debut. During that span, they have gone 18-23. In the two games Carrigg didn’t play at all — June 23 and July 19 — the Rockies lost both contests. And in the five games he didn’t start, they went 3-2.
On June 27 against the Minnesota Twins on the road, Carrigg entered in the sixth inning as a pinch hitter for Troy Johnston. He went 0-for-1 with a walk and a looking strikeout. The Rockies won 8-5.
On July 1 against the Miami Marlins at home, Carrigg entered in the eighth inning as a defensive substitution for Troy Johnston. He did not have an at-bat, and the Rockies won 6-3.
On July 5 against the San Francisco Giants at home, Carrigg entered in the seventh inning as a pinch hitter for Mickey Moniak. He went 0-for-1 with a swinging strikeout. The Rockies won 7-6.
On July 11 against the Giants on the road, Carrigg entered in the ninth inning as a pinch hitter for Ezequiel Tovar. He went 0-for-1 with a looking strikeout. The Rockies lost 4-2.
On July 17 against the Cincinnati Reds at home, Carrigg entered in the eighth inning as a pinch hitter for Mickey Moniak. He went 1-for-1 with a single. The Rockies lost 7-2.
Carrigg also had a mini slump, where he went 0-for-14 with seven strikeouts in the final five games before the All-Star break. The Rockies went 1-4 in those games.
That came on the heels of a brush up he had with Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing on July 6 after hitting a game-tying double and then scoring the go-ahead run in the 10th inning (the Rockies ultimately lost the game 8-7 in 11 innings).
While this wasn’t the first incident of Carrigg getting fired up over a play, it was the one that seems to have brought attention to him, especially with the mini slump that happened after.
Balancing the emotions
On the field, Carrigg has adjusted well to playing at the major-league level, and the numbers make that clear. However, in spring training, Carrigg pointed to the emotional part of his game as a work in progress:
“Probably handling failure like a professional,” Carrigg said of his next step, “getting rid of that immaturity and just letting them know that. If I do come up to the big leagues, I’m sure it’s not always going to be great – hopefully it’s awesome and I do well, but there’s going to be tough times. And being able to handle that like a pro and not bring the club down in any sense, and having any bad attitude or whatever and just being a good locker room guy… I felt like I did a really good job this spring. Granted, it went well so it’s a lot easier to be happy when things are going well. But just handling more of that type of thing like a professional.”
“The edge to win and to play for me, I will never lose – it will never leave. Being able to manage some of that on tough days is something I’ve worked on even through the Minors. But that’s just how I’m wired. I’ve gotten better at it and will continue to, but that won’t cause me to lose any type of edge.”
Recently, a consistent part of his game involves throwing his bat and/or helmet after he records an out while loudly yelling an expletive that rhymes with “fire truck.”
While this fire can help fuel Carrigg in big moment, it can also hold him back. Balancing these parts of his personality and his game is an ongoing project, one that he will need to adjust carefully as he lays the foundation for a long and successful major league career.
The Rockies broadcast crew on Tuesday provided their own insight during the eighth inning of the Rockies-Nationals game while Carrigg flew out to right on four pitches:
Drew Goodman: “I love everything about this kid, but you know what, as he grows, I think he’s going to control his emotions more because every pitch is… he’s living and dying.”
Ryan Spilborghs: “We see this from [Cubs’ center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong]. He’s very emotional. We see it from Cole. You probably heard something snap in the background.”
Jeff Huson: “Ah, it’s just a helmet.”
Spilborghs: “The game is not that easy where… you can’t expect to get a hit every single time, even late in the game.”
Goodman: “You love how competitive he is, but — I mean, you guys went through it for a long period of time in the big leagues. At some point you’re going to wear yourself down if you’re that emotional every at-bat.”
Huson: “Can’t do it every at-bat, no way.”
Spilborghs: “But we’ve also said this: You don’t want to take away that fire that’s in there.”
Goodman: “No, but temper it, right?”
Spilborghs: “Whatever that in-between is that you can just smooth some things out. I just don’t want to take any of that away from him. Like, you remember that conversation we had a few years ago with Justin Turner when he was with the Cubs and we were asking about PCA and he was like ‘Hey, he can be great if he learns to settle down. He’ll just be good if he stays on this path.”
Goodman: “And look at PCA the last two months. He’s handling his emotions — or maybe because he’s not making any outs, he’s not getting that emotional. I don’t know which it is.”
Huson: “Could be a combination of both!”
Huson’s and Spilborghs’ concerns, as well as those of his coaches before them, about Carrigg wearing out are a cautionary note that should not be taken lightly. Carrigg has shown the tools to be an elite baseball player with the versatility and toolsy approach the Rockies value. One part of his game to watch going forward, however, will be how that emotional part of his game evolves.
When Carrigg good, he’s on fire. When he’s struggling, he lets everybody know. And this is a pattern he needs to refocus on if he’s going to have a long and successful major league career.
If Ted Lasso can get through to Jamie Tartt, I’m confident Warren Schaeffer can help guide Cole Carrigg.
Jake McCarthy has had an outstanding season since the Rockies traded for him in January. Thomas Harding spoke with McCarthy and Warren Schaeffer about what he brings to the team, and whether or not he’ll be part of the Rockies’ long-term vision or be dealt to another team ahead of next Monday’s trade deadline.
Jordan Romano has been a nice pick-up for a Rockies team in desperate need of pitching, especially out of the bullpen in late innings. But his Colorado connection goes back to his days in Toronto, when he was coached by Matt Buschmann as a member of the Blue Jays. Romano made back-to-back All-Star games during that stretch, and is hoping to regain form. Kevin Henry caught up with both of them as they’ve reconnected in Colorado.
It was a back-and-forth affair between the Isotopes and the Express (Rangers). There was some traffic in three of Keegan Thompson’s four innings, but he didn’t allow a single run to score despite giving up three hits. He also walked two and struck out three. Then the bullpen came in, and the four relievers — Evan Shawver, Ryan Miller, Parker Mushinski and TJ Shook — all gave up at least one run (though Shook’s was unearned, as was one of Shawver’s).
On the offensive side, the Topes recorded six hits to the Express’ 12. Vimael Machín went 2-for-3 with a home run, a walk and a run scored. Recently-promoted Bryant Betancourt also went 2-for-3, while Jordan Beck and Chad Stevens had the other two hits. Betancourt knocked in the second run, but it wasn’t an RBI because left fielder Aaron Zavala committed an error that allowed Stevens to cross the plate.
This game didn’t start until the sixth inning, but unfortunately, all of the Flying Squirrels’ (Giants) runs were scored in the seventh. The Goats kicked things off in the sixth with an Aidan Longwell sac fly to score Dyan Jorge and put them up 1-0. Then, in the seventh, Jorge singled to drive in Mike Antico. But then it all fell apart.
Carlos Torres started the inning by getting Charlie Szykowny to fly out to center. But then Jancel Villarroel reached on catcher interference and Maui Ahuna walked. Jean Carlos Sio struck out, but then Ty Hanchey singled to score Villarroel. Diego Velasquez walked to load the bases, and then Trevor Cohen singled to score two more runs and give the Squirrels the lead. Cohen advanced to second on defensive indifference, but then scored alongside Velasquez when Gavin Kilen singled to center. Finally, Dakota Johnson grounded out to first base, but the damage was done.
The Goats recorded four hits (Jorge 2, Antico 2, McCabe 1) while Torres was saddled with the loss and the blown save after giving up the five runs (three earned) in his single inning of work. But Michael Prosecky (No. 25 PuRP) and Cade Denton looked sharp, combining for six innings (Prosecky 2.2, Denton 3.1) of work in which they allowed just three hits, one walk and seven combined strikeouts.
It was a fairly back-and-forth affair between the Indians and the Dust Devils (Angels), but an eight-run seventh put the Indians way ahead and they never looked back.
Spokane got things started when Tommy Hopfe was hit by a pitch and was eventually scored on a single by Alan Espinal. They gave one back in the second, but took one back in the third when Hopfe was hit by a pitch again, but then was replaced by Roldy Brito on a force out at second. Brito eventuall scored on a double by Espinal. Tri-City scored twice again in the fifth to put themselves up 3-2, but then Tevin Tucker was hit by a pitch in the bottom of the frame and was scored on a Hopfe double to re-tie the game.
The seventh inning is where things got weird. Francis Rivera got two quick outs, but then David Mershon doubled and Harold Coll walked. Kevin Bruggeman then hit a three-run homer to double Tri-City’s lead. But the Indians said “hold my beer” in the bottom of the frame. They started things off with three-straight singles and a walk, and then Tanner Thach was hit by a pitch to score Brito. Tri City’s reliever Ssam Tookoian was chased from the game between the Hernandez single and the Espinal walk. Kelvin Hidalgo then singled to tie the game… and there still wasn’t an out yet! Jacob Hinderleider was the next batter and the first out, but then Caleb Hobson walked to score Espinal. Tucker was hit by a pitch again to score Thach, and then Hopfe singled to score Hidalgo and Hobson. Tookoian was then replaced by Nicolo Pinazzi, who immediately gave up a single to Brito to score Tucker. That would be the end of the scoring in that inning, as two of the next three batters struck out (the third walked). In total, five Indians were hit by pitches and four walked, and nobody did both. The final run was scored in the ninth when Tucker doubled to score Hinderleider, who singled two batters before.
Not to be outdone by the Indians, the Grizzlies went on an offensive tirade against the Quakes (Angels). They managed 19 runs on 16 hits, but committed three errors. The Quakes, on the other hand, scored six runs on nine hits with two errors. Fresno scored in every inning except the third, fifth, and eighth and every batter recorded at least one hit except PH/LF Yeiker Reyes, 3B Carlos Renzullo and OF Landyn Vidourek.
The Grizzlies scored one each in the first and second, but it was the fourth inning where they blew things open. It started with a lead-off walk by Cruzmel Arias, which came around to haunt three batters later. Cam Hassert singled, but then Ashly Andujar reached on an error and Cam Nelson walked to score Arias. Jeremy Ciriaco then singled to score Hassert, and then Derek Bernard singled to score Andujar. Quakes’ pitcher Jaren Warwick was lifted in place of Alton Davis II, who immediately gave up a single to Wilder Dalis that scored Nelson. Kyle Fossum grounded out to record the first out, and then Vidourek struck out swinging. Arias came up to bat again, this time singling to score Bernard. Then back-to-back-to-back walks to Hassert, Andujar and Nelson scored Arias. Then there was another pitching change to Will Gervase, who threw a wild pitch to score Hassert. Ciriaco grounded out to Gervase to end the inning, but the Grizzlies were up 11-1.
The second big inning happened in the sixth, It started with another lead-off walk to Hassert, which came around to haunt again. A wild pitch by Gervase moved Hassert to second, and then Andujar grounded out to first but moved Hassert to third. Three-straight walks again scored Hassert, and then Dalis singled to score Nelson. Fossum had the biggest hit of the game, though, smacking a grand slam to run up the score 17-4. Vidourek struck out again, but then Arias reached on another error. Hassert singled and Andujar doubled to score Arias. 18-4, Grizzlies.
Dalis got the last laugh, homering in the seventh to make the final Grizzlies’ run total 19. They also ended up walking more times (12) than striking out (8).
The ACL Rockies began the ACL World Series tonight against the ACL Reds, and took Game 1 with a final score of 9-8 in the Arizona heat. The Reds got out to an early 2-1 lead, but a five-run fourth was enough for the Rockies to eke out a win after some late-inning drama.
The fourth inning started with a lead-off walk to Ben Wilmes, followed by a single by Kamuel Villar. Eriel Dihigo hit a sacrifice bunt to move the rummers, and then Matt Klein walked to load the bases. Parker Coddou singled to score Wilmes and tie the ballgame, and after a pitching change, Sebastian Blanco walked to give the Rockies the lead. Jared Thomas grounded out to score Klein, and then Christian Arguelles singled to score Coddou and Blanco. But then Arguelles was caught trying to stretch the single into a double, ending the inning.
The Reds tacked on another run in each of the fifth and sixth innings, but the Rockies scored three more times in the eighth. It started off (again) with a lead-off walk to Klein, who was replaced by pinch runner Gabriel Lopez. Coddou and Blanco hit back-to-back bunt singles, and then a throwing error helped score Lopez. Dariel Garcia then replaced Thomas as a pinch hitter, and two batters later Arguelles reached on catcher interference. Ronny Ugarte then drew a bases-loaded walk, and then Wilmes singled to run up the score 9-4.
The Reds made things a little interesting in the ninth inning, though. Marcos Pimentel came in and got Juan Brown to line out. But then two singles and a walk later set up Jirvin Morillo, who hit a grand slam to make the score 9-8. Pimentel was then replaced by Wilmis Paulino, who walked Eli Pitts to start. But then Naibel Mariano flied out to right, and Hansel Jimenez grounded into a force out at second to end the game.
Triple-A: Charlotte Knights (White Sox) 7, Norfolk Tides 4
The Tides fell to Charlotte on Sunday, as starter Trace Bright and a stable of relievers—Dietrich Enns, Cameron Weston and Enoli Paredes—allowed a combined seven runs on ten hits, three of them home runs (one by Knights’ outfielder and former Oriole Austin Hays). Bright’s four runs allowed in 4.1 innings put him at a regrettable 0-8 record with a 7.39 ERA in 18 starts this year.
But there was good news, too. Heston Kjerstad, hitting in the three-spot, bashed two home runs, one an Earl Weaver Special, to give him four RBIs on the day—all of his team’s runs. Kjerstad is hitting .299 and OPS’ing .796 right now. Creed Willems had two hits. Jud Fabian singled.
The Baysox never trailed in this one. They jumped out to a 2-0 lead off the bat of Griff O’Ferrall, who hit a two-run second inning home run. In the sixth, Adam Retzbach hit a two-run double to put the Baysox up 4-1. Two more home runs—solo shots each by Tavian Josenberger and Patrick Lee made it 6-2. Not to be forgotten is Aron Estrada’s three-for-three day. O’Ferrall homered and singled. Brandon Butterworth singled and walked.
Chesapeake starter Luis de León pitched a gem, throwing 6 1/3 innings with just one run allowed and nine strikeouts. He’s now 5-6 with a 4.33 ERA. Richard Guasch pitched 1 2/3 innings and struck out three. Micah Ashman allowed one run on a solo home run.
High-A: Rome Emperors (Braves) 6, Frederick Keys 2
Two bad innings bookended the Keys’ Sunday loss. In the first inning, Boston Bateman left early with right hip flexor discomfort, after just eight pitches. Five pitchers combined to allow five runs in 7 2/3 innings, Cohen Achen, Ben Vespi, Cameron Foster, Ryan Cabarcas and Todd Kniebbe.
Despite posting eight hits, an Ike Irish-less Keys lineup still struggled to score runs. One run came home on a Victor Figueroa single. The hard-hitting first baseman went 3-for-4 and is OPS’ing .914. The Keys’ second and final run was on a home run by Yasmil Bucce. Wehiwa Aloy finished 0-for-3. The rehabbing Reed Trimble and Payton Eeles finished a combined 1-for-9.
Low-A: Hill City Howlers (Guardians) 10, Delmarva Shorebirds 6
It’s tough to climb out of a 6-0 hole after two innings. But starter Brayan Orrantia, a fourteenth-rounder in 2025 out of Mexico, had a terrible day, allowing six runs in 1.2 innings. Relievers Teddy Sharkey, Jack Crowder, Zac Lampton, Kenny Leiner, and Luis Beltrán threw 6 1/3 innings allowing four combined runs between them.
Several Delmarva hitters had a good day. First baseman Miguel Rodriguez went 3-for-4. DH Andrés Nolaya finished 4-for-5. And Elvin García had two hits and walked twice. Jaiden Lo Re singled.
ANAHEIM, CA - JULY 20: St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Riley O'Brien (61) pitching during an MLB baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels played on July 20, 2026 at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, CA. (Photo by John Cordes/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Though the offense has been on a monthlong slump, I think it is fair to say that the bullpen is the clear weakness of the team. For what is largely considered a rebuild season, I actually think this is more of a positive than a negative. I am not worried about the bullpen long-term. The bullpen is a perpetual short-term concern. Who is good today may not be good tomorrow.
And they also can be found anywhere. Riley O’Brien and George Soriano are arguably the two best relievers on the team. O’Brien was purchased because the Seattle Mariners didn’t have room on the 40 man for him. Soriano was DFA’d and claimed a few times before the Cardinals decided for him using Andre Granillo, an okay relief prospect who is already on his second team after being DFA’d himself. JoJo Romero was traded for a (very good) bench player.
And on top of that, the Cardinals are littered with pitching prospects who we want to see start, but may have to go to the bullpen, which will probably be to the bullpen’s benefit. If the Cardinals solely wanted to build a good bullpen, we may have even seen some of them already: Liam Doyle certainly, Tanner Franklin, a healthier Brandon Clarke and Cooper Hjerpe fit this too. Not all of these guys will start. So I am certainly not worried about the bullpen.
But because they have a bad bullpen, I’d expect to have some changeover by Opening Day of next season. And I wanted to see if I could guess what it might look like. And I wanted to do it before the trading deadline, because this will also function as sort of a prediction from myself on what I expect to happen some of to the relievers
Riley O’Brien
Here Opening Day 2027? Yes
For me, this would have been an interesting debate when you could truly claim you were selling high on O’Brien. I’m just not seeing this great return available. It’s not that I’m not open to trading him, I just look at his numbers and if I’m an opposing team, I don’t know why I would give up that much for him. I could be wrong, which I will put the necessary disclaimer that if a team will give you some fantastic return, sure trade him.
The other aspect of this, and really the only reason anyone is considering trading O’Brien, is that he’s 31 and had injury problems in the past. So I do get it. But to me, the return I imagine O’Brien getting back, it’s a worthwhile risk to just keep him. I would just be surprised if I feel immense regret at the loss of the prospects he’d bring back. I almost think he’d need to be paired with a catcher or something, which is something the Cardinals may do!
But by himself? Injury is the biggest risk. But if he’s pitching the exact same for the next year (and his advanced stats are pretty similar to last season’s), he will not get a worse return. Years of control for a 31-year-old reliever do not matter like they do for a 25-year-old SS. It does matter that he has multiple years of control, but I don’t think the difference between 4 years and 2 months and 3 years and 2 months is going to meaningfully change the return. I really don’t. You’ll be trading for the rest of that particular year and maybe two years in both instances. Anything beyond that, you probably aren’t counting on.
George Soriano
Here Opening Day? Yes
Not to disparage George Soriano, but he probably looks like a better pitcher than he is because of the bullpen he’s in. His numbers are okay honestly. An okay strikeout rate, an okay walk rate, a normal groundball rate. He was essentially a waiver claim at the beginning of this year. Nobody is giving you a haul for this dude. And if you take offense to what I’m saying, that you think he’s a really good pitcher, that’s even more reason not to trade him. Because it hasn’t shown up in the numbers yet. You think his numbers will improve? Why would you trade him now before he’s about to take the next step into being a high leverage reliever?
There is one argument to trade him, and that’s if you view Soriano as found money, that you think he’s essentially a fringe MLB reliever and you want to capitalize on a first half that he won’t repeat. But I don’t think many think of Soriano like that. In order to trade Soriano, I would need a team to view him as a much better pitcher than his numbers say he is, and I would be surprised if that happens.
Ryne Stanek
Here Opening Day 2027? God no
He’s been a bad reliever for like four straight years, I’m good. I don’t even know if he’s good enough to trade.
Gordon Graceffo
Here Opening Day 2027? No
Heavy, heavy disclaimer here: the year is not up, and Graceffo has recently rediscovered his strikeout stuff. So this is a July 27th, I’m looking at his situation and I’m not bringing him back. If his numbers significantly improve by the end of the year, different answer. But Graceffo is going to be out of options, and currently has a 15.5 K%, 11.7 BB%, 4.65 FIP, 5.17 xFIP, 5.03 SIERA, and 5.47 xERA. Yes, I am leaving out ERA. Literally the only stat that has him as a good reliever. He won’t have a good ERA if all the other stats stay the same, which we’ve seen a little recently.
Objectively speaking, there is no good argument to bring back Graceffo with the current stats he has. Again, he has two months to change this. He has 6 strikeouts in his last two appearances. If the strikeouts are truly back, okay we’ll see it in these next two months.
Justin Bruhl
Here Opening Day 2027? No
Similar to Graceffo, he could change things by the end of the year. We all know how he began the year, and he’s already turned his season around. Still, I picked out a few dates to see how much better of a pitcher he has been in the last two months, and I tried different dates to see if the stats changed enough, and I kind of shrug my shoulders. He still doesn’t strike people out, he just stopped walking them. I have to think the Cardinals were hoping for a better pitcher than this when they claimed him.
It was a good claim, we gave it a good shot, he’s just not a guy who I want to HAVE to carry on a roster all year. I know I keep hammering the options, but why keep a mediocre or bad reliever who you can’t send them down? Once again, I am emphasizing if the season ended today, this is where I stand. Both Bruhl and Graceffo have a chance to change minds, but their current stats are not worth keeping next year.
Luis Gastelum
Here Opening Day 2027? Yes
Good minor league pedigree, all three options remaining – possibly two by the end of the year – and if the Cardinals’ usage of him is any indication, they clearly view him as the future. I don’t actually know if he will literally be on the Opening Day roster, he will be on the 40 man however.
Matt Svanson
Here Opening Day 2027? Yes
Me including Svanson and not Graceffo or Bruhl for performance reasons will probably confuse fans who don’t know how this works. Svanson has an option and therefore he can be sent to AAA next season. The other two can’t. It’s that simple. Svanson also was straight up elite last year and the other two weren’t and because of that I may even had brought Svanson back if he had no options. With one more option remaining, it’s a no brainer.
JoJo Romero
Here Opening Day 2027? No
Sorry, he’s getting traded in a week, and I don’t think the Cardinals are going to sign him to free agent prices.
Ryan Fernandez
Here Opening Day 2027? Yes
But probably not on the actual roster. Would it surprise me if the Cardinals moved on? Absolutely not. Their actions speak loudly. In terms of how Fernandez has actually pitched this year, I don’t see why you wouldn’t bring him back. He’s pitched very well in the majors, despite limited opportunities, striking out 33% of hitters with a 2.70 ERA. His numbers in AAA are not terrible, and trust me that’s sometimes as good as you can ask for in Memphis.
All that said, he’s got two months to screw it up. Which is kind of why I want to see Fernandez in the majors. Cause I would like more than 13 innings in the MLB to base my decision. He’s pitched well enough in the majors to keep getting chances, and if you’re not a fan of Fernandez, don’t worry, if he’s as bad as you think, it’ll be reflected in the numbers after two months. And if he still looks like a capable MLB reliever after two months, okay he’s worth bringing back.
It’s just bizarre that they refused to send him down for as long as they did last year, and now he’s the literal last option they go to, and only when they’re truly desperate. And I must point out: Ryan Fernandez has one more MLB option.
Those are established 40 man relievers right now. And by my count, I have five relievers coming back, one of whom is very likely to start in Memphis (at least). I need to figure out the other four relievers on Opening Day. My hot take is that I think the Cardinals are going to keep trying Matthew Liberatore at starting, so that’s why he’s not mentioned. His numbers are extremely similar to Andre Pallante last year, who they stuck with.
Brycen Mautz
No brainer choice here. They recently moved him to the bullpen, he’ll probably get some MLB time after the deadline. He’ll definitely still be in the organization, it’s just a matter of if he’ll be in Memphis or St. Louis.
Cade Winquest
Winquest has been hit hard by the homer bug in Memphis, but otherwise looks like a future MLB reliever pretty easily. He has a 29.5 K%, 6.3 BB%, and 46.4 GB%, leading to a 3.49 xFIP. I would actually be surprised if the Cardinals don’t promote him at any point this year, because he needs to be added to the 40 man roster in November anyway. And we can be pretty sure he’d be selected in the Rule 5, because the Yankees literally just did and they only had 8 starts in AA to base their decision. A fantastic K/BB ratio in AAA surely would interest at least one team.
Tekoah Roby
No, I am not permanently moving Tekoah Roby to the bullpen. I am however recognizing that he will throw zero innings in 2026. He threw 78 innings in 2025. He threw 38 innings in 2024. He will, hopefully, be completely healthy at the start of 2027. I do not see a situation where you aren’t forced to heavily manage his innings and guess what, easy way to limit someone’s innings is to put him in the bullpen.
On top of that, he does have the issue of coming into next season with just one option. You retain that option when he spends 60 or so innings in the MLB bullpen, and then hopefully he pitches well enough that you want to move him to starter or at least try starting, and then you have the ability for him to be in Memphis when you’re not sure if he can start. Ideally, you don’t have to send him to Memphis.
But the main reason is just that if you only want him to throw 60 innings, it feels like a waste for that to be in Memphis and not St. Louis, where he can also learn how to get MLB hitters out. Again, I don’t know how the Cardinals plan to manage his workload, maybe they’ll just say “we’ll see if he can start 30 times” but looking at his innings history, I would be surprised if that were the case. If they have a low innings goal for him, and that may be a big if, MLB bullpen would be my choice.
And that’s all I got. They’re probably going to sign an MLB reliever or put in a few waiver claims or something. I’m not seeing it with Hancel Rincon, I’ll be honest. Maybe he’ll be a guy, I don’t think I use a 40 man spot on him. Might be worth calling him up this year to see how he plays at the MLB level to better inform a decision. He’ll certainly be eligible for minor league free agency, so it’s probably 40 or not in the organization. I wanted to say Sem Robberse, and if he looks good the rest of the year, he’s certainly in play, but that requires a bit more optimism than I was aiming for. Maybe it’ll be Peter Strzelecki, but I’ll certainly need MLB success this year for him to be on this list.
Interestingly, even though I have Roby on this list, it’s about a year early before the big guns might need to be moved to the bullpen. I don’t think they’ll give up on Cooper Hjerpe at starting by Opening Day next year, but maybe by the following year. So they might scrap heap the bullpen waiting to see who needs to move to the bullpen next year.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - APRIL 24: A general view of Oracle Park prior to during the game between the Miami Marlins and the San Francisco Giants on Friday, April 24, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Bryan Kennedy/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Good morning, baseball fans!
A new week of San Francisco Giants baseball is upon us. I’m starting to interpret that sentence as a threat, but I guess there’s not really much we can do about that part.
This week, the Giants continue their homestand by welcoming the Milwaukee Brewers to Oracle Park tonight to begin a three-game series. After that, they head south to begin a four-game series against the San Diego Padres starting on Thursday.
Personally, I’m never going to pick a Padres series as the series I’m most interested in. No offense to the Padres, they’re a more compelling team than the one we’re following. But we also see them approximately seven thousand times throughout the year (or it feels like it anyway). So I’m going to pick the Brewers series.
Which series are you most interested in this week?
What time do the Giants play today?
The Giants begin this three-game series against the Brewers tonight at 6:45 p.m. PT.
The New York Yankees are short road favorites against the Chicago White Sox at -137, and I’m laying the moneyline.
New York is in a quick turnaround spot after Sunday Night Baseball, so I’m not eager to push the run line. Still, Noah Schultz’s contact profile is a tough fit against the Yankees’ power, while Max Fried gives New York the stronger run-prevention base.
Here are my Yankees vs White Sox predictions and MLB picks for Monday, July 27.
Who will win Yankees vs White Sox today: Yankees moneyline (-137)
I’m backing the New York Yankees and would play them up to -150.
Chicago White Sox left-hander Noah Schultz’s profile is a poor fit against this lineup. He owns a 6.07 xERA, a near-11% barrel rate, and a Bottom-15th percentile walk rate. That is a bad mix against a Yankees offense built to punish free traffic and loud contact.
Even without Aaron Judge, New York remains in the AL East race because of strong pitching and impact contact, ranking first in barrel rate and third in hard-hit rate.
This is the right matchup for the Yankees to do damage.
COVERS INTEL:Schultz has allowed an 87.7% zone-contact rate, well above the MLB average of 82.6%.
Yankees vs White Sox Over/Under pick: Over 8.5 (-105)
I’m playing the Over because Schultz gives New York too many ways to build offense. The Yankees do not need a perfect travel spot if they are getting free traffic and airborne contact from a pitcher allowing a 63.3% fly-ball rate.
Chicago can contribute enough on the other side, too. The White Sox are not a pure power offense, but their .324 OBP and 381 walks give them a path to pressure Max Fried into traffic.
Fried is Fried, but you get the sense that the White Sox offense won't have to do much here.
I'd play this to 9.
Chris Hatfield's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 40-36, +6.10 units
Over/Under bets: 44-34, +12.01 units
Yankees vs White Sox weather
Sunny, with 10-14 mph winds blowing to right field. Conditions are enhanced for both home runs and overall scoring today at Rate Field, per BallparkPal.
Yankees vs White Sox odds
Moneyline: Yankees -137 | White Sox +119
Run line: Yankees -1.5 | White Sox +1.5
Over/Under: Over 8.5 | Under 8.5
Yankees vs White Sox trend
The New York Yankees are 4-0 in their last 4 road games vs. a left-handed starter. Find more MLB betting trends for Yankees vs. White Sox.
How to watch Yankees vs White Sox and game info
Location
Rate Field, Chicago, IL
Date
Monday, July 27, 2026
First pitch
7:40 p.m. ET
TV
YES, CHSN
Yankees starting pitcher
Max Fried (4-3, 2.67 ERA)
White Sox starting pitcher
Noah Schultz (3-7, 6.04 ERA)
Yankees vs White Sox 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.
Jefry Yan of the Syracuse Mets celebrates during a Minor League Baseball game at Coca-Cola Park in the United States on June 26, 2026. (Photo by Dan Squicciarini/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images
Christopher Morel gave Syracuse an early lead with an RBI double in the top of the first, but Jordan Geber gave that up and then some in the bottom of the fourth, allowing two RailRider runs to score. Scranton scored an insurance run off of Jefry Yan in the bottom of the eighth, and that insurance run proved to be crucial, as Morel struck again, this time swatting a solo homer to make it a 3-2 ballgame. With the RailRider bullpen teetering but not totaled, Ryan Clifford and Christian Arroyo struck out back-to-back to end the game.
Early on, both teams kept pace with each other. Portland scored a run in the top of the first? Binghamton scored a run in the bottom of the first. Portland scored two runs in the top of the third? Binghamton scored two runs in the bottom of the third. Portland scored a run in the top of the fourth? Binghamton scored a run in the bottom of the fourth. That was where the Rumble Ponies began pulling away. After that first run to tie the game at 4-4, they plated an additional two in the inning to take a 6-2 lead. Both teams settled down at that point, with Binghamton scoring an additional pair of insurance runs in the eighth on a Jose Ramos homer that ended up unneeded.
The Cyclones came oh-so-close to shutting out the BlueClaws on getaway day, but Rafi Vasquez gave up back-to-back doubles to lead off the bottom of the eighth, giving Jersey Shore their lone run of the game. The Cyclones had contributions from the top, middle, and bottom of the lineup alike, with Mitch Voit logging his second-consecutive multi-hit game, hopefully getting him off the schneid that he has been on since the All-Star break.
Finding themselves down 5-0 thanks to a disastrous start from Nathan Hall and a bullpen that was quickly and unexpectedly thrown into the fire early, the St. Lucie offense exploded for 8 runs in the bottom of the second inning, turning the momentum of the game around instantly. St. Lucie sent twelve men to the plate in the inning and not a single batter logged an extra base hit- every one of those eight runs were a result of five singles, three walks, and a HBP chained together. The offense plated three more runs in the third to extend St. Lucie’s lead to 11-5, and those runs turned out to be very important insurance runs, as Luis Sotillo allowed three Mighty Muscle runs in the seventh inning.
Happy birthday to Joe Tinker, and a mighty host of others.
Today in baseball history, in 2012 – Wally the Green Monster, the Red Sox’smascot, goes missing before today’s game with the Yankees, making the team suspect a dastardly deed by Yankee fans. Boston Police issue an all-points bulletin looking for a “green and furry [character] … and sporting a permanent grin to the face on an extremely large head.” It turns out to be a misunderstanding as Wally is located a few hours later, taking an unauthorized tour of his home city, and other stories as well.
Today in baseball history:
1927 – Mel Ott, 18 years old, hits his first major-league home run, an inside-the-park round-tripper. It is the only inside-the-park homer he will hit of his 511 career homers.
1928 – At Chicago’s Comiskey Park, A’s outfielder Ty Cobb starts for the last time in a regular-season game. The 41-year-old “Georgia Peach” singles and doubles before he is hit in the chest with a pitch and leaves the game hitting .332.
1938 – Hank Greenberg of the Tigers, who had hit home runs his last two at bats the day before, homers his first two times up to tie the major league record of four in a row. Greenberg has a record-setting eleven two-home run games during the season.
1961 – The Giants’Juan Marichal fires his first shutout of the year, stopping the Pirates, 2-0, on five hits. Manager Alvin Dark says before the game that “Marichal will go all the way” and keeps his relief pitchers in the dugout to emphasis the point. Bob Stevens of the San Francisco Chronicle writes: “Later, Dark explained to questioning reporters: ‘I’m sick and tired of watching pitchers bow their necks for four-five innings and then look around for Stu Miller to bail them out.’ As far as press box historians could guess, last night was the first time in modern baseball history that a major league bullpen was left unattended.”
1966 – In Los Angeles, Jim Bunning and Sandy Koufax battle for 11 innings before both exit with the score locked at 1-1. Koufax allows four hits and fans 16, while Bunning gives up six hits and strikes out 12. Los Angeles eventually tops the Phillies, 2-1, in 16 innings.
1983 – While picking up his first win as a member of the Royals, Gaylord Perry joins Nolan Ryan and Steve Carlton as the third pitcher this season to reach 3,500 career strikeouts, fanning four Indians in a 5-4 victory to raise his total to 3,501.
2011 – The Giants get one of the top players available at the trading deadline, MetsAll-Star CF Carlos Beltran, who is set to become a free agent at the end of the season. The Giants send top pitching prospectZack Wheeler to New York, but the Mets will be responsible for a significant portion of Beltran’s remaining salary.
Today in Cubs history:
1945 – The Cubs purchase P Hank Borowy from the New York Yankees in an unexpected waiver deal. Borowy, 10-5 with the Yankees, was put on waivers, apparently to solve a roster problem, and was passed over by 15 teams. The Cubs snatch him for $97,500, and he will help the Cubs win the pennant with an 11-2 record, including three wins over the Cardinals down the stretch
1992 – In his first start at Wrigley Field since his announcement that he’s leaving Chicago, Greg Maddux beats the Pirates, 3-2. In the eighth inning, the Wrigley faithful give the ace pitcher a standing ovation.
1998 – Sammy Sosa hits his 248th career homer – and his first grand slam – as the Cubs beat the Diamondbacks, 6-2. Sosa went to bat 4,428 times before drilling the sacks-full homer. His 247 homers without a slam is a major league record: the previous mark was 210 homers by Bob Horner. Sosa also tops the 100 RBI mark with his four ribbies, to back Steve Trachsel‘s pitching.
1586 – Walter Raleigh brings the first tobacco to England from Virginia.
1866 – First transatlantic telegraph cable comes ashore at Heart’s Content, Newfoundland, after being laid out 1,686 miles by Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s Great Eastern steamship.
1890 – Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh shoots himself in Auvers-sur-Oise and dies of his injuries 2 days later.
1940 – Billboard publishes its first singles record chart; “I’ll Never Smile Again” by Tommy Dorsey, with vocals by Frank Sinatra, is ranked No. 1.
1940 – Bugs Bunny, Warner Bros. cartoon character created by Tex Avery and Bob Givens for the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series, debuts in “A Wild Hare”.
1981 – Modern/Atco Records releases “Bella Donna,” the debut solo album by singer-songwriter Stevie Nicks of Fleetwood Mac; hit singles include “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” with Tom Petty, “Edge of Seventeen,” and “Leather and Lace” with Don Henley.
2021 – American gymnast and four-time Olympic gold medallist Simone Biles withdraws from the women’s team final at the Tokyo Games citing need to focus on her mental health; also misses individual finals.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JULY 26: A general view of Citizens Bank Park during the game between the New York Yankees and the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday, July 26, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Actual offense was on display last night in Philadelphia, but this defense, if it doesn’t get cleaned up fast, is going to be the downfall of this team.
Jul 26, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Atlanta Braves first baseman Matt Olson (28) gets Baltimore Orioles first baseman Pete Alonso (25) out at first after the play was challenged by Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Lexi Thompson-Imagn Images | Lexi Thompson-Imagn Images
Happy Monday, Camden Chatters. It wasn’t a great weekend to be an Orioles fan, I have to say. The Orioles lost two out of three to the Braves in what felt like it could have been a series sweep (either way, honestly). Every game was exciting, I’ll give them that. But ultimately it was just a whole lot of frustration.
Two of the games went into extra innings, and the lone win was a walk-off after they blew the lead in the eighth inning. Yesterday, the Orioles fell behind 2-0, then scored one run in each of the 8th and 9th innings to send the game to extras. But they were unable to score a single run in the 10th after loading the bases with no outs. Gunnar Henderson hit the ball hard, but it just happened to go right to Matt Olson at first base. Olson was able to double up Pete Alonso at first. The O’s did a lot of things wrong this weekend, but in my mind that wasn’t one of them. It just really stunk.
After the 10th inning failure, the Orioles fell behind 3-2 in the 11th. They had two runners on in the bottom of the inning, but when Jackson Holliday came to the plate, they walked him to get to Sam Huff. Huff, shockingly, did not come through. I clipped a link about the team’s options at catcher below, but suffice it to say the current situation is untenable. Either Huff or Chadwick Tromp has to go for a better option. Bring up Creed Willems, at the very least. Maybe he’ll be terrible, but maybe he won’t. Those other guys will definitely be terrible.
In better baseball news, yesterday we watched the classic film A League of Their Own. It was the first time my nine-year-old daughter had seen it. She seemed to enjoy the baseball parts but was a little bored by the non-baseball parts. That’s ok, she’ll learn. A League of Their Own is my favorite baseball movie, but is it the best baseball movie? Maybe, maybe not. But I can say for certain that any conversation about the best baseball movie that doesn’t mention it is illegitimate.
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! You have four Orioles birthday buddies, including Rich Dauer (b. 1952, d. 2025). Dauer had a 10-year MLB career, all with the Orioles. He was a first-round draft pick in 1974 and played 1140 games from 1976-85.
Also born on this day in history are Floyd Rayford (69), Preston Guilmet (39), and Ryan Flaherty (40). Ryan Flaherty is 40? We are all getting so old.
On this day in 1959, the Orioles beat the Tigers 5-2 and Gene Woodling knocked in all five runs, including with a grand slam. The day before, Woodling drove in all four runs in a 4-0 victory over Chicago. Pretty good few days for ol’ Gene!
In 1969, the Orioles beat the White Sox 17-0. Frank Robinson hit two home runs. Boog Powell and Jim Hardin also homered. Don Buford, Paul Blair, and Davey Johnson had three hits apiece. Hardin, the starting pitcher, had a complete-game two-hit shutout.
In 1996, the Orioles defeated Cleveland 14-2 at Camden Yards. Rafael Palmeiro hit a grand slam off Orel Hershiser. Bobby Bonilla and Mike Devereaux also homered. B.J. Surhoff had three hits and three RBI. David Wells started and pitched 7.2 innings. The win brought the Orioles to .500 at 51-51.
In 2020, a bunch of COVID-related shenanigans broke out. The Marlins were playing in Philadelphia when several of their players tested positive for COVID. Instead of traveling home to Miami to play the Orioles, they had to quarantine in Philly. Those games were postponed. The Orioles flew home from Miami, and by the next day basically the entire Marlins team had COVID. The Yankees were supposed to go to Philadelphia, but that got scrapped as well. Since neither the Orioles nor the Yankees had anything to do, the Yankees decided to come to Baltimore to play instead. 2020 was so weird. O
And on this day last year, the Orioles beat the Rockies 5-1. Tomoyuki Sugano allowed one run in six innings. He struck out eight. Tyler O’Neill homered and Dylan Carlson knocked in two runs.
The Detroit Tigers had to settle for a split in their four-game home series against the Kansas City Royals last weekend, succumbing to the visitors in a 5-4 finale on Sunday afternoon. Framber Valdez was far from efficient and the bullpen once again squandered a late lead, resulting in the team’s 56th defeat this season.
Opening things up against the Baltimore Orioles this week for the Motor City Kitties is right-hander Keider Montero, who will make his second start since being brought back out of the bullpen. The 26-year-old justified his return to the rotation by throwing 5 1/3 frames of one-run ball on three hits — including a solo home run — and zero walks while matching his career high of eight strikeouts.
For the O’s, fellow righty Kyle Bradish will climb the hill looking to continue his recent stretch of success that saw him toss quality starts in five of his last six outings and his last three straight. The 29-year-old posted a 2.03 ERA and 2.56 FIP over his last 40 innings of work, allowing 23 hits (one home run) and 12 walks against 37 strikeouts, earning wins in four of those six games.
Here is a quick look at the matchup on paper ahead of the showdown in the D.
Detroit Tigers (50-56) vs. Baltimore Orioles (51-55)
Time (ET): 6:40 p.m. Place: Comerica Park, Detroit, Michigan SB Nation Site:Camden Chat Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Game 107: RHP Keider Montero (7-5, 3.14 ERA) vs. RHP Kyle Bradish (7-9, 3.49 ERA)
Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal delivers against the Kansas City Royals on July 24. Don't count on the Dodgers acquiring Skubal at the trade deadline. (Gregory Shamus / Getty Images)
Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal is one of the few players who could actually elevate the Dodgers’ roster at the trade deadline. And the Dodgers are one of the few teams that could reasonably part with the prospect capital it would take to acquire the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner.
That doesn’t mean it will come to fruition.
With a week to go before the MLB trade deadline on Aug. 3, the Dodgers don’t appear to be moving toward a trade for Skubal, according to people with knowledge of the situation not authorized to speak publicly. And it’s unclear whether the Tigers will indeed trade him; rival executives’ expectations appear to be inconsistent.
The Dodgers can never be fully counted out for a big swing, of course. They weren’t expected to sign closer Edwin Díaz or right fielder Kyle Tucker during the offseason, either.
But having a strong farm system supplements big spending. And part of the reasoning behind those indulgent offseason moves was to make a big trade-deadline move unnecessary. So, barring a significant shift either in rotation health or in the market, don’t count on Skubal joining the Dodgers in their quest for a three-peat.
The Dodgers have shown a willingness in the past to give up top prospects for starting pitching when they see a need. Look no further than 2024, when they pursued then-White Sox ace Garrett Crochet before pivoting to a different Tigers starter, Jack Flaherty, who they acquired for catcher Thayron Liranzo and shortstop Trey Sweeney — top-25 prospects, according to MLB Pipeline.
Between the Dodgers’ position in the standings, and the amount of talent they expect coming off the injured list, however, they don’t need to add Skubal to still be widely considered World Series favorites.
Despite injuries to key players, the Dodgers (67-39) have the best record in the majors and a 12-game lead in the National League West entering Monday.
The signings of Díaz and Tucker haven’t gone as the Dodgers pictured. Neither elevated the team in the first half. Díaz was hurt for most of it, and Tucker has had an underwhelming offensive season.
But when Díaz (loose body elbow surgery) returns from the injured list — manager Dave Roberts said the Dodgers plan to reinstate Díaz on Wednesday — and if Tucker can break out offensively, as he showed signs of over the weekend, they could essentially function as major trade-deadline additions.
The same goes for utility player Kiké Hernández and starting pitchers Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow. Hernández (strained left oblique) is expected to return from the IL on Tuesday. Snell (elbow surgery) is scheduled to make at least one more rehab start this coming week. And Glasnow (back spasms) is in the live batting practice phase of his build-up.
Dodgers starting pitcher Blake Snell puts on his cap before a game against the Atlanta Braves on May 9. (Caroline Brehman / Associated Press)
So, off the IL alone, the Dodgers are expecting to add two well-established starters, a closer, and a versatile position player in the second half.
Shohei Ohtani’s lingering left knee problem, which is holding him out of the rotation even after he received an Orthovisc injection to lubricate the joint going into the All-Star break, doesn’t change the team’s trade deadline calculus, according to people with knowledge of the matter not authorized to speak publicly.
Roberts all but confirmed as much Sunday.
“I don’t think so,” Roberts said when asked if his view of the team’s deadline pitching needs has changed. “I really don’t. We expect him to be pitching. ... So I don’t think that our approach to the deadline has changed given these last three weeks with Shohei.”
The Dodgers’ MLB-leading payroll (estimated by Roster Resource to be $397 million) draws a lot of attention. But their commitment to player development has helped extend their run of postseason success. The Mets (44-62), No. 2 in payroll ($366 million) are proof that big spending doesn’t guarantee winning.
The Dodgers will weigh the upside of adding someone such as Skubal — even better World Series odds, not having to face him in the postseason, etc. — against the blow to their young talent pool. Though the Dodgers do have an excess of prospect talent, especially in the outfield, the Tigers aren’t going to settle for anything short of a robust return.
If the Dodgers don’t trade for Skubal, what will they do?
Most likely, the Dodgers’ deadline moves will be around the periphery. They approached last year’s deadline similarly, when they traded for reliever Brock Stewart and outfielder Alex Call. This year, the Dodgers have even fewer obvious needs.
To borrow a favorite buzz word of executives across baseball, they’ll be opportunistic, as they look for ways to solidify the roster for the stretch run and into the playoffs. And if they see a way to upgrade their roster for future years without hurting their 2026 championship odds, they would be open to taking it, according to people with knowledge of the team’s stance not authorized to speak publicly.
The Dodgers’ catching depth, with Will Smith still sidelined with a lingering neck injury, is the most obvious roster soft spot. But the Dodgers are comfortable with backup catcher Dalton Rushing taking the bulk of the innings until Smith returns.
Smith’s recent recovery progress, since shutting down baseball activities and receiving an injection to address the discomfort and inflammation, has been encouraging enough for the team to feel confident in his return.
Still, the Dodgers could benefit from at least another third-string option at the physically and mentally demanding position.
If this all sounds boring compared to adding Skubal to a rotation that’s full of star power when healthy, that’s by design. For perennial postseason contenders, a splashy offseason ideally sets up a low-key trade deadline.
Jul 25, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers left fielder Jackson Chourio (11) and outfielder Luis Lara (18) celebrate a win over the Colorado Rockies as center fielder Garrett Mitchell (5) looks on at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images | Michael McLoone-Imagn Images
Last Week’s Results
Monday: Brewers 8, Mets 3
Tuesday: Mets 4, Brewers 0
Wednesday: Brewers 4, Mets 3
Thursday: Off Day
Friday: Rockies 5, Brewers 2
Saturday: Brewers 8, Rockies 5
Sunday: Brewers 11, Rockies 2
Division Standings
Brewers: 66-39
Cubs: 59-46 (7.0 GB)
Pirates: 54-52 (12.5 GB)
Cardinals: 53-52 (13.0 GB)
Reds: 49-55 (16.5 GB)
Last Week
Brewers: 4-2
Cubs: 3-3
Pirates: 2-4
Cardinals: 2-5
Reds: 4-2
Top Pitching Performance of the Week
Jacob Misiorowski continues to dominate opposing lineups, as he made a pair of starts against the Mets and Rockies this week, totaling nine innings but striking out an incredible 18 batters. That includes a seven-strikeout stretch to begin Sunday’s game against Colorado, breaking a franchise record for strikeouts to begin a game previously held by Quinn Priester (six in 2025). Miz also allowed just two runs (one earned) on five hits and one walk.
Cooper Pratt continued to make a case for NL Rookie of the Month, as he led the team with nine hits in 18 at-bats this week (.500 batting average), including a pair of homers — the first and second of his career — and a double, driving in six. He also swiped a pair of bags.
Honorable mentions to Andrew Vaughn (two homers, .313/.333/.750 line), Joey Ortiz (seven hits, including two doubles, two triples, and a homer), Brice Turang (eight hits, including a pair of doubles and a homer), and Luis Lara (four hits, including three doubles, and five RBIs), as well as to known hitter Randy Wolf, who slugged the deciding two-run homer in the Brewers Alumni Legends Game.
Infielder David Hamilton made his return to the roster on Friday ahead of the series with the Rockies, as he missed just over two weeks with a strained hamstring. Infielder Braden Shewmake, who the Brewers acquired from the Astros for cash considerations in the wake of Hamilton’s injury, was designated for assignment.
Just over a week after acquiring him (along with left-hander Colton Gordon) in a trade for Jadyn Fielder and cash considerations, the Brewers designated right-handed pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. for assignment. McCullers looked great in his first couple of innings as a Brewer (pair of 1-2-3 innings with three strikeouts), but he struggled overall, totaling 4 2/3 innings with five runs allowed (just two earned) as he gave up three hits and four walks. Right-hander Garrett Stallings was recalled to replace him on the active roster, but McCullers’ DFA means the Brewers now have two 40-man spots open.
Left-handed pitcher DL Hall and outfielder Brandon Lockridge were both sent on rehab assignments with the Triple-A Nashville Sounds, as we could see both make their return to the majors in the next couple of weeks.
Outfielder Sal Frelick, who went on the IL last weekend with a right shoulder strain, was shut down from baseball activities for the next week. His return is still listed as TBD, but it’s looking like we won’t see him until at least mid-August.
Right-hander Joel Kuhnel threw his first bullpen session on July 21, and left-hander Kyle Harrison threw four “ups” in a live batting practice session on Saturday. Next steps for Kuhnel are TBD, while Harrison is expected to either make a rehab appearance in the minors or directly return to the rotation.
BALTIMORE — What does it look like when nine seasons of toil comes down to six games?
For the Baltimore Orioles, it looks like this: Three 100-loss seasons amidst front office regime change, an influx of insanely talented young players, a 101-win season, a sale of the franchise, a desultory regression, a managerial firing and finally, this fence-sitter of a season, stuck in a quagmire of American League mediocrity at 51-55.
The crucible: A three-game series at Detroit that looks like a trade deadline play-in match - winner to buy, loser to sell - followed by a three-game set at Camden Yards against the eternally contending Philadelphia Phillies.
And then, the Aug. 3 trade deadline, where their performance in the next six games very likely will determine their stance: Buy aggressively, sell off parts or play the middle.
Oh, the franchise won’t collapse if these Orioles miss the playoffs for a second consecutive year. They are poised to be at least serviceable in coming years, even as their prized young players march toward free agency.
It’s just that 118 losses in 2018, and 110 losses in 2021, followed by club president Mike Elias’s promised “liftoff” after 2022 was supposed to mean much more.
Those 101 wins in 2023 bought a playoff bye and two home games at Camden Yards. And then five consecutive losses over two postseasons.
It’s enough to add a jolt of urgency for franchise cornerstones.
“We haven’t won a playoff game since I’ve been here,” Gunnar Henderson, the 2023 Rookie of the Year and two-time top-10 MVP finisher, tells USA TODAY Sports. “That’s something a lot of guys in this room, including myself, want to do, want to get past, and make a run.
“I feel like we got the group to do it. It’s just a matter of doing it.”
For these Orioles, the doing has been challenging. After last year’s 15-28 start cost manager Brandon Hyde his job on the way to an 87-loss season, this year was supposed to be different. Elias augmented the club well in the offseason, most notably his first nine-figure commitment in first baseman Pete Alonso.
But an improved squad has performed arrhythmically. Injuries have not helped, but sloppy play and failures at various points in all departments has dragged them into the mire.
Now, they are 2 ½ games out of a playoff berth and one of 22 teams – 11 in each league – across the majors within 3 ½ games of the postseason.
Limbo, basically. And one week to ensure they emerge with hope.
Playing spoiler against Skubal
Wednesday, July 29 at Comerica Park will mark a most dramatic time: It is possibly the final home start for Detroit Tigers ace and two-time reigning Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal. And the pitching matchup epitomizes the volatility of this trade deadline.
Opposing Skubal will be another left-hander, Baltimore’s Trevor Rogers, in a similar but scaled-down situation.
Like Skubal, Rogers is a pending free agent and was his club’s opening-day starter this season. Like Skubal, his team could view him as a crucial piece of a playoff push – or an asset to be sold for future parts.
And while Rogers’ up-and-down journey to the verge of free agency lacks Skubal’s dominance and accolades, his performance the past two months - a 1.80 ERA, a 45-14 strikeout-walk ratio and the Orioles’ 6-3 record in his nine starts – would make him more than a consolation prize for a team that can’t land Skubal.
With the Orioles a game up on Detroit (50-56) entering the series, Rogers-Skubal is one of just dozens of mini-battles that will play out within the vaster landscape of the deadline: Buyers and sellers and losers who get caught on the wrong side of that line.
“We know where we’re at, standing-wise,” says Rogers. “These games really matter this close to the deadline. If we play really good ball and make that gap a little bit closer, change the front office’s mind, maybe we add a couple pieces. (Unlike) last year, getting rid of some guys.
“We know where we’re at in terms of the season.”
Rogers hit the accelerator at a perfect time for himself and the Orioles. He had a 6.96 ERA through nine starts, at which point the Orioles were 23-30 and their pitching staff ranked 28th with a 4.87 ERA.
Yet Rogers figured it out, improving his command to both sides of the plate in this two-month run, and so, too has the Orioles staff. They rank third in the majors with a 3.42 ERA since that point, giving them a chance.
So long as they win enough this week to keep the band together.
“The standard we’re trying to create here, especially what they did in ’23 and ’24 – we have the talent to do it,” says Rogers. “There’s just been times we haven’t been consistent doing it every single day.
“Hopefully, we can continue that. The trust in here is really high. We all know what we’re capable of and where we can go with this team.”
Time to clean it up
Rogers is in some ways symbolic of this close-but-not-quite era in Baltimore. He was a trade-deadline acquisition in July 2024, Elias’s first major burning of club assets by shipping future All-Star outfielder Kyle Stowers and infielder Connor Norby to Miami.
And then Rogers was hit hard in four starts, posting a 7.11 ERA, and optioned to Class AAA in mid-August. The Orioles would get swept at home by Kansas City in a two-game wild card series, giving them five losses in as many playoff games over two seasons in which they won 192 regular-season games.
Over those two deadlines, Elias did not shine on the buy side, bringing in starting pitcher Jack Flaherty and reliever Shintaro Fujinami in 2023. Rogers, starter Zach Eflin, relievers Seranthony Dominguez and Gregory Soto and outfielder Eloy Jimenez were 2024 adds.
None save for Eflin factored heavily into postseason plans. All of which contributed to the strong feeling Elias could build a team, yet perhaps not act aggressively enough on the buy side.
Third-year owner David Rubenstein remains publicly effusive of Elias.
“Mike was the baseball executive of the year a few years ago. Widely regarded as outstanding by his peers. I’m very very happy, couldn’t be more pleased,” Rubenstein said Friday at a news conference announcing a $90 million contract extension for starter Kyle Bradish. “We’ve had some injuries, but that’s not Mike’s fault.
“In the end, we’re very pleased and happy to have such a talented executive leading our baseball team.”
Elias, aware of the perception he’s perhaps too protective of young organizational talent, has sounded bullish on the trade deadline even when the Orioles were well below .500. Hours before the Orioles dropped the first of two games against Atlanta, he cast an eye toward what they have – and can be.
“We have so much talent on this team. I think we all look at our record and it should be better,” says Elias. “Where we’re at right now, we’re within arms’ reach of a playoff spot, have enough time to get there.
“We’re coming up on the deadline so the next several games are really important and everyone’s focused on that. But I look at the talent on this team and we’re extremely optimistic we’re going to get where we want to go.”
For now, they’ll have to do so without catchers Adley Rutschman and Samuel Basallo, both on the injured list with wrist and shoulder injuries, respectively. Their absences were felt in losing two of three games this weekend to Atlanta, including a particularly aggravating 3-2, 11-inning loss Sunday.
It was more of the same: Inopportune hitting and two runs given away when simple defensive plays – a booted ball in the outfield, a shallow fly falling – were not made.
“We’re way better than what our record shows,” says Alonso, who has upheld his end of the bargain with 22 home runs and an .812 OPS. “But we’ve given a lot away collectively, through mistakes. That’s why our record is what it is.
“But we have the ability to go on a run. To do damage and win a lot of games.”
If Rutschman were healthy and the Orioles deeper below .500, he’d likely hear his name bandied about even more in trade rumors. As it is, Rutschman’s eventual departure would leave Henderson as the significant symbol of Elias’s transformative 2019 draft. Yet as Henderson eases into his mid-20s – he celebrated his 25th birthday last month – the game has come harder.
In his four full seasons, Henderson’s OPS has gone from .814 his rookie to season to .893, .787 and now .701. His adjusted OPS was a whopping 155 in 2024; now, he’s a slightly below league average hitter.
At times – particularly in the lost 2025 season – Henderson has worn his frustrations outwardly, as if the burden at times became too much. He notes that dealing with failure is something every player must navigate himself.
“It’s something that’s been a long learning curve for me,” Henderson says of managing disappointment. “Still trying to break through that. I obviously have high expectations of myself. When you don’t really, to my standard, achieve that, it’s hard to not be hard on yourself.
“That’s something that’s definitely been tough, for me. And definitely something to work on.”
Henderson himself will have two seasons remaining before free agency after this year. It’s not so much do-or-die time for him as much as it is an inflection point in his tenure and, more broadly, this Orioles era.
The franchise must work to ensure their missed opportunities in 2023 and ’24 weren’t the high-water mark after years of ugly, ugly baseball. This year may offer another bite at the apple.
This week will determine whether that occurs.
“The ground that we need to make up – we honestly need to win every game we can,” says Henderson. “We want to make the playoffs. We’re close, but not in there. We gotta keep winning games.
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