Max Fried made a triumphant return, pitching five scoreless innings and the Yankees' lineup woke up late to defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates, 2-0, in the second game of Wednesday's doubleheader.
Here are the takeaways...
-Fried faced the minimum in the first thanks to Cody Bellinger gunning down Nick Gonzales trying to stretch a single into a double to lead off the game. The southpaw was locked in from there, allowing just a walk across the next two innings. Fried got through five innings against a formidable Pirates lineup, allowing just one hit and one walk.
The plan was for Fried to throw 60 pitches, and he wound up tossing 57 (37 strikes) while striking out seven batters.
-Unfortunately, the Yankees lineup was anemic once again for most of the game.
Against young right-hander Bubba Chandler, the Yankees mustered just two hits and got just two base runners in scoring position through the first four innings.
Chandler entered Game 2 with a 4.77 ERA. He also entered the game with a 13 percent walk rate, but the Yankees could only work one walk against him. The youngster pitched 6.1 scoreless innings on 84 pitches, allowing two hits, one walk and striking out five batters. His ERA lowered to 4.47.
-The Yankees lineup would finally break through against the Pirates bullpen in the seventh. AfterBellinger walked, Jasson Dominguez -- hitting from the right side -- lined a double to score the game's first run. Anthony Volpe followed up with a single, scoring Dominguez from second. Both hits came with two outs.
-The Pirates had their best chance in the seventh after Volpe's miscue allowed the leadoff hitter to reach against Angel Chivilli. Paul Blackburn came in after and worked around an error from catcher Ali Sanchez -- not helped by Volpe not blocking -- and a walk to keep the game scoreless by striking out Ryan O'Hearn and Marcell Ozuna.
Blackburn would pitch a scoreless eighth before Will Warren, Friday's probable starter, came out for the ninth. After allowing a leadoff hit, Warren retired the next two batters but walked Esmerlyn Valdez. Manager Aaron Boone called on Tim Hill to face the lefty O'Hearn. O'Hearn grounded to Jazz Chisholm Jr., who double-clutched before slinging it to first. It was called an out on the field and after a review, the call on the field stood, ending the game.
Game MVP: Paul Blackburn
The veteran right-hander not only kept the game scoreless, but also delivered two innings for a bullpen that needed the length.
The Philadelphia Phillies continue to make questionable decisions while running the bases during this week's series against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.
Trea Turner reached first base on a fielder's choice out in the bottom of the fifth ... only because Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy tagged out Bryson Stott, who for some reason decided to run from second to third with one out.
The game had just been tied 3-3 during the inning on a Bryan De La Cruz home run. But Stott's blunder halted the momentum with Kyle Schwarber popping out to end the inning.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JULY 22: Tony Vitello #23 of the San Francisco Giants talks with umpire Alfonso Marquez #72 during the seventh inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium on July 22, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jay Biggerstaff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In the top of the 7th, Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino pulled a fastball from Landen Roupp into the right field corner. Jung Hoo Lee got to the baseball quickly and fired an accurate throw into Willy Adames at second base as a hard-charging Pasquantino slid into the bag, beating the throw by plenty. But the momentum generated hustling to second made for an uneasy stop. Pasquantino struggled to brake, his upper half kept moving forward as his limbs strained to remain safely in contact with the base. During the awkward stumble, Adames applied a tag at what looks like the brief moment when one could see daylight between Pasquantino’s finger and second base.
Umpire Mike Estabrook ruled Pasquantino safe on the field, and Adames adamantly gestured towards the bench to take a closer look and challenge it.
As players, coaches, and fans prepared for what looked to be an exhaustive, frame-by-frame review, the weight of the moment settled over the crowd. This was a pivotal play given the game’s context: an old-fashioned, back-and-forth, pitcher’s duel between Roupp and Kansas City starter Seth Lugo. The Giants offense had just extended their lead to three-runs by capitalizing on lead-off walk and a 2-out extra base knocks by Lee and Adames. Those knocks were just their second and third earned off Lugo in the start, and the first since Rafael Devers’s lead-off double in the 2nd. Kansas City’s veteran right-hander had faced the minimum through 5 complete innings, and as he walked off the mound after another soft groundout, Dave Flemming, in all seriousness, remarked that Lugo was “just mowing them down.” Ironic considering Lugo’s four-seam fastball averages less than 92 MPH, and his 9-pitch mix boasts a 76 MPH curveball, already 5 clicks slower than the league average, and an even slower “slow curveball” that moseys across the plate on its own time. But hitting is timing, and pitching is disrupting that timing — Lugo had effectively done this by throwing the kitchen sink, toaster, blender, microwave at San Francisco hitters.
The 3-0 lead, like most things this year, was hard-earned and impossibly delicate, and Pasquantino’s double had it on the brink of shattering. Roupp had similarly cruised along with Lugo through the prior six frames. That double was just the Royals’ third hit and their first for extra bases. Just as things were supposed to get comfortable, a threat emerged from nothing. The heat of recent failures caused them to sweat. Necks were still sore from the whiplash of Logan Webb’s blown-gem against Seattle on Saturday — a loss that launched San Francisco’s embarrassing road trip. Four consecutive games in which a lead was forfeited. Four games in which the offense stalled out at three runs. Four straight losses – this ignoble streak’s beginnings traced easily back to Saturday’s 7th inning.
Wednesday’s 7th had to be different. Roupp was the last Giant starter to earn a win, and he looked just as he good as he did last Friday against the Mariners. Surely he’d lead the team to a much-needed victory — and Pasquantino’s base running gaffe appeared to be proof that God’s light shines brightest on the right-hander…
But that perceived gift didn’t just get taken away from the Giants, it blew up in their faces when umpire Estabrook ruled that Adames had pushed Pasquantino off the base.
A bold claim, which, of course, was unreviewable.
The call’s initial ludicrousness — which was robust at the time — has grown with each passing hour. Considering that he had beat the throw by plenty, Pasquantino being off balance was exactly what prompted Adames to tag him in the first place. Therefore, the tag could not have pushed Pasquantino off the base. Also, Pasquantino is 6’3’’ and 245 pounds, tagging him would be like tagging a redwood if he had been legitimately rooted.
It’s not like Estabrook is out of position to make a reasonable call here. Unless he was in the middle of a prolonged blink or those sunglass lenses are actually painted black, he sees the play happen. So what gives???
The most damning element here is the fact that Estabrook makes no gesture to signify that Adames unfairly pushed the runner immediately after the play. He and Adames even exchange some pleasantries in the aftermath. The challenge is assumed, and it is not until the crew chief is already walking over to the middle of the field with his ear piece in his hand that Estabrook drops the bomb.
The tag-turned-shove is a fabrication, cooked up in the moments between the tag and when Tony Vitello gestures to challenge. It’s clear that the umpire himself isn’t quite sure what he was thinking. On the Royals broadcast — which has better coverage of the incident than NBC Bay Area — the umpire fidgets as Adames pleads his case. Estabrook can’t really look at him straight. He weirdly keeps touching his face, wiping his mouth with his shirt as if his lips suddenly started to sweat uncontrollably.
Whether Adames’s tag stayed on Pasquantino when he came off the base is besides the point. Nothing definitive could be reached due to their inability to have it be reviewed, and right when the team were at their most vulnerable, Estabrook’s phantom push call caught them in the gut and keeled them over.
The collapse — that was absolutely definitive. The second pitch thrown after the lengthy pause (in which Tony Vitello was ejected) was launched over the wall by Salvador Perez. Roupp, who likes to work fast, and established a breezy cadence with Lugo through the first six innings, had lost his rhythm. The delay, the obstructed justice had him steaming. He was hot and bothered and cursin’ like a sailor as acting manager Jayce Tingler pulled him from the game.
The 7th had become a delicate and fraught situation. Tensions were high, players felt picked on — but there was still a lead to protect and a ballgame to win. Tasked with safely navigating and preserving the slim one-run lead, San Francisco’s relief corps took the field like bulls in a china shop.
Sam Hentges came off the mound to field a bunt and threw a pond-skipper past Devers into right field. He had tossed one-pitch, which was bunted, and somehow the tying run had found its way to scoring position. Hentges recorded just one out while giving up two singles compounded by his error before he was replaced by Keaton Winn, who served up this right-down-the-gosh-dang-middle-of-the-plate pitch
which knocked in the tying run; and this pitch
which subsequently scored Kansas City’s winning run.
By the time the 7th concluded, the Royals line-up had batted around, scoring five runs against three different Giants arms.
That did it. A 5-4 loss. Different day, different details — same ending.
Casey Schmitt’s solo homer with two outs in the 9th unclogged the offense, forever blocked at three runs, but his 20th shot of the year didn’t change much else. The Royals are last in the American League Central, and they left the Giants grasping at their coattails. The sweep, all one-run losses, was San Francisco’s sixth of the season. They are now 18 games below .500.
The phantom push in the 7th was the shove that sent this team over the edge and into an uncontrollable free fall — yet even that comparison is off considering we don’t get to experience the blissful sensation of weightlessness, that sense of pure “freedom” implied by the name. The failures on this display in this loss, and the recurring failures of this team, feel more like the “endless fall” sequence in the excellently stupid 2007 movie “Hot Rod,” in which Rod, in the process of angrily dancing away his suffocating feelings of inadequacy in the middle of a forest (to the song “Never” off the “Footloose” soundtrack), trips over a tree trunk and begins to tumble down a hill — a tumble that lasts longer than a full minute of runtime, with the idea that the longer Rod improbably rag-dolls down this frictionless slope, the more grunts and groans he makes as he roughly collides with more and more objects, the stupider, and “funnier,” the gag becomes.
This Giants season is already stupid — so when does it become funny?
Jul 22, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners right fielder Dominic Canzone (8)watches a home run go over the wall during the seventh inning against the Cincinnati Reds at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images
It wasn’t a start to the second half that the Mariners could afford to have.
After Eduard Bazardo allowed the bottom two hitters of the Reds order to reach in the top of the seventh Wednesday, Sal Stewart punished him with a two-out, three-run homer just over the wall in right field to give Cincinnati a 5-3 lead and deliver a back-breaking blow to a Mariners team that is, for a lack of a better way to say it, running out of time to figure things out.
The homer proved to be decisive. With the loss, the Mariners once again fall below .500 — this time over 100 games into a season where they were viewed by many to be a favorite in a weak American League. For months now, I’ve lived with a mindset that things will turn. However, as more days pass and the results fail to improve, I’m forced to confront the reality that maybe this is who the 2026 Mariners are. Underperformances from stars, terrible injury luck, and a failure to make the most of their opportunities — it could all be too much to overcome.
It’s not over, but the turning point is going to have to come soon.
All of the sudden, pressure mounts as the M’s head to Arlington for the biggest series of their year thus far. They’ll face the Texas Rangers in a four-game wrap-around series starting Friday that could swing the top of the AL West standings drastically. As it stands, the Mariners could fall behind 1.5 games if the Rangers win Wednesday evening.
“Every game down the stretch here is big, and there’s a lot of baseball in front of us yet and a chance to find that consistent stride…We just need to concentrate on that as we get onto the road trip,” Wilson said postgame. “I don’t think we need any more extra pressure. I think there’s plenty of that. We just need to find our way and get ourselves consistent, and play the brand of baseball we know we’re capable of.”
For some periods Wednesday, it seemed like the Mariners could eke out a victory to secure an acceptable 4-2 homestand against two opponents that were plenty beatable. Cal Raleigh got the Mariners off to solid start in the bottom of the second. He lined a RBI single into right to score Josh Naylor, who had just stolen second to move into scoring position after blooping a single to center off of Elly De La Cruz’s glove.
It turned out this was a start to a volatile couple of innings where the lead went back-and-forth between the two teams. To lead off the top of the fourth, JJ Bleday turned on a 86 mph cutter from Emerson Hancock for a towering solo shot into the seats in right field, tying the game at one.
Hancock spent some of the All-Star break resting the sore hand he got on a comebacker in the final game of the first half. He said it was a little difficult coming back from the break because it’s hard to simulate major league pitches. Hancock forced a couple of ugly swings and misses with his sweeper — when he was landing it.
“There’s certain cues and adjustments that I feel like I’ll make with that pitch throughout the game,” Hancock said. “I just keep throwing it, keep trusting it, and you’ll find a really good feel for it. We were able to execute a couple good ones today.”
That said, he lost the handle on a couple of them in the early going, including a wild pitch in the fourth that moved Tyler Stephenson to third after a two-out double. The mistake proved costly; even though Cole Young was able to make a diving stop on a subsequent grounder from Dane Myers, he couldn’t quite get the handle on the ball to make the throw to first, and the runner scored from third to give the Reds a 2-1 lead on a play that could’ve ended the inning.
The Mariners had a quick response in the bottom half of the fourth, with Luke Raley driving in a couple with a hard-hit liner into the gap in right-center on the first pitch he saw from Brady Singer. Both Naylor and Randy Arozarena came around, making the score 3-2 in favor of Seattle.
After running into trouble in the fourth, Hancock was able to settle down and retire the next six hitters to turn in a decent outing. He only struck out three hitters and forced nine whiffs, but outside of the homer by Bleday, he was able to limit the hard contact and keep the Reds offense in check. He notched a quality start, allowing only the two runs on five hits over six innings of work.
The opportunities for the Mariners offense were few and far between after Raley put them in front. The only baserunner to reach second after this point was Julio Rodríguez, who doubled to the wall in the left-center gap to bring the tying run to the plate in the eighth. In the end though, Arozarena and Dominic Canzone would both ground out to extinguish their last scoring threat of the day.
As it turns out, the Mariners dropped the series against the Reds and will have to settle for a 3-3 split of their six games to open the second half at T-Mobile Park. In and of itself, it could obviously be worse than 3-3 — but given the 1-5 stretch into the All-Star break and a tough schedule upcoming, this is certainly not what they had in mind.
In Seattle, we’ve become accustomed to the late-season surge. The Mariners are going to have to find one, yet again.
Jul 21, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Detroit Tigers designated hitter Dillon Dingler (13) rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run against the Chicago Cubs during the ninth inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
Detroit Tigers (47-54) vs. Chicago Cubs (57-44)
Time/Place: 8:10 p.m., Wrigley Field SB Nation Site:Bleed Cubbie Blue Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network Pitching Matchup: RHP Keider Montero (6-5, 3.22 ERA) vs. RHP Colin Rea (7-6, 4.74 ERA)
HOUSTON, TEXAS - JULY 17: Peter Lambert #38 of the Houston Astros warms up before the first inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Daikin Park on July 17, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Houston Astros/Getty Images) | Getty Images
TONIGHT’S GAME: The Houston Astros (49-54) will go for a sweep of the Miami Marlins (52-50) tonight in the finale of their three-game series at Daikin Park in Houston, TX.
RHP Peter Lambert (8-5, 3.03 ERA), who’s posted a 1.02 ERA (2ER/17.2IP) in his three starts this month, will get the start for the Astros tonight opposite RHP Sandy Alcantara (10-5, 3.89 ERA) and the Marlins.
RIDING THE LAMBO: Tonight’s Astros starter RHP Peter Lambert leads the Astros in wins and among AL pitchers he ranks second in opponent average (.197) and sixth in ERA (3.03) (min. 90IP). Lambert pitched last year for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows in the NPB, posting a 3.98 ERA (55ER/124.1IP) with 111 strikeouts in 23 starts.
MOVING UP THE LIST:Manager Joe Espada has 224 managerial wins as the Astros skipper, which ties him with Terry Collins (224 wins) for 10th all-time in managerial wins in club history. The two immediately trail Hal Lanier (254 wins) for ninth on that all-time list.
GET ‘EM EARLY: The Astros rank first in the AL and second in the Majors in 1st-inning runs (68). Overall, the Astros rank 11th in the Majors in runs (468), two spots ahead of the Marlins (455), who rank 13th.
ON THE DEFENSIVE: The Astros rank second in the AL in fielding percentage (.988) and their 43 errors are the second-fewest in the AL. 1B Christian Walker has led the way, as he has not committed an error in his 98 games played at 1B. Dating back to last season, Walker has not made an error in his last 126 games at 1B (last error was Aug. 23, 2025 at BAL).
TODAY’S TRADE: Earlier today, the Astros acquired RHP Max Martin from the Royals in exchange for the recently DFA’d RHP Nate Pearson. Martin, 22, owns a 6-2 record with a 2.01 ERA (9ER/40.1IP) in 26 relief appearances across two levels of Class A ball in the Royals organization this season.
MVP-CALIBER: DH Yordan Alvarez is a strong AL MVP candidate as he enters tonight as the AL’s Triple Crown leader, ranking first in batting average (.326), HR (33), and RBI (75). He currently leads all of baseball in OPS (1.081), OBP (.432), SLG (.649), and total bases (239), and in the AL, he ranks first in hits (120), first in XBH (53), tied for second in runs (68), and fourth in walks (66).
LEVELED UP: DH Yordan Alvarez is playing on another level, as he’s riding an eight-game hitting streak in which six of those eight games have been multi-hit games. He’s batting .517 (15×29) with six runs scored, four doubles, four homers, eight RBI, seven walks and a 1.680 OPS during the streak.
HIT PAREDES: Since June 3, 3B Isaac Paredes is batting .297 (44×148) with 20 runs scored, eight doubles, one triple, seven homers, 29 RBI, 18 walks and an .893 OPS in 40 games. He enters tonight with an active 15-game on-base streak and an active seven-game hitting streak.
TAP FOR SUCCESS: Astros hitters have won an MLB-best 72 ABS challenges and lead the Majors in challenge success rate (60%). 2B Jose Altuve has been successful on 15-of-23 challenges (65%), ranking third in the Majors in challenges won. 3B Isaac Paredes (11-for-12) has been the most efficient regular challenger for the team and was successful in his first 11 challenges this year.
WHAT A RELIEF: LHP Josh Hader is 3-1 with 11 saves (in 11 chances), has a 1.47 ERA (3ER/18.1IP), 29 strikeouts in 18.1 innings, a .154 (10×65) opponent average, and a 0.98 WHIP in 20 appearances. He has not allowed a hit in 14 of his 20 appearances.
DOWN ON THE FARM: The Triple A Sugar Land Space Cowboys picked up a 3-2 win in 10 innings last night on a walk-off single by 1B Cavan Biggio, who’s hitting .300 (12×40) with a 1.107 OPS in 13 games this month. Down at Class A Fayetteville, the Woodpeckers earned a rain-shortened 7-0 win thanks in part to top prospect CF Kevin Alvarez, who hit his eighth homer of the season.
ASTROS SIGN TOP TWO PICKS: The Astros have officially signed both of their first-round picks from the 2026 MLB Draft: OF Logan Hughes (17th overall) from Texas Tech and RHP Jack Radel (28th overall) from Notre Dame.
TODAY IN ASTROS HISTORY: 1986 – The Astros allow just one hit in a 1-0 walk-off win vs. the Expos in the Astrodome. This marks the only one-hit, extra-inning shutout in franchise history. A solo homer in the bottom of the 10th by 1B Glenn Davis is the difference. RHP Nolan Ryan throws 9.1 innings in the start, tallying 14 strikeouts, while allowing that one hit. RHP Dave Smith earns the win for the Astros in relief.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Wednesday, July 22, 7:10 p.m. CT
Location: Daikin Park, Houston, TX
TV: SCHN, SCHN2
Radio: KTRH 740 AM; KBME 790 AM & 94.5 FM HD2; TUDN 102.9 FM HD2 (Spanish)
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 19: Bryce Eldridge #8 of the San Francisco Giants reacts after hitting a home run during the first inning against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on July 19, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Olivia Vanni/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Giants fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
These days, it’s all the rage in the Majors to extend young, budding stars. Even with the impeding lockout and revised CBA, teams are still doing it, such as the recent news of the Cincinnati Reds locking up 23-year old pitcher Chase Burns for seven years and $105 million.
The deals make sense for both sides, by buying out the player’s arbitration years and a year or two (or occasionally more of free agency). For the player, they get guaranteed generational wealth, even if their performance slips or they suffer a catastrophic injury. For the team, they get to extend team control for a price that will likely end up being a discount, and usually won’t break the bank if the player underperforms.
Needless to say, the San Francisco Giants have a prime candidate for such an extension, in the form of first baseman/designated hitter Bryce Eldridge, who casually has a .265/.358/.469 line in his age-21 season, while showing mammoth power. That said, the Giants have not historically been an organization to make this type of move. So … will that change this year?
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JULY 21: Alejandro Osuna #19 of the Texas Rangers celebrates after hitting a two RBI single during the fifth inning against the Chicago White Sox at Globe Life Field on July 21, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Anthony Kay will try to help the White Sox turn the page after Tuesday's Texas-sized setback and clinch their 18th series victory of the season. | (Hunter Martin/Getty Images)
After taking an old-fashioned Texas whoopin’ on Tuesday night, the White Sox will try to bounce back this evening and secure their 18th series win of the season. Even with last night’s 10-0 drubbing, Chicago still enters play in the thick of the AL Central race, though the Guardians’ win over the Twins means the Good Guys now find themselves tied for first place with roughly two-thirds of the season in the books. Tonight presents an opportunity to quickly erase the memory of yesterday’s blowout and regain sole possession of the division lead.
Anthony Kay gets the ball for the South Siders, carrying a 6-4 record, a 4.24 ERA, and a 1.37 WHIP. Kay’s Baseball Savant profile suggests his raw arsenal is better than his overall results, but he’ll need to execute against a Rangers lineup that piled up 18 hits just 24 hours ago. The lefthander averages 95.5 mph on his fastball, placing him in the 69th percentile, and generates an above-average chase rate while producing a respectable number of ground balls. His path to success is fairly straightforward: pound the strike zone early, use his changeup to neutralize Texas’ right-handed hitters, expand the zone once he’s ahead in the count, and, most importantly, avoid the crooked inning. If Kay consistently falls behind hitters, a Rangers offense swinging the bat with confidence could make him pay.
Here’s how Skip Schumaker’s club will line up against Kay:
The Rangers will counter with an opener, as former White Sox old friend lefthander Tyler Alexander gets the starting assignment. Signed as a free agent during the offseason, Alexander is making his fourth opening assignment of the year. The veteran has quietly been effective, posting a 1-1 record with a 2.79 ERA and 1.31 WHIP across 44 appearances and 42 innings, though opponents are still hitting .270 against him. With Chicago sending out another left-handed heavy lineup, it’s no surprise Texas is looking to gain an early platoon advantage.
The bulk of the innings are expected to belong to righthander Cal Quantrill, who enters at 3-2 with a 3.93 ERA and 1.29 WHIP. Quantrill doesn’t overpower hitters, relying instead on limiting walks, mixing his pitches, and inducing manageable contact. His 5th-percentile strikeout rate means the White Sox should have plenty of opportunities to put balls in play. The key will be staying disciplined, refusing to chase his offspeed offerings early in counts, and capitalizing when he leaves pitches over the heart of the plate. If Chicago strings together quality at-bats, this is a matchup that should produce scoring opportunities.
Miguel Vargas continues to be Chicago’s hottest regular since the All-Star break, slashing .286/.318/.476 with a .794 OPS over his last five games. Colson Montgomery has been just as productive, hitting .267/.353/.533 with an .886 OPS during that same stretch, returning to the lineup tonight after getting Tuesday off to rest the shin contusion he suffered on Monday. Edgar Quero is also back and behind the plate after being recalled from Charlotte to replace the injured Kyle Teel.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - JULY 11: Kyle Bradish #38 of the Baltimore Orioles pitches against the Kansas City Royals at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on July 11, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The first two games in Boston have been a kick in the teeth for an Orioles team (and fanbase) that came into Beantown riding high. A seven-game win streak and a spot two games back of a Wild Card berth has turned into a two-game losing streak and a four-game gap between the O’s and the playoffs.
In Game 3 of the series and Game 2 of today’s doubleheader, the Orioles will look to finish the job after coming up just short in Monday’s series opener and today’s Game 1. Monday felt as much like a playoff game as any Orioles game since 2024, with the O’s and Sawx trading leads back-and-forth and Tyler O’Neill coming inches away from tying the game in the top of the 9th. Today’s earlier loss was once where the O’s dug themselves an early hole and, despite outhitting the Red Sox 11-9, the Baltimore bats couldn’t complete a comeback against the Boston bullpen.
Tonight’s matchup marks not only the chance to salvage an important game against a division/playoff spot rival, but the first start for Kyle Bradish since signing his record extension. The $90M man faced Boston once previously this season, finishing with a line of 5 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 4 BB and 3 Ks in a 5-3 loss to the Red Sox in Camden Yards.
Bradish has been a significantly less effective pitcher away from Baltimore this season, posting a 4.06 ERA on the road compared to 3.20 in Camden Yards. The 29-year-old has also struggled historically at Fenway, surrendering a 13.50 ERA and a .304 batting average against in three starts at the American League’s oldest park. He was more successful in his last visit to Boston, tossing six innings of two-run ball with nine strikeouts—though that came back in 2023. Bradish will hope to get the better of the Red Sox’ All-Star Willson Contreras, who comes into the matchup 2-for-4 with two homers off the Orioles’ righty.
Opposing Bradish is rookie left-hander Eduardo Rivera. The towering 23-year-old out of Puerto Rico is making his fourth career start and is coming off his first rough outing, having allowed three runs over 2.1 innings last time out vs. Tampa. Rivera hasn’t lasted long in any of his previous appearances, averaging just over three innings per start and never pitching into the 5th inning.
The O’s can hopefully show a patient approach, drive up Rivera’s pitch count and get him out of the game early. Baltimore comes into the matchup 25th in team OPS vs. left-hander starters, and will be without Adley Rutschman and Samuel Basall0—both of whom have hit left-handers well.
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JULY 22: Jimmy Crooks #8 of the St. Louis Cardinals congratulates Hunter Dobbins #40 of the St. Louis Cardinals at the end of the second inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 22, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Game Summary
The Cardinals muster but three hits all game, but one of them was a well-timed solo HR by JJ Wetherholt. Meanwhile, Hunter Dobbins and a trio of relievers combined to throw a much-needed shutout. Riley O’Brien gets his 26th save after striking out the side in the ninth, albeit with a couple walks to add a little drama.
With the win, the Cardinals break a four-game losing streak and climb back to 3 games over the .500 mark.
Pre-game notes
Detmers (LH) for the Angels. Dobbins with the spot start for the Cardinals, allowing the other starters an extra day after a tough road trip and a long stretch with no off days.
Fermin in CF. Velazquez in LF. Crooks at C. Jordan at 3B. I’m thinking there is a story there.
Unsurprisingly, Blewett was designated for assignment overnight. Dobbins gets his 26-man spot. 40-man roster has an opening. For now.
Bullpen availability should be ok for today. They will be down one arm, but he would have likely been unavailable today anyway. Everyone else likely good to go, they might want to avoid Gastelum because of prior use, but I doubt he is hands off.
The Cardinals rarely hit well on daytime, getaway games.
The first innings
Detmers and Dobbins both come out sharp in the early going. Of course, neither of these line-ups will remind us of Killer’s Row. Dobbins works around a few singles but avoids making things worse by throwing strikes and no free passes. Detmers seemed a little sharper in that he avoided traffic a bit better, but the first 3 innings ended up scoreless.
The middle innings
In the fourth, the Cardinals got to Detmers a bit with two walks, but a GIDP upended that. K’s and GIDP really seem to pile up when you are offensively struggling, don’t they? On the Cardinal side, they finally break through in the 6th with a solo HR by Wetherholt (only their third hit). Once done, the other Jose Fermin relieved Detmers.
Meanwhile, Dobbins just cruised through six innings of shutout ball, giving up six hits, striking out 5 batters and, notably, no walks. 86 pitches. A very nice start.
The decisive and satisfying end
As we rolled into the late innings, the parade of relievers took over and the Cardinals nursing a 1-0 lead. No worries, right? On the Angels side, their outstanding bullpen throttled the Cardinals for the third consecutive game. Oh, wait, the Angels bullpen isn’t that good? Hmmm…
Luis Gastelum got the seventh inning and fared well with 1 K and no runs. Soriano got the eighth inning against the top of the Angel line-up. A quick K and a pop out created some positive momentum for the beleaguered bullpen, and a 3-1 putout avoided any suspense.
Post-Game Notes
Check out Today on the Farm – Wednesday 7.22 for updates on MiLB action.
The Cardinals return home to a one-game “series” to make-up a prior rain-out against the D-backs, then followed by the Reds and Cubs.
During the homestand the team will cross the 2/3rd mark of the season.
KANSAS CITY, MO - JUNE 30: Tampa Bay Rays catcher Nick Fortes (40) and Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Griffin Jax (22) walk to the dugout after warming up before a MLB game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Kansas City Royals on June 30, 2026, at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, MO. (Photo by Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JULY 21: Fernando Tatis Jr. #23 of the San Diego Padres reacts following a RBI double during the fourth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on July 21, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Game three of four. The Braves haven’t won a home series against the Padres since 2018, and it doesn’t look too promising here, either. But, you never know!
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA - 2025/10/26: Downtown cityscape with skyscrapers framed through the Ripley's Aquarium. (Photo by Roberto Machado Noa/LightRocket via Getty Images) | LightRocket via Getty Images
This is game 102. Which is good, because a 60 game win streak might just get them into the playoffs.
There are a couple of roster moves:
Lazaro Estrada was sent back to Buffalo.
Jonatan Clase was put on the IL with plantar fasciitis, which isn’t fun, trust me.
Yohendrick Pinango is back.
And CJ Van Eyk is also back.
Kevin Gausman can block any trade to the Reds, Brewers, Tigers, Mets, A’s, White Sox, Pirates, and Mariners. I don’t know if that will cause a problem trading him.
