Schmitt’s HR sinks Rockies in 4-2 loss in San Francisco

Jul 11, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants third baseman Casey Schmitt (10) connects for a three-run home run against the Colorado Rockies during the sixth inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images | D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

With most eyes on the MLB Draft in Philadelphia, the Rockies fell in San Francisco on Saturday.

Casey Schmitt hit a three-run homer in the sixth that ended up being the game-winner and ruined an otherwise decent day on the mound from Kyle Freeland. The Rockies offense was held to six hits and their eighth-inning rally came up short.

The win put the Giants (40-55) up 2-1 in the series and dropped the Rockies to 39-58.

Freeland fab for 4 before trouble hit

Freeland (2-8, 7.36 ERA) was on his game for the first four innings. He only allowed a single from Luis Arraez in the first four frames, retiring the first nine he faced. He even posted five strikeouts in the first four innings. Freeland was pretty effective even through the fifth inning when he gave up a pair of doubles to Bryce Eldridge and Jesus Rodriguez that allowed the Giants to tie the game at 1-1.

It was the three hits in the six that hurt the most. Not so much the back-to-back singles from Heliot Ramos and Arraez, but it was the homer from Schmitt. Schmitt took advantage of a knuckle curve that hung up too high and sent it flying 415 feet to left center field for his 19th homer of the year.

Freeland bounced back with three straight strikeouts — raising his total for the day to nine — to end the inning. One of those included striking out Arraez, the talented hitter who rarely strikes out. The first-inning K was only Arraez’s 16th strikeout of the season.

“I thought Kyle was excellent today. He was efficient, attacked the strike zone, his fastball was really good and his changeup was really good,” Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer said. “I just felt like he was in command of the game. Other than the one swing from Schmitt, it was a really good outing.”

But in a low-scoring affair, a 4-1 deficit seemed insurmountable. Freeland left the game after the sixth inning, having given up four runs on six hits with no walks and nine strikeouts.

Eighth-inning scoring continues

The Rockies entered the eighth inning trailing 4-1, but in true Colorado fashion, managed to shrink the lead. With two outs, Kyle Karros crushed his ninth homer of the year, a 435-foot blast to left center field.

Unfortunately, that’s all the Rockies could muster. After only striking out three times in the first six innings, the Rockies struck out four times in the final three innings. Brett Sullivan and Hunter Goodman each doubled in the game. Schaeffer tried to spark the offense when he put in pinch hitters Cole Carrigg and Willi Castro in the ninth, but both came up empty.

Zach Agnos threw two scoreless innings with one walk and one hit in another solid outing from the Rockies bullpen.

A strange series of off events

The Rockies scored first in a very unusual way. It happened in the third inning when Sullivan, who grew up an hour and a half outside of San Francisco, led off with a double. After Jack McCarthy moved Sullivan to third on a grounder, Mickey Moniak came to the plate. Tyler Mahle was then called for a balk. The umpires met, confirmed the call and sent Sullivan home, putting the Rockies up 1-0.

It got even weirder when Moniak appeared to strike out swinging on a high fastball. Moniak went to take a seat in the dugout, only to be called back because the pitch Mahle threw after the balk didn’t count. Giants manager Tony Vitello argued the call and got ejected in the process. Moniak returned to the plate and hit a single. The Rockies were unable to take advantage, however, as Goodman lined out and TJ Rumfield flied out.

Mahle pitched a gem, giving up only that one run on five hits with three walks and four strikeouts in seven innings.

“He mainly pitched with his fastball. He was really good,” Schaeffer said of Mahle. “He had hop at the top, his splitter vs. the left-handers was good and he just pitched. He used his fastball a ton. We had no answer for him today.”

Other than the homer to Karros, JT Brubaker continued to keep the Rockies quiet to earn his first save of the season.

Up next

The Rockies and Giants will conclude their four-game series on Sunday at 2:05 p.m. at Oracle Park. In their final contest before the All-Star Break, the Rockies will send Michael Lorenzen (3-9, 6.46) to the mound, while Trevor McDonald (3-7, 5.46 ERA) will get the start for San Francisco.


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White Sox select Cole Prosek in the second round of the 2026 MLB draft (No. 41 overall)

PHOENIX, AZ - JUNE 23: Cole Prosek #13 bats during the 2026 Draft Combine at Chase Field on Tuesday, June 23, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona.
Cole Prosek brings a loud bat to the White Sox — but he has a potentially enormous defensive value, as well. | (Photo by Jill Weisleder/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

The White Sox are simply addicted to middle infielders at this point, using their third selection of three so far in the draft to snag Magnolia Heights (Miss.) H.S. second baseman Cole Prosek with the 41st pick in the MLB draft.

Prosek is a bat-first infielder who just this year started catching, which adds an additional wrinkle to the proceedings. If the youngster is not saddled with the arduous task of learning a new trade behind the plate, his big-time bat will allow him to move more aggressively through the White Sox system. But inarguably there is massive value in finding a plus-defender at catch who also has a potent bat.

MLB had Prosek ranked as the No. 27 prospect in the draft, so the White Sox just added a first-round talent to the mix some dozen picks later in the proceedings. The MLB.com broadcast staff was enamored with this selection, and so far have given the White Sox top marks for their draft class so far.

Being committed to Mississippi means that the White Sox may need to go over-slot to secure Prosek, but there is no serious concerns he won’t be in the club’s draft camp in Arizona this week.

Given that the White Sox aren’t afraid to give a non-traditional catcher some run at the position (see Adrian Gil, High-A Kannapolis), Prosek might not see any full-season ball in 2026, instead working out his future defensive role in Arizona later this summer.


The 2026 White Sox draft storystream contains all of our draft content.

White Sox select Eric Segura in the fourth round of the 2026 MLB draft (No. 105 overall)

ARLINGTON, TX - FEBRUARY 28: Eric Segura #16 of the Oregon State Beavers pitches against the Baylor Bears during the 2025 Amegy Bank College Baseball Series at Globe Life Field on February 28, 2025 in Arlington, Texas.
Once destined for the bullpen even at the college level, Eric Segura battled his way into rotation brilliance in 2026. | (Photo by Gunnar Word/Texas Rangers/Getty Images)

It’s back-to-back arms for the White Sox, winding up Day 1 of the draft by picking Eric Segura, a swingman righty out of Oregon State University with the 105th selection.

This is the first lower-reaching pick the White Sox have made on the day — Segura was the 196th-ranked play on MLB’s draft board — and thus this could be a money-saving move. Still, Segura has some enticing fight.

He battled his way into the Beavers rotation as a freshman, and after spending his sophomore year working out of the pen had an outstanding junior year in 2026: His 2.22 ERA ranked in the Top 10 among NCAA Division I pitchers, and he halved his walks from 2025. These changes have led evaluators to believe that, fueled by improvements in his slider, Segura isn’t a surefire bet for a bullpen role as a pro.

The sidewinder does not overwhelm overall, but his fastball does sit in the mid-90s and the arc of his college career indicates a smart and wily pitcher.

With a reasonable workload as a weekend starter (15 games, 73 innings), the White Sox should plug Segura in for a little bit of run at Kannapolis later this summer, in an attempt to sort out his role entering his first full pro season in 2027.


The 2026 White Sox draft storystream contains all of our draft content.

Twins Select Tommy LaPour 107th Overall

The Twins go with a third straight pitcher to cap off day one of the draft. Again, it’s a big 6’4” frame from the right side with big velocity. Tommy LaPour was throwing mid 90s out of high school, and after cracking the rotation at Wichita State as a freshman, he found his way to TCU. An excellent sophomore campaign in the Big 12 put him on the map, posting a 3.09 ERA in 16 starts. Elbow soreness cost LaPour a couple months this spring and he struggled with command over a small sample size when he returned. Still, the potential is there and the Twins may have gotten a discount due to the elevated uncertainty.

He has a pretty sound delivery from a 3/4 arm slot. He doesn’t get much extension, but the ball jumps out of his hand. He sits mid 90s and will flirt with triple digits. Can get whiffs at the top of the zone and get some dive towards the bottom. His slider gets solid two-plane movement in the mid 80s and he throws a harder cutter in the upper 80s, but both pitches lack spin and aren’t particularly sharp. There is a changeup in the upper 80s as well that has flashed some whiff potential and can be a reliable put-away pitch against lefties.

There are lots of inconsistencies with his arsenal and questions about the effectiveness of his secondaries. LaPour has potential as a back-end starter, but he is a high energy guy that likely fits better in the bullpen where he can let that fastball fly.

Mets select Texas A&M LHP Shane Sdao 120th overall

HOOVER, AL - MAY 22: Pitcher Shane Sdao #38 of the Texas A&M Aggies pitches the ball during the SEC Baseball Tournament Quarterfinals game between Texas A&M Aggies and Auburn Tigers on May 22, 2026, at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in Hoover, Alabama.(Photo by David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

With their final day one pick, the Mets selected Shane Sdao, a senior LHP from Texas A&M.

Sdao was an interesting high-volume relieve in his first two seasons at Texas A&M and was set to convert to the rotation in 2025. Unfortunately, he missed the entire year with Tommy John surgery and ultimately went undrafted despite rating as an interesting mid-round selection on Baseball America’s 2025 board. Back on the mound in 2026, Sdao went 4-4 with a 7.03 ERA, 783 strikeouts, and 21 walks in 71.2 innings this past season, with the majority of those innings coming as a starter.

At his best, Sdao can touch the upper 90s with above average extension while showing three breaking ball offerings. The best is a east-west slider, fitting with the Mets preference for horizontal breaking ball profiles. He’s also shown a curveball, cutter, and changeup, with the latter being the weakest offering by far. There’s some level of projection here as well despite Sdao’s age (he’s closer to 23 than 22) given his lean frame and recent return from injury. The vision for the Mets is presumably that they can take what is still a fairly unformed ball of clay and wring out significant improvements. BA had Sdao 91st on their top-500.

Selecting a senior sign this early (even if it is one of the better ones available this year) suggests the Mets are looking to save money for other picks. It’s possible that Carson Wiggins is closer to slot than we initially expected or that Aiden Robbins requires even more overslot, which would not help the already mediocre evaluation of those two picks. It’s also possible the Mets are looking to save more money to spread around in the later innings. We’ll see how the rest of the board develops on Day 2.

Detroit Tigers select RHP Cameron Flukey in the first round

The newest future Detroit Tiger has joined the organization, as Scott Harris and co selected RHP Cameron Flukey with the 22nd pick of the MLB Draft. Flukey just finished his third year with Coastal Carolina with 31 strikeouts in 24 innings, having missed most of the season with a preseason stress fracture in his rib. He looked strong during his return, routinely touching 98 mph on his fastball and commanding his two breaking balls.

Flukey is a 6’6 lanky righty from Coastal Carolina, a Sun Belt D1 program, with room to add some weight to his frame as he matures in professional baseball. He’s primarily known for his riding upper-90s fastball and upper-70s curve that both register as average or plus on most scouting outlets. There’s concern over changeup development and command, but he is coming off an injury; those two feel-and-rep traits should improve as he moves past that issue.

MLB Pipeline rated Flukey as the 15th best player in the class, while FanGraphs had him as 34th, but in a meaty middle tier of player that lasts from 15th to 44th, so this aligns reasonably well with industry expectations. For an organization fairly short on good starting pitching, Flukey provides a well-needed injection of stuff and upside. If everything breaks right, this could be a middle to top of the rotation starter. Before his injury kept teams from seeing him at full strength, he was a pre-season contender for a top-10 pick. The rib issue shouldn’t be a long-term indicator, so getting that top-10 upside at a discount is a nice bonus for Detroit.

Expect to see Flukey stay on the backfields for the rest of 2026 as he adjusts to professional life and continues to fill out, then heading to the Low A Lakeland Flying Tigers for 2027 like Malachi Witherspoon, last year’s 2nd round pick. He is a seasoned strike thrower, so he should move rapidly once the Tigers are confident in any adjustments they’re going to make. For now, we’ll have to wait and see how his stuff translates to pro ball and if he’s able to develop the kick change he’s working on. He’ll likely take full advantage of his high-octane fastball and strong breaker early on, but the rest will need to improve to get him into the upper levels quickly.

Braves Select Carter Beck with 26th Pick

PHOENIX, AZ - JUNE 23: Carter Beck #12 looks on during the 2026 Draft Combine at Chase Field on Tuesday, June 23, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Jill Weisleder/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

With the 26th pick in the 2026 MLB Draft the Atlanta Braves have selected Indiana State outfielder Carter Beck. Beck is a very toolsy college outfielder who had a ton of helium this year.

Bio

Name: Carter Beck

Position: Outfielder

Hometown: Saskatchewan, Canada (Carnduff HS)

School: Indiana State

Height: 5’11

Weight: 206

Bats/Throws: L/R

Rankings

Baseball America: 69

Perfect Game: 149

Pipeline: 193

ESPN: 70

Overslot: 47

My Own: 55

Consensus: 82

Stats

2025: .335/.417/.564, 15 2B, 2 3B, 11 HR, 56 RBI, 11-14 SB, 25 BB, 36 K, 264 PA

2026: .346/.446/.637, 17 2B, 2 3B, 16 HR, 59 RBI, 12-16 SB, 35 BB, 33 K in 285 PA

Hit Tool 50

Beck has an average hit tool, with the chance to develop more as he is a former multi-sport athlete from Canada who has only spent two years in D1. His feel for contact already in his career is what makes him interesting.

Power 50

There is above average power potential, but it probably settles in more as average with his approach.

Speed 60

Plus speed is the best tool in Beck’s game. He’s got a chance to develop into more of a threat on the bases than what we’ve seen so far.

Glove 50

Beck has a chance to be an average defender in center as he continues to refine his glove. There is a chance he would have to move to left, where he could be an asset with the glove.

Arm 45

The arm is more fringy and would keep him in left as opposed to right if he had to move.

Overall Thoughts

I like Beck as a toolsy late bloomer with room for growth in his game. This is the kind of player who could potentially have a better pro career than college.

Game Discussion: Milwaukee Brewers (59-35) @ Pittsburgh Pirates (48-47)

Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Shane Drohan (55) pitches during the first inning of the game against the Cincinnati Reds at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on July 1, 2026. | Jovanny Hernandez / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

After dropping the first half of today’s doubleheader 7-6 in disappointing fashion after Esmerlyn Valdez hit a go-ahead grand slam in the seventh, the Brewers will look to bounce back in the second game this afternoon.

Left-hander Shane Drohan gets the ball for the Brewers, with right-hander Bubba Chandler opposite him. Drohan has a 2.97 ERA and 3.20 FIP over 18 appearances (eight starts) this season, spanning 63 2/3 innings with 61 strikeouts. He’s allowed just four earned runs over his last four starts, spanning 21 innings (1.71 ERA) and striking out 17. Chandler, also a rookie, has made 18 appearances (17 starts) this season, with a 4.82 ERA, 4.70 FIP, 79 strikeouts, and a league-worst 52 walks over 89 2/3 innings. He’s been roughed up in his last two outings, allowing nine runs over just 10 1/3 innings against the Phillies and Nationals.

Right-hander Garrett Stallings is the Brewers’ 27th man for the doubleheader, and he’s been activated ahead of this one.

The Brewers’ lineup is not yet finalized, but I’ll be updating that here as soon as it’s in.

It’s a busy day today, if you couldn’t tell. The MLB Draft is happening concurrently with the doubleheader, and you can follow along with the Brewers’ picks here. ICYMI, they took shortstop Trey Ebel out of Corona HS (California) with the No. 25 overall pick. If that name sounds familiar, that’s because Ebel is the younger brother of last year’s No. 32 overall pick, Brady Ebel, also selected by the Brewers and currently with the Low-A Wilson Warbirds. Corona High School is also the school Brice Turang was drafted from when he was picked No. 21 overall by the Brewers in 2018.

First pitch in this one is at 3:05 p.m. CT on Brewers TV and the Brewers Radio Network.

Detroit Tigers’ 2026 MLB Draft Tracker

2020 Major League Baseball Draft

Baseball’s first major event of the All Star Weekend, the MLB Draft, kicks off today. Today we have the first four rounds of the Draft televised; rounds 5 through 2o will occur tomorrow off-air.

The event begins at 1:00pm on NBC/Peacock, where the Chicago White Sox will make the first pick around 1:30pm. This year’s draft is structured a bit strangely, as the first 10 picks are on NBC/Peacock, but picks 11-40 are on the MLB network. Rounds 2 through 4 are on MLB.tv or MLB.com and are expected to last from 4:30 to 7:45pm. Day 2 will be an untelevised event tomorrow afternoon.

Stay here to follow along throughout the draft for every Tigers’ pick and every first round pick overall. As each pick is made, this post will be updated with that player’s name, position, and where they’re drafted from. Join us for duscussion on the whole Day 1 coverage of the draft in the comments. The Tigers have a bonus pool of $9,165,100 to work with. They’ll select 22nd overall for their first round pick.

Round 1

1. White Sox – Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA
2. Rays – Grady Emerson, SS, Fort Worth Christian HS (TX)
3. Twins – Vahn Lackey, C, Georgia Tech
4. Giants – Jackson Flora, RHP, UC Santa Barbara
5. Pirates – Derek Curiel, OF, LSU
6. Royals – Zion Rose, OF, Louisville
7. Orioles – Eric Booth Jr., OF, Oak Grove (MS)
8. Athletics – Drew Burress, OF, Georgia Tech
9. Braves – AJ Gracia, OF, Virginia
10. Rockies – Tyler Bell, SS, Kentucky
11. Nationals – Chris Hacopian, 2B, Texas A&M
12. Angels – Jared Grindlinger, OF, Huntington Beach HS (CA)
13. Cardinals – Trevor Condon, OF, Etowah HS (GA)
14. Marlins – Jacob Lombard, SS, Gulliver Prep HS (FL)
15. D-backs – Ryder Helfrick, C, Arkansas
16. Rangers – Gio Rojas, LHP, Marjory Stoneman Douglas HS (FL)
17. Astros – Logan Hughes, OF, Texas Tech
18. Reds – Justin Lebron, SS, Alabama
19. Guardians – Liam Peterson, RHP, Florida
20. Red Sox – Jake Schaffner, SS, North Carolina
21. Padres – Coleman Borthwick, South Walton HS (CA)
22. Tigers Cameron Flukey, RHP, Coastal Carolina
23. Cubs – Cade Townsend, RHP, Ole Miss
24. Mariners – Ace Reese, 3B, Mississippi State
25. Brewers – Trey Ebel, SS, Corona HS (CA)

Prospect Promotion Incentive Picks

26. Braves – Carter Beck, OF, Indiana State

27. Mets – Carson Wiggins, RHP, Arkansas

28. Astros – Jack Radel, RHP, Notre Dame

Competitive Balance Round A

29. Giants – Carson Bolemon, LHP, Southside Christian (SC)

30. Royals –

31. Diamondbacks

32. Cardinals

33. Rays

34. White Sox

35. Yankees

36. Phillies

37. Rockies

Former LSU ace Anderson named starter for MLB Futures Game

LSU will once again be represented at some of the highest levels in Major League Baseball.

Former ace pitcher Kade Anderson, who helped carry the Tigers to the 2025 national title and was selected third overall by the Seattle Mariners, has been named a starting pitcher for the MLB Futures Game to take place during All-Star Weekend.

Anderson has had a strong start to his professional career, holding a 1.36 ERA in 72 innings of Double-A baseball in Arkansas. He leads in opponent batting average (.160), WHIP (0.69), and is second with 108 strikeouts among all Minor League pitchers. He is currently labeled as the top prospect in baseball.

Mariners skipper Dan Wilson said of the honor: “It’s super exciting. He has had a tremendous half and has thrown the ball extremely well. It being his first professional season, that’s really impressive. Really exciting that he gets the ball tomorrow, and I think we’ll be interested to see how it all goes for him.”

The game takes place Sunday at Citizens Bank Park with first pitch scheduled for Noon.

SF Giants look to immediate future with MLB Draft selection: Grades, analysis

The San Francisco Giants' season may have hit a wall but help could very well be on the way thanks to the 2026 MLB Draft.

The Giants, mired in a 39-55 season, see themselves fourth in the NL West. But the upside on a day like Saturday is that hope can spring eternal, if only for the afternoon.

The Giants have picks at No. 4 and No. 29, bringing into the farm system some much-needed depth. The organization did not have to search far for its first pick, grabbing right-handed pitcher Jackson Flora from UC Santa Barbara at No. 4.

The first day of the draft consists of four rounds. The Giants also have picks at No. 55, No. 90, No. 118 and No. 150.

USA TODAY Sports Gabe Lacques has ongoing grades and analysis for each selection.

San Francisco Giants MLB Draft grades, analysis

Latest MLB Draft grades from USA TODAY Sports:

No. 4 - San Francisco Giants: Jackson Flora, RHP, UC Santa Barbara. Grade: C

The Giants play it safe but smart, bypassing Jacob Lombard’s swing-and-miss concerns to add what should be a rotation stalwart – and fairly soon. Yet you wonder if any of this decision was driven by the urgency of the present as opposed to selecting the best available player. — Gabe Lacques

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: SF Giants look to immediate future with MLB Draft selection: Grades, analysis

How to watch San Francisco Giants vs. Colorado Rockies

DENVER, COLORADO - JULY 5: Tyler Mahle #54 of the San Francisco Giants pitches in the third inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on July 5, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The San Francisco Giants continue this four-game series against the Colorado Rockies this afternoon from Oracle Park.

Taking the mound for the Giants will be right-hander Tyler Mahle, who enters today’s game with a 5.70 ERA, 4.59 FIP, with 69 strikeouts to 29 walks in 71 innings pitched. His last start was in the Giants’ 7-6 loss to the Rockies on Sunday, in which he allowed four runs (three earned) on eight hits with five strikeouts in four and a third innings.

He’ll be facing off against Rockies left-hander Kyle Freeland, who enters today’s game with a 7.46 ERA, 4.94 FIP, with 70 strikeouts to 18 walks in 82 innings pitched. His last start was in the Rockies’ 8-7 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday, in which he allowed six runs on nine hits with two strikeouts in five innings.

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Game #95

Who: San Francisco Giants vs. Colorado Rockies

Where: Oracle Park, San Francisco, California

When: 1:05 p.m. PT

Regional broadcast: NBC Sports Bay Area

National broadcast: n/a

Radio: KNBR 680 AM/104.5 FM, KSFN 1510 AM

New York Yankees @ Washington Nationals: Cam Schlittler vs. PJ Poulin

Don’t look now, but the Yankees are starting to get on a roll. After a big win on Thursday to close out their series with the Rays, Jazz Chisholm Jr. hit a clutch home run to put them ahead for good against the Nationals last night. Now, the American League’s best pitcher takes the ball hoping to get his club their third straight win in a Saturday afternoon affair (with the MLB Draft afoot as well; look for the Yankees to get their first-round pick in within the next hour).

Cam Schlittler shoved on Monday against the Rays, delivering the first of two wins in that set. Eight innings, one run allowed, a strikeout per inning and no walks was exactly what his deflated squad needed. The Nationals aren’t quite as good as the Rays, so Cam should have a little more breathing room today, but if he wants to go ahead and throw another eight shutout in his final start of the unofficial first half, I’m going to watch and enjoy it.

PJ Poulin counters for the Nats, an opener getting his second taste of MLB action after a brief call-up last year. A 2.83 ERA is sparkling, and a 46.6-percent groundball rate ain’t too bad at all, but he essentially strikes out as many batters as he walks, and his FIP is nearly three full runs higher. Discipline and elevation are the keys to pushing runs across against a pitcher like this — he’s not gonna strike you out, so get your pitch and get it in the air. Fortunately, the Yankees are a bit homer-happy after last night, so hopefully that continues.

Following Poulin will be veteran Miles Mikolas, who has been arguably the worst full-time pitcher in baseball. A 5.78 ERA is ugly, but his 5.51 FIP indicates that it’s a deserved ugliness. For all the drama surrounding D.C.‘s Reflecting Pool the past few weeks, we need to consider the damage that baseballs landing in it may cause.

We see some similarities in the lineups the past two days, with Amed Rosario back at leadoff (and, perhaps regrettably, third base) and World’s Oldest Man Paul Goldschmidt cleaning up after snapping his lengthy oh-fer last night. Ali Sánchez finds himself catching and rounding out the lineup, while the red-hot Ben Rice is your DH and hopefully continuing to practice for Monday’s Home Run Derby.

How to watch

Location: Nationals Park — Washington, D.C.

First pitch: 4:05 pm ET

TV broadcast: YES, Nationals.TV

Radio broadcast: WFAN 660/101.9 FM, WADO 1280; WJFK 106.7 The Fan

Online stream: Gotham Sports App, MLB.tv (out-of-market only)

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GUARDIANS AT MARLINS: Perez vs. Bibee, discussion

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - JULY 7: Steven Kwan #38 of the Cleveland Guardians fields the ball against the Minnesota Twins during the eighth inning of the game at Target Field on July 7, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Here’s the Guardians lineup:

Here’s the Marlins lineup:

Let’s go, Guardians!

Red Sox make shock pick at #20 in the first round of the MLB Draft: Jake Schaffner out of UNC

OMAHA, NEBRASKA - JUNE 22: Jake Schaffner #2 of the North Carolina Tar Heels takes the field before game three of the Division I Baseball Championship against the Oklahoma Sooners held at Charles Schwab Field on June 22, 2026 in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images) | NCAA Photos via Getty Images

Jake Schaffner, a speed demon of an infielder out of the University of North Carolina, was ranked just the 98th-best prospect in this draft by Baseball America. MLB Pipeline had him at #75. Keith Law of the The Athletic at #79. Craig Breslow, apparently, thinks he’s a lot better than that, as he made Schaffner the Red Sox’ first pick in this year’s MLB draft with the 20th overall pick.

Schaffner bats lefty and is known for his bat-to-ball skills, although his power is a significant question mark. He was well-regarded defensively as a shortstop, though there are some questions about whether a mediocre arm will force him to second base sooner rather than later.

Could he end up surprising people and proving the pre-draft prognosticators wrong? Of course he could. This is the MLB Draft, not the NBA Draft, and no one knows anything. Moreover, this could simply be a classic underslot pick, whereby the team attempts to save bonus pool money to target harder-to-sign high schoolers later in the draft. Either way, this is a major surprise, and probably the most shocking pick of the draft so far.