DENVER, COLORADO - AUGUST 1: Ryan Feltner #18 of the Colorado Rockies pitches in the first inning against the Kansas City Royals at Coors Field on August 1, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s been a busy night at Coors Field! The Rockies lead 8-4 after being down 4-0, and being held without a baserunner, at the top of the third inning.
They scored six in the bottom of the third, and Lane Thomas was traded to the Atlanta Braves in the fourth.
There’s still a lot of game left, so let’s keep the discussion going!
Clay Holmes knows it's likely that the Mets will trade him before the deadline.
Clay Holmes may make a final rehab start with Class-A Brooklyn on Sunday, but of more importance is the fact that the right-hander knows whenever he does return to the majors, it will almost certainly be with another organization.
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“There are no guarantees in this sport,’’ the Mets right-hander said Saturday at Citi Field about the possibility of a trade by Monday’s deadline. “In the situation we’re in, it’s pretty likely. We’ll wait and see what the next few days hold.”
The right-hander, who has a player option worth $12 million for next season, has fully recovered from the fractured right fibula he suffered on a Spencer Jones comebacker on May 15 and said he was “more than ready” to pitch in the majors.
Still, he has come to grips with the reality of the situation, with the Mets not wanting to risk an injury with perhaps their most valuable trade piece.
Clay Holmes is pictured during the Mets’ Aug. 1 loss, Jason Szenes for the NY Post
Asked about a potential extension prior to Monday, Holmes said it remained a long shot.
“It seems like it’s the same path and a trade is most likely,’’ Holmes said.
Interim manager Andy Green said the plans to have Holmes pitch in Brooklyn on Sunday could “change at the drop of a hat,” depending on whether a deal appears to be imminent.
If the Mets go through with sending Holmes to Brooklyn, he’s expected to throw about 70-75 pitches in a third rehab outing.
Clay Holmes throws a pitch during the Mets’ April 28 game. Corey Sipkin for the NY Post
“There’s a lot of interest across the industry,’’ Green said of Holmes. “We’ll see where it goes. As an organization, he’s still getting built up. There’s still work to be done.”
If Holmes ends up getting traded, he didn’t rule out a return if he declines the player option, since he was having a stellar season prior to the injury.
“My feelings haven’t changed about the Mets,’’ said Holmes, who has outperformed the three-year, $38 million deal he signed with the team prior to the 2025 season. “Whatever happens here, I feel the same way. There’s a level of uncertainty and it’s hard to predict what’s gonna happen at the end of the year.”
Holmes had a 2.39 ERA over 52 innings in nine starts before hitting the IL in May and put up a 3.53 ERA in 165 ²/₃ innings over 33 games — 31 starts — last season.
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If the Mets hadn’t been in the midst of one of the worst seasons in franchise history, Holmes’ return would have been a welcome addition to the starting rotation.
As he heads towards the deadline, Holmes said he “feels good. The sinker feels like it always has. Pretty normal.”
He was also pleased with his sweeper, cutter and changeup.
But with the Mets in sell mode and little to play for down the stretch, the two most important pieces of the rotation — Holmes and Freddy Peralta — are seeing their days numbered in Queens.
“I’m more than ready to pitch in the big leagues,’’ Holmes said. “I respect [why they want me to make another rehab start]. . . . I want to continue to build and hope for the next start, I’m ready for the full clip, wherever that is.”
ATLANTA, GA - AUGUST 01: Martín Pérez #33 of the Atlanta Braves pitches in the first inning during the game against the Washington Nationals at Truist Park on August 1, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Jack Casey/Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After a late scratch for Reynaldo Lopez with a knee injury, Martin Perez became the late-notice starter for Atlanta in game 2 against the Nationals.
Perez worked a 1-2-3 first and Ronald and Matt Olson gave him a quick lead with back-to-back solo homers with one out in the bottom of the first.
Onto the second and Perez cruised through the second with two strikeouts. Yaz hustled for a bloop double and that work paid off with an RBI single from Drake Baldwin with two outs. A Jarvis error allowed a leadoff baserunner in the third, but the runner was erased with a double-play in another clean frame. Errors from Albies and Jarvis spelled trouble for Perez in the fourth, but Martin secured a crucial strikeout to keep the Nats off the board. Dominic Smith tacked on an insurance run with a solo homer in the bottom of the frame.
Perez carried a no-hitter through 6.2 innings, before giving up a single with two outs and ultimately getting out of the frame with the shutout. He ended the night with a massive 7.0 innings of scoreless ball and 6 strikeouts, all while making this start on maybe one hour’s notice. It can’t be overstated how tremendous this was for tonight and for the bullpen from Martin.
In the bottom of the inning, the Braves loaded the bases with no outs with two walks and some help from an error, scoring a run on a Dominic Smith walk. Ronald scored on a wild pitch, with the other runners advancing and Austin Riley brought them home with a two-RBI double, making it a comfortable 8-0 ballgame in the bottom of the seventh. Danny Young got the eighth and gave up three runs but got out of the inning limiting the damage to that. Victor Mederos got the ninth and got the job done with little drama, securing a comfortable 8-3 win and preserving the back of the bullpen.
Join us again as the Braves go for the sweep tomorrow at 1:35 PM ET.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - JULY 29: Lane Thomas #15 celebrates his single with first base coach Damon Hollins #39 of the Kansas City Royals against the Minnesota Twins in the ninth inning at Target Field on July 29, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Royals defeated the Twins 4-0. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
At the bottom of the fourth inning of tonight’s game, Lane Thomas went out to center field but then was summoned back to the dugout where he smiled and hugged teammates before exiting up the tunnel. A few minutes later, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported that he and left-handed pitcher Bailey Falter had been traded to Atlanta. The return has not yet been announced, but with the variety of injuries to right-handed hitters and the announcement earlier tonight that Randy Arozarena would not be traded, hopes are high for a strong return.
UPDATE:
So I did the research, and Carter Holton is considered Atlanta’s 23rd-best prospect with a Future Value of 40. But he’s a 23-year-old in A-ball, which doesn’t match the lofty rating at all. He’s a left-hander with an above-average slider, but a 5.08 ERA in 33.2 innings this year.
Lucas Braun is considered Atlanta’s 18th-best prospect, all with a 40 FV. He’s a 24-year-old right-hander playing in AAA. At least he’s young for the level, but the 3.92 ERA and low strikeout rate don’t inspire confidence. Sure feels like if he had a ton of value, Atlanta could have just kept him instead of acquiring Bailey Falter. MLB does have him with a 45 FV and as 8th in their system. So, maybe FanGraphs is overly critical. But I’m not really liking what I’m seeing there.
Unlike nearly every other deal I’ve seen this deadline, I’m underwhelmed.
Baseball Trade Values thinks the Royals got a steal, but you have to wonder how much better they could have done without Falter in the deal. It sure as heck seems like he got added as a salary dump with that underwhelming return.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - JULY 29: Lane Thomas #15 of the Kansas City Royals looks on prior to the game between the Kansas City Royals and the Minnesota Twins at Target Field on Wednesday, July 29, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Andrew Ritter/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Atlanta Braves are trading for Kansas City Royals outfielder Lane Thomas and pitcher Bailey Falter, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
Thomas, who is from Knoxville, TN, is an eight-year big league outfielder who debuted with the St. Louis Cardinals and also spent four seasons with the Washington Nationals. He’s appeared in 96 games for the Royals this season with an overall .717 OPS but has hit left-handed pitchers much better with an .800 OPS against them. His career OPS against left-handed pitchers is .850. For the season he has a 101 wRC+ which is in line with his career totals.
Trade news: The Atlanta Braves are acquiring outfielder Lane Thomas and left-hander Bailey Falter from the Kansas City Royals, sources tell ESPN.
He adds depth to Atlanta’s outfield and becomes a viable platoon partner for Mike Yastrzemski. Thomas was removed from the game was a “hug watch” moment from Royals broadcaster Joel Goldberg.
Lane Thomas has been pulled from the field to start the bottom of the 4th right after running out to center field. Hugs all around in the dugout as the trade deadline approaches pic.twitter.com/nPQCzeLoyf
As for Falter, he has pitched in only five games with Kansas City this season. The left-hander has had some recent success at Triple-A as MLB.com’s Mark Bowman notes. Falter adds bullpen depth, but could stay at Triple-A barring other moves.
Update: Falter to Triple-A confirmed by the AJC’s Chad Bishop. Also, the delay of Thomas reporting to Atlanta could be due to the possible roster crunch around the trade deadline. Atlanta off on Monday.
Lane Thomas will report to the Braves on Tuesday. Bailey Falter will head to Triple-A Gwinnett.
He has historically posted low strikeout totals but has provided slightly above average results, until this season, during his big career that starting in 2021 with the Philadelphia Phillies. He’s 85 of his career 119 games pitched including a career-high 28 with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2024.
Falter has allowed three earned runs over 14 innings during his past three starts for Triple-A Omaha https://t.co/BHpzLItGN5
Robert Murray reports that pitchers Carter Holton and Lucas Braun are going to the Royals in the deal. Holton was Atlanta’s second round pick in 2024 out of Vanderbilt University but has yet to pitch above A.
Braun, who was 28th on the Battery Power mid-season prospect rankings, was the team’s sixth round pick in 2023 and has made nine starts at Triple-A Gwinnett and eight starts at Double-A Columbus.
Sources: The Braves are sending Carter Holton and Lucas Braun to the Royals in the Lane Thomas and Bailey Falter trade.
It’s the time of year when every minor league lineup is closely monitored for late scratches and signs of a potential trade.
On Saturday night at the Dodgers’ Double-A affiliate in Tulsa, there were two notable absences that sent sirens off around the industry.
Zyhir Hope, a highly touted outfield prospect in the Dodgers’ farm system, was held out of Tulsa’s lineup on Saturday. Getty Images
After originally being listed to play for Tulsa on Saturday, highly touted outfield prospects Zyhir Hope and Kendall George were removed from the team’s lineup shortly before first pitch.
For now, however, it appears to be a false alarm.
According to sources with knowledge of the situation, there was no known trade in place for either player yet. Instead, the Dodgers were simply believed to be taking a precaution as rival clubs inquire about them ahead of Monday’s trade deadline.
Kendall George was also scratched from Tulsa's lineup tonight –– but nothing known to be imminent for now https://t.co/mAA9EWBoUA
So it goes for a Dodgers team eyeing the top of the trade market.
They are expected to be contenders for Tigers ace and two-time Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal. They will, as always, be having other wide-ranging conversations with potential trade partners as Monday’s deadline nears. And they will field plenty of calls about their best young players, prompting them to take no chances over the next couple days.
Hope, 21, was originally an 11th-round draft pick of the Cubs in 2023 whom the Dodgers acquired as part of the Michael Busch trade the following offseason. He has since climbed prospect rankings thanks to a .281 average, 48 home runs and .862 OPS in his minor league career. Now, he is a consensus top-55 talent in the sport.
Kendall George, a highly touted outfield prospect in the Dodgers’ farm system, was held out of Tulsa’s lineup on Saturday. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
George, 21, is a homegrown Dodgers prospect, drafted 36th overall back in 2023. A speed-first center fielder who has blossomed at the plate with a career .304 minor league average, he missed time earlier this year after a freak incident in which he injured his patella while avoiding Tulsa’s team bat dog during a game in May, but avoided surgery and returned to action last month.
Jul 28, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Tigers center fielder Javier Baez (28) hits an RBI single during the fifth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: David Reginek-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Los Angeles Dodgers have acquired the biggest prize on the trade deadline market, getting two-time reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal from the Detroit Tigers.
Skubal got the news during the Tigers’ 8-6 win over the Athletics and was emotional after the game as he prepared to leave the team that drafted him in 2018 and developed him into a star to join the two-time defending World Series champions.
“I’m excited to be a Dodger,” he said. “I’m excited to get down there and meet all those guys and chase three championships in a row. That’s hard to do, so I’m so excited to a part of that. But it’s a lot of different emotions. Definitely kind of a roller coaster a little bit.”
Skubal is the latest star to join the high-priced roster for the Dodgers that already has big-name players like Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Mookie Betts. If everyone is healthy, he could be part of a rotation with Ohtani, reigning World Series MVP Yamamoto, fellow two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow. The Dodgers lead the majors with a 3.36 ERA from their starting pitchers and now add Skubal to the mix.
The Dodgers are in first place in the NL West and were already the favorites to become the first team to three-peat since the New York Yankees from 1998-2000 before adding Skubal. They began the season with a $323.3 million opening-day payroll for their 40-man roster and a $163.7 million tax for a $487.1 million total. They will pay Skubal about $9.5 million for the remainder of the season.
ESPN first reported the deal and said the Tigers would receive three minor league prospects in right-handers River Ryan and Brady Smith and outfielder Zyhir Hope.
Skubal is eligible for free agency after the World Series. He has a $32 million salary, a record total in arbitration, after the team offered $19 million, and is expected to sign a massive contract in the offseason.
The 29-year-old lefty said in July that it was his preference to finish the season with the Tigers and to compete for a World Series championship, which has eluded the franchise since 1984. Skubal took the loss in the decisive Game 5 of the division series against Cleveland in 2024 and then got a no-decision in a 15-inning loss to Seattle in Game 5 of the division series last year.
He said it was “very tough” to leave the Tigers having fallen short of the goal of winning a title.
“Ever since that ’24 Game 5, the failure that I experienced on the mound, I’ve used that as fuel to try and bring a World Series to the city of Detroit. I truly did,” he said. “That whole offseason I’ve never been more motivated and then go in and we lose Game 5 again. That failure kind of sparks some more motivation, just to dig deeper and see how good you can truly be. The goal was always to win a World Series for the city, for the organization that took a chance on me. It’s tough. I love all those guys in there. They’re some of my best friends.”
Detroit planned to contend again this season, bolstering the Skubal-led rotation by giving two-time All-Star pitcher Framber Valdez a $115 million, three-year contract in free agency and retaining three-time All-Star infielder Gleyber Torres with a $22 million deal.
The Tigers, though, got off to a rough start and are currently 2 1/2 games out of the last wild-card spot in the American League.
“It’s crazy. Going into the season, this isn’t what I planned on doing,” Skubal said. “But circumstances change, situations change, and I’m very appreciative of everything the Tigers have done for me.”
They bounced back in June and most of July to get into playoff contention with Skubal leading a rotation and three All-Stars in the lineup: rookie infielder Kevin McGonigle, catcher Dillon Dingler and outfielder Riley Greene.
With a chance to possibly persuade management to keep Skubal by improving its playoff positioning, Detroit lost ground by dropping four of its last five games at home, including Skubal’s last start that was made even more memorable by a late-inning collapse.
The Tigers led Baltimore 7-0 after six innings Wednesday and lost 10-9 in 12 innings. Skubal started the game, recorded his 1,000th career strikeout and was cheered at every opportunity by a crowd of 34,406.
“I’ve watched this guy rise to the top of the sport,” manager A.J. Hinch said. “He’s carried us a lot. I’ll forever be grateful that our paths crossed and the things that he did for this organization and for a couple of playoff teams. His presence, his work ethic, his example, his dominance. There’s so much to go through, it’s hard to capture in one quote or kind of one setting. But I’m very grateful that I was able to manage him for the time that I did.”
Skubal is 7-5 this season with a 2.79 ERA and 116 strikeouts in 96 2/3 innings. He is 61-42 with a 3.04 ERA over seven seasons, all in Detroit. In two postseasons, Skubal is 2-1 with a 2.04 ERA in six starts.
Skubal had a minimally invasive surgery on May 6 to remove a loose body from his pitching elbow and returned to pitch on June 13.
“The way the surgery went is exactly how it was supposed to go,” he said in July.
AP Sports Writer Larry Lage in Detroit contributed to this report.
The Los Angeles Dodgers have acquired the biggest prize on the trade deadline market, getting two-time reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal from the Detroit Tigers.
Skubal got the news during the Tigers’ 8-6 win over the Athletics and was emotional after the game as he prepared to leave the team that drafted him in 2018 and developed him into a star to join the two-time defending World Series champions.
“I’m excited to be a Dodger,” he said. “I’m excited to get down there and meet all those guys and chase three championships in a row. That’s hard to do, so I’m so excited to a part of that. But it’s a lot of different emotions. Definitely kind of a roller coaster a little bit.”
Skubal is the latest star to join the high-priced roster for the Dodgers that already has big-name players like Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Mookie Betts. If everyone is healthy, he could be part of a rotation with Ohtani, reigning World Series MVP Yamamoto, fellow two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow. The Dodgers lead the majors with a 3.36 ERA from their starting pitchers and now add Skubal to the mix.
The Dodgers are in first place in the NL West and were already the favorites to become the first team to three-peat since the New York Yankees from 1998-2000 before adding Skubal. They began the season with a $323.3 million opening-day payroll for their 40-man roster and a $163.7 million tax for a $487.1 million total. They will pay Skubal about $9.5 million for the remainder of the season.
ESPN first reported the deal and said the Tigers would receive three minor league prospects in right-handers River Ryan and Brady Smith and outfielder Zyhir Hope.
Skubal is eligible for free agency after the World Series. He has a $32 million salary, a record total in arbitration, after the team offered $19 million, and is expected to sign a massive contract in the offseason.
The 29-year-old lefty said in July that it was his preference to finish the season with the Tigers and to compete for a World Series championship, which has eluded the franchise since 1984. Skubal took the loss in the decisive Game 5 of the division series against Cleveland in 2024 and then got a no-decision in a 15-inning loss to Seattle in Game 5 of the division series last year.
He said it was “very tough” to leave the Tigers having fallen short of the goal of winning a title.
“Ever since that ’24 Game 5, the failure that I experienced on the mound, I’ve used that as fuel to try and bring a World Series to the city of Detroit. I truly did,” he said. “That whole offseason I’ve never been more motivated and then go in and we lose Game 5 again. That failure kind of sparks some more motivation, just to dig deeper and see how good you can truly be. The goal was always to win a World Series for the city, for the organization that took a chance on me. It’s tough. I love all those guys in there. They’re some of my best friends.”
Detroit planned to contend again this season, bolstering the Skubal-led rotation by giving two-time All-Star pitcher Framber Valdez a $115 million, three-year contract in free agency and retaining three-time All-Star infielder Gleyber Torres with a $22 million deal.
The Tigers, though, got off to a rough start and are currently 2 1/2 games out of the last wild-card spot in the American League.
“It’s crazy. Going into the season, this isn’t what I planned on doing,” Skubal said. “But circumstances change, situations change, and I’m very appreciative of everything the Tigers have done for me.”
They bounced back in June and most of July to get into playoff contention with Skubal leading a rotation and three All-Stars in the lineup: rookie infielder Kevin McGonigle, catcher Dillon Dingler and outfielder Riley Greene.
With a chance to possibly persuade management to keep Skubal by improving its playoff positioning, Detroit lost ground by dropping four of its last five games at home, including Skubal’s last start that was made even more memorable by a late-inning collapse.
The Tigers led Baltimore 7-0 after six innings Wednesday and lost 10-9 in 12 innings. Skubal started the game, recorded his 1,000th career strikeout and was cheered at every opportunity by a crowd of 34,406.
“I’ve watched this guy rise to the top of the sport,” manager A.J. Hinch said. “He’s carried us a lot. I’ll forever be grateful that our paths crossed and the things that he did for this organization and for a couple of playoff teams. His presence, his work ethic, his example, his dominance. There’s so much to go through, it’s hard to capture in one quote or kind of one setting. But I’m very grateful that I was able to manage him for the time that I did.”
Skubal is 7-5 this season with a 2.79 ERA and 116 strikeouts in 96 2/3 innings. He is 61-42 with a 3.04 ERA over seven seasons, all in Detroit. In two postseasons, Skubal is 2-1 with a 2.04 ERA in six starts.
Skubal had a minimally invasive surgery on May 6 to remove a loose body from his pitching elbow and returned to pitch on June 13.
“The way the surgery went is exactly how it was supposed to go,” he said in July.
AP Sports Writer Larry Lage in Detroit contributed to this report.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JULY 29: Yoshinobu Yamamoto #18 of the Los Angeles Dodgers warms up in the outfield prior to the game against the Seattle Mariners at Dodger Stadium on July 29, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s Yoshinobu Yamamoto time at Dodger Stadium. Days off for Kyle Tucker and Mookie Betts.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JULY 30: Special Assistant Jason Heyward, Shohei Ohtani #17 and Emmet Sheehan #80 of the Los Angeles Dodgers watch from the dugout during the ninth inning against the Seattle Mariners at Dodger Stadium on July 30, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dodgers conclude a homestand and their weekend series against the Boston Red Sox on Sunday evening at Dodger Stadium.
Emmet Sheehan is on the mound for the Dodgers in the series finale, with rookie Jake Bennett pitching for Boston, the third straight left-handed starter for the Red Sox this weekend. Bennett has allowed three or fewer runs in each of his last eight starts.
Jason Benetti is calling play-by-play for the exclusive NBC telecast, which will also be streamed on Peacock. Orel Hershiser and Lou Merloni join Benetti in the booth for the call. In addition, Clayton Kershaw will be on the pregame show with Bob Costas, then will join the broadcast for various analyses while sitting adjacent to the third base dugout.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - JULY 25: Robert Gasser #54 of the Milwaukee Brewers throws a pitch in the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at American Family Field on July 25, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Milwaukee comes into tonight’s game on a high note after opening their series against the Angels with a 6-2 win. With another victory tonight, the Brewers would secure the series and guarantee themselves at least a .500 road trip through California.
On the mound for Milwaukee is left-hander Robert Gasser, who’s been excellent over the last two months outside of a couple of blow-up outings. Gasser has allowed two runs or fewer in five of his last eight starts, though he’s also been tagged for six or more runs twice during that span.
Meanwhile, Los Angeles scratched scheduled starter José Soriano amid deadline-fueled trade speculation. Taking his place is veteran left-hander and longtime Brewer Brent Suter, who owns a 4.26 ERA across 40 appearances (two starts) in his first season with the Angels.
As for tonight’s lineup, there’s a bit of a shakeup at the top. Manager Pat Murphy has moved Jackson Chourio into the leadoff spot after a rough night at the plate yesterday that included three strikeouts and a couple of particularly poor swing decisions. The hope is that batting first will simplify Chourio’s approach, allowing him to focus on putting together quality at-bats instead of trying to do too much.
With Chourio leading off, Brice Turang slides down to the No. 2 spot, followed by William Contreras and Christian Yelich. Right-handed bat Andrew Vaughn will start at first base and hit fifth against the left-handed Suter. Rounding out the lineup are Jake Bauers, Garrett Mitchell, Cooper Pratt, and Joey Ortiz, who’s back at third base tonight
Finally, some roster news from earlier today: Brandon Lockridge and Garrett Stallings are both expected to rejoin the Brewers tonight. Lockridge hit .294 in 28 games earlier this season before suffering a right knee injury while attempting a sliding catch in foul territory. After spending nearly three months on the injured list, he’s back to provide valuable outfield depth behind Jackson Chourio, Garrett Mitchell, Luis Lara, Sal Frelick, and Jake Bauers.
Outfielder Brandon Lockridge and righty reliever Garrett Stallings are expected to join the Brewers for tonight's game against the Angels, per source. Stallings was just optioned, but the rules allow for his return to replace a traded player.
Aug 1, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners left fielder Randy Arozarena (56) runs the bases after hitting a home run against the Minnesota Twins during the second inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Mariners were feckless (1-for-12 with RISP, 11 left on base), but the Twins were more feckless (0-for-7 with RISP, 4 left on base), and so the Mariners scratched out a walkoff win over the Twins thanks mostly to Randy Arozarena and Andrés Muñoz’s first multi-inning effort of the year. This game also featured, although not in the box score, a very good all-around game by Mitch Garver, professional hitter and catcher, and some more solid work by Cole Young, leadoff hitter, and other than that, was basically the baseball equivalent of this:
If you were looking for a convincing, vibes-shifting win, this wasn’t it. But it was A Win, and these days, we’ll take those.
The Mariners got off to a promising start, again scoring first thanks to a leadoff double from aforementioned Good Boy Cole Young, who pounced on the first pitch he saw, driving a fastball hard into the right field corner (see ZAM’s July chart for more on Cole Young, Hard Ball Hitter). Randy Arozarena and Dom Canzone followed that up by waiting out Twins starter Connor Prielipp, taking advantage of some shaky command to work back-to-back walks. With the bases juiced, Julio Rodríguez jumped on the first pitch he saw, but grounded it slowly to short for what looked like a double play. Luckily for the Mariners, Twins shortstop Ryan Kreidler mishandled the ball, allowing Julio to reach safely and a run to score. Not ideal, but workable. This would be A Theme for today.
But Cal Raleigh and Josh Naylor each struck out on four pitches, both having the kind of undisciplined at-bats Dan Wilson bemoaned in a pre-game press conference, putting pressure on the bottom of the lineup with two outs. Mitch Garver worked a good, 11-pitch at-bat resulting in a walk for another run, but Weston Wilson wasn’t able to convert, and the Mariners got just two runs out of a golden opportunity.
Randy Arozarena, whose name has been bandied about as a possible trade candidate as the Mariners fall further and further out of contention, added on in the second with a solo blast to make it 3-0 Mariners.
Two things can be true: I can recognize that trading Randy is probably the smart thing to do for a team that doesn’t look to have found any of its missing mojo as Halloween decorations fill the stores, and also that trading Randy, the only steady offensive producer year-long, would render the 2026 Mariners from “no fun” to “actively Harmful to my health.”
Speaking of Harmful to my Health, the Mariners let Prielipp off the hook with a five-pitch third inning, their aggressiveness failing them as the top of the lineup went down 1-2-3 on just five combined pitches, which I’m going to say again because five pitch innings basically gift a starter an extra inning of work, and that’s just bad process no matter what the rest of the game looks like. Play as a unit, my dudes!
That brought Logan Gilbert right back out after a relatively brief top of the third of his own, and although he posted a 1-2-3 inning once again, it wasn’t without incident. His third out came painfully, as Royce Lewis shot a comebacker at 106.7 mph that caught Logan square on the leg, collapsing the tall man to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut. Scary! Gilbert came back out for the fifth, though, and if you’re looking for “signs Logan Gilbert is his usual self,” gave up a solo homer on a poorly-located first-pitch fastball to Luke Keaschall. So. God in his heaven, things as they should be, etc. Gilbert said postgame the hot shot caught him on his calf muscle, not bone, so although he was already sporting a pretty gnarly bruise, he doesn’t expect any long-term negative effects.
Perhaps taking pity on their beleaguered pitcher, the Mariners actually made Prielipp throw some pitches in the bottom of the fifth, with Cole Young recording his second hit of the day, dunking a base hit into right, and Canzone working yet another walk to put two on for Julio. Julio put a solid swing on the ball, but it didn’t have quite enough to get over the fence, instead going as a flyout for the second out and bringing up Raleigh with two outs. The Big Disappointer struck out, ending the threat of an answer-back inning and keeping the score a tight 3-1.
That score got even tighter in the sixth, when Gilbert gave up another dinger, this time to Trevor Larnach, who tattooed a terrible changeup from Gilbert for a solo shot. Gilbert threw his changeup a lot today, and his slider even more so, an attempt to counteract the aggressive Twins hitters, who make a lot of contact on the fastball.
The Mariners again had an opportunity to pull ahead in the sixth, thanks to some more production from Mitch Garver, Walk-Master, and Colt Emerson finally getting a ball to drop, but with two outs, Cole Young just missed a pitch from new reliever (and new Twin) lefty A.J. Minter and popped out harmlessly. That would prove to be significant, as the Twins tied it up in the seventh against Gilbert, working deep into today’s game, thanks to a leadoff bad-luck ground ball double that scooted just fair past Naylor; the Twins were then able to bring that run around on some small ball to knot the score at three.
But again, the offense couldn’t answer back in the bottom of the inning against Tommy Nance; once again, it was up to Cal Raleigh with two outs to make something happen. He…did not. The Mariners countered with Gabe Speier, who needed an excellent Cole Young defensive play to keep his first runner, the nine-hole hitter Martin, off base; he then walked the lefty Trevor Larnach on five pitches and gave up a solid single to righty Ryan Jeffers to put two on with just one out. Speier was able to rebound to strike out the lefty Clemens for the second out, prompting Dan Wilson to go to his bullpen to get Andrés Muñoz for an early entrance. It wasn’t smooth, exactly, but Muñoz was able to get Royce Lewis hacking helplessly over a slider to send the game to the bottom of the inning still tied up 3-3.
The Twins brought out yet another lefty, Taylor Rogers, to face Josh Naylor, who promptly dropped a nice line drive base hit into center and then stole second; he advanced to third on a Mitch Garver groundout. But Weston Wilson couldn’t get the job done, grounding out too softly for Naylor to score from third. Wilson pinch-hit Rob Refsnyder for Colt Emerson and the Twins opted to walk him, which is, you know, A Choice. But the Twins wound up looking smart on that one as Cole Young grounded out harmlessly to strand the bases loaded.
With Leo Rivas (who pinch-ran for Refsnyder) in at short, obviously the ball immediately found him in the top of the ninth, and while I’m not saying Colt Emerson could have made a play on it, I feel better about Colt’s chances than Leo’s. Muñoz was able to get out of it, though, getting a groundout and then a good ol-fashioned strike ‘em out/throw ‘em out featuring once again Game MVP Mitch Garver.
In the bottom of the inning, the Mariners got a leadoff double of their own from Randy Arozarena, who laced a changeup from Twins reliever Andrew Morris into the left field corner. Canzone advanced him to third on a flyout, doing his job, and the Twins opted to pitch around Julio, bringing up Raleigh with one out. It wasn’t pretty, but Cal – already carrying three strikeouts in the game – did manage to make contact, hitting the first pitch he saw hard (105 mph EV) but directly at first baseman Royce Lewis. Lewis stepped on first, then looked to throw out Julio at second – except Julio was already halfway there, having taken off on first contact, and was clearly going to get involved in a rundown, hopefully long enough to allow Randy to score from third. Lewis opted to pivot and try to get the out at home instead, and Randy was able to slide around the catcher safely for the game winner.
It wasn’t pretty. Not even close. But it was everyone doing their jobs, from Cal putting the ball in play to Julio’s heads-up baserunning to Randy’s headfirst slide. It’s a low bar to clear, but it’s one the Mariners haven’t consistently cleared this season. Ugly wins are still wins.
LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 31, 2026: Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Will Klein (61) sits alone in the dugout after giving up a run and having a throwing error on a pick-off attempt against the Boston Red Sox in the second inning at Dodger Stadium on July 31, 2026 in Los Angeles, CA. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES — Dodgers right-hander Will Klein has struggled of late, and on Saturday was placed on the 15-day injured list with right elbow discomfort. Wyatt Mills was called up from Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Klein was slowly working his way up manager Dave Roberts’ trust tree in the Dodgers bullpen, pitching in increasingly important spots over the first few months of the season. The right-hander’s first third of the season was much better than his second third of the season, and it’s been especially pronounced of late, with Klein allowing runs in each of his last six appearances.
In those last six games, Klein allowed 13 runs (eight earned) on 10 hits and eight walks with eight strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings. Since the beginning of June, Klein has a 6.11 ERA and 15-percent walk rate, after a 1.88 ERA and 7.3-percent walk rate through the end of May.
On the season, Klein has a 3.67 ERA and 3.43 xERA with two saves, the first of his career, with 49 strikeouts and 21 walks in 41 2/3 innings in his 36 games pitched.
This is the third stint in the majors this year for Mills, with three runs allowed in 4 1/3 innings over five games, with seven walks and four strikeouts. In Triple-A this season, Mills has a 2.41 ERA and six saves in 33 games, with 52 strikeouts and 18 walks in 37 1/3 innings.
Mills last pitched for Oklahoma City on Thursday, tossing two scoreless innings with two strikeouts against Las Vegas.
Also on Saturday, Charlie Barnes cleared waivers after getting designated for assignment on Wednesday, and was sent outright to Oklahoma City. Barnes declined the assignment and is now a free agent.
Jul 27, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics pitcher Jack Perkins (50) throws a pitch against the Boston Red Sox during the second inning at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Last night, the Athletics opened this three-game series against the Detroit Tigers with another loss, falling 13-1 in a game that remained close until the A’s bullpen imploded over the final two innings. The team’s latest blowout home defeat capped a miserable 5-19 July, all but ending the A’s hopes of making a meaningful push during the final two months of the season.
Entering August 20 games under .500 at 45-65, it is imperative that the Green and Gold use the next two months as a springboard toward a more successful 2027 season—one that will hopefully not be disrupted by a looming offseason CBA lockout. The Athletics must find a way to win more games while evaluating their young players to determine who fits into the organization’s long-term plans.
Roster Move
Before the game, the A’s made an expected pitching change.
One of the team’s young pitchers, right-hander Luis Morales, has seen his performance decline this season. Morales’ meltdown yesterday earned him a ticket back to Triple-A Las Vegas. Left-hander Ben Bowden, who posted a 4.22 ERA in 11 relief appearances for the A’s last season, will take his place in the big-league bullpen. Bowden has spent all of 2026 in Triple-A, going 1-1 with a 5.40 ERA in 32 appearances.
Another talented young pitcher, right-hander Jack Perkins, will start the middle game of this weekend’s series for the A’s. The 26-year-old enters his 27th appearance and eighth start of the season with a 2-6 record, a 6.45 ERA, a 1.36 WHIP and 80 strikeouts over 68 1/3 innings.
Tonight will be his second start of the homestand. Perkins will look to build on his strong outing against the Boston Red Sox earlier this week. In that game, he was charged with an undeserved loss after allowing two runs on just one hit over 5 2/3 innings. He exited with the A’s leading 1-0 and Boston threatening with two runners on base. His replacement, José Suarez, surrendered a game-winning grand slam, but the loss was still charged to Perkins because the first two runners had reached base before he left the game.
Here’s how manager Mark Kotsay will line up his squad for the second game of the series:
This lineup would make sense for a Spring Training game, not a regular-season contest in the dog days of summer. Unfortunately, for the A’s, that is fitting for a team that has face-planted its way out of contention in a winnable American League West division.
According to A’s MLB.com reporter Martin Gallegos, Jacob Wilson is serving as the designated hitter again, managing a lower-body issue in addition to his persistent left shoulder injury. Nick Kurtz is also out of the lineup, nursing the lingering thumb issue that still causes pain on certain swings.
Only three players in the starting nine have been with the Athletics all season. One of them, right fielder Lawrence Butler, has not lived up to his contract, although he has started to swing the bat better lately.
If the A’s want to snap this three-game skid, they will need left fielder Tyler Soderstrom and third baseman Tommy White to break out of their mini-slumps. Anything they can get from the players batting eighth and ninth tonight would be icing on the cake.
The A’s offense will face Tigers’ left-hander Framber Valdez, who enters his 22nd start of the season with a 5-7 record, a 4.53 ERA, a 1.38 WHIP and 92 strikeouts over 113 1/3 innings. The 32-year-old has not quite lived up to expectations in his first year in Detroit, alternating between good and bad outings.
Valdez has plenty of familiarity with the A’s after spending many years as a Houston Astro. That showed last month, when Valdez tossed seven innings of one-run ball with nine strikeouts in his first start against the A’s as a Tiger. The southpaw likely faced a much tougher lineup that day than the one he will see today, so it could be difficult for the hosts to scratch out runs unless Valdez leaves mistake pitches over the plate, something he has been prone to do this season.
As witnessed last night, this Tigers lineup can score runs in bunches. The club’s top prospect Max Clark, who recorded three hits in his MLB debut, makes this offense even more dangerous. Detroit will look to him and AL Rookie of the Year candidate Kevin McGonigle to lead its lineup for years to come.
In a game where runs could be at a premium, Perkins and the relievers who follow him will need to do their best to give the Green and Gold a chance to win.
Can the Athletics snap this three-game losing streak and get back in the win column? Win No. 46 awaits. It is time to start August with a victory, one the team can hopefully parlay into a long winning streak. Let’s go A’s!
