Jul 5, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers second baseman Nicky Lopez (33) turns a double against the Detroit Tigers during the first inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images
Good morning.
While the sporting world was losing its mind over the USMNT calling in all of their favors to have a red card suspended at the World Cup, and how that affected the integrity of an ongoing tournament, only for the US to get embarrassed by a European soccer power anyway, not much was written about the Texas Rangers on their day off.
Kennedi Landry has a MLB Draft preview where the Rangers will hope to add more talent to a farm that has produced recent first-round contributors.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JULY 01: Zack Wheeler #45 of the Philadelphia Phillies pitches during the game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on Wednesday, July 1, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Denis Kennedy/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Selecting players for the All-Star team is more complicated than we sometimes admit. The requirement for every team to have a representative no matter their quality can sometimes make things messy, as does the complicated voting process for selecting starters. Naturally, this process is going to omit some players whose performance on merit deserve to be recognized.
One of those players this year could be Zack Wheeler. The Phillies co-ace was not selected to be on the initial NL roster despite having an 8-1 record and 2.36 ERA across 13 starts since returning from thoracic outlet surgery. Wheeler’s recovery has been stunning, as he hasn’t missed a beat despite having such a major surgery at age 35.
Part of the reason Wheeler wasn’t named an All-Star was likely his innings total. His late start to the season has limited him to only 80 innings pitched this season, putting him 90th among all starting pitchers entering play on Monday. However, the controversial All-Star selection of Jacob Misiorowski last season despite the blossoming ace only having thrown 25.2 innings for his career to that point has set an uneasy precedent when it comes to innings totals and All-Star selections.
There’s still a chance Wheeler could be nominated as replacements start to roll out, but as it stands right now, Wheeler is tentatively scheduled to pitch the last game before the break on July 12th. It’s unlikely he will be named as a replacement seeing that he may not be available to actually pitch two days after his last start. The Phillies would almost certainly prefer the 36-year-old doesn’t pitch any more innings than he needs to. In addition to that barrier, there’s also the fact that the Phillies already have five players headed to the festivities. It’s likely that MLB will look elsewhere for replacements as it may be deemed that the Phillies have enough representation already.
Northern Bobwhite or Virginia Quail, Colinus virginianus, is native to the eastern U.S., Mexico, and Cuba. It feeds on seeds, insects and other small invertebrates such as snails.. (Photo by: Jon G. Fuller/VWPics/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
A couple of weeks ago I read a hilarious and brilliant piece on Substack comparing each major league franchise to a bird. The story is called: Thirty teams. Thirty birds. It was written by someone who goes by the name of 9inningnomad and if you can find it, I highly recommend it.
The descriptions were spot on. Some teams obviously already have their birds, namely the Blue Jays, Cardinals and Orioles.
The Yankees got tagged with the Canadian Goose. From the story: “Loud. Territorial. Fully convinced that every public space belongs to it by birthright and prior history. Blocks traffic. Ruins the mood. Wins the argument by existing and does not care if you like it.”
Philadelphia Phillies – American Crow – “Smart. Loud. Social in the way that a bar fight is social. Travels with backup, always, because the crow understood early that the yard is more fun when everyone is involved in the confrontation.” Boom!
Chicago Cubs – Black Capped Chickadee – “Everybody knows this bird. Everybody likes this bird. Has somehow convinced an entire region that it’s the most important bird at the feeder. Half the neighborhood has a chickadee flag on their porch.” W!
Cleveland Guardians – White Breasted Nuthatch – “Does everything upside down and still makes it work.”
The Royals got tagged with the Hummingbird – “Tiny engine. Fast twitch everything. Shows up in bursts, flashes something beautiful, and is gone before you can fully process what you saw.”
I loved all of them. On the Royals, I would suggest another bird. No offense to the Hummingbird, which is one of nature’s great inhabitants, but I think the Royals should have been the Bobwhite Quail. The Bobwhite is a pure midwestern bird. They go through prodigious booms and busts. The busts are so extreme that you wonder if they’ve gone extinct. Then suddenly, for a couple of years, you see quail everywhere. The booms never last long, one or two seasons, while the busts seem like they last forever. Twenty-year downturns are normal for this handsome little bird with the distinctive call.
The Quail is a humble bird with an enormous midwestern inferiority complex, especially when compared to their peacocking brethren, the Ringneck pheasant and Tom Turkey, two birds who always announce their presence by strutting around the countryside.
As this cursed season wears on, it’s apparent to all that the Royals need to change the direction of the franchise. That change needs to start at the top and end with a thorough cleansing of the current regime. Will they do it? If I had to wager a guess, I would say that nothing is going to happen until after the season ends.
The draft is coming up and the last time the Royals did a housecleaning was right before the 2006 draft, a draft in which they held the #1 pick. Of course, the Royals blew that draft in the most Royal of ways, selecting Luke Hochever while passing on such notables as Clayton Kershaw, Tim Lincecum, Evan Longoria and Max Scherzer. Kershaw and Scherzer will someday soon be enshrined in the Hall of Fame. No fault of Hochever. He had a couple of excellent years late in his career out of the bullpen. Had he been a 4th or 5th round pick, we’d have raved about him. Expectations are much higher for the number one selection and the Royals, operating without a General Manager, blew it. Even had they picked say Kershaw or Lincecum, do you have any confidence that they wouldn’t have screwed those guys up too? I can envision the team spending years trying to get either pitcher to adjust their awkward windups and leave them in A ball until they’re 25 years old. Suffice to say, I don’t have much confidence in our developmental process.
So don’t expect any changes to the front office until after the draft.
Once this wretched season ends, we head into the lockout. If John Sherman is going to make a change, this may be the time he does it. The problem is, who do you hire as the new GM? And even if they do, will the Royals get it right? Sherman most certainly still has some Cleveland connections. Maybe he can raid their staff for some competent replacements?
Speaking of the looming lockout, Jay Mariotti recently had an interesting take. In a recent story he suggested that the players should take the lead and strike on August 12th. Screw the remainder of the season. Screw the playoffs and the World Series. Take the power away from the owners and leave them hanging.
The bottom line is, there will be no winners in this labor fight. The last time this happened, baseball took a hit and only a steroid fueled home run boom brought the game back to the mainstream.
I have a confession to make. The Royals have played almost 90 games this season and I’ve only seen them play three times. Based on how the season has unfolded, you might say, lucky you. You’ve missed a lot of anguish. In a normal summer I watch upwards of 100 Royal games but thanks to the wonderful world of streaming, I’ve lost my access to Royals baseball and I miss it. I’ve been following most games on the ESPN app, but it’s not remotely close to seeing a live game. I do have Peacock, which allowed me to watch Sunday’s win, but that game wasn’t available on the MLB package. Strange times in TV land.
In past years, I’d leave the game on while working around the house, checking in now and then to see who’s at the plate or what the score is.
My wife has always been good at keeping me up to date when the game is on. It usually goes something like this:
“Hey hon, Salvy just hit a home run!”.
“Hey hon, is Country Buffet still playing?”
“Hey hon, the Leprechaun guy (Kyle Isbel) made a good play in the field”.
“Hey Hon, the guy who looks like the Geico Cave Man is pitching”.
You get the idea. She doesn’t always get the players’ names right, but close enough for me to follow from the other room.
Back to the streaming problem. I know I can probably buy a package to pick up games, but I’m a bit of a self-imposed technology luddite. Short of packing up and moving to a community that has a cable system, do any of you have any recommendations?
Are any of you using Royals.TV and if so, what’s your opinion of that?
Over the past decade many saber metricians have fallen in love with the lowly walk. I’ve been rolling this around in my mind for the last month and have concluded that not all walks are created equal.
I’ve come to the conclusion that if you’re the #1, 2, 7, 8 or 9 hitter, a walk is almost always good thing. If you’re the 3, 4, 5 or 6 hitter and come up with men on base, with no outs, a walk is fine. If there are men in scoring position, and the pitcher doesn’t give you anything good to hit, take the walk. If the pitcher is behind 2-0 or 3-1 and pipes a fastball down the middle, you better be swinging and not looking for a walk. A base hit, even a measly single will score at least one and maybe two. A walk just puts the pressure on the next batter to deliver.
If you’re batting 3 through 6, your job is to drive in runs. This is one reason (and granted, there are many) why the 2026 Royals have struggled so badly.
The middle of the order hitters, namely Vinnie and Sal, have not driven in the runs. Salvy has averaged 96 RBI per season over the past five summers. Vinnie has average 105 over the last two. They might get 100 combined this summer and that’s a big if.
That’s a lot of missing runs in the middle of the order.
Injuries have hurt them badly of course, with Vinnie, Bobby, Kyle Isbel and Maikel Garcia all missing time. Father Time has caught up with Salvy and neutered him. Carter Jensen has stepped up and that’s about it. Bobby probably won’t make it to 100 RBI this summer, since no one is getting on base in front of him, and Jac Caglianone, though improving rapidly, is still a work in progress.
Bottom line: I’m still old school. I’d rather have my guys swinging the bat, trying to do some damage, instead of waiting out a walk. Hitting is contagious. You see your teammates getting a rap and you want to get to the plate and take your cuts. And don’t get me started on bunting, my blood pressure is bad enough as it is.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 29: Aaron Boone #17 of the New York Yankees walks back to the dugout during the fourth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Yankee Stadium on June 29, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After seemingly holding off the June swoon during the first couple of weeks of Aaron Judge’s absence, the Yankees succumbed in full, losing nine of ten games while their offense completely went to sleep. Their standing in the division, which looked strong just a few weeks ago, New York leading by four games, has slipped, with the Rays now three games up in the AL East.
The Yankees were always going to struggle at some point without Judge, but this latest stretch has of course been particularly brutal. Now that they’ve let the Rays open up a gap again in the division, how nervous are you that the Yankees will fade out of the AL East chase?
In truth, this AL East race has already been a rollercoaster. You can see it in FanGraphs’ division odds, which show the Yankees’ division chances shooting up before falling off three separate times this season:
You may notice that as things stand, the Rays and the Yankees have the same division odds, at least by FanGraphs’ estimation. Baseball Prospectus has anointing Tampa Bay as the division favorites, while betting markets have the Yankees as narrow favorites for now.
Based on the odds, it would seem like now is a great time to feel pretty nervous about the Yankees’ chances of earning the division crown. The team’s odds by FanGraphs have peaked at almost 90 percent multiple times this year, only for the Yankees to fumble things away, with the Rays now in front according to the projections.
Yet on the other hand, the fact that the projections still put this as a toss-up could provide Yankee fans some comfort. Despite how awful the team has played in recent weeks, how putrid the lineup has been for long stretches, the team isn’t out of it, has easily the best run differential in the American League, and still has something like a 50 percent chance to take the division.
Moreover, the Yankees stand to add more to their roster over the next month than their rival Rays, something that’s not fully baked into any projection. Not only will the Yankees get Max Fried, Judge, and Giancarlo Stanton (hopefully) back at some point, but they are perennially more active than Tampa at the trade deadline. Though the Rays have a stronger farm system, it’s not Tampa’s M.O. to dip into that farm system to add veteran help midseason; the Rays’ whole model relies on having scores of young players on hand to replace their current big-league contributors who threaten to age out and/or make more money. The Yankees, despite accusations of prospect hugging, typically make several major-league additions to their roster every summer during which they contend.
Overall, I think the FanGraphs odds have it about right: the Rays may have nudged in front in the standings, but the Yankees are by no means out of it and must act with urgency to fight their way back. What do you think? Are you nervous that the team will fall out of it entirely, or do they still stand a good chance to come back?
This morning, Sam continues our Trade Deadline coverage with a look at the Detroit Tigers, who are still on the playoff bubble but could prove to be sellers this month. Also, Andrew delivers today’s Rivalry Roundup, Jeff profiles George Moriarty, and Michael analyzes the last week down on the farm. And in the afternoon, Peter’s At-bat of the Week features more strong work from Trent Grisham.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JULY 05: Jazz Chisholm Jr. #13 of the New York Yankees singles during the second inning against the Minnesota Twins at Yankee Stadium on July 05, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
MLB.com | Bill Ladson: The Yankees dodged a bullet on the injury front Monday, as Jazz Chisholm Jr. drew the start at second base. Chisholm left Sunday’s game with discomfort in his right big toe, but x-rays came back negative. The 28-year-old, who called the test results a “huge relief,” has been dealing with pain in the toe since his time with the Marlins back in 2023. The Yankees have withstood a barrage of injuries lately, most recently to starter Carlos Rodón, who landed on the IL last Friday with an elbow injury.
Daily News | Gary Phillips: When taking stock of the Yankees’ recent slide, there’s plenty of blame to go around. Without question, one key factor has been defense. Heading into Monday’s game, they’d allowed 29 unearned runs in their last 15 games, the most over that length of time since 1935. Manager Aaron Boone acknowledged defensive miscues have been “part of the issue,” adding that the recent turns of experienced defenders Ryan McMahon at third and Trent Grisham in center should help.
New York Post | Jake Nisse: Ryan Weathers was contending with more than just the Twins’ offense Sunday in a continued fallout from a bout of food poisoning or a stomach bug that swept through the clubhouse last week. The southpaw told the media he threw up multiple times between innings, fighting through the nausea to allow four runs in as many innings. “Credit to him, under the weather today, and still went out there and battled,” said Boone of Weathers’ performance. After a dominant start to the season, Weathers has watched his ERA balloon to 4.29, calling into question his slot in the rotation.
The Big Lead | J.P Hoornstra: Our condolences to the family of Al Holland, who died Saturday at the age of 73. Holland found his biggest success with the Phillies, where he earned an All-Star nod and Rolaids Relief Man of the Year Award while serving as the team’s closer. Affectionately known as “Mr. T.,” Holland closed out his 10-year career in pinstripes, appearing in 28 games with the Yankees between the 1986 and ‘87 seasons. Holland is survived by his wife, Mary, and their three children.
The Phillies are saddened to learn of the passing of Al Holland, who spent parts of three seasons with the club from 1983-85. As a dominant closer, Al was an integral part of the team’s winning the National League pennant in 1983 and was an All-Star in 1984. The club and fans are… pic.twitter.com/XG14iYwdSC
Jul 6, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) celebrates with catcher Dalton Rushing (68) after hitting a two run home run against the Colorado Rockies in the third inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The “Rockies never say die!” attitude was alive and well on Monday night.
Despite being down 6-1 after four innings, they chipped away at the lead to set up an exhilarating ninth inning where the Rockies scored three runs to send the game to extra innings — a first for the Dodgers in 2026. The Rockies briefly led 7-6 in the 10th inning, but failed to score in the 11th, which allowed Dalton Rushing to hit the walk-off single in the bottom of the frame for a Dodger win.
The young players came up clutch again with Kyle Karros hitting a huge RBI double and Cole Carrigg, who went 3-for-5 with two doubles, two RBIs and three runs scored, hitting a two-run double to send the game to extra innings.
After the game, Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer had nothing but praise for Carrigg.
“He’s proven over and over again that the moment is not too big for him,” Schaeffer said. “That’s probably the biggest stage you can get in a regular season game — Dodger Stadium. He wants it. Two outs in the ninth, game on the line, he delivers a game-tying triple.” (The hit was officially ruled a double, but Carrigg advanced to third on the throw home.)
How extras went down
In the 10th, the Rockies went ahead after Tyler Freeman moved Carrigg to third. Carrigg then scored on a sac grounder by Jake McCarthy.
Mickey Moniak followed with a pinch-hit walk, but Ezequiel Tovar popped out to end the inning.
In the bottom of the frame, Brennan Bernardino gave up a sac grounder to Freddie Freeman that moved Andy Pages to third. A Mookie Betts line drive could have been out number two, but Edouard Julien couldn’t glove it and the error allowed Pages to score. Kyle Tucker followed with a single that chased Bernardino, leading Schaeffer to put in Jimmy Herget.
Herget quickly got down 3-0 to Teoscar Hernández before getting lucky with a liner that went straight into Herget’s glove. He then easily picked off Tucker to send it to the 11th.
Willi Castro started the 11th with a walk to put runners on first and second with no outs. Julien then popped out foul on a bunt and Hunter Goodman grounded into a double play to end the short frame.
The Dodgers took advantage of the zero and of Herget intentionally walking Max Muncy to lead off the inning. Tommy Edman hit a sac bunt to move the runners to second and third before Rushing hit a single to center field to score Hernández as Los Angeles pulled off a comeback of its own.
Incredible ninth
After pinch-hitter Braxton Fulford struck out to lead off the inning, Tovar drew a walk and Castro singled to set the table for Karros — Sunday’s comeback hero. After hitting the winning three-run homer in the eighth inning to beat the Giants on Sunday, Karros came up clutch again with a double to score Tovar and make it 6-4.
Goodman then drew an intentional walk to load the bases for TJ Rumfield, who swung badly at three consecutive sliders. Carrigg bailed him out by ripping a double to left-center field. Two runs scored, but Goodman was called out at the plate on an incredible throw and a brilliant slide.
Goodman was first called safe, but the go-ahead run was overruled when the Dodgers challenged the call, which was then was upheld when the Rockies challenged that Rushing was blocking the plate.
Fueled by the momentum, Antonio Senzatela was brilliant in the ninth. After giving up a leadoff single to Muncy, who then moved to second on a bunt, Senzatela struck out Rushing, gave a free pass to Shohei Ohtani and struck out Pages — thanks to a successful ABS challenge from Goodman.
Rockies strike first
The Rockies actually got on the board in this one first. Carrigg and Freeman started off the second inning with back-to-back singles before McCarthy loaded the bases with no outs when he was hit by a pitch.
But the Rockies couldn’t take advantage as much as they needed to, especially against the Dodgers. Troy Johnston popped out just beyond the grass at second base and then Tovar hit a sac fly. Castro ended the inning when he hit an infield pop-up.
Dodgers strike back
In the third inning, the Dodgers erased the Rockies lead when Rushing led off with a double. Ohtani then hit his 19th homer of the year to put L.A. up 2-1.
The Dodgers took a commanding lead in the fourth thanks to a five-hit inning. Tucker, Hernández and Muncy hit three singles in a row to score Tucker and go up 3-1 with no outs. Miguel Rojas followed up with a sac fly before the hit parade continued when Rushing hit his second double of the game. That set the table for Ohtani to hit a two-run RBI and put the Dodgers up 6-1.
Kyle Freeland put up scoreless frames in three of the five innings he pitched, but struggled against the mighty Dodgers, surrendering nine hits. It was really just the fourth inning that spoiled his outing. He struck out two and walked none, and was able to end the fourth when he got Pages to ground into a double play.
“I thought he was fine. I thought he was sharp,” Schaeffer said of Freeland’s performance. “They just had a good plan against him, specifically early in the count. I thought he was throwing strike one and they were ready to hit strike one for sure. Especially that inning. They put some good swings on him tonight – left on left – but I thought Free was fine.”
Freeland was pulled with the Rockies down 6-2. The game marked the seventh time the lefty has given up at least six runs this season (16 starts).
Chipping away
The first signs of a comeback came in the fifth with Tovar’s eighth homer of the season. The solo shot snuck into the left-field seats and marked Tovar’s third homer in his last three games.
The Rockies added another in the sixth when Carrigg hit a leadoff double and Freeman moved him to third on a flyball. Carrigg then scored when McCarthy hit an RBI single to cut L.A.’s lead to 6-3.
The Rockies had their chances throughout the game, drawing eight walks in the game, two by Karros, while issuing only two — and both were intentional walks. They went 3-for-13 with runners on base (1-for-8 before the ninth inning) and left 10 runners on base. Freeman hit two singles and stole a base.
Zach Agnos gave the offense a chance to rally by throwing three scoreless innings in the sixth, seventh and eighth for the Rockies. He only gave up one hit, while striking out one and walking none.
Overall, Schaeffer was very pleased with the bullpen.
“Ags was fantastic for three innings. Senza awesome. I thought Bernie was fine and Jimmy was fine,” Schaeffer said. “These guys — you just want to hand every single one of them the ball every night. You can’t do that, and I know that, but these guys have been fantastic as of late and most of the year.”
Up next
The Rockies and Dodgers will face off again on Tuesday at 8:10 p.m. MDT. RHP Michael Lorenzen (3-9, 6.91) will start for the Rockies, while LHP Justin Worbleski (10-2, 2.80) will be on the mound for the Dodgers.
San Francisco Giants outfielder Heliot Ramos did something that hasn't been done in Giants history since 1920.
San Francisco defeated the Toronto Blue Jays by a final score, 10-1, on Monday, July 6. However, player of the game nods went straight to Ramos after putting together a performance in which he cracked three home runs – a "little league" homer and then two real ones smacked into the stands.
It was a career night for Ramos. He became the first Giants player since 1920 to record two home runs and a "little league" home run in the same game.
"Just working a lot on my path, on the way that I was swinging to day in the cage and BP (batting practice)," Ramos told NBC Sports Bay Area in a post game broadcast interview. "I just felt pretty good about it honestly."
Heliot Ramos is the first #SFGiants player since 1920 to have two home runs and a "little league" home run in the same game 🤯 pic.twitter.com/oSWTnJu2yU
Maybe it was the breakfast he had, which Ramos said he cooked himself: sausages, eggs, toast and hash browns. His go-to. For what it's worth, he walked to grab a coffee.
Maybe the extra caffeine from the morning kept him energized throughout the day leading up to the game. He finished the game going 3-for-5, which included 5 RBIs. He accounted for three runs, himself.
He opened the game with a triple in the bottom first inning, but a throwing error from Blue Jays shortstop Andrés Giménez allowed Ramos to score.
Ramos delivered a three-run homer in the bottom sixth inning, sending one 349 feet into right field, bringing in Willy Adames and Víctor Bericoto. But he wasn't done there.
It was his second homer that really sealed the deal as Ramos expected a fastball and took a swing that put the ball over the wall in left-center field. Bryce Eldridge scored as Ramos rounded the bases to put the final touches on the 10-1 win.
"We were in awe of the second home run, I should say," Giants skipper Tony Vitello told reporters. "It was almost like that one was separate than the first. You know what kind of power, especially in this stadium, he's got going the other way, but that was kind of one that everybody was thunderstruck on."
He added: "It's always good anytime he does something positive, you're excited and happy, because he's always happy. You guys are around him in the locker room, and all those things. ... So, a positive influence in a lot of different ways."
Dalton Rushing is doused in a ice water by teammate Alex Call after hitting a walk-off single in the 11th inning of an 8-7 win over the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium on Monday night. (Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)
Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing spun to face home plate umpire Dan Iassogna, holding up his mitt with the ball inside.
When that didn’t change the safe call, Dalton immediately pointed to the Dodgers dugout, mask in hand urging manager Dave Roberts to challenge.
Robert’s hands flew up to his ears, asking for a replay review.
The tension in Dodger Stadium broke with the announcement: “The catcher touched the runner’s hand before he reached the plate...”
The crowd’s applause drowned out the rest.
The go-ahead run had been on the line with that challenge in the Dodgers’ eventual 8-7 win over the Rockies in 11 innings. And it started a wild sequence to the Dodgers’ first extra-innings game of the season that ended with Rushing hitting a walk-off single to center field to score Teoscar Hernández.
That brawl with the Rockies — figuratively and almost literally — finished with the Dodgers becoming the first team to win 60 games this season.
“That’s a lot of wins,” Roberts said.
It looked as if the Dodgers would coast to the mark. Dodgers closer Tanner Scott took the mound in the ninth with a three-run lead. But after giving up an RBI double to Kyle Karros and a two-run double to Cole Carrigg the score was tied. Only a strong relay throw home by second baseman Miguel Rojas and a successful challenge prevented Hunter Goodman from scoring a go-ahead run.
In the bottom of the ninth, the Dodgers got runners on first and second with two outs. That brought up Andy Pages with two outs, but a successful Rockies ABS challenge confirmed a strikeout, sending the game into the 10th.
That ended the Dodgers’ streak of 91 games without extra innings, the second-longest a team has gone without playing an extra-inning game in the modern era, behind only the 2005 Red Sox (99).
The drama wasn’t over. Two batters into the 10th, the benches cleared.
With one out and Carrigg on third, Jake McCarthy hit a sharp ground ball to Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman, who stepped on the bag and fired home.
Rushing flung his body into the tag, but Carrigg was called safe.
Carrigg said something as began to walk away, and Rushing spun around.
As the two exchanged words, Dodgers reliever Edgardo Henriquez pulled his catcher away. But players from both dugouts and bullpens already began to spill onto the field.
Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy holds back Dalton Rushing after the Dodgers catcher got into a confrontation with Colorado's Cole Carrigg in the 10th inning Monday. (Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)
“I think that what happened is Carrigg said something aloud, not directed at Dalton,” Roberts said. “Dalton thought something was directed at him. We cleared the air. Basically a big misunderstanding.”
Said Rushing: “I didn’t mean any harm by the tag or the way I reacted to the ball. Made sure he knew that. Told him I was just reacting to the baseball. I don’t expect it to go any further.”
After a brief stoppage, Henriquez escaped without further damage. And the Dodgers got another shot, with Pages on second to start the inning.
Freeman’s groundout moved him to third. Then Mookie Betts drove him in with a comebacker over the mound and past flailing second baseman Edouard Julien.
Tucker then looped a single into no-man’s land. But the rally ended when Hernández’s liner up the middle landed in the glove of Rockies right-hander Jimmy Herget, who just entered the game, catching Kyle Tucker off first base for a double play.
In the 11th, Henriquez got out of the inning unscathed. He got Julien to pop out on a sacrifice bunt attempt and then started a double play himself. He punched the air as he walked off the mound.
“He’s calm in big spots, you’re starting to see it,” Roberts said. “He’s throwing strikes, throwing the breaking ball when he needs to and he’s now unfazed by certain moments and higher leverage. He’s a guy, certainly, we trust.”
In the end, Rushing — who already hit a pair of doubles and scored on Shohei Ohtani’s third-inning home run and fourth-inning two-run single — was the hero.
After Hernández made it to third on a sacrifice bunt by Tommy Edman, Dalton got the end of his bat on a changeup and sent it up the middle, just out of reach of a diving Julien.
“Infield’s in, they’re kind of doing you a favor,” Rushing said. “So move the ball forward, good things happen. And it wasn’t pretty, but it worked.”
Rushing’s helmet twirled in the dirt behind him as he jogged from first toward the center of the field, ready for the celebration that would meet him there.
“He plays with a lot of moxie,” said Dodgers starting pitcher Eric Lauer, who held the Rockies to three runs in six innings. “And he definitely doesn’t back down to anybody, and we love him for that. He’s a great guy that you want on your team.”
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run in the third inning against the Rockies on Monday. (Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)
Roster moves
Dodgers right-hander Evan Phillips is in line to make his first major-league appearance since May 2025. Phillips only made seven appearances last season, starting on the injured list with a strained rotator cuff before undergoing Tommy John surgery in June.
“It’s going to be a lot different tonight getting back out there in a competitive game, the full atmosphere,” Phillips said. “Really excited about that. I feel like probably the past two weeks or so I really took a good turn in my rehab, started bouncing back even better, pitching more like myself, feeling more like myself. So really just happy to carry that over to these games and see how the second half treats us.”
In a pair of corresponding moves, the Dodgers optioned right-handed reliever Paul Gervase to triple-A Oklahoma City and released left-hander Jake Eder.
The Dodgers also designated catcher Chuckie Robinson for assignment and added right-hander Carlos Duran to the 40-man roster. Both players are set to stay in Oklahoma City, with Robinson accepting his outright assignment.
Jul 6, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) celebrates with catcher Dalton Rushing (68) after hitting a two run home run against the Colorado Rockies in the third inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The streak of no extra-inning games is finally over, and we can say that the Dodgers are undefeated in extras this season, walking it off against the Rockies 8-7 in the 11th inning. The decisive hit in this thrilling game came from the bat of Dalton Rushing with an RBI single, completing a terrific three-hit performance for the Dodgers catcher.
Before they had to dig deep for this victory, the Dodgers got to experience the thin line in baseball between control of a game and the illusion of it. The home team saw a 6-3 lead collapse in the ninth as Tanner Scott had his first blowup outing in over a month, walking multiple hitters for the first time this season.
To acquire that 6-3 lead, Shohei Ohtani and Eric Lauer were the protagonists. As if facing Ohtani in and of itself wasn’t a daunting enough threat, Kyle Freeland did so for the second time in the third inning with a runner on base after allowing a leadoff double to Rushing. Whoever questioned the Ohtani-Rushing partnership in recent weeks needs to check their facts—it seemed to be working just fine when Ohtani gave the Dodgers their first lead of the game by driving in Rushing with a two-run homer, his 19th on the season and seventh against lefties—now just two short of 300 in his career.
This combination of Rushing and Ohtani would go on to lead the way for the Dodgers once again in the following inning. After Max Muncy and Miguel Rojas secured back-to-back RBI on a single and sac fly, respectively, Rushing once again set up Ohtani with a double, who then proceeded to drive in a pair, this time with just a two-run single.
Overall in this game, the four runs batted in by Ohtani represented a season-high mark at home and only the third time he’s achieved that number or higher this season. Ohtani’s three hits were also a season high for the reigning back-to-back NL MVP. All of that success that Ohtani and the rest of the Dodgers offense had against Freeland couldn’t be replicated facing Zach Agnos, who tossed three scoreless innings to keep Colorado with a puncher’s chance.
Still, the six runs scored by the offense between the third and fourth innings gave Lauer the comfort of pitching ahead. And before the bullpen surrendered that lead, Lauer delivered another productive outing, only running into a bit of trouble against the bottom of the order.
While the Rockies’ top four failed to record a hit versus the Dodgers starter, strictly reaching base on a couple of Kyle Karros walks, Ezequiel Tovar homered and was responsible for two of the Rockies’ three runs batted in across the first six innings. Once again, the strikeouts weren’t really there, with just a pair, but he didn’t need them. Lauer completed his quality start with a little support from the Rockies’ baserunning after Jake McCarthy failed to retouch second heading back to first on a casual one-out flyout.
What looked to be a smooth win after holds from Brock Stewart and Alex Vesia, despite the offense having stopped scoring in the fourth, all of a sudden turned worrisome in the blink of an eye—Scott provided a rollercoaster of emotions that culminated in the Rockies tying the game at six all. Colorado put two men on in scoring position with one out, and instead of pitching to Hunter Goodman, they intentionally walked him for the left-on-left matchup with T.J. Rumfield, a move that looked like it was going to work. Scott punched out Rumfield on three pitches, but there was still one out to go, and Cole Carrigg got a hold of a slider on the outside corner. Two runs came across to tie the game with a safe call overturned as the Pages-Rojas-Rushing combination gunned down Goodman at the plate, who displayed far too much athleticism on his slide for a major league catcher.
Perhaps more impressive than Scott’s blowup was the result of one specific at-bat against Tovar. Scott, who came into this matchup with just three walks in nearly 40 innings, managed to walk a hitter with a career 4.2% walk percentage.
Fitting to this team’s approach in many ways, but not to the context of the game, the Rockies played to hold serve in extra innings, prioritizing the one run in extras. With a bunt from Tyler Freeman and a groundball from McCarthy, the Rockies took the 7-6 lead but had no momentum to add to it against Edgardo Henríquez.
Considering the Dodgers had the heart of the order coming up in the bottom of the 10th, that felt like a questionable approach from Colorado, and sure enough, the Dodgers made them pay, even if once again defense played a key role in this one. Mookie Betts, who was 0 for 4 with all flyouts, had a man on third and one out; he hit a bullet at the second baseman, who had the chance to catch it, but only knocked it down, allowing the Dodgers to tie the game. Right-hander Jimmy Herget was brought on to face Teoscar Hernández with two on and two out after a Kyle Tucker single—Hernández did him a solid, swinging at a 3-0 pitch and hitting a soft liner that turned into an inning-ending double play.
Once again, the Rockies refused to do anything else other than play for the one run in the 11th, and this time it really came back to bite them. Edouard Julien was up with two on and no one out after a leadoff walk, and he bunted—a bunt that turned into a pop-up and didn’t even move the runners. Goodman hit into a double play, and just like that, the Dodgers just needed one to walk it off in the 11th. Protected by Ohtani on deck, following a Max Muncy walk and Tommy Edman bunt, Rushing sent everyone home.
Although it wasn’t necessarily the most impactful of hitting performances, Kyle Tucker quietly had another impressive individual night, securing a team-high three hits.
LP— Jimmy Herget (0-3): 1 IP, 1 hit, 1 unearned run, 1 walk
Up next
The team leader in wins, Justin Wrobleksi, looks for his 11th on the season as the Dodgers host the Rockies for the second-to-last time on the season. Colorado will deploy another one of their veteran starters in Michael Lorenzen. The first pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. (PT).
Another milestone is within Shohei Ohtani’s reach.
Ohtani’s next home run will be his 300th in the major leagues.
No. 299 came in a wild 11-inning, 8-7 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Monday night — the Dodgers’ first extra-inning game of the season.
The game had everything.
A middle-inning offensive outburst by the Dodgers.
A ninth-inning meltdown by Tanner Scott in which the substitute closer blew a three-run lead.
Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) runs after hitting a two run home run against the Colorado Rockies in the third inning at Dodger Stadium. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
A 10th-inning run for the Rockies on a close play at home that resulted in catcher Dalton Rushing jawing at Cole Carrigg and the benches of both sides clearing.
An 11th-inning walk-off single by Rushing.
Ohtani’s home run reversed an early deficit to Rockies, his opposite-field shot sending the Dodgers in front, 2-1.
Ohtani’s two-run single capped a four-run fourth inning in which the Dodgers opened up their advantage to 6-1. That inning started with a single by Kyle Tucker, who advanced to third base on a hit by Teoscar Hernández. A single by Max Muncy drove in Tucker, and Hernández scored on a sacrifice fly by Miguel Rojas.
A double by Rushing brought up Ohtani with runners on second and third base, and the $700-million man singled up the middle to drive both of them in.
Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) runs after hitting a two run home run against the Colorado Rockies in the third inning at Dodger Stadium. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The performance extended Ohtani’s torture of Rockies starter Kyle Freeland, against whom Ohtani is now 9 for 16 with three home runs and nine runs batted in.
Ohtani didn’t homer in any of his five previous games but a meeting with Freeland broke him out of his mini-slump.
His home run on Monday night was his 19th of the season and the 128th in his three seasons with the Dodgers.
He is Japan’s major-league home run leader by a wide margin, as the next player on the list is Hideki Matsui, who hit 175 from 2003-2012.
What it means
The “Fre-ddie” chants at Dodger Stadium sounded a louder than usual, perhaps because bobbleheads made in Freddie Freeman’s image were distributed to fans. Freeman singled to right field in his first at-bat.
The Dodgers became the first team in baseball to reach the 60-win benchmark, and they maintained a 14-game lead in the National League West. Their division lead is the largest in the majors.
Who’s hot
Two months ago, when the Dodgers traded for Eric Lauer, they didn’t have to send the Toronto Blue Jays any players in return. Lauer was acquired for cash considerations.
The money was well-spent.
In eight games with the Dodgers, Lauer has a 3.12 earned-run average – solid numbers for a 31-year-old journeyman who was viewed as a placeholder until Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow returned from their respective injuries.
Lauer limited the Rockies to three runs and six hits over six innings.
Dodgers pitcher Eric Lauer (33) pitches against the Colorado Rockies in the first inning at Dodger Stadium. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Who’s not
Following a disastrous first season with the Dodgers, reliever Tanner Scott is in the middle of a solid year.
In 39 games this season, he’s posted a 2.70 ERA. He has also saved 12 games in the absence of closer Edwin Diaz, who is recovering from a procedure to remove bone chips from his arm.
Scott had a rare slip-up on Monday night, blowing a three-run lead he inherited in the ninth inning. With two outs, the bases loaded, and the lead down to two runs, Scott gave up a double to Carrigg that was initially ruled to have driven in three runs. The third run was nullified by a replay review, which showed that Hunter Goodman was thrown out at the plate by Miguel Rojas.
Up next
The Dodgers will continue their series against the Rockies on Tuesday, with Justin Wrobleski (10-2, 2.80 ERA) starting for the Dodgers and Michael Lorenzen (3-9, 6.91 ERA) for the Rockies.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JULY 06: Heliot Ramos #17 of the San Francisco Giants get doused with Gatorade after the Giants defeated the Toronto Blue Jays at Oracle Park on Monday, July 6, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Kavin Mistry/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
May and June served as months to forget for Landen Roupp and Heliot Ramos. Roupp, following a brilliant March and April that generated All-Star buzz, struggled disastrously. After ending April with a 5-1 record and a 2.55 ERA, Roupp labored through 11 May and June starts, sporting a 5.87 ERA and walking 26 batters in 53.2 innings. Stunningly, the San Francisco Giants lost all 11 of his starts. Ramos suffered an injury in mid-May that landed him on the IL. It took him six weeks and nearly 40 games to return.
The struggles were not confined to the field. Roupp placed himself at the center of an ugly Pride Night controversy, looked foolish and bigoted in the process, and lost himself a significant number of fans. Ramos watched Casey Schmitt and Victor Bericoto fill his shoes admirably, while talks of a trade from a franchise he openly adores swirled.
Thankfully for both players, the calendar flipped to July. And if Monday’s 10-1 win over the Toronto Blue Jays was any indication, that’s marvelous news for both of them.
It was the Roupp and Ramos show from the start of the game until the final out. The game began when Blue Jays’ leadoff hitter Ernie Clement reached on an error by Schmitt. Given the way Roupp had been pitching lately, you’d be forgiven for thinking the inning would go in a sideways direction, but instead the right-hander needed just seven pitches to retire the next three batters. Easy as pie.
The bottom of the first began when Ramos, newly entrenched as the leadoff hitter, saw an 0-1 fastball from Kevin Gausman on the outer half of the plate and decided to follow it in that direction, driving it deep, deep, deep into the aptly-named triple’s alley, smashing it off the padding on the wall. As the ball ran misdirection on right fielder Nathan Lukes, Ramos beelined for third base.
And when he looked up from the dust cloud that formed around his body following a full-speed dive into the bag, he realized that the throw had gone into the dugout. And every baseball mathematician knows the this equation: Triple + Error = Little League Home Run.
There are myriad ways in which a hitter can be Oracle’d in San Francisco, and Ramos’ was one of the least aggravating ones. According to Statcast, his leadoff hit — 399 feet despite fighting the wind — would have been a home run in every ballpark but the one he plays in. Instead, three bags and a little extra cardio would have to suffice.
But Ramos would exact his revenge on the confines of the stadium. As the game wore on and the lead grew wider — the Giants would take a 3-0 lead before Roupp’s lone hiccup of the night, a solo home run allowed to Kazuma Okamoto — Ramos geared up his power bar, ready to strike again, but this time more equipped for the walls.
It came in the bottom of the sixth, so let’s set the stage. Rafael Devers led off the inning with a walk, and advanced to third when Jung Hoo Lee reached on an error. After Willy Adames drew a walk (yes, two in one inning is legal) to load the bases, Bryce Eldridge struck out for the third time.
The lead was 3-1 as Bericoto stepped to the plate, looking to pick up his teammate. He did exactly that, lining a get-it-in heater from Gausman the other way for a two-run single.
The lead had grown to 5-1, which is the sweet spot with the Giants these days. Just enough of a lead to excite you, and just small enough to make you fear the impending bullpen implosion that will throw it all away. It’ll keep you tuned in!
There are, it turns out, antidotes to a bullpen known to blow mid-sized leads. The most common prescription is spending money on a bullpen, but the pharmacy already closed for that option. The second most common is to simply expand the lead.
Enter Ramos. The wind was still howling in from right field and baseball players, unlike golfers, do not have the option to club up. Ramos, it seems, did not care. Facing Tommy Nance — Bericoto had knocked Gausman out of the game — Ramos turned on a 1-1 sinker, cockily and confidently taking on right field, and clearing the fence before you even realized what had happened.
As it turns out, the insurance runs weren’t needed, because Roupp remembered the third most common prescription for bad bullpens: not letting them pitch. Armed with a healthy lead, Roupp returned for the seventh inning and set down the side in order, on eight pitches. Back out for the eighth he came and, while he ceded a two-out single, he responded by immediately striking out Vladimir Guerrero Jr. for style points.
All that was left was the window dressing, and Ramos apparently felt he deserved some of that fun. Our hitting protagonist stepped up in the bottom half of the eighth with two outs and one on, facing Adam Macko. As if being rewarded for his strong earlier at-bats (which also featured a groundout that was the hardest-hit ball of the day), all of which against right-handers, Ramos now got to tee off against a lefty.
If his first hit had been an attempt to clear the right field fences, and his second hit had been to prove that he truly could, his third hit was getting back to basics. He’d proven what he came to prove. Now it was time to have some fun, sit on a hanging breaking ball, and see just how far into the night his muscle can carry.
Pretty freaking far, it turns out. Ramos smashed the first pitch from Macko so high up the bleachers that even the broadcast drew out the usually-hyperbolic Andrés Galarraga comp. You don’t see a lot of 434-foot home runs in at 9 p.m. in San Francisco. Enjoy.
With that, the stars had done their job. Roupp had cruised through eight nearly flawless innings, ceding just three hits, two walks, and one run, while striking out five. Ramos had hit two homers and 29/30ths of another, knocked in five runs, and score thrice. And the supporting cast had played their part, keeping the rallies going and playing strong defense. Bericoto, in particular, impressed during his 2-4 day: after a leadoff single in the fifth, the rookie found himself standing at third with two outs, and Luis Arráez at first. With Schmitt at the plate, Arráez broke for second, swiping his seventh bag of the season. Bericoto expanded his lead perfectly, and took off with the throw, making it to home before the ball boomeranged back. A savvy and cheeky bit of running, and now he’ll always get to say that he stole home for his first Major League stolen base.
But after the fun is had, the game must end, and the Giants made sure no drama occurred. Spencer Bivens, recently called up, made his season debut to spell Roupp for the ninth. He struck out the first batter he faced. He struck out the second batter he faced.
The third? Aware of the plot, Bivens let Alejandro Kirk put the ball in play.
A soft and lazy fly ball out to the grass. Right field, specifically. Right into Ramos’ glove for out number 27.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Two-plus months after the Yankees waited a few days to see if he could avoid an injured list stint altogether, Giancarlo Stanton remains without any real timeline to return to the active roster.
After suffering a setback with his right calf strain last month, when he appeared to be a few days away from being activated from the IL, Stanton is still not running again, according to manager Aaron Boone, as his rehab remains slow-moving.
Asked if he expects the veteran slugger to play again this season, Boone said he did.
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“Now, that being said, I’m surprised it’s been this long,” Boone said Monday at Tropicana Field before the Yankees beat the Rays 5-1. “But yes, I expect him back.”
Stanton missed his 64th straight game Monday and did not join the Yankees on this trip, despite injured players often doing so in order to rehab at the club’s player development complex in Tampa.
Boone did not have much in the way of specifics as to what Stanton is doing other than not yet running; he had advanced to running the bases before getting re-injured last month. The manager had said last Monday that Stanton was “moving again with more intensity and hitting against velo[city] again,” though as of this Monday, Boone only said the 36-year-old was “upping the treadmill stuff he’s doing.”
“I don’t know that it’s [a] slower [buildup after the setback], we’ve just been listening to the body and following when he has gotten the images and things like that,” Boone said. “What he’s been able to tolerate, we’ve been able to do.”
Giancarlo Stanton in dugout when the New York Yankees played the Detroit Tigers Wednesday, July 1, 2026. Robert Sabo for NY Post
Jasson Domínguez and Boone both got upset in the seventh inning after home plate umpire Emil Jimenez did not allow Domínguez to challenge a low called strike despite him tapping his helmet fairly quickly after the pitch — a repeat of what happened last month with the same hitter and umpire at Yankee Stadium.
Domínguez also tried to challenge a high strike called by Jimenez during a June 17 game, but the umpire did not grant either one.
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“The same thing happened and [Jimenez] pointed to the dugout like it was influenced by us,” Boone said. “The dugout’s always going to react. He did it instantaneously. It’s a bad call, it’s a bad look and I don’t get it. I know it’s this crew, they’re sticklers for being immediate and all that. It was pretty immediate. The challenge absolutely should’ve been allowed like it absolutely should’ve been allowed a couple weeks ago.”
Boone said he did not stick around for a full explanation “because I was going to lose my mind.”
After leaving Sunday’s game early with right big toe discomfort, Jazz Chisholm Jr. was back in the lineup Monday playing second base and going 0-for-2 with a walk. … The Yankees are waiting on naming a starter for Thursday’s series finale to see how their bullpen looks, though Elmer Rodríguez would be the obvious call-up candidate for a spot start.
LOS ANGELES - JUNE 11: The movie "Ferris Bueller's Day Off", written and directed by John Hughes. Seen here from left, Alan Ruck as Cameron Frye, Mia Sara as Sloane Peterson and Matthew Broderick as Ferris Bueller in the Art Institute of Chicago. Initial theatrical release June 11, 1986. Screen capture. Paramount Pictures. (Photo by CBS via Getty Images) | CBS via Getty Images
Record: 45-45. Pace: 81-81. Change on 2025: +1.
The Diamondbacks jumped on Padres starter Walker Buehler early. They scored six runs in the first three innings, and despite this being a Brandon Pfaadt start, were just able to hold on for victory. The win put Arizona back in sole possession of second place in the NL West, and also brought them back to a .500 record for the fifteenth time this year. That stat is for ChefAZ.
The D-backs took the lead while, I suspect, a sizeable number of fans were watching Team USA’s exit from the World Cup at the hands feet of Belgium. Yes, them again. Ketel Marte wasted little time, tripling on a misplayed ball off the wall in center at Petco. Geraldo Perdomo them wore the next pitch to put runners on the corner, and an errant pick off throw by Buehler allowed the D-backs to bypass the whole, tricky “hitting with RISP” thing. Two outs later, Max Kepler did the whole, tricky “hitting with RISP” thing, scoring Perdomo for a 2-0 Diamondbacks edge. But that was just an amuse bouche for the main course, delivered by Buehler in the fourth.
It was the epitome of the “That escalated quickly” meme from every San Diegan’s favorite movie, Anchorman. With one out, Corbin Carroll squirted one down the left-field line for a double. Five pitches later, it was 6-0 to Arizona. In short order, Gabriel Moreno singled, Lourdes Gurriel had an RBI knock and Max Kepler cranked his first home-run as a Diamondback, a three-run shot. It was a no-doubter, a 417 foot blast to right. Wasn’t the end of the fireworks for Arizona, as Geraldo Perdomo went deep (home-run #6 for him) in the fourth, and Nolan Arenado reached double-digits with his tenth of the year. All three homers are above.
Arenado joins Marte and Carroll in that club. After a rough June (196/.255/.299 for a .554 OPS), it’d be nice to get Nolan back on track. Speaking on “back on track”, Brandon Pfaadt delivered his best outing of the season. Indeed, the Game Score of 65 was his second-highest since July 18 last year. The only better was, of course, his incomplete game shutout against the Giants in September. Tonight, he pitched five scoreless, with no walks and six strikeouts. He did allow four hits, and just had a single clean inning. But all of the knocks were singles, and he didn’t face a single batter with a runner in scoring position. He could have gone longer, but is still being stretched back out. He threw 66 in his first game back and reached 72 tonight.
Add to his previous outing, and Pfaadt has allowed one run over 10.1 innings since his return. Small sample size, to be sure, and tonight’s opposition aren’t exactly a challenge. Indeed, the Padres came in to this game, already with the lowest OPS+ in the National League, at just 87. But with the loss of Michael Soroka, and the continued absence of Corbin Burnes, the Arizona rotation needs all the help it can get. His next outing will be a bit tougher. That’ll be on Saturday against the Dodgers and their 117 OPS+, best in the majors by a full seven points. The results there should tell us whether this shiny new version of Brandon is genuine or an illusion.
Both starters tonight did the five and dive, though for Pfaadt it was understandable. The struggles of Buehler continue, his ERA now above five this year (5.07). I guess at least he’s cheap, a $1.5 million guaranteed contract from the Padres. He simply hasn’t been the same since he had Tommy John in August 2022, his ERA since then also above five (5.09), compared to just 3.02 before the procedure. It’s a bit of a sobering thought, and let’s hope our pitchers are able to come back strong. It must be said, it was Buehler’s second TJ. Then again, that’s also the case for Justin Martinez. We’ll see…
Anyway, the game pretty much was over with Kepler’s shot in the third inning. After Pfaadt, Ryan Thompson and Drew Jameson each tossed a pair of shutout frames, and Arizona completed the shutout with a K:BB ratio of 11:0. It’s the first time they’ve done that (or better) since September 21, 2024, when they beat the Brewers 5-0 with a K:BB of 13:0. It’s only the fourth time in franchise history they’ve done it, while also scoring 8+ runs. The last such game was also against San Diego, a 9-0 win on April 21, 2023, where Zac Gallen, Miguel Castro and Joe Mantiply combined on a two-hitter with a 13:0 K:BB. Yeah, can you tell I had lots of spare time for research in this one?
The Diamondbacks got eleven hits, with two apiece for Perdomo, Gabriel Moreno (who also drew the team’s only walk) and Kepler, the last-named also driving in four runs. Arizona were 4-for-9 with RISP, which is certainly better than they have been doing. The victory keeps them in touch for the wild-card, where they are 3.5 games back of the Marlins. Though of the six teams above them, only the Cardinals and Phillies lost.
Click here for details, at Fangraphs.com Maximus Decimus Meridius: Max Kepler, +22% Antonius Proximo: Pfaadt, +14%; Marte, +11%
Commodus: Nolan Arenado, -4%
A very enjoyable Gameday Thread, which was probably needed as a welcome palate cleanser after the football ended Belgium 4, Waffles 1. Conversation was wide-ranging, covering topics such as entertainment options in Ancient Rome, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and medieval German astronomers. Never say the SnakePit is not educational. Comment of the night to Dano, who has probably been awaiting a chance to make this comment, ever since the signing was announced…
A good start to this four game set, making at least a split very likely. Back at it from San Diego tomorrow night, with another 6:40 pm first pitch. Zac Gallen will be starting that one, so… Yeah. Not exactly getting my hopes up, but we’ll see!
In this week’s Injury Report, Byron Buxton aggravated a lingering hip injury, putting his status for the All-Star Game in jeopardy. Connelly Early’s breakout rookie campaign has hit a roadblock with an elbow injury. And Mike Trout is expected to return this week following a three-week absence with a hamstring strain. All that and more as we cover all of the most relevant injury news around baseball.
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Byron Buxton (hip)
Buxton was held out of the lineup all last week with a right hip impingement and didn’t return until Saturday. He was then removed from Sunday’s contest against the Yankees after sliding into second on a steal attempt in the first inning. It seems he might’ve aggravated the hip injury on the play. Given that he missed a handful of games with the issue, he may not be able to avoid the injured list this time around, especially with the All-Star break coming up, which will allow him some extra rest. Though we should get some clarity on Tuesday before the team’s series opener against the Guardians in Minnesota. Buxton was elected to his first All-Star game, hitting .271/.328/.304 with 25 homers, 57 runs, 45 RBI, and seven steals across 335 plate appearances.
Junior Caminero’s power binge continues, the Cubs are in rollercoaster mode, and the Twins pull off a rare feat.
D.J. Short
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Connelly Early (elbow)
Early departed 61 pitches into last Tuesday’s start against the Nationals with left elbow discomfort and was placed on the 15-day injured list as he undergoes further evaluation. Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy told reporters that Early was dealing with posterior left elbow inflammation. He then mentioned on Friday that Early would be seeing a specialist for a second opinion. Tracy did downplay the second visit, but it’s still a worrisome development nonetheless. We should get an update on Early’s status and potential timeline in the coming days.
Ryan Helsley (elbow)
Helsley was supposed to make an appearance last Wednesday against the White Sox, but was held out after experiencing right elbow discomfort during his warmup. He had already missed six weeks due to right elbow inflammation and made five appearances over 10 days before the renewed discomfort. The Orioles placed Helsley back on the 15-day injured list without a clear timetable. Tyler Wells has converted the first two saves in his absence.
Mike Trout (hamstring)
Trout has been sidelined since June 18 with a right hamstring strain. He was reportedly able to run the bases with no issues prior to Sunday’s game against the Red Sox and hopes to be activated this week, likely Tuesday or Wednesday. The 34-year-old outfielder has been voted as a starter for the American League in this year’s All-Star Game in Philadelphia, and he’s trending towards participating in what would be his 11th Midsummer Classic.
Edwin Diaz (elbow)
Diaz reportedly came away feeling “way better than early in the season” following a live bullpen session before Sunday’s game against the Padres. He was particularly encouraged by the swing and miss he was able to generate on his fastball during the session. The 32-year-old right-hander seems to be on track to return shortly after the All-Star break and should step back into closing duties for the Dodgers.
Vinnie Pasquantino (hand)
Some encouraging news on Pasquantino. The 28-year-old first baseman will begin a minor league rehab assignment with Triple-A Omaha on Tuesday after rehabbing his broken hamate bone at the Royals’ spring training complex in Arizona. Pasquantino has been sidelined since mid-June with a hamate bone fracture in his right hand, but could make it back before next week’s All-Star break.
Brandon Woodruff (shoulder)
Woodruff was in the middle of his third start back from the injured list before departing Saturday’s game against the Diamondbacks in the fourth inning with an aggravation of his shoulder injury. His velocity was down to 87 mph as he left the contest. The Brewers placed the 33-year-old right-hander back on the 15-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation. Woodruff had missed nearly two months during his previous stint on the injured list. A similar timeline would put him back sometime in mid-to-late August.
Ranger Suarez (adductor)
Suarez was pulled from Sunday’s game against the Angels in the third inning with an injury after trying to field a grounder. The team stated he departed with left adductor tightness. If he’s placed on the injured list prior to Tuesday’s season opener against the White Sox, he may miss only one start in the rotation with next week’s All-Star break on the horizon.
Jeremy Pena (calf)
It looks like it may just be a minimum stint on the injured list for Pena. The 28-year-old shortstop is set to begin a minor league rehab assignment with Triple-A Sugar Land on Tuesday. He’s been on the injured list since June 30 with a left calf strain and will be eligible to return on Friday. As long as he can come out of a couple of rehab games with no setbacks, he should be ready to join Houston when first eligible.
Brendan Donovan (groin)
Donovan is another player starting a rehab assignment this week. The 29-year-old infielder has been cleared to begin his minor league assignment on Tuesday. He’s been out of action since mid-May with a groin strain. It’s unclear how many games Donovan will need before he’s ready to return to the Seattle lineup after missing nearly two months. His return will raise some lineup questions, with Colt Emerson now handling shortstop duties, Cole Young playing well at second, and J.P. Crawford at the hot corner. But Donovan could move all around the diamond, including some time in the outfield.
Max Fried (elbow)
Add Fried to the growing list of players on the mend. According to Yankees manager Aaron Boone, the 32-year-old left-hander is close to making a minor league rehab start after another bullpen session or two. Fried has been on the injured list since May 14 with a bone bruise in his left elbow. He’d likely need a couple of rehab outings before returning to the Yankees’ rotation, but it seems like fantasy managers can expect him back shortly following the All-Star break.
Jul 6, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (27) throws to starting pitcher Kevin Gausman (34) for an out at first base against the San Francisco Giants in the third inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images | Eakin Howard-Imagn Images
Jays 1 Giants 10
I don’t know….
At least in the past we were able to make the easy defensive plays. But tonight, we couldn’t even do that.
Andrés Giménez made an error. Kazuma Okamoto made an official, had another that should have been an error and made a lousy play on a throw into third which was just a bad mistake, too bad to be called an error. Kirk made a poor throw to second, and Ernie Clement made a worse home back to home.
Kevin Gausman wasn’t great. He wasn’t as bad as the score made him look, but he wasn’t great. 5.1 innings, 5 hits, 7 runs, 4 earned, 5 walks and 8 strikeouts. Yeah the defense didn’t help him out and two of his earned runs came after he left the game.
Tommy Nance came in with two on and one out and gave up a home run. Two runs added to Kevin’s line and one to Nance.
And Adam Macko gave up a 2-run homer in the eighth.
We managed three hits. Clement, Nathan Lukes and Okamoto had one each, Okamoto’s a home run, giving us our first in 29 innings?
No Jays of the Day. Clement had the high mark at 0.05 WPA, but that didn’t count the wide throw home.
Other Award: Gausman (-0.21). And really the batters all deserve one. Lukes had the low mark (-0.08).
Tomorrow is game two with the Giants….Someone will be opener, and Spencer Miles will be the bulk guy. Lefty Noah Schultz (2-5, 5.86) starts for SF.
D.J. Short
