Category: Baseball

With the Cubs/Mariners game not happening until 9:10 p.m. CT tonight, I thought I’d take a bit of time today to address something that’s bothered me recently.

To wit: The claims by many fans that “Tom Ricketts is cheap!”

Yes, it is true that the Cubs have not spent as much money as, say, the Dodgers or Mets. I’ll show later how the Dodgers have financial advantages that the Cubs do not. The Mets — how’s all that spending working out for them?

In fact, in recent years the Cubs have, in fact, spent money to improve the team, and you can see that improvement in the 2026 edition.

Dansby Swanson was part of the four-shortstop class in the 2022-23 offseason that included Carlos Correa, Trea Turner and Xander Bogaerts. Swanson signed a deal for the least total money of those four — seven years, $177 million. Correa’s deal was for six years and $200 million with the Twins, and now he’s back with his original team, the Astros. Turner’s with the Phillies was for 11 years and $300 million. Bogaert signed with the Padres for 11 years and $280 million.

You can make an argument — and I am now going to make that argument — that the Swanson deal is the best of the four. Swanson has posted 16.9 bWAR in his four years with the Cubs, and of course he’s injured now and likely won’t add much (if anything) to that the rest of this year. That’s an average of 4.2 bWAR per season.

Since Correa signed that deal, he’s been worth 7.7 bWAR and been injured a lot more than Swanson.

Turner has posted 12.3 bWAR for the Phillies, which included a fifth-place MVP finish in 2025 and a batting title.

And Bogaerts has just 8.8 bWAR in San Diego and his power numbers are way down from his Boston days.

So yeah. I’m making the argument that Swanson’s deal was the best of the four, getting more value for less money.

And that’s part of my point here — you don’t have to just spend the most money to get the best performance.

Further, the Cubs did sign someone who was arguably the top free agent last offseason, Alex Bregman, for five years and $175 million, the highest AAV in team history. After a very, very, VERY slow start, Bregman has hit extremely well for the last few weeks — .306/.380/.582 (41-for-134) over his last 33 games with 10 doubles, nine home runs, 26 RBI and 27 runs scored. He’s at 3.8 bWAR and might have a 5 WAR season in him yet, and I’d bet by the end of the year his OPS will be around .800 (it’s currently .749). And he’s got a good chance to win his second Gold Glove.

So that’s not “cheap.” Right?

Further, the Cubs signed two cornerstones of the franchise to long-term extensions earlier this year. Nico Hoerner likely retires having never played a game for another team with his six-year, $141 million deal. Pete Crow-Armstrong’s six-year, $115 million extension sure looks like money well spent.

Think back a few years. What if Jed Hoyer had signed Anthony Rizzo, Javier Báez and Kris Bryant to extensions instead of breaking up the World Series core group, as many wanted the team to do at the time? What a disaster that would have been. Bryant’s Rockies deal is one of the worst free-agent signings ever, Báez has been mediocre in Detroit and Rizzo played one full year and two partial years in New York before having to retire, likely due to multiple concussions.

There is one player from that core that the Cubs should have kept around. Yes, of course Hoyer and Ricketts should have extended Kyle Schwarber instead of non-tendering him, one of the worst player personnel decisions in franchise history. Granted and stipulated.

But apart from that, if you’re calling Tom Ricketts “cheap,” why? The words “intelligent spending” have been mocked after Hoyer said them a few years back, but what’s wrong with doing that?

Here’s what I think, and I could be wrong, and please feel free to correct me if my perception is not right: It seems to me that many of the folks yelling “Ricketts is cheap” are likely saying that because they think the Cubs should just sign the most expensive free agent on the market with no regard to how that player fits the team, or budgets, or anything. Just spend the most! How’d that work out for the Dodgers with Kyle Tucker?

The example for next offseason, of course, is Tarik Skubal, generally recognized as the top free agent for 2026-27. Would YOU pay Skubal the $400 million deal he’s been rumored to be worth? I, personally, would not. Skubal’s a very good pitcher, no doubt, but I don’t see him as a generational talent like Clayton Kershaw, Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander are. And Skubal has an injury history. Yes, he’ll likely sign with the Dodgers, and while his three starts to date in L.A. have been good, I don’t see them as the overwhelmingly dominant thing that, say, Jacob Misiorowski is doing in Milwaukee. Just wait until Miz becomes a free agent — if the Brewers let him get that far. Milwaukee doesn’t spend much, as you know, but for Misiorowski, perhaps they will.

I mentioned above the Dodgers’ financial advantage. Of course, that comes not only from their 25-year, $8 billion TV deal, but from this:

The Dodgers have that from the bankruptcy filed by previous ownership 15 years ago — and yet they keep that advantage for another 13 years beyond now! An extra $66 million per year would certainly help the Cubs, no?

In any case, the Cubs’ luxury tax payroll, per Spotrac, currently ranks eighth in MLB, just a couple million dollars behind the Padres in seventh and $9 million behind the Red Sox in sixth. That doesn’t say “cheap” to me.

Tom Ricketts, Crane Kenney and Jed Hoyer have put together a strong, winning team and they all know how great the postseason atmosphere was at Wrigley Field last year. Here’s hoping for a longer postseason run from the not-cheap Cubs in 2026.

Things were looking dicey after the Phillies visited St. Louis earlier this month. The bloom seemed to be off the Luis Arraez rose as the trade deadline acquisition had a rough series and the Phillies scored a total of one run over the final two games.

The struggles were a bit misleading, as the Phillies were getting runners on base. But they went a combined 1-15 with runners in scoring position and hit into four double plays across the two games.

Things could have gone sideways after that. The Phillies’ veteran hitters could have decided to scrap their newfound patient approach at the plate. Instead, they’ve stuck with it, and the offense has largely thrived. Since that series, the Phillies have averaged 6.5 runs per game, and not coincidentally, have won every one of them.

They’ll now welcome the Cardinals to Philadelphia, and hope that their offense can continue to get runners on base. And maybe this time around, they can avoid hitting into too many of those pesky double plays.

Opposition research: Jordan Walker

Before the season, most Phillies fans were probably unfamiliar with Jordan Walker. Despite being rated as a top five prospect, Walker had a rough first three years in the major. He put up negative WAR in each season for a grand total of -2.6 wins, and it looked like he might be a bust.

While he’s still not regarded as a good fielder, Walker’s bat has lived up to expectations this season. He’s got an OPS of .854 with 26 home runs and was named to the National League’s All-Star team. As Phillies fans know, he was part of the Home Run Derby field as well.

In one of the best Derbies ever – thanks in large part to the enthusiastic Citizens Bank Park crowd – Walker put on an amazing late run to steal the title from hometown hero Kyle Schwarber.

As expected, he was booed by the partisan crowd, but this wasn’t the type of boos that true villains like Orlando Arcia. or Francisco Lindor receive from the Philly faithful. These were more like the boos that Joe Carter always received in Philadelphia post-1993: Boos of respect. Yes, you beat us, and we’re not happy about it, but we can appreciate what you did. It didn’t hurt that his father was being delightful, and Walker seems to understand exactly why the crowd was booing him.

If Walker wants to become a true Philadelphia villain, he’ll have to do better against them than he has thus far in this career. He has a lifetime OPS of .543, although to be fair, he struggled against a lot of teams before this season. But it’s not like he hurt them badly when they faced off in St. Louis, going just 3-11.

He’s assuredly going to hear some booing from the crowd every time he steps to the plate this weekend. Let’s see if he can show that he truly deserves it.

Hating on the Cardinals

The Cardinals are hanging on in the NL Wild Card race, sitting three games out of the final spot. I guess that’s what you get when you have a slightly below average offense and a slightly above average pitching staff. This feels like one of the most .500 rosters in baseball, but being around .500 gets you right in the mix for the final playoff spot this year.

Do we really need this type of mediocre team in the playoffs? Do we really need the national television announcers raving about how wonderful the St. Louis fans are as the team gets promptly eliminated in the Wild Card series?

No, we do not.

Non-Phillies thought

WARNING: MILD SPOILERS FOR EPISODE ONE OF LANTERS

I watched the first episode of Lanterns and thought it was great. That said, I do have some concerns for the series going forward:

• The series might run into the problem where the more interesting story seemed to happen off screen. (Jupiter’s Legacy was the worst offender of this if anyone even remembers that show.) I know that this show isn’t about the adventures of Hal Jordan before he became jaded, but it feels like that might have been cool to see.
• They might Surf Dracula John Stewart as Green Lantern. He’s supposed to be a main character in the DCU going forward, but this entire series might just be set up for that.

Honestly, television kind of sucks anymore. We used to get 22-episode seasons of shows that would start promptly in September every year. Now, we get six-to-ten-episode seasons that are somehow less condensed in their storytelling, and we often have to wait a few years before the next season arrives.

Trivia

Last week’s answer: The final RBI of the 2025 regular season was a game-winning sacrifice fly by Nick Castellanos. SLDH was correct.

This week’s question: Since Citizens Bank Park opened in 2004, two Cardinals players have had two multi-home run games at the stadium. Who were they?

Additional thought about the series

I’ll be at the game on Saturday. I tried to get tickets for Friday, but because of the Kyle Schwarber bobblehead giveaway, the secondary market was extremely expensive.

Speaking of Schwarber, it would be nice if he started hitting consistently well again. He only has five home runs since the All-Star Game, and four of them came in two games. And no, this is not because the Home Run Derby “ruined his swing.” He goes through stretches like this every season where he’ll have a lot of empty plate appearances broken up by a multi-home run game.

Since I’ll be there on Saturday, I wouldn’t hate it if that multi-home run night happened then.

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It'll be a pitcher's duel today, and we're riding the Under in my Angels vs. Rangers predictions as a result.

Yes, Reid Detmers of the Los Angeles Angels and Texas Rangers' MacKenzie Gore both have outstanding numbers in this matchup, leading me to believe runs will be hard to come by.

Let’s dive into my MLB picks for August 21, and fatten that wallet before the weekend.

Who will win Angels vs Rangers today: Angels Moneyline (+124)

This is all about the value we're seeing for an even matchup.

I'd price this closer to +105 after the Los Angeles Angels took two of three against the Houston Astros and two of three against these Texas Rangers the week before. Yes, the Angels are on a run - especially after scoring 18 runs last night against the Astros' staff. 

Reid Detmers has also has the Rangers' number, striking them out at a 36% clip while limiting them to a .197 xBA across 107 plate appearances. That will play tonight.

COVERS INTEL: While MacKenzie Gore has pitched extremely well against the Angels, Vaughan Grissom has had tremendous success against him, going 5-for-12 with a .314 xBA against the lefty.

Angels vs Rangers Over/Under pick: Under 7.5 (-121)

Not only is this a fantastic pitching matchup, but the trends are on our side here, too. The Under is 9-2 in the Rangers' last 11 home games against a team with a losing record, which bodes extremely well for a low-scoring affair in this spot.

We know about Detmers, but Gore is still punching this Angels lineup out at a 27% rate while limiting them to a .257 xwOBA. Runs will be difficult to come by tonight in Texas.

Angels vs Rangers home run prediction: Mike Trout (+414)

Mike Trout is only 2-for-9 versus Gore in his career, but has hit a homer against him and owns a .465 xSLG in this specific matchup.

Trout has been in a power drought as of late, but his last homer came on August 10 - against Gore. Let's fire him up at this price to do it again.

Angels vs Rangers weather

Globe Life Field has a retractable roof, so the weather will not be impacting game conditions tonight.

Angels vs Rangers odds

• Moneyline: Angels (+124) | Rangers (-133)
• Run line: Angels +1.5 (-170) | Rangers -1.5 (+163)
• Over/Under: Over 7.5 (+113) | Under 7.5 (-117)

Angels vs Rangers trend

The Under is 5-0 in the Angels' last five road games vs. a team with a losing record. Find more MLB betting trends for Angels vs Rangers.

How to watch Angels vs Rangers and game info

Angels vs Rangers latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Two years after Jackson County voters resoundingly rejected a ballot measure that would have increased sales taxes to fund a new stadium for the Royals, Kansas City's city council approved $600 million in tax-free bonds for a baseball stadium project that's expected to receive $1.14 billion in public funds from the city and state of Missouri.

The agreement passed by the city's finance committee and approved by an 11-2 council vote also stipulates that the Royals "have no obligation to repay or otherwise support payment of” city-backed bonds, leaving the city to cover shortfalls. That's a key stipulation given the risk involved to the city and the potential for bonds to create a "debt bomb" for municipalities.

The proposed 30-year lease also allows the Royals to seek more public funding for major stadium renovations in the future while paying $1 annually in rent.

Royals owner John Sherman hailed the deal as a landmark public-private investment for Kansas City, saying a stadium "will bring Royals baseball to the center of the city, creating jobs, housing and year-round economic activity, advancing Kansas City's terrific momentum," according to KCUR.

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The Seattle Mariners continue to fight for a spot in the AL Wild Card race, but they’ll need to go through a tough Chicago Cubs team this weekend to make up ground.

The Cubs enter the contest as the +104 road dog, but I believe that their electric offense will give them the edge in my Cubs vs. Mariners predictions and free MLB picks for Friday, Aug. 21.

Who will win Cubs vs Mariners today: Cubs (+101)

The Seattle Mariners are banking on Emerson Hancock to have a big night on the mound, but the Chicago Cubs won’t make it easy on him.

Hancock relies heavily on his four-seamer, which he throws nearly 40% of the time. Chicago ranks eighth in SLG (.481) against that pitch from righties this month, and third in BB/K (0.90).

Matthew Boyd has not been quite as good as Hancock, but his matchup is preferable. The Mariners rank last in team average (.215) and SLG (.339) against left-handed pitching, and 29th in wOBA (.286).

Chicago is great value up to -105 tonight.

COVERS INTEL: Boyd throws his changeup more than a quarter of the time, and that’ll be the key vs. Seattle. The Mariners own a .190 average (29th) and .237 wOBA (26th) vs. left-handed changeups.

Cubs vs Mariners Over/Under pick:  Over 7.5 (-117)

Hancock is having a great season, but the Cubs own the second-best offense in MLB (5.13 runs per game), and they could be his kryptonite.

Hancock sits in the 31st percentile in hard-hit%, but has managed to hold a respectable 1.1 HR/9. However, the ball might not stay in the yard against the Cubs, who are one of the best home run-hitting clubs in baseball (164 HR; 8th).

Boyd will also be susceptible to Seattle’s bats – he has a 6.16 ERA over his last three starts, and Chicago has cashed the Over in each of those outings.

I’m taking the Over up to -125.

Cubs vs Mariners home run prediction: Pete Crow-Armstrong (+309)

Pete Crow-Armstrong is having another fantastic season with 31 dingers, already equal to last year’s output, while ranking in the 99th percentile in batting run value and 89th percentile in barrel %.

PCA has gone yard four times in his last four contests, and he matches up well against Hancock. The Cubs slugger has nine dingers against right-handed four-seamers this season, tied for the ninth most in the majors.

Cubs vs Mariners weather

T-Mobile Park is expected to see overcast skies, with temperatures dropping as low as 71 degrees. Wind will not be a factor tonight.

Cubs vs Mariners odds

• Moneyline: Cubs +104 | Mariners -108
• Run line: Cubs -1.5 (+163) | Mariners -1.5 (-170)
• Over/Under: Over 7.5 (-117) | Under 7.5 (+113)

Cubs vs Mariners trend

The Cubs have hit the moneyline in 22 of their last 30 away games (+13.65 Units / 38% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Cubs vs Mariners.

How to watch Cubs vs Mariners and game info

Cubs vs Mariners latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Heading into the second Crosstown series of the season — and this one with much more anticipation of success for the White Sox than the one back in May — it seemed a good time to review our very favorite moments of interleague play between the two Chicago teams.

Understanding that there are multitudes of such moments, we tried to curate the five best:

Unsurprisingly, it was “The Punch” — incorporating a brawl, a catcher getting plowed over at home plate, ejections, and ultimately a White Sox rout — that still resonates most with us. Brett was at the game, and lost his voice completely from screaming through the brawl. What a game.

The national question this week involved the case for run differential correlating to team success. This year’s Detroit Tigers are the poster team for laughing away the power of run diff:

Of course, there are reasons for a team underperforming its run differential, including one or two big routs for wins, consistently playing close in losses, bad luck … or even managerial underperformance. Here’s to you, A.J. Hinch, and the eventual firing of your cheating self!

Did you miss out on this round of questions? No worry, sign up here to participate in our weekly emailed surveys, and have your White Sox voice be heard!

This week’s Reacts is brought to you by FanDuel.

1901
While they were the most prodigious team entering the major leagues in this year, the White Sox still could not avoid major controversy before the summer was out.

Two Sox players were suspended after attacking umpire Jack Haskell in the fourth inning of a 8-0 loss at Washington. When Senators third baseman Bill Coughlin drew a walk to fill the bases on a disputed ball-four call, White Sox shortstop Frank Shugart punched Haskell, and starting pitcher Jack Katoll beaned Haskell in the leg during the fight. Both players were not only ejected by Haskell, the only umpire on the field, but the Washington, D.C. police intervened and both players were arrested.

Clark Griffith was summoned for emergency relief — in 1901, White Sox starters finished 110 of 137 games, so a bullpen was a nascent concept — and immediately served up a bases-clearing triple to Billy Clingman.

Katoll was suspended for 11 games and Shugart for 23. Katoll returned in September strong, appearing in six games with a 2.49 ERA. Shugart, on the other hand, returned in mid-September, hit just .171 to finish the season, and was blacklisted from MLB after the season.

1915
The White Sox acquired Shoeless Joe Jackson from Cleveland for $31,500 (almost a million today) along with pitcher Ed Klepfer, outfielder Braggo Roth and a player to be named later. This incredible trade for the White Sox was the first they’d ever made with Cleveland.

Klepfer had seen scant time with the White Sox in 1915 but pitched to a 2.84 ERA (109 ERA+) in three games, and would improve in Cleveland (2.09 ERA despite a 1-6 record in eight games). Roth, just 22, had started out fairly well in left field and at third base during his first full season in Chicago (.734 OPS, 117 OPS+) but exploded once he got to Cleveland (.906 OPS, shifting exclusively to center field). Though he clouted just seven home runs, Roth led the AL in round-trippers in 1915. (Yes, Bill Melton in 1971 winning the first-ever White Sox home run title is only partially true.)

Klepfer and Roth were no middling players, combining for 14.4 WAR over their five full seasons (two Kelpfer, three Roth) with Cleveland. (And on Valentine’s Day, 1916, the trade was completed when the White Sox sent little-used left fielder Larry Chappell east.)

However, the prize of the trade was Jackson, who already built the foundation of a Hall of Fame career in just four full seasons in Cleveland (finishing no lower than ninth in MVP voting each year). Though he would similarly play just four full seasons with the White Sox (losing almost all of 1918 to World War I), Shoeless Joe continued his strong play on the South Side, combining for 27.8 WAR while still peaking as a superstar. All his promise was lost, however, when ensnared in the Black Sox scandal, Jackson was banned for life from MLB after the 1920 season. He was just 33 years old.

Jackson, despite the “Black Sox” scandal, is still considered one of the greatest hitters in baseball history. Babe Ruth said he modeled his swing after Jackson’s, and Ty Cobb said Jackson was the best hitter he ever saw. Joe hit .356 for his career in the major leagues.

1926
Ted Lyons fired a no-hitter in beating Boston, 6-0, at Fenway Park. The Red Sox only had two baserunners in the game, one on a walk and the other on an error by shortstop Bill Hunnefield, who fumbled a ground ball and then threw high to first base.

Lyons’ no-hitter took just 81 pitches, delivered over 67 minutes.

Lyons, a future Hall-of-Famer, won 260 games in a 21-year career, all with the White Sox. His No. 16 was retired by the club in 1987. 

1933
Despite sitting in sixth place in the AL, 25 games out of first, and 16 1⁄2 behind the second-place Yankees, the White Sox battled New York to a 3-3 tie … over 18 innings!

Neither team scored all game, until the top of the ninth when Lou Gehrig put the Bombers ahead with an RBI single. Red Kress answered that scoring tap with a sacrifice fly to tie it in the bottom half.

The game went back to zeroes until the 12th, when the Yankees plated two. Faced with certain defeat, the White Sox again rallied, scoring twice on a one-out Evar Swanson single. But New York wriggled out of the rally with an inning-ending double play, and neither team scored again.

Herb Pennock went 10 innings in relief for New York, in fact blowing the save in the ninth inning for them, while Red Faber went seven innings in relief of Milt Gaston, who threw the first 11 and faced 43 batters.

While the tie game still ranks in a tie for the 10th-longest game in White Sox history, it is NOT the sole, longest tie in team annals — the South Siders tied at Baltimore, 1-1, in 1959 and 6-6 hosting these same Yankees (Highlanders) in 1903.

1959
It was Nellie Fox Night at Comiskey Park, as in the midst of a pennant race, the White Sox honored their second baseman and future Hall-of-Famer. Fox was given a new boat, shotgun and other presents, and teared up when he spoke to the home crowd. He’d go on to become the American League’s MVP in 1959, hitting .306 with 70 RBIs. 

On this night he went 0-for-3 with a run scored in a 5-4 win over Washington before almost 37,986 fans.

1965
With a long ball leading off the sixth inning of an eventual 7-6 win at Kansas City, Moose Skowron hit his 200th career home run. The clout but the White Sox up, 4-2, but the game was far from over — even after the White Sox added two runs in the top of the ninth to go up, 6-3, the Athletics fought back for three in the bottom half to tie. K.C. ended up tying the game off of three White Sox pitchers (including the dual relief aces, Eddie Fisher and Hoyt Wilhelm), rallying for their three runs on two hit batsmen, a ground out, two wild pitches, two advances by defensive indifference, a single, a stolen base, a walk and a passed ball.

The White Sox pushed ahead, 7-6, in the 11th by stringing three singles together, the GWRBI coming from Al Weis. Moose went 2-for-3 in the game, with a homer and a triple.

1973
White Sox pitcher Stan Bahnsen took a no-hitter into the ninth inning against Cleveland. After getting the first two outs, former Sox outfielder Walt Williams got a ground-ball single to left, past third baseman Bill Melton. Inexplicably, Melton was playing in, anticipating a possible bunt from Williams — who later said that under no circumstances would he try to break up a no-hitter by bunting late in the game. 

Stan then got the final out, finishing with a one-hitter and striking out four in the 4-0 win.

2005
The White Sox tied their club record by hitting four home runs in a single inning, in this instance the fourth. It happened off of the Yankees’ Randy Johnson in a 6-2 win at U.S. Cellular Field. The four who went deep were Tadahito Iguchi, Aaron Rowand, Paul Konerko and Chris Widger. Iguchi, Rowand and Konerkowent back-to-back-to-back.

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The weekend has almost arrived, and I have my three favorite home run props and predictions for tonight's MLB slate up and ready, with Fernando Tatis Jr. and Griffin Conine as the highlights.

Here are my favorite MLB picks for Friday, Aug. 21.

Best MLB home run props today

Player to hit a HR	Odds
Randal Grichuk	+414
Fernando Tatis Jr.	+456
Griffin Conine	+388
💲Today's HR parlay	+1956

Home run pick: Randal Grichuk (+414)

Despite the looming concern of Chicago White Sox outfielder Randal Grichuk being pinch hit for this evening, he's still an incredible option to go yard against New York Mets left-hander Sean Manaea.

Grichuk enters Friday as one of the highest-rated hitters on Batters-Box, covering over 91% of Manaea's arsenal. In his last 30 plate appearances against left-handed hitters, he owns a .828 SLG and .380 ISO while generating a 50% hard-hit rate, 12.5% barrel rate, and 29.5% ground-ball rate.

The Mets left-hander has been struggling against right-handed hitters, and the last 60 he's faced are producing a 51.5% hard-hit rate, 15.2% barrel rate, and 24.2% ground-ball rate, in addition to a .360 xBA and .755 xSLG.

Despite the possibility of Grichuk being taken out of the game early, he's still a strong option. Take this down to +400 at the most.

• Time: 7:40 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: CHSN, WPIX

Home run pick: Fernando Tatis Jr. (+456)

A man we've all been waiting to see turn it up this season is San Diego Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr., who enters Friday with the third-highest matchup rating in this game over on Batters-Box. Tatis Jr. has been seeing the ball extremely well over his last 10 outings, owning a .765 SLG and .500 ISO while generating a 54.8% hard-hit rate and 25.8% barrel rate.

The Padres' slugger draws Minnesota Twins left-hander Connor Prielipp, who owns a 7.71 ERA against his last 30 right-handed hitters faced. He's allowing those hitters to produce a 50% hard-hit rate, 11.1% barrel rate, and 61.1% elevation rate during that stretch. Opponents also own a .343 xBA, .636 xSLG, and .231 ISO across that span.

With how well Tatis Jr. has been hitting the ball, this price is simply too great to pass up. Take this down to +420.

• Time: 9:40 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: MNNT, SDPA

Home run pick: Griffin Conine (+388)

In a slate peppered with aces and hitters in tough spots to go yard, one man on the Miami Marlins has been firing missiles lately, and it's Griffin Conine. He's producing a 65% hard-hit rate, 25% barrel rate, and just a 25% ground-ball rate over his last 10 games, while owning a .767 SLG and .434 ISO.

On top of that, the Marlins' slugger enters today with the highest matchup rating in the current season dataset. Through 13 home games with an elite rating, he's gone deep 23% of the time.

Conine draws Washington Nationals right-hander Brad Lord, who has allowed left-handed hitters to bat .269 with a .444 SLG and .827 OPS this season. Additionally, Conine covers over 88% of Lord's arsenal.

With the way the ball is coming off the outfielder's bat lately, this is a great spot for him to go deep.

• Time: 7:10 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: NATS, MIAM

Today’s HR combo

Randal Grichuk	Trade Now +1956
Fernando Tatis Jr.
Griffin Conine

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We’ve entered the top echelon of the mid-season 2026 Purple Row Prospects (PuRPs) list. Previously we had PuRPs 30-26, 25-21, 20-16, 15-11, and 10-7. As a reminder, in this edition of the PuRPs poll, 29 qualifying ballots were cast, with 30 points granted for a first place vote, 29 for second, etc.

For each player on the PuRPs list, I’ll include a link to individual stats and contract status (via Baseball-Reference), PuRPs voting stats, a note on the 2026 season to date, and a scouting report from a national prospect writer where possible. I’ll also include where I put each player on my personal ballot. All ages are as of the date the article is posted.

6. Zac Veen (685 points, 29 ballots) — Preseason Ranking: 9 — High Ballot 3; Mode Ballot 5

How did he enter the organization?

2020 First Round, Port Orange HS (FL)

Why did he make the PuRPs list?

A star ceiling was promised when Veen was made the ninth-overall pick in the 2020 draft and signed for a slightly above-slot value $5 million. The 24-year-old lefty-swinging, righty-throwing outfielder certainly has been a Triple-A star this year and has performed well so far at the Major League level since his promotion last week.

The big story this spring, courtesy of Thomas Harding at MLB.com, was the stunning off-season transformation of Veen. Veen explained that his last few years had been affected by substance abuse issues and that he had recommitted himself to the game, packing on 40 pounds vs. last year. It wasn’t just purported substance abuse that kept Veen in upper minors purgatory for the last five seasons (he’s been at Double-A or above since 2022). Veen has suffered a number of injuries, primarily to his left wrist but also to his back, thumb and ankle, which have sapped him of some of the explosiveness at the plate that was his calling card as an amateur.

Veen fought through injuries in Double-A Hartford between 2022 and 2024, but he finally ascended to Triple-A Albuquerque in late 2024. Veen played in 21 games for Albuquerque down the stretch, hitting a slugging-heavy .220/.281/.476 with six homers and three doubles in 92 plate appearances. That was good enough for Veen to be considered a strong candidate for the Opening Day roster in 2025. While that didn’t quite happen (despite a strong spring training), Veen was up with the Rockies on April 8th after a 5-for-5 game with Albuquerque that included a homer and two doubles.

With the Rockies, Veen played consistently in a two week stint but just didn’t hit very well. In 37 plate appearances across 12 games, Veen had only four hits, though one of them was a homer, en route to a .118/.189/.235 line (4 wRC+, -0.3 rWAR) — a humbling experience in his first taste of the big leagues. Veen returned to Albuquerque in late April for a month, until in late May it was revealed that Veen had been nursing a spring training ankle injury that had hampered his performance (he had hit for just a .481 OPS in May).

That led to a three week absence and a stint on the ACL team to rehab the injury and refine his hitting mechanics to improve his ability to hit high fastballs. Upon his return from that assignment, Veen promptly had a 14-game hitting streak that included eight multi-hit and two four-hit games. In total for 2025, including the ankle-impacted beginning of the season, Veen recovered to hit .289/.354/.468 with 11 homers, five triples, and 23 doubles with 15 steals for Albuquerque in 412 plate appearances — a slightly below average 94 wRC+. He cut his strikeouts five points to 20% of plate appearances while walking 9% of the time. On defense, Veen played all three outfield positions, with the plurality of playing time coming in left field.

This year, Veen was back in Triple-A. After a relatively quiet April (.746 OPS), Veen turned into a menace in Albuquerque with 1.117 OPS in May (.358/.500/.617) then an even bigger June, hitting .366/.385/.782 with seven homers among an absurd 24 extra-base-hits in 104 plate appearances in the month (his 79 total bases led the entire minor leagues for the month). That performance earned Veen the Pacific Coast League Player of the Month honors for June. After Veen cooled down to only a .908 OPS in July, He went supernova again in August, earning back-to-back PCL Player of the Week awards for performances like his game on August 8th, in which Veen was 5-for-5 with three homers, a triple, a double, and seven RBI.

In total, Veen hit a scalding .327/.402/.635 with 24 homers among his 65 extra-base hits, plus 18/20 steals in 445 plate appearances for Albuquerque, good for a 142 wRC+. Veen’s eight triples and 33 doubles on the season both rank in the top ten of all the minor leagues, while his 249 total bases lead the minors. For as long as he’s been in our prospect consciousness, it’s also important to remember that Veen only faced a younger pitcher than him in 13% of plate appearances. On defense, Veen played all three outfield positions with a slight preference going to the corner outfield, committing three errors while recording nine outfield assists on the year.

The Rockies brought Veen up last week and he hit a homer in his first two games of the year. Veen has now played seven games and has produced a .278/.316/.667 line in his first 19 plate appearances, producing 0.2 rWAR and fWAR. One trend to walk is Veen’s walk to strikeout ratio. In the big leagues this year, Veen is whiffing over a third of the time, but in Triple-A he only struck out in 20% of plate appearances while walking nearly 11% of the time. Veen has murdered the ball against right-handers this year, hitting for a 1.129 OPS against them vs. an .835 OPS left-on-left.

Here are some of Veen’s 2026 highlights, which show off all-fields power:

What do the scouts say?

Veen is ranked as a 45 Future Value player by MLB Pipeline, 11th in the system, including a 60 grade on his arm and a 55 grade on running and fielding:

Now playing at age 24, this is a big year for Veen, who needed to mature as a player and a person. The good news is he showed up for Spring Training with a ton of added strength to his 6-foot-3 frame and what seemed to be more intent in going about his business. There’s still offensive upside in his left-handed swing, and 2023 wrist surgery and a 2024 thumb injury certainly did not help him find consistency. There has been some focus in getting him back to the contact-oriented hitter he was early on, with the hope that he’ll get to his raw power more organically without selling out for it with more loft and the elevated strikeout rates that came with that at the upper levels.

Veen has worked with the Rockies on improving his ability to pick up and track balls defensively, with a chance to be a solid corner outfielder. If he can keep on the muscle, something he’s had trouble doing in the past, and maintains his intent, he could finally live up to the promise of being a former top 10 pick. 

FanGraphs ranks Veen 14th in the system as a 40+ FV player, highlighting his plus speed and raw power:

Veen had a tough 2025 season. Though he made his major league debut and smacked his first homer, big league pitchers ate him alive and he was just okay at Triple-A. Moreover, he drew attention to himself in a variety of less than flattering ways, from his marijuana-inspired double celebration to a running joke in the scout section about whether or not he could ready himself for the first pitch of an at-bat without needing to burn his timeout. Veen’s feel for contact had regressed in the upper minors, and long-awaited strength and power development hadn’t materialized. A once-promising career appeared on the skids.

Veen was almost unrecognizable in spring training this year. Per Thomas Harding’s story on MLB.com, over the winter, he made a variety of positive lifestyle changes, including getting sober, gained 40 pounds (he played 2025 at an “unhealthy” 202 pounds), and ditched his colorful hair (the blond and purple look didn’t bother me, though one could argue there was a Nuke-Laloosh-shower-shoes dynamic at play). There’s a lot to digest there, and it remains to be seen how his size in particular changes the equation. He somewhat famously mauled a ball nearly 470 feet this spring, so it seems that there’s a real uptick in his power. His swing remains long, though, and that extra pop won’t suffice to address the 41% whiff rate he posted on spin last year, which is arguably the biggest red flag in his game right now. It’s also unclear at this point whether he’s retained his 70-grade speed, which has been an important part of his game both offensively — he didn’t run as much last year as in previous seasons, but still swiped about a bag per week — and defensively, where quick wheels and reckless abandon compensate for his below-average ball tracking skills. My gut tells me that physically and mentally, Veen is broadly in a better place now. On the field, I’m concerned enough about the bat path and pitch recognition to keep Eric’s topline grade from last cycle intact, though the high-end outcomes are perhaps both a little louder and more within reach than before.

Veen was slotted 16th in the system by Keith Law of the Athletic in February:

Veen was Colorado’s first pick in the 2020 draft and was the last player I saw live before everything shut down. In that game, he hit a massive home run, aligning with reports I’d heard for months before about his plus power, but that has not been a part of his game at all in pro ball. He hit 15 homers in Low A in 2021, and that remains his career high. He’s the king of medium-quality contact, and that might work if he were a more disciplined player in the box or on the bases. He chases way too many pitches — nobody in Albuquerque should be swinging at 33 percent of pitches out of the zone — and he tends to swing too uphill, hitting for power he doesn’t have. I thought Veen would have a very different career than this when the Rockies took him, and maybe the new front office can try to get him to be more of a contact-first hitter and give up on the power, but for now, he’s maybe a backup corner outfielder.

When’s he going to get to the Rockies and how good will he be once he’s there?

Veen has seen his prospect stock rise and fall over the last six years, but right now it’s an arrow up profile just in time for his rookie status to likely to be exhausted. Veen is a good corner outfielder and offers a nice power/speed combo on offense. He has All-Star potential and yet has been relegated by some prospect watchers to a reserve outfielder at times due to the shortcomings to his approach and swing. For me, the profile adds up to a 45 FV player who I ranked ninth on my ballot. The good news for Rockies fans is that right now he looks more like a future star than he does a reserve outfielder and that he is finally showing what he can do at the big league level.

5. Cristian Arguelles (729 points, 29 ballots) — Preseason Ranking: HM — High Ballot 1 (1); Mode Ballot 4

How did he enter the organization?

2024 International Free Agent, Venezuela

Why did he make the PuRPs list?

Arguelles, a 19-year-old Venezuelan outfielder, is the biggest riser in the system in 2026. He was one of the Rockies’ top international signees in 2024, receiving a $700k bonus, but hadn’t gotten scouting love until this season when he rose onto some mid-season top 100 lists. The 6’0” lefty has a strong hit tool with decent plate discipline and power while he also plays a good center field. Arguelles held his own in the Dominican Summer League after signing (84 wRC+) and was impressive in fall instructs, then proved to be an absolute unit in 2025 while repeating in the DSL.

In 236 plate appearances, Arguelles murdered the ball, hitting .422/.528/.652 with five homers, six triples, and 16 doubles — which is a 201 wRC+! Arguelles was first in the DSL in hits, slugging, OPS, total bases, and doubles. He was second in average, runs, RBI, doubles, and triples, plus he was third in OBP. Arguelles walked in 14% of his PA and struck out in just 11%. He also manned center field, contributing six outfield assists with just two errors in 51 games. That all added up to a DSL MVP award for Arguelles.

This year, Arguelles came stateside and helped lead the Rockies’ ACL team to a championship. He hit over .400 for the second season in a row, producing a .402/.478/.671 line that included nine homers, nine triples, and 14 doubles with ten steals in just 255 plate appearances, which is worth 174 wRC+. Among players with at least 150 plate appearances, Arguelles led the ACL in batting average, total bases, runs, RBI, hits, and triples while placing in the top ten in doubles, homers, OBP, and slugging.

After the ACL season concluded, Arguelles was sent to Low-A Fresno, where he is two years younger than league average. In 96 plate appearances so far, Arguelles has fit right in, hitting .293/.385/.439 with two homers and six doubles with five steals while walking more (12% of PA) than he is striking out (10% of PA), equating to a 110 wRC+ against older pitching. On defense this season, Arguelles has mostly manned center field, committing six errors while recording five outfield assists.

Here’s some video of Arguelles last season in the DSL:

What do the scouts say?

Arguelles began the season as a player of note but outside most Rockies top prospect lists and ended it around the top 100 in MLB.

Arguelles wasn’t on Keith Law’s pre-season top 20 list for the Athletic, but he’s now number 55 overall in his mid-season top 70, third in the system:

Arguelles turned 19 a few weeks ago and is among the Arizona Complex League’s leaders in average, OBP and slugging, with his eight homers also ranking in the top 10. He’s a left-handed hitter with a very rotational swing that is already producing power even though he’s going to get stronger from here, and he shows good instincts on both sides of the ball, including in his pitch selection. He’s not a runner at all and will probably end up bumped from center field by a plus defender. I think he is a really advanced bat and he should get a cup of coffee in the Low-A California League before the season is out.

Arguelles moved from a 35+ FV player for FanGraphs before the season to #87 overall and 5th in the system as a 50 FV player with a 55 future hit tool:

After a rough debut season in the DSL, Arguelles did what big-bonus guys are supposed to do down there in his second spin, hitting .422/.528/.652 with five homers and more walks than strikeouts. He was young when he signed and is still just 18, so while he isn’t young for the complexes, he’s not a man playing against boys either.

Arguelles puts the ball in play. A short swing facilitates near-elite contact (84% last year), and he adjusts off the fastball as well as any young hitter you’ll find. He’s aggressive and will expand when behind in the count, but he has the hand-eye coordination to project as a hit collector. How much power is coming? Arguelles is projectable but has 30 power right now, and his swing isn’t geared to drive the ball. His speed gives him a shot to develop into a fourth outfielder, with a chance for more if he finds a way to hit the ball harder than I’m projecting.

Arguelles was fourth in the system for Baseball America before the season, who ranked him as a 50 FV player with a 55 hit tool:

Arguelles is a pure hitter with a sound lefthanded swing. He produced excellent contact rates in the DSL in 2025, making contact in the zone at a 91.6% rate and missing just 16.5% of the time. While he repeated the level, his 14.4% walk rate also suggests a solid feel for the strike zone. Arguelles can get a bit aggressive chasing pitches and also hasn’t hit for much power, though his impact could tick up if he can pack on more muscle. He’s an average runner with a fringy arm who might end up fitting best in a corner outfield spot.

MLB Pipline ranks Arguelles fifth in the system as a 45 FV player with a 55 hit tool:

Arguelles hit so well [in 2025] the Rockies considered flying him stateside last summer, but they’re excited to have him in country now. He already has a very strong feel for hitting, using the whole field. He grinds out at-bats, takes walks and shows excellent balance at the plate. The left-handed hitter is going to keep getting stronger and has mistake-type power with a hard rate of contact, but it’s more gap than over-the-fence kind of pop.

While he’s not a runner, he has solid instincts defensively and his average arm can play up a little when he attacks the ball. He’s played mostly center field thus far, and the Rockies will still give him reps there to maximize his athleticism, but he’ll start getting time at all three spots, with a corner the most likely home for him long term if he develops into a regular.

When’s he going to get to the Rockies and how good will he be once he’s there?

Arguelles doesn’t have big tools in the way that some others in the top ten do, but he seems to have the most important hit tool and has produced very well over the last two years. I ranked Arguelles fifth on my ballot as a 50 FV player on the strength of the hit tool. Arguelles retains some defensive utility and his offensive approach seems refined enough that he won’t suffer the fate of twitchier athletes who have dominated short season ball while wilting against upper minors pitching. Arguelles will get the chance to prove it next year, likely back in Low-A initially but I can foresee a bump to High-A before the season is out.

4. Tyler Bell (759 points, 28 ballots) — Preseason Ranking: NR — High Ballot 1 (2); Mode Ballot 3

How did he enter the organization?

2026 First Round, University of Kentucky

Why did he make the PuRPs list?

Bell was the 10th-overall pick in this season’s draft out of Kentucky as a draft-eligible sophomore, signing for a slightly under-slot bonus of just under $6 million. The 21-year-old switch-hitting shortstop moved straight onto overall top 100 status because of his well-rounded offensive profile and up the middle defense. Bell stayed in the draft’s top ten despite suffering a torn labrum in his non-throwing left shoulder this season that shortened his year by a month and will likely need offseason surgery to repair.

Bell was drafted by the Rays in the second round in 2024 (66th overall) but didn’t sign, so he represented the highest drafted player from that class who was available in the 2026 draft. As a freshman at Kentucky, Bell’s pedigree shone through as he hit .297/.385/.522 with ten homers among his 29 extra-base-hits with 11 steals in 265 plate appearances, good for a 101 wRC+.

This year, Bell’s shoulder injury meant less reps, but he produced at a higher level despite the injury. In 194 plate appearances, Bell hit .343/.510/.608 with nine homers (19 extra-base-hits) while walking in over 15% of PA and striking out in 19% of them, which equates to a 152 wRC+ in the SEC. In his two collegiate seasons, Bell was hit by an astonishing 31 pitches, including 20 this year.

Likely due to the shoulder injury, Bell hasn’t made his professional debut yet. Here’s some highlights from this year at Kentucky, showing off power from both sides of the plate and some good defensive plays:

What do the scouts say?

Bell was fourth on Keith Law’s draft board at the Athletic and that translates to a number 24 overall prospect rating in his midseason top 70:

[Bell is] a very disciplined hitter, with a chase rate of 13.5 percent during the regular season, and still shows above-average power with plenty of hard contact, including a 90th percentile EV of 105.5 mph that puts him in the top 20 percent of batters. He is a true switch-hitter with simple swings from both sides of the plate, taking a small stride and getting a lot of juice from his hip rotation, with slightly better bat speed from the left side. He projects to high OBPs with 15-20 homer upside at his peak. Given that he’s likely to stay at shortstop, he’s a potential All-Star.

Bell was tenth on the draft board for MLB Pipeline and he now settles in at number 64 overall as a 55 FV player, fourth in the system, with 50 or 55 tools across the board:

A switch-hitter, Bell is proficient from both sides of the plate. He has the bat speed and strength to generate 20 homers per season once he learns to lift balls in the air more consistently. He has a decent approach at the plate but can get too passive at times and has trouble staying back on changeups.

Bell has all of the ingredients to play a solid shortstop. He has average speed but a quick first step, smooth actions, reliable hands and a strong arm capable of making throws from any angle necessary. His defensive instincts and athleticism would allow him to play almost anywhere on the diamond if he ends up in a utility role. He gritted through the shoulder injury to play for the Wildcats, but it was known he would require surgery to repair it before beginning his pro career.

FanGraphs ranked Bell fifth in the draft and now rank him fourth in the system and number 74 overall as a 50 FV player with 60 speed to go with average grades on power and defense:

Bell is a competent and dangerous hitter from both sides of the dish, and his pretty left-handed swing is evocative of Jackson Merrill. It almost looks like a golf swing because his barrel takes such a naturally vertical path through the hitting zone and results in a ton of airborne contact. He is a dangerous pull hitter against elevated fastballs and tends to hit softer stuff back through the middle of the field. Though Bell shows some ability to adjust his posture to dip and hit low pitches, too often he is very upright and ends up swinging over the top of a lot of soft stuff, including plenty that finishes in the strike zone. His strikeouts improved (22.3% as a frosh, 18.6% this year), but they’re still higher than you want from a top pick. Some teams might be inclined to project on Bell’s contact skill based on the fact that he is just a sophomore who was dealing with the fallout of a major injury this season, while others might be scared that his strikeouts are going to be a persistent issue.

Though his throwing stroke is a bit atypical and Bell sometimes takes an extra step or two before he gets rid of the baseball, he easily has the range, athleticism and arm strength to man a big league shortstop and just needs technical polish. He has a little more injury and hit tool-related bust risk than the other top-of-the-draft college hitters, but he otherwise projects to be a power-over-hit everyday shortstop.

When’s he going to get to the Rockies and how good will he be once he’s there?

Bell’s injury means Rockies fans will need to wait until 2027 to see how the shortstop takes to pro ball in either Low-A or High-A depending on how shortstop reps will be allocated. The switch-hitter offers excellent defensive utility as a likely shortstop, power from both sides of the plate, and a good hit tool to boot. That’s why I ranked Bell second on my ballot as a 50 FV player who could be a quick mover through the system once he’s healthy.

Check back on Monday to see how the top three shook out!

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The weekend has arrived, and so have our MLB expert picks!

See why the Diamondbacks will roll over the Reds, and much more, on Friday, Aug. 21.

MLB expert picks for today

Pick	Odds
Jon Metler: CHC ML	-104
Dustin Saracini: TB ML	+113
Joe Osborne: ARZ -1.5	+150

Prices courtesy of Polymarket.

Jon Metler's expert pick: Cubs moneyline

Price: 51¢ (-104) at Polymarket

Matthew Boyd has struggled of late, allowing four home runs and seven earned runs in his last outing. But that poor performance may be exactly why we're getting an opportunity in the market, and I think the matchup at T-Mobile Park sets up well for a bounce-back start.

Boyd is a fly-ball pitcher, which can make him vulnerable depending on the ballpark and weather conditions. T-Mobile Park is an ideal setting for him, as the marine layer can limit the carry on fly balls and help mitigate his biggest weakness.

His overall numbers haven't been great this season, but many of his struggles have come at Wrigley Field. On the road, Boyd has posted a 2.57 ERA while allowing just two home runs, compared to 11 at Wrigley.

The Cubs are trading at 51 cents on Polymarket, but I make them closer to a 54-cent favorite, giving us an edge at the current price.

• Time: 10:10 p.m. ET
• How to watch: MARQ, Mariners.TV

Dustin Saracini's expert pick: Rays moneyline

Price: 47¢ (+113) at Polymarket

The Rays have lost five of their last seven games, but are in a prime bounce-back spot as underdogs against Trevor Rogers and the Baltimore Orioles on the road.

Yandy Diaz (7-for-13, .591 xSLG), Junior Caminero (3-for-10, .278 xBA), and Ryan Vilade (4-for-4, HR) have all had their way against Rogers, who's coughed up a homer in each of his last three starts.

Going for the Rays is Freddy Peralta, who's striking this Orioles team out at a 26% clip across 53 at-bats, a sample size we can get behind.

With a heavy right-handed hitting lineup expected to be deployed for Tampa, they'll win this one outright. Play up to 50 cents at Polymarket.

• Time: 7:05 p.m. ET
• How to watch: Apple TV

Joe Osborne's expert pick: Diamondbacks -1.5

Price: 40¢ (+150) at Polymarket

There’s an incredible amount of data pointing toward Arizona winning this game comfortably.

Over the past month, the Diamondbacks rank first in home OPS, while the Reds sit at 27th on the road. Both teams will start left-handers, which creates another massive edge for Arizona. The D-backs rank second in OPS against lefties during that span, compared to 28th for Cincinnati. Eduardo Rodriguez also owns an ERA nearly two runs lower than Nick Lodolo, and the Reds’ bullpen has been one of baseball’s worst in recent weeks. Cincinnati is just 4-10 in Lodolo’s starts.

Add it all up, and Arizona is worthy of a plus-money runline wager.

• Time: 9:40 p.m. ET
• How to watch: Reds.TV, DBacks.TV

More MLB best bets for today

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Around 11 a.m. on May 29, 1949, veteran scout Tom Greenwade rolled up to a home in Commerce, OK to link up with a teenage ballplayer and his father. After watching the kid play each of the two days prior, Greenwade was intrigued enough to drive from Commerce to Baxter Springs, KS for another showcase. That day in Baxter Springs, he saw something that took him by surprise. Facing a lefty for the first time with Greenwade in attendance, the teenager stepped into the right-hander’s batter’s box. After lacing four line drives, the switch-hitter retreated to Greenwade’s car along with his father. The three hashed out a $1,500 contract for the remainder of the season to start his career in pro ball. Mickey Mantle was a Yankee.

Thomas Edison Greenwade
Born: August 21, 1904 (Willard, MO)
Died: August 9, 1986 (Willard, MO)
Yankees Tenure: 1949-64

Greenwade grew up in Willard, a small town in Missouri that he’d call home throughout his life. He was an early standout as a pitcher and outfielder, playing in both the minor leagues and independent ball from 1923 into the ‘30s. While he had some excellent seasons, he never got the chance to play in the big leagues, moving into coaching and, eventually, scouting.

For a young man with little pedigree, Greenwade’s ascent in the scouting world is astounding. Hired by the Dodgers in 1940, he proved himself to Branch Rickey immediately. By 1943, he was already the Dodgers’ top talent evaluator, leading to a historic assignment that would become integral to his legacy.

Having received approval from Brooklyn ownership to pursue Black players, Rickey had a conundrum. On the one hand, the process of selecting the player to break the color barrier had to be kept completely under wraps. Any awareness on the part of the public — or even the rest of the league — of the Dodgers’ plan could torpedo it at the outset. At the same time, it was imperative Rickey choose a player whose talent and temperament would make the experiment a success, a task that would generally require all hands on deck in his scouting department.

At a one-on-one meeting at Kansas City’s Biltmore Hotel in 1943, Rickey tapped the one and only scout who would be involved in this secret project. “All that secrecy had me buffaloed,” Greenwade later said of the historic discussion. “And I got more curious after he sat and talked to me about things that had happened in his life. He told me one story about the time a hotel refused to allow the catcher of his Ohio Wesleyan team to have a room. The catcher was a Negro, and I began to get the idea.”

Greenwade started the process in Mexico and Cuba, under the guise of recruiting for a hypothetical Black Dodgers Negro League franchise. The first candidate who was strongly considered was Cuban shortstop Silvio Garcia, a talented ballplayer playing in the Mexican League. Accounts differ on why Garcia was not the man to make the leap to the National League. The most titillating account is that Mexican League President Jorge Pasquel put a pistol on the desk during his meeting with Greenwade, implying in no uncertain terms that he would not permit Garcia to jump ship to the States. Another narrative is that Garcia told Greenwade he would fight any player who directed abuse towards him, a deal-breaker given what lay ahead.

Greenwade’s account was less dramatic. “He couldn’t pull the ball,” he said of Garcia. “He was a right-handed hitter – everything went to right field.” Regardless of the reason, the decision to pass on Garcia led Greenwade to Jackie Robinson. Still the only man on the job, Greenwade never spoke to Robinson while scouting him, observing him from a distance, at least in part for the sake of secrecy. The scout saw enough on the field to make his recommendation to Rickey that, despite a suspect arm, Robinson was the right fit for the Dodgers.

In December of 1945, Greenwade jumped across town, accepting an offer from the Yankees that would triple his salary. He would spend many more years in the Bronx than he had in Brooklyn, with Mantle his signature signing. Their relationship went beyond that day in Baxter Springs, with Mantle leaning on Greenwade while struggling as a 19-year-old rookie in 1951 and continuing to leverage him as an informal advisor in the years that followed.

Greenwade went on to sign a cadre of consequential Yankees, including Elston Howard, who would break the Yankees’ color barrier in 1955. In 1950, the year after his meeting with Mantle, Greenwade came out to scout the Negro League’s Kansas City Monarchs. The team’s manager, the legendary Buck O’Neil, encouraged him to take a closer look at Howard. Within a matter of days, the Yankees had acquired his contract. In a rare recommendation involving an established big leaguer, Greenwade was the man who encouraged the Yankees to trade for Kansas City’s Roger Maris, projecting greater production from the young slugger.

Greenwade retired in 1964, returning full-time to Willard, where the local high school’s ballpark still bears his name.

He died in 1986 and has remained an icon in the scouting world ever since, garnering induction into the Professional Scouts Hall of Fame as part of its second class in 2009.

Greenwade’s legacy is tangible; one need look no further than Monument Park at Yankee Stadium to see his impact. The legendary scout is directly responsible for four retired numbers out in Monument Park — those for Mantle, Howard, Maris, and Robinson, whose number is retired across baseball. Greenwade is at once a legend and an everyman, the blue collar scout who drove his Cadillac across America looking for the next great ballplayer and whose hit rate may never be equaled.

See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.