ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 27: An injured Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels watches his team play the Athletics at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on June 27, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The more things change, the more they stay the same. Yet again, the Los Angeles Angels boast one of the greatest baseball talents of the generation, Mike Trout. Once again, that same Mike Trout finds himself limited due to injuries, even as he puts together his best season since 2022. Once again, the Angels failed to put together a team capable of winning significant games around Trout, and without him, they are downright terrible. And once again, despite finding themselves far out of playoff contention, their owner Arte Moreno seems disinclined to permit his front office to be true sellers, declaring Reid Detmers, José Soriano, and Jo Adell off-limits.
The only one thing different this year? The team fired general manager Perry Minasian last week, hiring John Mozeliak as the interim for the remainder of the season.
OFFICIAL: The Angels announced that the Club appointed John Mozeliak as Baseball Operations Consultant, serving as Interim General Manager after relieving Perry Minasian of his General Manager duties. pic.twitter.com/FUmwQJTbLv
Should the Angels decide to do the smart thing and begin tearing everything down, they do have some pieces that may be of interest to teams throughout the league, including the Yankees. The pitching staff in particular is filled with quality names. A pair of young starters in Detmers and Soriano should be able to bring back sizeable prospect hauls if the front office was able to convince ownership to shop them around, as they are under team control for another two seasons. While Soriano gathered attention with his otherworldly start to the season, posting a 0.84 ERA through his first seven starts, it is Detmers who would be the more highly sought pitcher. His 2.9 fWAR ranks fourth among starters this season, and his metrics suggest that he is underperforming his 3.88 ERA. Soriano, meanwhile, has come down to earth after his meteoric rise, with a 5.34 ERA across his last 11 starts.
With the Angels’ interim general manager inexplicably believing that the team doesn’t need a rebuild, merely a small retool (perhaps influenced by ownership?), it’s much more likely that the team will be more inclined to trade from their bullpen depth. They may not exactly have an elite bullpen — they began the year with Jordan Romano as their closer, after all — there are some arms that may interest the Yankees. Veteran reliever Kirby Yates has rebounded nicely from a disastrous 2025 with the Dodgers, even if he hasn’t recaptured the magic of his 2024 season as the Rangers’ closer. With a 34.2 strikeout percentage that ranks 11th among relievers with at least 10 innings of work (he has pitched 17 innings this season), he would provide some swing-and-miss that the Yankees’ bullpen desperately needs.
On the offensive side, Los Angeles does not really match up with the Yankees. Zach Neto would give the team an offensive boost at the shortstop position, as he has a 114 wRC+ this season; defensively, though, he has taken a step back — instead of Defensive Runs Saved and Outs Above Average disagreeing on his performance (he had 13 DRS and -8 OAA last year), both stats are very low on him this year (-2 DRS, -8 OAA). Jo Adell gives the Yankees something they don’t need more of — an outfielder who can function in center field but is below average there.
It’s unlikely, but a new front office in LA may finally cause Trout to force his way off the Angels. Now in his age-34 season and with an average salary of $37 million per year through 2030, he would still be a help to any team in the league…so long as he would be able to stay healthy. At this stage, he needs considerable DH time, and with Giancarlo Stanton still under contract through next season (with a team option for 2028), the fit is a bit awkward — even if a middle-of-the-order of Rice/Judge/Trout/Bellinger/Stanton would be a dream lineup.
Still, given the Angels’ refusal to trade Shohei Ohtani a few years back despite knowing that they would not even attempt to re-sign him…if you want to see that lineup, turn on MLB The Show. In fact, you might need to do that if you want to see any Angels players donning the pinstripes this season. Blame Moreno.
TORONTO, ON - JUNE 29: New York Mets infielder Bo Bichette (19) is seen during the top of the first inning of an MLB game between the New York Mets and the Toronto Blue Jays on June 29, 2026, at Rogers Centre in Toronto, ON. (Photo by Mathew Tsang/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Meet the Mets
The Mets were blown out in the finale against the Blue Jays to drop the series. Starter Freddy Peralta was awful again putting the Mets behind early. The offense didn’t score until the game was well out of hand and all told it was just another sloppy loss in a season full of them.
Luke Weaver has been one of the most dominant relievers in all of baseball, but should the Mets trade him at the deadline since he still has another year on his contract?
The MLBPA’s latest CBA proposal included expanded rosters at the start of the season and placement on the 60-day IL in November.
Evidence is mounting that Major League Baseball may have changed the ball again, and that has led to more offense in the game.
Many teams could be interested in acquiring Tarik Skubal at the deadline, but it is still unclear what team will have a good enough package to acquire the Cy Young winner.
MLB has gutted the minor leagues in recent years for various reasons, and the strain is starting to show at the developmental level.
The David Stearns scorecard isn’t pretty. You knew that already, but if you’ve been following along as I’ve graded different areas of the Mets’ first half this week, you’ve been reminded of how so many of his decisions have turned out badly.
Well, the good news for Stearns and the Mets is that he didn’t go 0-for-2026. The bad news is the one area where he excelled, putting together a dominant bullpen, is the area that matters least on a ballclub that is infrequently leading in the late innings.
Figures, right?
In truth, it’s fair to wonder if this Mets bullpen would have stood quite as tall had it been asked to do more in high-leverage spots.
For example, Devin Williams hasn’t blown a save since April 19, shaking off his early-season struggles to be a lock-down closer, yet he has only 12 saves for the season, miles from the MLB-high total of 26 by Cleveland Guardians’ Cade Smith.
On the other hand, Mets relievers are third in MLB in innings pitched, with 377, but some of that is because of the way they used the now-departed David Peterson, as well as others, as bulk-inning guys who followed openers.
The larger point is that the Mets have been able to keep their high-leverage relievers well-rested -- more so than they’d like, in truth.
That said, as far as grading their first half, it’s not fair to ding the pen for a lack of high-stress opportunities, for what they’ve done has been impressive. Indeed, their current 3.45 bullpen ERA ranks fourth in MLB, and their total of 379 strikeouts is first in the majors.
As such, it’s also only fair to give Stearns his due.
Most notably, he signed Williams, despite the right-hander’s up-and-down 2025 season with the Yankees, moving quickly in the offseason to guarantee him $51 million over three years.
Whether he wanted Williams ideally to be Edwin Diaz’s set-up man may never be clear, as the Mets proceeded to lose Diaz to the Los Angeles Dodgers in what remains a murky scenario. Mets people were quick to put the word out that they wanted him back and expected to get last licks in the negotiations, while others familiar with the situation insisted Stearns was OK letting Diaz leave.
In any case, it was a wildly unpopular decision with Mets fans, but as it turned out, this one came up roses for Stearns, at least so far. While Williams has flourished, Diaz went down after only seven appearances with an elbow injury that required surgery to remove loose bodies, and he isn’t expected back until August.
As for Williams, he was shaky early but then seemingly found the form that made him one of the best relievers in baseball during his years in Milwaukee with the Brewers.
Jun 12, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets relief pitcher Devin Williams (38) is greeted by catcher Luis Torrens (13) after defeating the Atlanta Braves 7-5 at Citi Field. / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
Most significantly, the right-hander has rediscovered the magic in his signature changeup, the so-called airbender that is a devastating weapon when he’s setting it up by throwing his fastball for strikes.
“You can see the confidence is back,” was the way one MLB scout put it this week. “It’s all about the confidence to throw the fastball with command and conviction and keep hitters from sitting on the changeup. He’s also trusting the changeup and not trying to steer it, as he did at times last year. When he’s just letting it go, it looks like his fastball delivery and then it disappears on hitters.”
Because of a few rough outings, Williams still has an unimpressive 4.13 ERA. But since April 23 he’s been dominant, giving up one earned run in 20 of his 22 appearances, to go with a couple of clunkers in non-save situations.
“I still need to see him close games in high-pressure spots again,” said the scout, “but it doesn’t look like that’s going to be an issue this year the way the Mets are playing.”
In the meantime, Williams is far from the only success story.
Luke Weaver, after some early-season problems as well, is on an all-time heater, having pitched 24 straight scoreless innings. In fact, he went all of May and June without giving up a run, while racking up 31 strikeouts compared to five walks.
Weaver has been so dominant that, even with another year on his contract, the Mets might be tempted to trade him at the deadline, as he’s likely to be highly sought after by contenders.
In addition, left-handers Brooks Raley and A.J. Minter have both been reliable. Minter hasn’t given up an earned run in 14 innings since returning from last year’s elbow surgery.
And then there’s Huascar Brazoban and his 1.93 ERA. The right-hander has been an all-purpose weapon, used as an opener as well as a multi-inning reliever. His 42.1 innings are the most of any of the “A” relievers, if you will, and he’s given up only 22 hits in those innings.
In short, Brazoban has proven to be a steal for Stearns, acquired from the Miami Marlins at the 2024 trade deadline for minor leaguer Wilfredo Lara.
Finally, Austin Warren has emerged as an important bullpen arm as well. A 30-year old journeyman, Warren was picked up on waivers from the Giants in January of 2025, and after appearing in only five games last season, he has made 24 appearances this season, pitching to a 2.45 ERA over 33 innings.
With all of that in mind, the only knock on the Mets’ pen is that Williams and Weaver, in particular, did struggle early, when the Mets were digging themselves the deep hole from which they’ve yet to recover.
But again, to be fair, every bullpen has at least a few ups and downs. For the Mets, it’s pretty much been all pointing up since April.
So Stearns did get something right this year, constructing what has been one of the better bullpens in baseball. Unfortunately for the Mets, poor performance in other areas has minimized its impact.
14 Jun 1998: A portrait of Bobby Bonilla #25 of the Los Angeles Dodgers during a game against the Colorado Rockies at the Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California. The Rockies defeated the Dodgers 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Laforet /Allsport | Getty Images
Most baseball fans know that July 1 is colloquially known as Bobby Bonilla Day. In 2000, the New York Mets decided to defer the remaining $5.9 million left on Bonilla’s contract after they released him for batting .160.
Bonilla’s agent used that dismal batting average to his client’s advantage, knowing the team just wanted him gone. He got the team to defer the remaining money for 10 years, but then got 8% interest and those payment spread out over the next 25 years.
As such, the Mets now pay Bonilla $1,193,248.20 every July 1.
Before he was on the Mets, however, Bonilla was on the Dodgers, a part of one of the most shocking trades in Dodgers history. Bonilla and Gary Sheffield and three other players were traded to the Dodgers from the Florida Marlins for Mike Piazza and Todd Zeile.
The Dodgers traded Bonilla to the Mets, and that deferred payment idea ended up coming around to benefit the Dodgers 24 years later. In addition to Shohei Ohtani, the Dodgers have eight players with deferred payments.
The Mets used that deferred $5.9 million to get Mike Hampton, a starting pitcher who helped them win the 2000 World Series. All of the players on the Dodgers payroll have helped them win World Series, aside from Edwin Diaz who remains to be seen. A running joke that has turned into a viable way to field a championship winning team.
Steve Henson of the L.A. Times has more details and quotes here.
In case you missed it, a fan at the Dodgers game against the A’s on Tuesday night got super excited about Team Mexico scoring a goal in their World Cup game against Ecuador. Justin Wrobleski’s pitch went into the dirt right after the fan yelled, but he then struck out the batter on the next pitch. Mexico went on to win and will play their next game on Sunday.
NORTH LITTLE ROCK, AR - MAY 21: Rainiel Rodriguez #31 of the Springfield Cardinals takes batting practice prior to the game between the Springfield Cardinals and the Arkansas Travelers at Dickey-Stephens Park on Thursday, May 21, 2026 in North Little Rock, Arkansas. (Photo by Caton Marsh/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
Whenever I give updates on minor league stats, I’m always conflicted about how many players to include. Some of it is time management-related. Obviously, if I cover every conceivable player, it will take me time I sometimes don’t have. But I also am not particularly interested in writing 5,000 words for one of these either. So I inevitably have to exclude some players. So a couple weeks before the All-Star break and thus when I’m going to start squeezing in the first half updates, I thought I’d get a head start and tackle the rookie leagues, a league I haven’t actually done yet.
These are players you probably won’t need to know for many years and frequently never, but sometimes there’s a Raniel Rodriguez in the mix. Just two short years ago, Rodriguez was on a rookie league update and next year, he might see the major leagues. But most of the time, it’ll be like Ivan Herrera – he would have appeared in the 2017 update (if I was doing them then), he didn’t make his first MLB appearance until 2022, and he wasn’t a regular until 2024. Doesn’t make it not fun when a player makes it and you remember them from the first time you saw their name though.
Caña has improved his K rate from 23% last year and his walk rate is a third of what it was last year while his GB rate has remained. While he has pitched fairly well, he has hit three batters – hence the weirdly high xFIP despite a phenomenal K/BB ratio. If you add the walks and HBP, it’s a 9 BB%, which is obviously not quite as impressive. But he has improved a lot nonetheless.
Gomez is pitching fairly similar to last year, although he has produced more swing and miss – his swinging strike rate last year was 11.9%, and this year it’s 15.4%. His K% has only marginally rose making me wonder if perhaps if we can expect more strikeouts by the end of the year. Gomez represents the last DSL pitching prospect I will post. Not a prospecty group here. The two 17-year-olds who’ve actually pitched any innings have been not good and I guess it’s different with pitchers, but I generally kind of ignore any 18-year-old in the DSL for prospect purposes.
Stop me if you’ve heard this before: there’s a catcher in the Cardinals system destroying the ball. Is this guy going to get some prospect love over the offseason? I don’t think anybody is writing about the DSL guys yet, but I am just amazed that I blink and there’s another catching prospect.
Oh okay so this league is like that. Got it. That should be much better than a 136 wRC+, or at least it would be at just about any other pro league, but I see that the DSL is on some Coors Field shit. Not to diminish Estrella, but he seems like a probably bad defensive outfielder, because he’s played 11 games in RF, 3 games at 1B, and 3 games at DH. I feel like if you’re getting zero centerfield play at this level, it’s not a good sign. Throw in the strikeouts and proceed with caution.
I normally wouldn’t make a point to post an 18-year-old’s stats from the DSL, but Portolatin was actually a better hitter last year. I’m not entirely sure why they didn’t take him to the stats – he had a 145 wRC+. Throw in that he’s a clear shortstop and I thought he was worth mentioning. I don’t know if it’s a difference in run environment or why he stayed in the DSL – but his ISO has improved from .148 to .211. His better line last year was almost entirely BB-related as he had a 29% BB rate, giving him a .483 OBP. But power genuinely seems to be up in this league.
Takahashi played last season as a 16-year-old and walked his way to a nearly average line. This time he’s actually got a decent average. That said, he’s yet to hit an extra base hit in 108 PAs at the DSL level. That’s not great. His most played position is CF so that’s the good news.
Cordero also played a significant amount as a 16-year-old last season and I kind of wish he had made more progress from last season. He’s been better, but not by much, and most of his stats are very similar to last year. You hope a 16-year-old with a 95 wRC+ improves more than a 101 wRC+ the next season.
Yeah the run environment is crazy if that’s a below average hitting line. Castillo has played some games at SS too. I don’t know if he’s limited to 2B right now because of Portolatin, or if he’s more of a 2B who’s just getting reps at SS so he can be a fill-in. But you’d think he’d play more SS if the Cardinals thought he was one. Looking at these other lines makes it crazier that Takahashi can’t hit an extra base hit right now.
This is a very strange season for a pitcher who seems to not actually know where the ball is going. It’s either going to be a strikeout, a walk, or a home run. He has struck out 38 guys in 21 innings, and he didn’t really slow down when he arrived in Palm Beach. He hasn’t allowed many flyballs either… it’s just it’s probably a homer if he does allow a flyball.
Gabe, buddy, you’re almost there. We Gabes have to stick together. You have a fan for life. Looks like things just need to bounce his way more often – great K rate, decent amount of groundballs, too many walks, but not too bad. It’s just a very low LOB%, a very high HR/FB%, and a very high BABIP. I choose to believe you’ve been very unlucky.
As a counterpoint to the idea that only 17-year-olds are prospects in the DSL, Jan Cabrera exists. He was good, not great pitcher in the DSL as a 20-year-old. This year, he’s turned into a groundball machine (just 31 GB% last year). Granted, Cabrera still isn’t really a prospect, but he’s at least interesting.
Last year, the Cardinals had a few guys in the DSL who hit like the league was way too easy for them. Dos Santos was one of those players, and he made it looked like the complex league was too easy as well. That’s why he’s now in Palm Beach. So far, so good. Probably can’t walk 20% of the time forever, but I appreciate a patient hitter.
I would not necessarily describe Hernandez as someone who made the DSL look too easy, but he had a very good season and he’s picked up exactly where he left off. For what it’s worth, because both he and Dos Santos are sort of shortstops, Hernandez has played a fair number of games at 2B. I’m assuming he became the full-time SS as soon as Dos Santos was promoted. It probably answers why Portolatin was left in the DSL actually.
Feels absurd to just say Lebron’s last name for obvious reasons, but that’s why he needs to make it. Lebron is having a solid season that if it continues, should put him line to spend next season at Palm Beach.
It just feels like the name Kenly Hunter should be a power hitter, so to it’s kind of surprising that he’s the opposite of that. He has played all three outfield positions nearly equally, though CF does top the games played. He also also stolen 11 bases to 1 caught stealing in these 28 games. Feels like he’s a centerfielder!
Oh hey a relatively normal catching prospect! They do exist! Even so, this is pretty solid. Good amount of walks, not a lot of strikeouts, some power. He’s not going to be on a top 20 list, but he’s just really continuing to add to the catching depth.
Pedro’s son struggled for most of his DSL tenure, but surged at the end, leading the Cardinals to bring him to Florida. So it should probably not be a shock to see him struggling to begin his rookie ball tenure in America. He’s not so overmatched though that I think it was the wrong decision. Hopefully, he finishes strong again this season.
Rujano actually had the better season than Cabrera in the DSL, but he’s gotten off to a rougher start. In fact, Rujano was actually ranked 29th on the Cardinals’ team list by Fangraphs entering this season. With that said, he’s also a year younger and it’s no cause for an alarm if an 18-year-old is struggling at this level.
What an interesting line. Given the power and the BABIP, it’s probably safe to say that Lucena has been hitting the ball pretty weakly. But I do find him walking more than he’s struck out encouraging. For what it’s worth, Lucena is one of the hitters who laid waste to the DSL – he had a 141 wRC+. The approach is there, just not the punch.
Definitely covered more names than I would have if I tried to squeeze the rookie leagues into my normal update. And a couple names might end up on the normal update since they are now in Palm Beach. Not as exciting of a year in the DSL as last season (though maybe another Raniel!), but plenty of names to follow in the complex league.
COLUMBUS, OHIO - JUNE 04, 2026: Ralphy Velazquez #35 of the Columbus Clippers runs out a ground ball during the second inning against the Omaha Storm Chasers at Huntington Park on June 04, 2026 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Let’s start with the good news. The Cleveland Guardians beat the Texas Rangers in a classic 9-run punt lineup that featured David Fry leading off and Austin Hedges hitting a home run. Nick has the full recap here.
Ralphy Velazquez has been selected for the All-Star Futures game. Cooper Ingle has also been selected, but will not participate due to his recent MLB promotion.
Ralphy Velazquez is a ⭐️
Huge congratulations to Ralphy Velazquez on being selected to represent the Columbus Clippers in the All-Star Futures Game!#ClipShowpic.twitter.com/mWZOTe7bcY
Now, for some potentially bad news. Justin Campbell was slated to start in Columbus last night for his AAA debut. Campbell was pulled during warmups. Other than the below video showing where Campbell gestured to the training staff, there is no further updates at the time of writing.
This is the Justin Campbell injury. Pay less attention to the arm circle with his left arm and more at when he motions to the dugout. Appears to point towards his back. Hopefully not an arm issue. pic.twitter.com/h56N5H8L99
DENVER, COLORADO - JUNE 20: Jake McCarthy #31 of the Colorado Rockies celebrates with Willi Castro #3 after hitting a first inning inside-the-park home run against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Coors Field on June 20, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With the August 3, 2026, trade deadline fast approaching, it will soon be challenging to follow the flurry of rumors and transactions as they unfold across the league.
Inevitably rumors will spread about who from the Colorado Rockies other teams are interested in, and writers will post unrealistic mock trade ideas. Before that all starts to kick off in earnest, it would be useful to ground ourselves in some basic context for what the front office of the Rockies is most likely to be trying to do.
Based on their record, the Rockies will obviously be looking to sell current major leaguers for prospects but which players they are actively looking to move is the key. Remaining years of team control is the simplest thing to sort players by when determining which are most urgent to try and trade now.
Given that assumption, here’s what the Rockies Roster Resource page tells us about their likely priorities before August third.
Free agents after this season
SP Kyle Freeland
SP Michael Lorenzen
SP José Quintana
SP Tomoyuki Sugano
RP Antonio Senzatela
Technically both Lorenzen and Senzatela have club options for next season, but the Rockies are unlikely to exercise either. Freeland has an option that will vest if he reaches 170 innings this year, which is still possible but highly unlikely.
If the Rockies receive an offer for any of these players, there is almost no reason to hold on to any of them. The question for this group is what, if anything, will be offered. Senzatela is the only one who has performed well enough throughout the season to garner much interest, and even he has been hit by regression recently. The front office will almost certainly take the best deals available (if any), with no questions asked.
If any of these players are still on the roster after the trade deadline, it’s probably safe to assume that no useful returns were offered for them.
Free agents after 2027
OF Mickey Moniak
UTL Willi Castro
RP Jimmy Herget
Unlike the true rentals above, the Rockies don’t technically need to move any of these players. If the Rockies don’t get a decent offer, they could keep them around and see what their value looks like in the offseason. What’s more, each of these players could, theoretically, be slotted into the 2027 Rockies opening day roster without much issue.
Given the Rockies lack of a realistic chance at fielding a competitive team in 2027, however, keeping them is probably not Plan-A. With that in mind, this trio represents the highest combination of both likelihood to be moved and potential to bring back useful prospects.
Greg's trade targets for the Rays:
1. Tarik Skubal 2. Luis Arraez 3. Mickey Moniak 4. Jo Adell 5. Lars Nootbaar 6. Spencer Steer 7. Gleyber Torres 8. Taylor Ward 9. Aroldis Chapman pic.twitter.com/s3R6iVqNJn
Castro, Moniak, and Herget have each had torrid stretches of production at points this year that indicate they could meaningfully contribute on a contender. None of them is a star, but none of them are on particularly expensive contracts. Each comes with another year of control that will be appealing to teams considering giving up prospects.
Finding the best deals possible for these three will very likely be near the top of the front office’s priorities over the next month.
Free agents after 2028
OF Jake McCarthy
UTL Tyler Freeman
DH Kris Bryant
SP Ryan Feltner
If the previous two groupings are defined by the urgency with which the front office is likely moving to find interested buyers, this quartet is the first group that is more likely to be on the team next season than not.
Obviously, Bryant isn’t going anywhere. The Rockies will be paying him until his contract runs out after 2028, regardless of whether he ever steps foot on a baseball field again.
That leaves Freeman and McCarthy, who are more plausible trade candidates. Both could garner enough interest to warrant moving, especially considering that the outfield may be the one area of the Rockies roster that has decent depth for the foreseeable future.
Neither of them is a priority to move right now (because of the years of control and their flexibility), but if another team came to Paul DePodesta with a good deal for either, he would need to consider it. If these players are moved, it will be because other teams came calling with good offers.
Free agents after 2029
C Hunter Goodman
2B Edouard Julien
OF Brenton Doyle
RP Brennan Bernardino
RP Victor Vodnik
This is an odd group. On one hand is an All-Star catcher that hits a home run seemingly every other day. On the other is a collection of young players that have shown glimpses of promise in the past but have disappointed recently.
Oh, and then there’s Bernardino who is a useful lefty reliever that any team could use, but few will be specifically targeting.
To set expectations: It’s very unlikely any of these players (aside from perhaps Bernardino) is traded before the 2026 deadline.
For Julien, Doyle, and Vodnik their combination of underperformance and years of control means there is little urgency to sell low on them now. It’s probably more likely that one, or more, of this group is designated for assignment in the next 12 months if they continue to struggle than it is that a real trade partner materializes before August.
Trading for Hunter Goodman would be the biggest Pirates trade since… 2018
Colorado's 26 y.o. catcher has an .848 OPS and 26 HR (only 8 HR at Coors), and isn't a free agent until 2030
Would it be worth it to trade Edward Florentino or Seth Hernandez for the All-Star? pic.twitter.com/E6VlhQcOXm
Goodman’s remaining time under control means there will be plenty of opportunities to re-assess the market should no contenders decide to pay a steep price for three and a half seasons of his services.
2030 and beyond
Everyone else on the Rockies roster is not currently set to reach free agency until at least 2030, which is too far in the future to be able to accurately predict what the club’s competitive situation will actually look like. Making decisions on those players at this stage is very far down the priority list.
It is possible some of the players under control for this long end up getting moved (Troy Johnston, Juan Mejia, etc.), but that would be fueled more by the particular buyer’s needs/interest than the Rockies’ own priorities.
Conclusions
With the list above to work from, we can start to see a pretty clear picture of what is likely to happen throughout July. The Rockies will be actively pursuing deals for the first two groups of players and passively considering offers for the latter two.
Expect a flurry of small to mid-size moves while holding your breathe for the slim possibility of a franchise-altering blockbuster if a contender pushes all the chips in for Goodman.
There were a lot of things that went right in this game for the Isotopes. A handful of players had good performances: Sterlin Thompson (No. 13 PuRP) had a double and a home run, Ryan Miller started the game with two scoreless innings, Conner Capel worked two walks, and Bryant Betancourt hit a solo home run. In the end though, Round Rock (TEX) ended up walking off on a two run shot allowed by TJ Shook in the ninth.
All of that, however, is overshadowed by what Charlie Condon (No. 1 PuRP) was able to do with his three monstrous hits.
The Yard Goats were only two for seventeen with runners in scoring position which is what sank their hopes of a win. Otherwise, they played a solid game that had a number of contributors.
On the mound the best performance was from Cade Denton who threw three scoreless innings and only allowed two hits. At the plate though, this game was about Roc Riggio (No. 14 PuRP) and Jack O’Dowd. Riggio had himself a great showing with three hits including a double and a homer while also managing to steal his tenth base of the season. O’Dowd, who hit a home run in his first game at Double-A on Tuesday, smacked another in his second game since being promoted and paired it with a double for good measure.
Jordy Vargas (No. 21 PuRP) got the start and managed to get through five innings on 86 pitches. He allowed three runs on four hits which did not look like it was going to be enough for Spokane to win the game as they’d scored only once —on a solo shot by Tommy Hopfe — before Vargas was relieved by Austin Emener in the sixth.
By the time Nathan Blasick took the mound in the bottom of the eighth, however, the Indians found themselves with a two-run lead. That late offensive support came primarily from Ethan Hedges (No. 29 PuRP) and Jacob Hinderleider who combined for six hits including a four doubles. Blasick earned a two inning save while recording four strikeouts.
The Grizzlies lineup was a consistent force throughout this game and managed to score a run in every inning other than the first and seventh. From top to bottom the lineup collected nine hits and nine walks. They didn’t limit their onslaught to weak contact, however, as Roldy Brito (No. 11 PuRP) collected his eighth triple of the season and all of Wilder Dalis (No. 24 PuRP), Cameron Nelson, and Yeiker Reyes hit home runs.
On the mound, starter Easton Marks struggled, allowing three runs in only two innings, but the arms that came in after him pitched more than well enough to secure the victory. Grif Hughes struck out five over four and a third innings of two run ball before giving way to Seth Clausen who closed down the final two and a third innings.
The DSL Rockies were able to get the win based primarily on solid pitching and good baserunning.
Maique Basanta and Emanuel Mejia combined to pitch the full seven inning game and allowed only two hits and two walks between them. At the plate the clear standout was center fielder Gemerson Blanco who led off and managed to score two runs on three hits.
The real story of the game though was the DSL Rockies baserunning. All of Daiel Meza, Hector Barroso, Douglas Veliz, Ishel Comenencia, and Emil Perez stole a base and this aggressive traffic on the basepaths led to three wild pitches from DSL Miami pitchers.
Not one, not two, but three Rockies farm hands made this list from Baseball America’s Geoff Pontes. Both Condon and Zac Veen, who have been crushing balls in Albuquerque all month, somewhat predictably are included. Joining them is less well known nineteen year-old outfielder Cristian Arguelles, who is excelling in his first season stateside in the Arizona Complex League.
Before going on the Injured List in mid-May, Moniak was off to the best start to the season of his career. He had struggled a bit at the plate in his first few games since his return. Thomas Harding talks with Moniak about the trouble he’d had and the adjustments he made to regain that early-season form.
The month of June saw a substantial increase in the distance balls were flying in MLB games. The total sample size of games since the shift has not been large, but the effects have been noticeable enough to raise eyebrows across the league. Eno Sarris and Evan Drellich dig into that shift and MLB’s initial response to it in this piece by The Athletic that is very useful context on the league-wide run environment.
DENVER, CO - JUNE 6: A general view as the sun sets behind the stadium in the fifth inning of a game between the Colorado Rockies and the Milwaukee Brewers at Coors Field on June 6, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning, baseball fans!
The San Francisco Giants are off today, but they head to Coors Field to take on the Colorado Rockies starting tomorrow.
Ah, Coors Field. Noted destroyer of baseballs, souls, hopes and dreams. Depending on your outlook, this couldn’t have come at a worse or better time. The two teams are once again scrapping for fifth place in the division. And the Giants are the laughing stock of the baseball world in nearly every aspect.
I don’t have much (if any) goodwill left for this team at the moment after the way they have screwed up…well, everything this year. So personally, I think this is the best possible time for this series. I look forward to the chaos and embarrassment. It’s like the second half of 2016, but without the false hope.
So let’s get our guesses in for how many home runs the Giants pitching staff will allow at Coors Field this weekend. And next week, I’ll take a look back at this post and anyone who got the correct answer will get burned at the stake for being a witch a shoutout for being prophetic!
My guess is that they will allow eight home runs. Because that’s my lucky number, but also it seems like a fairly low guess.
How many home runs do you think the Giants will allow this weekend?
CLEARWATER, FLORIDA - MARCH 13, 2026: Heston Kjerstad #13 of the Baltimore Orioles runs out a fly ball during the seventh inning of a spring training game against the Philadelphia Phillies at BayCare Ballpark on March 13, 2026 in Clearwater, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
This was a strong showing from the Tides lineup. Nine of the 10 hitters that appeared in the game had at least one hit. Heston Kjerstad and Christian Encarnacion-Strand both homered and drove in two runs. Enrique Bradfield Jr. had a pair of hits, a stolen base, and a run scored. Jonathan Rodríguez, Ryan Noda, and Bryan Ramos had one double apiece. Creed Willems went 1-for-3 with a single.
Christian Herberholz tossed five solid innings and allowed one run on four hits, two walks, and six strikeouts. His lone earned run came on a solo homer in the first inning. The bullpen was less impressive. Anthony Nunez recorded one out and allowed a run. Chris Kachmar gave up three runs over 1.2 innings. And then Nick Raquet and Andrew Magno both tossed one scoreless inning to wrap up the win.
Three Baysox hitters went deep in this win. Ethan Anderson hit his 16th bomb, Thomas Sosa homered for the seventh time, and Wily Vasquez left the yard for the second time. Frederick Bencosme walked once, stole two bases, and scored one run. Anderson De Los Santos doubled, walked, and scored two runs.
Juaron Watts-Brown had another good start to earn the win. He worked 5.1 innings and allowed two runs on six hits, two walks, and four strikeouts. Over his las tthree starts he has lowered his ERA from 8.78 to 6.75. Ben Vespi gave up one run over 2.2 frames in the middle innings. And then Ryan Long allowed one run in the ninth inning to close it out.
High-A: Brooklyn Cyclones (Mets) 13, Frederick Keys 7
Four of the five Frederick pitchers that worked this game had a bad day. JT Quinn gave up four runs (three earned) over 4.2 innings, though he also struck out five. Cohen Achen served up four runs in his lone inning of work. Chandler Marsh was the only arm that can be satisfied with his outing. He recorded four outs without allowing a baserunner. Todd Kniebbe gave up two runs in his inning, and Raimon Gomez coughed up a trio of runs, including two homers, in the ninth inning.
Yasmil Bucce led the offense for Frederick. The catcher went 2-for-4 with a home run, a double, a walk, two runs, and two RBI. Wehiwa Aloy doubled, walked, and drove in a run. Edwin Amparo got his first High-A double, drove in two, and scored a run. Ike Irish went 1-for-5 with a single. It was a nice game for the lineup, just not enough when the pitching staff struggled so badly.
Dalton Neuschwander started for Delmarva. He got through four innings and allowed just one run, but then things fell apart in the fifth. That inning saw Charleston score six runs and put the game out of reach. The bullpen did well to keep things as close as possible from there. Luis Beltrán, Kenny Leiner, and Zac Lampton combined for the final four frames. None of them were charged with earned runs, but Leiner was on the mound for two unearned runs in a messy eighth inning that included a hit by pitch, three wild pitches, and a throwing error.
Braylon Whitaker did a nice job setting the table for the Shorebirds atop the order He went 3-for-4 with a double, a triple, a walk, and a run scored. Stiven Martinez drove in two runs with his seventh home run of the season. DJ Layton had a pair of hits, his 22nd stolen base of the season, and an RBI. Cobb Hightower went 1-for-4 with a single
Something is starting to feel familiar. Familiar, but different.
The Cubs’ bats are starting to come into form once again. That was proven in the games from Monday and Tuesday. Six batters in the Cubs’ starting lineup Monday had hits, with Dansby Swanson, Seiya Suzuki, Alex Bregman and Pete Crow-Armstrong with a pair each, in the 3-2 walk-off win. Suzuki had the game-winning hit.
Then on Tuesday, every hitter in the starting lineup (even Kevin Alcantara!) had at least one hit. Suzuki and Carson Kelly each had a pair. Two of Swanson’s three hits were home runs, two of the five homers on the team.
But Shota Imanaga, who picked up the win Monday with 6.1 strong innings, is the only starter from the Opening Day roster that has not been injured. Matthew Boyd recently returned from the IL and had a bend-but-not-break outing Tuesday. And five of the OD bullpen members are on the IL, plus Colin Rea was an emergency move into the rotation.
While having a patchwork pitching staff, the Cubs have won 10 of their last 12 games. Yes, it’s another streak for the Cubs. But instead of the shocking runs from early in the season, where the feeling was, “Is this real?!!! Who cares — Let’s keep going, whoo!!”, the feeling is, “Is this ….. real?? When is it going to fall apart? When will the pitching injuries take a permanent toll on the team? Well, let’s keep going and see.” Not to be a downer here, but I feel there is definitely a stronger feeling of caution than there was in April and early May. Rightfully so.
*means autoplay on, (directions to remove for Firefox and Chrome). {$} means paywall. {$} means limited views. Italics are often used on this page as sarcasm font. The powers that be have enabled real sarcasm font in the comments.
Jordan Bastian (MLB.con): Swanson homers twice as Cubs win slugfest over Padres. “There are nights when Wrigley Field transforms into a hitter’s haven and teams understand that piling up runs is not only the goal, but required to find the win column.”
Evan Sullivan (Cubs Insider): Pete Crow-Armstrong’s Explosive June Puts Him Alongside Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig. “Pete Crow-Armstrong nearly lapped the field in June, posting a 3.1 fWAR mark that left Detroit’s Dillon Dingler (1.8) in the dust. The numbers Crow-Armstrong generated are so outlandish that they’ve only been replicated in four other months by two players.”
Tyler Courtney (LastWordOnSports.com): Are the Chicago Cubs’ Injuries Becoming Their Greatest Concern in 2026? “At this point, it seems like there is someone new is added every day, as the pitching staff has been destroyed. Now, they must find a way to overcome the injuries if they wish to stay competitive.”
Eddie Lennon (LastWordOnSports.com): 3 Strong Luis Arraez Trade Destinations. “He doesn’t hit for power. He doesn’t rack up elite exit velocity numbers. He doesn’t overwhelm with highlight-reel tools.”
Tyler Edmunds (OnTapSportsNet): The Cubs Need to Stop Waiting and Go Get Sonny Gray. “The Chicago Cubs adding Sonny Gray from the Boston Red Sox would make a lot of sense for a team desperately needing pitching help.”
Eddie Lennon (LastWordOnSports.com): 3 Great Landing Spots for Freddy Peralta. “Peralta still brings exactly what contenders want in October: strikeouts, swing-and-miss stuff, and the ability to shorten games when every inning carries postseason weight.”
Food For Thought:
John Lee Hooker (1917–2001) was an American blues singer, songwriter, and guitarist famous for his hypnotic, driving “boogie” rhythm and deep, gravelly voice. Born into a Mississippi sharecropping family, he pioneered an electric-style adaptation of Delta blues in Detroit. Over a career spanning five decades, he recorded over 100 albums, releasing classics like “Boogie Chillen” and “Boom Boom”.
Please be reminded that Cub Tracks and Bleed Cubbie Blue do not necessarily endorse the content of articles, podcasts, or videos that are linked to in this series.
ATLANTA, GA - JULY 14: Casey Mize #12 of the Detroit Tigers, Bobby Witt Jr. #7 and Kris Bubic #50 of the Kansas City Royals look on during the 2025 T-Mobile Home Run Derby at Truist Park on Monday, July 14, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Surprise! I know it’s not Friday. But big thanks to Trenton! I’m going to be out tomorrow, so he graciously switched with me, and you get him tomorrow. I have even more good news for those who dislike my Friday Rumblings: I’ll be out of town the next two weeks. I believe Cullen and Max will be grabbing those, but I could be mistaken. Also, big thanks to them!
The Kansas City Royals have scratched left-handed starter Kris Bubic from his scheduled rehab outing on Wednesday. Bubic was set to pitch around three innings with Triple-A Omaha. It would’ve been his third rehab appearance with the Storm Chasers.
However, Royals assistant general manager Scott Sharp joined Sports Radio 810 WHB and said Bubic will return to Kansas City. He will undergo further evaluation as he deals with left-shoulder soreness.
“I wish I had a little bit better news,” Sharp said. “Kris was supposed to pitch tonight. I don’t think he’s going to. He’s going to come back to Kansas City. And we just can’t get the final little bit of soreness out there. We’ll continue to be hopeful with continued treatment and rest that we can get him back sooner than later.”
Bubic was transferred to the 60-day IL on Wednesday, which was more of a procedural move rather than directly related to this new setback; the Royals needed a 40-man roster spot to add reliever Jose Cuas and call him up to the big leagues. The 60-day IL dates back to Bubic’s initial IL date on May 15, so he’ll be eligible to return July 14. With this setback, Bubic wasn’t going to be back in the next two weeks, anyway.
Some better injury news from Rogers?
Vinnie Pasquantino & Kyle Isbel participated in BP and defensive drills today. The plan was to get them to AZ to continue rehab later this week, but they're actually going to stay in KC to continue their work. Expectation/hope is that both go on a rehab assignment next week.
Going back to Thompson, he also wrote about Cole Ragans. He had surgery and is… you know what? He put it all in a couple of sentences. Better to read it from him:
Kansas City Royals ace Cole Ragans underwent left-elbow surgery Wednesday. Ragans, 28, is expected to miss the remainder of the 2026 season. It’s his third major elbow procedure as he previously underwent two Tommy John surgeries earlier in his career.
Fortunately, the game on the field is going better than off, right?!?
Loudest applause at The K so far is when the #Royals fans tried to pair an inflatable hot dog and hot bun together in the stands.
They were successful.
— Jaylon T. Thompson (@jaylonthompson) July 2, 2026
Tier 6: Typical sellers New York Mets Colorado Rockies Kansas City Royals – SP, RP
The Rockies expected to be here, the Mets and Royals less so. While Mickey Moniak and Freddy Peralta and Kris Bubic are useful pieces to move, these squads don’t really have the rosters to shake up the deadline by embracing a more aggressive sale. Maybe the Mets make some guys with team control available (like Brett Baty or Mark Vientos), but that would be because they’re enduring disappointing seasons that have depressed their value.
At CBS Sports, their baseball writers hand out halfway grades:
Kansas City Royals: F
Two years ago, the Royals made the playoffs. Last season, they had a winning record. This season, they are among the worst teams in baseball. The good signs (breakouts from Carter Jensen and Jac Caglianone) are overshadowed, quite greatly, by the bad. Injury concerns with Cole Ragans and Kris Bubic linger and the bullpen is a complete mess. Injuries to Vinnie Pasquantino and Maikel Garcia haven’t helped matters, but the offense was lackluster even with them in the lineup. It’s just been all kinds of bad in K.C. this season. — Snyder
Finally, at ESPN, Anthony Gharib names the “Red, white, and bobby” bobblehead the best 4th of July giveaway.
And, just a quick little “around baseball” blurb, Happy Bobby Bonilla Day to all who celebrate!
While Clarke’s profile is flawed, which explains why the Royals were okay with letting him go, he’s been dependable for the Diamondbacks, even in medium- to high-leverage. He has 11 holds this year, his highest mark in that category since 2023 when he had 12 holds in 58 plate appearances. Clarke will likely surpass that number barring an epic collapse or injury.
Considering the Royals bullpen ranks 29th in reliever ERA and 30th in WHIP, Clarke would be a worthwhile arm to have right now, especially in the late innings. Lucas Erceg and Matt Strahm have struggled, and Carlos Estevez has only pitched in one game due to injury. The Royals closer likely won’t be back anytime soon after another setback, according to Anne Rogers.
Gotta be honest: kindof surprised Taylor Clarke is having a cromulent year.
At Into the Fountains, Craig wrote about Tuesday’s ugly loss (as opposed to last night’s, which I’m sure he’s writing about now*).
*I don’t know how last night’s ended up, honestly – the Royals were only down 2-0 when I finished writing this.
Since it’s not Friday, I figure a couple of movie reviews of movies I watched a month or two ago feels about right. Also, I went back and counted – this entry pushes us past 200 Friday Rumblings movie reviews. It’s almost a lock that I will eventually collect all of them in a low-effort link post one of these days.
I didn’t care much for the first one, due to its scattered plot and characters. This one is more focused. It still has a few different plots, but they aren’t nearly as disparate – they all mostly come together in the end. Because of this focus, there aren’t as many laugh-out-loud moments as the first due to this focus on plot. It expands the, ahem, galaxy reasonably well, but I’m not sure how much further they can go with this. As I said about the first, they tried too much kitchen sink with an origin story, lots about Bowser, Donkey Kong, Mario Kart, and more. It’s left less ground to cover for the future. Star Fox was a fine addition, and maybe we’re going towards Super Smash Bros. In short, it’s pretty and works reasonably well, better than the first. But it’s still mostly forgettable and, sadly, I think Nintendo’s movies will burn out sooner rather than later.
The first was wonderful – one of the better animated movies of the last decade. It’s a movie that didn’t assume kids are just dumb consumers and tried to teach lessons in genuinely creative and entertaining ways. It took almost a decade, but Zootopia 2 mostly delivers, even if it suffers some sequelitis. If you look too literally at this one, the main quest in this kids’ movie involves tracking down a 100-year old patent to disprove fraud. Of course, it’s really about learning to be yourself and learning to live with and finding value in others. That lesson is, once again, taught within a colorful, lived-in world with multi-faceted characters, full of modernized lessons that don’t assume kids are dumb. It’s not as fresh or original as the first. And maybe it will age better on subsequent watchings (Spiderverse 2 did for me). But it is a worthy sequel, and I’m ok waiting another decade if the Disney team wants to keep putting out
The next couple of movies are original IPs, which makes it even more unfortunate that both miss the mark. This one starts with a colorful and interesting premise. However, it leans heavily on two common Pixar tropes: a tragic introduction to our protagonist that eventually melts into the “two unlikely companions” buddy pic. There are times when the movie dreams big: like the Carl Sagan’s bits and universe-building. But, most of the time, it lacks the smartness or sharpness that Pixar used to traffic in. It feels paint-by-number: alien families are just like human families, communication misunderstandings between races that ham-handedly mirror those between our main characters, our protagonist and his new friend were always going to save the day, and he was always going to go back to his adopted family on Earth.
Some pieces of a much better movie might be in there, but the finished product is not it. I wonder about the production difficulties. Adrian Molina co-directed Coco, which was easily one of the Pixar’s best movies of the last decade. He was the original director of this film, which drew on his personal life story. However, he left for (or was pushed to) Coco 2 – it’s a little unclear. Some combination of the new directors, Pete Docter, and the 2025 political climate removed Elio (per wiki) as a “queer-coded character”. Allegedly, this made it “much more generic” and about “totally nothing”. That could have been the heart that the final cut lacked. I’ve always said that kids are almost always smarter than we give them credit for, and Pixar reliably made bank on that for 15 years. They can still surprise you, but those hits are mixed in with lots of shiny, brainless shlock or sequels of movies from when they were better.
Wish, perhaps unfairly, had the weight of Disney’s 100th birthday on its shoulders. They tried to do an old-fashioned fairy tale, right down to the legacy Disney book introduction. It employs an interesting style of animation and the more I watched it, the more gorgeous it looked. I like the basic idea of the movie, but – here come the buts – it takes a long time to get anywhere. There’s not enough plot and too much filler (like Alan Tudyk) yet still gives short shrift to major plots like Simon’s betrayal and “redemption”. Some of the morality is vague and questionable, particularly for an old-school fairy tale; the idea of stealing wishes and who those wishes really belong to is greyer than it needs to be. And, critically: the movie never quite feels earnest enough to live up to its message. I really wanted to like the “You’re a Star” scene and the animation is fun. But it’s also a reminder that metafiction is hard to do and this movie misses the mark more often than not. Considering how much musicals rise and fall with their tunes, the music for this one is just… fine. I appreciate that they really tried to make a new animated classic. They just weren’t up to the task this time out; Better luck next time. Unfortunately, because these failed, we’ll probably be treated to more safe, unoriginal sequels instead.
Song of the day? How about we use one from one of the movies above?
The current collective bargaining agreement between Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association is set to expire at 11:59 p.m. ET on Dec. 1. It is expected that MLB will institute a lockout following the CBA’s expiration, and the lockout could threaten the 2027 season. Sportico’s Michael McCann, who is an attorney and a law professor, breaks down the potential legal fallout of a lockout in two parts. Below is Part I, which analyzes the outlines of the labor dispute and the legal questions confronting MLB and management. Part II, which will run on Monday, will look more closely at the player and labor side of the legal question.
At the core, the disagreement between MLB and MLBPA is about money, and who gets it.
MLB contends cost controls are needed to bridge the wide gap between teams that spend massive amounts of money on payroll and those that spend comparatively little. According to Spotrac, the New York Mets’ player payroll this year is $328 million, while the Cleveland Guardians’ is $80 million. MLB has reportedly proposed a salary cap and salary floor of $245 million and $171 million, respectively. In other pro sports leagues, there are salary caps and maximum salaries, which are depicted as helping to promote fair play and leveling the playing field.
MLB also seeks such measures as caps on the length of player contracts so they can’t extend beyond five years (for a player joining a new team) or six years (for a player staying with their team). The league also proposed an increase of the minimum MLB salary from $780,000 to $1 million and requiring that players be at least 20 years old and two years removed from high school before signing contracts with MLB organizations.
The union insists these and other demands would harm the sport, saying MLB seeks to “reduce player compensation by billions of dollars” as well as “eliminate fundamental rights with a salary cap” and “destroy the amateur entry process.” Along those lines, the MLBPA says a cap system would “eliminate the free market” as part of a desire to suppress player salaries and maximize the profits of teams and owners.
2. How Can a Lockout Be Legal?
Even if on the surface they appear to be unfair to players, lockouts are legal when they’re in support of a legitimate bargaining position.
A lockout is when an employer refuses to allow employees to work and thus be paid. It is intended to pressure union members into acquiescing to management’s demands. MLB players will literally be “locked out” of showing up at spring training facilities and ballparks to perform their employment contracts. To mitigate the financial impact, players’ associations usually create a lockout fund that pays players a portion of their salary during a work stoppage.
MLB seeks changes to its economic relationship with the union. The U.S. Supreme Court has held that lockouts are permissible when they bring “economic pressure to bear in support of” a “legitimate economic position.”
Lockouts can become illegal and deemed unfair labor practices if they interfere with employees’ rights to collectively bargain.
Although it didn’t garner as much attention as the current dispute, MLB locked out players on Dec. 1, 2021. The lockout lasted three months and eight days. It led to a shortened spring training and a delayed opening day, but the entire 162-game schedule was played. The NFL, NBA and NHL have all turned to lockouts this century.
3. Does a Lockout Have to Happen on Dec. 1?
No.
A lockout, just like a strike, is a choice.
When a CBA expires, many provisions, including those governing wages and medical benefits, continue. In fact, they could continue for years during what is coined the “status quo period.” This period is mandated by labor law and the National Labor Relations Board and during it, a league can’t unilaterally impose new rules for wages, hours and other working conditions.
In my work in law, I was part of a labor-management dispute during which the status quo period lasted for years. Things functioned as normal. It is not uncommon, at least outside of sports, for a CBA to expire and for not much to change until a new CBA is negotiated.
Even in pro sports, leagues and players’ associations have operated for years in status quo. Most notably, U.S. Soccer and the U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team went years (2018 to 2022) between the expiration of one CBA and agreement on a new one. The team played games and operated as usual during that stretch.
Status quo continues until a new CBA is reached or the parties reach an impasse after good-faith bargaining.
4. Could MLB and the MLBPA Operate in Status Quo?
Yes, but don’t expect that to happen.
MLB seeks substantial changes to the economics of baseball, including a salary cap, max contracts and other features that MLBPA opposes. MLB does not want to continue with the terms of a current CBA, aka the status quo. That said, if the two sides are close to a deal as Dec. 1 nears, MLB could postpone a lockout.
5. How Discouraging Is It That the Sides Appear Far Apart?
It’s not a good sign that MLB seeks major changes and that the MLBPA appears steadfastly opposed, but don’t forget there’s a lot of time in between now and Dec. 1.
The league and union are waging a battle to shape public opinion, with the league asserting the changes it seeks would make MLB more like other major pro leagues, and players saying already-wealthy owners just want more money. A lot of that discourse, including what will be depicted as news in media stories about the negotiations, is noise and hyperbole. The two sides will bargain behind closed doors, and away from journalists and influencers, and eventually reach a compromise both can live with.
Along those lines, recall the recent labor dispute last year involving the WNBA and WNBPA. The two sides seemed far off, and both were very PR-conscious. The dispute lasted months, but they reached a deal without any games being lost.
6. Could MLB Teams Lay Off Scouts and Other Personnel?
MLB teams can always make staffing decisions, lockout or not. A lockout could eventually lead to a lengthy cessation of business operations, which might lead teams to lay off or furlough employees, or reduce employees’ pay. During the COVID-19 pandemic, MLB teams engaged in all those employment reduction practices.
But the pandemic was different from a labor dispute in key ways. There was no certainty on when the pandemic would end or how the sports world would operate in the months and years afterward. That’s not true of a labor dispute, which could end at any time with an immediate return to normal business. Eliminating front office jobs that would need to be filled again might not be a smart move, since it would mean cutting ties with seasoned and skilled employees.
7. Could Congress or the President Force MLB to End the Lockout?
No.
Neither Congress nor the president has the authority under federal law, the U.S. Constitution or case precedent to compel a private sports league to end a dispute with its unionized players.
This is not President Ronald Reagan firing air traffic controllers. Nor is this the NLRB, under President Barack Obama, suing Boeing for plans to relocate a plant from Washington to South Carolina.
This is a labor dispute involving a sports league and its players. It will end when the league and players figure out a solution.
8. Could Congress or the President Pressure the Sides to Reach a Deal?
Sure, and that probably will happen to some degree.
Baseball has a storied history in our country, most teams have taxpayer-funded stadiums, and many jobs, including people employed at restaurants and bars near ballparks, could lose business if games are missed in 2027. The prospect of a lost season would aggravate some members of Congress and their constituents.
Congress has also shown an affinity for weighing in on sports disputes—consider the airtime members of Congress receive when sermonizing on the state of college sports. They are no doubt aware that major sports and news media will cover whatever they say.
But there’s some risk for Congress to weigh in too aggressively on a private sports league dispute featuring billionaire owners and millionaire athletes—the average MLB player salary is $5.34 million. This isn’t a labor dispute involving steel workers, auto plant assembly-line employees or teachers. Baseball is an entertainment product that, while popular, is not essential to the economy.
That concern seems especially true at a time when many everyday Americans face real-time, real-world concerns like higher grocery and gas prices and rising housing and education costs.
9. What Could Congress Actually Do?
The big card held by members of Congress is threatening MLB with rescinding what’s left of MLB’s antitrust exemption. This is a familiar playbook.
In Federal Baseball Club v. National League (1922), the U.S. Supreme Court held that professional baseball is exempt from antitrust scrutiny. The ruling has long been criticized as out of step with basic understandings of the law, and the court later refused to extend the exemption to other sports, including football, basketball and boxing.
Decades later a baseball player, Curt Flood, challenged the exemption, but in 1972, the Supreme Court upheld the exemption under the doctrine of stare decisis. That phrase refers to the idea the court must adhere to precedent, and precedent from 1922, even if arguably wrong, must be followed. The court added that Congress and the president could use the lawmaking process to repeal or reduce the scope of the exemption.
A quarter century later, Congress passed, and President Bill Clinton signed into law, the Curt Flood Act. The act narrowed the scope of MLB’s antitrust exemption, most notably by eliminating the exemption’s application to MLB players’ employment. The exemption continues for certain other topics, including minor league baseball, the amateur draft, franchise relocation and ownership sales. MLB has argued the exemption has benefited fans, since owners can’t threaten a league with an antitrust lawsuit to relocate.
Congress could introduce legislation to repeal the remainder of the exemption. Whether there would be sufficient political support is unknown, but Congress could use that threat to urge MLB to strike a deal with the MLBPA.
For the most part, however, the antitrust exemption doesn’t play a meaningful role. The Curt Flood Act means the exemption no longer applies to MLB players’ employment—the topic of the lockout.
10. Could MLB Challenge the MLBPA in the Legal System?
Yes, and there’s a playbook for that.
In February 2011, a month before the NFL CBA would expire and the NFL would lock out players, the league filed an unfair labor practice charge (ULP) with the NLRB. The NFL claimed the union was not bargaining in good faith.
The NBA, which locked out its players later in 2011, similarly filed a ULP with the NLRB against the NBPA. The NBA portrayed the NBPA disclaiming interest as a sham to facilitate players suing via antitrust law. The NBA also separately sued the NBPA in the Southern District of New York.
The NLRB investigates ULP charges over a period of months and ultimately issues a recommendation to a regional director, whose decision is reviewed by the NLRB (yes, a lot of steps). The NLRB could issue a complaint and seek an injunction from a federal judge.
MLB could adopt a similar strategy in hopes of obtaining leverage for its bargaining with players (and MLBPA could do the same), though ultimately these maneuvers would likely be slow moving and not resolve the fundamental dispute.
11. Could MLB Impose Terms Like a Salary Cap Without Union Consent?
MLB tried that strategy during the players’ strike in 1994-95, and a federal judge rejected it. (More on that in Part II.) That said, MLB could declare an impasse, meaning it believes it made its best, final offer to the union. MLB could then try to impose the terms in that offer. MLBPA, however, would file a ULP charge against MLB and insist the union and league are engaged in good-faith bargaining.
12. Can Mediation Get the Two Sides Talking?
Yes.
The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS), a neutral, government entity, has been used by leagues and players’ associations in past labor disputes. FMCS involves both sides in a dispute presenting their arguments to a mediator, who proposes a resolution. The proposal is not binding; it is only a recommendation to the two sides.
In 2022, the league proposed to the union that they use FMCS, but MLB said the MLBPA denied the request. During the 2012-13 NHL lockout, the two sides used FMCS, and recommendations by mediator Scot Beckenbaugh were thought to help the NHL and NHLPA find a solution.
Stay tuned for Part II of McCann’s breakdown, which will run on Monday.
Boston, MA - June 30: Boston Red Sox second baseman Anthony Seigler strikes out in the sixth inning. The Boston Red Sox played the Washington Nationals at Fenway Park on June 30, 2026. (Photo by Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
Yesterday, following a second straight loss to the increasingly unlikeable Washington Nationals, the Red Sox appropriately flew west into the setting sun to begin a nine game road trip. Their season is either on the brink, or already dead (depending on who you talk to), and their future is vastly uncertain.
Looking ahead, the trade deadline is still a month away (Monday, August 3rd at 6:00pm), but thanks to a bit of scheduling quirk and the All Star Break, there’s now just one homestand left for the Red Sox before we get there (July 17th through the 26th against everybody in the AL East other than the Yankees). So this has me wondering, when will the next meaningful baseball game at Fenway Park occur?
If you want to be wildly optimistic, you could say it will be their very next game there on July 17th, coming out of the All Star Break. If the Sox rip off something like a 7-2 road trip, they would still be close enough to sniff the third Wild Card entering that pivotal stretch, and it would very much be “game on” given how horrible the AL is this year and the likelihood of some big names coming back soon.
However, if you want to be wildly pessimistic, you could say the next meaningful game at Fenway Park won’t occur for another two years. Suppose the Sox have a disastrous west coast road trip and go something like 2-7? Then they sell pieces coming out of the break (officially ending contention in 2026) and run head first into a crippling lockout that wipes out the entire 2027 season.
The real answer is probably something in the middle, but I’m kind of amazed I don’t have to squint too hard to see either extreme.
Talk about this and whatever else you like in this tread, and as always, be good to one another! (Also, stay cool out there in this heat!)
The 33-year-old former England international made 157 appearances in his three-year Rangers stint, winning the League Cup in December 2023.
Butland told the Hull City website: "The last few years playing at an incredible club like Rangers, somewhere I hold close to my heart, meant it had to be something really enticing to change that.
"The European nights and all the experience I gained up in Scotland, and my experience prior to that, are going to set me up perfectly for the challenge ahead this year.
"The Premier League is the best league in the world and, personally, it's a great opportunity to be on the biggest stage again. I believe it's the level I'm capable of playing at, and I've done it before."
Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders:L, 9-5 vs. Norfolk Tides
3B Jonathan Ornelas 1-4, BB, K C J.C. Escarra 3-5, 2B, K 2B Marco Luciano 2-5, 2 HR, 4 RBI, K — has had a hell of a year, 15 homers and .957 OPS across two levels RF Yanquiel Fernández 1-4, 2B, BB, K 1B Tyler Hardman 0-4, BB, 3 K, SB DH Ernesto Martinez Jr. 0-4, BB, 3 K LF Kenedy Corona 1-3, BB, K CF Duke Ellis 0-3, RBI, K, SF SS Owen Cobb 0-4, K, fielding error
Don Hamel 6 IP, 9 H, 6 R, 3 BB, 3 K, 1 HR (loss) Eric Reyzelman 0.1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 1 HR Angel Chivilli 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K — has been sharp in Triple-A this season Dylan Coleman 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
Double-A Somerset Patriots:W, 5-3 vs. Hartford Yard Goats
CF Trent Grisham 1-3, 2B, BB — hard double in the fourth inning 1B John Cristino 0-1, K DH Jace Avina 1-3, HR, 2 RBI, BB — great year continues, 16 dingers RF Jackson Castillo 2-3, 2B, RBI, BB LF DJ Gladney 2-4, 2B, HR, 2 RBI 3B Coby Morales 1-4, 3B, 2 K C Miguel Palma 0-3, BB, K 1B Josh Moylan 1-4, 2 K, GIDP SS Kevin Verde 0-4, K 2B Connor McGinnis 2-4, K , fielding error
Xavier Rivas 2 IP, 1 H, 1 R (0 ER), 2 BB, 4 K — Somerset pitching combined for 19 (!) strikeouts, a franchise record Miguel Arias 1.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 4 K, 2 HR Trent Sellers 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K Hayden Merda 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K (win) Chris Kean 1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K (hold) Tony Rossi 1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K (save) — first save of the season for Tony
High-A Hudson Valley Renegades:L, 5-3 vs. Wilmington Blue Rocks
2B Kaeden Kent 0-4, BB, K SS Core Jackson 1-4, 2B, K RF Wilson Rodriguez 1-4, RBI, K, CS C Eric Genther 2-3 1B Kyle West 2-4 3B Roderick Arias 1-2, 2 RBI, BB, K, SF DH Enmanuel Tejeda 1-3 CF Camden Troyer 0-4 LF Robbie Burnett 0-3, BB, K
Luis Serna 6 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 2 BB, 6 K, 1 HR (loss) Andrew Landry 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K Wilmy Sanchez 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 1 HR Thomas Balboni Jr. 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
SS Jackson Lovich 3-5, RBI, K 2B Hans Montero 1-4, BB, K C Luis Puello 0-3, BB, 2 K RF Logan Maxwell 3-4, 3 RBI, BB, K 3B Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek 0-3, 2 BB, K CF Brando Mayea 0-4, BB, K LF JoJo Jackson 1-2, BB PR-RF Isael Arias 0-1 1B David McCann 1-4, RBI, 2 K DH Ediel Rivera 1-4, 3 K
Thatcher Hurd 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 K (win) — 2024 third-rounder had a ten-run disaster start in May, but has been nails since Brian Hendry 1.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K Jose Martinez 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K Jordarlin Mendoza 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K
Florida Complex League Yankees:W, 9-8 (9) vs. FCL Tigers — game was called with none on and two out in the top of the ninth due to inclement weather
3B Richard Matic 0-4, BB, 2 K CF Wilberson De Pena 0-3, 2 K, SB DH Queni Pineda 1-1, HR, 2 RBI, 3 BB, 3 SB 2B Leni Done 1-2, BB, 2 SB LF Jose Castro 1-3, HR, 3 RBI, BB, SB RF Francisco Vilorio 1-3, 2B, 2 RBI, BB, K SS Dexters Peralta 2-3, HR, 2 RBI, BB, 2 SB — ten steals for the Yanks in this one C Justin Capellan 0-4, 2 K, SB, CS 1B Diego Flores 0-3, 3 K
Sunayro Martina 2.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 2 K Marco Manzano 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K (win) Brian Arias 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K Jorge Luna 1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 BB, 0 K Rafael Arias 2 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 0 BB, 0 K Austin Breedlove 0.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K (save)
