What the Detroit Tigers will do with back-to-back Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal is the big question ahead of 6 p.m. ET on Monday, seemingly likely to trade the lefty expected to earn more than $300 million as a free agent this winter.
Other top arms on the market include Emerson Hancock (Seattle Mariners) and Clay Holmes (New York Mets), but this summer lacks a marquee slugger at the deadline. But baseball's expanded postseason has resulted in more deals in recent years as fringe teams juggle buying and selling looking at the wild-card mirage.
Here's a look at some things we think will happen in the next 48 hours:
This will take some bravery like that deal with Cleveland in 2008, and the Brewers have the capital to make such a trade with the Tigers. It's unlikely Milwaukee parts with top prospect Jesus Made, but the Brewers have the best farm system in baseball and a deep pool of higher-end players
What a big three it would be in a short series with Skubal, Jacob Misiorowski and Kyle Harrison. And perhaps more importantly, put the banged-up Dodgers on the back foot in the National League.
– Jesse Yomtov
Emerson Hancock to Cubs
The Chicago Cubs will acquire starting pitcher Emerson Hancock from the Seattle Mariners for outfielder Seiya Suzuki and infielder Matt Shaw.
The Cubs desperately need another starting pitcher, and while no one will mistake Hancock with Tarik Skubal, Hancock is the best young pitcher on the market and is under control through 2031. The Mariners badly need an injection on offense. Suzuki provides plenty of power – 18 homers and 60 RBIs this year – while Shaw is a nice replacement for infielder J.P. Crawford when he likely departs as a free agent.
– Bob Nightengale
Clay Holmes to Rays
There were two scouts from the Rays at Holmes’ rehab start Tuesday night. It makes sense, because he’s the type of pitcher the Rays go for, not the top tier, but right under it. They probably see something they can tweak and he can start or move to the back of the bullpen in October. They won’t have to break the bank in terms of prospects. And the Mets and Rays have made a deal recently, so the communication is there.
– Kristie Ackert
Yankees' disappointments continue
It's an ugly market and this is becoming an ugly Yankees team thanks to injuries to Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger. There's no market magic bullet, anyway, but New York will find itself outgunned by the volume of teams better-equipped to deal.
– Gabe Lacques
Atlanta gets urgent
Typically conservative Alex Anthopoulos will recognize the moment and bring in needed reinforcements in the bullpen and rotation - realizing they're within striking distance of Milwaukee for the NL's No. 2 seed.
– Gabe Lacques
Brewers assemble package for Skubal
The Milwaukee Brewers stun the baseball world by outbidding the Los Angeles Dodgers and landing Tarik Skubal in a blockbuster trade. The Brewers’ deep farm system enables them to offer a package headlined by highly regarded infield prospect Luis Pena and left-hander Robert Gasser.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - JULY 30: Matt Strahm #25 of the Kansas City Royals reacts to giving up a walk-off, grand slam to Kody Clemens #2 of the Minnesota Twins (not pictured) in the ninth inning at Target Field on July 30, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Twins defeated the Royals 4-3. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I remember when the internet wasn’t everywhere. When I was in high school in the aughts, you had to go to a computer to log onto Myspace or Facebook or to browse ESPN. In my freshman year of college at the tail end of the decade, my school didn’t even have WiFi in the dorms—you had to physically plug into the ethernet ports. Connecting while traveling abroad meant buying a physical, temporary SIM card or a burner phone. And airplanes? Forget about it. That’s what the seatback screen is for.
Nowadays, that’s not the case. On our most recent trip abroad, we had fast and reliable 5G service via a digital eSIM card. On the flight back, the plane had satellite internet via Starlink that I measured at a ludicrous-for-30,000-feet-in-the-air 138 megabits per second. Two weeks ago, we set off on a family vacation: an Alaskan cruise. Internet was, naturally, available for purchase on a per device basis.
But I didn’t buy the internet package. For the first time in over a decade, I didn’t have access to any Royals information whatsoever. No scores. No news. No social media posts. And let me tell you: it was bliss.
Make no mistake; I still love the Royals. I love baseball. I enjoy writing for a passionate audience. However, this season, and really the last few years, has worn me down. And the core reason, I’ve come to realize, is just how many Royals games just haven’t mattered in the standings for over the past decade.
Ever since the Golden Age Royals peaked in 2015 by winning a World Series, baseball in Kansas City has been a struggle. Teams have been bad early, and they’ve been bad often. And with the huge number of games every year, the deluge of meaningless contests has grated against my psyche like the relentless river smoothing out the rock.
I wanted to quantify just how bad it’s been over these last 11 years. While games played mathematically eliminated from contention might be technically correct, it doesn’t cover those games in June and July and August whose outcomes don’t change the trajectory of the team whatsoever, and it doesn’t cover those games in September where a decent team is just far enough out of realistic hope for wins to really make an impact. So I chose a big round number: 10 games behind first place in the American League Central. I took a look at when each team first got there, how many they played in a given season, and the percentage of games played 10 games behind.
The results are harrowing. The Kansas City Royals have fallen to 10 or more games behind first place every yearin the last 11 seasons at least once. In total, they’ve played 1,626 games over that time period—nearly 47% of which have been played that far back in the standings. And the average time the Royals reached 10 games back? Game 63, which lines up around the first week of June.
Season
G played on 1st 10 GB
Total G played 10 GB
Total G played
Percentage 10 GB
2026
51
42
110
37.0%
2025
69
48
162
29.6%
2024
81
1
162
0.6%
2023
27
129
162
79.6%
2022
40
123
162
75.9%
2021
64
98
162
60.5%
2020
39
22
60
36.7%
2019
36
127
162
78.4%
2018
54
107
162
66.0%
2017
130
32
162
19.8%
2016
102
36
162
22.2%
AVG
63
69
N/A
46.9%
Sports games are fun in and of themselves, but they are most fun when the games are played competently and when those games matter. And in nearly half of all games played over the last decade plus, those games just haven’t mattered; win or loss, the season’s outcome was all but settled anyway.
One time when I was a kid, I thought about shifting my allegiance across state lines. The St. Louis Cardinals were good. They had a fun hat with a bird on it. Why not root for them? That would be more fun, wouldn’t it?
But I just couldn’t do it. I cared about the Royals in a way that I didn’t care about the Cardinals and never would. The Royals were, are, my team. It’s irrational, but so is much about what we love. Relationships with sports teams are tied up in family, in history, in civic pride, in emotion. I couldn’t decouple my affinity for this team. I have tried not to care. It has not worked.
The first game I wrote about after I got back from my trip was Tuesday’s game against the Twins, which was a painful walkoff loss following an excellent start by Seth Lugo. Or, it should have been painful. When it happened, I just sort of shrugged. Another bullpen implosion, another day ending in ‘Y’, as it were. The Royals’ playoff odds were already below ground level.
I don’t have a point here much beyond this, but that’s fine. I’m just tired of meaningless baseball. I’ve followed so much meaningless baseball—and there was much of it before the Royals’ mid-2010s run, too. The weight of it has built up like plaque on my teeth, and I fear that it will be years before we experience meaningful baseball again.
Thursday saw an offensive outburst in the Atlanta Braves system. Although the DSL team lost, all four of the full season affiliates won with three of them scoring 11+ runs and the other scoring seven runs. Conor Essenburg, Alex Lodise, Eric Hartman, Patrick Clohisy, and Luis Guanipa were among the prospects to have notable days at the plate, while Lucas Braun and Landon Beidelschies had strong starts.
Lucas Braun got the start and turned in a quality start. In his six innings, he allowed three runs on six hits and two walks. Braun also struck out six and picked up 16 whiffs to earn the win. Rolddy Munoz pitched a scoreless inning with two strikeouts, followed by a scoreless inning with a strikeout from Hayden Harris. James Karinchak threw a scoreless ninth with three strikeouts to finish the game off.
Patrick Clohisy and Brewer Hicklen carried the Stripers offense in this one. Hicklen was three for four with a walk and ended up a triple short of the cycle as he scored twice and hit his 17th homer of the season. Clohisy was one for three, but walked twice, stole two bases, scored a run, and batted one in. Rehabbing Sean Murphy added a two-hit game, while Andrew McCutchen also added two hits. Fellow rehab assignment Ha-Seong Kim went hitless in three at bats, but did draw a pair of walks.
Columbus Clingstones 11, Rocket City Trash Pandas 3
Recent acquisition Braden Scott made hit third appearance for Columbus after coming from the independent leagues, and pitched a strong one. Six innings, three hits and three walks, allowing two runs as he struck out three and whiffed 16. Luis Vargas and Ray Kerr each pitched a scoreless frame, while Owen Hackman allowed a run in the ninth inning as he finished off the game.
This was another balanced offensive outburst, though Carson Taylor and Adam Zebrowski had huge games that included homers. Taylor had three hits with three runs scored and three batted in, while Zebrowski had two hits, two runs scored, and three batted in as they each homered. Dalton McIntyre had a two-hit game that included a walk and two runs scored, while Jordan Groshans homered, walked, and batted in three runs. Luke Waddell and Matt Scannell each added multi-hit games in the win, while Ambioris Tavarez singled and walked.
Rome Emperors 11, Hub City Spartanburgers 8
Eric Hartman, CF: 1-4, BB, 2 R, SB, .278/.366/.533
This one was not as close as the final score looked, as Hub City was able to tack on five runs across the final three innings. Luke Sinnard got the start and went two and two third, but struggled with his command. Royse actually threw more balls (22) than strikes (20) in his 42 pitches as he allowed three hits and three walks, striking out one and whiffing three. After Jacob Kroeger got the final out in the third, Zach Royse pitched four innings in relief, allowing four runs on eight hits and two walks, but struck out five and whiffed 12. Logan Samuels allowed a run in his inning and Tyler Schoff allowed two runs in two thirds of an inning, before Jaret Whorff got the final out of the game to pick up the save.
It was a balanced offensive outing to put up the 11 runs, as eight guys had a hit, four had a multi-hit game, and seven guys reached base multiple times. Mason Guerra had the biggest day, homering and doubling with two runs scored and two more batted in. Dixon Williams also homered, walked, scored twice, and batted in three. Williams hit his 13th homer of the year, while Guerra hit his 10th. Eric Hartman continued his recent strong stretch by going one for four with a walk, stolen base, and two runs scored, while Alex Lodise had a two-hit game with a pair of runs scored and one batted in. Owen Carey also had a two-hit game in the win.
It’s been a tough first full season for Landon Beidelschies, but he’s turned in a strong outing. Beidelschies went four and two thirds, allowing a run on four hits and three walks. He also struck out five and picked up seven whiffs. Kade Woods went the next two and a third scoreless. Styven Paez would allow two unearned runs in the ninth as he pitched an inning and a third, with Ryan Heppner getting the final two outs.
The Augusta offense got started early with five runs in the first inning and continued until they hit 15 scored. Cody Miller and Cooper McMurray each had two-hit games that included home runs, and McMurray batted in four while Miller batted in three. Conor Essenburg continued his recent hot streak by reaching base five times, doubling and walking four times in his six plate appearances. Luis Guanipa had two singles and a stolen base, while Nick Montgomery was one for three with a pair of walks and three runs scored. Caden Merritt, Hayden Friese, and Joe Olsavsky also reached base multiple times in the win, while Juan Mateo added a single.
The DSL team got a start from Charlis Medina, who struggled early by allowing three runs (two earned) in the first, and then didn’t allow any more runs to score through his next three innings. Giovanni Medina went the final four innings, allowing a run in both the seventh and eighth. Medina did strike out four batters during his stint.
The offense really struggled here as they managed just three hits through eight innings and managed five with three walks overall. The lone run came in the ninth when replacement right fielder Elisandro Ramirez hit an inside the park homer, good for his second of the year. The most notable offensive performance came from Luis Fortunato, who singled three times in four at bats, and also stole a base. The other hit was a Yasseel Pena single, and he also added a walk and a steal. Sherrintely Da Costa Gomez was hitless in three at bats, but did draw a walk, while Elioberto Mondesir stole two bases in the loss.
ANAHEIM, CA - JULY 17: Los Angeles Angels pitcher Reid Detmers (48) pitching during an MLB baseball game against the Detroit Tigers played on July 17, 2026 at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, CA. (Photo by John Cordes/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
I really wanted the Guardians to target Reid Detmers this offseason thinking he was on the verge of a breakout… which happened! Time to revisit the idea.
You can view our larger trade deadline piece here as we discuss a wider pool of options the Guardians may consider. To make my position clear, I expect the Guardians to make smaller moves, like trading Bo Naylor and getting a castoff/undervalued reliever. But, in the interest of exploring potential larger moves, we are doing a series looking at some of those bigger names. So far, we have discussed Spencer Steer, Luis Arraez, Shea Langeliers, Taylor Ward, Heliot Ramos, Jo Adell, Ty France, Tyler Soderstrom, Heriberto Hernandez, Kyle Stowers, and Alec Burleson. Although the Guardians’ greatest need is hitting, the market is aflush with starting pitching so it also may make sense for the Guardians to see if they can find a good value there, as we wrote here and looked at specifically with Jose Soriano.
In the Guardians’ defense on Detmers, they may very well have tried to acquire him and the Angels shut down the conversation because their owner is insane. However, it sounds like their new GM MAY be getting owner Arte Moreno to listen to reason on doing a little rebuild. Detmers is 27 years old and under control through 2029. Right now, he is putting up a 4.04 ERA but a 3.36 FIP with a poor Angels defense behind him, with an excellent 10.44/2.74 K/BB%. He is middle of the road with extension, something the Guardians’ love, but that may be part of what they could help him go after when they get him out of the barren wilderness that is Angels’ pitching development.
Why target a pitcher when hitting is the glaring need on the Guardians? I think the Guardians can target a short-term help or two with the bat (Ty France and the Angels’ own Jo Adell) and still have the ammo for a run at a controllable asset like Detmers. I think Detmers is a no-doubt front of the rotation starter here, but the market is pretty saturated with starting pitchers and Detmers’ track record of success is short… so he may be able to be acquired with one top 100 prospect of the Genao/Velazquez/Caceres/ Doughty/Ingle/Chourio bunch and additional pieces. If so, this would be a no-brainer move for me. It also allows the Guardians to move Slade Cecconi to the bullpen where he would be very effective. They could, alternatively, see if the Angels wanted to skew younger and trade them Joey Cantillo and a great prospect for Detmers.
The playoff rotation of Williams, Messick and Detmers with Bibee for a game four as needed stands up to any group in MLB. That’s why this potential deal excites me so much. Let me know what you think about it in the comments below!
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 25: Kyle Schwarber #12 of the Philadelphia Phillies runs to first base during a game against the New York Yankees at Citizens Bank Park on July 25, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: this is a huge series for the Orioles. It feels like we’ve said that over and over again this season, but I promise it’s true this time. The Orioles and Phillies play this weekend with the Orioles still on the fringes of the Wild Card race. The outcome of this series could be the difference in how Mike Elias handles things going into the trade deadline on Monday. This is a big one.
It’s hard to predict what will happen this weekend. The Phillies are a confusing team. They started their season 9-19 and fired their manager. Don Mattingly replaced him and they turned things around. But they have been on a bad run. They were just swept by the Marlins, who had lost 12 straight before the series. They are 2-8 in their last 10 games. But they have a 57-52 record, good for second in the NL East and a Wild Card spot.
The Phillies have been on a good run, with playoff appearances in each of the last four seasons. And they’ve been well-rounded, with both good hitters and good pitchers. This year, however, the hitting has taken a bit of a nosedive. Kyle Schwarber leads the lead in home runs and has .911 OPS. Bryce Harper has strong overall number, but has slumped for the past month. JT Realmuto? Stinks. Trea Turner? Bad. Alec Bohm? Nope. Brandon Marsh hasn’t been terrible, but he’s still very wet.
The starting pitching, however, has been among the best in baseball this season thanks to of Cristopher Sánchez, Zach Wheeler, and Jesús Luzardo. The Orioles will face the first two this weekend. The quality drops off considerably after that, but when those are your top three guys, you’re going to win a lot of games.
The Phillies bullpen is very strong in the back half. Closer Jhoan Duran has a 100-mph fastball and a 37.6% strikeout rate. Orion Kerkering will walk anyone who holds still long enough, but he’s been very good at keeping runs off the board.
So which version of the Phillies team will we see this weekend? It’s hard to know, just as it’s hard to know which version of the Orioles will show. Either way, the trade deadline is on the other side of this series. So moves will be made.
Game 1: Friday, 7:05 pm – MASN
TBD vs RHP Brandon Young (17 GS, 3.13 ERA / 3.74 FIP)
The Phillies haven’t announced their starter for game one, but it will not be Jesús Luzardo. That’s good news. He started on Wednesday. Sánchez would have been on regular rest for today, but they pushed him to tomorrow. They could go with Brian Keller as either the starter or the bulk reliever. We just have to wait and see.
Brandon Young continues his journey as the unlikely ace of the staff. He is coming off of 6.1 innings against Atlanta in which he allowed just one run on four hits.
Game 2: Saturday, 7:05 – MASN
LHP Cristopher Sánchez (22 GS, 2.73 ERA / 2.66 FIP) vs RHP Shane Baz (21 GS, 3.98 ERA / 3.47 FIP)
This is gonna be a tough one. The Orioles have struggled against lefties all year, and this guy is arguably the best lefty starter in the game. He has an excellent sinker that he relies on a lot. It has helped him reach his 58% ground-ball rate. He strikes out over 10 batters per nine innings as well, and barely walks anyone. He led the league in bWAR last season at 8.1, and currently leads this year at 5.6. I have to admit I don’t have high hopes for this one.
Baz keeps plugging along with solid start after solid start. On May 9th, he had a 5.48 ERA that he has slowly brought down. In his last start he gave up one earned run in 4.2 innings, which dropped his ERA below 4.00 for the first time this season.
Game 3: Sunday, 1:35 – MASN
RHP Zack Wheeler (17 GS, 2.53 ERA / 3.09 FIP) vs RHP Kyle Bradish (21 GS, 3.74 ERA / 3.87 FIP
At least he’s not a lefty? Wheeler has been with the Phillies since 2020 and is 36 years old, but hasn’t shown a sign that he’s slowing down. He is coming off of a bust in his last start (3 IP, 8 R vs the Marlins) but that kind of start has been an anomaly for him this year. He has a mid-90s fastball and is still striking out over 10 batters per nine innings. He will give up some homers, but with an opponent OBP of just .245, there aren’t a lot of baserunners to bring home; 11 of his 13 homers allowed have been solo shots.
This could be an incredible pitching matchup, or Kyle Bradish could pitch like he did on Friday against Detroit. He allowed five runs on ten hits and couldn’t get out of the fifth inning. We know he has ace stuff, we just don’t know if he’ll show it.
What say you? How many games of this series do you think the Orioles will win? Let us know in the comments.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JULY 24: A.J. Minter #33 of the New York Mets in action against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citi Field on July 24, 2026 in New York City. The Dodgers defeated the Mets 4-2. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The team is in a rut, so I’m not going to ask you about them. Instead: what do you have planned for this upcoming weekend?
In Mariners news…
In case you missed it, the Mariners are hosting a special “Jimothy Night” on August 7th. For every ticket sold, the team is donating $2 to the Ballard Food Bank.
Despite the Mariners’ recent slide, Cal Raleigh gave his pitch for the team to buy at the deadline.
It’s interesting that the Mariners are seen as the most reactive on this chart. This to me is an example of the “Trader Jerry” moniker sticking around in the industry even though he has substantially cooled off in his twitchiness since his first few years.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 24: Zach Ehrhard #99 of the Los Angeles Dodgers during a spring training game at Dodger Stadium on March 24, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Four games, all decided by six or more runs. It was a day of blowouts in the Dodgers minor league system.
Player of the day
With a double and a pair of singles, Zach Ehrhard took advantage of the opportunities presented to him, being the protagonist of a Comets 9-2 win at home.
Ehrhard, who came into the game with the same number of RBI (65) he had last season, added four more, delivering a terrific campaign in Triple-A.
Triple-A Oklahoma City
Timely hits with a better than .500 display across 11 at-bats with runners in scoring position led to a blowout win over the Aviators. Chuckie Robinson continues to hit long balls in Triple-A, but his was the only home run that the Comets needed.
Each with three hits at the top of the Comets order, Alek Thomas and Zach Ehrhard came through in the biggest spots; the pair combined for seven of the team’s nine RBI. Pitching-wise, it was a collective effort with four different relievers covering eight innings after Carlos Duran allowed a run in the first inning, the only one he pitched in.
Double-A Tulsa
Leading six to nothing after just three innings, the Drillers were never threatened by the Naturals in a 9-to-3 win. Jake Gelof, who had been phenomenal in the previous two games, recorded one RBI in what was more of a team effort this time around. First baseman Chris Newell had your standard three-true outcome game, with a homer, a walk, and three punchouts—the other Drillers home run came from ninth-hole hitter Sam Mongelli.
Part of what made this win especially comfortable for the Drillers is that starter Adam Serwinowski delivered a terrific performance on the mound, allowing just one run on a single hit, a solo shot. Serwinowski now moves to an 8-4 record.
High-A Great Lakes
Eleven runs on nothing but singles, walks, and errors from the opposing defense in yet another blowout win in the Dodgers’ minor-league system, with the Loons putting 11 past the TinCaps. Emil Morales was the most effective hitter of the game, reaching safely in all but one of his five plate appearances and scoring a team-high three runs.
Pitching at a higher level for the first time this season, starter Hyun-Seok Jang did better than anyone expected, with six scoreless innings, striking out eight, much different from the pitcher who had a near 6.00 ERA with the Tower Buzzers.
Single-A Ontario
Evidently, blowouts were the theme of the day, as the Tower Buzzers suffered the only loss of these four teams, giving up a dozen runs in a game in which the bullpen was disastrous late on. Over half of those runs came after the seventh inning, when Jose Vasquez and Peter Bonilla combined to allow seven in just two frames.
Avoiding the loss might’ve been too big a task, but the Tower Buzzers had chances to make this score respectably close, eleven of them to be precise. Yes, the Tower Buzzers went a combined 0 for 11 with runners in scoring position. Mairoshendrick Martinus and Kellon Lindsey reached base four times each, and neither scored a run.
Transactions
Right-hander Hyun-Seok Jang was sent to the Great Lakes Loons.
Thursday’s scores
Oklahoma City 9, Las Vegas 2
Tulsa 9, NW Arkansas 3
Great Lakes 11, Fort Wayne 1
Ontario 2. Fresno 12
Friday’s schedule
4:05 p.m. PT: Great Lakes (Brady Smith) vs. Fort Wayne (TBD)
19 Jun 1994: James Mouton of the Houston Astros swings at the ball during a game against the San Diego Padres at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego, California. Mandatory Credit: Jed Jacobsohn /Allsport | Getty Images
Our 35th entry is James Mouton, who’d debut with the Astros in the outfield in 1994 on Opening Day. He’d play in over 400 games for Houston throughout portions of four seasons, and he joins us exclusively at The Crawfish Boxes.
Q: You didn’t stay in the minors that long; you were promoted fairy quickly. Did the rapid ascension surprise you?
A: Not really. I was older. I had graduated St. Mary’s College and came out as a Senior. They knew they could push me a little bit harder and a little bit quicker because I was older and a little bit more mature than some guys. It felt very natural the pace I was on.
Q: Opening Day 1994 was one of the more thrilling openers in Astros history. It culminated in walk-off fashion in a 6-5 extra inning win over the Expos, which was your first opening day start. What does that day conjure up for you?
A: It was terrific! We were a team that were coming into our own. We were trying to build something there. The Astros were back to being a formidable opponent. That was a great win because it signified what was ultimately coming ahead from us at that time.
Q: Of course, 1994 ended prematurely with the lockout. When you hear the rhetoric going on present day and the uncertainty of the 2027 season, what goes through your mind?
A: I hope things get done. Baseball is in a great place right now and it can only get better and better, but we cannot have a work stoppage. Things have to keep going and getting better in order for the game to thrive. There was a time during that 1998 season where they were at a crossroads and without the homerun chase, I think we would’ve been in real trouble. It’s pretty simple. We need baseball to continue, and the product needs to be on the field.
Q: You played multiple seasons with Bagwell and Biggio. Did you know way back then that they’d ultimately land in Cooperstown?
A: You know, Biggio was always super athletic. He came out every single day looking to play hard and go hard. When he surpassed 3000 hits, that was just awesome. Bagwell, I thought he’d get there eventually but the injuries impacted his numbers. His stats would be even more impressive without some of those injuries.
Q: You’ve been around the game as a scout. How do you go about measuring the intangibles? Such as a guy’s work ethic or love of the game and their passion? Things that don’t always show up in the box score.
A: I like to watch players in situations. I like to see what happens when things don’t go well. How will a guy handle adversity? What does a guy expect from himself? What does he expect to happen next? Everyone can be good when things are going well but what happens when things go sideways? How does a guy get past that? Do they have a positive attitude and work past that? Those are the guys that I find that are ready to play pro ball.
BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA - MARCH 20: Jake Brown #7, Derek Curiel #6 of the LSU Tigers in action against the Oklahoma Sooners at the Alex Box Stadium on March 20, 2026 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Photo by Mitchell Scaglione/LSU/University Images via Getty Images)
The MLB Draft took place on July 11th and 12th, but the deadline for teams to sign their draftees was on Monday, July 27th at 5 pm eastern. Most of the negotiations between organizations and players occurs before the name is ever called, but there’s still work to be done to finalize the details in the two weeks post-draft.
In some situations, i.e. Logan Schmidt, there’s a lot that has to happen in those 15 days. For the most part, things eventually get settled and scenarios play out the way they were expected once selections are made during the draft. All 8 of LSU’s players that got drafted have signed their professional deals as they take the next step in their career.
As you have likely heard by this point, the Tigers were able to get 6 of the top-100 ranked high school players through the draft and on their way to Baton Rouge. It’s not just top-heavy, either. There’s true depth up and down the class, making for an exciting future.
Although it’s fairly self-explanatory, each player listed will include the amount he received for his signing bonus. The slot value for their selection is also included, showing what was negotiated between player and team. For rounds 11-20, the slot value is a static number that is built in to MLB teams’ bonus pool. Anything over $150K comes out of their pool, but as long as they stay at or under that figure, the bonus does not count against them in total.
Curiel was the last of any LSU-related draftee to sign his deal, but it was never in doubt that he eventually would. Signing for $2 million under slot is a tad surprising, but the $6.2 million figure that he got does line more up with picks 9-12, which is mostly where he was expected to be selected heading in to the draft. Pittsburgh got to save 25% of the slot value for the #5 pick to utilize later and the sophomore CF gets to join former Tigers Paul Skenes and Jared Jones in an organization on the rise.
We believed based on end-of-season and pre-draft conversations that there was a slight chance that Jake Brown could choose to return for his senior season at LSU. He would have had to slide in to the 3rd round and get offered less than seven figures for that to happen, though. At the end of the day, the Mariners made a fantastic decision and Brown gets to join Kade Anderson in hopes to quickly move up the minors, as well.
Not many anticipated the possibility of Sheerin returning for another year in Baton Rouge, but he did have two more season of eligibility even regardless of the new 5-for-5 rule. For him to get selected in the 4th round as a relief pitcher shows how high he was valued, though. Getting drafted that high and offered that much money as a non-starter is typically rare. Sheerin has a bright future with the Phillies as he continues to refine his mechanics and get even stronger.
Getting as much money as Fontenot did as a senior-sign is fantastic. Especially for a guy that did not pitch a whole lot in his college career. Upper 90s and strike-throwing is a good combination, though, and will always get you an opportunity.
I was actually a bit surprised that Garcia lasted as long as he did and he only got the base $150K. A lefty that throws mid-90s and still had eligibility can often garner a higher offer, but a call from a solid organization like the Blue Jays can factor in to taking less than a player’s number if he feels like it’s the right opportunity.
It was amazing to see Guidry get this opportunity with how his LSU career finished. He burst on to the scene after moving from SS to P during his freshman year and became one of the most important pitchers on a championship team. He followed that up with a better sophomore year, but the troubles started with a back injury that shut him down for his entire junior season. His return in 2026 got off to a great start, but I am of the belief that as the season went along, his arm/back wore down and his performance slipped. His upside is still through the roof, though. The Mets made a great call by getting Guidry in to their system.
Cowan will be an interesting career path to watch. As good as he was in college, he’ll need to add more to his repertoire if he hopes to ascend in the Guardians system. His changeup is elite, but we saw, at times, how he could get in trouble if that pitch wasn’t as sharp as it could be. Cleveland will likely try to add some velocity to his low-90s fastball, but if he can turn his slider in to another plus-pitch, it would work great with the changeup.
By far the most interesting story of the draft (and post-draft) for LSU, possibly overall. It was immediately assumed that he would sign with Cleveland after his name was called, rightfully so, but the deadline came and went and the fresh 18 year old decided to stick to his higher asking price and reject the $1.7 million offer that the Guardians had left in their bonus pool. He is now weighing the decision of upholding his commitment to LSU or taking the path of JUCO and re-entering the draft in 2027. Here is my full breakdown of the entire situation, explaining what has already happened and what is to come.
Although he was considered a longshot to make it to campus, the possibility of Hirschkorn slipping through the draft was increasing throughout day 1. That was until the Braves called and offered him a record-breaking $3 million over-slot offer.
Another one that was never really expected to make it to campus, Roberson nearly doubled up on his slot value and will head straight to the Marlins organization. With LSU getting guys like Malachi Washington and Nate Davis to campus, this was one that you could live with as the outfield is already jam-packed.
Thought as more likely to make it to campus, Blomker had a reported asking price of $800k-$1 million according to Koki Riley of The Advocate and that’s exactly what he got. He’ll head to the Cubs farm system after doubling his slot value.
This was probably the most surprising loss to the recruiting class, as Evans was thought to be a pretty sure bet to make it to Baton Rouge. This was also around the time that it was becoming clear that high-level prep pitchers across the country were deciding not to take less than their asking price and staying patient. Pittsburgh saw an opportunity to offer much more than Evans may have been anticipating and can start working on making him a steal.
Considered a 50/50 guy to make it to LSU, it was going to take a heck of an offer to get him to pass on college. That’s exactly what Detroit gave him, allotting $850,000 extra out of their bonus pool after saving money earlier in the draft. The Tigers are getting a versatile player that can play 1st base or corner outfield and already considered a polished hitter.
Of all of the outfielders in LSU’s recruiting class, Murphy was the least likely to make it to campus. Somehow, he was unable to find a landing spot with his requested number and he slipped to this point where the Nationals drafted him to try and cash in on his desire to go straight from high school to pro ball. Murphy, instead, chose to head to college, but it will not be with his original commitment, LSU. Due to his age, he’ll again be eligible for the draft following his sophomore season in 2028. With just two years to make his case to get drafted higher, he was seeking a clearer path to playing time and due to how deep Jay Johnson’s outfield is, that would not be the case with the Tigers. He requested to be released from his commitment, which he was, and has since committed to Miami.
Taken as a lottery ticket by the Pirates, Washington was set on heading to LSU by this point in the draft, but Pittsburgh selected him in case something fell through with one of their top picks and they’d have the bonus pool money available to spend here.
This was the exact same situation as Malachi Washington. Santarelli didn’t get the offer he was looking for earlier and was preparing his purple and gold, but the Mariners selected him just in case something change.
Gabriel Moreno is on a tear, having started every game since June 29. Max Kepler has been a regular against righties in the second half. Ryan Waldschmidt is back with the big league club but isn't playing consistently.
Athletics
Jonah Heim was already getting plenty of plate appearances, and he's started every game since Shea Langeliers went down last weekend. Tommy White has started all but one game since being called up to open the second half, mostly at the hot corner. Henry Bolte is hitting too many grounders, but he's the primary center fielder with plus bat speed and sprint speed.
Atlanta Braves
Ronald Acuña Jr. and Drake Baldwin hit 1-2 against lefties and flip spots against righties. Jim Jarvis remains the primary shortstop. Austin Riley is back down in the bottom third of the order.
Baltimore Orioles
Christian Encarnacion-Strand is getting most, though not all, of the opportunities at third base in the second half. Dylan Beavers has begun hitting leadoff against righties. Jackson Holliday is seeing plenty of run and hitting the ball well lately.
Boston Red Sox
Curtis Mead's tenure with the club this season might have lasted one game, which puts Anthony Seigler back at second base against righties, hitting leadoff. Caleb Durbin has started all but one game since May 28. Masataka Yoshida remains a fixture against righties. It feels like a big trade is coming.
Chicago Cubs
Alex Bregman is off to a strong start in the second half and has settled in as the cleanup hitter. The same seven regulars are in place, with some rotation at catcher and DH.
Chicago White Sox
Sam Antonacci has sat against two of three lefties since the All-Star break. Braden Montgomery's playing time remains strong. He's sat just twice since his June 9 call-up. Andrew Benintendi keeps hanging around in a strong-side DH platoon.
Cincinnati Reds
Edwin Arroyo was sent to Triple-A when Matt McLain came off the IL on Thursday, and McLain started at second base. Noelvi Marte isn't playing enough to be a fantasy factor, even in deeper leagues.
Cleveland Guardians
Steven Kwan has regained the leadoff role over the past two weeks. His rebound, strong rookie showings from Travis Bazzana and Chase DeLauter, and Brayan Rocchio's growth have lengthened this lineup, at least on paper.
Colorado Rockies
Cole Carrigg has been getting more looks at the top of the order in July. There hasn't been much other movement, so we'll see what the deadline brings. It's surprising that Ezequiel Tovar is still getting the primary reps at shortstop, not that he's startable in any fantasy format.
Detroit Tigers
Max Clark is set to debut in Sacramento this weekend, though expect him to hit in the bottom third initially. Hao-Yu Lee has been productive despite not playing every day, and he could get extra looks at second base if Gleyber Torres is moved.
Houston Astros
It's a very top-heavy lineup, especially with Jose Altuve finally showing signs of aging. He's been even worse to start the second half. Yordan Alvarez has missed only two games all year. Imagine knowing that back on draft day.
Kansas City Royals
The Carter Jensen leadoff experiment continues despite a .306 OBP. He, Lane Thomas, and Salvador Perez occupy three of the top four spots on a regular basis, alongside the streaky Jac Caglianone. This lineup is really hurting without Bobby Witt Jr. and Maikel Garcia.
Los Angeles Angels
All eyes are on whether Zach Neto gets traded before Monday night, which would downgrade a lineup already full of holes. Vaughn Grissom has played consistently since the All-Star break. Josh Lowe hasn't.
Los Angeles Dodgers
It's still strange seeing Kyle Tucker hit sixth or seventh most days. Teoscar Hernández has been in the bottom third since the All-Star break. Tommy Edman was eased in on his return, but he's sat just once since July 7.
Miami Marlins
Heriberto Hernández leads the team in homers and has started 18 straight. Griffin Conine is a fixture against righties. Kyle Stowers has become the primary first baseman, with no outfield starts since July 1.
Milwaukee Brewers
Luis Lara's playing time is ticking up with five starts in the past six games, and he's been impressive in a small sample. Cooper Pratt has been the primary shortstop since mid-June. Andrew Vaughn's opportunities remain scarce. David Hamilton is off the IL and looks like the preferred third baseman over Joey Ortiz against righties.
Minnesota Twins
They've faced a lot of lefties to open the second half, which has capped Trevor Larnach's opportunities. Royce Lewis is still mostly at first base while getting exposure at second and third. Luke Keaschall is a full-time outfielder now. Kody Clemens isn't coming out of this lineup all summer.
New York Mets
Luis Robert Jr. has started seven of ten since coming off the IL. Jorge Polanco is DHing roughly every other day. Marcus Semien isn't starting every game. Tyrone Taylor has been in the lineup four of six times since Juan Soto returned to the IL. Carson Benge is batting fourth against righties.
New York Yankees
Jasson Domínguez has been an everyday player for six weeks. Spencer Jones should start against righties with Cody Bellinger on the IL. With Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton still sidelined, this lineup has struggled to score over the past 30 days.
Philadelphia Phillies
Brandon Marsh recently sat against two straight lefties for the first time since April. Bryson Stott has sat once since May 15. Expect outfield reinforcements in the coming days.
Pittsburgh Pirates
Esmerlyn Valdez has hit cleanup in every game this month. Ryan O'Hearn has started all but one game since June 12. Jake Mangum is getting most of the recent leadoff opportunities.
San Diego Padres
Fernando Tatis Jr. has started at second base just once in July, though he's played there enough to lock in 2027 eligibility, of course. Ty France has become the everyday cleanup hitter during his recent heater. Xander Bogaerts has been pushed to the bottom third of the lineup.
San Francisco Giants
Matt Chapman could return this weekend and slide back in at third base, with Casey Schmitt likely done for the season. Heliot Ramos has mostly hit inside the top three this month.
Seattle Mariners
Cole Young has hit leadoff in all but one game since July 21, taking the role from J.P. Crawford. Cal Raleigh has mostly hit sixth against righties to open the second half. Dominic Canzone has started against four straight southpaws.
St. Louis Cardinals
Jordan Walker moved up from cleanup to second, flipping with Ivan Herrera after the catcher finally got his first day off last Thursday. Blaze Jordan is back to near-everyday playing time after an inconsistent start to July. Lars Nootbaar has started two of five games against lefties in the second half.
Tampa Bay Rays
Nothing new, even with half the lineup serving as rotational pieces. Victor Mesa Jr. sits against lefties, as do Cedric Mullins and Richie Palacios. Yandy Díaz has led off in every start since June 6, limiting Chandler Simpson's opportunities at the top.
Texas Rangers
Corey Seager is set to return Friday, which likely bumps Ezequiel Duran to third base with Josh Jung sidelined. Joc Pederson has been hot at the plate lately and remains the primary leadoff option against righties.
Toronto Blue Jays
George Springer has started just one game in the outfield this season, putting him on track to be a UTIL-only bat in 2027. Yohendrick Piñango and Nathan Lukes have handled the top of the order against righties over the past week. Ernie Clement plays every day, bouncing between second, third, and short.
Washington Nationals
Jorbit Vivas has started three of five games at third base since Curtis Mead was traded to Boston. Brady House has started the other two, including against the only lefty they've faced. Dylan Crews looks like the biggest lineup-placement beneficiary of the Mead trade, hitting third in three of his four starts since the deal. Harry Ford has started six of 13 games since being called up from Triple-A, splitting catching duties with Keibert Ruiz.
Sunday Leadoff and Sunday Night Baseball both head to Los Angeles this week, with Brewers vs. Angels starting things off at 3p ET on NBCSN and Peacock before the Red Sox and Dodgers clash later in the night.
In the booth, Matt Vasgersian will lead things on play-by-play, where World Series champion Mark Gubicza and five-year MLB veteran Vinny Rottino will serve as the game's analysts. With veteran star Mike Trout and elite catcher William Contreras among the big names set to face off at Angel Stadium, dive into full streaming and preview information below.
How to watch the Milwaukee Brewers vs. Los Angeles Angels
The Brewers (67-41) enter Sunday Leadoff as one of the National League's premier teams. Pat Murphy's club has been powered by elite pitching across the board, boasting the second-best team ERA (3.51) in all of baseball. Anchoring the rotation and much of Milwaukee's success is flame-throwing ace Jacob Misiorowski, who has put up video game numbers this year as he solidifies his status as arguably MLB's top starting pitcher. The 24-year-old leads the entire sport in ERA (1.58), WHIP (0.750) and K/9 (13.9).
Behind Miz, Logan Henderson (2.66 ERA) and Shane Drohan (3.51 ERA) have emerged as consistent forces for the Brewers' staff. Meanwhile, Milwaukee's offense has produced as one of the game's most well-rounded units, currently boasting top-five numbers in total runs scored (546, fifth), batting average (.255, fourth), OBP (.337, third) and walks (443, second).
Driving much of the Brewers' offensive success has been William Contreras, who has taken his place among the game's top offensive catchers. Brice Turang has continued where he left off after his breakout 2025 season, becoming a trusted producer near the top of Milwaukee's lineup alongside Jackson Chourio (.274 BA), who has been the definition of consistency while still just 22 years old.
The Angels (42-67) find themselves on an opposite path this year, with all signs pointing to selling at the trade deadline despite the AL West's wide-open nature. They enter their series with the Brewers fresh off a sweep at the hands of the Astros, with a 1-6 record in their last seven.
Though the Halos have underwhelmed this year, Zach Neto has provided a spark offensively, with his 19 home runs paving the way for a potential career-high in long balls. Mike Trout has mostly cooled off after a throwback start to his year, but his .393 OBP remains the seventh-best mark in MLB. On the mound, Angels pitchers have combined for 971 strikeouts, good for eighth-best in baseball.
What other MLB games are on Peacock this Sunday?
Boston Red Sox vs. Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday Night Baseball at 7:00 PM ET on NBC and Peacock.
MLB Sunday Leadoff is a weekly Major League Baseball showcase featuring live Sunday daytime games. It highlights marquee matchups throughout the regular season and streams primarily on Peacock, with some games also airing across NBC Sports and NBC.
MLB Sunday Night Baseball is a weekly primetime Major League Baseball showcase, featuring marquee matchups each Sunday night during the regular season. The games air on NBC and Peacock and anchor NBC Sports’ Sunday night programming lineup.
NBC Sports will also stream one out-of-market game each day of the 2026 MLB season nationally on Peacock. Telemundo Deportes will present all NBCUniversal-produced MLB games in Spanish, with Universo televising all games broadcast on NBC.
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The Los Angeles Dodgers are -120 favorites Friday night as they play host to the hottest team in baseball, the Boston Red Sox.
With Ranger Suarez at the top of his game and backed by an elite bullpen, my Red Sox vs. Dodgers predictions and MLB picks believe the value lies with the road team.
Who will win Red Sox vs Dodgers today: Boston Red Sox (+105)
Red Sox vs Dodgers Over/Under pick: Under 8.5 (+100)
Suarez (3.02 ERA, 3.19 xFIP) has posted excellent run suppression numbers and deservedly so.
He has not only done a great job of limiting fly balls, but also homers. Suarez has allowed 0.47 homers per nine innings, and 0.36 HR/9 on the road.
The Dodgers aren't in great form offensively, and that's not handedness specific. Los Angeles slots 18th against lefties in wOBA this month.
I don't see the Red Sox, who are 16th in wOBA vs. righties in July, lighting up the Dodgers bullpen, and that's probably necessary to go Over.
Play the Under to -120.
Todd Cordell's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 65-59, -7.30 units
Over/Under bets: 68-51-5, +8.49 units
Red Sox vs Dodgers weather
The forecast calls for temperatures hovering around 80 with winds blowing out. Bats will see a boost.
Red Sox vs Dodgers odds
Moneyline: Red Sox +100 | Dodgers -120
Run line: Red Sox +1.5 (-200) | Dodgers -1.5 (+165)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-120) | Under 8.5 (+100)
Red Sox vs Dodgers trend
Los Angeles has hit the Game Total Under in 30 of the last 50 games at home (+815 units, 15% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Red Sox vs. Dodgers.
How to watch Red Sox vs Dodgers and game info
Location
Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, Calif.
Date
Friday, July 31, 2026
First pitch
10:10 p.m. ET
TV
NESN, SportsNet LA
Red Sox starting pitcher
Ranger Suarez (4-3, 3.02 ERA)
Dodgers starting pitcher
Edgardo Henriquez (4-1, 2.79 ERA)
Red Sox vs Dodgers latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
GOODYEAR, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 23, 2026: A closeup view of the Spring Training logo on a New Era Cleveland Guardians hat during the fourth inning of a spring training game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Goodyear Ballpark on February 23, 2026 in Goodyear, Arizona. (Photo by David Durochik/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Today’s news and notes will be combined with a series preview since I am short on time headed to the Trade Deadline.
Tonight, the Guardians begin a weekend series with the Arizona Diamondbacks leading up to Monday’s MLB trade deadline. Tonight’s forecast looks wonderful but Saturday and Sunday MAY be challenges with thunderstorms rolling in.
The Diamondbacks are tied with Cleveland in team wRC+ at 93, and their starting pitching is 14th in ERA while their relief pitching is 17th. They are somehow 57-52 with a 0 run differential, though, and in second place in the NL West. Teams are hoping to trade for players from Arizona, but I’d guess the DBacks will be buying.
Pitching Matchups: Friday, 7:10PM ET, Bibee RHP, 3.89 ERA vs. Bratt LHP, 6.32 ERA; Saturday, 7:15PM Messick LHP, 2.59 ERA vs. Drake LHP 5.00 ERA; Sunday, 1:40PM Williams RHP 3.71 ERA vs. Kelly 4.66 ERA. Sure would be nice to see the Guardians dominate a National League team this weekend with favorable pitching matchups on deck.
AROUND MLB:
The White Sox and Twins won in walk-offs and the Twins added lefty reliever A.J. Minter from the Mets. None of those items of news are positive for us.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 30: Fernando Tatis Jr. #23 of the San Diego Padres catches a fly ball hit by Rafael Devers #16 of the San Francisco Giants during the first inning of a game at Petco Park on July 30, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images
JP Sears got the start for the San Diego Padres and allowed three runs on seven hits over 3.2 innings. The 3-0 deficit after an inning-and-a-half proved to be too much for the Padres to overcome as they suffered a 4-1 loss to the San Francisco Giants in the series opener at Petco Park on Thursday night.
Sears got Luis Arraez to pop out for the first out of the game but then issues a walk and allowed a single to put runners at first and second for the Giants. With runners at first and third, Sears allowed a sacrifice fly, which was really a home run robbery by Fernando Tatis Jr. at the wall in right-center field, to Rafael Devers which gave San Francisco a 1-0 lead just four batters into the game. Sears got out of the inning one batter later on a ground out, but San Diego was playing from behind before the first turn at-bat.
The top of the second inning started worse for Sears as he allowed a leadoff single to Willy Adames before allowing a two-run home run to Daniel Susac that put the Giants ahead 3-0. Sears bounced back to retire the next three batters. The Padres responded with a run in the bottom of the second inning when Xander Bogaerts hit a two-out RBI-single to cut the deficit to 3-1.
That was all the San Diego lineup was able to get off San Francisco starter Robbie Ray. The left-hander completed six innings and allowed one run on four hits with one walk and six strikeouts. The Padres were only able to manage one additional hit off Giants relievers. San Francisco was able to add another run in the top of the fifth inning when Susac collected his third RBI on a sacrifice fly to center field which allowed Devers to score to put the Giants ahead, 4-1.
The Padres will try to get back to their winning ways tonight when they take on the Giants for the second game of the series at 6:45 p.m.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - JULY 30: Shane McClanahan #18 of the Tampa Bay Rays walks off the field with athletic trainer Joseph Benge after an injury in the fourth inning against the Texas Rangers at Tropicana Field on July 30, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welp, it looks like the Yankees offense is back in the toilet after a promising start to their series against the White Sox. They have failed to score in 28 of their last 32 innings played, scoring just two unearned runs in their last 22 innings. With just one dependable hitter in their lineup in Ben Rice, you just don’t seen an avenue toward improvement until the likes of Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger, and Giancarlo Stanton return from injury as it remains highly improbable that they add multiple impact bats before the MLB Trade Deadline on Monday. Instead, their pitching staff will have to continues to shoulder the load while they await the returns of their big boppers.
Tampa Bay Rays (64-44) 3, Texas Rangers (55-54) 2
Looking at the starting pitching matchups — the Rangers opting for a bullpen game while the Rays threw out their ace Shane McClanahan — you wouldn’t have thought this would have finished as close as it did. Part of that is down to the performance of the Rangers’ opener and bulk reliever, Cole Winn and Marco Gonzales combining to throw four innings of one-run ball. The other part is down to the misfortune suffered by Shane McClanahan.
Despite pitching a no-hitter through the first three innings, McClanahan’s velocity dropped precipitously when he came back out for the fourth and his command abandoned him. He plunked Ezequiel Duran and walked Brandon Nimmo to open the frame, prompting the trainer to come out and check on him, McClanahan immediately exiting the game. The injury is described as mid-back tightness, which is notable given McClanahan endured IL stints in 2021 and 2023 with back tightness and missed the entirety of the 2024 and 2025 seasons to Tommy John surgery and left triceps surgery, respectively. The Rays were already rumored to be one of the four teams most aggressively pursuing Tarik Skubal alongside the Dodgers, Brewers, and Braves, and you wonder whether this injury creates further impetus for Tampa to pull off that blockbuster despite it running counter to the way they normally conduct business.
Back to the game, the Rays opened the scoring in the third as Hunter Feduccia reached on a two-out double and Yandy Díaz plated him with a single. They would load the bases from there on a Jonathan Aranda single and Junior Caminero walk, but Gonzales got Cedric Mullins to ground out to strand all three in place. After McClanahan departed with a pair on and no outs in the fourth, Duran advanced to third on a Jake Burger fly out and scored on a fielding error by Taylor Walls on a Joc Pederson grounder.
Wyatt Langford grabbed a lead for his team the following inning with an RBI double after Alejandro Osuna reached on a one-out single. However, the Rays bullpen was shutdown from there, allowing Jonny DeLuca and Mullins to complete the comeback. DeLuca tied the game with a solo shot in the sixth and Mullins got just enough of a first-pitch fastball from Ben Peoples for the game-winning solo shot with two outs in the eighth. With the win and Yankees loss, the Rays extend their lead in the division to 3.5 games.
Sonny Gray did manage to give the Red Sox seven innings, though he did surrender four runs on seven hits and two walks in the process. The Athletics meanwhile got five innings of three run ball from rookie Mason Barnett. The A’s jumped out to an early lead, opening the scoring on a third inning RBI single from Jacob Wilson before adding two more in the fourth on an RBI double from Lawrence Butler and an RBI single from Donovan Walton, the A’s then loading the bases only for a Wilson pop out to end the inning.
Boston immediately made them pay for stranding those three runners by scoring three in the top half of the following frame. Andruw Monnasterio hit an RBI single and Ceddanne Rafaela a two-run double, the Red Sox aided by a pair of errors in the inning. Carlos Cortes grabbed the lead back for the A’s in the sixth with a sac fly after Butler led off with a double. However, Wilyer Abreu and Willson Contreras called game in the eighth, leading off the inning with back-to-back home runs as the win takes the Red Sox within 3.5 games of the Yankees for second place — just as close as the Yankees are to the first-place Rays.
Los Angeles Dodgers (69-40) 6, Seattle Mariners (53-57) 2
Bryan Woo made the shortlist of several publications’ preseason Cy Young candidate rankings, but his nightmare season continued tonight with five runs allowed on five hits and two walks in five innings. Meanwhile, Roki Sasaki continued to enjoy improved velocity and an uptick in strikeouts with 5.1 innings of two-run ball, striking out seven. Mookie Betts struck in the first with a two-out, two-run double after the first two batters reached. Dalton Rushing added three more in the fourth with a three-run tank after Kyle Tucker walked and Teoscar Hernández singled. Seattle broke up the shutout in the sixth, Cole Young leading off with a triple and scoring on a Randy Arozarena double before a Cal Raleigh walk with the bases loaded brought Arozarena home, the Mariners going on to strand three ducks on the pond. Teoscar wrapped up the scoring with a solo shot in the seventh.
Jorge Montanez
COVERS INTEL:
