DENVER, COLORADO - JULY 19: Tyler Stephenson #37 of the Cincinnati Reds celebrates after his fifth-inning solo home run against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on July 19, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It was an uncomfortably hot 100 degrees in Denver on Sunday afternoon, right about the same time you were watching the Cincinnati Reds play the Colorado Rockies instead of watching the World Cup final played at the exact same time.
When it’s that hot with just the slightest bit of seasonal humidity at 5,280 feet, baseballs tend to fly at incredible distances. That was precisely the case in this series finale, and fortunately it was the good guys who hit the biggest ones of the day.
Nate Lowe crushed a 3-run homer in the Top of the 1st to set the tone, and Tyler Stephenson socked a pair of homers of his own as the Reds raced out to an early 5-0 lead and held on to claim the finale by the score of 9-6. Sal Stewart checked in with a 456 foot blast over the wall in CF (of the 3-run variety), and that level of offense was enough for another solid effort by Hunter Greene and a patchwork bullpen to take home the W.
The Reds even survived a 3-homer game by Colorado Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman, who combined with Ty Steves to blast 5 dingers by backstops on the same day they had to squat in heavy equipment in brutal heat and sun all afternoon. Props to those two for providing the entertainment to those precious few who chose to brave the elements and show up to watch two teams who were a combined 29 games under .500 at the start of the day.
Greene yielded 3 runs – all on a pair of Goodman’s dingers – but breezed through the rest of Colorado’s lineup. His final line saw him yield just 4 hits and nary a walk while fanning 7 across 6.0 IP. It was yet another encouraging start after his initial stumble following a three-month absence on the IL, and hopefully he’s got a dozen more of these for the club’s miracle mid-season turnaround to come to fruition.
Cincinnati next heads further west to Seattle where on Monday night they’ll begin the Ken Griffey, Jr. Honorary Jesse Winker Luis Castillo Eugenio Suarez Series for the Marbles.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 19: Eduard Bazardo #83 of the Seattle Mariners reacts after striking out Drew Cavanaugh #61 of the San Francisco Giants (not pictured) during the seventh inning at T-Mobile Park on July 19, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Olivia Vanni/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Mariners 6, Giants 3
Using the power of Wind with Captain Planet: Randy Arozarena, .20 WPA
Being behind the power of Wind with Captain Baked Beans: Cal Raleigh, -.13 WPA
Game thread comment of the day:
I love this because I like the idea of these two natural forces personified as like Statler and Waldorf arguing about who is screwing over the hitters more
Jul 19, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman (15) celebrates his solo home run in the first inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
On a hot summer afternoon at Coors Field, the Colorado Rockies were looking for their first series win coming out of the All-Star break. Unfortunately, they fell behind massively early in the game and had to spend the rest of the game fighting to come back. What’s important is that they almost did it. These 2026 Rockies will keep fighting until the final pitch, and it’s part of what makes them an infinitely better team than last season.
“Down big after two innings, it’s really hard to come back, but we kept fighting,” said manager Warren Schaeffer after the game. “It’s one series where we lost. We move on to the next one.”
He Felt that one
It was a rough afternoon at the office for right-handed starter Ryan Feltner, who completed just two innings of work. By the time he was pulled, the game was already feeling well out of hand. The Cincinnati Reds offense put up five runs against Feltner in the first inning, all of which scored via the home run. After Elly De La Cruz singled and Feltner walked JJ Bleday, designated hitter Nathaniel Lowe crushed a three-run homer to right field.
Feltner then allowed an Eugenio Suárez single and another home run–this time off the bat of Tyler Stephenson–to round out the scoring in the first.
But hey, this is Coors Field in the summer! A clean inning and some comeback offense would keep the game in reach despite the lopsided inning. We’ve seen it plenty of times before.
Unfortunately, the clean inning wouldn’t come. A double and a walk to start the top of the second inning set the table for Rookie of the Year candidate Sal Stewart to launch a 456-foot home run to center field.
Feltner was able to navigate out of the second without giving up another run, but when he came out for the third it was clear his day would not last much longer. He issued back-to-back walks with one out before being pulled off the mound.
“The command wasn’t real good at all. He wasn’t sharp,” commented Warren Schaeffer. “The walks hurt. And then obviously the homers.. Off-speed pitches were hung. Just not a lot of command with the off-speed stuff today, and he got hurt for it.”
Buy a drink for Tanner Gordon
Right-handed pitcher Tanner Gordon was a critical part of this ballgame was even remotely close after nine innings. Gordon was called to relieve Ryan Feltner in the third inning and did yeoman’s work for 5.2 innings.
Gordon gave up just one earned run on three hits and a walk, with the run coming on what was really his only bad pitch of the afternoon in the top of the fifth. It wasn’t even that bad of a pitch, simply a slider that didn’t break far enough, but Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson took it deep for his second home run of the game.
By throwing 66 pitches in a long relief role–48 for strikes–Gordon was able to save the Rockies’ bullpen for the next series while also allowing the offense to battle it’s way back within striking distance.
“TG is great. Great length out of the pen to take the ball in the middle of the third and go all the way through the eighth,” said Schaeffer. “He just pounds the zone. TG is fearless, he goes right after you. The changeup was really good today, put the fastball where he wanted to. That’s what he does. He was huge today for the bullpen.”
It’s also worth noting that veteran reliever Jordan Romano pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the ninth that included an absolute gem of an out by Kyle Karros and TJ Rumfield. Romano also struck out a batter.
Even though the Rockies were still down by six runs, it felt like a little LoDo magic might still be possible. The feeling was magnified in the eighth inning–the inning in which the Rockies lead Major League Baseball in runs–when Mickey Moniak singled and Goodman once again came to the plate. Goodman proceeded to demolish his third no-doubt home run of the game for his fourth and fifth RBIs.
This was Hunter Goodman’s tenth multi-home run game of his short career and his second three home run game of the season. The latter puts him in rare company.
Only three Rockies in the past–Larry Walker, Todd Helton, and Carlos González–had multiple three home run games during their career. Walker did it three times. However, Goodman is the first and only Rockies batter in franchise history to have multiple three run home runs in a single season.
“His body looks like it’s flowing right. He looks dangerous. He just looks in-sync,” Schaeffer said of Goodman in his post-game presser.. “You can see the confidence seep out of him.”
Willi Castro led off the bottom of the ninth inning with a no-doubter of his own and a scorched Kyle Karros single had Rockies fans feeling a comeback was possible. Unfortunately, Troy Johnston and Tyler Freeman both struck out in the next two at-bats. Edouard Julien worked the count full, but popped what would have been ball four into foul territory for the final out of the game.
The Rockies will take the field tomorrow evening to start a three game series against the visiting Washington Nationals. Game one will be a battle of the lefties with Kyle Freeland on the mound for the Rockies and Andrew Alvarez starting for the Nationals. First pitch is scheduled for 6:40 PM MDT.
SEATTLE — When Tony Vitello walked out to home plate this weekend inside T-Mobile Park to exchange lineup cards, he wasn’t the only participant who was a college coach this time last year.
The first-year Giants manager had some company in the Mariners’ first-year field coordinator.
Giants manager Tony Vitello made the jump from college baseball to MLB, but he has some company.
“I’ve admired him for years,” said Jake McKinley, the former University of Nevada coach who began charting his path to the big leagues in the Bay Area, first as a player at Bethany College in Santa Cruz, then as a coach at West Valley College in Saratoga and later Menlo College.
McKinley, who grew up outside Sacramento going to games at Oracle Park, nearly worked for a different Giants manager. He was working on the player development side of the Brewers’ front office when the Giants requested permission to interview him for a position on Gabe Kapler’s staff. Milwaukee said no, putting him on a parallel path to San Francisco’s current skipper.
“I was just like, Tony, man, I want to chat with you. Because we both made the same jump. I know he jumped into the manager role, but to go from college baseball to the big leagues — that’s a huge jump, and I just want to hear his perspective on it.”
The two had never previously crossed paths, outside of the occasional recruiting battle that Vitello’s Vols usually won. Quentin Eberhardt, one of two coaches on Vitello’s staff at Tennessee to follow him to San Francisco, was a mutual connection.
Home plate wasn’t the most conducive setting for a conversation. But Vitello appreciated seeing another product of the college game’s infiltration at the highest level.
“I think the umpires were annoyed that we were going on and on, and it was time to get going with the game,” Vitello joked. “But we were talking college stuff.”
McKinley, 41, was named to manager Dan Wilson’s staff about a month after Vitello, 47, made the unprecedented leap to leave Knoxville for the managerial post in San Francisco.
It didn’t influence his decision, but the move caught his eye.
Mariners field coordinator Jake McKinley, who grew up outside Sacramento, led Nevada before jumping to MLB this season. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
He had interviewed for an open manager’s job the previous offseason.
“I didn’t get it, but I got kind of far in the process,” McKinley said. “So when that team had reached out to me to interview for the manager job, I was like OK, at some point there’s gonna be a college coach that makes the jump. Obviously I hoped it was me. But when it ended up being Tony, on paper, it made sense. But I think you’re going to see a trend of that.”
The experiment to hire a manager straight from the college ranks was unprecedented. But, clearly, the idea had been batted around MLB front offices before Giants general manager Zack Minasian threw out Vitello’s name in the process to replace Bob Melvin.
Now, almost two-thirds into the first year of this never-done-before endeavor, McKinley is able to provide a unique perspective from someone making the same transition, only in a lower-profile role. He transformed Nevada into a fringe top-25 program after taking over in 2022.
Vitello’s team, 42-56 entering Sunday, has been profoundly disappointing. His players have underperformed, but the rookie manager has also endured some growing pains.
Still, McKinley believes other teams won’t be dissuaded from dipping into Division I again.
“You just get this really versatile skill set that I think is really applicable here,” he said.
In college, there was a “real day-to-day investment in teaching,” and not only baseball. McKinley taught his players “really transferable life skills” — the proper way to shake hands, how to tip wait staff — that major league players have little time or desire to learn.
“The more you teach those and bang that drum, the better your culture is,” he said. Whereas in the big leagues, “the perspective is they’re at the highest level and they’re a finished product.”
Navigating the marathon that is a 162-game schedule has been an adjustment for both coaches coming from the 56-game sprint of a college season. Vitello has lamented the challenge it has been to get his team on the same page with all of his players on their own schedules.
“A lot of the decisions you make with your personnel, the decisions you’re making in April, you’ve gotta be sure it puts you in a good position late in the year,” McKinley said. “And you’ve gotta toe that line of I’ve gotta go win the game in front of me, but at the same time I’ve got to have my team in a position to be successful for the long haul.”
Vitello ran into that issue early in the year, chasing wins that didn’t materialize and hampering his bullpen’s availability for the following games. In college, McKinley said, teams rarely deviate from their typical starting lineup, pitching rotation and best bullpen arms.
There’s more fluidity — and thus a need for clear communication — at the MLB level. That has often been a pain point for the Giants, particularly in the bullpen, under Vitello.
“It’s actually not as different as I thought,” McKinley said. “It’s just the barrier to entry and earning trust is a little more challenging at this level. But once you do, it’s the same game.”
The two main things teams wanted to know during his interview process: How would he go about establishing a winning culture among professional players? And what would his thought process be when presented in-game situations that required some strategy?
You can presume Vitello faced a similar line of questioning.
“It was a lot of feeling out if I could run a game,” McKinley said. “This pocket of hitters is coming up, how do you manage your bullpen? How do you foster and maintain a good culture inside of your walls? Not just for your players, but the staff and support staff. But at the same time, how can you routinely make decisions that puts the organization in position to win?
“It was just about: Can you help us win major league games?”
McKinley said he misses California and still hopes to manage in the major leagues someday. Field coordinator jobs often are a springboard to bigger responsibilities. It would be a more traditional path than the one Vitello took to become the Giants’ 40th manager.
“I’m obviously rooting for him as a lifelong college coach for him to have success,” McKinley said. “Competence is competence. If you can coach, then I think these guys can see that.”
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - JULY 19: William Contreras #24 of the Milwaukee Brewers reacts after hitting a three-run walk-off home run in the ninth inning against the Miami Marlins at American Family Field on July 19, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For most of this game, Milwaukee’s offense looked lifeless, but it didn’t end up mattering — William Contreras’ ninth-inning heroics helped the Brewers complete a sweep of the Marlins to open the second half.
Brewers starter Robert Gasser bounced back nicely after his last start, allowing just three hits and one run — an Esteury Ruiz solo homer in the third inning — over five innings. He allowed a couple of hard-hit balls, but kept Miami from putting together any sort of sustained offensive rallies. After Gasser exited, Chad Patrick, Aaron Ashby, and Grant Anderson combined for four scoreless innings. The pitching was locked in all afternoon, but the offense? Anything but.
Despite holding Miami to just six hits all day, Milwaukee managed only two of its own through the first eight innings. One came on an Andrew Vaughn infield single in the fourth, but Jake Bauers struck out to leave him stranded. The other was a Gary Sánchez single in the seventh. Sánchez was immediately pulled for pinch-runner Cooper Pratt, who was thrown out trying to steal second to end the inning.
Milwaukee’s best scoring chance before the ninth came in the sixth after Christian Yelich drew a leadoff walk and Marlins starter Eury Pérez hit Jackson Chourio with a pitch. Both runners moved up on an error on a pickoff throw at second, but Brice Turang struck out swinging for the first out, bringing up Vaughn, who ripped a low line drive that looked ticketed for left field. Instead, it went right at Marlins shortstop Javier Sanoja, who caught it and doubled Yelich off third to end the inning.
Fortunately for the Brewers, Gasser and the bullpen managed to keep the deficit at just one run heading into the bottom of the ninth. Chourio led off against Marlins closer Pete Fairbanks by smoking a 108.4-mph single into left field. Turang followed by taking all five pitches he saw for a walk, putting the tying and winning runs on base with nobody out.
That brought up Contreras, who quickly fell behind 1-2 before battling back with a pair of foul balls. On the sixth pitch of the at-bat, Fairbanks left a cutter over the heart of the plate, and Contreras didn’t miss it. He crushed it 411 feet to straightaway center for a walk-off three-run homer, capping off a comeback win and sending the home crowd into a frenzy.
With the win, the Brewers completed a three-game sweep of the Marlins to open the second half. They’ll stay home for their next series, a three-game set against the Mets. Jacob Misiorowski is scheduled to start for Milwaukee, while old friend Freddy Peralta is expected to take the mound for New York.
On one of the most beautiful Chicago afternoons of the entire summer — upper 70s, low humidity, light wind blowing in — the Cubs offense got going, led by another multi-hit game from Nico Hoerner and a home run by Alex Bregman.
Those two were joined by multiple teammates in a 12-hit, six-walk offense in crushing the visiting Twins 10-1, winning the series.
After Imanaga had an easy first inning, the Cubs bats got right to work. Seiya Suzuki lined a double to left with one out in the bottom of the first and one out later, Bregman gave the Cubs a 2-0 lead [VIDEO].
That was Bregman’s 10th of the year and third in his last five games. At last, his bat appears to have come alive. About those first-inning runs, from BCB’s JohnW53:
The Cubs have scored in the first inning of four consecutive games, beginning last Sunday at Cincinnati: two, one, five and two runs, for a total of 10. They had scored 35 runs in the first innings of their previous 95 games.
The Cubs put another one on the board in the second. Pedro Ramirez, DH’ing for the second straight day, bounced a double into the seats in left. Carson Kelly singled him in [VIDEO].
The Cubs then blew the game open in the third. With one out, Michael Busch singled and Bregman and Ian Happ drew walks to load the bases.
Ramirez has been really impressive as the DH the last two days — 4-for-7 with two doubles and a walk. I’d really like to see him get more playing time — somewhere.
About all those runs in the first three innings, from John:
The Cubs have scored 12 runs — five, then seven — in the first three innings yesterday and today. They had averaged 1.49 in the first three of their previous 97 games.
The Cubs ran Twins starter Zebby Matthews out of the game in the top of the fourth. Pete Crow-Armstrong, who had a rough 0-for-5 Saturday, led off with a single. Seiya Suzuki walked and Busch’s single scored PCA [VIDEO].
It was ruled a fielder’s choice and error on Twins third baseman Brooks Lee. The FC allowed Bregman to reach and the error scored Suzuki from second to make it 9-0. Personally, I think I’d have ruled that a hit.
That was basically the end of the Cubs offense for the day, but it was certainly more than enough. They did load the bases again in the eighth, but could not score.
I was going to close the complaint department today, but I’m opening it for Phil Maton, making his first appearance since being activated from the IL July 11.
He was not good. He allowed a pair of singles and a walk to load the bases with one out, and a sac fly gave the Twins their only run of the day. It was to the point that Craig Counsell got Ryan Rolison up in the pen, which I am sure he did not want to do. And it might have been worse if not for this great diving stab by Bregman to end the inning [VIDEO].
Drew Pomeranz was given the ninth, and who knows? That might be his swan song as a Cub, as it’s possible he might be let go when just-acquired Aaron Civale is activated. Pomeranz finished things up with just a one-out walk. Here’s the final out [VIDEO].
Last note on all the runs from John:
This was the 11th game of the season in which the Cubs scored at least 10 runs. They began the day tied with the Angels, Astros and Yankees for fourth most. The Dodgers and Nationals both had 14; the Pirates, 12. The Nationals had lost once; the Angels and Astros, twice. The Cubs and others were undefeated. The combined average of the 29 other teams was seven double-digit games.
The Cubs had 22 such games last year, after having had 12 in 2024 and 24 in 2023.
So the Cubs took care of business by taking two of three. Meanwhile, the Mets beat the Phillies so the Cubs lead them by 1.5 games for the top wild card spot. And the Brewers got a three-run walkoff homer from William Contreras to sweep the Marlins, so the Cubs still are six games out of first place in the NL Central.
The Detroit Tigers come to Wrigley Field to open a three-game series Monday evening. Jameson Taillon will be activated from the injured list to start this game, and Jack Flaherty goes for Detroit. Game time is 7:05 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network.
The MLB trade deadline is two weeks away, meaning it's nearly time for teams on the playoff bubble to make a move or two to push them into contention.
The list of buyers at this year's deadline is certainly interesting. You have the usual suspects such as the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves. You have some surprise contenders such as the Chicago White Sox, St. Louis Cardinals and Miami Marlins.
The Boston Red Sox find themselves in a different camp, though. Entering the season with high expectations, the Red Sox failed to live up to them during the first half, owning a 37-47 record heading into July. Such a lowly winning percentage had fans believing the team would be sellers at the deadline.
However, with their 6-1 victory over the first-place Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday, July 19, the Red Sox not only swept one of their biggest competitors in a four-game series, but they extended their winning streak to 13 straight, bumping them up to 50-48.
If the playoffs were to start today, the Red Sox would be in. This massive win streak has elevated them from sellers to buyers at this year's deadline. Players such as Aroldis Chapman, Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras, who many fans and experts believed would be shopped, are suddenly looking like solid pieces to build around for a playoff push.
It's been a remarkable turnaround for the team, and here's what they could do to perhaps even contend for an American League East title before the trade deadline.
Red Sox trade deadline targets
The Red Sox need help in three key areas: left-handed relief options, middle infield and power.
Left-handed relief options
If the Red Sox want to compete for the AL East title, they could target someone like A.J. Minter. Minter is a stellar left-handed reliever on the lowly New York Mets. Minter is 32 years old and on an expiring contract, making him the perfect rental candidate that would fit the Red Sox. Brooks Raley, 38, could be another good option from the Mets.
The Red Sox have a few options for lefty relievers. The San Francisco Giants could offer players such as Sam Hentges and Erik Miller. Though both players are still in their primes and would likely cost more than the aforementioned Mets players, they both boast solid ERA's and are each striking out more than 10 batters per nine innings pitched.
Middle infield
The Red Sox will obviously be linked to the Angels' Zach Neto, considering he is one of the best shortstops available. However, given Angels' owner Arte Moreno's inconsistency when it comes to negotiating trades, the Red Sox might be better served going after someone else. While the Giants' Willy Adames would provide good power at the shortstop position and likely wouldn't cost much, he's under an enormous contract through 2031. He's experiencing one of the worst seasons of his career and is showing signs of decline.
A better option might be someone like Luis Arraez or CJ Abrams, if the Washington Nationals make him available. Each player offers wildly different skill sets at different price ranges. Arraez would obviously not help in the power department, but he would provide a great contact bat and solid defense at second base (thanks to Ron Washington). He's on a one-year contract and likely wouldn't cost too much in terms of prospects.
Abrams, meanwhile, would cost a pretty penny. The 25-year-old is enjoying his best season offensively, and while Washington is certainly not at the top of the National League playoff race, it is still somewhat in contention and might not be willing to part with Abrams unless a king's ransom comes through.
Power bats
The obvious first name to come to mind is Ryan Jeffers of the Minnesota Twins. An impending free agent, Jeffers is a great power option at catcher. Furthermore, he's been linked to the Yankees, and any chance the Red Sox can get to stop the Yankees from improving is a massive win.
Other options include the Colorado Rockies' Mickey Moniak, Twins' Trevor Larnach and Cincinnati Reds' Nathaniel Lowe.
Who would the Red Sox have sold if not for their win streak?
Heading into July, many believed the Red Sox elder players on expiring contracts could be shipped off. Players such as closer Aroldis Chapman and first baseman Willson Contreras were involved in numerous rumors. Starting pitcher Sonny Gray and outfielder Jarren Duran were named in some rumors as well.
When is the MLB trade deadline?
The MLB trade deadline is set for Monday, Aug. 3 at 6 p.m. ET.
Dodgers starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, right, and catcher Dalton Rushing celebrate after an 8-2 win over the New York Yankees at Sunday. (Jim McIsaac / Getty Images)
The Dodgers’ right-hander had just finished a complete game with a cutter on the outside corner for a strikeout. His understated reaction before clasping hands with Rushing seemed to simply say, I guess I did that.
“For Yoshi to come back and do what he did and to perform the way he did,” manager Dave Roberts said, “that’s why he’s our ace.”
Yamamoto’s third career complete game was the highlight of the Dodgers’ 8-2 win over the New York Yankees in Game 1 of a doubleheader on Sunday. It was his first complete game since Game 2 of the World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays.
With a bullpen game scheduled for the evening half of a doubleheader Sunday, the Dodgers were counting on Yamamoto to pitch deep into Game 1 and let as many relievers as possible rest up.
Mission accomplished.
“When I was going into the game early on, I was not thinking about that today we have a doubleheader,” Yamamoto said through interpreter Yoshihiro Sonoda. “I was just focusing on my own job. And then on a day like this, to be able to perform like this, that was a good thing.”
Yamamoto was so efficient that he only needed 102 pitches to complete nine innings. He gave up four hits and struck out seven.
He got all the way through the Yankees’ lineup the first time without allowing a baserunner. And in those nine at-bats, he only threw one first-pitch ball.
“It just seemed like he was dictating counts all day long,” Roberts said, “versus trying to be too fine, getting behind.”
To lead off the fourth inning, Yamamoto surrendered a solo homer to Trent Grisham. But then he was back to cruising, retiring 12 of the next 13 batters.
“He had a good seventh, and it just felt like he could finish his game,” Roberts said. “Thinking about where his pitch count was at, the stress, where that was at, and also knowing that we’ve got another game in a few hours.”
Yamamoto would have navigated through the eighth without giving up another run if center fielder Andy Pages hadn’t lost Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s leadoff fly ball in the sun for a double. Chisholm later scored on a single from Anthony Volpe.
Yamamoto’s consistency has steadied the Dodgers’ rotation, while it’s had to navigate injuries to veteran starters Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow and most recently Shohei Ohtani. Yamamoto leads the team with 119⅔ innings. And his performance Sunday brought his ERA to 2.78.
“In one game, it’s great,” Roberts said. “But the exponential effect that it has on everybody else, it is huge, and it’s hard to really nail down how valuable that is.
“If you have a guy that not only puts you in a position to win a game, but also saves a lot of arms, that goes hand-in-hand with the top end of the rotation guy.”
Yamamoto said he’s reflected on his season so far, but when asked about his affect on the pitching staff already this year, he pushed the conversation forward.
“The most important part of the season is coming up,” he said. “So I’d like to do my best.”
Jul 19, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson (2) and left fielder Dylan Beavers (12) celebrate after the game against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Despite playing 11 innings on Saturday, Baltimore optioned reliever Cam Sanders and recalled third catcher Sam Huff. Samuel Basallo started today’s game behind the dish, but Huff’s presence indicated that Adley Rutschman was likely unavailable.
Huff was thrust into action in the second inning when Samuel Basallo left the game with right shoulder discomfort. The change could have thrown off Brandon Young and the Orioles, but the starter put the team on his back. Young tossed seven strong innings, and the Orioles won their seventh straight game with a 5-2 result in Houston.
The Orioles struck first in the top of the third inning. Jackson Holliday worked a leadoff walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Gunnar Henderson lined a ball 106 MPH into left field for a run-scoring base hit. Taylor Ward popped out, but Dylan Beavers smoked a ball with Henderson in motion to place runners on the corners with one out.
Pete Alonso took three straight balls, and Beavers broke for second on the fourth pitch of the at bat. The throw beat Beavers, but the home plate umpire initially called the pitch ball four. After throwing through, Houston catcher Yainer Diaz tapped his helmet. ABS revealed that the pitch was actually a strike, and Beavers was ruled out at second base. Craig Albernaz came out for a chat but failed to sway the umpires. Alonso eventually made his way to first when Houston starter Hunter Brown threw another pitch outside of the strike zone.
Beavers running was a bit of surprise, but nobody expected Alonso to break for second. With Huff at the dish, the Polar Bear got a big lead. Alonso took off, and Diaz threw through once again. This time Alonso beat the throw, and Henderson dashed home for the second run of the inning. Huff eventually struck out to end the frame.
Young was tremendous, but he failed to deliver a shutdown inning in the third. Jose Altuve lined a one-out double to left, and Yordan Alvarez drove him in with a double of his own. Young, to his credit, retired Isaac Paredes and LaMonte Wade Jr. to escape with the lead still intact.
Both teams went scoreless in the fourth, but Baltimore put some distance between the two teams in the fifth. Taylor Ward took a one-out and walk, and Pete Alonso took a 95-MPH sinker to the stomach with two outs. Brown had been wild all day, but Alonso appeared miffed after the pitch. The slugger took his free base, and Huff worked Baltimore’s sixth walk of the game to load the bases.
The Astros left Brown in to face Leody Taveras, and Taveras jumped on a first pitch changeup outside of the zone. Taveras went with the pitch and punched an opposite field single to score Ward and Alonso. The Astros summoned left-hander Bryan King to face Colton Cowser, and Cowser bounced out to end the inning at 4-1.
Young posted another zero, and Houston left King in to face Coby Mayo in the sixth. Mayo took advantage of the matchup with a solo shot to right-center field. The blast provided a nice insurance run for Young and the Orioles.
The Texas native allowed a two-out single in the seventh, but Cowser made a nice running catch to end the frame. Young left the game with 7 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 BB and 7 K.
Baltimore turned to Rico Garcia in the eighth, and the reliever briefly made things interesting. Altuve smacked a leadoff homer to the Crawford Boxes to trim the lead to three. Garcia retired Alvarez, but Paredes managed a swinging bunt to Garcia’s right. The righty fielded the ball but threw wide of first base. The throwing error allowed Paredes to reach scoring position, but he never crossed the plate. Garcia struck out Wade Jr. and generated a grounder from Diaz to end the threat.
Grant Wolfram picked up his first save of the season with a clean ninth inning.
The Orioles moved to 49-51 with the win. The Birds will carry some momentum up north but will face the only team hotter than them. Boston won its 13th straight game today. Shane Baz will face rookie Payton Tolle tomorrow at 7:10.
Young pitched seven strong innings and made an impressive kick save in the first. Mayo finished 2-for-4 with a home run, and Wolfram recorded his first career save. Huff finished 0-for-3 with three strikeouts, but he took a walk and caught a good game from the starter. Let us know your pick for the Most Birdland Player of the game in the comments below.
Following his team's 6-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies, Mets interim manager Andy Green took the time to praise the two stars who shone brightest Sunday afternoon, Nolan McLean and Francisco Lindor.
McLean looked like an ace in the win. He pitched six scoreless innings, allowing just two hits, two walks, and striking out 10 batters.
When asked what makes McLean so dominant at his best, Green pointed to the different ways the right-hander can generate outs.
"With him, he can win with fastballs up, can win with spin down, can win east and west. When he fills up the strike zone, it's a lot of fun."
The interim manager also took the time to recognize the Mets' burgeoning youth movement, which is represented in the starting rotation by a trio of emerging farm system products in McLean, Christian Scott, and Zach Thornton.
"The challenge of our organization is on those three guys [McLean, Scott, and Thornton] moving up the ladder in the rotation. McLean needs to separate himself to be the No. 1, Scott is moving up the ladder too. Thornton is trying to show he's a back-end starter, but should want to move up the rotation as well."
Meanwhile, Lindor had a big day of his own. The shortstop reached base in each of his five plate appearances. He recorded three hits, going a triple shy of the cycle while collecting his 1,700th career hit in the process.
"We know who he is," Green said of his switch-hitting cleanup hitter. "He has a long track record of being really good. It's good to see him enjoy playing baseball and lead us to a win."
Lindor passed along the praise, stating "it starts with the hitting coach helping me."
Responding to the recent criticism of his performance since returning from injury, Lindor took accountability and vowed to keep today's positive momentum rolling in the games to come.
"I have to play to a higher standard. I have to play the level I expect myself to be at. I'm putting in the work."
KANSAS CITY, MO - JULY 19: Jac Caglianone #14 of the Kansas City Royals rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run in the first inning during the game between the San Diego Padres and the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium on Sunday, July 19, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Tanner Gatlin/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Kansas City Royals were looking to complete a sweep at home against the San Diego Padres out of the All-Star Break, however, timely hitting and the long ball doomed the Royals as the Padres beat them 19-2.
Things were looking good for the Royals out of the gate, Noah Cameron got a scoreless first inning, and Jac Caglianone absolutely crushed a solo shot in the bottom of the 1st. A 114 mph, 432 foot shot to right field, for the 16th on the season for Cags.
Unfortunately, things quickly went for south for Cameron and the Royals immediately after. The Padres hit two straight singles with one out, then loaded the bases with a walk. Fernando Tatis Jr. smacked a two-run single, Jackson Merrill singled in a run of his own and Manny Machado hit a sac fly making it 4-1.
San Diego tacked on two more in the 3rd, with a two-out RBI double and single, making it 6-1. The Royals did get one back in the bottom half of the inning, when Isaac Collins hit a double, scoring Cags.
Merrill led off the 4th with a homer, making it 7-2. The Royals did load the bases with nobody out in the bottom of the inning, but Carter Jensen struck out and Nick Loftin hit into a double play.
After that, it was just San Diego piling on. Tatis homered off Matt Strahm in the 6th, making it 8-2. Beck Way looked good, but was burned badly with a Tyler Tolbert error, scoring one. Lucas Erceg came in and promptly gave up a grand slam to Ty France, because of course. It was 13-2 after 8 innings.
Tolbert pitched the 9th, and it didn’t go any better. Merrill homered again, this time a 2-run shot. France homered again, making it 16-2. A bases loaded hit batter and two-run single, made it 19-2. Ending the nightmare.
Uh, nothing really positive to speak on, other than Cags crushed a homer, and finished the day 2-4. The Royals are 40-60, 100 games in. They open a three-game series tomorrow, at home against the Giants. First pitch is set for 6:40 p.m. CT. Michael Wacha is expected to start.
All hands are on deck for the Yankees as they look to salvage the finale of a three-game set in the Bronx against the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers. With Ryan Weathers being pushed back until Monday (likely to save some bullets), the Yankees are promoting Elmer Rodríguez as tonight’s 27th man to eat some innings the nightcap as part of a trio of roster moves.
Rodríguez has made four starts at the major-league level this year, pitching to a 4.76 ERA (90 ERA+) and 5.16 FIP in 17 innings. Last we saw him, he was used as a four-inning spot starter to push the rotation back a day on June 21 against the Reds, where he did well until falling apart in the fifth. Now, he’ll face the Dodgers as the bulk guy at some point behind Ryan Yarbrough. LA will deploy a Bullpen Game in response.
Since being sent back down, ERC has allowed four runs in 15.1 innings as he awaited his next opportunity, one that is now staring him in the face against the back-to-back defending champions on national television. And while this is most likely a one-day promotion out of necessity to keep everyone on schedule, there’s a chance that Rodríguez stays after this.
As you might recall, the Yankees went into the All-Star break without a conventional fifth starter. They used a successful bullpen game in the finale of the four-game set in Tampa last week, but Aaron Boone wasn’t willing to tip his hand about when the Yankees would need a fifth starter next weekend. Due to the lack of offdays after this upcoming Thursday and the restrictions on minor league call-ups in a season, you might see Rodríguez stay up until Max Fried or Carlos Rodón is ready to return.
This move alone would be noteworthy, but the Yankees are also swapping the back of their bullpen. Jake Bird, fresh off a disastrous eighth inning which saw him give up five earned runs, is being optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. His Yankees tenure has been an abject disaster over the past 12 months, as his ERA ballooned to 5.93 in 30.1 innings after Sunday’s bludgeoning.
Replacing Bird will be Kervin Castro, a longtime minor league journeyman who’s been in four organizations and thrown 27.2 major league innings, including two for the Yankees earlier this year in a loss to Milwaukee. He’s been a rock down in Triple-A, pitching to a sub-2 ERA across 55 games and 73 innings over the last two seasons after being a 2023 MiLB Rule 5 pick. He fits the bill as a Quad-A pitcher, but the Yankees will need a fresh body for tonight after using Bird, Angel Chivilli, Tim Hill, and Camilo Doval in the first leg of this doubleheader.
One might wonder why Castro came up instead of more trusted relievers Yerry De los Santos or Yovanny Cruz, but the simple answer might be the minor-league option rule. De los Santos has already been optioned three times, while Cruz has been optioned twice. Five times is the absolute maximum in a season before a player has to be exposed to waivers, so the Yankees might not want to burn one for a one-day promotion as part of a doubleheader.
Prior to Game 2 of today’s doubleheader, the Yankees made the following roster moves: • Appointed RHP Elmer Rodríguez (#71) as their “27th Man”. • Recalled RHP Kervin Castro (#74) from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. • Optioned RHP Jake Bird to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JULY 19: Alex Bregman #3 of the Chicago Cubs celebrates with Seiya Suzuki #27 after delivering a two-run home run off of Zebby Matthews #52 of the Minnesota Twins (not pictured) during the first inning at Wrigley Field on July 19, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Hirschuber/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After a pre-All Star Break push and a nice victory over the Chicago Cubs on Friday night, the Minnesota Twins looked to take the series and continue their upward trajectory. Alas, that ascent was abandoned with a tough defeat on Saturday followed by this laugher loss today.
The small Ursidaes made noise right away in B1, ambushing Twins SP Zebby Matthews with a Seiya Suzuki double and an Alex Bregman blast over the LCF bricks. 2-0 CHI.
Right back on the attack in B2, a Pedro Ramirez bloop ground-rule double in the LF corner immediately came around to score on a bleeder single up the middle for Carson Kelly. 3-0 CHI.
If you are starting to sense a pattern here, it continued in B3. After the Cubs loaded the bases with one out, Luke Keaschall tried to corral a Nico Hoerner single—and instead missed the sphere entirely and let it roll to the ivy while the three CHI baserunners made a lot of left turns. Ramirez also singled to bring home Hoerner. 7-0 CHI.
Three more runs for the Cubbies in B4 as Matthews was now firmly in “save the bullpen for the upcoming Guardians series” mop-up mode. 10-0 CHI.
With Twins’ bats utterly silent off Chicago starter Shota Imanaga, the only drama in Wrigleyville was whether a position player would be put to use on the pitcher’s mound.
The Twins would find the scoreboard in T8 when an Austin Martin single came around to score on a Royce Lewis sacrifice fly. 10-1 CHI.
Ultimately no position players would paw the rubber for MN, with Travis Adams, Kody Funderburk, & Woo-Suk Go pushing the mop and bucket to the finish line.
Your Final: Chicago Cubs 10, Minnesota Twins 1.
Quite literally one step forward and two steps back on the South Side this weekend.
Imakesandwichesforaliving only needed three characters to nail the sentiment about this contest.
Who’s Got Next
Buckle up, Twins Territory—we’ve got four in Cleveland (Mon. night, Tues. night, Wed. night, Thurs. afternoon) that could tip the buy/sell scale for 2026.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 19: Nolan McLean #26 of the New York Mets throws a pitch in the first inning during a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on July 19, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.(Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Mets won their first road series since early June by taking the rubber game against the Phillies today: Mets 6, Phillies 1. The offense had 14 hits and seven walks, and Nolan McLean only allowed two hits and two walks as he shut out the Phillies for six innings.
At the top of the first inning, Bo Bichette worked a two-out walk after 11 pitches to bring up Francisco Lindor, who smacked a two-run home run into right field. Carson Benge then tapped a ground ball to Alec Bohm, who couldn’t get his glove on it properly, allowing Benge to reach first base for a single. Jared Young was then hit by a pitch that caught him right under his arm to continue the inning. Marcus Semien was up next and struck out for the third out. Meanwhile, McLean started strong by working a 1-2-3 inning while facing the top of the Phillies lineup in the bottom of the first inning, keeping the score Mets 2, Phillies 0.
After Brett Baty lined a single into right field to lead off the second inning, Luis Torrens rolled an RBI double down the left-field foul line. It barely stayed fair, but Baty slid into home to score easily. Juan Soto walked after a nine-pitch at-bat, and Bichette tapped a fly ball into center field to load the bases. Lindor lined an RBI single into right field to score Torrens and keep the bases loaded. Benge dumped a sac fly into right field to Gabriel Rincones, Jr., who paused to flip his sunglasses down before catching the ball. Despite the smooth move, Rincones could not get the ball home before Soto scored an additional run. Young lined out to first base to end the top of inning, but not before the Mets had increased their lead to 5-0.
After Brandon Marsh grounded out, Alec Bohm reached first base safely by rolling to touch the base before Young tagged him. However, the ball came back and hit McLean on the shin before any of that happened. Fortunately he was able to stay in the game and continued to pitch after being checked by the trainer, but walked Bryson Stott immediately after. However, J.T. Realmuto followed that by grounding into a double play, which ended the second inning.
With two outs at the top of the fourth, Bichette lined a single into right field, and Lindor drew a walk, but Benge grounded out to end the Mets’ opportunity to pad their lead even more. During the bottom of the fourth, the seventh pitch of Marsh’s at-bat was called a foul ball, despite the fact that he never touched the ball with his bat. It did not matter one pitch later, when he grounded out to end the inning, but it was still annoying as the play was not reviewable. Regardless, the score remained Mets 5, Phillies 0 at the end of the fourth inning.
Tyrone Taylor came in to pinch-hit for Young at the top of the fifth, and smacked a ball into right field. It seemed like Rincones was going to catch it until he bonked himself on the fence, allowing Taylor to reach second base. But after Semien struck out for the third time in a row, Taylor attempted to steal third base and was caught after he overslid. Baty grounded out to Harper to end the Mets’ fifth-inning bid there. McLean retired the side in order yet again at the bottom of the fifth inning and kept the score 5-0 to move into the sixth.
Torrens started the sixth with an opposite-field single, and A.J. Ewing got his first hit of the day on an infield hit for a single. Soto drove an RBI single up the middle into center field for his first hit of the game, and Ewing made it to third base easily. With no outs yet, and runners at both corners, the Phillies made a pitching change from Tim Mayza to Max Lazar to face Bichette. Bichette grounded into a force out at second, but a miscommunication by the Phillies seemed to prevent the double play, and Bichette made it to first base safely. Unfortunately, Ewing remained at third base, so no runs scored despite the opportunity. Lindor drew another walk to load the bases, still with only one out. However, Benge struck out and Taylor grounded out to leave the bases loaded with no additional runs scored.
Having only thrown 73 pitches, McLean came back out for the sixth inning. After striking out the first two batters, he allowed a double to Trea Turner, only the second hit he had allowed all day. He allowed his second walk, to Kyle Schwarber, right after that. McLean got out of trouble by striking out Harper, though, and ended an excellent outing with the score Mets 6, Phillies 0.
Torrens drew a two-out walk, and Ewings dribbled a single into right field that allowed Torrens to slide into third base. Seth Johnson replaced Lazar to face Soto, who flied out to end the top of the seventh. A.J. Minter came out to replace McLean for the bottom of the seventh, and after retiring Marsh, allowed a home run to Bohm that soared into left field. Bryson Stott then hit a blooper into right field for a single, and Realmuto smacked a ground ball into right field for another single, the third hit in a row with one out. Edmundo Sosa came out to pinch-hit for Rincones and grounded into a double play to end the seventh inning and minimize the damage: Mets 6, Phillies 1.
Lindor whacked a double into center field in the eighth inning, and Benge worked a four-pitch walk to follow him. Taylor walked as well, and the bases were loaded with one out again. Semien struck out again to earn the golden sombrero. He was also the only Mets hitter to play the full game and not get a hit (Young also did not get a hit but only had one chance at the plate). Afterwards, Baty grounded out to again strand the runners with no additional runs. Huascar Brazobán replaced Minter at the bottom of the eighth inning and walked Turner after 11 pitches. However, he struck out Schwarber and Harper after that to end the inning.
Jhoan Duran came out for the ninth inning for the Phillies, as he had not had much work for several days. With two outs, Soto lined a single into center field, but was left there when Bichette grounded out. Cionel Pérez pitched the ninth inning for the Mets. Marsh smacked a line drive into right field for a leadoff single and trotted along to second base on a wild pitch by Pérez. Nevertheless, Pérez shut down the rest of the Phillies’ hitters and the game ended with a win for the Mets.
The Mets travel to Milwaukee to face the Brewers tomorrow at 7:40 PM ET. Freddy Peralta will face his old team for the Mets, and Jacob Misiorowski will pitch for the Brewers.
Big Mets winner: Francisco Lindor, +24% WPA Big Mets loser: Marcus Semien, -6% WPA Mets pitchers: +21% WPA Mets hitters: +29% WPA Teh aw3s0mest play: Francisco Lindor’s 2-run home run in the first inning, +18.1 % WPA Teh sux0rest play: Marcus Semien called out on strikes to end first inning and strand runners, -3.3% WPA
PHILADELPHIA — In different circumstances this would have been the kind of pitching performance that left the Mets convinced the top of their playoff rotation will be just fine.
That might still be the case, just not this year.
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Nolan McLean dominated a formidable Phillies lineup Sunday afternoon.
It was just the latest strong performance for the rookie — and maybe his best this season — in leading the Mets to a 6-1 victory at Citizens Bank Park.
The right-hander struck out 10 over six shutout innings, allowing only two hits and two walks.
The Mets won the series rubber game, giving them a shred of momentum to open the post-All-Star break.
But the reality is, the Mets are 16 games below .500.
New York Mets pitcher Nolan McLean (26) throws a pitch during a game against the Philadelphia Phillies. Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
McLean had a sixth straight start of pitching at least six innings, the longest such streak this season by a Mets pitcher.
Along the way his ERA dropped to 3.34 — the lowest it has been since May 19.
McLean, who threw 93 pitches, said reliance on his sinker has fueled his success.
“I try to use it as much as possible because I just want to go deeper into games,” he said. “Getting whiffs is great and all, but it’s really hard to get a ton of whiffs and go deep into games. You have got to have soft contact somewhere in there and I think the sinker is going to be a pitch for me that is going to get a lot of that.”
Other than a choppy stretch that began in mid-May and lasted about a month, McLean has been exactly what the Mets have wanted.
“It’s a lot like a lot of rookie seasons for really good pitchers,” interim manager Andy Green said. “He’s shown flashes of greatness and then he’s had to labor through other parts of the season. But for us I don’t think there’s any way to look at it other than really positive. The stuff is really good.
“We want him to pitch at the top of the rotation, so the challenge is always going to be out in front of him to continue to move up and get better. But I think when you are talking about rookies sitting in the three-and-change ERA range it’s impressive and we still think you can be more impressive.”
Francisco Lindor’s two-run homer in the first inning got his team started.
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The Mets assembled a two-out rally, with Bo Bichette drawing a walk against Alan Rangel before Lindor connected for his sixth homer this season.
Luis Torrens’ RBI double in the second, following Brett Baty’s leadoff single, extended the Mets lead to 3-0.
The Mets loaded the bases later in the inning and received an RBI single from Lindor and Carson Benge’s sacrifice fly for a 5-0 lead.
Juan Soto delivered an RBI single in the sixth that buried the Phillies in a 6-0 hole.
Torrens and A.J. Ewing each singled in the inning.
Alec Bohm homered against A.J. Minter in the seventh to give the Phillies their only run.
Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) celebrates with shortstop Bo Bichette (19) after hitting a two-run home run during the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
About the only drama McLean faced was in the sixth, when Trea Turner doubled against him for the Phillies’ second hit and Kyle Schwarber walked.
But McLean finished his afternoon strong by catching Bryce Harper looking on a 97 mph sinker.
“[McLean] threw strikes with every single pitch he had,” Lindor said. “He showed how good he is against a really good lineup.”
The double-digit strikeout game was the third of McLean’s career and second this season — his last was on April 21 against Minnesota.
“They have got such good hitters,” McLean said. “You still have got to go right after them and get ahead and baseball is so momentum-related when it comes to count control, so just getting that first strike and trying to beat them to two strikes before you get to two balls is everything.”
