Shaikin: 'L.A. is America's team.' But the Brewers should have been Tarik Skubal's team

Brewers manager Pat Murphy looks to the field before a game against the Cubs in Chicago on May 18.
Brewers manager Pat Murphy looks to the field before a game against the Cubs in Chicago on May 18. (Nam Y. Huh / Associated Press)

The manager of the team that most needed Tarik Skubal sat in his office Sunday at Angel Stadium. The Milwaukee Brewers, the team that opened play Sunday with the best record in the major leagues, did not get Skubal.

The Dodgers did. Of course they did.

“L.A. is America’s team,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said.

Not based on the cries from across America, from fans outraged that the Dodgers helped themselves to the best available talent yet again to baseball insiders mystified that the Detroit Tigers could not land a better return for Skubal than the three prospects the Dodgers swapped, or at least taken a couple more days to pursue a better return.

“Was I rooting for the Dodgers to get Skubal? Personally, no,” Angels pitcher Brent Suter said. “I was hoping another team that hadn’t won the World Series the past couple of years was going to get him.”

Suter pitched for the Brewers for seven years.

Pitcher Tarik Skubal walks to the dugout during a matchup between the Tigers and the Orioles Wednesday in Detroit.
Pitcher Tarik Skubal walks to the dugout during a matchup between the Tigers and the Orioles Wednesday in Detroit. (Paul Sancya / Associated Press)

“They have a loaded farm system,” he said. “I thought they were going to get him.”

The road to the World Series runs through Los Angeles. The Brewers also posted the best record in the majors last year, then the Dodgers swept them in the National League Championship Series.

In last year’s NLCS, the Brewers started an opener twice, Freddy Peralta once and José Quintana once. In a five- or seven-game series this October, the Brewers could have started Jacob Misiorowski twice and Skubal twice.

That could have mitigated the Dodgers’ huge advantage in slugging. The Dodgers have seven players in double digits in home runs. The Brewers have four.

Read more:Shaikin: Dodgers traded just 3 minor leaguers for Tarik Skubal. Why couldn't your team do that?

But any and all statistics obscure the larger point: If you’re a Brewers fan, when is your year?

The Brewers never have won a World Series. They are in line for their eighth playoff appearance in nine years.

Sustainable success is nice, and difficult to achieve. Much credit to the Brewers, who play in baseball’s smallest market.

But the point of the game is to win the World Series. If you’re not going all in when you have the best record in the majors for the second consecutive year, when are you going all in?

If not now, when?

“I know we made our efforts, too,” Murphy said. “I trust the way we operate. I understand the way we operate.”

Milwaukee Brewers infield players celebrate after defeating the Angels Saturday at Angel Stadium.
Milwaukee Brewers infield players celebrate after defeating the Angels Saturday at Angel Stadium. (William Liang / Associated Press)

This is all the more maddening in Milwaukee because, in 2008, the Brewers tried their best. That July, they traded four prospects for Hall of Fame pitcher CC Sabathia. Only one, outfielder Michael Brantley, developed into a productive major leaguer. That’s the norm, not the exception, in multiprospect trade packages.

As it turned out, the Brewers lost in the first round of the playoffs, and Sabathia did not survive the fourth inning of his lone postseason start. Then he signed with the New York Yankees. So what? The Brewers went for it, and their fans believed.

After the trade for Skubal, Fangraphs increased the Dodgers’ chance to win the World Series from 25% to 31%. That still means a two out of three chance the Dodgers do not win.

“He’s an amazing player,” Suter said, “but it doesn’t mean a guaranteed World Series. It doesn’t guarantee anything.”

I could not believe the number of fans that reached out to say small-market teams could not match the Dodgers’ proposal because they had little chance to re-sign Skubal as a free agent.

Again, so what? We’re playing to win the World Series, not the Baseball America prospect rankings.

Read more:Plaschke: Tarik Skubal trade brings Dodgers hate, envy ... and another championship

The Brewers, with small-market resources, touted former Angels infielder Luis Rengifo as a significant winter free-agent signing. The Dodgers countered with Edwin Díaz and Kyle Tucker.

“L.A. is America’s team and has all the big names,” Murphy said. “Now they just added to that, with maybe the best pitcher in the game, certainly one of the greats in this era.”

If the Brewers and Dodgers meet again in October, Murphy will only be too happy to tell us who the underdog is.

“It’s going to be David and Goliath,” Murphy said. “We haven’t earned that right yet. We haven’t got there yet.

“If we get there, I’m sure the narrative will be pretty similar: the haves and the have-nots.”

Murphy wanted to make one thing perfectly clear: Fans across America might despise the Dodgers, but he does not.

Read more:Shaikin: Love it or hate it: Would the Dodgers' NL West rivals call a Tarik Skubal trade overkill?

“They’ve got a bunch of great dudes,” he said. “Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts, Teoscar [Hernández]. I don’t know [Shohei] Ohtani. He doesn’t even know who I am. But I feel like Ohtani is a great dude. I can just tell by his presence.

“How can you not love [Max] Muncy? Doc [manager Dave Roberts] is my good friend. [Coach Dino] Ebel, we’ve got his whole family playing for the Brewers.”

The Brewers made first-round picks of Ebel’s sons Brady and Trey over the past two years, paying $5.55 million in signing bonuses. The Ebel boys are top prospects. They can look forward to a long stay in Milwaukee.

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Matthew Liberatore Throws a Gem as Cardinals Avoid Sweep vs Blue Jays Sunday

TORONTO, CANADA - AUGUST 2: Matthew Liberatore #32 of the St. Louis Cardinals pitches in the first inning of their MLB game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on August 2, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images) | Getty Images

To say that Matthew Liberatore has struggled this season is to state the obvious. But, he tossed one of the best games of his career Sunday in Toronto as he completely shut the defending AL Champion Blue Jays down for 6 innings outdueling the Blue Jays Max Scherzer in the process. The Cardinals offense would come through late in the game to help them avoid another series sweep by Toronto.

The St. Louis Cardinals sputtering offense didn’t exactly set the world on fire. They did score first in the top of the 3rd inning when Nathan Church drew a one-out walk. Two batters later, Lars Nootbaar turned on an 84 mph changeup and turned it into a RBI double scoring Church and giving the Cardinals a 1-0 lead. This would be the lone Cardinals threat of the first 8 innings of the game.

Matthew Liberatore gave St. Louis the kind of outing that they expected when the season started, but have rarely seen. He was throwing a lot of first-pitch strikes and locked down the Blue Jays throwing a one-hit shutout for 6 innings. I can’t remember Matthew being better any game this season than he was Sunday versus the Blue Jays.

Max Scherzer deserves some credit, too, for his effort. He threw 6 full innings only allowing the 1 earned run, 4 hits while striking out 5 and walking just 1. In typical Scherzer style, he argued his way out of being taken out of the game in the top of the 6th inning.

You knew that the St. Louis Cardinals bullpen would enter the fray at some point and Sunday it was the bottom of the 7th inning when Ryne Stanek got into a jam, but also did a Houdini-like escape act to get out of it unscathed. George Springer hit an 87 mph Stanek slider off of the right field wall for a triple immediately putting himself in scoring position. Ryne rose to the occasion and struck out Alejandro Kirk and got Ernie Clement to foul out to Herrera to end the inning.

After the Cardinals wasted a leadoff single from Blaze Jordan in the top of the 8th inning, George Soriano was responsible for preserving the narrow 1-0 lead in the bottom of the 8th. He was able to get the first two outs with no trouble, but gave up a 2-out single to Gimenez who advanced to second on a wild pitch by Soriano to get into scoring position. Luis Urias made him pay for it when he ripped a 3-0 slider into the left field corner for a game-tying RBI double. Fortunately, that’s all they’d get as Guerrero Jr. grounded out hard to Winn at short to end the Blue Jays 8th.

The St. Louis offense would do something Sunday it hasn’t done lately. The Cardinals rallied in the top of the 9th inning. Masyn Winn got it started with a leadoff walk. Bryan Torres then singled to right giving St. Louis runners at first and second with no outs. José Fermín caught up with a 98 mph sinker singling in Winn and giving the Cardinals a 2-1 lead. It could have been much more as Nathan Church popped up a bunt that Kirk made a great play on for the first out. Blaze Jordan then grounded into a fielder’s choice that almost became a double play, but Blue Jays reliever Varland didn’t cover first base in time. It looked like that’s all the Cardinals would get when Lars Nootbaar hit a grounder to Urias who somehow turned an easy final out of the 9th into a throwing error that allowed Torres to score giving St. Louis a 3-1 lead and they didn’t stop there.

Jordan Walker took advantage of the extra out the Blue Jays gave them by stroking a single to left scoring 2 more and giving the Cardinals a rare commanding 9th inning 5-1 lead.

Surely the St. Louis bullpen could preserve a 4-run 9th inning lead, right? Riley O’Brien would be the man to answer that question as he came in to shut down Toronto and avoid a series sweep by the Blue Jays. O’Brien’s 9th didn’t start in a positive way as Okamoto hit a single into center that Church tried to scoop up casually, but allowed the ball to bounce away giving Okamoto second base for free. George Springer squared up a 97 mph sinker, but it went directly into the glove of Church in center for the first out. Riley then whipped a nasty 96 mph sinker past Kirk for the second out. That left Ernie Clement as the final hope for the Blue Jays. He grounded out to Masyn Winn who rifled a throw to first for the final out and a much-needed Cardinals victory.

The St. Louis Cardinals head to New York for a 3-game series versus the Yankees Monday. Michael McGreevy is the scheduled starter for the Cardinals while it’s Cam Schlittler for the Yankees. First pitch scheduled for 6:05pm central time at Yankee Stadium with the game broadcast available on Cardinals.tv.

GameThread: Detroit Tigers vs. Athletics, 4:05 p.m.

Jul 7, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Tigers second baseman Hao-Yu Lee (50) reacts to an inside pitch in the sixth inning against the Athletics at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Detroit Tigers vs. Athletics

Time/Place: 4:05 p.m., Sutter Health Park
SB Nation Site:Athletics Nation
Media:
Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network

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Mets’ Clay Holmes allows four runs in final rehab appearance before trade deadline

Even with heavy interest around the league ahead of Monday’s trade deadline, the Mets decided to run Clay Holmes out for one last rehab appearance Sunday. 

The big righty went out and threw five-plus innings in front of a handful of potential suitors in Brooklyn. 

The Diamondbacks, Phillies, Rays, and Rangers were the four teams with scouts in attendance for the outing, according to Joel Sherman of the NY Post. 

Holmes gave up a single to the first batter he faced, but needed just five pitches to erase that, as a fly out and double-play ball helped him breeze through the inning.

Winston-Salem got on the board with runs each of the next four innings, though. 

Holmes was hurt by an error in the third, and stolen bases in both the fourth and fifth, before his day came to an end with a man on-base in the top of the sixth. 

Overall, he allowed four runs (three earned) on seven hits while striking out three. 

This is expected to be Holmes' final outing in the organization this season, as he said himself that being moved seems the most likely outcome ahead of the deadline. 

If that's the case, the 32-year-old was tremendous during his two years as a Met.  

New York took a chance on his transition to the rotation last offseason and he responded by becoming one of their most reliable arms, racking up a 3.26 ERA and 1.25 WHIP across 42 outings. 

Cubs news: Cubs trade Jameson Taillon to Blue Jays

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JULY 20: Jameson Taillon #50 of the Chicago Cubs looks on while walking towards the dugout during the first inning against the Detroit Tigers at Wrigley Field on July 20, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jessie Alcheh/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Earlier this week, the Cubs designated right-handed starter Jameson Taillon for assignment. Today, they completed a trade that sends Taillon to the Toronto Blue Jays for cash considerations or a player to be named later.

Taillon signed a four-year, $68 million free agent deal with the Cubs before the 2023 season. He struggled in his first year with the Cubs but then settled in as a solid innings-eater for the next two seasons, putting up an ERA of 3.27 in 2024 and 3.68 in 2025. But Taillon struggled mightily this year, going 2-6 with a 5.92 ERA. He missed almost six weeks with a hamstring injury and got lit up in his first two starts back. That led the Cubs to move on and designated him for assignment.

It should be noted that Taillon was universally liked as a teammate, with many Cubs saying he was a terrific friend to everyone and a mentor to younger players. That should help a Blue Jays clubhouse that at least one player has claimed is lacking in chemistry.

Taillon goes to the Blue Jays, who are having a nightmarish season after coming within two outs of a World Series title last year.

The Cubs have a makeup game with the Blue Jays at Wrigley on Thursday. It’s very possible that Taillon makes his Blue Jays debut in that game.

Mets agree to trade pitcher Freddy Peralta to Rays for 3 minor leaguers

NEW YORK — The last-place New York Mets have agreed to trade starting pitcher Freddy Peralta to the Tampa Bay Rays for three minor leaguers, according to a person with direct knowledge of the deal.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Sunday because the teams hadn’t announced the deal.

Peralta, a two-time All-Star who can become a free agent following the World Series, has been a disappointment with the Mets after they acquired him from Milwaukee in a January trade. But he could boost the middle of a strong rotation for the pitching-rich Rays, who began the day with the best record in the American League at 65-45 and a 3 1/2-game lead in the AL East over the New York Yankees.

New York will receive outfielder Aidan Smith, infielder Emilien Pitre and right-hander Gary Gill Hill in exchange for Peralta.

The move comes a day before baseball’s trade deadline at 6 p.m. EDT on Monday.

Three Helium Rays Pitching Prospects to Know

SPARTANBURG, SC - JULY 12: Bowling Green Hot Rods pitcher Jacob Kisting (39) during a High A Minor League Baseball game between the Boiling Green Hot Rods and the Hub City Spartanburgers on July 12, 2026 at Fifth Third Park in Spartanburg, S.C. (Photo by John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The Rays currently have three starting pitchers in the low levels of the minor leagues putting together strong seasons that have boosted their prospect stock. All three have improved their outlooks this season and have strengthened their cases to remain starters long-term. While there’s still risk in each profile, they currently project as potential backend starters with room for more. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Rays move any of these guys as part of a trade package at the deadline.

RHP Jacob Kisting

Jacob Kisting was acquired from the Twins this past offseason for Eric Orze. Kisting is a 6’5 RHP who throws from a low 3/4 slot. His four-seamer sits in the low 90s but gets on hitters quicker than expected thanks to his low release height and above average carry. Kisting has good feel for his two-seam variant, and neither fastball projects as more than a fringy offering on pure stuff alone. He also has a pair of average secondaries in the low-to-mid 80s; a cut-slider and an offspeed pitch with above average fade and plenty of velocity separation. He has excellent feel of his offspeed pitch to the point where he can manipulate the shape to get more depth or fade depending on the situation. His low slot, deception, and ability to command the entire arsenal allow his stuff to play above its raw grades. Kisting has maintained plus whiff and strike rates this season in Bowling Green and looks ready for a promotion to Montgomery if there are innings available. Maintaining his command will be key for him to work as a middle-to-backend starter.

RHP Aidan Cremarosa

With a no-hitter this season, Aidan Cremarosa has already gained some attention while pitching in Charleston. The 6’3 RHP throws from a 3/4 slot with plus extension that helps his low 90s fastball gain a few ticks in perceived velocity. He has great feel for a low-70s breaking ball that he can land in-zone to steal strikes, but Cremarosa’s best weapon may be his low-80s offspeed pitch, which features solid movement and excellent velocity separation from his fastball. He also throws a low-80s cut-slider that allows him to generate plenty of strikes and weak contact. Cremarosa currently looks like a backend starter, but given his physical projection, he could find a bit more velocity and look more like a number three starter.

LHP Blake Morgan

Blake Morgan has enjoyed a strong start to his professional career. The 6’1 LHP throws from a high slot and features three pitches: a low 90s fastball, a low 80s gyro breaking ball, and a low 80s offspeed pitch. The fastball and breaking ball are fringy offerings, but his unique slot and plus command help him keep hitters off balance. Morgan’s best pitch is his offspeed pitch – it has plus fade from his high release point, and its velocity separation from the fastball is excellent, making it a clear plus offering. His feel for strike throwing gives him a safe floor as a backend starter, with a potential ceiling of a Jeffrey Springs-type starter. Morgan could raise his game by finding a second breaking ball shape to give hitters on both sides of the plate a different look beyond the first time through an order.

The Rays have taken their ability to identify and develop offspeed pitches to new heights in recent years. This is evident in some of their up-arrow pitching prospects as well as their offspeed usage and success in the majors. Any of these three names may be a potential target of other teams in a trade package. If they remain in the organization, any of these three could reach the majors by 2028.

Mariners Game #113 Preview and Discussion: 8/2/26, Twins at Mariners

One of the 50 Greatest Mariners? Photo by Bruce Kluckhohn/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

I try not to dwell on negative emotions, especially anger and especially about things like baseball that are ostensibly sources of joy for me. But I confess that this morning, I find myself raging about Tarik Skubal to the Dodgers, overwhelming any emotions I have about the Mariners trading Luis Castillo to the White Sox. I guess what I’ll say about the Skubal deal is that now that it’s done, the entire baseball world really ought to be lining up behind the Mariners as the only team that can defeat the Dodgers in the playoffs.

At any rate, the big news of the day remains the farewell to La Piedra. I wish him nothing but the best. I will never forget his performance in his first home start in T-Mobile Park.

This afternoon, though, the ball will go to George Kirby, perhaps for the last time as a Mariner. Let’s hope it goes better than his last outing, when he was taken deep by the Rangers four times on Monday and tied for the third-worst game score of his career.

Lineups

News

LHP Josh Simpson is here to take the place (temporarily) of Luis Castillo on the roster. Seranthony Dominguez is expected to report to the club on Tuesday after the team’s off-day, along with Brendan Donovan.

The Mariners also announced that INF Buddy Kennedy, who was DFA’d on the 28th, was claimed off waivers by the Giants, the team the Mariners had originally acquired him from.

The Twins made a roster move of their own; pregame they optioned RHP Jack Anderson (not former Mariners prospect Jack Anderson) to Triple-A to make room for their new acquisition RHP Dean Kremer.

Michael Arroyo was here at T-Mobile Park earlier, which initially caused quite a stir among the assembled media, but he was just here to get checked out after being hit by a pitch the other night in Tacoma and to pick up some gear from Randy Arozarena, who sent Arroyo home with a boxful of extra shin guards, cleats, and other swag. He’s in Tacoma’s lineup today for their 1:30 game.

Game Info

First Pitch: 1:10 PDT
TV: Mariners TV
Radio: Old Reliable

Game 113: Twins at Mariners

Star Tribune staffers, from left, Jim Souhan, Rachel Blount, Jay Weiner, and Jeff Wheeler. GENERAL INFORMATION JERRY HOLT ¥ jgholt@startribune.com MINNEAPOLIS - 1/31/06 - A studio portrait of the Star Tribune staffers covering the Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. (Photo by JERRY HOLT/Star Tribune via Getty Images) (Photo by JERRY HOLT/Star Tribune via Getty Images) | Star Tribune via Getty Images
First Chuck: 3:10 PM (new anthem each week!)
The Tube: Twins.TV
The Dial: Treasure Island Baseball Network
Spies ‘R Us: Lookout Landing

Earlier this month, news came from the Star Tribune that longtime columnist Jim Souhan would be sharpening his last pencil—clacking his last typewriter—pecking his final keyboard—tapping his final device. Whatever metaphor you’d like to envision for “sportswriter retires”.

I won’t render any sort of positive or negative verdict on Souhan the person (of which I don’t know enough) or Souhan the “successful writer” (every scribe will compose some columns we agree with and others we disagree with—that is the nature of the business). But Souhan’s retirement does make me reflect upon the ways in which I receive my baseball news have changed in just the 30 years I’ve been intensely following the sport.

There was a time in which newsprint truly was the gold standard of baseball info. For me, this took two forms:

  • The Baseball Weekly subscription my parents would get me for my birthday every year
  • My grandfather reliably—some might say metronomically—getting me the daily Star Tribune while I spent the summer months at his cabin lake home

This was of course supplemented by nightly baseball news on cable TV programs like SportsCenter or Baseball Tonight. But beyond reading a timed publication or watching a timed TV show, there was no instant baseball news at my fingertips.

With all that in mind, columnists like Souhan told me what to think about the Minnesota Twins. On one hand: a helpful narrowing of the information portal (like a TV news anchor or a Blockbuster Video section with X number of titles). On the other hand: An un-democratic narrowing of the information portal in the sense that all opinions were being put through the “Souhan filter” (of which most professional journalists will try to avoid, but cannot of course do so entirely).

This is where I might usually make some sort of value-judgement statement on the sports journalism situation, but I have no proclamation here. While the capital-I Internet gives everyone (including yours truly) a chance to pontificate on the National Pastime, it also makes it that much more difficult for the true professionals/experts to make a career of it.

So, while the accuracy or personal enjoyment of Souhan’s scribbles will ultimately fade into the background with time, his retirement makes me contemplate the nature of sports journalism and how we’ll likely never see an era like his again. When Patrick Reusse either absconds or goes gentle into that good night, it will really hit home.

Of course, it won’t take you until Monday morning to get the recap of this Minnesota Twins versus Seattle Mariners clash. I’ll have the particulars—for better or worse—to you by the time you are back from your own lake cabin or other late-afternoon Sunday activities.

Click here for Lineups!

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8/2 Gamethread: Giants @ Padres

View from the side of Landen Roupp throwing a pitch.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JULY 22: Landen Roupp #65 of the San Francisco Giants pitches during the first inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium on July 22, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jay Biggerstaff/Getty Images) | Getty Images

It’s series finale time, and the San Francisco Giants are in need of a win to split their four-game date with the San Diego Padres.

Righty Landen Roupp takes the mound for the Giants, making his 22nd start. Roupp has had an up-and-down season, and is 7-9 with a 4.12 ERA, a 3.38 FIP, and 114 strikeouts to 48 walks in 113.2 innings. He struggled in his last outing, giving up four runs in 3.2 innings against the Milwaukee Brewers.

For the Padres, it’s lefty Kyle Hart, after scheduled starter Michael King was pushed to Monday. Hart, who is presumably an opener for a bullpen game, has made 28 appearances this year, and is 0-2 with a 4.87 ERA, a 3.79 FIP, and 36 strikeouts to 13 walks in 40.2 innings.

Enjoy the game, everyone!

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Lineups

Giants

  1. Luis Arráez — 2B
  2. Bryce Eldridge — DH
  3. Heliot Ramos — LF
  4. Rafael Devers — 1B
  5. Jung Hoo Lee — RF
  6. Willy Adames — SS
  7. Drew Cavanaugh — C
  8. Drew Gilbert — CF
  9. Osleivis Basabe — 3B

RHP. Landen Roupp

Padres

  1. Luis Rengifo — LF
  2. Jake Cronenworth — 2B
  3. Manny Machado — DH
  4. Ty France — 1B
  5. Jackson Merrill — CF
  6. Luis Campusano — C
  7. Gavin Sheets — RF
  8. Xander Bogaerts — SS
  9. Sung-Mun Song — 3B

LHP. Kyle Hart

Game #112

Who: San Francisco Giants (47-64) vs. San Diego Padres (57-54)

Where: Petco Park, San Diego, California

When: 1:10 p.m. PT

Regional broadcast: NBC Sports Bay Area

National broadcast: n/a

Radio: KNBR 680 AM/104.5 FM, KSFN 1510 AM

Breaking down the Mets’ return for Freddy Peralta

Emilien Pitre (4) of the Tampa Bay Rays bats during a minor league spring training game against the Minnesota Twins on March 16, 2026 at Charlotte Sports Park in Port Charlotte, Florida.
Emilien Pitre | (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The Mets finally found a package they liked for Freddy Peralta, moving him to Tampa Bay for three prospects most fans have likely never heard of. Indeed, none of these prospects ranked in the Rays’ top-10 per MLB pipeline. There’s more to like to this return than you might think, however.

Émilien Pitre is the headliner (insofar as there is a headliner) of this deal. Taken in the second round of the 2024 draft out of Kentucky, Pitre is an undersized second baseman originally from Canada. He returned to High-A to start this season after an unremarkable 2025 and has basically done nothing but hit since then; 128 wRC+ at A+, 155 wRC+ in Double-A, and a .308/.438/.447 slash line across two levels with more walks than strikeouts. The knock here is the lack of power, as Pitre has only average-ish EVs and a propensity for ground balls. The realistic projection is a table-setting, OBP-heavy 2B with solid defense who could be ready by the middle of 2027, with upside for a bit more if the Mets can coax out improvements to his vertical spray.

Aidan Smith is almost a mirror image of Pitre. He’s got plus exits, run times, and overall athleticism, but he’s managed to strike out more than 30% of the time in the low minors while posting a combined line 30% worse than league average. He probably just can’t hit, but occasionally these guys do put it together. He’ll have the rest of 2026 and all of ‘27 to figure it out in the Mets’ system before they’ll need to make a call on adding him to the 40-man roster. Overall it’s high-risk, high-reward swing on a prep that was at one point very highly regarded (was part of the return for Randy Arozarena in 2024).

Finally, we have Gary Gill Hill, a local product (born in New Rochelle, attended high school in Somers) who was selected as a prep arm in 2022. Like Smith, his surface level stats are unimpressive; K% under 20% and a mid-4s ERA in Double-A this season. Unlike Smith, the path to improvement is a bit more clear. Gill Hill has a diverse arsenal and feel for multiple pitch shapes. Refining those shapes and/or adjusting his mix could lead to quick gains, and there’s mid-rotation upside here on a fairly reasonable time horizon.

Back to the view of the return as a whole. First, the Rays have (as usual) one of the deepest systems in baseball; getting three players outside their top-10 for Freddy Peralta and his high-4s ERA is by no means a bad return in a vacuum. Second, raw system ranks are not the most useful of measurement tools, particularly at this point in the season (maintaining list quality on a running basis in-season is hard, and Pipeline is not the best source in the first place). There is a lot to like here, combining both floor and upside, proximity and long-term value.

Finally, we should make the point that this return is likely more valuable than the present value of the players the Mets gave up for Peralta in the first place. Yes, both Jett Williams and Brandon Sproat were top-100 names at the time of the deal, but both have seen their stock decline significantly this season to the point where it’s not longer clear that either will be meaningful contributors. Given how poor Peralta was as a Met, recouping this much value should be regarded quite positively.

We’ll have full grades for every deadline deal the Mets make once all the moves for the deadline have been made. Check back in for those next week.

San Francisco Giants at San Diego Padres

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 31: Manny Machado #13 congratulates Fernando Tatis Jr. #23 of the San Diego Padres after he scored on a sacrifice fly ball during the first inning of a game against the San Francisco Giants at Petco Park on July 31, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images

San Francisco Giants (47-64) at San Diego Padres (57-54), August 2, 2026, 1:1o p.m. PST

Watch: Padres.TV

Location: Petco Park – San Diego, Calif.

Listen: 97.3 The Fan



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Game Discussion: Milwaukee Brewers (69-41) @ Los Angeles Angels (42-69)

ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - JULY 7: Jacob Misiorowski #32 of the Milwaukee Brewers returns to the dugout against the St. Louis Cardinals during game one of a doubleheader at Busch Stadium on July 7, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) | Getty Images

After a rough start to the road trip in San Francisco, the Brewers have turned it around with two straight wins against the Angels. They can make this a winning road trip by completing the sweep this afternoon, and Jacob Misiorowski is on the mound for it.

Since the All-Star break, the Brewers have been deliberate with building Misiorowski back up slowly to help manage his workload. His previous start was last Sunday, when he pitched five innings and struck out 12 against the Rockies. His last two starts were limited to 65 and 83 pitches, so he will likely be limited to under 100 pitches again today. Misiorowski still leads all of MLB in ERA (1.58), strikeouts (185), and FIP (2.02) across 120 innings pitched this season.

For the Angels, Walbert Ureña gets the start today. He is a 22-year-old right-hander from the Dominican Republic who made his MLB debut at the start of the season. So far this season, he has a 2.70 ERA, 3.88 FIP, and 88 strikeouts in 93 1/3 innings pitched. He has had four consecutive starts allowing one run or fewer, with the last of those coming Monday against the Astros. In that start, he allowed just one run in six innings while striking out five.

With the righty on the mound, Christian Yelich will get the day off. Jake Bauers takes the DH spot instead with Andrew Vaughn playing at first. Garrett Mitchell moves up to third in the lineup, with Brice Turang, Jackson Chourio, and William Contreras in their usual spots. Luis Lara, Cooper Pratt, and David Hamilton round out the lineup.

Today’s game will be broadcast nationally on Peacock at 2:15 p.m. It will also be on the Brewers Radio Network.

Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Cincinnati Reds: Mitch Keller vs. Chase Burns

PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 27: Mitch Keller #23 of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches during the first inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at PNC Park on July 27, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Cincinnati Reds, August 2, 2026, 1:40 p.m. ET

The Pittsburgh Pirates are finishing off their four-game set against the Cincinnati Reds, but they won’t have it easy in the final game before the MLB Trade Deadline tomorrow.

Mitch Keller gets the start for the Pirates, and he’s looking for his first win since June 28, when he last pitched against the Cincinnati Reds. He went six innings, giving up five hits and three earned runs in a 9-4 victory at PNC Park. The Bucks have won each of Keller’s last two starts in 10 innings, including his latest appearance on July 27 against the Arizona Diamondbacks, where he went 5.1 innings, giving up six hits and two earned runs.

The Reds are giving the ball to their ace, Chase Burns, who is 12-1 so far this season. In his last start against the Pirates, he went six innings, giving up nine hits and five earned runs, but the Reds rallied late to win 9-7 at PNC Park. After that appearance, he won his next three starts but came away with a no-decision in his latest appearance on July 28 against the Cleveland Guardians. Burns went five innings, giving up five hits and one earned run, but the Reds lost 6-5.

Location: Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati, OH

Broadcast: KDKA AM/FM, Sportsnet Pittsburgh

Pitching Matchup: Mitch Keller (6-7, 4.83 ERA) vs. Chase Burns (12-1, 2.40 ERA)

BD community, this is your gameday thread for today. Chime off in the comments section below.

Mets vs. Marlins: Lineups, broadcast info, and open thread, 8/2/26

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JULY 31: Francisco Lindor #12 of the New York Mets connects for his seventh inning solo home run against the Miami Marlins at Citi Field on July 31, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Evan Bernstein/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Mets lineup

A.J. Ewing – LF
Francisco Lindor – SS
Bo Bichette – 3B
Carson Benge – RF
Luis Robert – CF
Jared Young – 1B
Marcus Semien – 2B
Jorge Polanco – DH
Francisco Alvarez – C

SP: Robert Stock – RHP

Marlins lineup

Liam Hicks – DH
Kyle Stowers – 1B
Otto Lopez – SS
Xavier Edwards – 2B
Griffin Conine – LF
Owen Caissie – RF
Jakob Marsee – CF
Joe Mack – C
Javier Sanoja – 3B

SP: Sandy Alcantara – RHP

Broadcast info

First pitch: 1:40 PM ET
TV: SNY
Radio: Audacy Mets Radio WHSQ 880AM, Audacy App, 92.3 HD2